cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism Weekly, 28 January - 3 February 2022 Gang killers planned armed jail break, court hears Page 5 Honouring Cayman’s heroes Pages 12, 14 and 15 The making of a champion Cayman golfer Aaron Jarvis, 19, has big ambitions after regional win sends him to US Masters Page 8 Photo: Enrique Berardi/LAAC Try the NEW TM & © 2022 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. FRIDAY, 28 JANUARY 2022 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. MY HERO ACADEMIA 3: WORLD HEROES’ MISSION (PG-13) (FRI & MON-THURS ) 4:10 | 7:15 | 10:20 VIP (SAT) 1:35 | 4:10 | 7:15 | 10:20 VIP (SUN) 4:05 VIP | 4:10 | 7:15 | 9:20 VIP | 10:00 | 10:20 VIP NIGHTMARE ALLEY (R) (FRI, & MON-THURS) 3:30 VIP | 6:50 | 6:50 VIP | 9:55 (SAT) 12:45 VIP | 1:00 | 3:30 VIP | 6:50 | 6:50 VIP | 9:55 SCREAM (R) (FRI) 3:45 | 6:50 | 8:50 VIP | 9:50 (SAT, MON, WED-THURS) 3:45 | 6:35 VIP 6:50 | 9:25 VIP | 9:50 (TUE) 3:45 | 6:50 | 9:50 | 9:50 VIP SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (PG-13) (FRI & MON-THURS) 3:45 VIP | 3:55 | 6:35 | 7:05 VIP | 9:40 (SAT) 12:25 VIP | 12:25 | 3:45 VIP | 3:55 | 6:35 | 7:05 VIP | 9:40 (SUN) 3:45 VIP | 3:55 | 5:00 | 6:15 VIP | 6:45 | 7:05 VIP | 8:20 | 9:30 | 9:35 VIP | 9:45 SING 2 (PG) (FRI) 3:15 VIP | 4:10 (SAT) 12:40 VIP | 1:15 | 3:55 VIP | 4:10 (SUN) 3:35 VIP | 4:10 | 6:40 VIP | 6:50 (MON-THURS) 3:35 VIP | 4:10 THE KING’S MAN (R) (FRI, SAT, MON & WED-THURS) 10:00 | 10:00 VIP (TUES) 10:00 WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK KIDS CLUB THE ROAD TO EL DORADO SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) KIDS CLUB MOANA SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) CLASSICS BRAVEHEART TUESDAY 7PM VIP (R) FIND 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 with a wave height of 1 to 3 feet. WINDS Northwest at 5 to 10 knots. 77°F HIGH 72°F LOW Health City breaks ground on new $100M hospital Officials broke ground on Health City’s new $100 million Camana Bay hospital on 27 Jan. Premier Wayne Panton, Health City’s clinical director Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil and Dart president of business development Jackie Doak, along with Cabinet members, picked up golden shovels at the ceremonial groundbreaking for the 70,000-square-foot facility, located south of the Cayman International School, near the intersection of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway and the new Airport Connector Road. Panton welcomed the investment of the new facility, saying it was a demonstration of confidence in Cayman's economy. The project was formalised under Alden McLaughlin's Progressives-led administration last February. The first phase of the 70- bed hospital is projected to be completed by October, with the full facility ready by the third quarter of 2023. Overseas Territories minister visits Cayman Amanda Milling, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office minister responsible for the Cayman Islands and other Overseas Territories, visited Cayman for the first time. During her three-day trip, which began on Wednesday, 26 Jan., Milling met many of Cayman’s officials, including Premier Wayne Panton, Cabinet members, Leader of the Opposition Roy McTaggart, and others in government, industry and civil society. Her schedule included meeting members of the Coast Guard, the Cayman Islands Regiment and Royal Cayman Islands Police Service Air Operations Unit, as well as talking with local youth groups about climate change and the protection of local biodiversity, and visiting Little Cayman to see the work of the Department of Environment and the Central Caribbean Marine Institute. Woman bitten by barracuda The Department of Environment is warning swimmers to be aware of small baitfish in the water after an elderly woman was taken to hospital after apparently being bitten in the arm by a barracuda, likely to have been in the area feeding on the tiny fish. The woman, who is visiting Cayman, received “what appears to be a barracuda bite” in the middle of her right arm while swimming off Colonial Club Condos on Seven Mile Beach, the department said in a Facebook post on 24 Jan. “The responding DoE Conservation Officer noticed several schools of sprats and some feeding activity in the water at the location,” the post noted. “The public is reminded to be aware of small baitfish jumping out of the water when swimming as this is usually an indication of feeding activity nearby.” Barracuda are said to be attracted to shiny and glittery objects, like jewellery, as they confuse them with the silvery gleam of the scales of the small fish they prey upon. Hurley’s approved to move back to original home The Central Planning Authority has approved an application for Hurley’s supermarket to build a $4.9 million, 35,360-square- foot supermarket on the site of its original store at the now- demolished Eden Centre on Walkers Road. The board approved the supermarket project, pending construction of an 8-foot-high wall along all of the property’s common boundaries, a 6-foot- wide sidewalk that is to be built within the boundaries of the land, and the removal of the current sidewalk. Hurley’s opened at Eden Centre Plaza in 1986, after its earlier iteration, Hurley’s Meat Market, moved from its airport site. The entire plaza was severely damaged in Hurricane Ivan, and was subsequently torn down. Foster’s expansion plan gets go-ahead Shoppers in West Bay are set to get a much larger Foster’s Republix supermarket, after the Central Planning Authority gave conditional approval for its expansion. The $2.2 million project will involve the relocation of the Aldine Franklin Home, a century- old house next to the property, to a new site in East End. The CPA’s conditional approval sets out 13 requirements for the Foster’s group to meet in order for final approval to be granted. Each relates to either the architectural drawings of the proposed facility or to the planning department’s building code that will govern the process of expansion. Visiting UK Overseas Territories Minister Amanda Milling met with Premier Wayne Panton on 27 Jan., during her first tour of the Cayman Islands. - Photo: GIS Officials from government, Dart and Health City at the groundbreaking for Health City's $100 million hospital at Camana Bay. - Photo: Alvaro Serey news briefs cayman compass 2 N newscayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 28 JANUARY 2022 THE 5TH ANNUAL YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM IN UNCERTAIN TIMES 19 FEBRUARY 2022 Featuring an impressive line-up of speakers and panelists, this year’s event will be streamed via The Alex Panton Foundation Facebook page between 10am and 4pm. www.alexpantonfoundation.ky LIVE-STREAM1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 A goatlike antelope (7) 5 Main ingredient (5) 8 An overwhelming surprise (9) 9 Lubricate (3) 10 Nervously anxious (4) 12 Discompose (8) 14 Dwarfed potted tree (6) 15 Become extinct (3,3) 17 A sampling of opinion (8) 18 Speak irritably (4) 21 Zealous supporter (3) 22 Hidden explosive device (5,4) 24 Spacious (5) 25 Contravene (7) DOWN 1 Thick strong rope (5) 2 Direct a firearm (3) 3 Expel (4) 4 Inasmuch as (6) 5 Short official statement (8) 6 Demolish in argument (5,4) 7 Most noticeable (7) 11 Arms smuggler (9) 13 Praiseworthy (8) 14 Diffident (7) 16 Innumerable (6) 19 Showy scarlet flower (5) 20 Affirmative votes (4) 23 Poke fun at (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16913 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 16913 ACROSS: 1 Chamois, 5 Basis, 8 Bombshell, 9 Oil, 10 Edgy, 12 Unsettle, 14 Bonsai, 15 Die out, 17 Sounding, 18 Snap, 21 Fan, 22 Booby trap, 24 Large, 25 Disobey. DOWN: 1 Cable, 2 Aim, 3 Oust, 4 Seeing, 5 Bulletin, 6 Shoot down, 7 Salient, 11 Gunrunner, 13 Laudable, 14 Bashful, 16 Untold, 19 Poppy, 20 Ayes, 23 Rib. cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 28 JANUARY 2022 Cayman teen makes golf history, heads to US Masters Aaron has a very bright future and this has come from hard work, dedication and enthusiasm, in there with the support of his family and coaches! Believe me, he has all the attributes to go far in golf! Great inspiration for Cay- man’s young. Let’s make golf more accessible to Caymanians of all ages! – Andrew Bodden I will be a huge fan of this young man for life! As a 70-year- old who struggled with no ‘open’ courses available to play when I first picked up my Scottish grandfather’s hickory-shafted clubs six decades ago, I feel for those young Caymanians who have a desire to learn and play this game I love. What a great ambassador Aaron Jarvis will be for Cayman golf! – George Breedon Congratulations, Aaron, well deserved. I have seen the hours of practice and playing you put in at the golf club. Also, well played to Justin Hastings. Two wonderful young men. – Jennifer Henry Wow! Congrats, Aaron! Such an amazing achievement. – Jenavieve Van Den Bergh Congrats to Aaron. And to his supportive family, especially his Mom Lana Arch-Jarvis. – Dean Miller Congratulations, Aaron! You were always a very talented sportsman! – Bryony Platt Facing deportation, domestic violence victim challenges im- migration law This is totally wrong. Come on. Why is it a woman has to suffer when the man can’t be a man? Take care of home and family. Go beat your fist into a tree. This is not right. – Eva Tomlinson If her permanent residence was based on her relationship and that relationship no longer exists, then the PR is no longer valid. – Bruce Smith Sorry, guys, but I have to agree with Immigration on this one. She is here because of her relationship with the man. If that’s the case, this will set a new precedent and people will use it in more messed- up ways. She can go back to a work permit. – Redver Ebanks This woman lived in Cayman since 2011 and has been married eight years, so clearly she wasn’t one of those who came here on a ‘marriage of convenience’. She obviously met and married this man a few years after living in Cayman. Also, from the article, it appears it wasn’t until 2021 that he had that episode of rage, and probably wasn’t where the abuse began, so she might have been putting up with this for the eight years of her marriage. It is very sad that she now has to leave because her marriage failed. She would have been bet- ter off unmarried and remaining on a work permit. Take rollover over deportation. – Sangela Gibson-Wilson So this is zero tolerance to domestic violence! Really!? Main- taining a PR certificate must be far more important and valuable than exposing domestic violence to save one’s life. – Star-Rose Ebanks So the woman must put up with all kinds of abuse in order to stay on the island, since denounc- ing it would mean deportation. What a stupid, sexist and unjust law. No one has to put up with abuse. Report if you are mis- treated and fight to withdraw this absurd law. – Erika Mariel Alvarez Freites Oh. So chase her away and the thug stays. What a stupid law. He should be charged and locked up and she should get a medal and go into local politics so she can change the law. – Graham Pfeil This not making any sense. There has to be another story because I’m not buying this one. – Dasmin Douglas This is so wrong. I pray she gets the justice she deserves. – Regina Gooding So unfair. So she must stay until he kills her – Coraceta Deer Utter stupidness. It’s like she has to pick being killed by her [husband], or leave the country. Really, Immigration Department? – Anjel Ebanks Cardinall Avenue to be closed to vehicles, as George Town upgrade resumes Traffic will be worse now, and also, we need more parking in town! – Carol Adams More parking should have been constructed first and then the revitalisation. Now this deters more people from shop- ping in town if driving and less parking. Stayover tourists driving rental cars? – Damian Charles Would love to see more green- ery for sure, the space by Dairy Queen would be wonderful for a food truck stop and benches, trees, etc., for folks to sit and enjoy meals. – Priscilla Maragh More parking space needed in downtown. We were hoping this would be the next project. – Otilbap Jocson [Are] they adding parking spaces, as it is impossible to find one now. – Jennie Cairns Disabled parking totally lost in Cayman. – Dawn Veek Tourism sector optimistic about phase 5 reopening but concerned about testing So many tests! We went to Curaçao over New Year’s and the third-day test was enough of an intrusion on our vacay day. I can’t imagine testing even more. We’ll wait on getting back to the Caymans but will continue to explore new places to dive. Having found some we love, it’s likely we won’t travel to the Caymans as often as we did in the past. – Kate Morris Eliminate all test requirements, at least for those vaccinated. Wear masks in public. Keep cruise ships on hold for the moment but open to stayover guests who actually bring the tourism dollars. Can’t wait to return! – Melissa Strong What they’re saying pic of the day The sky’s putting on a show The sun sets in spectacular fashion in East End on 23 Jan. – Photo: Taneos Ramsaycayman compass 5 news N news FRIDAY, 28 JANUARY 2022 ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky A pair of gang killers had to be transferred out of the Cayman Islands because of claims they were planning an armed prison break, the appeals court has heard. Brothers Justin Ramoon and Osbourne Douglas were transferred to London’s infamous Belmarsh prison in 2017 after the Governor’s Office decided they were too big a security risk to serve their life sentences at Northward Prison. The decision was made on the basis of ‘intelligence’ gathered by Northward Prison staff, suggesting the brothers were planning a dangerous armed escape involving high-powered weapons. Court of Appeal judges, hearing the appeal case which began on 25 Jan., said details of the planned prison break were raised during an earlier judicial review in which the court ruled against Douglas and Ramoon. The judges noted that based on the evidence presented at that hearing, the brothers were rightly deemed as security risks, and subsequently transferred overseas. The brothers are challenging the decision to transfer them to the UK prison, saying they have a right to be imprisoned in Cayman, where they have access to their family. So far, they have been unable to directly challenge the evidence about the alleged planned escape because the Cayman Islands does not have procedures for closed- door hearings in cases impacting national security. Lawyers acting for the brothers who were jailed in 2016 for the execution-style murder of Jason Powery in 2015, say they have been denied the chance to contest the basis for their transfer because crucial information, such as who supplied the details about the planned jail break, has been kept from them, which they say amounts to a breach of the applicants’ constitutionally-protected rights to a fair hearing. Douglas and Ramoon are serving 30 and 33 years, respectively, for Powery’s murder, which was described by the trial judge as a “public execution of the most chilling kind”. A national security risk Prior to the judicial review, a Grand Court hearing was held to decide what information was to be kept from the brothers and the wider public, as a matter of national security. That hearing, which was presided over by Justice Marlene Carter, identified what information was to be kept from the two convicted men and the public. When urging the appeals judges to quash the transfer, Hugh Southey, QC, on 25 Jan. argued that in instances where the security of a country is at risk, the standard process is for a Closed Material Procedure hearing to be held, which would provide a means for the courts to address the validity of the sensitive information without jeopardising the country’s security. “There is no such legislation in Cayman,” said Southey. “Because of the lack of legislation, there is no way for us to test the validity of the sources, or indeed the information. What if the informer had a grudge against one of the defendants? There would be no way for us to know or indeed to be able to challenge this because of the lack of identifying information.” Southey argued that the lack of legislation to allow for such a hearing amounted to a breach of Douglas and Ramoon’s constitutionally-protected rights to a fair hearing. He argued that there is no evidence to suggest that the Governor’s Office took into account the impact the transfer would have on the human rights of Douglas and Ramoon, or their families. “The decision process to transfer the defendants began in April, but no transfer occurred until June,” said Southey. “This would suggest there was no great urgency to transfer them, as there was no imminent danger. Despite this, neither defendant or their families were consulted about an impending transfer.” “Mr. Southey, it would have been madness to tell your clients that there was a real risk of them being transferred,” interrupted Judge Alan Moses. “Telling them would have triggered the very plan they sought to avoid.” $25,000 fund set up for family visits Southey also stated that a government fund had been set up, after the defendants challenged the transfer, to pay for all-expenses-paid round trips to the UK for up to six family members of each brother, which he said was “clear proof ... that the decision-maker did not consider the impact it would have on the family”. The brothers’ transfer order was signed Franz Manderson, who was the acting governor at the time, as the then governor Helen Kilpatrick was off island. Attorney Paul Bowen, QC, representing the respondents – the Governor’s Office and the director of prisons – in the appeals case, argued that the transfers were entirely legal, stating that the 1884 Colonial Prisoners Removal Act gives the governor legal authority to make such a transfer order. “What’s more, the order sets out that the governor is obliged to follow the directive of the minister, who in this case is the Secretary of State,” said Bowen. He said the decision to transfer Douglas and Ramoon involved the UK Chancellor, Secretary of State, the governor of the Cayman Islands, and local police, as well as UK and Cayman prison officials. “The concerns that the decision- makers were faced with were so grave, they could not even release the organisations from which the information was emanating,” said Bowen. “It is for this reason why the [personal identification information] was so heavily redacted, which, of course, is now being used as a means to justify the quashing of the transfer order.” He added, “Mr. Southey would have my Lords quash the transfer order, because on the surface of the admissible evidence, there is no way to attest the validity of the information, and subsequently challenge said information that led to the order,” said Bowen. He refuted Southey’s claims the acting governor and associated parties failed to consider the effect the transfer would have on the defendants and their families. “It is clear from the evidence that multiple parties were involved with the decision-making process and at each stage there was proper consideration given,” said Bowen. This is evident by the facts that, upon their transfer, the brothers’ sentences were reduced by two years to “reflect the fact that they were serving their sentences so far from their home” and that the government had set up an annual $25,000 fund to pay for family members to visit them at Belmarsh. “The brothers have also been given additional phone calls and Zoom meetings to be able to communicate with their family,” he said. Both attorneys agreed that if the judges did not feel comfortable with ruling outright in their favour, the best option would be to use Section 26 of the Bill of Rights to infer that in order for there to be a fair hearing, the courts had the power to hold a Closed Material Procedural hearing despite the lack of such legislation; and, after reviewing the evidence originally presented to the acting governor in 2018, decide on whether the transfer was legal. The three-day appeal hearing concluded on 27 Jan. and the judges retired to consider their decision. Gang killers planned armed prison break, court told Justin Ramoon and Osbourne Douglas were transferred from Northward Prison in the Cayman Islands to the maximum- security Belmarsh Prison in London in 2017, after prison sources said they were planning an armed break-out involving high-powered weapons.Justin RamoonOsbourne Douglas Story at a glance: 2015 Osbourne Douglas and Justin Ramoon murder Jason Powery. 2016 The brothers are convicted and sentenced. 2018 They are transferred to Belmarsh Prison in UK. 2021 They appeal the transfer to Belmarsh in a judicial review. Grand Court judge denies the transfer appeal. 2022 They take their case to the Court of Appeal. RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Public Health is getting set to commence its roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations for medically vulnerable children aged 5-11, with the start date for administering vaccines to all kids in that age group to be confirmed. Premier Wayne Panton has indicated he was “optimistic” that the United Kingdom would soon finalise approval to vaccinate all 5-11 year olds. A one-day clinic, set for Saturday, 29 Jan., will see Cayman’s first round of children’s doses of the Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine administered to vulnerable kids. More dates will be added, depending on demand, health officials said. The availability of the vaccine to all in that age group, in Cayman or the UK, is contingent on approval from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises the UK government. As of 27 Jan., the committee had only recommended that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine be offered to those children who are at clinical risk or living with someone who is immunosuppressed. Vaccines for children aged 5-11 are already available in the United States, Canada and Australia, as well as in a number of European countries. As the vaccination of kids gets set to begin, Interim Chief Medical Officer Dr. Autilia Newton has reported that the uptake of COVID-19 boosters has dipped slightly, with 32% of the population so far getting their third dose. Newton said there were no plans at the moment to introduce a fourth jab to the vaccination regime in Cayman. 21 patients with COVID in hospital According to figures released by Public Health, as of Tuesday, 25 Jan., 21 people were hospitalised, three of whom were new admissions. At the same time, 444 new cases of COVID were recorded, bringing the reported active cases to 5,220. No new deaths have been reported. On the Sister Islands, 13 new cases were reported Tuesday, taking the total active cases there to 87. In addition, local Omicron cases moved closer to the 5,000 mark, as the variant continued its spread through the community, according to Public Health’s most recent weekly epidemiological situation report, with 4,553 cases recorded as at 22 Jan. Although Omicron is now the predominant variant in detected COVID cases, there has been a resurgence of Delta in recent weeks, according to molecular biologist Jonathan Smellie, who runs the genome sequencing of COVID cases at the Health Services Authority laboratory. There also have been cases of people who previously had been infected with Delta or an earlier strain contracting the Omicron variant, HSA Chief Nursing Officer Dr. Hazel Brown said, but a breakdown of figures relating to that was not yet available. Throughout the week of 16- 22 Jan., 29 patients with COVID received treatment in hospital, with six requiring supplemental oxygen and four needing intensive care. One patient was reportedly ventilated. Of those in hospital, 74% were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, according to the weekly report. The daily average of positive COVID cases recorded over that period stood at 391, with some 6,578 cases being monitored by Public Health throughout the week. Since the pandemic touched local shores in 2020, 15 COVID- related deaths have been recorded. HSA installs on-site oxygen generator The HSA now has the capacity to supply its own medical oxygen with the recent installation of an on-site oxygen generator at the Cayman Islands Hospital. The oxygen generator, an HSA statement said, provides a discharge flow rate of 2,100 pounds per day (or 500 litres per minute) of medical- grade oxygen and is expected to save the hospital service more than $150,000 annually. Prior to the installation of the new equipment, the HSA sourced medical-grade oxygen through a local vendor. “Medical oxygen has become one of the most important life- saving commodities in the fight against COVID-19,” HSA CEO Lizzette Yearwood said. “Statistics show that approximately 20% of patients who are treated for symptoms of COVID-19 will require oxygen therapy to prevent respiratory failure. Pure oxygen is also an essential resource in our operating room for procedures requiring anesthesia and in the intensive care and neonatal units.” Vaccines roll out for at-risk 5-11 year olds A one-day clinic, set for Saturday, 29 Jan., will see Cayman’s first round of children’s doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine administered to vulnerable kids. Patients in hospital with COVID-19 as of 25 Jan. The newly installed oxygen generator will produce medical grade oxygen for the Health Services Authority. - Photo: Supplied Children between the ages of 5 and 11, who have medical issues or live with people who are immunocompromised, can now get vaccinated against COVID-19. - Photo: File cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 28 JANUARY 2022cayman compass 7 FRIDAY, 28 JANUARY 2022This artist's rendering shows how Cardinall Avenue may look like once the pedestrianisation work is completed. From Monday, 31 Jan., vehicles will no longer be allowed on Cardinall Avenue, as work begins to convert the popular street into a pedestrian thoroughfare as part of the ongoing revitalisation of George Town. Cardinall Avenue will remain open to foot traffic for access to shops, cafes and businesses, which will continue operations as usual, George Town Manager Colin Lumsden said in a statement announcing the change. “This new pedestrian-friendly area in the centre of town marks a big milestone in the George Town Revitalisation Initiative master plan," he said. "We are confident the result will create a significantly enhanced experience for the public and local businesses,” Lumsden and members of the project team have met with Cardinall Avenue landowners and building tenants, according to the statement. The George Town manager noted that the main objectives of the enhancement works are to improve the aesthetics and character of the downtown area. “The goal of the George Town Revitalisation Initiative is to create opportunities for increased activity by locals and tourists in our capital by developing public open spaces adjacent to businesses that enhance the experience for visitors,” he said. The project is expected to take place over five months.Robson Construction is leading the works, with support from the National Roads Authority, Caribbean Utilities Company and Apec Consulting Engineers Limited. Last month, the project came under fire after newly-paved pedestrian crossings along Heroes Square were given a poor grade from local motorists, who took to social media to complain about the damage their vehicles were facing as a result of the height of the crossings. The planning and infrastructure ministry subsequently arranged for changes to be made to the crossings to address the complaints. As part of the pedestrianisation of Cardinall Avenue, asphalt along the section of the road between Seafarers Way and Albert Panton Street, will be replaced with colourful concrete paving stones. “Enhancements will also be made to the eastern section of Cardinall Avenue; however, this section of road will remain accessible to one-way vehicular traffic via Albert Panton Street,” the statement said. Further improvements planned for the street include adding street lighting, landscaping and mature vegetation, putting in new street furniture, and updating underground infrastructure with new water mains and relined sanitary and storm sewers. George Town getting its first pedestrian-only road 5 Months to complete work NEW FLOW OF TRAFFIC FROM SEAFARERS WAY INTO CENTRAL GEORGE TOWN Central Post Office Public Library Heroes Square National Museum The western end of Cardinall Avenue, between Seafarers Way and Albert Panton Street, will be closed to vehicular traffic from 31 January Vehicle traffic is two-way along Seafarers Way Motorists travelling north or south along Seafarers Way can continue to access central George Town by way of Goring Avenue, Fort Street or Mary Street The eastern end of Cardinall Ave will remain open to vehicular traffic via Albert Panton Street There will be pedestrian access to Cardinall Avenue shops and businesses throughout the project Enhancement site • From 31 Jan., vehicular access to Cardinall Avenue from Seafarers Way will end. • Traffic will be rerouted through Mary Street, Fort Street and Goring Avenue. • There will be access along the eastern end of Cardinall Avenue, via Albert Panton Street. What will change cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 28 JANUARY 2022 8cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 28 JANUARY 2022Next >