cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 18-24 March 2022 Life-saving treatment for toddler Page 11 From Humane Society to mountain top Page 30 Compass fi lm at Documentary Festival Page 27 From Humane Society to mountain BK Big Fish April 1st -3rd, Awards dinner April 4th AWARDS PRESENTATION: 7:00 pm on Monday, April 4th upstairs at the GTYC Restaurant and pool Register Now at results.fishcayman.com or in person at GTYC on 31st March, 6pm Over $50,000 in cash and prizes to be won with giveaways for all participants! Investigating the Caribbean front of the economic war on Russia Page 16 SANCTIONS & SUPERYACHTSweather 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 Southeast at 10 to 15 knots. 87°F HIGH 76°F LOW 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 cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 18 MARCH 2022 Matinees (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $9.00 (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 lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. 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THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) KIDS CLUB TROLLS SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) Tour operators struggle ahead of cruise return Water-sports businesses are facing a long, slow road to recovery and may need financial support from government for several months, according to recent survey data. The pending return of cruise tourism has lifted the mood among some tour operators, but bookings remain slow. And industry leaders caution it will take time for the customers to come back. Meanwhile, small businesses face a long list of expenses as they get their boats and their operations ready to run at close to full-throttle. A survey of 37 businesses, including those that run trips to the sandbar and North Sound snorkel tours, showed that the return of stayover tourism has so far had a limited impact. “It looks like it’s going to be a slow and rocky road to full recovery for our water-sports industry,” said Cayman Islands Tourism Association vice president and industry spokesman Troy Leacock. More than 80% achieved less than one-fifth of normal revenue in February. That is expected to improve marginally in March with 80% projecting close to one-third of normal revenues. “We are hopeful that by April, cruise visitors will improve business, especially for operators who rely heavily on cruise tourism,” Leacock said. The first cruise ship will be back in port on Monday, 21 March, but initial passenger numbers will be capped at 40% of pre-COVID volume. Leacock added that businesses that rely on cruise tourists are in need of assistance to get ready. Respondents in the March business survey made similar pleas. June end for pension holiday Cayman’s pension holiday will come to an end on 30 June, government has announced. Premier Wayne Panton, in a statement on 15 March, said while it had been helpful to individuals and businesses to suspend the pension requirement during the past two years, “we are now at a point in time where it is in the best interest of employees, to resume the funding of their pensions”. Government announced that Cabinet authorised a final extension of the national pension holiday, in accordance with section 1(3) of the National Pensions (Amendment) Act 2020. Pension payments are required by law but in April 2020, as a COVID-19 relief measure, the Alden McLaughlin-led Progressives administration suspended payments exempting employers, employees, and self-employed individuals from making mandatory contributions to pension plans. Panton said it is now time to resume those contributions. Lack of legal aid funding holds up fatal accident case An ongoing legal aid dispute has prevented Terry Hodgson from entering any pleas in relation to a fatal accident that claimed the life of Paul Andrew Wright nearly 16 months ago. Hodgson, 46, was charged with causing death whilst driving uninsured. In November 2021, Hodgson made his initial Summary Court appearance where the matter was transmitted to the Grand Court after being deemed a Category A charge – which can only be dealt with in the higher court. Since then, he has made four Grand Court appearances, the most recent of which was Friday, 4 March, but the matter has been unable to move forward because of a lack of legal aid funding. “It would seem that despite Mr. Hodgson’s best efforts the matter with legal aid has not been able to progress any further,” said attorney Crister Brady, who at the time of the hearing was not formally able to represent Hodgson due to the lack of funding. “I gather that the Legal Aid Department wants him to prove that he does not have any additional bank accounts; however, I’m not sure what more can be done, as Mr. Hodgson is a man whose means is that of straw,” added Brady, as he asked for the court’s help to move the matter forward. Hodgson was released on bail and is expected to return to the Grand Court next month. Government’s financial position marginally ahead of budget Government reported a slightly higher revenue from financial services and work-permit fees and lower expenditures than forecast for the first two months of 2022. The Ministry of Finance said in a press release that revenue of $355.4 million in January and February was $2.7 million higher than budget projections and represented a $44.9 million increase over the same period in 2021. Operating expenses of $146.1 million for the year to date were $9.1 million lower than the budget estimate due to savings on personnel costs along with supplies and consumables. This resulted in an operating surplus of $209.3 million, which was $11.8 million more than forecast. Government’s higher revenue was based on better-than- expected income from partnerships fees ($4.0 million more); mutual fund administrators licence fees ($3.4 million), private funds fees ($3.2 million), and work-permit fees ($2.4 million). Maths-loving students enjoy a slice of success on Pi Day The journey east was more than worth it for maths-loving students from John Gray High School and Cayman International School as they tasted sweet success on Pi Day on 14 March. Students from those two schools took home top honours at the Clifton Hunter High School Virtual Invitational Mathematics Competition, sponsored by Housing and Infrastructure Minister and North Side MP Jay Ebanks, Cayman National and the Optimist Club among others, and timed to coincide with the annual celebration of maths. Pi Day is marked on 14 March (3/14) around the world to commemorate the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant – the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter – which is approximately 3.14159. Pi is an irrational number with no final digit. Infrastructure Minister Jay Ebanks, right, and Clifton Hunter High School principal Richard Wildman with the Clifton Hunter team at the fourth annual maths competition at the North Side school. - Photo: Submitted news in briefANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky On 14 March, the UK Privy Council set down a landmark ruling for the Cayman Islands on the matter of same-sex marriages. The judgment, which took more than a year to be decided, stated that same-sex couples were not entitled to the right of marriage under the Cayman Islands Constitution, because the marriage law limited such a union to heterosexual couples. In addition to its ruling on the restrictions of marriage, the Privy Council also made clear that a law which would allow same-sex marriage could only be passed by the Cayman Islands Parliament, if it chooses to do so. Three courts, five years, two different outcomes The legal battle for same-sex marriages in Cayman first began in 2018, when same-sex couple Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden Bush called for a judicial review before the Grand Court. Day and Bodden Bush claimed the marriage law, as it was then, was discriminatory because it defined marriage as “the union between a man and a woman as husband and wife”, which automatically excluded both women from becoming each other’s spouses. In addition to the legal claim of discrimination, the couple also argued the marriage law violated their right to private and family life, conscience and religion. At the time, Grand Court Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, who ruled in favour of Day and Bodden Bush, said preventing same-sex couples from accessing marriage, and the suite of rights that comes with it, was a clear violation of freedoms guaranteed in Cayman’s Constitution. Smellie changed the definition of a marriage to a union between two persons as each other’s spouses. His ruling was later set aside by the Court of Appeal, which stated that a functional equivalent must nevertheless be provided to the couple “expeditiously”. The Privy Council’s ruling has now upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision. How the decision was reached The key difference between the rulings of the Grand Court and the Privy Council was which law was applied at which stage of the decision-making process. In the case of the Grand Court, the Bill of Rights, as set out in the Constitution, was viewed as the superior law and was then used to interpret the marriage law. Whereas in the case of the Privy Council, it was the other way around. The Privy Council’s ruling outlined that the drafters of the Constitution intended to limit marriage to heterosexual couples, and for this reason, the Bill of Rights had to be interpreted in that context. As a result, the other sections of the Bill of Rights must be interpreted in light of this, “meaning that none of them can be construed as including a right for a same-sex couple to marry,” according to a press summary on the judgment. Mixed reactions flow from the judgment The Privy Council’s ruling has been met with mixed reactions across the community. “Chantelle and Vickie are extremely disappointed with the Privy Council’s judgment issued earlier today,” according to a statement issued by the couple’s attorney, Ben Tonner, QC. The judgment was further denounced by LGBTQ+ advocacy group Colours Caribbean as an “affront to human dignity”. “The Privy Council has told LGBTQIA+ people that they have no right to be treated equally; that the Constitution permits them to be segregated on the basis of their sexual orientation and that religious views are to be elevated over and above the values of human dignity, equality, mutual respect and social harmony – all matters affirmed in the Constitution’s Preamble, alongside reference to Christian values,” reads the Colours Caribbean statement. Other parties have acknowledged the clarity provided by the judgment. “I note that clarification on an important constitutional matter,” wrote Governor Martyn Roper, whose comments have since been echoed by Premier Wayne Panton, Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart and the Human Rights Commission. In a statement issued by his office, Panton said, “The issue of same-sex marriage is an emotive one in our Islands, with strong views held by those in support of and those against same sex marriages. As we process the Privy Council’s ruling, we must remember to conduct ourselves with respect and civility.” The Cayman Ministers’ Association thanked the Privy Council for what they say was the only logical outcome. “We believe the Privy Council’s decision is the only reasonable and logical decision that could have been arrived at, when you take into account Cayman’s Constitution and the country’s fundamental Christian values,” said CMA president Pastor Torrance Bobb. Fight for same-sex marriage not over Despite the Privy Council’s ruling, advocates for same-sex marriage say the fight is far from over. During an appearance on the Cayman Compass's talk show ‘The Resh Hour’ on Wednesday, 16 March, Leonardo Raznovich and Billie Bryan, of Colours Caribbean, said they have met with the governor to inform him of their decision to seek an Order in Council from the UK Parliament that would mandate the introduction of same-sex marriage, or challenge the original order which brought about the Cayman Islands Constitution. Should such a challenge be brought, the CMA say they are ready to oppose it. “We have always stated that we are diametrically opposed to the introduction of a same-sex marriage law, because is goes against the word of God, and we call on our lawmakers to resist any and all pressures that would see such a law imposed,” said Bobb. Panton acknowledged that many Caymanians believe in the “traditional definition of marriage”, but that times are also changing. “Many of the younger generations of Caymanians have different views on the issue of marriage and this may become an issue of social justice in time to come,” he said. Functioning legal equivalent Although same-sex marriage is not a right in Cayman, same-sex couples have been provided with a legal equivalent in the form of the Civil Partnership Act 2020. The CPA, which has been recognised by the Privy Council as a functioning legal equivalent, has met Cayman’s obligation to provide legal protection for same-sex couples. However, the law is now the subject of a legal challenge, because Roper used his reserve powers to push through the law, after it was voted down by legislators by one vote in 2020. Privy Council makes landmark ruling on same-sex marriages in Cayman Same-sex couple Vickie Bodden Bush and Chantelle Day initiated the legal challenge in 2018. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay The Privy Council rules marriage is restricted to heterosexual couples only under Cayman's Constitution, but Parliament could introduce a same-sex marriage law. - Photo: Privy Council During the five-year legal battle, people have demonstrated in support of same-sex marriage. - Photo: File Premier Wayne Panton, Governor Martyn Roper and Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart have acknowledged the ruling and are calling for understanding going forward. cayman compass 3 news N news FRIDAY, 18 MARCH 20221234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Particular aspect (5) 4 Definite (7) 8 An objective (3) 9 Unwise (3-6) 10 Consideration (7) 11 Ignominy (5) 13 Practically (6) 15 Actor (6) 18 Used up (5) 19 Warning signal (3,4) 21 Deliberately (2,7) 23 Weeding tool (3) 24 Fidelity (7) 25 Frumpish (5) DOWN 1 Knock down (7) 2 Reach adult status (4,2,3) 3 Mild obsession (5) 4 Water down (6) 5 Advice (7) 6 Follow closely and persistently (3) 7 Clever expedient (5) 12 In a slapdash way (3,3,3) 14 Word-for-word (7) 16 Fraud (7) 17 Sullenly contemplative (6) 18 South Korean capital (5) 20 Shrink from (5) 22 Inquire impertinently (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16955 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 16955 ACROSS: 1 Facet, 4 Decided, 8 Aim, 9 Ill-judged, 10 Thought, 11 Shame, 13 Nearly, 15 Player, 18 Spent, 19 Red flag, 21 On purpose, 23 Hoe, 24 Loyalty, 25 Dowdy. DOWN: 1 Flatten, 2 Come of age, 3 Thing, 4 Dilute, 5 Counsel, 6 Dog, 7 Dodge, 12 Any old how, 14 Literal, 16 Roguery, 17 Broody, 18 Seoul, 20 Dread, 22 Pry. Privy Council: Cayman Constitution does not provide right for same-sex marriage Such a sad day. Time to rewrite the Constitution. Love is love. – Mabel McMillan Let me preface by saying, I don’t care what two grown adults wanna do with their lives – to each his own – but how exactly is the govern- ment infringing on their “right to private and family life”? In my opinion, the fight for gay marriage in the US was about gay couples being able to qualify for tax breaks/ incentives that married couples get – what tax breaks or incentives would the Cayman Islands government withhold from them if these individuals were to simply acknowledge to themselves that they were a married couple? I would think not having to adhere to all the laws that pertain to married couples (i.e. divorce, child custody fights, alimony etc.) would be a positive, no? Or do you think government knows best in those situations? Maybe I’m wrong or missing something, so that is why I’m asking. – Jeffrey Rankine If the right to any marriage is not in the Constitution, then time to change it or establish a law that permits it. – Joyce Cantlay I don’t like the ruling, but it is legally and constitutionally correct. – Bruce Smith So change the Constitution and move out of the dark ages. – Graham Pfeil This is disgraceful. I’m sad- dened and ashamed of this. Between the unruly treatment of human rights throughout COVID (evidenced by the pending court case which I suspect will be among many) and now this, in my opinion (which I am entitled to for any trolls out there), Cayman needs a human rights education and inter- vention. This is not how you treat the beloved people of these islands and certainly not Caymankind. – Abby Guilmette The Cayman Islands govern- ment, here is your chance. You claimed the lawsuit was about the means used to do it, so let’s see you now find another way to do it. – Jennifer Fitzpatrick Collins New Bill of Rights and consti- tutional amendment needed. – Patrizia Amante Very, very disappointed in that. Really thought Cayman was coming into the 21st century. But clearly it isn’t. Shameful. – Rebecca De Stanleigh Please don’t destroy our beautiful island with this awful sin, man is made for woman. Anything different is a sin. Don’t destroy the future of our children. Apply pressure Cay- man Islands government. – Dereena Ebanks Breezing past the traffic, commuter ferry launches Is it possible to launch a ferry boat transportation for public from East End to George Town to West Bay to avoid traffic, especially in the morning, at least two or three boats for the public? Maybe it will work; just make a stop in George Town, then pro- ceed to West Bay. – Ignacia Heart Olasac Possible to add a stop at the Barcadere for Industrial Park? Is there sufficient free parking at the Newlands dock? And/or monitored parking against theft? – Scott Ebanks-Bodden It’s a start. Great idea. – Sarasue McField A stop by the Barcadere would be a great idea for people who work in George Town. Buses can go from there in and around George Town like they did before. – Navado O Brown Good idea. Not sure how I would get from Camana Bay to my office in central George Town, though. Needs some free rides from port of disembarkation to final destinations. – George Ebanks Oh, such a wonderful idea!! Love it. Now let’s get one that comes to town! – Tania Morla This could be the start of a vi- able solution. A couple more com- ponents will have to be added, like a shuttle service from Camana Bay to central George Town. Of course, the majority of businesses are now located in Camana Bay. – Lorna E. Bush I hope it gets the momentum it needs. – Daria Keenan Got to start somewhere. If we patronise it, it will have the op- portunity to flourish. – Robert Bushy Bush Totally impractical given the lack of good public transit at the Camana Bay end. – Jenny Davidson What about a boat large enough to take cars across the water? Something like the Staten Island Ferry [in New York City]. Or some kind of bridge to take the cars across. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. – Carroll Wilmot Yates What they’re saying Online The Cayman Islands Fire Service acquired two additional Oshkosh Striker Aviation fire trucks this week, bringing the total size of the fleet to five. One of the new trucks will be stationed at Owen Roberts International Airport and the other will be delivered to Cayman Brac to provide fire and rescue cover at Charles Kirkconnell International Airport. - Photo: GIS pic of the week To the rescue! cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 18 MARCH 2022cayman compass 5 news N news FRIDAY, 18 MARCH 2022 Kameron D’Hue qualifies as dive instructor JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Kameron D’Hue spent his summers splashing in the water off a West Bay dock with his friends. He used to watch the SCUBA boats pull up at the pier and would even help them carry tanks and equipment. “I would always ask them questions: Did they see sharks? What was it like down there?” he said. At that time, it didn't occur to him to take up diving as a hobby or a career; not until he attended Inspire Cayman. The trade school is more commonly associated with construction, plumbing and electrical jobs as well as its work- readiness schemes, but Kameron was attracted by the chance to train to be a dive instructor. He took the plunge in 2019 and has never looked back. “It was euphoria. I was hooked right away,” he said of his first taste of the underwater world. “I was like a kid in a candy store.” Completing classroom training at Inspire Cayman and working on boats, first with Aaron Hunt at Eco Divers and later with Ash McKnight at GoPro Diving, he qualified as an Open Water Diver before going all the way up the scale to Divemaster – a level which qualifies him to work in the industry and guide qualified divers. He was about to take the next step – becoming an instructor – when COVID hit, meaning the examiner from the Professional Association of Dive Instructors could not get to the island to allow him to take his assessment and final exam. The obstacle didn’t put him off. “I had decided at that point that this is what I want to do. This is my career,” said the 23-year-old. McKnight at GoPro Diving hired him as a deckhand and his training continued. After a long wait, he was able to take his exams earlier this year and qualified as a fully fledged professional dive instructor – one of very few Caymanians to do so in recent times. With tourists beginning to return to the island, he has already been busy. Inspiration Even when the days are long and the work is taxing, he is happy to have found something he loves, after years of drifting between jobs. There are days when you are soaking wet just with sweat – you haven’t even been in the water,” he said. “The boat needs to be cleaned, the tanks need to be filled, the engine needs to be repaired.” But the pleasure outweighs the pain. “It hardly feels like work at all. I am paid to do something I love,” he added. He’s trying to pass on his passion to others, sharing his enthusiasm with the kids on his youth soccer team. One of the reasons, he believes there are so few Caymanian dive instructors is that young people don’t see others like them doing the job. “When you don’t see family or friends doing it, you don’t think of it as a career,” he said. Compared to tourists or people who come here from colder, landlocked countries, he wonders if he sometimes took the island’s beauty for granted. “When you are born here, sometimes the water is just the water,” he said. He hopes to change that and be an inspiration for other Caymanians to get into the business. He said the support of Inspire Cayman had helped him see an opportunity he had never imagined before and now he has ambitions to one day run his own business. Michael Myles, the founder of the trade school, said his aim was to get more young people like Kameron into sustainable careers. He believes there are hundreds of opportunities – outside of the traditionally coveted banking and office jobs – for Caymanians to earn good wages doing something they enjoy. He said he would continue to support Kameron in whatever way he could. “Kameron is a dynamic young man who is driven to succeed. We are proud of his accomplishment and excited to be part of his journey.” Making a splash “It hardly feels like work at all. I am paid to do something I love.” Kameron D’Hue D'Hue said he had never thought about being a dive instructor but as soon as he experienced the underwater world, he was hooked. – Photo: Submitted Kameron D'Hue now counts himself among a select number of Caymanian dive instructors. - Photo: Taneos Ramsaycayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 18 MARCH 2022 RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Driven by the pleas of his Ukrainian friends and their families for help, former RCIPS Detective Sergeant Peter Sugden has embarked on a mission to transport refugees fleeing the war-torn country. Sugden, a former soldier and the head of security on a cruise ship, decided to enlist his friend and former army buddy Nick Goss on a humanitarian mission to rescue his cruise ship co-workers in Ukraine. “I had friends in Ukraine who were possibly trapped, and a friend’s wife as well who was in Ukraine and her husband does the same job as me. He was on the ship so he was powerless to do anything. ... I felt that people needed help,” he told the Cayman Compass Tuesday morning in a WhatsApp interview somewhere outside of Katowice, Poland, where he managed to get cellphone and internet service. Over the weekend, Sugden packed up his minivan and left his home in the Isle of Man to make the 1,600- mile journey to Przemyśl, Poland, near the border crossing with Lviv, Ukraine, to take refugees on the seven-hour drive to the safety of the Czech Republic. His friends, he said, are in a position where they don’t know whether they’re going to be able to stay in their homes, including his friend’s wife in Odessa, Ukraine. “So, the decision was to just take off and come and get them and if they’re in a position to be on the border of Poland, I’ll take as many [people] out of the country and take them to wherever they need to be in Europe where they’re safe,” Sugden said. He admitted the mission started off as a polite gesture of asking if there was anything he could do to help. What ensued, he said, is a mission he and his friend could be proud of. “The overriding factor, [for] both me and Nick, we’ve both experienced a lot of conflict and war in the past. We’re not in a hurry to get engaged in any war at all. But we know that there are people who were in a hurry to get out. Maybe we can use our experience and our position to help them get out, get away from war, because we both know what it’s like and it’s not for anybody,” Sugden said. He and Goss plan to take many people from the refugee camp at the Polish border to the Czech Republic capital Prague, a seven-hour, 500- mile journey. Posting on his Facebook on 16 March, Sugden said almost all of the refugees are women and children and “their lives are now whatever they can carry”. “Every 15 minutes, more arrive and file off buses and through the doors. The same hollow, frightened, confused expressions as I have seen on photographs from the second world war. Whether people choose to be involved or not, this war will reach everyone in some form,” he wrote. He shared that on 16 March, they took a man he referred to as Sergei and his family of nine from the border to relatives in Korvesczowa, on the Ukraine border. The family, he said, was on their way there from Kharkov after fleeing Russian bombardment with only what they could carry. “On the way, we passed a convoy of ambulances coming from the border transferring injured. Dropping them off, Sergei, via Google translate, said to us ‘I hope you live 100 years’,” Sugden said. The Cayman connection Sugden said it was while sharing his plan with his friend, Travel Pros’s Fiona Brander, that she put him in touch with their mutual friend Paul Kenwright at the Polish border, who was struggling with relief efforts and organising the transport of refugees. He said he loaded up his van with various medical supplies which he personally purchased and first aid kits he was able to procure, picked up Goss and began the trek to Poland. “We’ve also bought a quantity of pet food as well for dogs and cats because so often pets are being overlooked. Families are coming cross the border with their personal pets and maybe there’s suppliers to feed the families but nobody’s actually fed the pets as well,” he said. Sugden said Former Cayman police officer joins relief efforts for Ukraine It’s little things like that in the countries where you don’t speak the language, you don’t know the people but suddenly everybody’s your brother’s keeper.” Peter Sugden on the support he has been receiving. Peter Sugden in his formal Royal Cayman Islands Police Service uniform. Peter Sugden, above, sports his Cayman Islands T-shirt as he embarks on a mission to help Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion; inset, one of the families that Sugden and his army buddy Nick Goss were able to get safely to Prague on 16 March. - Photos: Peter Sugdencayman compass 7 news N news FRIDAY, 18 MARCH 2022 Aetna, Cayman First, CG BritCay, CINICO and Pan American Life Insurance Group (PALIG) include Baptist Health in their insurance plans. In addition to the above insurance carriers, BAF Insurance and Vanguard Risk Solutions are accepted locally at Baptist Health PET & CT Imaging Center in Grand Cayman. For more information or to schedule an appointment contact: BaptistHealth.ky 345-749-3304 BHICayman@BaptistHealth.net What matters most is your health. Be proactive about it. he is self-funded on the journey, but his friends have encouraged him to get donations for the fuel as it is expensive, so he has set up a PayPal link on his Facebook page for anyone willing to help. He said he is not seeking donations and wants to be self-funded as long as he can. However, he said the generosity and connections with the Cayman community have shone through. “A great thank you to the Cayman Islands. They’ve always been good at stepping up to the plate, maybe that’s from Ivan because they’ve experienced similar sort of tragedies, but the support in the Cayman Islands has always been fantastic, as well as every other country that we’ve been we’ve found incredible support,” he said. Sugden has been chronicling his journey on his Facebook page and providing regular updates. On arriving at the Polish border with Ukraine, he described it as an “overwhelming” situation. He hopes to transport at least 15 people per trip to Prague. A life-altering journey Sugden admitted it has not been an easy journey from Isle of Man to Poland and he’s had some hiccups along the way, but he is firm in his resolve. He said when he landed in London from Isle of Man, he encountered vehicle trouble and had to sleep in his van. However, the auto company that came to assist him found out what he was doing and helped with the cost. Similarly, a friend of his helped him with replacing parts on his van after that breakdown. He said they had quite a scare in Belgium when they awoke to find their van missing. Luckily, Sugden said they tracked it down at a police compound. It had been impounded for overstaying the parking limit. After a hefty penny, he said, they got the vehicle back and were on the road again. On 15 March, Sugden and Goss arrived in Poland, but there they faced their biggest hurdle. The men were not able to buy an electronic pass for motorway tolls as his Isle of Man licence plates were not recognised. He said they popped into a nearby gas station for assistance and the man there could not understand English. However, he went online and showed him their issue. The man, he said, made several calls and got them passes and plates to help them on their journey. He also put the plates on. Sugden said these experiences have given him hope, not just for the success of his noble quest, but for humanity itself. “It’s little things like that in the countries where you don’t speak the language, you don’t know the people, but suddenly everybody’s your brother’s keeper. It’s good in the way that when you start thinking that there’s no good left in the world, suddenly, it often hits you the world is still full of good people. They just don’t need to bow down and let them be overshadowed by the bad stuff,” he said. Scenes at the Poland refugee camp as Peter Sugden prepares to take those fleeing Ukraine to Prague.cayman compass 8 news N news FRIDAY, 18 MARCH 2022 We’re like that Sunday morning where you don’t have anywhere you need to be. In other words, we go the extra mile so you can rest easy. As your friendly neighbour, we put you first. So you can make every day feel as relaxed as Sunday morning. To learn more, visit cgcoralisle.com. BBrriittiisshh CCaayymmaanniiaann IInnssuurraannccee CCoommppaannyy LLiimmiitteedd BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, P.O. Box 74, George Town Grand Cayman KY1-1102, Cayman Islands tel. 345.949.8699 cgcoralisle.com | @cgcoralisle The new calisthenics park is located at Seven Mile Beach, near the Kimpton Seafire. - Photos: Alvaro Serey (Above, below and bottom right), demonstrating the equipment at the park.Calisthenics park opens From left, Minister Juliana O'Connor-Connolly, Governor Martyn Roper, Premier Wayne Panton, Minister André Ebanks, Phillip Schlossstein, Minister Sabrina Turner, and Parliamentary Secretary Katherine Ebanks-Wilks. cayman compass 9 news N news FRIDAY, 18 MARCH 2022 ANDREL HARRIS, ALVARO SEREY aharris@compassmedia.ky, aserey@compassmedia.ky Street workouts in Cayman just stepped up a notch, thanks to the opening of a new calisthenics park at Seven Mile Beach. The new park is a first-of-its kind in Cayman and features a variety of bars and beams which have been assembled to provide varying degrees of challenge, for all fitness levels. “I’m very pleased with how it has all turned out,” said philanthropist and businessman Phillip Schlossstein, who funded and donated the equipment. “It’s been two years in the making, with three months’ construction time, and we were able to deliver the project on time and within budget,” Schlossstein said. The park, which is free of charge to the public, is open all hours, every day of the week. “After four o’clock in the afternoon on Mondays and Thursdays, we will be here with our coaches and we have props for you to use,” said Schlossstein. “If you are not that into calisthenics yet, you will be very quickly!” he promised. Schlossstein donated a similar park in his hometown of Detmold, Germany, and says there are plans for another park in Cayman Brac, once they have seen how the Seven Mile Beach location holds up. “We have gone through a really tough time through the pandemic, so being able exercise daily and get out in the fresh air certainly helps me and my own resilience,” said Governor Martyn Roper, at the official opening of the park on 15 March. “So, having a park like this can give people a chance to come out and meet other people and get some fresh air.” Much like parkour workouts, calisthenics falls under a larger umbrella of street workout, which has become a growing movement internationally.Next >