cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Friday, 25 November - 1 December 2022 Kansas State wins Cayman Classic basketball tournament Pages 34-35 Planes, boats and automobiles - New master plan for Cayman's airports Pages 6 and 9 - 12 traffi c-tackling tactics Pages 28-29Matinees (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 film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. BHEDIYA (PG) (FRI-TUES & THURS) 6:20 | 9:45 (WED) 10:00 BLACK ADAM (PG-13) (FRI, SAT, MON & WED) 9:15 VIP (SUN) 3:45 VIP | 6:50 | 9:15 VIP | 10:00 BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (PG-13) (FRI & MON) 3:30 VIP | 3:30 | 6:30 VIP | 6:40 | 9:30 | 10:00 VIP (SAT) 12:30 VIP | 12:40 | 3:30 | 6:30 VIP | 6:40 | 9:30 | 10:00 VIP (SUN) 3:30 | 3:30 VIP | 6:30 | 6:30 VIP | 9:30 | 10:00 VIP (TUES) 3:30 | 3:30 VIP | 6:40 | 6:45 VIP | 9:30 | 9:40 VIP (WED) 3:30 | 3:30 VIP | 6:30 | 6:30 VIP | 8:00 | 9:30 | 10:00 VIP (THURS) 3:30 | 3:30 VIP | 6:30 VIP | 7:20 | 9:05 VIP | 9:30 | 10:00 VIP DEVOTION (PG-13) (FRI, MON-THURS) 3:50 | 7:00 VIP | 9:55 | 10:15 VIP (SAT) 12:30 | 12:40 VIP | 3:50 | 7:00 VIP | 9:55 | 10:15 VIP (SUN) 3:45 | 7:00 VIP | 9:55 | 10:15 VIP SHE SAID (R) (FRI & MON) 3:45 VIP | 6:55 | 10:10 (SAT) 12:35 | 3:45 VIP | 6:55 | 10:10 (TUES) 3:45 VIP | 6:55 | 10:10 | 10:15 VIP (WED) 3:45 VIP | 6:55 (THURS) 6:55 STRANGE WORLD (PG) (FRI & WED) 3:30 | 4:00 VIP | 6:45 VIP | 7:00 (SAT) 12:15 VIP | 1:00 | 3:30 | 4:00 VIP | 4:10 | 6:45 VIP | 7:00 (SUN) 3:30 | 4:00 | 4:00 VIP | 6:45 VIP | 7:00 (MON) 3:30 | 4:00 VIP | 4:10 | 6:45 VIP | 7:00 (TUES) 3:30 | 4:00 VIP | 4:10 | 7:00 (THURS) 3:20 VIP | 3:30 | 4:00 VIP | 7:00 WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK AVENGERS INFINITY WAR TUESDAY 7PM VIP (PG-13) CLASSICS KIDS CLUB MATILDA SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) KIDS CLUB LITTLE MERMAID SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (G) 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 Smooth with a wave height of fewer than 2 feet. WINDS Light and variable. 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW McKeeva Bush investigated over historical sexual assault allegation West Bay West MP McKeeva Bush is under investigation for a new allegation of sexual assault, dating back more than two decades. In a brief statement, a police spokesperson confirmed to the Cayman Compass, “The RCIPS has received a complaint concerning an allegation of sexual assault by Mr. Bush dating back to 2000.” No further details of the alleged sexual assault were made public. However, police did say Bush has been made aware of the new complaint. The allegations come some eight weeks after Bush resigned from the role as Speaker of the Cayman Islands Parliament amid public criticism over a separate, unrelated incident of alleged assault against two women. Meanwhile, police told the Compass that a file submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration on whether to lay charges against Bush over this matter was returned. “[The ODPP] instructed some additional actions be completed by the RCIPS,” said the spokesperson. “This work is currently ongoing, and once completed, the file will be returned to the DPP for ruling in early course.” That investigation stems from an incident which occurred at a government reception for the Caribbean Tourism Organization conference in September. The Compass reached out to Bush seeking comment on the new allegations, which date back to 2000. No response had been received by press time. Parliament is scheduled to meet on Friday, 25 Nov., to elect a new Speaker. Second arrest made in fatal West Bay stabbing A second suspect has been arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of George Ian Duffell. According to police, the 53-year-old man from Bodden Town was arrested on Sunday, 20 Nov., on suspicion of murder. The suspect is also said to have “outstanding warrants”. On 15 Oct., a 42-year-old man was the first to be arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the incident. Duffell, 51, was stabbed to death around 11pm on Friday, 14 Oct. on Birch Tree Hill Road. A police press release at the time indicated he had been killed following an “altercation” in the vicinity of Captains Joe and Osbert Road. Secret trial for exiled killers considered by Privy Council Secret trials covering classified information that impacts national security should not be considered in the Cayman Islands without specific enabling legislation, the jurisdiction’s highest court of appeal was told on Friday, 18 Nov. The latest chapter in a five- year court battle involving two brothers accused of plotting an armed prison break from HMP Northward reached the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in Cayman last week. The five-man bench – the highest court of appeal for the territory and multiple other British-affiliated countries – is being asked to consider whether a behind-closed-door trial can be held to settle the case. Brothers Justin Ramoon and Osbourne Douglas, jailed for life for the execution-style murder of a gang rival, were deemed too dangerous to be imprisoned in Cayman. On the signature of former Governor Helen Kilpatrick, they were transferred without warning to maximum security facilities in the UK. Since then, they have been battling to be allowed to return. The brothers deny allegations that they are gang kingpins who were orchestrating the importation of drugs, weapons and hit-men from Jamaica from behind bars. The transfer has effectively severed their links with their families, in breach of basic human rights guaranteed by the Constitution, according to legal arguments. And, so far, the brothers have not been shown any of the evidence against them. The basis for the transfer comes from police and prison intelligence, including from informants. And lawyers for the governor have successfully argued that it should be kept from the men and their legal representatives under a Public Interest Immunity Certificate. Against that backdrop, the courts have been struggling to find the best means to hear the brothers’ case, which seeks to have the transfer ruling overturned. For more on this story and the Compass’ special investigative ‘Prison Papers’ series, visit caymancompass.com. Seafarers Park on hold Almost two years after its groundbreaking, plans for Seafarers Park in the heart of George Town, in honour of the islands’ mariners, are still on hold. Groundbreaking at the site of the old Tower Building was held with much fanfare in February last year, but funding to complete the park has not been secured. The Compass reached out to the Office of the Premier, which directed queries to George Town Manager Colin Lumsden, the head of the George Town Revitalisation Initiative, who replied, “The project is currently awaiting funding as the cabinet office is leading the charge in this regard.” The Cabinet Office did not respond to Compass questions, nor a follow-up. According to the billboard at the entrance of the proposed park, next to the Waterfront Centre on North Church Street, the project is being spearheaded by the Office of the Premier, Celebrate Cayman and the George Town Revitalisation Initiative. At the 2021 National Heroes Day celebrations in January 2021, then Premier Alden McLaughlin announced that two new landmarks would honour Cayman’s seafaring heritage. Subsequently, the groundbreaking at the Seafarers Park site was held the following month, and Harbour Drive was renamed as Seafarers Way in July last year. news in brief Justin Ramoon (in blue and red shirt) is escorted from a prison van on a court visit to the scene of the fatal shooting during his trial. The latest chapter in the five-year court battle involving himself and his brother reached the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in Cayman last week. - Photo: James Whittaker cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2022SEASIDE PIED-À-TERRE fingrandcaymanfin.cayman A unique pied-à-terre, right in the heart of George Town. Minutes away from the business district and mere steps from FIN's private lagoon and amenity collection, the Annex Residences are luxuriously appointed, offering a full-service lifestyle within Grand Cayman's most sought-after address. One and two-bedroom Annex Residences priced from USD 775,000. SALES ENQUIRIES345.526.7777fin@fingrandcayman.com cayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 20221234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Meeting for public discussion (5) 4 Designate (7) 8 Gesture of assent (3) 9 Jealous (5-4) 10 Having pleasant smell (7) 11 Leisure-time activity (5) 13 Unmask (6) 15 Low point in business cycle (6) 18 Christmas song (5) 19 Emptily verbose person (7) 21 Enjoying very good health (2,3,4) 23 Lyric poem (3) 24 Champion of a cause (7) 25 Take evasive action (5) DOWN 1 Subtle handling (7) 2 Cayenne (3,6) 3 Power wielded (5) 4 List of things to be done (6) 5 Leopard with black fur (7) 6 Climbing shrub (3) 7 In moderate times (5) 12 Aristocratic ancestry (4,5) 14 Able to pay all debts (7) 16 Sanitary science (7) 17 For a short time (6) 18 Articles of porcelain (5) 20 Bare (5) 22 Excessively (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17171 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 17171 ACROSS: 1 Forum, 4 Appoint, 8 Nod, 9 Green-eyed, 10 Scented, 11 Hobby, 13 Expose, 15 Trough, 18 Carol, 19 Windbag, 21 In the pink, 23 Ode, 24 Apostle, 25 Dodge. DOWN: 1 Finesse, 2 Red pepper, 3 Might, 4 Agenda, 5 Panther, 6 Ivy, 7 Today, 12 Blue blood, 14 Solvent, 16 Hygiene, 17 Awhile, 18 China, 20 Naked, 22 Too. Although my husband and I are US citizens, we are permanent residents and so grateful to be able to make this our permanent home. I totally agree with your position on vendors’ [mis]use and exploitation of Public Beach [Cayman Compass, 28 Oct.] Hawkers have no right to be there, disrupting the enjoyable use of the beach by Caymanians. And, frankly, I also feel that those coming on the mega cruise ships for a day’s experience on Public Beach are equally disruptive and provide little to contribute to the economic wellbeing of our Island. That said, I feel that these current vendors do need government to create an opportunity to make a living in this difficult economic environment. Every Sunday at sunrise, I run from my home to Governors Beach and walk either north or south for 30 blissful minutes before running back home. I see Caymanians enjoying their beach. I see hotel tourists (who I suspect spend far more dollars than the cruise ship ‘day-trippers’) marvelling while they peacefully walk the beach. I see no litter on that region of the beach. I try not to think about what this area might look like should it become what Public Beach has become. I pray that I will not see that day. This begs the other issues that need to be addressed that I find most on my mind. I understand that Grand Cayman has expressed its unwillingness to accommodate the ever-growing, humongous cruise ships of the future. Hurrah! These will only bring in more ‘day trippers’ that from my perspective provide little tourist-generated income to our economy, and accelerate the destruction of the Islands’ natural environment. Shouldn’t the long- term focus be on encouraging and accommodating the needs of stayover visitors as the future of the island’s tourism economy? Litter: My husband and I walk a lot as we do not own a car. Every time I set out walking, I take a bag to collect trash and I always fill it. It makes me very said to feel a need to do this. Recycling: Recently, glass recycling has been discontinued. Single-use plastic food-and- beverage containers dominate. We live on a small Island and I do not see this as sustainable. Public transportation: My husband and I use the bus system a lot. However, it needs to be upgraded. Service to East End and Rum Point needs to be more efficient and reliable. The buses need to be electric. Traffic: Improve the bus system; limit the size of personal cars; and limit the number of cars per household to one. Anne G. Evans Thank you for all the hard work and dedication that all have put forth to reopening the island. May I address one area that is of great importance, and needs to be reopened? I am referring to Rum Point, or as I like to refer to it, “The Family Beach”. Rum Point is so ‘user-friendly’ to families. Shaded beach chairs, where mothers can feed their babies while keeping a mindful eye on their little ones playing in the shallow water. Calm waters, without a sudden drop-off, or current that can suddenly take your child out of sight. If providing food is the issue, why not temporarily have some food trucks where people can buy some refreshments? This week we were saddened to see the disappointment on the tourists’, and their children’s, faces, when they announced they were headed to Rum Point, and we told them it is not open yet. I know my family that is arriving on New Year’s Day, too will be very sad over this closure. I have already informed my grandchildren. However, as children, they have a great hope, and therefore are thinking that it is opening for a Happy New Year. Thank you all for what you have done for our lovely island, but please, those of you that are the ones in charge, please let’s open Rum Point. Janice Sanders Focus on stayover tourists Letters to the editor Reopen Rum Point What is the best way forward to deal with Cayman's traffic logjam? New lanes and road improvements cayman compass ONLINE POLL 9% 17% Restrict vehicle imports 12% 3% 3% 11% 2% Motorised scooters and bikes Congestion charges School buses for all students Monorail National bicycle way Uber Flexible working arrangements 1% Ferries and water-taxis 3% 9% Better public transportation 31% cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2022BLACK FRIDAY Head to MyDigicel app and click on the Pick & Win icon and play for a chance to win. PICK & WIN DISCOUNTS OF $50, $100 or $200 Visit a Digicel store today. Head to MyDigicel app and click on the Pick & Win icon and play for a chance to win. OF $50, $100 or $200OF $50, $100 or $200 Visit a Digicel store today. BLACK FRIDAY PICK & WIN DISCOUNTS OF $50, $100 or $200 cayman compass 5 FRIDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2022cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2022 NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Government is considering extending the Owen Roberts International Airport’s runway 1,000 feet into the North Sound, building a new airport on Little Cayman, and moving and widening the runway at the Cayman Brac airport. Canadian design consultancy firm Stantec presented these airport proposals, and others, at public meetings across all three islands this week after being hired to help create a new 20-year master plan for the airports. Tourism and Transport Minister Kenneth Bryan says the options presented by the consultants are not set in stone, and caucus and government have yet to make decisions regarding the suggestions put forward. If approved by government, the work at the airports would be subject to environmental impact assessments, the consultants confirmed. Bryan pointed out that a runway extension at Owen Roberts is a priority for government, as it wants to enable larger aircraft, capable of long-haul flights from all over the world, to land here. They cannot do so right now, because the runway is too short. The consultants are proposing extending the runway to a length of 8,000 feet. Bryan said Saudi Arabian Airlines (now Saudia) and Virgin Atlantic had both considered adding Grand Cayman to their routes, but the runway length had made them reconsider because their wide-body jets cannot touch down at Owen Roberts. Currently, the vast majority of international travellers who arrive in Cayman are from the United States. Bryan says it is important to diversify that market and make Cayman more accessible to airlines from other countries. Philip Van Manen, an aviation planning and development consultant at Stantec, said the proposed runway extension is based on requirements for longer- haul aircraft. “Speaking to Virgin and British Airways, they both feel that you cannot operate larger aircraft on a direct route to the UK. It’s a bit too far for the narrow bodies. An Airbus A321neo is a smaller narrow-body aircraft and it could go a long way, but not all the way to the UK, so that part is really out of reach, unless you go to Nassau first, as an example.” From March next year, British Airways will operate five routes a week from London Heathrow to Owen Roberts, via Nassau. A proposal to extend the runway on its western end, which had previously been considered, has been discounted, Van Manen told the audience at a public meeting at the John Gray High School hall on Wednesday evening, 23 Nov. “Speaking with the National Roads Authority, we did look at the opportunity to extend to the west, but because of the existing congestion, the need for additional road development over time, this is not something that can be done quickly.” He added that extending to the west would mean removing obstacles, like trees, houses and other buildings. Van Manen said several meetings had been held with the Department of Environment on the proposals for all three airports, and he noted that environmental impact assessments would be carried out before work would begin, if the government greenlights the proposed options. He said the area of the North Sound where the runway extension would be built is very shallow, and boat traffic was mostly concentrated on the east and south sides of the sound, “so the runway extension does not necessarily impact that marine traffic”. As well as extending the runway at Owen Roberts, Stantec also recommends building a new general aviation terminal – for non- commercial aircraft – as well as an adjacent hangar, heliport and VIP parking area. A new marine dock with a connection to this terminal is also being proposed. Van Manen said expansion of the current passenger terminal at Owen Roberts is necessary as arrival numbers at the airport have exceeded predictions from the previous master plan, and are expected to continue to grow by an average of 1.9% a year over the next 20 years. In 2019, a record 502,739 passengers flew into Owen Roberts. The consultant said a planned expansion of the recently revamped commercial terminal, which was officially opened in March 2019, did not mean it would have to be torn down and replaced. Instead, it can expand upwards to a second floor, he said. “We can expand the terminal building towards the runway and move up to a second level, thereby adding in air bridges connecting the aircraft with the terminal,” he said. He added that the proposal would involving expanding the terminal by a third of its size. Bryan said the cost of the expanding the runway and terminal has not been determined. For proposed developments for the Sister Islands, see page 9. Proposed runway extension to stretch 1,000 feet into North Sound Airport master plan • 8,000-foot runway with parallel taxiway • Commercial terminal and apron expansion • Future cargo expansion • New ground transportation centre and landside access improvements • New air traffic control tower • Additional engine run-up bay • New general aviation terminal • New hangar, heliport and VIP parking adjacent to general aviation terminal • Expanded aircraft parking aprons • Future marine dock with connection to general aviation terminal At a glance Owen Roberts proposalsContact 911 in the event of an electrical emergency Never tap into your home’s breaker panel or feeder line (to your weatherhead) or hang decorations on this feeder line to power your outdoor Christmas lights. It is extremely dangerous. All Christmas lights and electrical decoration plugs should be plugged into a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) protected outlet when used outside. Electrical malfunction is the leading cause of home fires every year. Be very careful when decorating. Safety Tips Christmas Lighting RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Government’s proposed national identity card and digital register is likely to cost around $8 million over a five-year period; however, Innovation Ministry acting Deputy Chief Officer Charles Brown says Cayman will save double that amount through an efficient rollout. Brown, speaking on the 23 Nov. episode of the Cayman Compass weekly talkshow ‘The Resh Hour’, said the $8 million, which will cover the cost of the system and card production, was a worthy investment that will make accessing government services easier when implemented. He noted that the new system would mean less time waiting in line for members of the public, less manual data entry, and improved processing time and accuracy. “Conservative estimates that were done in the business case were at $18 million when you translate benefits into cash,” Brown added. Law changes proposed Government has gazetted the Identification Register Bill 2022 and the Identification Card Bill for the creation of a digital identity register and the issuance of ID cards to improve how residents interact with the government and businesses, and reduce red tape. They will be debated at Parliament’s next sitting in December. The proposed identity register will be available to all Cayman Islands residents, anyone born in Cayman and Caymanians born abroad. Innovation Minister André Ebanks, speaking on the show, said the initiative and the vision behind it are user- driven and aimed at making life simpler for citizens accessing services within government. He said having the digital ID will assist with information sharing between departments and reduce the hassle at the counter for customers. “We have a system that’s more system centred than client centred. So the system has asked the person, particularly Caymanians, to walk around and submit five or six different documents to prove that it’s you and hope that government department now accepts that information. [But for] another transaction with a different department, you have to repeat the steps all over again. What this provides is a collection of that data and linking the different government systems so that they speak to each other,” he said. This is the first time government will have centralised identity information, reducing the amount of data collected and ultimately eliminating the need to submit the same documentation, such as birth certificates, to different government departments or multiple times. Ebanks said extensive consultations were held before the bills were published and consultations are still ongoing with key groups, such as the Cayman Islands Bankers’ Association. “We are trying to find a comfortable way to motivate people to do this for themselves rather than to force you to do it and... that is where I’ve seen lots of positive anticipation for the tool,” he said. Control in hands of citizens Ebanks said signing up for the national ID and digital identity register is purely voluntary, and obtaining a physical card will be up to the individual when they enrol in the programme. This, he said, is why he believes Cayman’s ID system will be successful, unlike what happened in the UK and Jamaica when citizens rejected the implementation. If the ID card were compulsory in Cayman, Ebanks said people might reject the idea “on principle” because they were being forced to comply. “But the fact that it’s voluntary, I think you’ll begin to see more and more people just adopt this organically,” Ebanks said. Through the initiative, an individual will be able to select, through their profile, the data they want to be shared and can see who has accessed their information and for what purpose. “A key principle of giving you back that access is giving you control to see who has accessed your data in the register,” Brown said, adding that is not the case now. There is no cost involved for anyone signing up and, he said, if the accompanying laws are passed, the team behind the project can hit the ground running to get the regulations completed to begin the implementation. Brown said some of the infrastructure, like the machine for the card production, is here so he expects all systems to be ready for a July 2023 start. $8 million over 5 years for national ID system rollout Interview: André Ebanks Charles Brown, acting deputy chief officer in the Ministry of Innovation, left, with Minister André Ebanks on 'The Resh Hour'. WATCH THE VIDEO ONLINE CAYMANCOMPASS.COM cayman compass 7 news N news FRIDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2022 LAND FOR SALE : HOUSE LOTS IN LOWER VALLEY OFF BEACH BAY ROAD 40 ft elevation o ering safety from storm surge, level and ready to build with lots of red soil Pricing starting at CI$175k, 5% deposit required Expected completion Jan/Feb 2023 Contact salespedropoint@gmail.com, Ph 928 7372 or 916 0021 or 925 6287 RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky When Shanelle Frederick graduated as a fi refi ghter this month, the signifi cance of her entry into the service was not lost on the 26-year-old as she became the fourth female in the Cayman Islands Fire Service ranks. In fact, the Prospect resident joined the service with the intention of blazing a trail for young Caymanian women in the male- dominated agency. “I wanted to make a change in the department because there’s so little females, and also because I really wanted to help my community,” Frederick told the Cayman Compass at the George Town Fire Station where she has been posted. Currently, the service has a staff of 152 fi re personnel, including the division managers, deputies and Fire Chief Randy Rankin. Fight to the fi nish Frederick, who was among the 12 latest recruits to join the Fire Service, was the fi rst female to make the cut in the last fi ve years and now joins Tina McBean, deputy chief (administration), who has been with the service more than 20 years; fi refi ghter Amelia Gillespie and Tiffany Ebanks, station manager (fi re prevention), all of whom have progressed up the ranks. Looking back at her training, Frederick said it was not easy getting to the fi nish line. “At some points, it was very hard, but I had a lot of coaches who were just motivating and never let me give up,” she said, adding that the theoretical part was the hardest for her. “Just having to know everything about the trucks, the ladders, the dynamics of fi re... everything. It was pretty intense and you learn a lot that you never knew as an outsider,” she said. Though it has been a week since she took up offi cial duty as a fi refi ghter, it still seems like a dream, she said. “It’s a big honour, truthfully, because I get New generation of female fi refi ghters PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14» cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2022 8 From left, fi refi ghters Shanelle Frederick, Amelia Gillespie and Tiffany Ebanks. - Photos: Taneos RamsayNORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Aviation consultants have proposed building a new airport on government land on Little Cayman to replace the existing aerodrome, which they say does not meet international standards, as part of recommendations for new 20-year master plans for the Sister Islands and Grand Cayman airports. Little Cayman airport Noting that the proposal to replace the Edward Bodden Airfield on Little Cayman was perhaps the “most controversial” of the three airport plans, Philip Van Manen, an aviation planning and development consultant, outlined the recommendation to build a new airport on a different location from the existing one. The current aerodrome is unlicensed, is on privately-owned land, and operates on the basis of special temporary exemptions from the Civil Aviation Authority. Van Manen, who is with Canadian design consultancy firm Stantec, said at a public meeting on the plans held Wednesday, 23 Nov., “The existing airport does not meet any standards. This is, in my view, a dangerous place to land a public- paying, scheduled air service.” He noted that government and the owners of the land on which the airport sits would be liable in the event of an accident on the runway, which, at 30 feet wide, was “much too narrow”. While consideration was also given to suggestions such as a seaplane port, a ferry service between Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, and a heliport, the consultants felt the most viable option is to build a new airport on government-owned land on the south side of the island, near the site of Public Works – moving the aerodrome away from the Blossom Village area. Little Cayman residents, who pointed out at an earlier public meeting on that island that there has never been a serious accident at the airport, have been reluctant to see the airport replaced, fearing that a larger aerodrome and runway would lead to more development and the addition of large hotels on the island. Van Manen acknowledged that creating a bigger airport was a sensitive subject, saying, “Little Cayman residents do not want to see a significant change in the operation and want to maintain the charm and feel of Little Cayman, and they do not want to see development occur unconstrained.” About 30,000 passengers a year travel to Little Cayman. Within 20 years, that number is likely to grow to 40,000 a year, “so we are not opening a valve here to development, to all kinds of hotels. We are trying to accommodate the demand that exists,” he said. Currently, the only planes in the Cayman Airways fleet that can land on Little Cayman are the 19-seater Twin Otters – limiting the number of passengers that arrive on island. Recently, maintenance and repair problems with those aircraft have led to passengers being ferried by dive boats to Little Cayman from Cayman Brac, which had a runway large enough for a CAL jet. The lack of airlift for the island has frustrated residents and hotel owners, who say demand is not being met. They have been calling for a third aircraft to be added to the Little Cayman route. The consultants say a runway capable of taking larger planes will address this concern. However, Van Manen said, “Before anything happens, we need a design, we need geotechnical investigations, we need a survey, and we need a significant environmental assessment. It’s not an isolated project. The (Department of Environment) and many arms of the government will be involved in this development if it were to go ahead.” Richard Smith, director- general of civil aviation at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, pointed out that this site had previously been approved by government as a location for a new airport with a 4,000-foot- long runway. It had been cleared and filled in 2002, but the plans were then shelved when a new administration took over. “All the groundwork had been done already for that development,” he said. Cayman Brac airport Van Manen said a new terminal will likely be required at the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport in Cayman Brac within the next 10 to 20 years. “The existing building is functioning quite well, though fairly old and becoming somewhat antiquated in its facilitation of passengers,” he said. Passenger arrivals, currently at about 80,000 a year, are expected to grow by 1.8% annually, so “some expansion” of the building is necessary, he said. An expansion of the taxiway would be also needed at some point, he noted, but there are no plans to extend the runway. “We’ve seen previous master plans indicated the need to... fill in the ponds, get rid of all the birds,” he said. “That doesn’t sound sustainable, it doesn’t sound easy, it brings nothing but opposition from locals. We’ve heard that right from day one. “We’re going to respect that and suggest that the Airports Authority invest in additional mitigation measures for bird hazards. There are many modern tools in the toolbox of an airport manager that can be incorporated. Some will require investment, but certainly we need to manage the bird hazard, that’s a key piece for this airport, and for Little Cayman.” With turtle nesting sites at the end of the runway, Van Manen said, instead of extending the existing runway into the ocean, it is suggested to move the runway further to the east, “so airplanes would land on a slightly shorter runway”. He added, “It’s safer, we believe it’s environmentally more sustainable, we’re going to not disturb those turtle nesting sites, and we don’t need 1,800 metres of runway. We’ve got just under 1,800 metres, and we’ll have a good long runway for the type of traffic that is currently using this airport.” He added that a further runway extension is not expected in the future. A potentially contentious issue regarding the Brac airport will be the moving of a part of South Side Road, which would enter the relocated runway strip. “Therefore, the biggest impact for the public is those residents who own property there are going to see that road move closer to their house, or closer to the beach, because it cannot be on the runway strip, it needs to move, and that’s going to be the more challenging project,” Van Manen said. The consultants met with Cayman Brac residents on Tuesday, 22 Nov. to outline the proposals. Little Cayman recommendations • New runway and connecting taxiway • Small terminal building and aircraft apron • Landside access and parking • Aircraft rescue and fire-fighting and maintenance equipment building Cayman Brac recommendations • Complete runway end safety areas and wider runway strip to meet requirements • Existing runway, taxiway and apron rehabilitation • New air terminal building • Apron and taxiway expansion • Expanded vehicle parking, access improvements and 100 feet security setback • New air traffic control tower and new general aviation facilities cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2022 Airport master plan New airport proposed for Little Cayman A Cayman Airways Twin Otter touches down at the runway on Little Cayman. Aviation consultants say the runway does not adhere to international safety standards. Passenger arrivals are predicted to increase at the Brac airport.Next >