cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 5-11 May 2023 Ban on imports of cars built before 2016 Page 6 Travis Webb case highlights mental health conundrum Pages 4, 27-29 At home with Governor Jane Owen In photos: Capella Music Festival Page 21 Page 5 Phot o: T aneos Ramsa yDeputy premier’s niece killed in crash Channah Connor, the 22-year-old niece of Deputy Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, was killed in a single-vehicle collision in the early hours of Sunday, 30 April on Shamrock Road. This was the fifth fatal accident recorded in Cayman this year. Premier Wayne Panton, who described Connor as a “nice person”, extended his condolences to the family when he spoke on government radio Monday. O’Connor-Connolly and family members of the victim have declined to comment at this time. Connor’s friends took to social media to share their shock and distress over her death. Police said Connor, of Bodden Town, was the lone occupant in the vehicle when the collision occurred. The crash happened just after 1:30am on Shamrock Road, in the vicinity of Coral Bay Village, George Town. Police said it appeared that the vehicle was travelling in the westbound lane when Connor lost control, leaving the roadway and hitting a wall. Panton encouraged the community to be careful on the roads and exercise courtesy while driving as he lamented the loss of “another beautiful, young Caymanian” to the scourge of traffic accidents. Traffic investigators have appealed for witnesses. Anyone with information can call the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit at 649-6254 or the George Town Police Station at 949-4222. Burger King armed robbery prompts security review Burger King local franchise operator Mark Anthony says he is evaluating additional precautions for the fast-food chain after an armed robbery at its Red Bay outlet on 29 April. Anthony told the Cayman Compass the restaurant is “increasing our vigilance” following the robbery. He said that, thankfully, no one was hurt in the incident. “We are always concerned for our team members and guests. Personal safety is the priority for us. We closed the restaurant after the incident, sent the team home and reopened Sunday,” he said. Police said officer responded shortly after 8:45pm to a report of an armed robbery at the Shamrock Road restaurant. They said a masked man entered the restaurant carrying a firearm and demanded money from the register. He then fled on foot with a quantity of cash. No shots were fired during the incident and no one was injured. Police said the suspect was described as being of dark complexion and medium build. He was dressed in black, with a long- sleeved hooded top and a mask. Cayman Airways begins search for new Sister Islands plane Cayman Airways has commenced its search for a new Twin Otter aircraft to service the domestic air bridge. The national flag carrier, through a request for quotations, has invited bids as it seeks to purchase or lease “a suitable De Havilland DHC-6-300 aircraft”. The airline in its bid request, which was issued on 21 April, provides for offers of a 12-month, 24-month or 36-month lease. There is also an offer for an outright aircraft purchase. The airline currently has two Twin Otter planes in service. However, back in December, Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan promised that a third prop plane would be acquired. That promise followed challenges with inter-island travel between Cayman Brac and Little Cayman in November when tourists had to be ferried to and from the Sister Islands on dive boats when both Twin Otters were out of action. Powery-Doxey finally crowned as Miss Universe Cayman Chloe Powery-Doxey is now Miss Universe Cayman Islands after being officially crowned on 28 April, despite representing Cayman at the international pageant in January this year. Powery-Doxey, who as first runner-up in the local competition, took over from Tiffany Conolly who has been convicted of assault, received her formal sash and crown as Miss Universe Cayman Islands at a special ceremony at the National Gallery. Whitney Foster was sashed as first runner-up, replacing Hayley Grizzel, who opted to leave the Miss Universe Cayman Islands pageant to pursue other endeavours. Miss Universe Cayman Islands national director Derri Dacres, speaking at the crowning, said the past eight months have been “quite an interesting” time as the local pageant executive navigated through the unprecedented situation with Conolly. The former beauty queen is awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of two counts of assault, two counts of damage to property, two counts of assaulting police and one count of disorderly conduct. The Summary Court adjourned her sentencing hearing due to an incomplete social inquiry report. As dump woes mount, landfill gets new garbage compactor The Department of Environmental Health has acquired a $730,000 compactor and is set to resume garbage compaction at the George Town landfill later this month. In response to Compass queries, DEH confirmed that a Bomag BC 972 Refuse Compactor was received on 13 April and, once fully assembled, it will be placed into service. “The equipment is currently being assembled on site and it’s expected to go into operation in May, following the completion of training for the operators,” the DEH said. The department has been without a compactor since April 2022. During that time, the landfill has been plagued by multiple fires of varying degrees – the worse of which was observed smouldering for two weeks in February this year. The previous compactor – the Al Jon 500 – which was purchased in 2015, experienced a complete engine failure after seven years of service, though its life expectancy was 10 years. However, efforts are under way to get the machine back up and running. “A new engine is currently being sorted to install in the Al Jon Compactor which will be placed back in operation as a backup unit,” the DEH said. While the new compactor is expected to help rein in the fires at the landfill, it will not address the larger problem as an in-depth report into the state of the landfill revealed a dire situation with the site running out of space, as government and private sector entities try to resolve the issue and prevent another major fire. Matinees (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $9.00 (Mon-Fri before 6pm) Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets 640-FILM (640-3456) Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. 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WINDS East at 5 to 10 knots. 87°F HIGH 76°F LOW NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES news in brief Chloe Powery-Doxey is crowned by former Miss Universe Cayman Islands Georgina Kerford. - Photo: David Goddard cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 5-11 MAY 2023cayman compass 3 WEEKLY, 5-11 MAY 20231234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Brilliant historical spectacle (7) 5 Unyielding (5) 8 On trial (2,3,4) 9 Trivial lie (3) 10 Sensitive social perception (4) 12 Express opinion frankly (5,3) 14 Save from danger (6) 15 New recruit (6) 17 Daily record of voyage (5,3) 18 Tool for shaping wood (4) 21 More distant (3) 22 Bankrupt (9) 24 Burdened (5) 25 Offspring (7) DOWN 1 Decisive moment (5) 2 Obtain (3) 3 Summit (4) 4 Company of performers (6) 5 Acknowledge applause (4,1,3) 6 Deposed from priesthood (9) 7 Regular and frequent visitor (7) 11 Dismissed with disgrace (9) 13 Interrogate (8) 14 Soothing (7) 16 Chitchat (6) 19 Access (5) 20 In addition (4) 23 Female sheep (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17309 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 17309 ACROSS: 1 Pageant, 5 Tough, 8 In the dock, 9 Fib, 10 Tact, 12 Speak out, 14 Rescue, 15 Rookie, 17 Ship’s log, 18 Adze, 21 Far, 22 Insolvent, 24 Laden, 25 Progeny. DOWN: 1 Point, 2 Get, 3 Apex, 4 Troupe, 5 Take a bow, 6 Unfrocked, 7 Habitue, 11 Cashiered, 13 Question, 14 Restful, 16 Gossip, 19 Entry, 20 Also, 23 Ewe. What they’re saying Online Editorial EDITORIAL BOARD It is rare that a single human story so thoroughly exposes the failings of a system as comprehensively as that of Travis Webb. As outlined in our Issues story on pages 27-29, the former track star is currently imprisoned in the Cayman Islands Hospital with no imminent prospect of being discharged. Though he was accused of a heinous crime, the courts found him ‘not guilty by reason of insanity’ – the archaic language of the law perhaps betraying a generally outdated approach to the understanding and treatment of mental illness. For many readers, Webb will come across as an unsympathetic protagonist. There is no escaping the facts of his case. He attempted to bury a child alive. But psychiatrists, both for the Crown and the defence, and the judge who considered his case concluded he was not responsible for his actions on the basis that he was suffering from severe mental illness at the time. The case highlights the failings of Cayman’s mental healthcare support system. When Webb began displaying deeply erratic behaviour months before the incident, his family didn’t know where to turn for help. They called the police, they took him to the emergency room, they turned to family friends for support and guidance. Ultimately, the emergency care and the healthcare infrastructure were not sufficiently robust to identify and diagnose his condition before he committed a crime. Ironically, it was not until that horrific act that he got the help and support his family had been crying out for. But the troubles didn’t end there. Once he was in the ‘system’, the facilities did not exist to house him securely and he was incarcerated first at the prison and then on a busy in-patient ward at the Cayman Islands Hospital, where he remains today. Now, doctors have indicated that, with treatment and medication, his mental state is normal and recommended he be discharged with community supervision. But it appears the outpatient support network is not sufficient to give the governor – and his or her advisors – the confidence to allow that to happen without fearing a risk of relapse, with potentially devastating consequences. Meanwhile, the legal mechanisms are not in place for that decision to be challenged easily by Webb or his lawyers, leaving him essentially indefinitely jailed on a hospital ward in the custody of medical staff who were never trained or engaged for this role. There’s no suggestion that anyone involved with the case, including the former governor and his advisors, have approached the situation with anything other than the best intentions and with the One mental health case exposes flawed system Gov’t bans importation of vehicles built before 2016 Where is the reliable/ affordable public transport plan for those who will no longer be able to afford cars? Natalie Oliver Disgraceful. Some cars have hardly any mileage at seven years. Singapore cars are imported to Cayman aged 10 years at extremely low mileage. What rational thought is this? Makes absolutely no sense. LarAm Aime This will only reduce the amount of cars that come in for people that cannot afford to pay a lot of money for a vehicle. Lorraine Clancy Ebanks That doesn’t reduce car imports if someone needs to import. It increases the value of the vehicle being imported which increases duty revenue. Nigel Von Sachsenburg Taking the last three years, that would cut down by about 800, the number of cars imported. Will that have any material impact on the horrendous traffic problem? There is possibly no real solution that would not subsequently result in the loss of votes for government. Dwheaton W. Family of four forced to live on beach Only people who come here illegally get free housing and food, I guess. Prayers up. It’s going to get worse and it pains me to [see] the way our country is deteriorating. Sarasue McField ... and Dart is doing paid internships for hospitality workers. Caymanians need to step up. Maya Grant Our government is useless. Rich expatriates occupying every piece of prime real estate on the Seven Mile stretch, avoiding exorbitant taxes in their home nation whilst our people suffer. And our government is too afraid to extract more wealth from the wealthy to help the native population. Lord, please send useful politicians who care about our own. Can we find 12-15 multigenerational Caymanians to form a new party and run? We can make real change. Tony Hugh Unfortunately, you have to be either an illegal immigrant or a commit a crime in order to receive housing benefits from the Cayman government. I hope they find a home soon. Rickie Tatum ‘Never-ending nightmare’ as mother seeks answers in Brac toddler death Thanks Reshma and Cayman Compass for taking a heartfelt and dignified approach in obtaining and publishing the mother’s side of this story. Stefanie Ebanks So sad. Hope the family gets some sort of closure on this. Lopez Amari safety of the community top of mind. But the legal framework, the physical infrastructure, the mental health expertise and manpower have all proved insufficient to address the, admittedly complex, challenges posed by one very sick young man. It might be said that these are problems experienced on many small islands and a support system cannot be built for one person. But the gaps exposed by Webb’s case impact hundreds more individuals. How many others are walking the streets with undiagnosed disorders? How many are languishing in jail cells? How many families are left wondering who to call or where to turn when their loved ones display erratic behaviour? The justice system cannot be the institution of last resort for the islands’ most serious mental health challenges. A new long-term care facility – expected later in 2023 after years of delay – is a good first step. But Cayman can’t stop there. If we don’t address the institutional failings that this one case highlights, there lingers a persistent risk to the community, as there is a continued strain on systems and individuals not designed or trained to deal with these problems. The end result is unsatisfactory outcomes for those suffering from mental illness and their families. cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 5-11 MAY 2023WEEKLY, 5-11 MAY 2023everyone, to be able to be safe and free in society. I think that brings you into areas like making sure we’re preventing bullying, making sure we’re looking after child safeguarding, people’s mental health, and then, of course, also making sure that there are very strict procedures in place to prevent against sexual harassment,” she said. Community reception welcomed Though the Cayman Islands is thousands of miles away her hometown of Bilston in the West Midlands of the UK, Owen says she’s already been made to feel very at home here. Since touching down last month, she has been on a whirlwind tour of the islands, which she said she has been enjoying. “I’ve also been to various events, visited the Sister Islands, and really felt the warmth of the Caymankind reception that I’ve had... so I think these islands are beautiful, but the most beautiful thing about them is the people,” she said. Owen, who also attended the Capella Music Festival in Camana Bay, said it was great to see UB40 live, as the band is from Birmingham, not far from where she grew up in Bilston. Aims to look at safety on local roads Though she’s been busy socially, the new governor has also been working, and has already chaired Cabinet twice since taking her oath. “It’s been very important to me to get to know all of the members of the government,” she said, adding that she intends to work with the PACT administration on issues of importance to the community. Though she said she has not spent a great deal of time yet going into the details surrounding illegal gambling or road safety, she is aware that these are important issues on the political scene and will do what she can to support the government in taking them forward. Road safety, she added, is of great concern, particularly as already this year there have been four fatalities in Grand Cayman and “that really is very sad”. Immediately following this interview on 3 May, Owen departed for the airport to travel to the UK to attend King Charles III’s coronation events on 6 May, alongside Premier Wayne Panton, which she said will be a special privilege for her. “I can’t quite believe it and it will be a great pleasure to do it together with the Honorable Premier. So I’m really excited about it and really humbled to be able to go and very much looking forward to it,” she added. She praised the ties between Cayman and the UK, as she pointed to the Cayman Islands Regiment’s inclusion in the coronation parade. “The overseas territory relationship that we have between the United Kingdom and Cayman is a very important one. Cayman is the most populous of all of our overseas territories, and, of course, a very successful one, and also a most beautiful set of islands, which I’m hoping to be able to support as we protect and develop them,” she said. RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky With her cherished family photos adorning side tables at Government House, it’s clear Cayman’s new governor Jane Caroline Owen is settling in, but that does not mean she will remain locked away from the community behind the white gates on West Bay Road. In fact, Owen, speaking with the Cayman Compass on 3 May in her first round of media interviews since her 21 April swearing-in, said she intends to engage with the local community in a meaningful way and to become a part of the fabric that makes the Cayman Islands one of the “most beautiful” places to live. “I feel that you can’t really be governor unless you are going out and talking to people and hearing what they’ve got to say,” said Owen, who turned 60 on 15 April. “I really want to get under the skin of what people are thinking about, what they’re concerned about, and also... it’s fun getting around and understanding the different aspects [of the islands].” She added that she wants to continue “with enthusiasm” the legacy of community interaction left by former Governor Martyn Roper. “I’ve spoken quite a bit to Martyn, who’s been really generous with his time, and I have great respect for him and I know that was a very important part of his life here,” she said. Owen’s last posting was in Berne, Switzerland, where she worked for five years. Three months prior to arriving in Cayman, she spent time with her 90-year-old father in London, which she said was quite special to her. Loss and hope Owen opened up about her personal life in the sit-down interview. She shared that she lost her husband David Donnelly to cancer in 2017. The couple were married for 19 years. “My husband Dave died of cancer about six years ago, which was a really hard time for the family and a really sad time for us,” she said. This devastating loss has led to her being “quite interested in supporting the hospice and supporting charities that are looking at families going through that kind of thing”. Just a week after arriving on island, Owen supported Jasmine by attending the hospice’s Big Bash in Wonderland end-of-season fundraising gala. She spoke of her “two wonderful children,” Phoebe, 23, and James, 21. Phoebe is staying with her at Government House to help unpack, and her son James, who is finishing a computer science degree in East Anglia, Norwich, will be arriving on island in about six weeks to spend some of the summer here. “He is looking forward to it,” she added. Benji the dog While her kids will be leaving the nest for jobs in London, Owen is pleased to report that her four-legged baby Benji will be by her side throughout her time at Government House. Benji, a black Labrador, turned 13 on 3 May. She said he marked that day with a swim on Seven Mile Beach and a hearty roll in the sand. Owen added that Benji seems to love it here even more than the rest of the family does. “The next morning [after arriving], I got up very early and went for a walk on the beach with the dog and then went swimming, and the dog was able to go swimming in the sea. So he can’t believe how lucky he is,” she said, laughing. Since then, she added, whenever he comes back to the house from the beach, he’s covered in sand because he insists on rolling on the beach after being in the water. Owen says she has been in awe of Seven Mile Beach, and she recalled her first sunset from Government House, which was “particularly beautiful”. Local female leadership lauded As Cayman’s second female governor, Owen says it is “impressive” to see the number of women in senior posts here; however, she was quick to add that there should be no glass ceilings at all. “I think Cayman seems to be in a very strong place with this, but what we need to do is to make sure that there is no glass ceiling and that young women have role models to follow, and that we’re able also to create this sort of societal and workplace infrastructure that supports women wanting to carry on with their careers,” she said. Cayman’s first female governor was Helen Kilpatrick, who was appointed in 2013. Owen said, after having been an ambassador twice before, she feels that women are becoming more active in many walks of life. She welcomed Cayman’s introduction of sexual harassment legislation, which is out for public comment at this time. “I think it’s very important to protect At home with Governor Jane Owen cayman compass news N news WEEKLY, 5-11 MAY 2023 5NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Government has banned the importation of vehicles that are over eight years old. Premier Wayne Panton said the new restriction, which came into force on 1 May, is the first of a series of measures that he says are being introduced to address Cayman’s growing traffic-congestion problem. He said the issue has been exacerbated by the importation of almost 40,000 vehicles over the past decade. In a statement announcing the sudden restriction on older vehicles, Panton noted that, over the last three years, the percentage of imported cars between 11 and 20 years old nearly doubled, from 32% in 2020 to 63% in 2022. “These older vehicles are often cheaper to purchase but they are harder to maintain and will drive higher demand for replacement vehicles; these older vehicles end up abandoned and left for government to dispose of,” he said. He added that the importation restriction is “aimed at reducing traffic congestion and at increasing the fuel efficiency, emission standards, and overall safety of vehicles on our roads. The increase in the number of older cars also increases dangerous emissions as older vehicles are less fuel- efficient and more likely to cause air pollution.” In the statement, Customs and Border Control Director Charles Clifford said his department will “rigorously enforce” the new ban. Other Caribbean islands limit the age of vehicles that are allowed to be imported. Jamaica, for example, will not allow any vehicle that is older than five years old to be brought on the island. A press release issued by the Ministry of Labour and Border Control originally stated that the restriction applied to cars that were more than seven years old, but this was later amended to correct the information and clarify it applied to vehicles more than eight years old. Exemptions Government is allowing exemptions for agricultural, construction, engineering and maintenance vehicles. Panton said these exemptions for heavy machinery are being made because such vehicles are typically confined to work sites and do not usually impact everyday traffic. Omnibuses are also exempt, as are classic or antique cars. The restriction also does not apply to people who can provide Customs and Border Control with documentation that proves they ordered and purchased their vehicle before 1 May. Nearly 24,000 cars imported in last five years Cabinet, at its 25 April meeting, approved the Customs and Border Control (Prohibited Goods) (Amendment) Order, which introduced the new import restriction on any vehicle manufactured before 2016. Data from the Vehicle Imports Summary shows that 39,267 vehicles were imported between 2012 and 2022. The majority of those – 23,953 – were imported in the five years between 2018 and 2022, with an average of 4,790 cars being brought on island each year. Speaking of Radio Cayman’s For The Record show on 1 May, Panton said plans are under way to amend the Traffic Act to “make sure vehicles that are being brought in are up to standard, are roadworthy and reflect appropriate safety standards”. He noted that there are currently no checks on older imported vehicles to see if they have been subject to recalls by the manufacturer, so “we could be importing vehicles with multiple safety issues... These are the types of issues we are trying to address.” He said building more roads is not the full solution to the island’s traffic issues. “We need to have measures in place that provide these alternate solutions. We have had a 10,000 person increase in our population the last two years, and maybe even a little bit more, which has had a major impact. The solution is to control the amount of cars that are coming in, as far as possible, while minimising impacts on people and expanding the level of public transport.” In response to queries from callers who asked why the ban was not limited to work-permit holders, the premier said government had not ruled out further limiting vehicle importation or ownership for expat workers in the future, but for now, the importation restriction applied to everybody. Panton told For The Record presenter Orrett Connor that there are a number of other measures being explored to combat Cayman’s traffic problems, including more public transport options, park-and-ride systems for the eastern districts, car-pooling and introducing a school bus system for private schools. A mandate for private school buses? A private member’s motion by Opposition MP Alden McLaughlin to mandate private schools use buses was debated in Parliament on 27 April. Describing it as an easy fix, McLaughlin said this would provide a quick, positive impact on traffic congestion. McLaughlin said the benefit of private school buses may warrant government paying for the service, adding “none of us could think of any other single measure that in one fell swoop would reduce that amount of vehicles from the roads during the customary rush hours, particularly in the morning”. The motion suggested that duty concessions should be granted to private schools purchasing buses for the purposes of transporting students. Government supported the motion, although Education Minister Juliana O’Connor- Connolly pointed out that previous negotiations with private schools to voluntarily use buses “didn’t not go quite well” and were “vigorously” opposed. “So, from a voluntary basis, unless the leaders of the school and the parents of the students have drastically changed, we’re probably going to get the same reception this time,” she said. Panton said on the Radio Cayman show that his administration would “absolutely be considering” the use of buses in private schools, but added that it would be difficult for government to take a “hard stance” on mandating private schools use buses, as there is currently no such requirement for public schools. What vehicles are exempt? • Backhoes • Bulldozers • Crane trucks or boom trucks • Excavators • Forklifts • Front end loaders • Lorries • Mechanical shovels • Tractors • Track-laying or wheeled vehicles • Truck heads or trailer heads • Vehicles constructed or adapted for use on roads • Omnibuses, capable of carrying at least 10 passengers • Classic, vintage, antique, replica or kit cars, or other vehicle at least 30 years old and used for exhibitions, club activities or parades, but not for general transportation • Vehicles more than 8 years old that were ordered before 1 May Gov’t bans pre-2016 vehicle imports vehicles imported between 2012 and 2022 39,267 “The solution is to control the amount of cars that are coming in, as far as possible, while minimising impacts on people and expanding the level of public transport.” Premier Wayne Panton Used cars sit parked at the Customs storage yard. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay cayman compass 6 news N news WEEKLY, 5-11 MAY 2023Mass_NRG_WhiteLine_Bleed_OuterMask_CMYKcayman compass 7 WEEKLY, 5 11 MAY 2023PERSONAL BANKING | BUSINESS BANKIN G | FIDUCIARY & INVESTMENT SERVICES | FUND SERVICES caymannational.com Welcoming you soon at Kapok! Opening Tuesday 9 May at Kapok, Camana Bay Our newest Customer Service Centre opens next Tuesday, 9 May. You’ll find us conveniently located opposite Foster's supermarket at the corner of Steve Foster Way and Solaris Avenue. Visit caymannational.com for a guide to all our locations and ATMs. RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Nine months ago, Yvane Dixon-Powell faced every mother’s nightmare when her young daughter, Alissady Azalea Powell, disappeared from her bed, only to be found lifeless a short distance from her home. Dixon-Powell says she is no closer to knowing the truth about what happened to her two-year- old, but she believes she was deliberately killed. “It feels very much premeditated,” Dixon-Powell said in a recent Zoom interview with the Cayman Compass. “I’m not a person that is involved in drugs. There was no reason for my child to have been murdered or taken from me. No absolute reason,” Dixon-Powell said. She said her child was not one to walk around or be adventurous, and added she grieves for her “absolutely perfect” daughter every day. “She was no trouble at all. She was my best friend... I share a bond with each one of my kids. But Alissady... it was just something about her. She was special,” she said. “She was amazing, quiet, a real angel, and a real princess.” Case remains open Alissady was reported missing from her Cayman Brac home in the early hours of 26 July 2022. A couple of hours later, the toddler was found unresponsive by searchers combing the shoreline. A post- mortem was carried out, the results of which are now with the Coroner’s Office and have not been released to the public. Police, in a statement on 28 April, confirmed that the investigation into what they termed as “the unexplained death of the two- year-old child in Cayman Brac” remains open and ongoing. “Police continue in their efforts to establish all of the facts surrounding the circumstances of this tragic death. Officers have been in dialogue with the mother and other members of the child’s family and are keeping them updated on developments,” the RCIPS said in the statement. As the matter is still an open file with both the Coroner’s Office and the RCIPS, police said, “no comment can be made on any findings at this time”. Search for justice However, for Dixon-Powell, not knowing what happened to her daughter is like a never-ending nightmare. “It’s hard, it’s difficult, it’s overwhelming. I’m honestly just trying to keep it together and be there for my two older kids while I go through this process... It’s really only me because I’ve been doing this all by myself since my daughter died... fighting [for] justice for her and trying to really find out what has happened,” she said. Dixon-Powell said she commissioned a private forensic firm to conduct a probe on her behalf, which she shared with police. She is not willing to make the findings public while the police investigation remains ongoing. Police said they would “continually review all material and information provided to us”. Dixon-Powell appealed for anyone with information or who may have seen something to come forward to help solve her daughter’s case. “Whoever did it, and if they don’t come clean, I can only hope and pray that it really eats them up, that they can’t sleep, that they have restless nights. No parent, no mother should have to go through this,” she said. Life-changing tragedy Dixon-Powell said she often goes over the last moments she spent with her daughter, that final kiss she planted on little Alissady’s forehead after she wrapped her in her blankets in her bed. She said the morning of 26 July was like any other and she checked on her daughter throughout the night, as usual. “When I got back up at 4:30, I saw her blanket was off of her. So when I went to put her blanket on her, she was wet. So I changed her... wrapped her back up, kissed her on her forehead. That is something that I always do with my kids and I went back to bed,” she recalled. She said half-an-hour later, she heard the front door slam which caused her to jump. She headed towards the front door and, as she crossed Alissady’s room, she noticed her bed was empty. “I went inside the room, of course, to see maybe if she had rolled off the bed, but she wasn’t there. I automatically ran outside and I was just screaming and looking for her,” she recalled. Panic then set in. Dixon-Powell said, after searching the pool and the gazebo area at her apartment complex, she rushed back towards the apartment and called the police. Police officers and members of the community came out to search for Alissady. “My daughter is not one to be without me,” she said. “She is 100% a mama’s girl, she’s always with me. So I knew... she didn’t walk out.” She said, at that time, she believed that her daughter would be found safe. She remembers her cousin calling her and saying they had found Alissady and it was not too far away. “I jumped in the car anxiously. I was in my mind thinking ‘OK, they found her... my daughter is still alive’,” she said. The next thing she recalls is waking up in a hospital bed, having blacked out after arriving at the scene and being told her daughter’s body had been found. She has no idea where her child’s body was found, all she knows is it was 1.6 miles away, on the ironshore. The child’s body was discovered along the shoreline by a Cayman Brac Fire Service vessel around 9:30am, more than four hours after she was reported missing. Questions continue to swirl around what really happened to Alissady. “I can’t comprehend why something like this would’ve happened,” Dixon-Powell sobbed. “I don’t have bad blood on the road and I just don’t understand.” ‘Never-ending nightmare’ Mother seeks answers in Brac toddler death Yvane Dixon-Powell with her daughter Alissady Azalea Powell. - Photo: Supplied Alissady Azalea Powell was two years and 9 months old when she disappeared from her Cayman Brac home. – Photo: Supplied cayman compass 8 news N news WEEKLY, 5-11 MAY 2023NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky The Health Services Authority and police have run a drill of a scene no one would ever want to experience – a mass shooting inside a hospital. For 15 minutes on Tuesday, 25 April, patients, medical staff, visitors, contractors and police officers were engaged in an active- shooter drill inside the surgical and medical wards of the Cayman Islands Hospital, in a bid to prepare for a scenario that is almost unheard of in Cayman but is all too common in the United States. Natalie Harvey-Caum, a HSA health and safety manager as well as a registered nurse, told the Compass in an interview following the drill – the first of its kind at the hospital – that the authority is “mindful that violence is increasing”. She said a recent local rise in gun-related crimes, such as armed robberies, was not the impetus for this week’s active-shooter drill; rather, concerns raised following mass shootings in the US had prompted it. By mid-April, there had been more than 160 mass shootings in the US, according to media reports. “That’s more shootings this year in the US than there have been days,” Harvey-Caum said. “With that prevalence and increase in gun violence,” she said, “we decided we have to start thinking actively about this. We are very close to the US. We have to be vigilant and aware of what is happening. ... We decided we needed to be proactive and we needed to start preparing.” Five ‘victims’ In the scenario of the drill, the ‘shooter’ was not a stranger or an intruder – it was an HSA employee. “We had a perpetrator, an attacker, who was a member of staff. We have to think about all aspects. It’s not just visitors or patients that can be aggressive,” Harvey-Caum said, adding that anyone can be dealing with mental health issues. “We decided to use staff. That is where the training part came in. Most people taking part were not expecting a member of staff to be the perpetrator. That threw them off,” she added. During the drill, five people were ‘shot’, though on the advice of the RCIPS, no gun was used nor fake shots fired. Instead, the ‘gunman’ shouted “bang bang” when he ‘fired’, she explained. To ensure patients on the wards knew what was happening and would not be alarmed, Patient Services visited them beforehand to explain about the drill, and the hospital’s PA system was used to alert everyone of the exercise 30 minutes and 15 minutes beforehand. “The objectives of the drill was to test response time for the RCIPS, our internal responses, and the trauma call-out system. All three objectives were met,” Harvey-Caum said. “It was a success,” she added, though admitted, “We had a few hiccups or, should I say, opportunities. We are working on them to streamline it.” As part of the training to prepare for a potential shooting incident at the hospital, staff have been told to familiarise themselves with possible hiding places in their respective departments. “People think this could never happen here,” said Harvey-Caum. “We’ve started to sensitise people that even though we have never had this happen, it could happen.” Though not a mass shooting, there has previously been gun violence at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Amidst gang-related conflict in March 2005, a man was shot and killed at the hospital. The shooter was arrested by police following a pursuit, during which the gunman shot at an officer, but did not hit him. Harvey-Caum noted that the HSA training in how to respond to violent episodes in the hospital is not limited to guns, as incidents elsewhere have shown that items in hospital rooms, such as IV stands and even bed frames, can be used as weapons. Run, hide, fight She added, “We thought we needed this training for our staff, visitors and patients, as safety is paramount.” In preparing for the active-shooter exercise, she said, participants were trained to “run, hide or fight”. Harvey-Caum said staff are told to run as far away from the building as possible and let their manager know they are safe, while those in hiding should remain in a secure area. If fighting, which she called a last resort, they should only do so as part as a team. The drill ended for the hospital staff with the arrival of the RCIPS Firearms Response Unit. Similar drills are expected to be carried out at different areas of the hospital at later dates, and possibly at district clinics and Faith Hospital on Cayman Brac. A memorial to victims in Las Vegas following a mass shooting that killed 58 in October 2017. The HSA held its recent drill at the Cayman Islands Hospital as mass shootings continue unabated in the United States. - Photo: AmeriCantaro, via Adobe Stock US shootings prompt hospital active-shooter drill cayman compass 9 news N news WEEKLY, 5-11 MAY 2023Next >