2nd mystery gun for hire detected Page 5 Heroes ’ welcome for Cayman’s Special Olympians Page 24 cayman compass $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 30 June - 6 July 2023 Established 1965 BUSH CHARGED WITH RAPE • Former premier appears in court • Charges linked to allegation from 20 years ago • Bush insists he is innocent and will fight charges • Political colleagues silent on latest controversy Your most trusted news source Sponsored by the Cayman Maritime Heritage Foundation Book tells of bravery on the high seas Pages 12-13PRINTED 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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WINDS East to northeast at 5 to 10 knots 90°F HIGH 80°F LOW news in brief State funeral for late Captain Eldon Kirkconnell Cayman will say its final farewell to former legislator Captain Eldon Kirkconnell on Saturday, 1 July, as Cayman Islands government hold a state funeral in his honour. A two-day mourning period will precede the official funeral for Kirkconnell, who passed away on 8 June, at the age of 96. He was the former elected legislator for the Sister Islands and a former member of the Executive Council. On 30 June, an official lying-in-state will be held at the House of Parliament from 10am until 2pm ahead of the 1 July funeral service at the Church of God Chapel, Walkers Road, George Town, which begins at 3pm. Sunken Cayman Mermaid being removed Attempts are being made to remove the partially submerged 31-tonne Cayman Mermaid boat from the bottom of Governors Creek in Grand Cayman. Roylee Moore, acting cruise operations and security manager at the Port Authority, confirmed that a salvage company has been working to recover the vessel since 23 June. A large salvage barge was positioned near the sunken 76- foot multi-deck boat this week as work to remove the vessel commenced. It is expected that airbags will be attached to the hull and inflates to float the boat – while using pumps to remove the water – before it is towed, Moore said. The decades-old passenger boat, which was abandoned several years ago, started to sink on 24 May and is now resting on the bottom of the 12-foot-deep creek. He said the cause of the Cayman Mermaid sinking will be determined once it is out of the water. 68 kilos of cocaine worth $1.3M washes ashore Over the last five weeks, 68 packets, each containing one kilogramme of cocaine, have washed ashore in the Cayman Islands, with the most recent being discovered along the shoreline of Cayman Brac 21 June, police say. The recovered cocaine is estimated to be worth around $1.3 million, based on the $19,000-per-kilo ‘conservative’ value the RCIPS quoted in its 2022 crime statistics for seizures of the drug last year. Police received six separate reports of members of the public finding the packages on the shorelines in all three islands. The first two were reported on Little Cayman, on 22 and 25 May, followed by a similar report on Cayman Brac on 5 June. Then, on 12 June, 18 packages were discovered in Bodden Town and another 25 washed up on Little Cayman. On 21 June, 22 more packages were recovered from the shore in Cayman Brac, police said. Second Scotiabank robbery suspect held Police have arrested a second man for the robbery at Scotiabank on Crewe Road on 16 June. The 47-year-old suspect has been bailed on “strict conditions pending further investigation”, police said. On the day of the robbery, officers arrested a 27-year- old George Town man, who was subsequently charged with robbery, attempted robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm with intent to commit robbery. A police report at the time noted that two men, one armed with a handgun, had robbed a customer at the bank by the Grand Harbour roundabout around 11:10am on Friday, 16 June, before making off on foot. Rental scam charges sent to Grand Court Three dozen scamming- related charges laid against Judith Douglas has been sent to the Grand Court for hearing. Prosecutor Hema Soondarsingh, who appeared on behalf of her colleague Kerri-Ann Gillies in the case on 27 June, indicated that the Crown elected the matter be tried in the Grand Court. Douglas, 57, of Bodden Town, faces 36 counts of obtaining property by deception. The charges stem from allegations that Douglas collected cash deposits from multiple people for a rental premises on Diaz Lane, George Town, in February this year. However, those people were unable to move into the apartment or receive a refund. In a statement released by the RCIPS on 14 June, police said the charges involve sums ranging from $700 and $3,400. Douglas was remanded into custody and will appear in Grand Court on 7 July. Opposition calls for increase in seafarers stipend Opposition leader Roy McTaggart has asked the government to increase stipends for former seafarers and military veterans in its next budget. McTaggart, through a video message on 27 June, said the current $950 per month ex gratia payment is not enough, and should be increased to $1,500 as a priority. This will help to support the most vulnerable and counter “skyrocketing inflation”, the Progressives leader said. McTaggart said one of the hallmarks of a fair and inclusive society is how those in need are supported, and “the Cayman Islands’ people have a proud tradition of caring for each other”. But sometimes the government needs to step in to help, he said. Captain Eldon Kirkconnell, 23 June 1926 - 8 June 2023. cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 30 JUNE - 6 JULY 2023Former Premier McKeeva Bush says he intends to fight against charges of rape and indecent assault brought against him on Wednesday, 28 June, in relation to offences that were alleged to have taken place 23 years ago. Bush, 68, was not in court in person on Wednesday, instead appearing via Zoom from the police detention centre, which he had attended that morning and where he had been arrested. A brief statement by the RCIPS, which did not name Bush but described him as a “senior politician”, confirmed he had been arrested and formally charged with rape and indecent assault “in relation to a criminal complaint of a sexual nature dating back to 2000”. Charges committed to Grand Court for 7 July Bush did not enter a plea at the court appearance. He has been ordered to appear before the Grand Court on 7 July. His arrest and charges were reported by international media when the Associated Press news agency picked up the story. The West Bay West MP strenuously denies the charges and indicated his intention to plead not guilty at the first opportunity, saying he has “no connection whatsoever” with the woman who had made the allegations. In a statement, sent to the Compass via WhatsApp, he indicated his belief that the charges were “malicious”. He added, “All I have to say in relation to this, the latest in a series of malicious charges against me, is ‘truth will come out’.” Bush suggested the timing of the charges was political. “I am due to travel in a couple weeks time overseas, representing the Cayman Islands at the Commonwealth Parliamentary business session, and here comes this malicious accusation and charge against me, said to have occurred 20 years ago.” As part of his bail conditions, he has had to surrender his passport, meaning he will be unable to travel. Under the bail conditions, he is also forbidden to contact the complainant. Bush – who was tried and acquitted on corruption- related charges in 2014 in relation to alleged misuse of his government credit card – characterised the latest accusations against him as part of a pattern of politically-motivated persecution. “I hereby declare that I make no apologies for my unswerving commitment to justice and human rights on behalf of those without a voice,” he claimed, referencing his recent efforts to raise the issue of reform of banks mortgage lending practices. He went on to reference Marcus Garvey, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King as “known freedom fighters who were put in jail”. In a separate message, he added he claimed the case was another attempt to “degrade” him and embarrass his wife and bankrupt him with legal costs. “Now I have to fight on – and I will do another round of battle with them,” he said. Seven-month-long investigation Bush has been under investigation for the 2000 allegations for the past seven months. Back in November, police said they were investigation him for an allegation of sexual assault, dating back more than two decades. No further details of the alleged sexual assault were made public. However, police said at the time that Bush had been made aware of the complaint. Under Cayman Islands law, complainants in sexual assault cases cannot be named. According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, while no bail bond has been set for these charges, Bush, who is also a former Speaker of the House, remains subject to a $950 personal security, which is in relation to separate, unconnected charges currently before the courts. The Compass has reached to the PACT government, of which Bush is a backbench member, for its reaction to his arrest and charges. No response was received by press time. James Whittaker and Reshma Ragoonath contributed to this story. Bush defiant amid rape and indecent assault charges Bush suggested the timing of the charges was political. ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Tourism officials say Cayman is on track to meet its cruise passenger target of 1.2 million visitors by the end of 2023, but, if the jurisdiction is to maintain and grow those numbers, it must diversify and upsell its products and services. Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, 23 June, Department of Tourism Director Rosa Harris said, between January and May this year, 666,000 cruise passengers arrived on Cayman’s shores, which represents 73.8% of the tourism figures of 2019. The press briefing came at the end of the annual Florida- Caribbean Cruise Association’s Platinum Associate Member Advisory Council (PAMAC) conference, which was held in Cayman last week. The three-day conference was attended by 150 PAMAC members and gave local tourism operators a chance to engage with the FCCA’s decision- makers. The event was closed to the media. While no specific resolutions and outcomes from the conference were announced at the press briefing, cruise line and government officials stressed there was a strong focus on rethinking Cayman’s overall tourism product, with a view to develop new attractions and experiences outside the popular tourist spots and leverage cruise passenger spending. Funding ‘outside-the-box’ experiences “From the government’s perspective, it is recognised that building new attractions and providing funding and access to funding for entrepreneurs to bring new business offerings to market is where our focus needs to be,” said Bryan. Michele Paige, CEO of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, stressed that the conference had allowed industry heads to “look within” and “work better for the people of Cayman”. “How can we maximise what the passenger spends?” she asked. “People will respond to what you offer them: sell up. Passengers are people. They respond to unique experiences; they are willing to spend more money for those experiences,” she advised. To this end, Bryan said he is hopeful his fellow Cabinet ministers will approve a new government scheme to help create niche businesses throughout the industry. “We estimate [total required funding of] between $2 million and $3 million and we’re hoping for a ballpark between $30,000 and $50,000 per applicant,” Bryan said in response to Compass questions about how much would be allocated and available to prospective entrepreneurs. “We’re not going to give funding to somebody to do another water-sports experience, unless it’s something totally different, or another dive, or another Stingray [City]. We’re talking about taking us outside- the-box, something brand new that will help pull people off the ships and help them spend,” he said. According to Bryan, the overall goal is to spread cruise tourists across Grand Cayman as evenly as possible but, for this to happen, key infrastructure upgrades, such as the completion of the East-West Arterial, will be needed. The average disembarking cruise passenger will spend “about eight hours per day” on island he said, adding “And if you take two hours out of it travelling, that’s two hours worth of spending they’re not doing in our economy.” Profit sharing with the cruise lines But despite the rebounding numbers, the issue of profit share between the cruise lines and on- land service providers remains unresolved. There is no legislation or policy which mandates profit share between the two entities, with both left to arrive at their own arrangements. As a result, many operators have complained that the cruise lines are taking the lion’s share of the profit, despite only serving as a point of sale. During the press conference, Bryan stressed the importance of Caymanian operators working together to ensure there were no businesses undercutting each other. There were no representatives from the tour operators present at the press briefing. However, there were several who attended the conference last week, including Cayman Islands Tourism Association President Tory Leacock and small business owners. Cayman’s cruise sector urged to create new attractions 666,000 The number of cruise passengers who arrived in Cayman between January and May this year McKeeva Bush is facing charges of rape and indecent assault. - Photo: File A copy of McKeeva Bush's press statement in response to the charges. cayman compass 3 news N news WEEKLY, 30 JUNE - 6 JULY 20231234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Release mooring lines (4,3) 5 Stage in a competition (5) 8 Relaxed in manner (4-5) 9 Before the present (3) 10 Put into a suitcase (4) 12 Journey by water (8) 14 Globe-trotting (6) 15 Begin a journey (3,3) 17 Utterly perplexed (3,2,3) 18 The largest continent (4) 21 Devotee of some activity (3) 22 Having just got there (2,7) 24 Verify (5) 25 Fast railway train (7) DOWN 1 Inexpensive (5) 2 Distress signal (3) 3 Bout of frenzied indulgence (4) 4 Monastic convent (6) 5 Range of a human voice (8) 6 All in agreement (9) 7 Prolonged absence of rain (7) 11 A demanding task (9) 13 Classic (8) 14 Movement of vehicles (7) 16 Formal public discussion (6) 19 Book of maps (5) 20 Light one-horse carriage (4) 23 Compete (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17357 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 17357 ACROSS: 1 Cast off, 5 Round, 8 Easy-going, 9 Ago, 10 Pack, 12 Crossing, 14 Travel, 15 Set out, 17 All at sea, 18 Asia, 21 Fan, 22 On arrival, 24 Check, 25 Express. DOWN: 1 Cheap, 2 SOS, 3 Orgy, 4 Friary, 5 Register, 6 Unanimous, 7 Drought, 11 Challenge, 13 Textbook, 14 Traffic, 16 Debate, 19 Atlas, 20 Trap, 23 Vie. In a day of spinning, yoga and Zumba, 23 teams raised more than $85,000 for Meals on Wheels at Leadership Cayman’s ‘Wheels for Meals’ challenge at Vital Spinbar & Yogaden in Grand Harbour on 24 June. Among the gung- ho spinners was Ashvin Murugesu, who spent nearly five hours on a stationary exercise bike, interspersed with a half-hour of yoga. His efforts alone raised more than $3,000. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay Cayman’s cruise sector urged to create new attractions There is lots to do in Cayman besides Beach, Stingray City, Turtle Farm and Hell. Tour operators – think outside the box! There is so much to enjoy in the eastern districts. Get off of Seven Mile Beach! – Bonnie A. The attraction should be the island itself? Just a shame Cayman has lost a lot of its ‘tropical island’ appeal. But on a positive note, it’s still got its people – irreplaceable – Marion Webb Well, stop developing all the natural spots. – Lala Triana How about take it as it is for what it is? How about if you don’t like what’s already here, don’t come? How about leave well enough alone? – Jared Bush A heroes’ welcome for Cayman’s Special Olympians So proud of these amazing young people. – Norman L. Cayman Airways launches new direct flights to Panama City We really need a direct flight to Calgary. [It] will open up the Canadian west, lots of oil money there. – Robert R. I suspect the inaugural flight full of ‘dignitaries’ will have the highest load factor. When are the public who fund the national airline with annual multi-million- dollar subsidies going to see audited accounts from CAL so they can see what it’s costing them? – Trusty2man D. More CCTV cameras to help fight crime surge Crime is a direct result of poverty. Help people live on this damned island without having to spend 80% of their paycheck on housing and things will change. Just look at any country that has enacted similar policies. – Steffen Pitta Cameras are good if somebody is monitoring them 24/7, but in Cayman they only check them if a crime happens next to one. – Rod Bodden Incubating Cayman’s egg production industry It is so awesome to see a Caymanian doing this! It is so beneficial for the island people to not be so dependent on everything being imported. There should be more support to do this on the island. Great job! – Dottie Olson This is great. I will buy local eggs with this certification over imported eggs every time. – Christopher P. Shipping container homes ordered to be removed Good on the Central Planning Authority. Demand does not make justification. If there are minimums – setbacks, lot sizes, appearance standards, etc. – that are valid for a reason, they are valid for everyone. In the case of housing – this particular case, and the ‘wooden huts’, etc., which could be sited around Grand Cayman, etc. – the minimum should not be ‘habitable,’ it should be ‘thrivable’. No one thrives in a box. Accepting subsistence living conditions is not the solution, raising people above just subsisting is. Cayman can do better. – John B. Westin hotel’s 10-storey tower plan faces new delay The Westin literally has one of the best beaches on Seven Mile Beach. Those towers would overcrowd the experience and destroy an icon. Find some sense. – Executive S. Personal battle against dementia leads to $10,000 gift to charity Thank you very much for your generous donation. An excellent Association and programme. – Mario Ebanks Parrotfish and Nassau groupers on the rebound on Little Cayman reefs Which is why Little Cayman needs to be left alone. – Jared Bush Saw what I thought was a pretty big (but still relatively juvenile) grouper snorkeling along the coast line in Cayman Brac a week and a half ago. I was so excited. Definitely was a wonderful sight to see! – Nicole Farrington What they’re saying Online Spinners raise more than $85,000 in ‘Wheels for Meals’ challenge pic of the week cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 30 JUNE - 6 JULY 2023The scene of the fatal shooting of retired prison officer Harry Elliott, 62, in April 2022. The gun used in his killing was also used in an attempted murder and at least two other crimes. - Photo: Andrel Harris cayman compass 5 news N news WEEKLY, 30 JUNE - 6 JULY 2023 1 robbery 1 aggravated burglary 1 attempted murder 1 murder The crimes over the past two years in which the gun has been used ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky The same ‘community gun’ has been used by a number of different criminals in multiple offences in Grand Cayman, including the murder of former prison officer Harry Elliott, the Grand Court heard last week. Details of the mystery weapon’s bloody history emerged during the sentencing hearing of Luisto Hernandez, who was convicted earlier this month of attempted murder. Hernandez shot his stepfather in the stomach after a heated dispute over the right way to feed a child a mango. The victim had thrown a bottle at Hernandez, injuring his child. He had left the scene, returning later with a gun, and shooting the man twice. The weapon was never found, but ballistics evidence linked it to multiple other crimes involving a variety of assailants – suggesting it was a gun for hire, available to those in the community with the right connections. The gun’s unique ballistic fingerprint was found at the scene of Elliott’s murder in April 2022, as well as a number of other crime scenes over the past two years, according to prosecutors. The weapon’s history has echoes of the ‘mystery smoking gun’, which a Compass investigation last year revealed had been linked by police to three different murders, an armed robbery, and a terrifying home invasion. In this case, the weapon was different, but the methodology of a ‘community gun’ appears similar. The make and model of the gun is unknown, however, ballistics evidence suggests it is a .38 calibre handgun. It is also not clear how long it has been in Cayman. According to court records, the handgun was first used during a robbery at a barbershop on Eastern Avenue, George Town, on the night of 23 June 2021, when three masked men, one armed with the gun and another armed with a knife held up the premises. A single shot was fired, and an undisclosed sum of cash was taken. Three days later, the same gun resurfaced, this time in West Bay where it was used in an aggravated burglary, around 3:45am on 26 June 2021, at a residence in Adonis Drive, West Bay. During the aggravated burglary, the occupant was shot. He was taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital where he was treated for a single-gunshot wound and later discharged. Between June 2021 and April 2022, the gun dropped off the radar and is not linked to any other crimes. While it is possible that the gun was taken out of rotation, it is also possible that it could have been used to intimidate victims but not discharged, thereby leaving no ballistic trail. Dispute over a mango The next time the gun was fired was on 20 April 2022 – this time by Hernandez. During his trial, the jury heard that Hernandez was feeding his young son a mango when his stepfather approached him and told him the mango was too big for the child and he should cut it into smaller pieces. An argument erupted between the two men, the stepfather threw a beer bottle at Hernandez. It missed and shattered on the ground causing a shard of glass to injure Hernandez’s young daughter. In response, he left the tenement yard, returned 10 minutes later armed with the handgun, and shot his stepfather twice. The prosecution is calling for Hernandez to receive a sentence of between 20 and 30 years for the charge of attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm. Same gun used in murder Three days later, the gun was used again – this time in the fatal shooting of former prison officer Elliott who was killed in a complex off School Road, George Town, during what officers suspect was a robbery of an illegal gambling scheme. Justin Jackson and Eric Brian Williams Soto were both taken into custody in relation to the shooting and are due to stand trial for the killing later this year. After two years, one robbery, one aggravated burglary, one attempted murder and one murder, the whereabouts of the gun still remains unknown. In October 2022, the Cayman Compass reported on another mystery gun thought to be a community gun for hire that was also linked to several violent crimes and killings. That gun has also not been located by police. The Compass reached out to the RCIPS seeking a comment in relation to the second mystery gun, no comment was received by press deadlines. However, police did say a statement would be forthcoming in the next few days. Second mystery gun for hire discovered Details of the gun's bloody history emerged during a sentencing hearing in June. UNLOCK YOUR CREATIVITY THE NEW 4,200 SQUARE-FOOT CUSTOM EVENT SPACE EVENTSPACE@COMPASSMEDIA.KY ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky The first flight of Cayman Airways’ relaunched route to Panama took to the air on 26 June, with several government ministers, dignitaries and airline personnel on board. Cayman Airways is restarting its direct flights to Panama City with a view to expanding the islands’ tourism market throughout Latin and South America, and establishing a new regional trade route to access cheaper goods and services. The official ribbon-cutting service took place at the Owen Roberts International Airport in the morning, followed by the first flight to Panama on a 737-8 aircraft. “From a strategic perspective we went west with LA, and now we are going south with Panama, and we are already doing north, with New York and many other states within the American market,” said Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan, who hinted at the possibility of an additional route opening up in the coming months. The new Panama flight will service the Tocumen International Airport and now gives Cayman Airways 10 international destinations, the vast majority of which are in the US. The relaunch This is not the first time Cayman Airways has tried its hand at a direct Panama City flight. It launched seasonal flights to there in 1995, but those were scrapped several years later. Those were relaunched in June 2014, but did not run the following year. “The reason we discontinued it was that, at that time, we were focused on other strategic tourism gateways, … Dallas, in particular,” the airline’s president and CEO Fabian Whorms told reporters, following the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Whorms noted that, back in 2015, Cayman Airway’s ageing fleet of Boeing 737-300s – coupled with a clashing flight roster that created scheduling conflicts – resulted in the flight no longer being viable. “This time around, we have the reliability of the four new 737-8 jets, we have a schedule that has much more capacity in terms of seats that we can offer, and the days of the week that this flight operates on… stays out of the prime tourism days,” he said added. The new weekly flights operate on Mondays and Thursdays, with Cayman Airways arriving in Panama at 1:30pm and departing at 3pm. The new dedicated route is the only such service between Cayman and Panama, and involves agreements between Cayman Airways and Copa, the national carrier of Panama, and other Latin American airlines, that will allow passengers to check their luggage from their original port of departure all the way to Grand Cayman and vice versa. “What was there before is still there now, which is a multitude of reasons why the flight to Panama is good for Cayman,” said Whorms. “The Chamber of Commerce is very happy about it, the medical tourism fraternity is very happy about it, Caymanians who want go somewhere and have a little vacation… and do some shopping, they’re happy about it as well.” New trade route Chamber of Commerce President Nelson Dilbert, the owner of Cayman Spirits Company, views the new route as a win-win for businesses in Cayman and Panama. “Using the US as our main supplier right now is leaving us vulnerable to high prices, and for us not to be able to negotiate,” he said. According to Dilbert, the Chamber of Commerce first began exploring the possibility of a trade route between Cayman and Panama in 2006. A year later, a 12-person delegation for the National Association of Industries of Honduras arrived in Cayman with a view of striking a trade deal between the two countries. It is not clear how fruitful those talks panned out to be. However, Dilbert believes these new negotiations may provide the solution to cheaper goods and products to help drive down Cayman’s increasing cost of living. “Our mission at the Chamber is going to be to try to find new and exciting routes that businesses here can find and source, and make it cheaper for our community… and not just importing from Panama but also exporting some of the beautiful products that we also produce here,” he said. Cayman Airways President and CEO Fabian Whorms, left, and Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan cut the ribbon at the official launch of the Panama City flight on Monday, 26 June. - Photo: Andrel Harris Cayman Airways launches direct flights to Panama “What was there before is still there now, which is a multitude of reasons why the flight to Panama is good for Cayman.” Fabian Whorms, CEO of Cayman Airways cayman compass 6 news N news WEEKLY, 30 JUNE - 6 JULY 20235456 | CAYMAN NATIONAL | CAR LOAN | CAYMAN COMPASS | FP | 09 JUNE 2023 | BB&P GRAND CAYMAN | +1 345 916 0172 | INFO@BBANDP.COM | BBANDP.COM caymannational.com Get your dream car with a 100% loan (Hurry! 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As a leading local insurer for over 25 years, we have a consistent track record of providing best-in-class customer service with quick and effi cient claims processing. This means insurance you can rely on when you need it most—the Island Heritage way. AD_IH_Marine_Live Life_6.1132x10.2107_Cayman Compass_run_frid.june.2.2023.indd 1AD_IH_Marine_Live Life_6.1132x10.2107_Cayman Compass_run_frid.june.2.2023.indd 130/05/2023 9:55 AM30/05/2023 9:55 AM It suggests changes should be made in how the UK oversees and engages with the territories – such as assigning a dedicated overseas territories minister. The report also discusses opportunities for constitutional reform, such as devolving governors’ powers, and argues that an “open and wide-ranging” approach should be taken. The Cayman Islands is among Britain’s five Caribbean territories mentioned in the paper, along with the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Montserrat and Anguilla. ‘Global Britain’ Three UK university experts collaborated to create ‘Global Britain, contested spaces, and the UK Overseas Territories’, published this June. It considers two main topics: the relationship between the UK and its territories, and how the territories can support and enrich ‘Global Britain’ – a term established following Brexit. Co-author Peter Clegg, a professor in politics and international relations at the University of West England, UK, told the Compass the report will be widely shared. “It will hopefully inform discussions in government, media and the general public,” he said. “Some of its findings might also feed into the upcoming inquiry by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee of the House of Commons in the Autumn.” It was written following a two-day workshop in March at the University of London, which brought together government representatives, NGOs, and academics to discuss the issues. Clegg said it had been over a decade since the last UK government white paper on the UKOTs, "so we thought it was timely to revisit some key issues”. Constitutional issues The new report describes the territories as having different levels of autonomy using, as an example, the Cayman Islands which confers a special legislative power on the governor. It says there can be a lack of clarity between governors and the territories when it comes to decision-making, causing friction and accusations of constitutional overreach. The paper looks back at when the former Cayman Islands governor Martyn Roper used reserve powers to approve legislation that introduced same- sex civil unions in 2020. This took place despite opposition from parliament, and has since faced challenges in court. The UK should approach constitutional reform only when it is required and not make blanket changes, the report says. It suggests changes could include the role of the governors in chairing Cabinet, the reserve powers of the governors, and the law-making powers of the governors, among others. “These suggested changes would advance the territories’ constitutional maturity and allow them to play a more engaged role in international affairs,” the authors wrote. The report suggests the UK should look into ‘free association’ – the right of territories to determine their internal constitution without outside interference. “Up until now there has been a rather narrow range of options for constitutional reform as set out by the UK government,” the report says. Political relations There is some debate over whether the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office is the most appropriate department to manage relations, the report says. “The territories are neither foreign nor Commonwealth, nor in most cases in any need of development assistance,” the authors wrote. “Nevertheless, there is little appetite for change and no clear or better alternative.” However, the paper describes problems in relations between the FCDO and the territories. One issue is the high turnover of civil servants and ministers with responsibility for the territories. This “leads to at times inconsistent policymaking and a lack of understanding about the differences between the territories,” the report says. Environment The UK’s overseas territories are well known for their natural environment and associated biodiversity. “Indeed, it is estimated that over 94% of the biodiversity within the UK is located in the territories,” the report says. “They contain over 500 globally threatened species, and many undisturbed habitats of international significance.” The authors describe the Cayman Islands as having 25 endemic species of plants and reptiles, and more than 200 species of birds. The territories benefit from their relationship with the UK when it comes to funding for environmental schemes, the report says. However, “the contribution of the territories to the UK’s broad environmental pledges outstrips the support given to them in return”. Some of the report's findings may be included in the upcoming inquiry by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee of the House of Commons. - Photo: File Report; UK’s relationship with its territories is ‘messy’ REBECCA BIRD rbird@compassmedia.ky An academic report looking into the relationship between the United Kingdom and its 14 overseas territories has concluded that it is “messy and often difficult”. The university-led analysis says the existing levels of governance require significant work because problems occur when lines of communication collapse. cayman compass news N news WEEKLY, 30 JUNE - 6 JULY 2023 8FORM 1 NOTICE THE DORMANT ACCOUNTS LAW (2011 Revision) (Section 6) Name of Account Provider: BUTTERFIELD BANK (CAYMAN) LIMITED Number of Account Provider: 77003 Address of Account Provider: 12 Albert Panton Street, George Town, Grand Cayman Previous name of Account Provider: BANK OF BUTTERFIELD INTERNATIONAL (CAYMAN) LIMITED The public is hereby given notice that Butterfield Bank (Cayman) Limited holds the following dormant accounts: The public is also hereby given notice of the following: 1. Unless one or more of the following transactions are effected on a dormant account listed above on or before 31st December next following, the monies in the dormant account will be transferred to the Government without further notice: (a) increase or decrease the amount held by the account providor1; (b) present the passbook or other record for the crediting of interest or dividends in respect of any sum payable with respect to any general deposit, demand deposit, savings deposit or deposit for a fixed period, made in the Islands with the account provider, or any sum payable on cheques certified in the Islands by the account provider; (c) correspond in writing with the account provider concerning the monies; (d) otherwise indicated an interest in the monies as evidenced by a memorandum concerning the monies written by the account provider. 2. Subject to the Dormant Accounts Law, 2010 (as amended) on the transfer of the monies in the dormant account to the Government, the dormant account holder will no longer have any right against the account provider to repayment of the monies transferred, but the dormant account holder will have against the Government such right to repayment of the monies transferred that the dormant account holder would have had against the account provider. 3. Any interested person should contact the account provider mentioned above to establish if that person is a dormant account holder. David Brosnan Authorised Officer Dated this 22nd day of June 2023 1 Interest paid by an account provider on monies held by the account provider shall not be regarded as a transaction which increases the amount held by the account provider pursuant to section 4(4) of the Dormant Accounts Law, 2010 (as amended). 100148182 03-Dec-13 100125685 17-Oct-07 100145705 14-Feb-13 100112502 14-Oct-03 100039720 11-May-10 100121057 20-Jun-06 100130314 19-Mar-09 100113646 21-Apr-04 100145897 13-Mar-13 100145492 08-Feb-13 100128773 08-Sep-08 100144402 01-Oct-12 100129963 22-Jan-09 100027389 21-Nov-06 100117867 04-Oct-05 100112007 01-Jul-03 100131970 23-Nov-09 100132863 07-Mar-95 100156532 19-Feb-15 100157254 05-May-15 100144474 08-Oct-12 100038070 27-Mar-07 100011288 25-Sep-97 100127916 05-Jun-08 100129331 04-Nov-08 100130314 17-Mar-09 100148921 01-Feb-14 100112334 28-Jul-05 100156932 27-Mar-15 100137462 11-May-10 100158859 24-Sep-15 100129699 22-Dec-08 100112863 11-Dec-03 100129348 05-Nov-08 100126880 01-Nov-08 100029940 28-Mar-02 100022502 19-Jun-98 100157278 06-May-15 100155673 27-Nov-14 100136164 15-Mar-10 100148174 13-Dec-13 100156906 21-Mar-15 100146341 08-May-13 100147007 25-Jul-13 100147151 09-Aug-13 100151972 01-Sep-14 100148849 11-Feb-14 100149472 15-Apr-14 100149825 26-May-14 100150383 30-Jul-14 100141271 24-Aug-11 100155044 26-Sep-14 100124107 03-May-07 100115858 14-Mar-05 100138456 22-Sep-10 Account #Account #Account #Account # Date account was opened Date account was opened Date account was opened Date account was opened 202123-Ad-Compass-FP-dormant-acc1 16/21/23 4:28:17 PM cayman compass 9 WEEKLY, 30 JUNE - 6 JULY 2023Next >