Cayman's black market in abortion pills Compass investigates illegal trade: Pages 18-20 cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 15-21 July 2022 Photo: Taneos RamsayFour arrests in ganja importation raid Four men were arrested 7 July following an operation by police and Customs and Border Control officers at the CBC transit warehouse at Owen Roberts Drive in George Town, where a “significant amount” of ganja was seized, police said. According to a press release issued by the RCIPS on 11 July, the operation began when CBC officers secured “cargo of interest” which was imported on Wednesday, 6 July. CBC K-9 sniffer dogs indicated a particular pallet of goods which officers then inspected. They found several large packages of ganja on the pallet, with each package containing smaller packets. Police arrested three men – two, ages 23 and 52, of George Town, and one, age 27, of West Bay, on suspicion of being concerned with the importation of ganja. A fourth man, age 30, of George Town, was arrested in relation to CBC revenue- related offences and on suspicion of being concerned in the importation of ganja. All four men are currently on bail while investigations continue. 2 Caymanians training at Dartmouth naval college Caymanian Coast Guard officers Christopher McTaggart and Arianna Wheeler-Seijas have commenced training at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. The Cayman Islands Coast Guard, in a post on its official Facebook page on 12 July, said both officers expressed a “massive sense of pride in being able to represent their country and the CICG at this level”. It said, in the post, that both officers were humbled to have been selected. Premier Wayne Panton, in a brief statement on his official Facebook page, wished both officers the best as they commence training at the prestigious naval academy. “Congratulations to Christopher and Arianna! They will make us all proud and come back to contribute to the excellence of our Coast Guard,” Panton said in the post on 12 July. The local duo are at Dartmouth as part of the Royal Navy’s Accelerated Reserve Officers Training Programme. Police search for missing man Police are requesting the public’s assistance in locating 26-year-old Adrian Williamson, of George Town, who has been reported missing. Williamson was last seen at his home on Wednesday, 6 July, and reported missing the following day, but hasn’t returned home or been located since, police said. He is described as being of dark complexion, with short black hair and a beard. He also has a scar on his forehead. He was last seen wearing a green T-shirt, long black pants, black slippers and carrying a brown and black backpack. Police are encouraging Williamson to contact the nearest police station, or if anyone has information on his whereabouts to contact 9-1-1, or the George Town Police Station, at 949-4222. Anonymous tips can be provided directly to the RCIPS via its confidential tip line at 949-7777, or via its website. Veteran RCIPS police officer killed in Honduras Police Constable Antonio Lopez Jackson, 64, was shot dead on 9 July while on holiday with his family in Honduras. No one else was injured in the shooting, police said. Jackson, of George Town, served with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service for 24 years. “We are shocked and saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague in these circumstances, and extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends,” said Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne in a statement. He offered his support to the family and confirmed police are liaising with their Honduran counterparts. Home hit by gunfire in 2nd shooting reported in one day Police are investigating two shooting incidents that occurred on 9 July, one in which a residence in Prospect was damaged by gunshots. No one was injured in either shooting, police confirmed. According to a statement issued by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service on 11 July, officers responded to a report of gunfire in Martin Drive in George Town shortly after 4:20am. Officers who attended the scene recovered spent shell casings. Two hours later, shortly after 6:30am, police received another report of shots fired, this time at an address in Mangrove Avenue in Patrick’s Island, Prospect. “It was reported that earlier that morning the occupants of the residence had heard shots being fired,” police said. Officers who responded to the call observed damage to the residence “that appears to have been caused by gunshots”, the RCIPS said. The officers recovered spent shell casings and spent bullets outside the residence. Police said at the time that it was unknown if the two shooting incidents are related. 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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HARRIS GOES TO PARIS (PG) (FRI) 12:40 VIP | 4:40 | 6:30 (SAT) 12:55 VIP | 4:15 | 6:30 (SUN) 4:15 | 6:30 (MON-THURS) 12:55 VIP | 4:15 | 6:30 THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (PG-13) (FRI) 1:00 | 3:30 | 4:20 VIP | 7:20 VIP | 9:10 | 10:30 VIP (SAT) 1:00 | 3:30 | 4:00 VIP | 7:20 VIP | 9:10 | 10:30 VIP (SUN) 3:30 | 4:00 VIP | 6:45 VIP | 10:00 VIP | 10:10 (MON) 1:00 | 3:30 | 4:20 VIP | 7:20 VIP | 10:10 | 10:30 VIP (TUES) 1:00 | 3:30 | 4:20 VIP | 7:20 VIP | 10:10 | 10:10 VIP (WED&THURS) 1:00 | 3:30 | 4:20 VIP | 7:20 VIP | 9:10 | 10:30 VIP TOP GUN MAVERICK (PG-13) (FRI) 10:00 | 7:10 | 10:20 VIP (SAT) 10:20 VIP (SUN) 7:10 | 10:15 VIP (MON-WED) 1:15 | 7:10 | 10:20 VIP (THURS) 1:50 | 7:10 | 10:20 VIP For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted KIDS CLUB PUSS IN BOOTS SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) (THURS) 1:50 | 7:10 | 10:20 VIP KIDS CLUB LION KING SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted CULTURE NT LIVE 2022: A VIEW FROM BRIDGE SATURDAY 8:00PM (R18) For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted TAXI DRIVER TUESDAY 7PM VIP (R) CLASSICS 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 showers. SEA STATE Slight with a wave height of 1 to 3 feet. WINDS East to southeast at 5 to 10 knots. 85°F HIGH 79°F LOW Adrian Williamson was last seen on Wednesday, 6 July. - Photo: RCIPS news in brief Caymanian Coast Guard officers Arianna Wheeler-Seijas and Christopher McTaggart are training at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. - Photo: Cayman Islands Coast Guard cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 15 JULY 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. Disclaimer : FIN Grand Cayman features and amenities are based on current development plans and concepts and are subject to change without notice. Some services and amenities are subject to service-based fees or homeowner fees. BOOK YOUR STAY IN GRAND CAYMAN’S ART DECO ICON Penthouses for sale from US $4.1M Reserve your private tour and discover the last word in luxury + 1 345 526 7777 n@ngrandcayman.com FIN.cayman ngrandcayman 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. RENT THE LAST WORD IN LUXURYINTERNATIONAL BEST RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT CARIBBEAN FIN Company - The Last Word in Luxury by FIN Company Ltd 2017-2018 PROPERTY AWARDS DEVELOPMENT CARIBBEAN BEST RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT CAYMAN ISLANDS FIN Company - The Last Word in Luxury by FIN Company Ltd 2017-2018 PROPERTY AWARDS cayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 15 JULY 20221234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 A medium (7) 5 Long narrow view (5) 8 Meekly (4,1,4) 9 Fitting (3) 10 Horse’s moderate pace (4) 12 Proximity (8) 14 Erase (3,3) 15 Induce to commit perjury (6) 17 Unfeeling person (4,4) 18 Wound with a knife (4) 21 Tavern (3) 22 Person used in experiment (6,3) 24 Upright (5) 25 Sober reflection (7) DOWN 1 Act as guide to (5) 2 Tibetan ox (3) 3 To cure (4) 4 Place of worship (6) 5 A flowering shrub (8) 6 Fall guy (9) 7 Craftsman (7) 11 All things considered (2,7) 13 Shoot-out (8) 14 Lean back (7) 16 To aid (6) 19 Obstinately opinionated person (5) 20 Forbid authoritatively (4) 23 Hold at fixed level (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17057 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 17057 ACROSS: 1 Psychic, 5 Vista, 8 Like a lamb, 9 Apt, 10 Trot, 12 Nearness, 14 Rub out, 15 Suborn, 17 Cold fish, 18 Stab, 21 Inn, 22 Guinea pig, 24 Erect, 25 Thought. DOWN: 1 Pilot, 2 Yak, 3 Heal, 4 Chapel, 5 Viburnum, 6 Scapegoat, 7 Artisan, 11 On balance, 13 Gunfight, 14 Recline, 16 Assist, 19 Bigot, 20 Veto, 23 Peg. Slowly, shakily, Cayman’s tourism recovery persists The article is so correct. This government continues to be slow and behind the curve with reopening. With the recession coming, it missed its window for summer and winter bookings from Texas. People have made other choices for summer and winter. They have written off Cayman because of its archaic approach to reopening. Everything else in the world is totally open but Cayman. – Dan Hudson It would also help if condo rates were reasonable. I booked a flight several months ago, planning on this being low season, with correspondingly reasonable condo rates. Not so! Everything is more expensive than pre-pandemic, and there is very little availability, even though there are 50% less travelers. I know, as I owned a condo on Grand Cayman for 12 years, and I visited the islands many times before buying the condo, and a number of times after selling it in 2017. What is going on with these high rates, and limited availability? – John Miller The Cayman government seems surprised that a full 40% of its tourism has not returned to Cayman. Yet, they purposely deny 40% of Americans to come to visit Cayman without a quarantine. Likely, a full 40% of Americans are unvaccinated. Most of these unvaccinated Americans have likely had COVID already, and have more immunity to the virus than even a vaccinated person. Most Americans can squeeze out only a week of vacation time. But, there is no one that is going to come to Cayman and spend that week in quarantine. Why not just visit a fancy hotel at home? Food for thought. I want Cayman to be successful. But our overkill on COVID is killing the country financially. You cannot stop the virus, but you can kill an economy. – Kay Neubauer Pirates Week expanding into 3-month Pirates Fest Terrible decision. Would be better to concentrate it to a shorter period than extend it to longer. Dragging it out will do nothing but reduce the appeal. – Lewis Wilson Where are our Caymanian pirates though? – Trudi Coombs Hopefully there will be some new and exciting things added… It’s well overdue. – Errolyn Thompson One week of pirates was quite enough... Celebrating pirates' history of robbing, raping and killing for three months is insane. – Shaun Ebanks Three months.... this seems like a bad idea. – Alex Barlow Luckily, September and October are not part of our rainy season. What could go wrong here? I doubt anything will get cancelled or postponed for weather-related reasons… no, not at all. – Danny Roach How do you sustain the necessary entertainment, excitement and enthusiasm for three months? – Charles Glidden Wow, seriously… why? There is no way there is enough to do for three months. This government is ridiculous, even more than the last. We already have an insane amount of drink-driving, and now three months of debauchery… seriously? – Dianne Parsons Hawcroft If the Cayman home-cooked district food is going to now be around for months, then I can live with it. Then again, I might not be able to live afterwards at all unless I get to the gym too. On a serious note, it would seem that if you compressed it instead of expanded it, you could make it a much more grand event with the resources you have going into one big weekend extravaganza. I think I’d have gone in the opposite direction and had a long weekend of absolute non- stop events. Close down all of town for the whole weekend, the Landing, street dances, comedy shows, star-studded music concerts, food, beach party, etc. – James Whittaker 55 Caymanians join UCCI free training courses It is definitely a step in the right direction. Tourism is a huge industry in the Caribbean and the more the merrier when it comes to employment! – Mary M McKinney Editor’s note: The James Whittaker quoted above is not the same James Whittaker employed by the Cayman Compass as Issues Editor. pic of the week Sharp-eyed early morning commuters on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway glimpsed a water spout on the horizon on Thursday, 14 July. Among them, the Compass’ Andrel Harris, who took this photo. Water spout What they’re saying Online cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 15 JULY 2022Charities, including ARK, provided significant support to those who could not get the help they needed from government. - Photo: File JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky A patchwork of hastily assembled COVID-relief programmes were inconsistently managed and payments to those in need were often late, according to an internal government report. The Internal Audit Service assessed the performance of multiple different financial aid programmes set up by the previous administration to support those impacted by the pandemic. These included monthly stipends to tourism workers, loans and grants to small businesses, payments to stranded expats left without employment and grants to local musicians. The report praises the quick action of politicians and officials to establish a network of financial assistance programmes “from the ground up”. But it highlights numerous concerns, including that there were few controls to stop recipients “double dipping”. Auditors also criticised the speed at which applications were processed and payments made. “The results indicate that the risks identified were inconsistently managed with few requirements in place regarding the eligibility of applicants to receive funding from multiple programs,” the report, provided to the Cayman Compass following an open records request, notes. “Little to no guidance existed relating to timely disbursements, and potential conflicts of interest.” In fact, none of the programmes had any criteria requiring assessment officers to declare potential conflicts. Only one had a requirement for applicants to state whether they were receiving funding from another programme. The report concluded that “control frameworks” for assessing eligibility were also inconsistently designed and implemented. Only the Needs Assessment Unit and the tourism stipend coordinated on programme delivery, the report states. Unclear if bands receiving help existed A grant to support musicians, who lost work as tourism collapsed, lacked rigorous eligibility assessments. “In some instances, it was not possible to confirm whether specific bands actually existed, and whether they performed prior to or after the lockdown,” the auditors state. Despite flagging concerns over 27 applications for that grant, officials in the Ministry of Culture submitted the full list for approval without evidence of further follow- up, the report notes. In general, the report indicates that money was paid to those in need, largely in line with the programme’s aims. “The financial assistance programs, intended to support individuals and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, were established and modified in an expeditious fashion in order to deliver funding to individuals and businesses in need of assistance,” it states. “In light of this reality, the ministries and their departments are commended for their efforts to start a program from the ground up, implementing a due diligence process and providing assistance to those in distress in a timely manner.” Payment delays However, the report highlights delays in assessing applications and in getting money to those in need, concluding that, in general terms, “the payments themselves were not made in a timely manner”. The programmes also lacked formal documentation to support the decisions of assessment officers, mechanisms to track progress and clear communication lines with applicants. The aim of the report was to check if the programmes performed effectively in providing the financial assistance needed by businesses and individuals that were negatively impacted by economic shutdowns. It did not assess whether the amounts allocated were sufficient. Some of the conclusions tally with reports from observers on the ground. During the period examined by the auditors – March through August 2020 – the Compass spent time on the road with volunteers for Meals on Wheels and Acts of Random Kindness. In some cases, charities said they were helping people who hadn’t eaten for days and were either awaiting decisions from government entities on eligibility or simply didn’t qualify for support. ARK founder Tara Nielsen and volunteer leaders Neil and Kelly Rooney highlighted the slow payments from government as one of the reasons people needed support at that time. Speaking to the Compass at the outset of the economic crisis in May 2020, Nielsen said, “This is definitely a humanitarian crisis and it is up to non-profits to meet the need.” She acknowledged that support was available through government, but said this was often not enough for families to sustain themselves. “The process also takes time, often weeks,” she said, “so what do they do while they wait to be approved? They would go hungry if it wasn’t for soup kitchens.” The main recommendation of the internal audit report is that government review its Transfer Payment Governance Framework to address some of the issues highlighted. Slow payments marred COVID-relief effort “Little to no guidance existed relating to timely disbursements, and potential conflicts of interest.” Internal Audit Service report cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 15 JULY 2022 55JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Six months on from the reopening of Cayman’s borders, the islands are attracting around half the number of tourists that were visiting prior to the pandemic. Just short of 100,000 people have flown into Grand Cayman since commercial flight services resumed in December. Numbers rose sharply in March when vaccination and testing protocols were eased. But the industry is still some way short of celebrating a full recovery. April was the busiest month for Cayman’s hotels and restaurants since the outbreak of COVID-19 shut down the industry in March 2020. But the 25,114 passengers that arrived at Owen Roberts International Airport during that month is little over half of the number that arrived in the same period in 2019 and is the lowest since 2005, when the island was still recovering from Hurricane Ivan. Cayman Islands Tourism Association president Marc Langevin said most big hotels were running at around 50% occupancy. It’s a vast improvement on last year when they had no business at all, but not a situation that can last forever. For The Ritz-Carlton, where Langevin is the general manager, the easing of regulations on public gatherings was just as pivotal as dropping the arduous testing regime. He said that decision had reopened the lucrative corporate group bookings for larger venues, helping them get back on their feet after the lockdowns. He said upping the airlift and abandoning the remaining COVID restrictions will be key to a wider recovery. “Nobody can swim here,” he said, “so there is a direct relationship between airlift and occupancy.” Securing the return of flights from Dallas and Texas could be critical, especially in the summer months, when Cayman’s customer base tends to shift from the eastern seaboard to the southern United States. Langevin believes lifting the requirement that all visitors over the age of 12 be vaccinated could also be important because of the lower uptake of the vaccine in these areas. He also sees turbulence on the horizon in the airline staff shortages which have disrupted the travel industry in the US and the UK. “That’s not an issue that is under our control and it is one that will limit the amount of planes they can put in the air,” he said. “All we can do is make sure they see us as the best place to send those planes.” Lean period ahead For others in the industry, the idea of a recovery remains a perilous concept. Troy Leacock, vice president of CITA and a representative of the North Sound boat operators, said businesses that depended on cruise were at an earlier stage in the post-COVID recovery cycle. Cruise arrivals peaked at just over 60,000 passenger arrivals in May – around 60% of the pre- pandemic numbers. Many operators are currently doing brisk business. But he fears that few have had time, in the small recent window of opportunity, to build up a sufficient ‘cash cushion’ to survive the low season in September and October when Cayman’s tourism arrivals typically dip substantially. Cost of living increases, particularly fuel for water sports and fishing businesses, have added to the challenge. With government’s support stipends to both employers and their staff ending last month, Leacock warned there could be trouble ahead. He said the ‘famine’ of low season could set businesses back to where they were before the reopening, and is appealing to government to continue supporting the industry to help keep staff employed through to November when things pick up. Premium ships key to success For the cruise-dependent sector, it is not just about numbers. ‘Premium ships’ like Disney bring fewer but generally wealthier passengers, for example. With global post-pandemic skepticism around cruising forcing some of the major corporations to offer budget deals – some as low as $200 for a seven-day Caribbean cruise, including a stop in Cayman - the ships moored off George Town are not always packed with big spenders. Despite this dynamic, Leacock, who owns Crazy Crab boat charters, said the cruise ships are working with the vendors, and the prices Cayman operators are able to charge for tours are actually increasing in some cases. He believes the key issue for the island and the government is to get through the lean late summer months and refocus on bringing in the best ships in the 2022/23 season. Government officials cut a red ribbon to mark the arrival of the first American Airlines flight into Cayman in almost two years, in February this year. - Photo: Alvaro Serey Slowly, shakily, Cayman’s tourism recovery persists “All we can do is make sure they see us as the best place to send those planes.” Marc Langevin, CITA president Passengers arrived by air in April cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 15 JULY 2022Course funded by $405,000 EU grant NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky The University College of the Cayman Islands on 7 July officially launched a new free training programme, funded by a $405,000 European Union grant, which will pay for 55 Caymanians to train in the fields of tourism, ICT, renewable energy and construction. UCCI has been working with WORC, the Chamber of Commerce, the Cayman Islands Contractors Association, GreenTech and others in the private sector to bring the programme to fruition and make it available to unemployed and underemployed Caymanians. Speakers at the launch event explained that the project is intended to help Caymanians gain sustainable employment and achieve long-term social and economic resilience in four sectors - sustainable construction, renewable energy, Information Communications Technology and tourism. Dean of UCCI’s Professional and Technical Education and Training Division Paul Puckerin said the programme aims to ensure that “each student will walk away with an internationally benchmarked certification, which makes them not only employable, but marketable, if they decide they want to travel and work outside of the Cayman Islands”. Upon successful completion of their courses, the students will receive certificates from a number of internationally- recognised institutes, including the UK’s City and Guilds and the National Center for Construction Education and Research, known as NCCER, which is used in the US and Canada. Puckerin said, “This project is part of UCCI’s commitment to address the educational and innovation needs of Cayman’s main economic drivers. It is an example of private-public partnership that contributes towards a more sustainable future for Cayman, both in terms of environmental sustainability and in terms of building a more resilient and skilled workforce.” The students, who were registered with WORC, will begin their year-long courses, which consist of classroom and practical training, as well as on-the-job internships, on Monday, 18 July. The programme will be extended in September to Cayman Brac, where another 15 students will take part. RESEMBID grant The money for the programme is being provided by the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories ‘Resilience, Sustainable Energy and Marine Biodiversity Programme’, known as RESEMBID, which is funded by the EU. RESEMBID has been providing grants to British Overseas Territories to help them recover from the COVID-19 crisis. Nnyeka Prescod, programme manager of RESEMBID, told the students at the launch that the new UCCI project “will have far-reaching impacts beyond you; there will be impacts on your families, your communities and, of course, local industry”. She added that the project highlighted that Cayman was “moving swiftly” to meet some of the 17 pillars of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including creating productive employment and offering quality education. The project’s manager, Cleveland Julien, in an earlier interview with the Cayman Compass, said the programme would be open to 50 Caymanians, aged 18 to 45. However, due to the high volume of applicants – more than 140 people applied and 75 were interviewed – it was decided to accept 55 applicants. The student’s training begins on 18 July and will continue until February 2023, after which the participants will undergo a three- month internship, with placements relevant to their chosen field of study. Julien, in a statement, said, “We are still actively searching for more business partners and volunteers. Volunteers from all walks of life can help us to create a bright future for these 55 Caymanians. We truly look forward to seeing what their futures hold.” Among the students who have signed up is Keyona Hanson, 21, who heard about the programme through her mother. She will be taking part in the tourism course. She told the Compass she feels “in this economic climate, the more qualifications I can get, the better”. She has previous experience in the tourism field, having done an internship though the government’s Passport2Success programme. “I liked it and thought I’d try it again,” she said. RESEMBID Programme Director Fabian McKinnon, in a statement, said the project would provide practical support to the people of Cayman. “We are happy to see this significant milestone marking the start of this important project but thrilled that even more persons than we had originally anticipated will be trained by the course,” he said. “These 55 people will soon be better able to contribute to a sustainably skilled work force for the Cayman Islands and RESEMBID is proud to be part of that.” Tourism students pose with RESEMBID programme manager Nnyeka Prescod, wearing black, at the launch of the new training initiative. - Photos: Supplied Students stand to take a pledge as they prepare to begin their RESEMBID course. 55 Caymanians sign up for free UCCI training “Each student will walk away with an internationally benchmarked certification, which makes them not only employable, but marketable, if they decide they want to travel and work outside of the Cayman Islands.” Paul Puckerin, dean of UCCI’s Professional and Technical Education and Training Division The number of people who applied for the RESEMBID courses cayman compass 7 news N news FRIDAY, 15 JULY 2022CAROLINE JAMES cjames@compassmedia.ky The removal of the remaining COVID-prevention barriers in Cayman has left the tourism sector on an “even keel”, even as the jurisdiction faces external factors inhibiting economic growth on a larger scale, according to Chamber of Commerce President Shomari Scott. He cited concerns around the cost of doing business in the face of global inflation and looming risk of recession as some of the major issues Cayman’s business community is grappling with, as he spoke on the Compass weekly Facebook talkshow Wednesday ‘The Resh Hour’. Scott told the Compass’ Reshma Ragoonath that removing the mask mandate and pre-arrival testing requirement had “done wonders” to leave the islands’ tourism businesses in a stronger position to tackle these wider challenges. “At least we’re not fighting on one leg now; we’re on both legs now – even stance,” he said. “We look forward to working with government to get our business recovery to be as good as possible.” But he cautioned it will be a “gradual growth” process to get the economy back to where it was, in light of external factors like the geo- political situation in Ukraine and the rising costs of fuel – barriers which he believes may impede the pace of a post-pandemic rebound. He chimed a note of cautious optimism, stating, “I think we’re on a good track.” Risks from rising costs and red tape Nevertheless, Scott added that around three-quarters of Chamber members polled felt their biggest concern at the moment was the increase in the cost of doing business. “There’s so much uncertainty right now,” he said. “We’ve already started to feel those impacts from the first quarter, when you’ll have seen the CPI index for the Cayman Islands.” He said 73% of members polled on the state of business said the rising cost of doing business was their greatest worry. “It’s the things that keep you up at night sort of question,” Scott described. Second among members’ concerns was government regulation and red tape, he said. Acknowledging there had been bottlenecks for members seeking work permits, Scott said the Chamber had seen improvements in this area, but the situation regarding workforce complexion remained something of a “mixed bag”. “They’re starting to see more of the work permits coming through. The other challenges are... we, as a business community, need to do a better job in regards to training and succession planning to ensure we have Caymanians taking up those roles.” The Chamber and Workforce Opportunities Residency Cayman (WORC) have been collaborating on online processes to make the permit process smoother, he said. Some of the benefits of this system include being able to rank companies on “green lists”, fast tracking applications from those employers who aren’t on the “naughty list”. Pension holidays and minimum wage In the short term, Scott said, the pension holiday had been a lifeline for Chamber members, the majority of whom are small businesses. “The pension holiday is helping them to stay alive,” he said. However, he acknowledged the flip-side of the equation and stressed there are longer-term concerns regarding what will happen to people who will retire in the coming decades. He emphasised that pension reform was critical to enable Cayman to take care of its ageing workforce. A further quandary for a business sector grappling with inflation is the issue of minimum wage, something Scott acknowledged was “a difficult question” to address, especially as companies seek to insulate the consumer from yet-further spiralling costs. The minimum wage committee will be formally convened, Scott said, “in the next few weeks” to consider data and methodologies to ensure fairness to both employee and employer. “I’m sure it will increase,” he predicted. He said the Chamber would be part of the consultation process on the issue, but he wouldn’t be “that reckless” as to pinpoint to a dollar amount, without having taken into account proper consideration of the cost of doing business and what constituted a liveable wage. 'The Resh Hour' interview: Shomari Scott Businesses ready to tackle cost-of-living hikes Chamber of Commerce President Shomari Scott on the 13 July episode of 'The Resh Hour'. cayman compass 8 news N news FRIDAY, 15 JULY 2022Cayman Distributors Group Sets Industry Standards SPONSORED CONTENT Over the years the NDC has trained more than 500 people in the industry ranging from bars, hotels, restaurants, liquor stores and service stations. In an effort to promote the consump- tion of responsible drinking, Cay- man’s largest distributor of beers, wines & spirits— embarked on a partnership with the NDC to facilitate alcohol server and seller training. This skills-based training intends to prevent intoxication, underage drinking, and drunk driving. Cayman Distributors Group (CDG), which includes Blackbeard’s and Cayman Islands Brewery, is happy to announce that their entire team took part in the training, and that following their success- ful completion of exams, have received their 3-year certification. “As liquor distributors, we want to ensure our customers enjoy our products sensibly. The program which is run by certified TIPS trainers is designed to educate alcohol sellers, helping to build a responsible culture locally,” stated Alex McClenaghan General Manager, CDG. Over the years the NDC has trained more than 500 people in the industry ranging from bars, hotels, restaurants, liquor stores, and service stations. “We’re committed to providing pol- icy advice, information, research, and resources to prevent and reduce alco- hol-related harm in the Cayman Islands. These preventive measures help to lower the negative impacts of alcohol, which is why we urge all employers of a licensed business to ensure that alcohol server training becomes a part of their policy. Certain countries also require by law that alcohol servers must obtain their TIPS Certificate in order to legally serve or sell alcoholic beverages” stated Brenda Watson, Director (Acting), NDC. “This is an industry that can impact the safety of individuals and their com- munities. TIPS provides knowledge and confidence to service providers by train- ing them to be proficient in recognising dangers and knowing when to intervene to prevent alcohol-related incidences. The impact is ensuring their customers are enjoying their drinks responsibly” stated Simon Miller TIPS Trainer and Prevention Specialist, NDC. “As the largest retailer and wholesaler of alcohol in the Cayman Islands, we have a duty of care to the community and, we want our employees to have the tools and techniques that are globally taught to carry out their service at the highest standard” stated Alex McClen- aghan General Manager, CDG. Currently, the NDC offers the training at no charge and welcomes every op- portunity to deliver TIPS interactive and scenario-based training. The NDC is committed to efforts surrounding responsible alcohol con- sumption. Research has shown that the primary intervention to reduce alco- hol-involved traffic problems globally has been the enforcement of laws prohibiting driving while impaired (DUI) and more severe punishments and sanctions for convictions for DUI’s. An alternative intervention is at the primary location of drinking for impaired drivers. Research suggests that server training may be an important means to reduce traffic crash injuries. For more information on how to get your staff TIPS certified contact the NDC at 949-9000 or email info@ndc.ky FREE ALCOHOL TRAINING FOR SERVERS cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 15 JULY 2022Next >