cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 2-8 June 2023 Compass Media under new ownership Page 2 Runway may extend 1,900 feet into North Sound Page 3 Fears rise over fentanyl abuse Page 5 Plastics dilemma Photo: Rebecca Bird Green groups upset over ‘heartbreaking’ image of turtle eating plastic, as Cabinet considers ban Pages 20-22Matinees (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. FAST X (PG-13) (FRI, SUN-MON, WED) 3:15 VIP | 7:00 VIP | 7:00 | 9:45 | 9:50 VIP (SAT) 12:05 VIP | 12:55 | 3:15 VIP | 7:00 | 7:00 VIP | 9:45 | 9:50 VIP (TUES) 3:15 VIP | 7:00 | 9:45 | 9:50 VIP GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 (PG-13) (FRI-WED) 4:05 (THURS) 4:00 SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (PG) (FRI, SUN-WED) 3:45 | 3:55 VIP | 6:45 VIP | 7:20 | 9:35 VIP | 10:10 (SAT) 12:20 | 12:35 VIP | 3:45 | 3:55 VIP | 6:45 VIP | 7:20 | 9:35 VIP | 10:10 (THURS) 3:40 | 3:50 VIP | 6:40 VIP | 7:15 | 9:30 VIP | 10:05 THE BOOGEYMAN (PG-13) (FRI-WED) 10:10 VIP | 10:25 (THURS) 10:05 VIP | 10:20 THE LITTLE MERMAID (2023) (PG) (FRI, SUN-WED) 3:30 | 3:40 VIP | 6:30 VIP | 6:40 (SAT) 12:35 | 12:50 VIP | 3:30 | 3:40 VIP | 6:30 VIP | 6:40 (THURS) 3:25 | 3:35 VIP | 6:25 VIP | 6:35 WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK KIDS CLUB ALADDIN SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) CLASSICS FORREST GUMP TUESDAY 7PM VIP (PG-13) KIDS CLUB BEE MOVIE SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. Compass Centre, Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman, KY1-1108 Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 • Email: newsdesk@compassmedia.ky ADVERTISE WITH US: T: (345) 949-5111 • E: sales@compassmedia.ky • W: caymancompass.com weather Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy skies with a 10% chance of showers. SEA STATE Slight with a wave height of 1 to 3 feet. WINDS South to southeast at 5 to 10 knots. 88°F HIGH 76°F LOW NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES news in brief James Bergstrom, owner of Compass Media since 2019, has led the company through the pandemic; steered its restructuring into a modern media company; overseen the acquisition and integration of four radio stations, Z99 FM, Rooster Cayman Country FM, Gold FM and Island FM; and facilitated the sale of the commercial print business. Compass Media has been restructured to be able to survive the dramatic changes over the last few decades that severely challenged the company’s ability to survive, largely due to the rise of the Internet and shift from print to digital technology, with consumers turning to social media and other digital platforms rather than to investigative news. However, after five years, Bergstrom has agreed to sell the business to Dart Media and Entertainment, subject to the necessary regulatory approval. “Over the past five years, I have sought to continue the Cayman Compass’ long-standing role as an upholder of our well-run democracy and an important pillar of the community, while ensuring financial stability in an evolving media landscape. While I am grateful to have been a steward for the Compass and its long legacy of independent journalism, it’s an opportune time to hand the baton to an investor that shares that long-term vision for the broader Compass Media,” Bergstrom said. “Dart has displayed that long- term commitment to invest, even during challenging economic times, which makes them ideal partners to take Compass Media into the future.” This newspaper has a long legacy of upholding the highest levels of journalistic integrity since being founded in 1965 by Caymanian businessman Billy Bodden. This continued through various transitions including those that saw Brian Uzzell taking over as majority owner in 1974, then David and Vicki Legge’s Pinnacle Media bought the newspaper in 2013 and has been under James Bergstrom’s ownership since 2019. With the addition of the Hurley’s Media radio stations, the media offerings have expanded to better keep the Cayman community informed, entertained and connected. The management of the Compass Media and their teams have been integral to its success and evolution into a modern media company, and Dart values their continued contributions to the company. Dart is committed to protect the integrity of the company while providing financial stability, to ensure the Cayman Islands has an ethical, accurate and balanced source of news and current affairs. “We are committed to building on the solid foundation that has been laid since the Compass was founded more than a half century ago. We are steadfast in our determination to ensure the integrity of this important institution is protected. We will avail ourselves of relationships with industry leaders in local and international media, supporting the Compass as it continues to play its important role for decades to come,” said Dart Chief Executive Officer, Mark VanDevelde. Change of ownership at Compass Media Cops arrest 3 after reports of shots fired in West Bay Three men were detained by police following investigations into reports that shots were fired in the West Bay area on 29 and 30 May. Police, in a 30 May statement, said the men were arrested and were being held on suspicion of possession of an unlicensed firearm. Police said at about 12:30am on Sunday, 28 May, and again at about 8:20am on Monday, 29 May, officers received reports of shots fired in the vicinity of Bankers Road in West Bay. A suspicious vehicle was also reported to have been seen in the area in both incidents, police said. The RCIPS said officers conducted inquiries following the reports and located a vehicle Monday travelling along Pedro Castle Road matching the description of the suspicious vehicle. Firearms officers responded to the scene and recovered the vehicle. Police said the three men found in the vicinity were arrested. Officers are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious in the area around the time of these incidents, or has any information to contact the police. Police contact driver in tourist collision case Police have said they have contacted the driver of a car that struck a visiting tourist in George Town earlier last month. The female cruise tourist was crossing near the Butterfield roundabout by the Esterley Tibbetts Highway on 18 May when the incident happened. Initially the woman’s husband wrote a post on a popular Cayman social media page asking for the public’s help in identifying the driver – but he has since taken it down. “For now, I cannot post more about the incident as I’ve been instructed this is an ongoing investigation,” he wrote in a replacement post. A press release issued 30 May police acknowledged the recent posts and “public concern on social media regarding a collision”. “The incident was reported to police that day and the investigation into the matter has been ongoing,” the release stated, noting that the vehicle involved in the collision had been also been identified and officers contacted the driver. “Police are also in contact with the pedestrian, who was a visitor to the island, and her family,” according to the release. The tourist’s husband said a woman in the car behind the one that struck his wife, drove them both to the Royal Watler Cruise Terminal after the incident. In a social media post, he said they “especially need” a witness statement from her and asked her to contact the police. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has further information can call the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit on 649-6254. cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 2-8 JUNE 2023NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky A new Airport Master Plan will involve expanding the Owen Roberts International Airport runway in Grand Cayman 1,900 feet into the North Sound, at a cost of $28 million, officials have confirmed. Cabinet last week approved an outline business case for four specific airport-related projects, contained within the 20-year master plan, which will cost a total of almost $76 million. As well as the expansion of the runway to 1,900 feet – to accommodate larger airplanes on long-haul routes – the government plans to build a new $42 million general aviation terminal and spend $4.7 million on air traffic control surveillance at Owen Roberts. It also plans to carry out runway end safety area works at the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport on Cayman Brac at a cost of $1.15 million. Several other airport-related projects were included in the outline business case, which amounted to an investment of $800 million over 20 years, but Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said completing this entire slate of recommendations “is not feasible to consider in the current economic environment”. $20 increase in air passenger fees Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, 30 May, to announce the plan, Bryan said government would not have to borrow or dip into any reserves to pay for the four approved projects, as a $20 increase in air passenger fees will cover the costs. This will include a $5 increase in the terminal fee and a new airport development fee of $15. Bryan noted that the airport development fee will only be applied during the construction period, which is estimated to be six years, from 2024 to 2029. Cayman Islands Airports Authority chief executive officer Albert Anderson said discussions would first be needed with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) about how the airlines could build the additional fees into their ticket prices. “That typically takes about six months, so we’re expecting 1 January,” to introduce the increased fees, he said. He told the Compass that about 750,000 air passengers, including more than half-a-million tourists, passed through Cayman’s airports in 2019, so once arrivals return to pre-pandemic numbers, the additional $20 fee could earn the government an extra $15 million a year to pay for the expansion and air traffic control projects. Bryan noted that an analysis of comparable airports in the Caribbean “shows that the Cayman Islands passenger-related airport fees would come more in line with destinations such as Jamaica and the Bahamas. In other words, we would not be pricing ourselves out of the market.” Environmental impact assessments An environmental impact assessment will be carried out on the runway projects on both Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Commenting on the EIA for the runway extension into the North Sound, project manager Roy Williams said while that assessment will examine the potential impacts of the work, an earlier exploration by Jacobs Consultancy in 2008 indicated that “the effect of any impacts out there is basically related to seagrass only”. He said that the Airports Authority sent an EIA scoping application to the Department of Environment on 5 May, and once that has been completed by the Environmental Assessment Board, a request for proposals will be issued to select a consultant to carry out the study. Scoping is the stage that sets out what needs to be assessed in an EIA and what information may be needed to identify the likely significant effects from the development. Bryan added that “previous experience has shown that the probability of the severity of the environmental impact may be minimal, but we won’t know that until it starts”. Williams said coastal mangroves “will not be touched” as part of the project. With the EIAs expected to take about 12 months to complete, followed by the design and procurement stage, Williams estimated that construction is unlikely to begin before mid-2025. The EIA will be funded by money from the Cayman Islands Airports Authority budget, Anderson confirmed, and will not be taken from the Environmental Protection Fund. He said the EIAs on Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman were expected to be carried out at the same time, and the four projects would be done “in tandem”, though the air traffic management element would have priority. He noted that, currently, air traffic controllers at Owen Roberts use a manual method called “procedural control”. He said, from a safety perspective, “we’ve now reached a point where modern surveillance systems are necessary, and this project, therefore, is a top priority”. Larger aircraft on extended runway Anderson, in response to questions regarding what types of aircraft would be able to land on the expanded runway, said ‘Code E’ planes, which include the Boeing 777 and 787, and the A350 Airbus, would be able to land fully loaded. Currently, British Airways flies a 777 from London Heathrow to Cayman, via Nassau, Bahamas, but it is not landing or taking off with a full load. “This will allow a fully loaded, fully fuelled Code E aircraft to depart and land at Owen Roberts,” he said. Director of Tourism Rosa Harris said, over the past three years, a number of airlines had expressed interest in adding Cayman to their long-haul routes, including Eurowings, which is Germany’s Lufthansa Group’s low-cost airline; Norway’s Norse Atlantic Airways; and the UK’s Virgin Atlantic. She said discussions with Eurowings and Virgin had faltered because of the current length of the runway. During the public consultation process last year, consultants had recommended extending the runway at Owen Roberts 1,000 feet into the North Sound – a length that has almost doubled in the latest version of the master plan. Little Cayman airport not included Consultants working on the new master had indicated at public consultation meetings held in November last year, that the airport in Little Cayman should also be considered a priority, as it is unlicensed, on privately-owned land, and operates on the basis of special temporary exemptions from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands. The master plan proposes building a new airport on the island, but Bryan said the government simply does not have the budget to include this in the current outline business case. (See related story on page 11.) Regional competition The tourism minister said the 286-page master plan “builds upon previous airport master plans and clearly identifies the opportunities and constraints associated with our existing airport infrastructure and includes recommendations for improvement”. Pointing out that about a quarter of Cayman’s gross domestic product is derived from tourism, Bryan said airport growth was necessary if Cayman is to compete successfully with islands in the region, such as Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, which all have made or are in the process of making airport expansions. He added that managing the capacity, capability and competitiveness of Cayman’s airports is a strategic imperative that cannot be ignored. The Ministry of Tourism stated that a copy of the master plan would be released publicly, but this was not available by press time. $76M airports plan: Runway to extend 1,900 feet into North Sound The four projects and their price tags • Extend runway at Owen Roberts International Airport: $28 million • Improve the air traffic control surveillance at Owen Roberts: $4.7 million • New general aviation facility: $42 million • Runway end safety area works, commonly known as RESA, at Cayman Brac’s Charles Kirkconnell International Airport: $1.15 million This image shows the planned expansion of the Owen Roberts International Airport runway into the North Sound. - Image: Courtesy of Ministry of Tourism cayman compass 3 news N news WEEKLY, 2-8 JUNE 20231234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Bitter and sour (7) 5 Excessive hurry (5) 8 Meekly (4,1,4) 9 Having a tendency (3) 10 Carry on (4) 12 Object of intense dislike (8) 14 Customer (6) 15 Unconventional (3-3) 17 Not fit for eating (8) 18 Play the leading role (4) 21 Seed of apple for example (3) 22 Institution beyond criticism (6,3) 24 Inflexible (5) 25 Fail to carry out orders (7) DOWN 1 Assign (5) 2 Largest living deer (3) 3 Tolerate (4) 4 Crevice (6) 5 Regular (8) 6 Whipping-boy (9) 7 Short passage from book etc. (7) 11 Person used in an experiment (6,3) 13 Impartial (8) 14 Fast sailing ship (7) 16 Unruffled (6) 19 Noisy and disorderly (5) 20 Minus (4) 23 Young lion (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17333 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 17333 ACROSS: 1 Acerbic, 5 Haste, 8 Like a lamb, 9 Apt, 10 Wage, 12 Anathema, 14 Client, 15 Way-out, 17 Inedible, 18 Star, 21 Pip, 22 Sacred cow, 24 Rigid, 25 Disobey. DOWN: 1 Allow, 2 Elk, 3 Bear, 4 Cranny, 5 Habitual, 6 Scapegoat, 7 Extract, 11 Guinea pig, 13 Unbiased, 14 Clipper, 16 Placid, 19 Rowdy, 20 Less, 23 Cub. What they’re saying Online Letters to the editor Green groups upset over ‘heartbreaking’ image of turtle eating plastic The litter is not just on the beach. It is pervasive throughout this Island. I walk everywhere as I don’t have a car. Each time I go out I take a large trash bag and fill it with trash discarded on the roads and intentionally tossed into the bushes: Plastic bags filled with fast food remains, beer bottles, water bottles, cigarette boxes, straws, wrappers, cans… This beautiful Island is destined to become a Caribbean dump. Anne Evans Bryan, Seymour call for moratorium on Caymanian status grants Finally something intelligent and that matters to Caymanians!! Hear our pleas and we will support! Medias O. Preventing permanent residents from obtaining status and the right to vote would have no effect on the demand for housing for the obvious reason that all of these people, whether work permit holders or permanent residents were already living somewhere. In fact, it’s a condition of their work permit. To truly reduce the pressure on housing one needs to stop awarding work permits. This would certainly cause the population to decline, along with government revenue from work permit fees. Government income would also drop due to the reduced sales of expensive real estate. All of these things would hurt, not help, Caymanian people. As for the eating of turtle meat; I have many born Caymanian friends, none of whom eat turtle meat. Furthermore, no one I know has proposed that eating it should be banned. This is a smoke screen. People do not automatically get permanent residence after eight years, only a limited number of people qualify, those who truly contribute to this country. What we need is better standards of education in our schools. Norman L. I spend about five months on the island [a year] for the past 17 years. I know many people who were rolled over after nine years. They did not want to vote, they only wanted to continue working and helping the country. What is happening is that qualified people are forced to leave and then new people have to be trained. There must be a way that people can stay on the island for extended periods of time without becoming citizens Bruce L. This is concerning isolationist actions coming from Kenneth Bryan and Dwayne Seymour. If they want to protect Cayman they will do it at the expense of revenue because this will drive people away from our shores. As a tax-free jurisdiction how else are they going to raise funds to keep Cayman as a first world Caribbean destination? The burden to pay their exorbitant salaries will fall further on the common Caymanians’ shoulders. Josh L. Many of those obtaining status are educated people who have lived other places, worked hard, contribute to Cayman, and bring positive ideas to government – outside of cronyism and patronage. Is that what you are afraid of? J A. What a pile of rubbish. Never did I hear something so crazy. The housing issue has nothing to do with status and/or residency. Smoke and mirrors. Maybe limit the number of properties overseas investors can purchase. Ah, but that would reduce the funds going into the government coffers! Can’t have it all ways. Joanna V. Gordon, Brown qualify for NCAA outdoor championships That’s awesome! Congratulations! So very proud of these young men. Student athletes work incredibly hard in the classroom and in training and competing. What great results for them. Kathy Leggatt Jackson Seeing a Cayman turtle attempt to eat plastic [see Issues section starting on page 20], is a warning to all Caymanians and tourists alike. Plastic kills sea life and otherwise ruins our habitat. We humans share our island with the native species. They are helpless to rid the island of dangerous things such as plastic. Please do not litter, and pick up any litter you see in or near our precious sea. Daniel J Spiegel Get rid of plastic trash Which option do you support for how to redraw Grand Cayman’s constituency boundaries? OPTION 1: (International Standards): Bodden Town area granted 5 constituencies (as dictated by its population). East End and North Side combined to form a single constituency but because this constituency would deviate from ideal by over 10%, some of the population would be moved into one of the Bodden Town constituencies OPTION 2: (No Crossing District Boundaries): Bodden Town granted 5 constituencies. East End and North Side combined to form a single constituency that deviates by slightly over 11% from ideal constituency size. OPTION 3: (All Districts Guaranteed At Least One Constituency): East End and North Side each retain their own constituency and Bodden Town retains only 4 constituencies, all of which would be over-populated well beyond 10% of the ideal constituency population. OPTION 4: (Add Parliamentary Seat or Two): North Side and East End can retain their own constituencies and Bodden Town can be granted 5 constituencies only if an additional constituency/parliamentary seat is added. This is a constitutional issue and beyond the remit of the Electoral Boundary Commission. OTHER: National vote on the issue OTHER: None of the above 8% 20% 11% 6% 13% 42% cayman compass ONLINE POLL cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 2-8 JUNE 2023WEEKLY, 2-8 JUNE 2023THE HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE BE PREPARED! The hurricane season is here. Get ready with us. Visit our website for hurricane preparedness tips www.waterauthority.ky Water Authority - Cayman RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky In light of recent fentanyl seizures, local authorities are calling for a public education campaign on the dangers of using, or even coming into contact with, the illegal drug as well as wider access to the antidote Narcan. Psychiatric nurse Miles Clerkin says with fentanyl being found locally, the community should be able to buy the treatment, which comes in nasal form, at local pharmacies, and make the antidote part of their first aid kits. “Narcan will take all the opiates that got put into your body... [it] blocks them instantly,” he said, adding that all first responders should have this for themselves or to treat someone they may encounter suffering an overdose. A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that overdose deaths from fentanyl hit record levels in 2021 in the US and the death toll is rising. Health Services Authority Chief Pharmacist Colin Medford says Cayman is not immune to the threat of fentanyl, and the need for public education is pressing as Customs and Border Control agents have already thwarted attempts to smuggle the drug through local ports. “To have a drug like this, or any drug at all, made accessible to lay persons or to young people or any person who is a user is a very dangerous thing. Once it gets out, once the horse gets out of the gate and starts to run wild, it’s very difficult to contain it again,” Medford said. Clerkin agreed. He said after having seen the effects firsthand of opiate abuse when he worked in Massachusetts, it will take a big public push to educate people. Ignorance can lead to death Medford said fentanyl had surpassed many other drugs as a cause of death, according to statistics from the California Department of Public Health. “Based on preliminary 2021 data, there were 6,843 opioid-related overdose deaths in California; 5,722 of these deaths were related to fentanyl,” he said. However, the more startling impact, he said, was that in 2021 there were 224 fentanyl-related overdose deaths among teens aged 15 to 19. “That has been attributed to ignorance of what the drug is, what it can do, and also because of the way in which it was marketed to them. They just took it for granted and used it and killed themselves, and that is the kind of fear that I have as far as this drug is concerned... someone may take one dose and that’s the end of it for them, and the possibility of that is highly likely,” Medford said. The CDC reported that 70,000 people in the US died of drug overdoses that involved fentanyl in 2021, a 24.1% increase over 2020. Medford said he would not be able to say if Cayman has logged any fentanyl-related deaths, but education starts in the schools as it is one of the easiest places for trends to begin. A problem we cannot ignore Fentanyl, he said, is the most potent synthetic opioid on the market; it is about 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and about 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin or dihydromorphine, which is described as a semi- synthetic opioid related to morphine. With such a high potency, he said, there is a lot of concern as the adverse effects can occur quite rapidly, and with the illegal manufacture of the drug there is no way to tell what is being mixed with it or in what quantities. It can also be absorbed through the skin which makes it a safety concern for those working on the front lines. “The idea right now is to curb accessibility to this product as much as possible. Try as much as possible to catch it coming across our borders. That is going to be very difficult, considering people are very creative when it comes to getting these things into countries,” he said. CBC officers in Cayman most recently made a fentanyl seizure on 24 Feb. when, during the inspection of a parcel at the Airport Post Office, they discovered 200 tablets in an incoming package. Fentanyl concerns on the rise, local experts warn of abuse Potentially deadly fentanyl can come in many shapes, forms and colours. - Photo: Courtesy of Customs and Border Control PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14» cayman compass 5 news N news WEEKLY, 2-8 JUNE 2023RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky As Darren McLean embarks on the final leg of what has been a near 11-year journey to become the first Caymanian police helicopter pilot, he is urging other young Caymanians to consider following the trail he has blazed. “The journey will be a little challenging. The journey will be long, but you can do it, whoever you are. If I’m speaking to someone right now, who is the next person after me, just know that you can get through it. You have the support,” McLean told the Cayman Compass in a recent Zoom interview. McLean, an auxiliary constable, recently received his pilot wings, and is in the United Kingdom where he will spend the next year flying operations as a single-pilot captain. This followed his secondment with National Helicopter Services Ltd in Trinidad where he logged more than 1,000 hours twin-turbine flight time, and completed more than 3,000 takeoffs and landings. Goal in sight McLean said receiving his wings was a “surreal moment”. “It’s one step closer to the ultimate goal, which would be, of course, a captain in Cayman for the RCIPS. To me, the finish line is just one step closer. I’m almost to my end goal,” he said. McLean said he was looking towards flying in the UK to build his hours and then return to Cayman to take the pilot’s seat for the Air Operations Unit. Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne, who presented McLean with his pilot wings upon his return to Cayman recently, said in a statement, that the future “is very bright for Darren as he begins this next step. He is not only on the verge of being our first Caymanian police helicopter pilot, he is also serving as an example for other Caymanians who may one day follow in his footsteps”. McLean recounted his first time flying in Trinidad, which was at his first assessment for his secondment. Everything happened quickly for that test, as after he got the call to attend, he had to leave Cayman within a day to fly a 14-seater helicopter. “I was nervous. A lot of pressure was on me to succeed at the time, and I wanted to make my country proud as well. I was sent away to accomplish something and that was the first step, that was the first obstacle I had to overcome,” he recalled. He said, before that, he had only flown two-seater helicopters, so it was very different flying a 14-seater. “At first I was trying to get back into things as it was a while since I flew. So I did about three patterns, and on the last time the chief pilot [said], ‘Alright, Darren, you did a good job here, so I think we can take you on.’ It was a big moment because that was the start of my official journey,” he said. Path set for others RCIPS Air Operations Unit Inspector Neil Mohammed, who helped McLean along his journey when he first started in 2017, said, he was “extremely proud” to see his progress. McLean, he said, faced one of the toughest assessments in the Caribbean when he first started with National Helicopter Services Limited. “So, for him to have gotten past that first hill with the chief pilot Sean Reid, was a major accomplishment for him,” Mohammed said, adding that he is very confident that McLean will continue “to do us proud and continue serving his country and just being a role model for those behind him”. “We didn’t really have a path in place, nothing set out. This development with Darren was being written as we experienced it,” he said. He said there is now a clear plan and path for the unit to train another Caymanian to join the team in the cockpit. “All the lessons learned and pathways that we have developed with Darren will be committed to a document that will set out the pathway to develop another young Caymanian. We are very desirous of that happening. It’s just a matter of when,” Mohammed said. McLean, while in the UK, will gain the necessary single-pilot captain hours to qualify to fly for the RCIPS Air Operations Unit, but the RCIPS said in a statement that his UK secondment will also allow “him to gain experience flying in different weather conditions, over different terrain, and in a much busier airspace”. All of this will serve him well when he returns to Cayman to take up his post as helicopter pilot on the Air Operations Unit, the RCIPS added. McLean said the road has been tough along the way and many have only seen a small fraction of what he has put into getting to this stage. However, he said, while he has felt the pressure to succeed, he held firm to his faith in those times of strain and his goal to keep going. “God got me through everything that I set my mind to,” he said. “He helped me through. There is a lot of commitment, a lot of sacrifice. This took me 11 years, a consistent five years of training, so whoever comes next, they have to know that, yes, it is a big commitment, but the reward is great as well. You are serving your country.” McLean said his hope is to encourage at least one more person to become an RCIPS pilot and if he is able to do that, “I know I’ve done my job”. 3,000 The number of take-offs and landings Ebanks carried out during his secondment in Trinidad Countdown to completion First Caymanian police pilot looks to final leg Darren McLean on his last day at National Helicopter Services Ltd in Trinidad, with Director of Operations Captain Marcel Wharwood. Darren McLean receives his wings from Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne. - Photos: Supplied WATCH THE VIDEO ONLINE CAYMANCOMPASS.COM cayman compass 6 news N news WEEKLY, 2-8 JUNE 2023TRUNK SALE SATURDAY, 10 JUNE 6-10 AM COMPASS CENTRE PARKING LOT REGISTER FOR A SPOT TO SELL YOUR GOODS! Registration on Saturday, 10 June: $30 per vehicle Pre-registration: $25 per vehicle Register at community@compassmedia.ky 100% OF REGISTRATION PROCEEDS GOING TO: RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Following calls from local and international bodies for support for dementia sufferers and a government-led plan to deal with the disease, the Health Ministry has presented a $50,000 grant to the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association of the Cayman Islands, saying it is committed to working towards a formal national plan. Health Minister Sabrina Turner announced the one-off grant in a statement Monday afternoon, saying the funds are separate from the organisation’s request for consistent funding, which is being reviewed as part of the 2024-2025 budget cycle. “However, my hope is that these funds will provide more stability, and help to enhance the organisation’s internal capacity, as they deliver numerous services to individuals, families and the community,” she said. The Compass highlighted the plight of dementia patients earlier this year as local advocates called for more resources and a national plan. The issue was again raised last month as Alzheimer’s Disease International chief executive officer Paola Barbarino called for governments within the Caribbean, including in the Cayman Islands, to develop a national dementia plan with some urgency as the dementia crisis looms. Dorothy Davis, founder and chair of ADACI, welcomed the government support. “ADACI is committed to working with the Ministry however is necessary. We are also happy to state that we have, in fact, made some progress when it comes to laying down the foundation for a national dementia plan,” Davis said, in the ministry statement. She said communication with the ministry has been established and awareness and education work in the community is ongoing, “all things which many other places in the region have not yet been able to get to.” The ADACI grant, the ministry said, will help the organisation with operational costs, which include providing care packages to individuals in need of assistance. Cayman’s dementia picture unclear Barbarino, in a Zoom interview with the Compass on 26 May, said the Caribbean is expected to see an increase of 155% in dementia cases by 2050, up from over 291,000 in 2019 to 744,000. She says it is important that countries make dementia a policy priority. “Dementia is a very big issue, and it is not just concerning a medical area... but also a social welfare area because so much of it impacts on caring, impacts on family. So we do need these plans to be proper plans, really properly thought out,” she told the Compass. She added there are new therapies and medicines coming out “so people will want to be diagnosed and so many countries don’t even have that. So we need this plan.” Cayman’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nick Gent, in a statement issued Monday, 29 May, said the health ministry has been working to gain a better understanding of local data when it comes to non- communicable diseases. “Understanding the local prevalence of dementia is essential in order for us to take a data-driven approach to decision making that takes into consideration not only what is happening now, but also what will be necessary in the future. “At the moment, we have a very good system of providing in-home care to persons diagnosed with dementia,” he said, adding that does not mean that “there is no room for improvements”. Burden of care According to HSA statistics released by health ministry in 2021, there were 1,053 people in Cayman diagnosed with dementia, the majority of whom had Alzheimer’s. There has been no updated figure since then; however, the health ministry said in January it was working on determining the prevalence of dementia cases. Discussions around dementia, Gent said, must include the burden of care of the disease on family members and caregivers. “We appreciate the severity and destructiveness of this terrible illness which robs family of their connection and interaction with loved ones, and the tremendous sacrifice that care demands,” he added. Turner said a national dementia plan is one that extends beyond the health ministry. She said ADACI has been doing a “tremendous job” educating the community on how a dementia diagnosis impacts all facets of an individual’s life. “There is a social component, a financial component, an educational component for family and caregivers, legal components, physical safety components, nutrition, and so much more. No one is questioning that health will need to lead the way, in partnership with organisations like ADACI,” Turner said. However, to do this effectively, she said, the health ministry “has to be equipped with accurate and relevant data that will move those partners to action.” Lack of regional progress ‘disappointing’ Barbarino said it was disappointing that only 16% of Caribbean countries have made progress on developing a national plan. Last week the ADI issued an urgent call to meet the 2025 deadline for World Health Organization member states to be able to follow through on their 2017 National Dementia Plans. It reported that only around 20% of member states have followed through on their plans. In 2017, it said, all 194 WHO member states unanimously agreed to address the growing risk and threat of dementia and adopted the Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017-2025. The plan was “aimed to improve the lives of those living with dementia as well as their carers while mitigating the impacts of the neurological condition on wider communities,” an Alzheimer’s Disease International statement said. With dementia, Barbarino said, people are more aware that it’s a disease, but to make it a public priority, governments have to admit that there is a problem. “Many governments are still in denial. They don’t believe that it’s a disease. Indeed, 62% of doctors and nurses don’t believe it’s a disease globally. So this is a big problem because if the doctors don’t know the disease, then how can you help people,” she said. She added time is running out to tackle dementia as “it is one of the greatest public health threats of our time”. Cayman is moving forward Davis, of ADACI, told the Compass while dementia here is not a crisis yet, “it will become a social service burden, and it could become a burden on our healthcare system if we don’t recognise and do something soon.” She said the disease is complex and so too is finding a solution to address it, and it will take resources and a change in how the disease is viewed. “Stigma is still a big problem because they attached dementia to mental health rather than a brain disease,” Davis said. Davis said the local association has soft launched a dementia friends programme, in which elderly people are checked on by neighbours and others in the community. She said with the funds raised from the 2022 Deputy Governor’s 5K she will be able to formally start the programme. She added that there is need for a care facility here along with funding for it. Davis said there are plans to host a dementia conference in Cayman in November. Alzheimer’s Disease International CEO Paola Barbarino. - Photo: ADI Government grants $50,000 to assist Alzheimer’s association Advocates are calling for countries to make dementia a policy priority. cayman compass 7 news N news WEEKLY, 2-8 JUNE 2023RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Cayman’s community has rallied to help local animal charity CARE by sending donations after thieves stole the charity’s work truck battery. CARE director Mary-Anne Lawrence, speaking with the Cayman Compass following the theft, said the charity was grateful for the prompt and generous donations. “It’s just absolutely wonderful. The Cayman community always rallies around when something like this happens and we’re just so very grateful that we haven’t had to dip into our funds for this. It’s truly appreciated,” she said. CARE, which stands for Cayman Animal Rescue Enthusiasts, posted about the theft of the battery, as well as large bags of dog food, on its Facebook page Saturday, calling for the community’s help. By Sunday, she said, the charity had received around $250, which covered the cost of the battery, and “any excess will just go into our spay and neuter fund”. “The work we do is very dear to us. We provide zero-cost spay/neuter for the community. So it’s absolutely essential that we’re able to get out into community neighbourhoods to speak with pet owners. This van is crucial to the work we do,” she said. Lawrence said it was only when volunteers turned up at Paddington Place, where the work van was parked, on Saturday morning, 27 May, that they realised the truck had been tampered with. She said they have been parking there for years and never had an issue until now. After buying a new battery for the truck from the donations received and placing it into the vehicle, Lawrence said the charity would be parking the van in a different location in future. She said the police have dusted the van for fingerprints and there may be some security cameras which may help find those responsible. Lawrence added that perhaps the thieves had not noticed the CARE wrap around the van or maybe they did not care. Either way, she said it was upsetting that this has happened. “We really struggle to raise funds for the work that we do and it all goes back to the animals,” she said. “So it’s very disheartening to know that someone would take from us, because essentially they’re not taking from us; they’re taking from the animals, at the end of the day.” Thieves steal battery, dog food from animal charity “This van is crucial to the work we do.” Mary-Anne Lawrence, director, CARE CARE issued a call for donations after the battery for its truck was stolen. - Photo: CARE Facebook page cayman compass 8 news N news WEEKLY, 2-8 JUNE 2023SEAFORD RUSSELL JR srussell@compassmedia.ky Hundreds of people participated in the March for Jesus on Saturday, 27 May, which organisers plan to make into an annual event. “It was about unity, peace and praise,” organiser Kattina Anglin said. “It was a clean and dignified family-friendly march without any offence to the law on public decency in dress, behaviour or in the choice of music.” A number of public figures attended the march and motorcade along West Bay Road, including MP Barbara Conolly. At the end of the march, which began at Seven Mile Public Beach, praise and worship was held in front of the Parliament building in George Town. “We estimate that around 750-850 people participated in the event between the motorcade, in and out of the march, and at the praise and worship concert as well,” Anglin said. “The line of cars for the motorcade was more than a half- mile long.” Sections of West Bay Road were closed by police as the march proceeded along the route. Anglin noted that some people came forward during the procession wanting to learn more about Christianity. She said that the event was necessary to show the country that the Christian community which Cayman was built on remains strong. “The church had been too silent for too long; the island needed to hear that not only is there an active body of Christ here in Cayman, but also that God is still alive, still in control, and still reigns from heaven above. “I am overjoyed that we were obedient to the Lord as it brought pure joy to see the families together participating in a truly healthy event.” The March for Jesus is held in a number of countries worldwide, after it originated among a group of churches in the United Kingdom in 1987. Hundreds attend Christian march Hundreds of participants marched for Jesus at the event on Saturday, 27 May. - Photo: Courtesy of Progressives Fackbook page cayman compass news N news WEEKLY, 2-8 JUNE 2023 9Next >