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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 Smooth with a wave height of fewer than 2 feet. WINDS Light and variable. 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW New drink-drive limit begins Cayman’s stricter drink-drive limit came into effect on Thursday, 20 Oct. Lawmakers amended legislation earlier this month to reduce the limit of blood-alcohol content for drivers by a third – from 0.1% to 0.07% – bringing it closer to the worldwide average of 0.06%. A statement issued by government on Thursday said, “The public is reminded that it is recommended that persons consuming alcohol refrain from operating a vehicle while under the influence, regardless of the amount consumed.” It added that the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service “has actively begun to enforce the new restrictions”. According to RCIPS annual statistics, police issued 312 DUI summonses last year. Of those, 26% involved people who were found to be twice the drink-drive limit, and 2% were three times over the limit. More than a third – 36% – of those who were found to be over the limit were involved in a collision. Police hunt drug runners who abandoned guns and ganja Police are searching for three men who escaped capture in the early hours of Tuesday morning, 18 Oct., after their drug boat was intercepted in East End by Coast Guard officers. The men were last seen in the vicinity of Paradise Villas. Police said two firearms and a large amount of ammunition, as well as packages containing more than 250 pounds of ganja, were found on board the boat. Coast Guard officers attempted to arrest the men after their boat was spotted approaching the shore at high speed by a patrol vessel off the shore of East End around 2am, police said. The Coast Guard vessel moved to stop the boat and the men abandoned it, fleeing onto the shore, crossing the main road and escaping into nearby bushes in the vicinity of Paradise Villas. The Air Support Unit, Firearms Response Unit, and other officers responded, police said, and conducted a search in the area where the men were last seen, but the suspects were not located. Efforts to capture them are under way as investigations continue, police said. Caymanians graduate from naval college Caymanian Coast Guard officers Christopher McTaggart and Arianna Wheeler-Seijas have graduated as midshipmen from the Accelerated Officers Programme at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, which they commenced in July. They were among 18 graduates, 16 of whom were new officers commissioned into the Royal Naval Reserve, at a passing out parade overseen by Vice Admiral Andrew Burns, the Fleet Commander, a Royal Navy release stated on 19 Oct. The Accelerated Officers Programme is an intense nine- week course designed for the Royal Naval Reserve and which exposes candidates to the highest standards of basic naval officer training. Cayman Islands Coast Guard Commander Robert Scotland, who travelled to Dartmouth to attend the graduation ceremony, lauded the achievement of the young Caymanians, saying, “I am delighted that two members of the CICG were able to attend this year’s AOP. The AOP provided an opportunity to learn the basics of seamanship, teamwork and leadership, all key skills for the CICG’s future leaders, which provide a solid foundation on which we can begin to develop our Officer cadre.” 12 Cubans arrive on boat at Brac The Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control Service confirmed that a vessel with 12 Cubans – 11 male and one female – arrived on Cayman Brac around 11:15am on Wednesday, 19 Oct. All 12 disembarked and were processed by border control officers, after which they were to be transported to Grand Cayman, the CBC said. Names sought for Seafarers Registry Celebrate Cayman, an agency set up by government to mark historic milestones, is making an open call to former seafarers and their families to put their names forward for the National Seafarers Registry so that they can be recognised in upcoming celebrations and to ensure their names are retained for posterity. The registry is set to become a ‘living’ online commemoration of the islands’ sailors. Missing man now ‘wanted’ by police Bodden Town resident Noel Manning, who was initially reported as a missing person in June, has now been declared a wanted man by police in connection with sexual offences. Police, in a statement on Tuesday, 18 Oct., announced the change in Manning’s status, saying “he is no longer considered missing but is believed to be in hiding from authorities”. On 26 June, relatives reported him missing saying that the 53-year-old man had been last seen two days earlier. Police said officers conducted inquiries and Manning was subsequently reported to have been seen by family members on 27 June; however, he had not been seen by police. The RCIPS is now appealing for the public’s assistance in locating Manning, described as short, of slim build and brown complexion, and bald with white facial hair. He is also known to go by the nicknames ‘Indian’, ‘Doc’ and ‘Doctor’. Caymanian Coast Guard officers Christopher McTaggart and Arianna Wheeler-Seijas during their passing out parade at Darwin Naval College. – Photo: Royal Navy news in brief cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2022cayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 20221234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 A sign of existence of some- thing (7) 5 Slight puff (5) 8 Assessment (9) 9 Normal amount (3) 10 Sneering remark (4) 12 Uncompromising attitude (4,4) 14 Yearly (6) 15 Very young child (6) 17 Meaningful gestures (4,4) 18 Cried (4) 21 A constricting snake (3) 22 Lacking resolution (4-5) 24 Attempt (5) 25 Without reservation (7) DOWN 1 Very informal colloquial words (5) 2 Chart (3) 3 Rush impetuously (4) 4 Unlucky accident (6) 5 Thoroughly cooked (4-4) 6 Involve (9) 7 Zealous (7) 11 Not at all (2,2,5) 13 Raised road across water (8) 14 Loud enough to be heard (7) 16 Composer of Don Giovanni (6) 19 Modern times (5) 20 Short piece of satire (4) 23 Snakelike fish (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17141 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 17141 ACROSS: 1 Symptom, 5 Whiff, 8 Appraisal, 9 Par, 10 Gibe, 12 Hard line, 14 Annual, 15 Infant, 17 Dumb show, 18 Wept, 21 Boa, 22 Weak-kneed, 24 Essay, 25 Totally. DOWN: 1 Slang, 2 Map, 3 Tear, 4 Mishap, 5 Well-done, 6 Implicate, 7 Fervent, 11 By no means, 13 Causeway, 14 Audible, 16 Mozart, 19 Today, 20 Skit, 23 Eel. I’m a student at Layman E. Scott High School working on an op-ed [for a class assignment] on drunk driving in the Cayman Islands, more specifically focusing on Cayman Brac. From the time I could even understand the English language, I’ve always heard about and seen wrecked cars from fatal drunk- driving accidents in Cayman Brac. I think that because of Cayman Brac’s small population, the deaths resulting from drunk-driving incidents are more shocking in comparison to Grand Cayman. I think that the fatalities stemming from drunk driving in the Brac really show that there is a massive issue at hand. I know that the government plans to lower our current lenient blood-alcohol content from 0.1% to 0.07%; however, I don’t think that’s enough. Melody Elwin-Herrera When it starts to sink, all those businesses will be the first to go under. I [wish] election was tomorrow to replace all those money-hungry [Members of Parliament]. – Kathy Williams Aren’t there enough hotels on Cayman? There goes the view from shorter buildings, again. – Leslie Martin Harper Ebanks: Affordable housing efforts continuing No disrespect, but I’d say it’s more like affordable debt. – Joseph Yates And what does the minister propose to do about the increasing traffic from the eastern districts? You want to increase population in North Side and East End, yet nobody is talking about infrastructure? – Matthew Rivas Prices must be much more affordable! Government should be doing much better delivering these houses to our Caymanians. – Denver Douglas George Town people have not had [affordable housing] built in years and these are greatly needed. While on the board, I fought for us to purchase 25 acres, and Bodden Town has had many homes built... George Town people want to stay in town, they do not want to move to other districts. Why is it George Town can’t get homes built now? We have the land. – Louise Burke-Richardson Businesses consider building staff housing as rents spiral I highly doubt that they’ll ever implement a rent board here because there is a lot of politics in these housing developments. It’s very sad to see and hear that the average Caymanian cannot afford to buy or rent a decent house or apartment. And a lot of the homeowners who are Caymanians are telling their own people that they are not accepting kids. The government needs to acquire some of the land and build affordable housing solutions for their people. Everyone is charging what they feel like for rent. It’s hard on the natives and even harder on expats since landlords raise their rent whenever and however they see fit. – Yaneekie Miller Campbell Simply control the number of vacation rentals available, and enforce it. Return the available units to the long-term rental market. Look at how affordable rents were during COVID as Airbnb owners offered their places to residents. It is a global crisis, due to rental properties being transitioned to vacation rentals. This is not unique to the Cayman Islands. But many places are not pushing back to help the local population afford to live in a decent home. – Mark Wilder They’re not the only persons that can’t afford rental properties. Please consider older persons on a fixed pension or relying on government assistance. They can’t find rentals either, creating many dilemmas for the social welfare system. – Ava Fearon Not a solution to the housing crisis. Just more bandaids on a gushing wound. We are building the house before drawing the blueprint so all we do is folly. We need a national development plan. – Eden Hurlston The wages in construction are too low. Imagine you’re building million-dollar homes and can’t afford a decent rent. And if you’re Caymanian, you definitely can’t afford a mortgage. These jobs should be paying enough that Caymanians can afford a mortgage. – William Levy What they’re saying Online Letters to the editor Drunk driving ‘massive’ issue on Cayman Brac As storms reshape the coastline, how can Cayman protect its beaches? So when is the government going to start doing something? – Bruce Leibowitz Stop allowing them to build! But the laws have to change, firstly, or we can complain till the cows come home! – Trudi Coombs The set-back requirements in the planning [law] were intended to protect the beach. I haven’t heard about the loss of beach from the buildings that were compliant. Nature will have its way. – Jenny Manderson Stop the building on the coast/beaches. Has this planning department/board/government completely lost their minds? What’s built on the beach, walls, swimming pools, decks, etc, demand that they be removed. – Darlene Glidden Stop these people from building so close to the shoreline would be a start. – Mark Evans Take the barriers away. The beach will return with nor’westers... always happens. – Nancy Fleming Bush Owners of proposed 10-storey hotel argue for off-site parking What is the Cayman Islands government doing? Are they in the House for money or to protect the country? Why are they approving so much big building on such a small island? Hurricane Ian caused flooding and sea surges in Cayman. - Photo: Luigi Moxam cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2022JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Five of the UK’s top judges will be in Cayman next month for an historic sitting of the islands’ highest court to determine if secret closed-door trials can be held for matters impacting national security. The Privy Council – which is the highest court of appeal for Overseas Territories and some Commonwealth countries – will decamp from its Westminster headquarters to Grand Cayman on 15-18 Nov. It will be the first time the court has been held in any British Overseas Territory and only one of a handful of occasions it has been held outside London, the Cayman Compass understands. Among the elite panel of judges flying in for the week-long session mid-November will be Robert John Reed, Lord Reed of Allermuir, the president of the UK’s Supreme Court. The three cases under consideration include the six-year saga of two brothers, Osbourne Douglas and Justin Ramoon, deported to the UK to serve life sentences for an ‘execution-style’ gang murder. The case, which involves complex human rights and national security issues, has already wound its way through the lower courts and was extensively reported by the Compass in our investigative ‘Prison Papers’ series this year (Cayman Compass, 29 April, 6 May). Resolving an ‘untriable case’ Dubbed an “untriable case” by lawyers at earlier hearings, it raises fundamental issues about open justice and human rights. The Governor’s Office in Cayman, citing reports that the brothers were planning an armed escape aided by hitmen smuggled into the jurisdiction from Jamaica, authorised their removal from Cayman. Ramoon and Douglas argued the decision to transfer them from HMP Northward to maximum security prisons in the UK was based on flawed intelligence and unnecessarily separated them from their children, interfering with their fundamental right to a family life. The conundrum for the courts has been the governor’s claim – based on advice from prison and police chiefs – that the evidence justifying the decision could not be disclosed to the two men or their lawyers for national security reasons. The Court of Appeal sought to solve that impasse, ruling that a ‘Closed Material Procedure’ – a secret hearing behind closed doors, used in the UK for terror trials and other important national security matters – could be held in Cayman. However, no explicit legislation for that type of hearing exists in the jurisdiction. And Ramoon’s lawyers argue that the case should be heard in public. Prathna Bodden, of Samson Law, said the onus should be on the authorities to produce evidence to back up their claims or for Ramoon to be allowed to serve out his life sentence in Cayman. She said there was no legislation or precedent for a Closed Material Proceeding to be held on the island. Hugh Southey, KC, instructed by Bodden, will argue the case in front of the Privy Council judges on 18 Nov. “I think it is an important milestone for the jurisdiction to have the Privy Council come here and to see justice run to this level in this country,” said Bodden. “These are important, complex cases that have significant impact for the jurisdiction and it is great to be involved.” Issues to be decided Only Ramoon is appealing the decision. His brother is not involved in this hearing. A summary of the issues to be decided, posted on the Privy Council website, indicates, “This appeal concerns the lawfulness of the appellant’s removal from the Cayman Islands to serve his prison sentence in England. “It raises the following issues. First, whether the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands has an implied statutory power or an inherent power to hold a closed material procedure when determining claims brought under the Bill of Rights of the Cayman Islands. “Second, if there is no power to order a CMP, what approach should the Grand Court adopt? Third, whether the appellant’s rights were sufficiently safeguarded to ensure compliance with the Cayman Bill of Rights when the challenged decision was taken.” The Ramoon case is one of three that the elite panel of judges will consider. One of the other cases involves a dispute between partners in a Chinese chain of convenience stores, with holding companies registered in Cayman. A third case involves two disputed commercial property transactions dating back to the 1990s. Prestigious occasion The holding of the court in Cayman is expected to be a prestigious occasion and a significant moment for the jurisdiction. Lord Reed, in a statement about the upcoming sitting, said that as the final court of appeal for the Cayman Islands, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council hears cases “of profound importance to everyone across the island”. He added, “My colleagues and I strongly believe that the experience of attending a court hearing in person should not be limited to those able to get to London. I am very pleased that people in the Cayman Islands will have the opportunity to see the Court in operation locally and I look forward to meeting members of the legal profession and law students. “The JCPC is committed to being one of the most open and accessible courts in the world and, like all our hearings, the cases we hear in the Cayman Islands will be live streamed for everyone who cannot get to see us in person.” As the final appellate court for the Cayman Islands, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, normally based in the UK, is, therefore, “as much our Court as it is (in the form of the Supreme Court) for the populations of the United Kingdom”, Chief Justice Sir Anthony Smellie said in the statement. “The visit, therefore, signifies that the JCPC is an integral part of the Cayman Islands Justice System when it provides a final opportunity for judicial resolution of cases that may be appealed to it from the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal,” he said. “So, the visit really symbolises the connectivity and links among all our courts right up to the final appellate court for the Cayman Islands – the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.” Premier Wayne Panton said Cayman “benefits tremendously” from having the Privy Council as the islands’ highest court. “Across all areas of jurisprudence, including international financial services matters, it underpins confidence in our good governance. We eagerly look forward to welcoming the Privy Council on their first ever visit and sitting in the Cayman Islands,” he said. FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2022 Justin Ramoon at a site visit to the crime scene at the Globe Bar in George Town during his trial for murder (officers' faces have been deliberately blurred). - Photo: File Privy Council to hear exiled prisoners case in Cayman What is the Privy Council? The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the final court of appeal for the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, as well as some Commonwealth countries, including the Bahamas, Trinidad and Jamaica. In May this year, the panel of judges ruled that the Cayman Islands Constitution does not provide a right for same-sex marriage and ruled in favour of the Cayman Islands government by dismissing the case of same-sex couple Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden Bush. Why is it so important? As the highest court for Cayman and multiple other jurisdictions, the court’s interpretations of complex legal matters become binding. Its decisions are final and can impact future cases and future legislation. Who are the judges coming to Cayman? Lord Robert John Reed (Baron Reed of Allermuir) – president of the Supreme Court of the UK; Lord Patrick Hodge – Deputy president of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom; Lord David Lloyd Jones; Lord Michael Briggs (Lord Briggs of Westbourne) and; Lord David Kitchin. Where is it located? The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council shares a home with The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom at Middlesex Guildhall in Parliament Square, London. The court has been held outside London on only a handful of previous occasions, in the Bahamas and Mauritius. Lord Reed, president of both the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and the UK Supreme Court, will be among five top British judges in Cayman next month for three special sittings of the appeals court. - Photo: Submitted cayman compass 5 news N newscayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2022 ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky The Summary Court assault trial of Miss Cayman Islands Universe Tiffany Conolly began on Monday, 17 Oct. Conolly, 24, of West Bay, faces two counts of common assault, two counts of damage to property, two counts of assaulting a police officer and one count of disorderly conduct. Her trial comes one year after the alleged assault is said to have occurred. Under questioning from Crown counsel Sarah Lewis, the main victim (who Cayman Compass is not naming) in the incident told the court Conolly acted in a “belligerent and aggressive manner” towards him and his son during a two- minute assault which he claimed was unprovoked. “Approximately after 10pm, Tiffany Conolly arrived at my house and began to bang loudly on the front door,” said the victim, adding that he promptly opened the door to prevent Conolly from shattering a large glass panel that made up the upper half of the door. “Once the door was open, she slapped me in the face and in doing so removed my glasses,” he said. “She then looked me dead in the eyes and, using both hands, held my glasses up to my face bent, crumpled and threw them to the ground.” When he bent down to retrieve the broken reading glasses, he said she punched him in the side of the head. “It wasn’t a slap or a push, it was a full closed-hand punch to the side of my head, and I could remember feeling the sharp pain and shouting loudly,” he said. “When I got stood up she head-butted me not once but twice, punched me again, and then began to scratch at my face.” The court heard that, prior to the assault, Conolly and the man’s son were involved in a relationship which lasted three months. On the night of the incident, she came to the house to see his son, the father told the court. “When [my son] heard me shouting, he came to the door. He tried to restrain her and she kicked him in the [groin] really hard,” he said. “She bit him on the chest and head-butted, punched and scratched him.” The court was told that, eventually, Conolly calmed down and both men retreated inside their home, thinking the incident was over. “I was watching from the kitchen window when I saw her walk around the car, then she picked up her bicycle that she used to ride to my house and threw it onto the hood of my car, causing it to break my windshield,” said the father, who added he went back outside in an attempt to restrain Conolly. “When I got outside she had a large cement block in her hand that she swung into the [rear] windshield of [my son’s] car, completely shattering it.” The court heard that at this point police were called to the scene. The man’s son was initially slated to give evidence during the trial; however, on the day of the proceedings he did not, but the reasons were not made public. Conolly claims self-defence During cross-examination, Conolly’s lawyer Oliver Grimwood advanced a different version of events, claiming it was the complainant who initiated the violence by pushing Conolly from the second step of his porch. “You pushed Ms Conolly, causing her to fall back and injure her back, didn’t you?” asked Grimwood. “And when she was on the ground you got on top of her, held her hands, restrained her and told her she was never going to be allowed in your home again, didn’t you?” Grimwood’s questions were met with a swift and firm refusal by the man, who told the court, “That was a completely false and fictitious narrative that never happened.” Later in the trial, RCIPS Constable Sue-Ann Brathwaite recalled also being assaulted by Conolly. “When I arrived on the scene, she was behaving in a very hostile and combative manner, cursing and swearing,” said Brathwaite. “She continued to use profane language and to use her body to slam against the caged area of the transport vehicle. This behaviour continued during the transport to and at the detention cells.” Once in the lockup, Brathwaite said she asked Conolly to remove her jewellery for fear that she could use them as a weapon to injure officers or herself. “I asked her to take off her rings, and she told me to take them off for her. When I began, she punched me in the face,” said Brathwaite. The trial was originally slated for one day, but at the close of proceedings, the prosecution was still presenting evidence before the court. Therefore, the matter has been adjourned until 5 Dec. Conolly’s bail was continued. Conolly’s reign as queen uncertain The embattled beauty queen was crowned in August, which resulted in community backlash and criticism. Although she still holds the title, the Ministry of Tourism, which oversees the pageant, has since confirmed that Conolly was suspended from making any public appearances in her capacity as Miss Cayman Islands Universe until her trial has concluded. The Miss Cayman Islands Committee has maintained their stance that Conolly qualified for the pageant and was a legal contender for the crown. Following the backlash, several members of the committee resigned amidst reports of bullying. Assault trial begins for Miss Cayman Islands ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky The Miss Cayman Islands Universe Committee says it is preparing first runner-up Chloe Powery-Doxey for the crown in the event that the reigning queen Tiffany Conolly is unable to represent the country at the next year’s pageant. The news comes two days after Conolly’s Summary Court assault trial opened. Conolly, 24, of West Bay, faces two counts of common assault, two counts of damage to property, two counts of assaulting a police officer and one count of disorderly conduct. Her trial, which was initially slated for one day, was unable to conclude in the allotted time, and was adjourned until 5 Dec., which means the verdict may not be returned before the international pageant is held in New Orleans on 14 Jan. 2023. Although the committee declined to comment on the ongoing court case, they did say they are “monitoring the situation”. “It is important to remember that in the court of law, an individual is innocent until proven guilty,” reads the statement. “As we navigate through a renaissance within the pageant world, it is also important to understand that no candidate is flawless; some come from harsh beginnings and strive to improve themselves throughout their journey.” The development has prompted new discussions between the Miss Universe Organization and the Miss Cayman Islands Universe committee, which told the Cayman Compass that it would be “in a position to provide an update on the way forward in the coming weeks”. A statement issued on behalf of the committee, on Wednesday 19 Oct., said the move to prepare Powery-Doxey falls in line with the pageant’s long-standing succession-planning policies. “Our succession plan has always been that if a reigning queen is unable to complete her reign or perform her duties for any reason, there is a first runner-up who is ready to assume the role,” said the committee, adding that it had consulted with the Ministry of Tourism on the matter. “The Committee will continue to execute what it has always been commissioned to do by the Ministry of Tourism and that is to produce a pageant, empower and mentor young ladies in the Cayman Islands and not deny them the opportunity to participate, as long as they meet the requirements,” the committee said in the statement. The committee has maintained that, at the time of her application, Conolly was eligible to enter the pageant, and that the details of her arrest and subsequent charges only surfaced several months into the competition. Her victory was subsequently met with harsh criticism and backlash by fellow contestants and the wider community. The committee said the current requirements for entry into the competition are under review by the Ministry of Tourism, and that going forward “the due diligence tasks will be the primary responsibility of the Committee”. It added, “Historically, the Committee did not make decisions in its sole discretion, in particular for critical matters, this situation was no different. “Out of an abundance of caution, we believe that the directives provided by the Ministry and other influential stakeholders to this point was in everyone’s best interest.” Organisers prep first runner-up for Miss Universe pageant First runner-up Chloe Powery-Doxey. - Photo: Miss Cayman Islands Universe Facebook page Tiffany Conolly is crowned Miss Cayman Islands Universe in August by last year's winner Georgina Kerford. - Photo: Maggie Jacksoncayman compass 7 FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2022RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Cayman’s new chief medical officer, Dr. Nick Gent, has said he expects a rise in local COVID transmissions in coming weeks and months. In light of this, he is urging people to take up the new Moderna bivalent booster vaccine or the Pfizer booster, based on preference, to stave off any severe illness from COVID infections. “People need to be careful. COVID is going to carry on circulating; it’s going to circulate at higher levels over the coming months and if they want to be protected, they need to be immunised, particularly people who are caring for [vulnerable] people”, Gent said on the 19 Oct. episode of the Cayman Compass weekly talk show ‘The Resh Hour’. He added, “not just vulnerable people need that protection”. Gent, who took up office on 10 Oct. following the departure of Dr. Autilia Newton, said he is expecting cases, which he estimates are currently between 60 and 100 a week, to increase as Cayman enters the holiday season. However, he said he is hopeful Cayman will be “capping the numbers that will require hospital care”. “We’ve also got very good past immunisation rates, but we actually need also really good current booster immunisation rates to be as secure as possible,” he said. Gent said he will review the situation going forward and, should it require a return of some social health protocols, he will advise government accordingly. Plan to push boosters For now, he said, the game plan is to “push as hard as possible with the current booster programme”. He said vaccines will prevent transmission to a degree, “but the strength of vaccines for COVID by preventing severe disease, preventing hospitalisation and stopping people dying, that’s where they’re good”. Gent said it is not too late to get the jab and begin the immunisation process. He said healthcare professionals will keep monitoring the situation when it comes to severe clinical disease with the expectation of rising cases of infections. Gent, who has worked with the World Health Organization and a number of UK health agencies on infectious diseases and health crises, said while there has been a good response to vaccinations, it has not translated similarly with the boosters. He said, in the first Moderna booster clinic, held on Sunday, 16 Oct., between 60 and 70 individuals over the age of 70, which is the age group currently eligible for those boosters, took the jab. However, he said he would like to see a greater number of people “rolling up their sleeves” before the expected hike in cases hits. “We really do need people to be coming along [in] big numbers and getting boosted and, when possible, getting the flu and COVID booster at the same time. We’re going to get into some choppy waters,” he said. However, Gent hopes that the way people’s immunity has changed through past infections, and supported by vaccines and boosters, that those who get “severely ill will be [in the] minority”. He said because Cayman is not testing the population, he suspects infections – whether COVID, the flu or a combination of the two – to be in the low hundreds, as some people may not even know their respiratory infection is COVID because it may be so minor. Get the flu vaccine This is why he is recommending individuals get their flu vaccine as well as the booster. He said the aim is to ensure that when the cases rise, the local healthcare system is not overwhelmed. In addition, speaking specifically to pregnant women, Gent urged them to get vaccinated for the flu and COVID, with both “very, very safe in pregnant women”. Local healthcare professionals are seeing cases of Omicron and the B4 variant of COVID locally, Gent said, but there has not been any evidence of new variants here. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nick Gent New health chief warns of looming spike in COVID cases Urges flu and COVID vaccinations to prevent serious illness cayman compass 8 news N news FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2022Sue Couper Is a General Manager at LOM Financial Group Please contact LOM at +1 345 233-0100 or visit www.lom.com for further information. This communication is for information purposes only. It is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument, investment product or service. Readers should consult with their Brokers if such information and or opinions would be in their best interest when making investment decisions. LOM is licensed to conduct investment business by the Bermuda Monetary Authority. Retirement might be a long way off for you, or it may be knocking on your door. Either way, your current-self and your future-self are inseparable; you can’t divorce or sack yourself, you’re together ‘until death do us part.’ And so, like any good marriage or life-long partnership, the way to please the ‘current’ you and the ‘future’ you is compromise. If your future retired-self could speak to you today, what would they say? In my experience, speaking to retiring clients for almost 40 years, the most common thing they say, when reviewing their assets, is “I wish I’d put more in.” They wish they’d set aside more, saved more sooner, started thinking about their retirement earlier. “More than half (55%) of adults ages 26 to 41 say they spend more time planning for vacations than for their retirement,” according to a recent Personal Capital survey of 2,000 U.S.-based adults. A retiring client, early in my career, said, “Why didn’t your company ‘make’ me put more in to my investment?” I wanted to say, ‘Because your younger self wouldn’t listen!’ but it’s too late by then. So, from that day forward I vowed to encourage clients to bring their retired-self into investment meetings too, so that their future is considered throughout their life. That also means their future-self can then do the nagging and not me. Is it really possible for your retired- self to have a voice today? Here’s an example of how: My husband and I allow our retired- selves a voice with a $1,000 ‘now’ spend. In other words, we ask ourselves, “Will this $1,000 furniture purchase improve our wellbeing now and in retirement or would $1,000 invested for our retirement serve us better?” $1,000 growing at an assumed 6% annual rate would be $1,791 in 10 years, $3,207 in 20 years and $5,743 in 30 years, compared to nothing being available in the future because it’s already been spent. A $5,000 ‘now’ spend, or more, means that our retired selves definitely get a say and have some sign off rights! We aren’t really talking to imaginary people around the dinner table (not before the rum anyway), but we’re simply committing to spinning the current and the future plates at the same time. It means our whole life journey can be considered. When an active, ‘now and future’, conscious choice is being made, sometimes the ‘now’ wins, sometimes the ‘future’, and sometimes both. Take a vacation for example; how about going on the trip to keep the ‘now’ you happy (because that’s clearly important too) but maybe choose a less expensive hotel? You’ll still experience the joy of the new destination and you’ve shaved off some money to invest for later. Win-win! For people who listened to their future-self when they were younger and had saved $1,000 per month in the S&P 500 index, as a simple example, they would have accumulated $231,000 if they started 10 years ago, $985,000 if they started 20 years ago and $3.4million if they had been investing $1,000 every month for the past 30 years (through to Dec 31, 2021). Turning the volume up so you can hear your retired-voice sooner, is the key. A common resistance to listening to your future-voice is, “Stuff it (or worse), I could be dead tomorrow, you only live once, right?” When you consider actuarial mortality tables statistically show that the overwhelming majority of us will thankfully make it to retirement, then the law of averages has to be the winner in the argument. We can’t afford to deny our future-self because they are us, and we are them. It’s you that you’re looking out for, after all. The compromise question to keep asking is “Will I benefit, will my retired-self benefit?” Every simple powerful action now affects your abundance or otherwise, in the future. And what if you’re thinking, “But I already can’t manage on what I have today?” Then all the more reason to bring your retired-self into the equation, because if you are struggling to maintain your lifestyle now it will be even harder when your income drops off further in retirement. Let both your ‘selves’ take a step back, try and review where you can make changes today. It’s not something that needs to drastically change your lifestyle now – small tweaks to your daily routine have a cumulative compounding effect that can radically improve your retirement. Even saving the cost of a cup of coffee each day can make in-roads. “I have a work pension, so I’m covered.” Thank goodness for mandatory pensions. Aim to max out your contribution and the benefit of your employer’s matched contribution because their contribution is like free money for your future-self. However, the ex-minister for pensions in the UK, the Right Honorable Steve Webb, reported the concern recently that defined contribution pension schemes were a “Slow motion car crash.” Not because pensions aren’t good - they very much are - but because the levels contributed won’t be enough to satisfy peoples’ retirements, thus we’re running blind into a future problem. A rough rule of thumb for retirement provision is to set aside half your age as a percentage of your salary. So if you’re 20 then 10% of salary, 30 then 15%, 44 then 22% and so on. Assuming you’ve taken advantage of all the matched employer contributions and any tax advantages of pensions in your jurisdiction then additional retirement investing needn’t be locked away purely for retirement. You can have more access, control and flexibility on savings investments over and above your pension scheme. This means you can be encouraged to squirrel away as much as possible for your retirement through regular savings or lump sums when you have a bonus, knowing that it’s accessible should a life-shock unfortunately occur; such as redundancy, illness, written off car, new boiler - you know them. That’s when the ‘current ’and the ‘future’ you can re-group and re-prioritize funds as necessary. You can’t physically see your future- self simply because you’re already looking through their eyes. To prove that, I’m betting it’s your future-self that is noting the importance of this article. Having an investment advisor to help you determine ‘how much is enough’ is critical and the positive saving and investment decisions you make today will put a smile on the face of your future. Bring your future-self into your ‘now’ decisions cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2022Next >