cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 17-23 June 2022 Cabinet mulls lifting last COVID restrictions Page 5 Restoring West Bay’s miniature cottages Page 8 Flowers Sea Swim Pages 20-21Matinees (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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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 showers. SEA STATE Moderate with a wave height of 3 to 5 feet. WINDS East to southeast at 10 to 15 knots. 85°F HIGH 75°F LOW Witness says former boyfriend confessed to murdering his son The ex-girlfriend of a father accused of murdering his son told the Grand Court on 14 June he confessed to the crime and told her he did it to teach his son a lesson. Giving evidence via video link, Nikkieta Ebanks told the court of a string of violent encounters she had with the defendant, Roger Davard Bush, in the weeks leading up to the shooting death of Shaquille Bush. Shaquille Bush was shot 15 times outside his home in West Bay shortly after 5pm on 12 Nov. 2019. The prosecution said he died on the spot after being shot in the back of the head and multiple times in the torso. He was 24 years old. Ebanks, 33, told the court that, roughly one month before the fatal shooting, Roger Bush, 47, attacked her over rumours that she was having an affair with his son, Shaquille. “The rumours were that Shaquille Bush was the real father of [my young daughter], and she looked like him,” said Ebanks. “Roger was upset because of the rumours, and I told him it was not true and that it could not have been possible.” Attorney Oliver Blunt, QC, who represents Roger Bush, refuted Ebanks’ evidence as an attempt to incriminate the elder Bush. “This is part of a totally fictitious attempt to by you, and those who support you, to blame Mr. Roger Bush for the killing of his own son,” said Blunt. “None of this happened, you are making this up to form a motive, there was not sexual jealousy.” Bush denies the allegations and the trial continues. 14 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee trees suspected stolen in South Sound More than a dozen trees planted by George Town South MP Barbara Conolly in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee have gone missing in South Sound. Conolly, over the weekend of 11-12 June, posted about the trees on her Facebook page, expressing shock that the 14 sea grape trees planted at Consuelo’s Beach had been removed from the community. She said, in the post, that a friend of hers stopped by to check on the trees and told her they were gone. Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart, in a comment to the Cayman Compass on 14 June on the incident, said the trees were planted by Conolly and her friends on the Queen’s jubilee weekend at the South Sound beach to commemorate the event. “It is very sad and disappointing that only seven days or so later... every one of the trees has been stolen. This vile act is certainly dispiriting for those trying to beautify the landscape and leave a living legacy to the Queen’s jubilee,” he said. Governor: Law to go after proceeds of crime not ‘where it needs to be’ Governor Martyn Roper said Cayman needs to do more when it comes to going after the proceeds of crime. Roper, speaking at the opening of a training seminar hosted by the US Embassy in Sarajevo on 9 June, held at the RCIPS Training centre in Cayman, said the jurisdiction has its challenges like everywhere in the world but is regarded as “generally well governed”. He said corruption needs to be seen as a global problem that erodes public trust and undermines governments, large and small, and the private sector to deliver on behalf of their citizens. In Cayman, he said mechanisms to “go after the proceeds of crime” need to be strengthened. “At the moment, our legislative framework is not quite where it needs to be. But we do have a very positive, proactive approach to international law enforcement cooperation… which is pretty fundamental to this jurisdiction with its financial services industry being a key pillar to the economy,” he said. Rising specialised medical-care costs drain government budget Only half a year into the budget cycle, government has run out of funding for the tertiary care for indigents, seamen and veterans that cannot be provided by the Health Services Authority. The initially-budgeted $20.9 million for the year has already been exhausted to pay third- party medical providers both locally and abroad. Parliament’s Finance Committee approved an additional $8 million last week, but this is not likely to be sufficient to meet current monthly running costs of $3.3 million. Health Minister Sabrina Turner told the committee that, internationally, healthcare costs have risen, and her ministry estimates annual funding needs to be between $38 million and $41 million in 2022. “We have seen an increase in this just because of the increased number of indigents since the lockdown, seafarers and veterans, as well as their dependents. But overall, the cost of tertiary health-care has gone up,” Turner said. Committee members agreed the notorious output item ‘NGS 55’ has been “chronically under- budgeted”. The current budget allocated $20.9 million in 2022 and $21.6 million in 2023, even though last year’s estimates already projected $35 million for the annual tertiary healthcare cost for indigents, seamen and veterans. The health benefits of indigents and the overseas benefits of seamen and veterans are managed by CINICO as an administrative service only. CINICO pays the claims and then immediately invoices the Ministry of Health and Wellness. While the healthcare risks are fully borne by the ministry, the government insurer still faces a liquidity risk if government does not pay on time. news in brief In a post shared on her Facebook page, George Town South MP Barbara Conolly lamented the disappearance of 14 sea grape trees planted for the Platinum Jubilee. - Photo: Facebook cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 17 JUNE 2022The Concierge team is standing by, the pools are lled and ready for dips, the wine lockers are stocked, the Teslas are charged, the boats are wet and the oceanfront lagoon awaits. All that is missing is you! Either for a quick break or a longer jaunt, the FIN Rental Program o ers both short and long term options. Beautifully appointed single level homes or multi-level penthouses with private rooftop garden and plunge pool, are ready to purchase and/or rent. Book a viewing or call today to discover why FIN is the Last Word in Luxury. The Concierge team is standing by, the pools are lled and ready for dips, the wine lockers are stocked, the Teslas are charged, the boats are wet and the oceanfront lagoon awaits. All that is missing is you! Either for a quick break or a longer jaunt, the FIN Rental Program o ers both short and long term options. Beautifully appointed single level homes or multi-level penthouses with private rooftop garden and plunge pool, are ready to purchase and/or rent. Book a viewing or call today to discover why FIN is the Last Word in Luxury. The Concierge team is standing by, the pools are lled and ready for dips, the wine lockers are stocked, the Teslas are charged, the boats are wet and the oceanfront lagoon awaits. All that is missing is you! Either for a quick break or a longer jaunt, the FIN Rental Program o ers both short and long term options. Beautifully appointed single level homes or multi-level penthouses with private rooftop garden and plunge pool, are ready to purchase and/or rent. Book a viewing or call today to discover why FIN is the Last Word in Luxury. cayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 17 JUNE 20221234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Falter in speaking (7) 5 Scholarly dissertation (5) 8 Peremptorily (3,2,4) 9 Young goat (3) 10 Hindu system of meditation (4) 12 Keep in sound state (8) 14 Inasmuch as (6) 15 Make repeated attacks on (6) 17 Sane (8) 18 Retained (4) 21 Female sheep (3) 22 Decisive overriding resource (5,4) 24 Total score (5) 25 Form of public worship (7) DOWN 1 Obdurate (5) 2 Operate effectively (3) 3 To bungle (4) 4 Moderation (6) 5 Base for statue (8) 6 Expressionless countenance (5,4) 7 Reparation for wrong (7) 11 Large amount (5,4) 13 Discreditable (8) 14 Excess (7) 16 Handbook (6) 19 The present age (5) 20 Catch sight of (4) 23 Demeanour (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17033 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 17033 ACROSS: 1 Stammer, 5 Paper, 8 Out of hand, 9 Kid, 10 Yoga, 12 Conserve, 14 Seeing, 15 Harass, 17 Rational, 18 Kept, 21 Ewe, 22 Trump card, 24 Tally, 25 Liturgy. DOWN: 1 Stony, 2 Act, 3 Muff, 4 Reason, 5 Pedestal, 6 Poker face, 7 Redress, 11 Great deal, 13 Unworthy, 14 Surfeit, 16 Manual, 19 Today, 20 Spot, 23 Air. Photographed through the haze of Sahara dust, this barge carrying scrap metal from the George Town landfill has been moving back and forth off the west coast of Grand Cayman for more than a week, as its tug boat awaits repairs. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay Former Premier: Sunday music ban unfairly targets Cayman bars But we can listen to construction workers bang and drill all Sunday long - make it make sense! – Michele Brown Ebanks Biggest joke of all times... for that matter, all business places should close on Sunday! #noway – Emy Holland Happy to sell the island out to the highest bidders though. – Rob Tyler The fact that this even has to be considered is proof of how archaic and embarrassing some laws are in Cayman. How can they keep a straight face, while wasting the public’s money debating whether somebody can play music, with everything else currently going on? This all boils down to one thing and that is the fact that religion and politics should never mix. Especially when the church blazes music louder than anybody on Sundays. – Lewis Wilson Hope the government knows how embarrassing this is as a tourist destination. – Brayden Jay Myers Glad Cayman has its priorities in order. – Jorge Lopez Absolute stupidity, can’t even give the struggling local bar owners a few dollars. – Trudi Coombs This is the stupidest thing I have ever heard... and I thought Bermuda was petty. Either way, your island has more money than ours. – Bill Tatem Meanwhile, in the year 1425... – Jan Morgan A tale of two iron men and the race of their lives Such a wonderful story. – Susan Foster-Wilcox So well done. – Jane Greatorex ‘Too close’ cruise ships stir up environmental concerns If visitors come to Cayman to dive or snorkel and their very own ship obstructs or interferes with that objective, does anybody appreciate the irony? Even if the anchor is actually in the sand outside the technical boundary of the Marine Park, the engine pumps and props stirring up loose sand that lands on the vulnerable corals will have short- and long-term negative impact. It would be best for all concerned that the western and southern boundary of the Marine Park be extended further out. The cruise ship divers and snorkelers, local Caymanian water enthusiasts, Eden Rock as a commercial enterprise, and even the corals themselves would all be most grateful. – Neal Gross The Port Authority needs to move the anchorage site further away from Eden Rock. If Roylee Moore was ever to dive on this site with a massive cruise ship anchored so close, stirring up sand and silt, he would realise the problem. There is plenty of room to moor the ships further out, so what is the problem with doing this? – Roger Davies 14 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee trees suspected stolen in South Sound So people are resorting to stealing trees now? Come on, Cayman. We are better than that! – Jason Gautreau So disgusting. – Jewel M Hydes I guess just how they steal the flowers off the graves, they are stealing everything else... Disgusting thieves. – Della J. Watler-Marte Swimming the Flowers Sea Swim eight months pregnant Congratulations! Such an awesome event too! – Catherine Spurrell And helping others while doing it! That whole SOCI bunch (Special Olympics athletes + coaches + volunteers) has a whole lot of fun. – Sara Harbison Mackay Good job Heather. Great swim and 8 months pregnant. Will just leave it to you. – Shelly Miller Wow, Heather! That’s amazing! You go girl!! – Charmaine Phillips What a legend! – Courtney Wright Reminds me when I was cycling from town to East End and back, at eight months pregnant. One day, Leonie Merren pulled up next to me, in her car, and shouted: “You gonna have that baby on that bicycle!” – Soca Phillips So fun to watch. Kudos to the swimmers! Especially the eight- month pregnant lady and the six- year-old to swim amongst Olympic swimmers! How amazing. Great event. Cayman is amazing! – Laura Dunne Otto VIDEO: Sargassum invades Cayman Brac Bermuda had a lot of seaweed in past years but we have a large group of turtles now; not so bad. – Richard Every Never ends. – Nancy Harris What they’re saying Online pic of the week cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 17 JUNE 2022Announcement coming soon, Bryan assures RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Minister of Tourism Kenneth Bryan says changes to the government’s COVID-19 regulations are on the way, with an announcement likely in the next few days. Pressed on what the changes will look like, Bryan urged patience, saying, “Let’s wait to see what the announcements are, and we should get that in about a week.” Bryan was speaking on the 15 June episode of the Cayman Compass Facebook talkshow The Resh Hour as he weighed in on the recent lifting of pre-arrival COVID testing requirements in the US. On 12 June, the US removed requirements for international air arrivals to show a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery from the virus before they board their flights. This news was welcomed by Cayman Islands Tourism Association president Marc Langevin, who told the Compass that hopefully this will inspire the government to fully review its restrictions, including the need for Travel Cayman travel authorisation, mask mandates, pre-arrival testing and vaccination requirements. “If those regulations were progressively removed, we anticipate that Cayman would easily surpass [current arrival figures] in a large way and lead us to a full recovery,” he said in an emailed comment on 10 June. Bryan, when asked about government’s response to the US decision, stopped short of confirming speculation that the mask mandate and the pre-arrival testing will be coming to an end soon, only saying coyly, “I think everybody will be happy and, as minister, I am happy.” He said the government caucus has looked at proposed changes to the restrictions, and these must now go through the process of Cabinet approval, after which Premier Wayne Panton will made the formal announcement. Panton will determine how that will be done, either by a press briefing or a media release, he said. Bryan said he is "not satisfied” with April’s statistics of 25,114 stayover visitors and would like to see an increase in monthly arrivals. April’s numbers were 55% of April 2019’s arrivals. Bryan said he believes the changes to the travel regulations inevitably will help boost numbers. Travel Cayman will eventually go Currently, anyone entering the Cayman Islands is required to obtain a travel authorisation from Travel Cayman, an entity that was set up while Cayman was in lockdown to manage quarantine and documentation of incoming travellers. Bryan said disbanding Travel Cayman eventually would not be a simple issue to address. “The government’s responsibility is to balance the freedom of travel with the health and safety of the country,” he said. “As you know, when we started Travel Cayman, getting the necessary documentation and approvals were the key components to that safety concern... COVID has not disappeared. COVID is still a serious issue, it is still deadly, particularly for those who have underlying issues.” This, he said, is the rationale behind the government’s decision to keep the department operating for now. “There may be some changes that may affect Travel Cayman in some ways, but again, this is for the premier to announce. The most important thing is, the caucus is aware that eventually we have to move away from the Travel Cayman process. We have to get back to the full freedom of travel so there’s no impediments in respect to allowing people to come to the Cayman Islands,” he said. Members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association have cited the requirement for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers to receive a ‘Travel Declaration’ or ‘Travel Request for Quarantine’, respectively, as a disincentive for tourists coming to Cayman, especially when so many other destinations in the Caribbean have lifted their restrictions and made it easier to visit. Bryan said government is aware of the challenges that lie ahead for Cayman, as consumer prices skyrocket and economists suggest a global recession is looming. “We need those [tourism] revenues, and we need to get people back here, so people can get back to work, so we can get money to take care of people in these hard times,” he added. On the other side of this issue with Travel Cayman, Bryan said, is the future of the Caymanians employed at that agency. “We do not want to be just shutting it down and have another group of Caymanians unemployed. We have already talked to the [deputy governor] and the governor – they are responsible for hiring and firing of any civil servants – to be minded that we are eventually going to move away from this [and asked] can they find different locations within the civil service to transition them to… to fill any gaps that are open,” he said. He said the Travel Cayman team had helped the islands recover, and “we are indebted to them for that”. Getting ready for high season Bryan said, while there is a slowdown during the summer months, the major airlines, which are grappling with staff shortages and route reductions, are gearing up for the high season. “We keep updated as to what the airlines are trying to do to solve this problem,” he said. “I believe that by the time the new high season starts, which is the end of October/ start of November, that we will see that most of those airlines will have resolved [those issues].” He added that he believes that the lifting of travel restrictions in Cayman will lead to more airlift being available. “By the high season, I hope that this country does not have any restrictions anymore. That means, regardless if you are vaccinated or not, you can come… no [pre-arrival] testing, no masks, none of those restrictions,” Bryan said. He said government is working to lift travel restrictions to allow for the freedom of travel to “flourish while [visitors] still want to travel before it gets too expensive in a potential recession”. Cabinet mulls dropping mask mandate, pre-arrival testing " We have to get back to the full freedom of travel so there’s no impediments in respect to allowing people to come to the Cayman Islands." Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan WATCH THE VIDEO ONLINE Passengers arrive on a United Airlines flight in February this year. Moves are afoot to lift some of the remaining COVID-19 restrictions, including the mask mandate and pre-arrival testing. - Photo: Alvaro Serey cayman compass 5 news N news FRIDAY, 17 JUNE 2022NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Following a two-day hearing, a Grand Court judge is now deciding whether the director of the Department of Environment can act on behalf of the National Conservation Council to direct the Central Planning Authority to reject applications for proposed developments that may have detrimental impacts on the environment. Acting Justice Alistair Walters presided over the judicial review, brought by the National Conservation Council against the Central Planning Authority, on 14 and 15 June. The case revolves around a direction given by Director of Environment Gina Ebanks-Petrie to the CPA last year to reject an application by property developer Cayman Property Investments Ltd to rebuild a seawall and cabana on Boggy Sand Road in West Bay, which abuts a protected marine reserve. The CPA instead granted planning permission for the work. The hearing kicked off with Chris Buttler, QC, the attorney acting for the National Conservation Council, arguing what he said were the three salient points in the case. These were whether the CPA had discharged its duty to determine if the development was likely to cause an adverse effect on the marine reserve; whether it had a legal obligation to give its reasons for rejecting Ebanks-Petrie's direction; and whether the NCC had the statutory power to delegate its functions to the director of environment. Lawyers acting for the CPA argued that the main point was whether the planning board was bound in any way to follow an order from the DoE director, stating that there was no evidence of signed authorisation that the NCC had delegated its power to her. They told the judge that, if he decided that the DoE director had no delegated authority from the council, then the other grounds laid out by Buttler were moot. Buttler contended that the CPA had ignored Ebanks-Petrie’s assessment of the likely adverse impact on the environment, and then, despite having what he described as a “heightened duty” to do so, the board had failed to give reasons on why it had disregarded her opinion. The CPA, in September last year, granted permission to Cayman Property Investments to demolish the existing seawall, which is disintegrating, and replace it with a new wall, and a new cabana. An earlier application to replace the cabana with a three-storey residential home had been rejected by the planning board. In October last year, the court granted the NCC leave to bring a judicial review, and placed a stay on beginning the construction work on the cabana and seawall until the matter was decided by the Grand Court. ‘Delegated authority’ Ebanks-Petrie, in her response to the planning application last year, under “delegated authority” from the National Conservation Council, had directed the planning board to turn down the application, citing the impact suspended and dissolved particles and sediment displacement from the construction of the site would have on protected coral and sponge species. Ian Paget-Brown, QC, one of the attorneys representing the CPA and Cayman Property Investments, argued that there is no authorised or signed documentation that indicates that the NCC can delegate to the director of environment its power to order the CPA to reject an application – an issue which he said had also arisen at an earlier hearing by the Planning Appeals Tribunal in an unrelated case. The DoE’s submission on the Cayman Property Investment’s application reads, “In the exercise of powers which have been conferred through express delegation by the National Conservation Council... the Director of DoE respectfully directs that you refuse the planning permission under section 41 (5) (b) of the National Conservation Act, on the basis that the proposed development will result in the detrimental alteration of a Marine Protected Area and the environment generally.” Paget-Brown contended that Ebanks- Petrie did not have the legal power to direct the CPA to turn down the application, noting that the National Conservation Act’s section 13 states, “The [National Conservation] Council may delegate any of its functions, other than the making of orders and the issuing of directives, to the Director or to any committee or sub- committee of its members.” He said that, if the director could not be delegated the power to make orders or issue directives, “the delegation cannot be anything other than guidance”, which, he said, the CPA was not legally bound to follow. However, Buttler pointed out to Justice Walters that, in all instances when the word ‘directive’ appears in the National Conservation Act, it relates to the making of rules, rather than individual decisions. He stated that, clearly the intention of Section 41 (3) of the Act, was for the council to delegate its powers on individual decisions, as it would be “impractical” for the entire National Conservation Council board to meet every time any public body is making a decision on a matter relating to potential adverse effects on the environment. But Paget-Brown said Buttler’s argument that the use of the word ‘directive’ in the context of the National Conservation Act referred to broader rules rather than individual applications, was irrelevant, stating that Ebanks-Petrie effectively had “ordered” the CPA to turn down the application, and that the National Conservation Act specifically excludes the director from the making of orders. ‘Adverse effect’ In his argument, Buttler stated that, under the National Conservation Act, Parliament prohibits the CPA from granting planning permission unless it gets approval from the NCC in situations where there may be an adverse impact on a protected area or species. “The Central Planning Authority has a statutory duty to decide whether there will be a relevant adverse effect,” he said. And, in cases where the planning authority decides there will be no adverse effect, if that is contrary to the opinion of the DoE director, who has been chosen by Parliament to be the expert in this field, then clear and rational reasons must be provided to explain why the board made that decision, he said. Buttler told the judge that, according to the minutes of the meeting at which the proposed development was considered, the CPA had “strikingly” failed to address Ebanks-Petrie’s assessment relating to the adverse effects the construction of the site would have on the marine environment. He said this indicated that the CPA had not done its statutory duty to consider the potential adverse effects of a development on the environment. Paget-Brown contended that the NCC can only delegate authority to the DoE director to make ‘guidance notes’ and carry out certain administrative work, and said guidance notes cannot be considered to be mandatory orders and are not legally binding. Buttler, however, told Justice Walters that, legally, guidance notes must be followed, unless they have been successfully challenged in court by way of a judicial review. Both Paget-Brown and fellow attorney Sammy Jackson contended that the CPA had taken the director of environment’s comments on board when it made its decision, as it had set out specific conditions on the construction of the replacement seawall based on an earlier submission made by the director, such as the use of a curved seawall to dissipate wave energy, a silt screen and the pumping of any turbid seawater from the construction site to a land-side site across the road. Paget-Brown told the court that to do nothing – and to leave the existing seawall and the cabana it supports to eventually collapse into the sea – would have more of an adverse effect on the protected marine environment than building a replacement wall. Under its plan, Cayman Property Investments Ltd had proposed building a new wall inside the existing wall; once the new wall is completed, it would remove the old wall, using silt screens to prevent construction material and particles from entering the sea, he said. Justice Walters, at the end of the hearing, invited both parties to submit their supplementary arguments on the case in writing within 14 days. Conservation council powers debated in court The Central Planning Authority, in September last year, granted permission to Cayman Property Investments to demolish the existing seawall, which is disintegrating, and replace it with a new wall, and a new cabana. A Grand Court judge is deciding if the Central Planning Authority was within its rights to grant permission to the owners of this property on Boggy Sand Road in West Bay to tear down a seawall and cabana and replace them with new structures, contrary to a direction by the Department of Environment director. – Photo: Taneos Ramsay cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 17 JUNE 2022MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@compassmedia.ky As of May, 3,202 tourism workers who lost their job during the pandemic were still receiving a monthly government subsidy. That figure has only marginally declined from January, when 3,621 people were paid the $1,500-a-month stipend. Since then, government has increased efforts to ensure that the benefit would only be paid to workers who are out of a job. A change in the rules, instituted in February, meant that workers who find new employment would transition to the Tourism Recovery Grant programme and receive a payment of $750 per month, if they are employed only part-time. More than 600 stipend recipients at the time were said to have found full-time employment and no longer needed government support. Although government initially aimed to phase out the programme in April – later revised to June – the need for the stipend remains high. Wesley Howell, chief officer for the Ministry of Border Control and Labour, told Parliament’s Finance Committee on 10 June that 2,242 individuals still receive the full $1,500 each month and 960 workers receive $750. On a monthly basis, the stipend payments costs dropped from $5.46 million in January to $4.27 million in February, but then increased again to almost $4.5 million in March and April. They remained at $4.09 million in May. The programme first ran out of money in March, when Parliament’s Finance Committee approved an extra $15 million in funding. Last week, lawmakers were asked to approve another $1.5 million to see the programme through until the end of June. Together with the $10.3 million included in the budget, the programme has now been granted $26.8 million in the first half of the year. Programme will transfer to social development ministry Asked why there was no funding beyond June, the minister responsible for customs and border control, Chris Saunders, acknowledged that “some people would require assistance post- June”, but he said the programme will be transitioned to the Ministry of Social Development. Saunders said government was conscious of the difference between people who temporarily need assistance and those who need welfare. Citing the United States as an example, he said, “[W] e don’t want our people to change their mindset from work to welfare, because once the mindset changes, it is very hard then to move them back to a different category.” Social Development Minister André Ebanks added that some work had already been done between the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Labour to identify those who are able and ready to work, who may just need a minimum level of assistance from the ministry, and those that may face underlying social issues, who will receive assistance from the Needs Assessment Unit. Saunders said he suspects that the funding will continue at the same level, but the management will change over to the Ministry of Social Development, which has some budgeted funds available. Only some programmes, combining technical training with financial assistance, will remain with the Ministry of Labour. While all efforts would be undertaken to use savings made elsewhere to fund the programme, both Saunders and Ebanks conceded that they may have to return to the Finance Committee for supplementary appropriations. Suspected fraud cases Asked about cases involving late payments of the stipend, Howell said any delays were linked to either incomplete or anomalous information provided by applicants. Stipend payments are contingent on applicants completing questionnaires and surveys to ensure that the recipients are still in need of the financial support. In some cases, the information was simply missing or not submitted in time, while about a dozen other cases were suspected of fraud and referred to the police for investigation. Howell said the ministry is now using a forensic auditor, which could lead to more fraud cases being uncovered. 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. More than 3,200 workers still receive tourism stipend cayman compass 7 news N news FRIDAY, 17 JUNE 2022Triple Protector Triple Protector is a non-medical plan that provides you with a lump sum cash benefit up to $3 million in the event that you are diagnosed with any of 9 critical Illnesses. Floriza Miller Juliet Osbourne (345) 326-9343 (345) 916-0500 May 2022 OUTSTANDING ADVISORS NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky When Fiona Jackson visited Cayman two years ago, she could not help but be charmed by the sight of three tiny Cayman cottages that dot a stretch of roadside in West Bay. The little houses, about three feet high, were built by David Smith for Alice Mae Coe in the mid-to-late 2000s. The once-pristine and pretty structures have fallen into disrepair over the years, with storms, flooding and the relentless sun taking their toll. The paint is peeling, the wood is rotting and the roofs are collapsing, and the miniature structures have become inundated with sand, earth and other debris. Now, Jackson, who has moved to Cayman, has galvanised renewed interest in the little houses and has marshalled a team of volunteers to restore them. “I put a note on the Women in Cayman Facebook group saying I loved the houses and asked if anyone knew anything about them, and that I’d love them to be made beautiful again. And I had such an incredible response – 25 people expressed interest in helping to restore them,” she said. A few days later, eight people showed up to help clean up the houses, which were “covered in soil”, she said. The next step is restoring them to their former glory. The original builder of the houses, Smith, now 75, has agreed to take a look at them and to fix them if they are salvageable. A. L. Thompson’s has signed on as corporate sponsor for the project, and will be providing the wood, paint and other materials. History of the houses Originally, there were five of the houses in West Bay – one by West Bay Cemetery, one by the fire station, one by West Bay public beach, and two at Hell – but only three remain, as the two in Hell are no longer there, according to Coe. She had arranged to have the houses built by Smith between 2005-2009 when she was a member of the Cayman Islands Beautification Committee. “They were designed to be used as planters,” she said, “so they didn’t have a full roof or a back on them, so they could be filled with soil.” She had been motivated to put the little houses in place as part of efforts to keep West Bay tidy and to encourage pride in the district among the local residents. “We were trying to get the area spruced up,” she said. “I thought that if there were little planters with plants in them, it might help encourage people to stop littering. Our theme was ‘Let’s keep Cayman clean and green’.” She added, “The houses are quite heavy, made from solid wood with shingles on the roof. They’re all white, with pastel trim, and red roofs. ... We made them with typical Cayman colours. Although we’re in the Caribbean, we don’t use loud colours. ... They had pastel trims, very gentle colours.” Asked about the recent efforts to restore the structures, she said she was pleased that others have recognised the charm and importance of the little houses, and were taking pride in their surroundings. The Beautification Committee became defunct after 2009, but has recently been re-established as the Cayman Islands Beautification Task Force, under the direction of Heather Bodden, the former committee chair, who is now an elected MP and parliamentary secretary. In a written message to the Compass, Bodden said, “If there’s someone kind enough to have the repairs done to the lil homes and bring them back to their originality, it’s greatly appreciated. They add such a beautiful touch to the entrance of the districts [where] they’re located.” Little houses on the Brac West Bay is not the only district with these pretty little cottages. When they were first built, Coe sent some to Cayman Brac, to a fellow member of the Beautification Committee, Liz Walton-Thompson. Walton-Thompson said four of the tiny houses, which she maintains, are still around on the island. Another of the miniature cottages was sent to Little Cayman, she said, but was destroyed in Hurricane Paloma in 2008. Restoring the houses Jackson is taking the houses to Smith at his home in Newlands, so he can determine if they can be rebuilt or restored. Smith’s skills in building the houses were honed during his long career in construction. He says building is in his blood, as all four of his brothers worked in the construction industry and his father was a carpenter, who used to build boats and houses. “My whole family had a history of doing construction,” he told the Compass. He explained that, because the little houses were built to be planters, some only have half a roof, so potted plants could be placed inside and the plants could grow up through the open part of the roof. “If we’re going to build them back, and not use them as planters, we can put full roofs on them,” he said. He said the houses were based on those he saw as a boy growing up on Grand Cayman. Following Smith’s assessment of the first house, Jackson said, “It is looking like the cottages may need to be completely rebuilt but he will know for sure when he has all three over there.” She is inviting anyone who may have original photos of the cottages when they were new to contact her over Facebook. “It would be lovely to see them as they were,” she said. Another volunteer, Lori MacIntyre, whose has a background in interior design and project management, said a number of ideas had been put forward for how the miniature cottages can be used once they’re repaired. Among those options is to turn them into recycling collection points, and to run a design competition, using 3D modeling, to redesign them. “People have come from all over the place to help out on this. There was just a tremendous response to the posts,” she said. Restoring West Bay’s miniature cottages David Smith, who built the original houses, with Fiona Jackson. - Photo: Supplied Volunteers dig free one of the miniature cottages on West Bay Road. cayman compass 8 news N news FRIDAY, 17 JUNE 2022Whney xo HAVE A LOVELY WEEKEND TUNE IN TO Z99 AND GOLD TO HEAR THE LIST! WHITNEY WILL BE LIVE EVERY THURSDAY ON Z99 AT 8:30AM AND GOLD AT 8:40AM SEND INFO ON YOUR EVENTS TO COMMUNITY@COMPASSMEDIA.KY FOR A CHANCE TO BE FEATURED WHITNEY FILLS YOU IN ON EVERYTHING HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND 17-19 JUNE 7TH ANNUAL POWER OF THE PURSE LUNCHEON FRIDAY, 17 JUNE | 12PM RITZ CARLTON GREEN DRESS DOWN DAY FOR CAYMAN TURTLE CENTRE FRIDAY, 17 JUNE HOW IT WORKS: DROP AN EMAIL AT INFO@TURTLE.KY TO HOW IT WORKS: DROP AN EMAIL AT INFO@TURTLE.KY TO LET THEM KNOW YOU WILL BE PARTICIPATING. DRESS IN GREEN ON FRIDAY 17 JUNE AND SHARE YOUR PHOTOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH THE HASHTAG #GREENFORGREENS PLASTIC FREE CAYMAN & COMPASS MEDIA BEACH CLEAN-UP SATURDAY, 18 JUNE | 8AM-10AM SAFEHAVEN MISS CAYMAN ISLANDS UNIVERSE SASHING CEREMONY MISS CAYMAN ISLANDS UNIVERSE SASHING CEREMONY SATURDAY, 18 JUNE | 6:30PM GRAND OLD HOUSE SEA TURTLE FESTIVAL FAMILY FUN DAY SATURDAY, 18 JUNE | 8AM-4PM CAYMAN TURTLE CENTRE TURTLE-THEMED ACTIVITIES AND GAMES, FOOD AND DRINK TURTLE-THEMED ACTIVITIES AND GAMES, FOOD AND DRINK SPECIALS, LIVE MUSIC POOLSIDE, TURTLE.KY FOR TICKETS 1 2 3 4 5 HAPPY FATHER’S DAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADONZA HARRISON! 21 JUNE NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT Fidelity Bank (Cayman) Limited | Member of the PROVEN Group of Companies The Board of Directors of Fidelity Bank (Cayman) Limited (FBC/The Bank) takes pleasure in announcing the appointment of Benjamin Freeman (Ben) as President & CEO effective Wednesday, June 1, 2022. With over thirty-four (34) years of professional experience, twenty (20) of which has been in the banking industry, Benjamin Freeman has served some of the world’s largest banking groups notably UBS AG, Manufacturers Hanover/Chemical Bank and First Caribbean International Bank (CIBC) in senior roles. In addition, Ben spent thirteen years (13) in Cable and Wireless Communications recently leading The Bahamas Communication Company consumer Division. He was responsible for product management, retail and direct sales and the newly created Customer Center of Excellence. During his tenure, he led the disaster recovery efforts for his division during and after the devastating impact of Hurricane Dorian on Grand Bahama and Abaco. He is highly regarded for his sound leadership approach - being results oriented, broad functional expertise in all lines of business, and dedication to optimum customer experiences. Ben currently lives in the Cayman Islands and has lived and worked in the Caribbean including Cayman, Barbados and The Bahamas for fifteen (15) years. He is originally from the USA and over the course of his career, he and his family have also lived and worked in New York City; Zurich, Switzerland; London, England; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We wish Ben every success in his role as President & CEO – Fidelity Bank (Cayman) Limited. If you have any questions about the announcement, contact us at: info@fidelitycayman.com or 345-949-7822 Fidelity.CaymanFidelityBankCaymanFidelity Bank (Cayman) Limitedwww.fidelitygroup.com/caymanislands Mass_NRG_WhiteLine_Inset_OuterMask_CMYKcayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 17 JUNE 2022Next >