cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Friday, 23-29 December 2022 Construction industry reeling from costs increase Pages 20-21 A hero’s welcome for Cayman’s first world champion Jordan Crooks Pages 26-29 Golden future Photo of the week Page 4 A very sneezy Christmas amid ‘viral siege’ Page 6 Photo: Seaford Russell Jr. WIN BIG! over $40,000 worth of prizes E s t . 1982 i n C AY M A N ~ 4 0 YE AR S ANNIVER SA RY ~ 40 Scratch card with every purchase over $4! T&Cs apply. Purchases over $4 will receive one scratch and win card per transaction. While stocks last. Available on all purchases over $4 from the 23rd of December 2022 - 1st of February 2023 at all Cayman locations. Valid until 23rd December 2023. Can not be redeemed with the same transaction.FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2022 PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. Compass Centre, Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. 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According to police, just after 7:20pm, officers responded to reports of shots fired following an altercation at the rear of the Power Supply Bar on Lawrence Boulevard. The victim received a single gunshot wound to his torso and was taken to hospital in a private vehicle where he was treated for serious injuries. RCIPS Criminal Investigations Department detectives, who are investigating the case, said they were aware that there were several people at the scene at the time of the incident. Anyone with information can call the George Town Police Station at 949-4222. Anonymous tips can be provided directly to the RCIPS at 949-7777, or via the police website. $100,000 reward for information on armed robberies The government and Crime Stoppers are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of offenders involved in the recent spate of armed robberies. Premier Wayne Panton, Leader of the Opposition Roy McTaggart and Governor Martyn Roper, on 16 Dec. issued a joint statement, following a meeting in which Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne briefed Cabinet and Members of Parliament on the robberies. Crime Stoppers is offering an award of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the robbers, while government has pledged $75,000 to be added to the reward to encourage people to help the authorities “bring the perpetrators to justice”. Since the start of 2022, police have received reports of 47 armed robberies, the most for such crimes in a decade and the third-most active year in recorded history. (See page 5 for more). Sun Country begins Minnesota-Cayman flight Sun Country Airlines launched its weekly service between Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman on Saturday, 17 Dec. The flight is the latest addition to routes to and from Cayman after the islands reopened borders following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Minnesota Metropolitan Airports Commission joined representatives from Sun Country and the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism at the airport in Minnesota for a gate-side celebration before the inaugural flight. A press release from Sun Country noted that its plane was greeted upon landing at Owen Roberts with a “shower of affection” and passengers were treated to a selection of local treats and beverages, as well as a steel pan serenade and an appearance by Sir Turtle. With the addition of the Sun Country flight, this means the number of airline seats available to passengers has increased by 1,253 in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the last quarter of 2019. Airlift capacity is now 1% higher than it was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Police call for parental supervision at Camana Bay A rise in violent incidents among youth left unattended at Camana Bay has prompted police to call on parents not to send their children out unsupervised. “We are seeing many young persons and mostly students from the schools congregating at Camana Bay on the weekends [and] they are having fights [and] damaging property,” said Chief Inspector Brad Ebanks at a 19 Dec. press conference. He said that on 11 Dec. officers received reports of a teen who was injured in a fight with a group of youths. He did not disclose the age of the victim, but said children as young as 10 are being left unattended at Camana Bay. “The matter is under investigation by the uniformed [officers] and those persons will be dealt with accordingly,” said Ebanks. This isn’t the first time that police have cautioned against the “escalating occurrences of anti- social behaviour”. In May, they warned of potential prosecution of young offenders, saying the RCIPS was working with Camana Bay management to address the issue. Work begins on school hall and hurricane shelter The Ministry of Education has broken ground on the new Theoline L. McCoy Primary School hall, which will double as a hurricane shelter, in Bodden Town. The 14,136-square-foot multi- purpose facility will have a minimum shelter capacity of 600 people. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Lyneth Monteith, acting chief officer at the ministry, said, “We will soon be able to provide the children of the Theoline McCoy Primary School with a space to assemble, have school meals and engage in indoor sporting activities, allowing them even greater opportunities to thrive.” Governor Martyn Roper, who also attended the groundbreaking, said, “The construction of the new hall, which will also serve as a hurricane shelter, reflects the government’s commitment to the future of our community and our young people in delivering a quality education.” According to the ministry, preliminary work began earlier this month, with the project managed by the government’s Public Works Department, and the Phoenix Group carrying out the construction work. $5,000 donation to food bank David Morritt and Morritt Properties Cayman have made a $5,000 donation to the 'Good Samaritan Cayman Food Bank' which will be used to feed families during the festive season. According to a press release, which highlighted a “great shortage of donations”, the group “did not hesitate when asked for help, [having] seen how food banks can aid people in their hour of need, and Christmas is no exception”. Cayman Islands government officials, and Sir Turtle, greet the captain and crew of the inaugural Sun Country flight at Owen Roberts International Airport on 17 Dec. - Photo: Submitted cayman compass 2 N newscayman compass 3 FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2022 SEASIDE 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 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Force out (5) 4 Committee of senior ministers (7) 8 Obstruct (3) 9 Bird emblematic of the US (4,5) 10 Lean and bony (7) 11 Unspoken (5) 13 Puzzling person (6) 15 Goods cast overboard at sea (6) 18 Gullible (5) 19 Substantiate (4,3) 21 Large long-winged seabird (9) 23 Long-eared horselike animal (3) 24 Self-confident (7) 25 It could be that (5) DOWN 1 Accept eagerly (7) 2 Type of falcon (9) 3 Assign to a category (5) 4 A stalk-vegetable (6) 5 To utter (7) 6 Find fault persistently (3) 7 Stealing (5) 12 Large flightless Australasian bird (9) 14 Maintain surveillance over (7) 16 French painter and sculptor (7) 17 In foreign countries (6) 18 A tropical pear-shaped fruit (5) 20 State of northeast India (5) 22 Large passenger vehicle (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17195 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 17195 ACROSS: 1 Expel, 4 Cabinet, 8 Bar, 9 Bald eagle, 10 Angular, 11 Tacit, 13 Enigma, 15 Jetsam, 18 Green, 19 Bear out, 21 Albatross, 23 Ass, 24 Assured, 25 Maybe. DOWN: 1 Embrace, 2 Peregrine, 3 Label, 4 Celery, 5 Breathe, 6 Nag, 7 Theft, 12 Cassowary, 14 Monitor, 16 Matisse, 17 Abroad, 18 Guava, 20 Assam, 22 Bus. Golden swimmer Jordan Crooks That’s awesome! Congratula- tions! Give him a float parade. Richard McLean Just wonderful! It is GREAT to see Cayman win again in foreign competitions. It’s been a while and I hope this is the beginning of a long stretch of wins for this remarkable young man and other [athletes] as well. Mitch McCoy So when are government going to actually build a proper competi- tion 50-metre pool and recognise the swimming talent that abounds here? Andrew Leggatt Congratulations! You’ve made Cayman even greater now! Vivia Mcleod Congratulations on your great achievement. Thanks for making this country proud. Hyman Gayle Congratulations, Jordan! Just amazing! You are such a superstar and we are all so happy for you and so proud of you and your many ac- complishments! Melanie Whittaker Congratulations to Jordan, and also to his parents. You make Cayman very proud of your achievements. May God continue to bless you. Catherine Oneil Passion for power tools: 13-year-old aims for construction career Darragh is a amazing young man; dream big buddy. Karen McGill Armstrong Inspiring to read. Well done, Darragh, pursuing your dreams! Becca Whiteside Excellent work, Darragh. Sharon Davies At last some good news! Well done, Darragh! Thank you Michael Myles, and your team at Inspire Cay- man, for the work you are doing. Nancy W. Fantastic. I am sure the orders will be pouring in. Well done. Maureen Elizabeth Barnett Wow. Can’t even imagine how far this star is going to [go] in the future. Bright future ahead for the wonder- ful Darragh. He is amazing. Deirdre O’Dowd What an inspiring and heart- warming story! God bless Dar- ragh and be with him as he works towards his goals and dreams. Jane B. Wow, that’s very impressive. Well done, Darragh. Julie Black Amazing kid. Always a pleasure to speak to him. Neil Armstrong My hero! Keep up the great work, bud! Jason Michael Brown You are fantastic, Darragh. Do what you love. Ciara Shiel All of his Cayman family are so proud of him. Shining bright, Dar. Sharon Dixon Parliament supports motion to raise building heights to 20 storeys So are they gonna prepare our emergency services personnel to deal with incidents in these high- rise buildings? Greed in this island is toxic. Valda Hilton Taylor All of this sounds great, but there are not enough roads now. How are cars and people going to get to these 20-storey buildings? Also, I have been told that there are only two building inspectors so the buildings that are going up now are waiting months for final approval. The government has to get its act together and help the developers, not constantly put roadblocks in their way. Bruce Leibowitz Armed police manning checkpoints in Christmas road-safety campaign Might want to send some of them down to The Strand at night! Loud music, fighting and street racing until well after 4am! Seems like a blind eye is turned when it comes to policing that area… sad to see after visiting for 30 years. Jamie Budzyn A real good look. Have police considered the alternative – year- round traffic law enforcement? David S. Latest in string of robberies sees two 24-hour businesses targeted It is impossible for the police to be everywhere at once and if they were in the store, they are unarmed. The government, rightly or wrongly, refuses to allow law-abiding citizens to defend themselves. The only alternative is to offer substantial rewards for information that will lead to a conviction, as obviously people know who they are. Is $100,000 a lot of money for a reward? Not compared to the utter destruction this will [bring] and is bringing to our economy. If our reputation as a safe tourist destination goes, then there is little to distinguish us from other, less- expensive, Caribbean islands. Norman L. It may not be the North Pole but Santa Claus was able to celebrate the Winter Solstice in Grand Cayman on the evening of 21 Dec., which marks the shortest day of the year. This photo of Jolly Old St. Nick, taken by Katie O’Neill, has the waters off Seven Mile Beach as a fitting Caribbean backdrop. What better way to spread some holiday cheer than with Mr. Claus, a pristine blue sea and Cayman’s eagerly awaited Christmas breeze? Santa by the sea What they’re saying Online pic of the week cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2022ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky With reports of armed robberies the highest recorded in a decade, police say they are adopting new approaches to getting criminals off the streets, including arresting the suspects in the latest crime spree for non-robbery-related offences. Since the start of 2022, police have received reports of 47 armed robberies, the most for such crimes in a decade and the third-most active year in recorded history. This has led the top brass of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service to intensify their efforts to curb the increase in violent crimes during the Christmas shopping rush. Detective Superintendent Peter Lansdown said at a 19 Dec. press conference that the police are going to “take the ‘Al Capone approach’; we’ll take them for anything… we’ll lock them away”. Lansdown was referring to notorious 1920s American gangster Al Capone, who had evaded the law for his violent crimes for years. He was finally arrested in 1931 and jailed for 11 years for failing to pay his taxes. Because pinning the recent spate of robberies in Cayman on a specific suspect is proving difficult, given the amount of evidence needed to deliver a successful conviction, officers are now using whatever evidence they can find to get the suspects off the street. So far, four people thought to be connected to the robberies have been arrested, police said. One person who had been released on bail for an armed robbery, during which shots were fired, has been arrested after allegedly committing another robbery with a toy gun that broke apart after being used to hit a victim. The other three suspects, in unrelated incidents, are in custody for charges other than robbery. “[In] one of the cars recovered from the robbery we found proceeds from a burglary and that led to that person being charged and remanded into custody,” said Lansdown. He added,”We charged him with one offence. I’m confident that he committed five, six, maybe 10 of the offences.” Lansdown said by removing these individuals from the streets, police have been able to stem the spree of robberies, with more work ongoing to catch the other suspects. More armed police on the streets Acting Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton also spoke about organising an additional police presence at the press conference. “We have twice as many armed units on the roads… we have collapsed some of our back offices to add extra police officers on shifts across all districts,” he said. “We have executed well over six search warrants. In addition to that, we have stopped and searched multiple individuals involved in suspicious activities,” he said, adding that his officers have seized six cars, and are reviewing thousands of hours of CCTV footage to piece together the crimes. Walton’s comments come on the heels of the most recent spate of robberies during which 12 incidents were reported over the past six weeks. Seven of the robberies were committed in George Town, two in West Bay, two along the Seven Mile Beach corridor and one in Bodden Town. According to data from the police annual crime statistics, between 2002 and 2021, 333 robberies were reported in Cayman, averaging just over 33 a year. Over the past decade, in 2014 the second highest number of robberies were recorded, at 46, one fewer than this year’s running total. However, the two highest incidences of robberies in recorded history were 67 and 64, in 2011 and 2010, respectively. Last year and 2020 tied for the lowest number for reported robberies with 16 each. Of the 47 robberies so far this year, 32, or 68%, have been committed since August. The perpetrators are thought to be part of three separate groups comprising up to 14 individuals, who are loosely affiliated, with three distinct targets – illegal lotteries, small commercial complexes and individuals. In two recent cases, however, masked men followed two women home after observing them using ATMs. Although the criminals are believed to be known to each other, police say they are not operating as a gang and instead are carrying out “spontaneous robberies”. While police are hesitant to name the suspects, they did say all the descriptions point to them being “local youth” in their early-to-mid 20s. But despite knowing who they are, police say the suspects are becoming smarter, so that bringing them to justice is becoming increasingly difficult. Criminals posing ‘a professional challenge’ “A lot of them are on bail,” said Lansdown, adding, “They learn our tactics, and that’s the problem. The more we arrest them, the more we prosecute them, the more they learn how we operate, and they try to avoid that. It’s a professional challenge – we are after them, they don’t want to get caught.” He noted that these ‘smarter’ criminals have become aware of the need for “reconnaissance ahead of a robbery” and are prepared to frustrate the collection of DNA evidence. “We get calls saying they are driving past looking at a premises first… we have stopped people but if they are doing reconnaissance [and] they’ve got nothing on them, then we have to let them go,” he said. Police say the suspects also have a wide variety of resources at their disposal, including cars not registered to them, some of which are used with stolen licence plates. “Two of [the cars] were probably associated with family members but we can’t make a family member tell us who got the car… we can arrest, we can interview but [because of] legal advice they don’t have to tell us anything,” said Lansdown, who added officers will eventually have to return the cars to those family members. More detectives investigating In addition to the increased visible police operations, the RCIPS has also redirected additional detectives to help with the mounting workload. Ten detectives, who are scattered across George Town, Bodden Town and West Bay, are doing the brunt of the investigative work on the recent robberies, in addition to members from the Crime Task Force, bringing the total numbers up to 25 of the overall 50 detectives employed with the RCIPS. “We’ve averaged that each of these incidents will require 40 or 50 hours of CCTV watching and logging for evidential purposes,” said Lansdown. “So that’s nearly 2,000 hours of CCTV footage the detectives are going through a bit at a time, and obviously some offences take priority over others, or they lead in different directions.” With Christmas shopping under way, police are urging residents to carry on as normal but be mindful of their personal safety. “Our Winter Guardian operation is all about safety during the Christmas season. Unfortunately, this year we have had to prioritise the robberies,” said Chief Inspector Brad Ebanks, was also at the press conference. “Don’t leave your hard-earned gifts in your car exposed. Be very cognisant of your surroundings… we are in a time right now where things are happening and we have to be cognisant about our personal safety.” The increase in robberies resulted in Crime Stoppers offering a $25,000 reward for any information that would lead to a successful conviction. That amount has since been increased to $100,000 by government officials who called for the public to come forward to help put an end to the “fear and anguish in our community”. Since the reward was launched on 16 Dec., no information had yet been provided to the RCIPS, but police did say that prior to that, they were receiving information that has helped with their ongoing investigations. | As police hunt the robbery suspects, they are calling on the community to come forward with information which can be submitted confidentially by calling the RCIPS Tip Line at 949-7777 or through the Cayman Crime Stoppers website caymancrimestoppers.com. From left, brothers Prentice and Stanley Panton, who own Reflections Food4Less, watch the security video of a robbery at their store in August. – Photo: Taneos Ramsay Armed police are assisting traffic officers during the annual Winter Guardian road safety campaign. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay Police taking ‘Al Capone approach’ with robbery suspects At a press conference held Monday, 19 Dec., from left, Chief Inspector Brad Ebanks, Acting Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton and Detective Superintendent Peter Lansdown announce plans to deal with the recent spate of robberies. - Photo: Andrel Harris cayman compass 5 news N news FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2022JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky It is going to be a sniffly Christmas for many in Cayman amid a ‘viral siege’ that is leaving doctors’ offices full and pharmacy aisles empty. The combination of COVID-19 and a significant resurgence of traditional winter cold and flu viruses has been described as a ‘tripledemic’, with many Cayman residents, particularly children, facing an onslaught of different illnesses over the winter season. It is the first Christmas since the end of the COVID- era lockdowns. And while the dreaded virus has not gone away, it is the return of virulent strains of more traditional cold and flu viruses that is causing the majority of illnesses over the festive season. Dr. Heidi Fahy, of Cayman Clinic in George Town, said the facility was seeing an unusually large number of non-COVID related viral illnesses. She said the restart of travel in the latter half of the year, building towards record arrival numbers in the past few months, had brought back the germs that Cayman had been sheltered from during the COVID border closure. Schools have been particularly badly hit, with the impact spreading to siblings and parents ahead of the holidays. “People are generally reporting being unwell for longer than what’s usual for them and I think part of the problem is our immune systems hibernated a bit during the lockdown,” she said. “We rarely saw colds and coughs during that period so now that we are fully open with unrestricted travel, germs are moving around and being quite successful.” COVID remains a concern, she said, but currently colds, coughs and traditional flu are causing more problems for patients. Dr. Sara Watkin, paediatrician at Integra Healthcare on West Bay Road, said the amount of colds, coughs and general illness was much higher than in the past few years. She said young children particularly were getting much sicker than pre-COVID. “It is not just in Cayman, it is happening all over the world,” she said. “We are absolutely putting it down to the fact that people were locked down, wearing masks, sanitising their hands all the time and, of course, in Cayman there was no travel. We had very little exposure to infectious diseases. The bubble has burst Those viruses appear to have come back stronger, with people getting worse symptoms for longer periods and children suffering particularly severe effects. Young children, especially, have grown up in a bubble in Cayman, without exposure to the usual colds and coughs that help toughen the immune system. “In their first year in childcare or school, the average child picks up 8-10 viruses. During COVID many children didn’t get that exposure so this is effectively their first true year in school.” Triple threat Public health officials are reporting exponential growth in flu-like illnesses over the past months. From a reported 111 cases per week in September, the amount of cases has risen to an average of 244 each week in December. The total number of cases for the season for the calendar year is expected to be more than 7,000, making it now of the most active flu seasons on record. Timothy McLaughlin, Cayman’s senior public health surveillance officer, said there had been a slight increase in hospitalisations, with 3-7 admissions per week for flu-like illnesses. While COVID remains a factor, particularly for elderly people, it is the more traditional cold viruses that are impacting children. “Many of these cases were the result of there being three different viral illness circulating simultaneously, namely the Flu (Influenza), Covid 19 (Corona Virus) and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) detected in children admitted to the paediatric unit,” he said. COVID-19 weekly cases dropped from 126 cases in September and have stayed consistent at just over 60 per week through the rest of the year, according to Public Health. Medicine shortages The effect is being seen in supermarket aisles and at pharmacy counters, too. Michael Anderson, head pharmacist at the Foster’s chain of stores, said there had been a steady increase in prescriptions, as well as rising demand for over- the-counter cold and flu remedies. Cold medication has been in short supply in Canada, in particular, during an especially virulent cold and flu season. And while Cayman pharmacies are facing some challenges, they are able to keep up. Anderson said some of the popular brands were “depleted on the shelves” but the store holds back supplies behind the pharmacy counter and is able to meet demand. “We are facing a bit of pressure, but because of the diversity of our suppliers we are keeping it steady. I think this year is unique because of what is happening the US and Canada. That puts pressure on our sales as well.” Mental impact There’s a psychological element, too, says Fahy. We’ve forgotten that we get colds and coughs in the winter months and are feeling the pain a little more acutely than we might otherwise. To stay healthy, she advises all the basic tips that kept people safe during COVID - wearing masks, washing hands, staying away from large gatherings. But she cautions that having a cold or cough is a normal part of life and, in the long term, it is good for the immune system. “Trying to remain germ free sounds appealing but leaves our immune systems vulnerable so a happy balance would be ideal. Being a germaphobe is not a good idea either.” Watkin agrees. “Children need these viruses to keep them healthy in the long term. We don’t want to go back to masks and isolation but sensible hygiene to avoid spreading is something that we should all be doing.” International phenomenon While flu and now COVID are the most common illness people think they have when the sniffles start, it is most likely to be a respiratory syncytial virus. Data out of the US shows that COVID remains the biggest threat in terms of hospitalisations. But RSV illnesses are among the highest on record and are impacting younger people, especially children, at a higher rate. Weekly hospitalisations for RSV among children are the highest they have been since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began its surveillance in the 2018-19 season, The New York Times reported. “Roughly one in every 70 babies 6 months and younger have been hospitalized since the beginning of October, according to preliminary estimates.” Cayman’s virus profile typically reflects the countries that fly into the island, with the US being the primary supplier of tourists. The island is also exposed to viruses from the UK and the Caribbean. With more than 20 gateway cities now flying into Grand Cayman, we are particularly exposed to a wide range of viruses. COVID tests and cold remedies may be the ideal Christmas gifts in Cayman this winter. - Photo: James Whittaker A very sneezy Christmas in store amid ‘viral siege’ Dr. Heidi Fahy Dr. Sara Watkin cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2022NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Lawmakers have backed a motion to double the maximum height of buildings in Cayman to 20 storeys. The private members’ motion, brought by former Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush, who is the MP for West Bay West, was debated in Parliament on 15 Dec., and was passed unanimously by legislators. Private members’ motions, such as the one brought by Bush, are not binding, but are proposals for the government to consider. Bush argued that the government needed to make a decision on whether the height of buildings in Cayman should be increased from the current maximum of 10 storeys. “We can’t leave it to be debated just by social media… and negative and poisonous people,” he said. There has been an array of comments on social media opposing Bush’s originally-worded motion calling for building heights of 30 floors, as well earlier calls by him in 2019 for a 50-storey building to be erected in Cayman. Bush argued that, without allowing taller buildings, Cayman’s options for development will stall. “We are a developing country,” he said. “The day we stop doing that, we die.” He added, “For sure, we need to better manage our development. A good place to start is to find ways to save and make better use of our land. That is my intention for this motion, to make better use of our property.” In 2016, the government amended legislation to change the maximum height of buildings from seven storeys to 10 storeys. Since then, a number of 10-floor developments have been built or are in the process of being erected on Seven Mile Beach. Bush said Caymanians who own small plots of land, for example, could take advantage of the amended building heights. This would enable larger and higher developments to be constructed without using huge tracts of land. He also argued that higher buildings could prove to be more sustainable and climate resilient, if the ground floors were elevated, if setbacks from the water were increased, and if the developments were for mixed-use purposes. Bush added that the revenue raised by government from development and construction was what funded necessities like public education and housing. The former Speaker had originally planned to bring a motion calling for heights to be increased to 25-30 floors, but amended his motion to 15-20 storeys immediately before it was debated. Asked by Red Bay MP Alden McLaughlin why he had changed his motion, Bush responded that he had picked a number that he felt would give government leeway to work with. He added that, personally, he would opt for even higher buildings, saying, “I had to give a number. Me? I’d go 50 floors. If they asked me PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13» In 2016, the government amended legislation to change the maximum height of buildings from seven storeys to 10 storeys. - Photo: File Parliament supports motion to raise building heights to 20 storeys McKeeva Bush argues that without allowing taller buildings, Cayman’s options for development will stall. cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2022 7Contact 911 in the event of an electrical emergency CUC’s New Year’s Closures On Friday, December 30, our Customer Service Centre at Caribbean Plaza and our Administrative Offices on North Sound Road will close at noon for New Year’s. These offices will reopen for business on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Gift Certificates from CUC that can be used towards paying electricity bills are available in denominations of $25, $50 and $100 from our Customer Service Centre. Visit www.cuc-cayman.com for a complete list of our online bill payment options. Bill payments can be made at our remote payment locations across Grand Cayman during their respective holiday hours. Warmest wishes for a safe and happy New Year! A note to our clients CLICK cibcfcib.com POST cibcfcib TWEET cibc_fcib VISIT Your nearest Branch INSTAGRAM cibcfirstcaribbean The CIBC logo is a registered trademark of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, used by FirstCaribbean International Bank under license. Interest Rates Changes Effective 16 December, 2022, CIBC FirstCaribbean will adjust its KYD and USD Prime Rates from 7.00% to 7.50%. This adjustment is in response to the change in the US Federal Funds rate announced by the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee in the United States on December 14, 2022. Should you have any queries, speak with your Branch or Relationship Manager. ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky If you’re a motorist who has encountered an RCIPS Winter Guardian roadblock in recent weeks, chances are you have been greeted with the silent but watchful gaze of a police officer armed with an assault rifle. During this festive season of peace, joy and goodwill towards all, the heavily armed officers are a ‘necessary evil’ as police attempt to stamp out a recent and sustained spike in robberies. “One can appreciate that this year we are prioritising our attention to the armed robberies, so that is why you are seeing the escalation of heavily armed police at vehicle checkpoints,” RCIPS Chief Inspector Brad Ebanks said at a press conference on Monday, 19 Dec. The high visibility road-safety operation began on Thursday, 1 Dec., and will run through to the new year. In previous years, the roadblocks would typically target motorists suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, using their mobile phones while driving, and/or having windows tinted darker than the legal limit. However, officers are now rethinking their strategies following a spike in robberies which has pushed the total number of such incidents to 47 for the year so far, making it the most active year for robberies in a decade. As of Tuesday, 20 Dec., the latest Winter Guardian infraction numbers had not been not released by police, so it is not clear whether any suspected robbers were detected at any of the checkpoints. Nonetheless, police have stressed that a part of the operation’s purpose is to deter would-be criminals by the mere presence of officers on the road. “A challenge that we’re having are the numbers [of robbers],” explained Ebanks. “It’s not three or four persons that we are looking at, there are about 14 persons, and any three or four of them could get together and commit a robbery.” According to police, the robbers are loosely operating in three main groups, and are thought to be local youth in their mid- to late-20s. Oftentimes, their criminal escapades see them taking high risks for minuscule rewards. “Most of these offences are only getting $200 to $300,” RCIPS Detective Superintendent Peter Lansdown said. “It’s tiny amounts of money... they are committing robberies where they are going to get a minimum of seven years in prison and they are getting a hundred bucks each; it’s absurd.” Police say they are confident about the identity of the suspects, and while they continue to build a case against each of them, they will have armed officers stationed at each vehicle checkpoint. Members of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s Firearms Response Units are among officers manning checkpoints in the run-up to Christmas, as police hunt armed robbers across the island. - Photo: RCIPS Armed police manning checkpoints in Christmas road-safety campaign cayman compass 8 news N news FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2022NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky The National Council for Persons with Disabilities and the government have launched a grassroots campaign to help the community better understand who can and can’t use the blue parking spots designated for people with disabilities. The campaign not only tackles the challenge of people illegally parking in those spots, but also aims to highlight the prevalence in Cayman of people with ‘invisible’ disabilities who often face abuse from individuals who see them parking in the spots and don’t believe they have any health problems. To help illustrate the issue, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities has posted a video featuring local resident Renee Howell, a council member who suffers from multiple sclerosis. In the video, she says, “I know, I don’t look sick, but did you know that globally one in seven of us live with a disability?” She explained that excessive walking or prolonged exposure to heat can be “devastating for people like me”, therefore she needs to park as close to her destination as possible. “I’m so thankful for the blue spots, which help me save energy and avoid the heat, allowing me to live a better quality of life and keeping my illness invisible,” she said. Howell added that the blue spots are not “a convenience”, they are “a necessity for those with obvious disabilities, as well as hidden illnesses”. Encouraging compassion According to a press release about the new initiative, the ‘Save my spot, nah!’ campaign was developed “to encourage compassion and advocacy for members of the community with visible and invisible disabilities who rely on accessible parking for a better quality of life. It also aims to rally the community to protect accessible parking areas and better understand the rules of use.” The council noted that disabilities are defined as any physical, mental, or neurological condition that may affect an individual’s movements or senses, regardless of outward appearances. “For example,” it said, “someone may legally have a disability parking permit or licence plate without having a visible mobility assistance device, like a wheelchair, scooter, or cane. Invisible conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, heart conditions, asthma, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, etc., may qualify someone to park in a blue spot. “Therefore, the public is encouraged not to judge appearances or make assumptions about people they see using accessible parking – but do be alert to vehicles that park in these spots without the approved permits or licence plates.” National Council for Persons with Disabilities chairperson Magda Embury said in the release, “Often, well-meaning onlookers may shame individuals for using the blue spots without knowing that they suffer from an invisible condition, and they are qualified to use the designated spaces for a better quality of life.” She added that it was also important to remember that the additional space next to the blue spots, known as the ‘crosshatch area’, is not an extra parking space, but rather an essential exit/entry space needed for motorists with disabilities who use wheelchairs or other devices. “Unfortunately, sometimes these crosshatched spaces are often occupied or partially blocked by able-bodied drivers,” she said. ‘Blue Spot Heroes’ She added, “The NCPD is grateful to the Cayman Islands Government and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service for its continued support and efforts thus far, and we now look forward to creating a community of ‘Blue Spot Heroes’ who work along with us to protect those with disabilities by ensuring that accessible parking spots are saved for those who need them most.” According to the World Health Organization, nearly one in seven people live with a disability that impacts major life activities. As people age, the proportion with disabilities increases – and of those who have a chronic illness, 80% are considered to have an invisible or hidden disability. That equates to approximately 1 billion people who are living with an invisible disability. National Council for Persons with Disabilities stated that locally there are many people who need to use the accessible parking spaces. “It is our goal to always protect the most vulnerable in our society and to inspire a new wave of advocates to further the goal of protecting ‘blue spots’ for those that really need them,” Acting Cabinet Secretary Jason Webster said in the release. “As we have entered the busy holiday season, we encourage the community to be ‘Blue Spot Heroes’ and leave the blue accessible parking spots for those who need them the most.” Renee Howell appears in a video explaining why she uses ‘blue spot’ parking spaces. ‘Save my spot, nah’ campaign educates on disabled parking The ‘Save my spot, nah!’ campaign aims to educate people about the do’s and don’ts of using accessible parking spots. cayman compass 9 news N news FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2022Next >