TM & © 2022 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 Air show returns to the skies this weekend Pages 6-7 cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 Why we run $1 | Weekly, 2-8 December 2022 Motivated marathoners share reasons for hitting the road Pages 38-39Matinees (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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SEA STATE Smooth with a wave height of fewer than 2 feet. WINDS Light and variable. 89°F HIGH 78°F LOW FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass Katherine Ebanks-Wilks makes history as youngest House Speaker West Bay Central MP Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, 43, has become Cayman’s youngest Speaker of the House after being elected to the post by her government peers in Parliament on 25 Nov. She is also the fi fth female legislator to be elevated to the senior position, an achievement Ebanks-Wilks said was a moment of pride for her, adding she was humbled by her colleagues’ trust and confi dence in electing her. As she took her place in the chair, her predecessor – West Bay West MP McKeeva Bush – announced plans to retire from politics following his resignation from the leading role in the legislature. In her brief remarks, Ebanks- Wilks noted the signifi cance of her role in the democracy and integrity of the House, vowing to uphold those as she embarks on a new chapter as Speaker. “I give an undertaking to this honourable House that I will be fair and I too will follow in the footsteps of our previous speakers. I also give a commitment to go further… to aspire to lead with integrity and competence as it is an obligation as leaders, certainly my obligation as Speaker, to maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct to continue to serve our people with dignity. Our people expect that we maintain the integrity and competence of the parliamentary profession,” she said, in her maiden speech from the chair. Ebanks-Wilks, a fi rst-time legislator, joins the ranks of previous female Speakers: National Hero Sybil Ione McLaughlin, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Edna Moyle and Mary Lawrence. “I want to publicly acknowledge all of their efforts, as each of them did their part to pave the way for female parliamentarians in our country,” she said. 4 arrested in immigration crackdown Four people were arrested at Public Beach for work-permit and immigration breaches on 23 Nov., Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman has said. Three of the four people were held for working without a permit and have been released on bail pending progression or conclusion of the investigations. The fourth person was handed over to Customs and Border Control for overstaying. “That individual was not detained, however, [he] is currently under CBC reporting conditions pending removal from the Island pursuant to S. 101(3) of the CBC Act,” CBC told the Cayman Compass. This is the latest crackdown from the department as increased scrutiny and monitoring continues when it comes to all aspects of WORC and CBC’s responsibilities. WORC, in a statement on 28 Nov., said last week’s operation was based on information received by the Department of Tourism and other government agencies regarding “potentially illegal practices” at the beach. The issue of unregulated vendors at Public Beach was the subject of a Cayman Compass special report last month. Following the four arrests, WORC said corresponding investigations are currently “active with lines of inquiry and questioning of suspects ongoing”. WORC Deputy Director of Compliance Mervin Manderson, in the statement, advised the public of the department’s intention to continue with collaborative operations to address working breaches, or other Immigration Transition Act infractions. May public holiday set for King Charles’ coronation Cabinet has approved 8 May next year as a public holiday to mark the coronation of King Charles III. This means there will be two public holidays on two consecutive Mondays in May 2023 – the coronation public holiday, followed by the Discovery Day public holiday on 15 May. The coronation will take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, 6 May, and the UK will also enjoy a holiday on 8 May. Meanwhile, the UK has yet to confi rm the date for the king’s offi cial birthday in 2023. The likely, and as yet unconfi rmed, dates for public holidays in Cayman for 2023 are: • Monday, 2 Jan. – New Year’s Day (observed) • Monday, 23 Jan. – National Heroes Day • Wednesday, 22 Feb. – Ash Wednesday • Friday, 7 April – Good Friday • Monday, 10 April – Easter Monday • Monday, 8 May – King Charles III Coronation • Monday, 15 May – Discovery Day • Monday, 3 July – Constitution Day • Monday, 13 Nov. – Remembrance Day • Monday, 25 Dec. – Christmas Day • Tuesday, 26 Dec. – Boxing Day Stolen ‘Toys for Tots’ barrels returned Barrels stolen from the organisers of the annual Toys for Tots gift- donation campaign have been found and returned to the owners. Keith Keller, president of the Cayman Islands Motorcycle Riders Association which runs the campaign, said, “Somebody came forward and found them for us.” The six empty plastic barrels were stolen from outside the Cayman Customs Cycles’ storage unit in Dorcy Place in Industrial Park on Tuesday, 29 Nov. Four of the barrels had been wrapped in new Toys for Tots signage, ready to be rolled out for the donation campaign which began Thursday, 1 Dec. When the barrels were found, the wrapping had been removed, so the containers will need to be rewrapped in time to deliver them to outlets across Grand Cayman where the public will be invited to drop off toys for children in need. Keller said he was delighted the barrels had been found. “It’s saved Christmas,” he told the Compass. news in brief Katherine Ebanks-Wilks takes her oath of allegiance as Governor Martyn Roper looks on. - Photo: GIS King Charles III, then Prince Charles, on a royal visit to Cayman in March 2019. - Photo: GIS 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 BIRCHGILLIES 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 cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER 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 ENQUIRIES 345.526.7777 fin@fingrandcayman.com cayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER 20221234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Site of King Arthur’s court (7) 5 Readily intelligible (5) 8 Former Soviet statesman b. 1931 (9) 9 Part of circle’s circumference (3) 10 Long rambling tale (4) 12 Impartial (8) 14 Raised for discussion (6) 15 Awkward and stubborn (6) 17 Clearly defined (8) 18 Distinctive atmosphere (4) 21 The ‘one’ in cards (3) 22 President of North Vietnam 1954-69 (2,3,4) 24 Discourage (5) 25 Shine with tremulous light (7) DOWN 1 Wary of being deceived (5) 2 To spoil (3) 3 Divulge surreptitiously (4) 4 Within reach (2,4) 5 Go on the spree (4,2,2) 6 Romanian president, executed 1989 (9) 7 Definite (7) 11 Name of two US presidents (9) 13 Make out meaning of (8) 14 A pungent condiment (7) 16 Twelfth sign of zodiac (6) 19 Detest (5) 20 A flightless nocturnal bird (4) 23 A distinctive doctrine (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17177 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 17177 ACROSS: 1 Camelot, 5 Lucid, 8 Gorbachev, 9 Arc, 10 Yarn, 12 Unbiased, 14 Mooted, 15 Cussed, 17 Specific, 18 Aura, 21 Ace, 22 Ho Chi Minh, 24 Deter, 25 Shimmer. DOWN: 1 Cagey, 2 Mar, 3 Leak, 4 To hand, 5 Live it up, 6 Ceausescu, 7 Decided, 11 Roosevelt, 13 Decipher, 14 Mustard, 16 Pisces, 19 Abhor, 20 Kiwi, 23 Ism. Music icon and fashion pioneer Edward ‘Sollie’ Solomon passes away Always a pleasure to talk with Mr. Ed. Growing up we had so few places to buy clothes and it was a treat to be amazed by the style he brought to Cayman with his store. Always looked sharp and what a gifted person. He always seemed upbeat throughout the ups and downs. We have sadly lost another special person who will be fondly remembered. – Melanie Carmichael Rest In Peace. Remembering what a kind and joyful man he was. – Elaine Wong Rest in peace Will always remember your lovely smile and excellent music. You made Friday nights special at Edu- ardo’s back in the day. – Samantha Twiss A very special person in my life and the lives of so many others. Hard to process but Rest In Peace, my friend. This man is a Caymanian cultural icon in so many ways – Alisa Leona App Rest in peace, Mr. Ed. You were a true gentleman and I will miss your smile. – Denize Solomon Fashion pioneer he was! He set the stage for fashion in George Town daily and was every male’s aspiration in the 1990s and 2000s from that store he worked in. He was always ‘sharp’ and always wore such alluring cologne. Never missed a chance to speak to anyone and say hello. Condolences to the family and Jamil. – Patricia Bryan Love and prayers to family and friends. Sollie brought us much joy with his music back when he played at Eduardo’s. – Betsy Meng Ramsey R.I.P. Mr Ed, a beautiful and tal- ented soul, always smiling, singing and loving life. – Alison Burns-Green We lived a few doors away from Ed, such a gentleman, kind, sincere and talented person. Remember after Hurricane Ivan when we had no water – Ed had filled his bath with water and said to help ourselves. We were so hot we felt like diving into the bath. RIP Ed. It was an honor to have known you. Love Lesley and David. – Lesley Preston Clean-up under way at Royal Palms as property recommended for demolition Very sad, we were married on that beach 10 years ago, and where we met 15 years ago, a wonderful spot and many memories made. – Wanda Viscount You would have thought that anyone with any knowledge of building would never have built so close to the sea... – Gillian Rudd So sad — one of the best bars in its day. – Barbara Tillman Six or so dump trucks dropped massive boulders which they are laying on the broken sea wall. I was hoping to see the place levelled. – Jennifer Devitt Nachmani Just shows that we cannot control Mother Nature. – Jessie Schmid After how many years and how many discussions? Good grief! Just get it done. – Gord Le’on It’s about time. I live right next door. It’s an embarrassment the way it is... it’s also affect- ing beach erosion in the nearby vicinity. – Kyle Creel Proposed runway extension to stretch 1,000 feet into North Sound Wow… I didn’t think it was possible to have any less disre- gard for the environment, but here we are. – Krystal Arch Does the extended runway in Grand Cayman bring us any flights that we don’t have now? Do we need an airport in Little Cayman? Would a ferry service between Blossom Village and Cayman Brac airport not be more cost effective and better for both islands as they would have a more accessible link? What type of plane can’t we land in Cayman Brac right now that would require moving and wid- ening the runway? I think a 737 is going to be the biggest plane that would land there and we can already land those. And, most importantly, what is the cost benefit analysis? – Djurre Woudstra Might need to expand the air-conditioned space and bath- rooms for the immigration lines first. Getting bigger planes with more people will just make that arrival more painful... – Jim Denner Imagine spending millions to expand and upgrade the airport terminal but not taking into ac- count they might extend the run- way within the next five years to accommodate even more people. No jet bridges, departure lounge that holds maybe 300 people. – Elizabeth Larsen Why on Earth would they extend it into the sound... Go the other way and add a taxi lane for when planes land to the west as well. – Natascha Schroll-McLaughlin Are they gonna compensate me for destroying my property value and ruining the beautiful view of the North Sound? – Rob Tyler Don’t waste money again. Do the airport the right way that people don’t get wet coming off the plane. – Orlene Ebanks Or just move the cricket pitch… – Lewis Wilson What they’re saying Online The seawall by Royal Palms is crumbling into the sea. - Photo: James Whittaker cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2022cayman compass 5 FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2022Scores of small planes at Owen Roberts International Airport in 2001, the last year the air show was held. - Photo: Cayman Compass archives cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2022 6 NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky For the first time in more than 20 years, the Cayman Islands Air Show is returning, complete with vintage aircraft, aerial displays and parachutists. In the past, the air show has attracted scores of small aircraft enthusiasts from the US, many flying here as part of the ‘Cayman Caravan’, a convoy of planes that departed from Key West, flying in groups of four. As seen from the above photograph, featured on the front page of the Caymanian Compass in June 2002, the last year the air show was held, Owen Roberts International Airport was packed full of small planes for the event. This year’s air show will include an aerial display from Seven Mile Beach between 10am and 1pm on Saturday, 3 Dec., followed by an aircraft exhibit between 3pm and 6pm at the Island Air hangar at the airport. The events are free and open to the public. Among the vintage aircraft that will feature in the show is the World War II-era plane C-47 Tico Belle, as well as an early airliner PBY Catalina. (A Beechcraft Staggerwing scheduled to participate broke down on its way from the US.) There will also be displays by the Red Bull Air Force’s precision parachute team; US skydivers Team Fastrax; Kirby Chambliss, five-time US national aerobatics champion; Brazilian QYON AeroSports Team; and Skip Stewart’s Prometheus Pitts Display, among others. The air show marks the 70th anniversary of the landing of the first commercial plane at Owen Roberts International Airport. The show had originally been scheduled to be held on the weekend of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee but was postponed due to inclement weather. Parking for events Organisers say there will be no parking access by Public Beach for spectators of the air show. Parking will be available at the old KAABOO site, with access to public beach via the walking path in front of the Kimpton Seafire. There is also no parking access by the Island Air Hangar for the exhibition Saturday afternoon. Parking will be available in the site across from the Foster’s Distribution Centre (next to Uncle Clem’s) and shuttle buses will be provided to take attendees to the hangar. For both the aerial display and the aircraft exhibition, there will be a park and ride option from Camana Bay. On Sunday, 4 Dec., residents and visitors on Cayman Brac will also be treated to a flying display and aircraft exhibit, from 12:30pm to 2pm at the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport. After 20 years, air show flying high in Cayman NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Restrictions are being put in place for road and marine traffic, as well as for the use of drones, in the run- up to and during this weekend’s Cayman Islands Air Show. There will be traffic diversions and restrictions on boating activity in place on Friday and Saturday, 2 and 3 Dec. On the roads An aerial display will be taking place along Seven Mile Beach from 10am to 1pm on Saturday, 3 Dec. Police are advising there will be no public access to the Seven Mile Public Beach parking lot between Friday, 2 Dec. at 8am and Saturday, 3 Dec. at 6pm due to the Air Show Vendor Village. Parking will be available at the KAABOO site. There will also be parking at Camana Bay, with a shuttle service to the beach provided. The RCIPS said there will be traffic management in place for the northbound lanes of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, between the Seven Mile Public Beach roundabout and the Yacht Club roundabout, on Saturday from 6am to 2pm. During these times, anyone intending to park at the KAABOO site must use the left lane, while drivers travelling towards West Bay or Yacht Drive must use the right lane. Motorists travelling southbound will not be able to turn right around the Yacht Club roundabout or at the Seven Mile Beach roundabout, and those travelling north will not be able to turn left at the Yacht Club roundabout onto West Bay Road. There will also be a diversion in place for northbound traffic on West Bay Road in the vicinity of Lime Tree Bay Avenue. Traffic travelling towards West Bay will be diverted onto Lime Tree Bay Avenue and continue via the Esterley Tibbetts Highway. However, people travelling to the parking area at the KAABOO site will be permitted to continue northbound past Lime Tree Bay Avenue. Later on Saturday, an aircraft exhibit will be held at the Island Air Hangar at the Owen Roberts International Airport, across from the Cayman Airways office. As a result, Owen Roberts Drive will be closed to westbound traffic coming from Breezy Way, from noon on Saturday. Both lanes will be closed between Dorcy Drive and Breezy Way from 2pm to 6pm. People travelling to the airport during these times will be required to do so via Red Gate Road. They can also access the airport or the aircraft exhibit via the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, by travelling southbound and taking the airport connector road, east of the Cayman International School roundabout, which will be temporarily opened during these times. A shuttle bus service from Camana Bay will also be available for the aircraft exhibition. Temporary maritime restricted zone The Cayman Islands Coast Guard is advising that a temporary maritime restricted zone will be in place to ensure marine safety during the air show. On Friday and Saturday, between 9am and 2:30pm, no boating activity will be permitted between Heritage Club and the beach just north of the governor’s Traffic, boating and drone restrictions for air show The use of drones in the vicinity of the air show will be prohibited. - Photo: File A parachutist lands on Seven Mile Beach at a previous air show display. - Photo: Courtesy of Cayman Islands Department of Tourism PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7»cayman compass 7 news N news FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2022 NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky On 28 Nov. 1952, for the first time, a commercial aircraft – a PBY Catalina – landed on the runway of what is now the Owen Roberts International Airport. On Monday morning, exactly 70 years later, a PBY Catalina from Eugene, Oregon, touched down after a journey that involved 30 hours in the sky, over five days. The plane, built in 1943, did a fly-by in front of assembled guests at the airport Monday before taxiing to a halt near the terminal, when the guests, including Governor Martyn Roper, got a chance to climb aboard and see the interior of the vintage aircraft. The Catalina, owned by Coy Pfaff, executive director of Soaring by the Sea Foundation, is identical to the one that landed on the runway in 1952, bringing passengers to what was still referred to at the time as “the islands that time forgot”, before the tourism and financial services industries began to boom. Roper, in a brief speech Monday, said the 70th anniversary of that 1952 landing was a “moment of real pride, but also one of reflection on how far we have come since those early pioneering days”. He lauded Wing Commander Owen Roberts, who flew during World War II with the Royal Air Force, after whom Grand Cayman’s airport is named. Roberts, after retiring from the RAF, established Caribbean International Airways which, by 1950, was running weekly flights between Grand Cayman and both Tampa and Kingston. As Cayman did not yet have an airstrip, passengers were flown in on PBY Catalina seaplanes or ‘flying boats’, which landed in the North Sound. The passengers were then ferried by a motor launch to a small wooden jetty with a thatch palm roof, where they cleared immigration. “Roberts realised, however, that if travel between Cayman and regional destinations was to increase, we would need a proper airstrip,” Roper said. “He lobbied Cayman Islands commissioners [the former name for governors] at the time Ivor Smith and Andrew Gerrard to build airfields on all three of the Cayman Islands.” He added, “I’m not sure what government finances were like back in the early ‘50s – certainly not as healthy as they are now – but in a testament to his tenacity, in 1952, construction started on an official airstrip.” The governor pointed out that the original estimated costs for the three airports was £93,000 (CI$92,800). Ultimately, the 5,000 foot-long runway and the terminal building on Grand Cayman ended up costing more than £100,000, he said. “Even back then, cost overruns were a feature of government projects,” he joked. Adjusting for inflation, £93,000 in 1952 is equivalent to about £3.8 million today. Airports were considerably cheaper to build back them. The most recent expansion of the airport – involving the construction of a new terminal and strengthening of the runway, among other work – had been estimated in a 2014 outline business case to cost $51.9 million, but ultimately was completed in 2019 for around $74 million. Owen Roberts’ legacy On 28 Nov. 1952, instead of landing in the North Sound, a PBY Catalina, piloted by Roberts himself, landed on the partially completed runway nearby. Five months later, Roberts was killed when the Caribbean International Airways flight from Kingston to Grand Cayman that he was flying crashed on takeoff at Palisadoes Airport. Twelve others also died in the crash. The airport was subsequently named in his honour “in recognition of his pioneering work to put aviation firmly on Cayman’s map”, the governor said. Roper read out a message from Roberts’ grandson, John Crichton, the seventh Earl of Erne in Northern Ireland, whom, he said, had contacted the Governor’s Office about travelling to Cayman for the commemoration, but was unable to do so. “It is with great sadness that I cannot be with all of you today for this very special 70th commemoration of my grandfather Wing Commander Owen Roberts and all his achievements,” the earl wrote. Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said Cayman was indebted to commissioners Smith and Gerrard as well as Roberts “because if they didn’t have that vision to develop [the aviation industry in Cayman], certainly we wouldn’t be here today”. He added, “Today, we are here celebrating 70 years of hard, hard work and true development of our society in our country.” The 70th anniversary of the landing of the Catalina comes less than a week before the Cayman Islands Air Show begins after a hiatus of two decades. The PBY Catalina will be among the aircraft on display at the show. On Saturday, an aerial display will take place over Seven Mile Public Beach from 10am until 1pm, followed by an aircraft exhibit at the Island Air hangar at the Owen Roberts International Airport from 3pm to 6pm. Cayman celebrates 70th anniversary of plane landing residence at Government House on West Bay Road. “The area of restricted access is from the waterline extending outward to where the water changes to darker blue,” a notice from the Coast Guard stated. For boaters with GPS devices, the following coordinates can be entered into those devices to ensure compliance: North: Between 19° 21’30”N & 81° 23’18”W and 19° 21’21”N & 81° 23’ 44”W South: Between 19° 20’32”N & 81° 22’55”W and 19° 20’24”N & 81° 23’25”W This temporary maritime restricted zone has been established in accordance with powers granted to the commandant of the Coast Guard and with the approval of Governor Martyn Roper, organisers said. Drone restrictions The Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands says there will also be temporary restrictions on drones during the air shows on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Director-General Richard Smith of the Civil Aviation Authority has restricted the airspace surrounding the event in accordance with the provisions of the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2013. The flight of all aircraft, including drones, will be prohibited within three nautical miles of the air show, offshore at Seven Mile Public Beach, from the ground to 8,000 feet above mean sea level. This restriction will be in place from 7am to 5pm on Friday and Saturday, 2 and 3 Dec. On Cayman Brac, from 11am to 2pm on Sunday, 4 Dec., a similar restriction will be in place at the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport. The restriction applies to both approved commercial drone operators and recreational enthusiasts, unless specifically approved for this event by the Civil Aviation Authority. Organisers said drone-detection systems will be deployed to protect the air show airspace and the Civil Aviation Authority is collaborating with the RCIPS to ensure that the restricted airspace is appropriately policed. Additional information, including on restrictions on boating and drone usage during the air show, can be found at www.caymanairshow.com/en- us/things-to-know. Traffic, boating and drone restrictions for air show Governor Martyn Roper waves from the cockpit of the vintage PBY Catalina aircraft. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay This image, displayed at the commemorative event, shows passengers on board a motor launch after the PBY Catalina, operated by Owen Roberts’ Caribbean International Airways, touched down in the North Sound. The amphibious aircraft was later used to land on the newly constructed runway in 1952. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Work is under way to clean up debris around the crumbling sea wall on the edge of Royal Palms, while coastal engineers have recommended the site be demolished. Emergency work to clear rubble and stabilise structures damaged in recent storms began Thursday, 24 Nov. The derelict bar has become an eyesore at the southern end of the beach and a report for the Department of Environment has recommended the buildings be demolished and built further back from the water. Erosion along that part of the coastline has eaten away at the shoreline, compounding problems with the bar deck and sea wall. The crumbling structures are now spilling into the water. Dart’s planned work is a temporary measure aimed at making the site less hazardous. The company has not announced any long-term plans. The bar area was cordoned off on 24 Nov. and surrounded by warning signs, diverting people away from the location. The wall appeared to be in poor shape, with the decrepit structure crumbling into the water. Dart says its plan for the “careful clean-up of debris and stabilisation of structures” was developed in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Department of Planning. Gary Gibbs, senior vice president, design and construction, for Dart, told the Compass in a statement that the work was likely to take up to two weeks. “Since Hurricane Ian’s sea surges exacerbated erosion on the southern end of Seven Mile Beach and damaged beachfront structures, Dart has been working with governmental authorities on remediation of the westernmost structures on the Royal Palms property.” Silt screens were being put in place to help prevent any impact to the marine environment. “We will closely monitor weather and turbidity and will follow guidelines provided by the DoE team during both its detailed review process and following onsite inspections,” he said. Relocation and ‘managed retreat’ Dart hasn’t yet confirmed its long- term plans for the site, though a previous proposal involved situating a new hotel on top of its overpass, which crosses West Bay Road. The DoE is recommending the existing properties be demolished in an effort to restore the beach – an idea that could potentially align with the developer’s ambitions for a new resort at the location. DoE Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie said the site is a prime candidate for ‘managed retreat’ in order to build resiliency against storm impacts and climate change. A report from coastal engineer Kevin Bodge, of Olsen Associates, suggests the location represents an ideal opportunity to rebuild with greater coastal setbacks. He wrote that the property line would ideally be located at least 16 metres further inland – where the current buildings are located. That would mean the bar and deck, seaward of the pool, would need to be demolished. “This would better ensure a reliable recreational beach along the entirety of the shorefront,” he wrote. ‘Excellent opportunity’ to restore beach Noting that the bar had been closed for two-and-a-half years and that there was a large area of land, currently encompassing a car park, that could be used for redevelopment, Bodge said relocating the buildings could be a win-win for Dart and the Cayman Islands. “The Royal Palms site presents an excellent opportunity – probably the most ideal contemporary example along south Seven Mile Beach – to restore reliable sand beach at a developed property through a landward relocation of a seawall/hardscape,” he wrote. “The overall site is being currently master-planned for a new resort, per my understanding. Factors such as these rarely co-align to allow for re-thinking the shorefront of an existing/future development in order to mitigate a chronic beach erosion problem – where the existence of a reliable and suitably wide dry sand beach is of central economic value to the development.” Current clean-up Ebanks-Petrie said officials had approved Dart’s initial methodology statement for removing the broken wall and clearing away the fill material between the outer wall and the deck of the pool bar. She said the wall was damaged and falling into the sea and for safety reasons, as well as to prevent the fill from leaching into the water, it made sense to remove it. Ebanks-Petrie said Dart had since come back with proposals to remediate part of the wall using boulders – a process the DoE does not support. The company has the green light to remove the wall and clear the debris, using silt screens, to prevent any debris filtering into the ocean. The Dart group acquired the property in 2017. The beach bar closed when the island shut its doors to tourists as COVID hit and has not reopened. The building and surrounding infrastructure have fallen into disrepair, causing safety and aesthetic concerns, while the erosion of the beach has exacerbated structural issues. Signs alert beachgoers to the work. - Photos: James Whittaker The wall is practically crumbling into the ocean. Work beginning in the area on Thursday, 24 Nov. Royal Palms recommended for destruction Removal of crumbling structures begins Hurricane Ian pounds the coastline just south of Royal Palms. “Since Hurricane Ian’s sea surges exacerbated erosion on the southern end of Seven Mile Beach and damaged beachfront structures, Dart has been working with governmental authorities on remediation of the westernmost structures on the Royal Palms property.” Gary Gibbs cayman compass 8 news N news FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2022cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2022Next >