cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 8-14 September 2023 Controversial secret trials planned in Cayman Page 5 Low-wage employees working 70- hour weeks Pages 20-21 Slipping away Erosion worsening on Seven Mile Beach Pages 6-7 Phot o: T aneos Ramsa y Ileann Powery crowned Miss Universe Cayman Islands Page 26Matinees (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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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 Chance isolated thunderstorms SEA STATE Smooth with a wave height of fewer than 2 feet. WINDS Light and variable. 90°F HIGH 80°F LOW NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES news in brief AK-47 assault rifle, handgun and ganja seized Police detained four people following the discovery of a loaded 9mm handgun, an AK-47 assault rifle and ganja at a George Town residence on Monday, 4 Sept. Three men, aged 39, 42 and 44, and a 56-year-old woman, all of George Town, were arrested on suspicion of possession of an unlicensed firearm, and were granted bail while investigations continue. Police estimated that more than 100 pounds of ganja was recovered at the premises on Shedden Road, in the vicinity of Liberty Lane. According to the RCIPS, uniformed officers on patrol in the area on Monday afternoon had approached a man known to them who was acting suspiciously. They chased him after he ran off towards Liberty Lane and came upon two other men outside a residence. They attempted to prevent the officers entering the property and then fled on foot. The officers reportedly detected a strong scent of ganja on the property, and recovered a significant quantity of the drug. Assisted by other police units and Customs and Border Control, a further search of the area was carried out, and more ganja was found on the property, along with a loaded handgun with a loaded extended magazine, and the AK-47 assault rifle and magazine. Police said a large quantity of AK-47 ammunition was also recovered. $28M South Sound development approved A $28 million apartment and townhouse development has been approved for South Sound Road in George Town. Smith Development Ltd’s application for permission to build 32 apartments, 27 townhouses and four duplexes, was approved by the Central Planning Authority at its 23 Aug. meeting. The project also includes 11 pools, two cabanas, two pool houses and a pickleball court on the 5.6-acre site. One neighbour had objected, claiming it would be detrimental to wildlife, including some protected bird species, on the adjacent Bel Air Duck Pond and land parcel, but the planning board said the objector had not provided evidence to support this. The National Roads Authority carried out a study to determine the effect on traffic of the proposed 67-unit development, which is situated between Bel Air Drive and Old Crewe Road, next to the Bahia project that is already under construction. The NRA determined that there were likely to be 34 additional vehicles added to South Sound Road during the morning rush hour and 42 in the evening rush hour, which it considered to be “minimal to moderate”. School staffer removed after alleged misconduct A Prospect Primary School staff member has been removed from duty at the school following alleged misconduct towards a student, the Department of Education Services has said. Though details on the incident were not provided, the DES, in a press release issued on 4 Sept., said it was informed of the alleged case of misconduct by a staff member and “promptly referred the matter to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) for investigation”. The MASH team comprises professionals from the Department of Children and Family Services, and the Family Support Unit of the RCIPS. The RCIPS, in a brief statement to the Cayman Compass on 5 Nov., said shortly before 10am on Monday police received a report of common assault which was said to have taken place on Friday, 1 Sept. at the primary school. The age of the student involved was not released. The matter is under investigation, the RCIPS added. Bryan: ‘Barbados route won't be loss-maker’ Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan has defended the choice of Barbados as the latest gateway for Cayman Airways, saying the route offers opportunities to attract more travellers from Europe. Bryan said while there will always be criticism of the decisions that have been made with airlift, he believes the Barbados route will open doors to visitors who may not necessarily venture to Cayman because of the distance to get here. And he insisted the deal was structured so that Cayman would not lose out on the route. “Barbados is a well-known tourist destination from the European perspective that we don’t normally get,” he said. “Those persons can now, with just one stop in Barbados, come to Cayman. So there’s a cross promotion for both islands – for those visitors who don’t choose Cayman or don’t choose Barbados, they can still get to the other country. So, it’s mutually beneficial for all,” Bryan said on the Cayman Compass talkshow ‘The Resh Hour’ on Wednesday, 6 Sept. Bryan said the Barbados government reached out to him about the new route because Cayman offered a connection to the US Midwest with the Cayman Airways flight to Los Angeles International Airport. “There’s been a lot of excitement in Barbados for having the transition point to LA. The Barbados flight was not in isolation. When the Barbados government reached out to me as minister with the interest of Cayman Airways to have a route to Barbados, it was on the basis that Cayman Islands was the only Caribbean island to have direct flights to LA,” he said. He said he asked the CAL board and the company to assess whether this was a profitable option, not only from a sales perspective but also through bringing visitors to the island. The new route launches on 18 Oct. Development company guilty of building illegal seawalls A developer that illegally built two seawalls on Crown land, despite receiving a cease-and-desist order, will have to wait several weeks to learn the Summary Court’s decision after an initial sentencing hearing was postponed. In a judgment dated 25 Aug., Magistrate Philippa McFarlane returned a guilty verdict against Baer Development Ltd. on all four charges – injuring, mutilating or displacing any underwater plant growth; extracting sand, gravel, pebbles, stone coral or other such material; and two counts of failing to comply with a cease-and-desist order – in relation to the Allure residences on the seaside of Tropical Gardens in George Town. McFarlane said the company had acted illegally based on the evidence of Department of Environment staff who identified areas of the seabed which were disturbed by the construction of the two seawalls beyond the high water mark some 2 metres into the sea. “I am left with no doubt in my mind that the Defendant proceeded in taking certain actions, perhaps in misguided anticipation that the [coastal works permit] applications would be granted,” McFarlane wrote in her judgment. Although the National Conservation Act sets out a custodial sentence for the offences committed, no jail time will be served, as a company was charged and convicted, not an individual. The most likely result will be a fine. A new sentencing date has not yet been set. These weapons and ammunition were seized by police in a raid on a residence in George Town on 4 Sept. cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 8-14 SEPTEMBER 2023cayman compass 3 WEEKLY, 8-14 SEPTEMBER 20231234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 South American country (7) 5 Spanish national art gallery (5) 8 Homage (9) 9 Person’s destiny (3) 10 One’s own country (4) 12 Fragrant summer flower (5,3) 14 Promising (6) 15 Busy (6) 17 Affair (8) 18 Become less formal (4) 21 Sequence (3) 22 Unsentimental (4-5) 24 Amount produced (5) 25 A prescribed way of life (7) DOWN 1 Notable period of history (5) 2 Employ (3) 3 Impetuous vigour (4) 4 Celebrity (6) 5 Distinguished bearing (8) 6 Beyond any hope for (3,2,4) 7 Fierce resentment (7) 11 Be intelligible (4,5) 13 Settled conclusively (8) 14 Presumptuous action (7) 16 Extortionate moneylender (6) 19 Expand (5) 20 A catch (4) 23 Aggregate (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17417 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 17417 ACROSS: 1 Ecuador, 5 Prado, 8 Obeisance, 9 Lot, 10 Home, 12 Sweet pea, 14 Likely, 15 Active, 17 Business, 18 Thaw, 21 Run, 22 Hard-nosed, 24 Yield, 25 Regimen. DOWN: 1 Epoch, 2 Use, 3 Dash, 4 Renown, 5 Presence, 6 All up with, 7 Outrage, 11 Make sense, 13 Clinched, 14 Liberty, 16 Usurer, 19 Widen, 20 Snag, 23 Sum. What they’re saying Online With Cayman and the region keeping a wary eye on weather forecasts as we enter the height of hurricane season, members of the Cayman Islands Regiment recently carried out a demonstration of their hurricane preparedness and disaster relief and recovery training. In the background is some of the regiment’s new fleet of vehicles, which includes a Foden truck, a MAN Falcon Mobile Command Center and a Unimog Ambulance. - Photo: Supplied Getting ready Camana Bay Cinema seeks liquor licence for all its theatres Great. Now we can sit next to a noisy person, reeking of alcohol, and having no behaviour, like some of the kids that descend on that place. Another reason to add to the list of reasons I have no interest in going to the cinema anymore. Back in the day, we’d see up to three movies in a day. Reena Medina Something else they can overcharge for. El Ena If they thought they had problems before, wait until they are drunk. Natasha-Gillian Bunting I hope this is approved. The alcohol isn’t the issue, it’s how it’s consumed. Seems many don’t seem to believe in the civilized behaviour of those in Cayman with all of the negative comments. Kay Dabrio Regal Theaters in US have nice bars and there have been no issues with moviegoers, as long as you’re at the legal age. People must know their limits and respect public places. Aim Smith Cayman collector serves up winning licence plates Well done! I think the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing should now, in light of his celebrity status and the fame he has brought to the Cayman Islands, reconsider its decision of not allowing him to have old licence plates. He used to be allowed to get old plates that would have been thrown away. Now they destroy them instead of allowing him to promote our islands and make works of art from them. Concerned C. Beach vendor seeks first- ever liquor licence Great news! As long as it’s benefiting a Caymanian-owned business. Yaremis K. Chiari-Hydes Yes, Cayman! Step into this century. Courtney Winter Should have happened when Dart closed the last beach bar that was open to the cruise shippers. Derrick Hunter The beginning of the End for Public Beach. Does the whole area become the 'premises' for licencing purposes? If so, what if children are using the beach? Muffin So we have hordes of vendors operating not only without a licence but also many of them selling liquor illegally. When is government going to get off its backside, assert control, and issue licences after so many years of uncertainty. Procrastination is all too common in the Civil Service and appointed boards. Trusty2man Davies Court of Appeal ruling on Boggy Sands cabana Good for the NCC. I am pleased with the Court of Appeal ruling. I’m sorry for the owners, but its unfortunate that the cabana and other new homes along the sea in front of Boggy Sound Road were approved in the first place as they shadow and dwarf what used to be one of the nicest traditional Caymanian roads. Helen Dombowsky The court ruling: “When it comes to developments that could have negative impacts on protected areas, including marine parks, or on protected species, it is the National Conservation Council and not the Central Planning Authority which has the final say.” Thank you, NCC, for being a WatchGuard and protecting this beautiful island called home. SirTurtle23 $28M South Sound residential development gets green light Poor South Sound. Can hardly see the sea anymore. Suzie Smith Where’s NRA? What will this do to the traffic situation in South Sound. Is government looking at these issues in a holistic way? It doesn’t seem like it. Krista Wight The NRA’s traffic estimate seems to be based on one vehicle for every two dwellings and does not mention all the other developments going up in this area. The law should be required to name the principals of these developments. Trusty2man D. There are no adequate words. None. Adonza Harrison Lord, help us, they are chipping away this little island bit by bit. Soon be none of it left. Barbara Campbell Who are they for? Not the struggling indigenous Caymanians. Leanna Myles Liquor board encourages training bartenders when to say no Clearly this is needed! It has been a legal requirement in other countries for decades. This needs to be mandatory for employment. Employers should WANT this. The safety of the people, the property and nature need to be looked after. Have you looked around when you drive each morning, or are you just so accustomed to smashed cars on people’s lawns, it no longer resonates? Problem… Alison pic of the week cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 8-14 SEPTEMBER 2023WEEKLY, 8-14 SEPTEMBER 2023SCAN BELOW TO VIEW THE RESULTS THE RESULTS ARE IN YOU VOTED FOR YOUR FAVOURITE BUSINESS, RESTAURANT, OR SERVICES. NOW IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE THE VERY BEST CAYMAN HAS TO OFFER BESTOFCAYMANISLANDS.ORG 2023 ISLANDS CAYMAN JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@compassmedia.ky Closed-door trials – where the public, media and even the complainant in the case are excluded so government can show secret evidence – could soon be permissible in the Cayman Islands. Draft legislation, published last month, creates the framework for civil trials to be held in secret if the evidence is deemed to impact national security. The Civil Proceedings (Closed Material Procedure) Bill would give Cayman courts the power to review classified material without government having to disclose it to any other party in the proceedings or the public. Similar legislation has proved highly controversial in the UK, where the balance between open justice, the rights to a fair trial, and the state’s need to keep certain evidence under wraps is an ongoing debate. The proposed law follows a landmark ruling from the Privy Council in the case of two Cayman Islands prisoners seeking to contest their transfer to maximum-security facilities in the UK on human rights grounds. In that case, a panel of the most senior judges in the British Commonwealth ruled that Closed Material Procedures – where the evidence is seen by the judge but not by the public, the applicant or their lawyer – could not be used in Cayman under current law. Though similar procedures do exist in the UK, they are regulated through direct legislation. In their ruling, the judges indicated that such hearings “involve a departure from the principles of open justice and natural justice, principles which are fundamental to the right to a fair trial”. At the time, they indicated that no legislation exists in Cayman for Closed Material Procedures and that it could not “invent” a process for this particular case. “Such a step should be taken, if at all, by the legislature, which is better placed than is the judiciary to assess the policy considerations relating to the necessity for such a procedure and the practicalities of its operation,” the panel of judges said. Draft bill The draft bill appears to be an effort to do just that. It also includes a transitional clause, which means it could be applied to cases already in progress, potentially including the prisoners’ case, which is due to come back before the courts later this year. The bill closely mirrors the UK legislation, and there is no indication of wide consultation locally to consider Cayman-specific issues. Several private-sector lawyers, who spoke to the Compass on condition of anonymity, expressed grave concerns about the bill and the lack of consultation with the legal community. Some were unaware of the legislation, which was quietly published in the government’s gazette on 23 Aug., until informed by the Compass. The attorney general’s office declined to answer questions from the Compass this week, referring us to the brief introduction to the published draft legislation, which states that the bill aims to “facilitate the court’s consideration of sensitive material or information which, if disclosed publicly, would risk harming national security or other public interests”. Under the proposed law, a judge would decide if the circumstances and nature of the evidence warrant a closed hearing. The Compass understands that legislators will be briefed on the bill and it could be brought to Parliament for debate at its next meeting. The bill mirrors the UK’s 2013 Justice and Security Act almost exactly. The application of the act in the UK has not been without controversy, and the concept of translating it wholesale to a small jurisdiction like Cayman could create additional areas of concern. One local lawyer highlighted existing challenges with disclosure of evidence and warned the new closed-door trials would only add fuel to that fire. They also highlighted increased risk of leaks on a small island without specific expertise in handling sensitive intelligence. Others questioned what constituted secret intelligence in the Cayman context and whether the law – designed and drafted in a much larger jurisdiction with huge geopolitical influence – was appropriate on a small island of fewer than 100,000 people. What is a Closed Material Procedure? Closed Material Procedures, which allow one party – usually the state – to produce evidence their opponent is not allowed to see, has been the subject of “sustained criticism” since their inception in 2013, according to an analysis by Fred Allen, a senior associate at Kingsley Napley law firm in the UK. “Critics have also argued that closed material procedures offend the principles of procedural fairness and open justice. Proponents argue that they are necessary to protect national security,” he wrote. In such trials in the UK, ‘special advocates’ are often used to examine the secret evidence and represent the interests of the parties excluded from reviewing it themselves. However, they are prohibited from taking instructions from the client based on that material and their effectiveness has been questioned. A more fundamental question for Cayman might be the availability of Special Advocates – lawyers with specific security clearance to review sensitive material. The draft legislation allows for the attorney general to nominate a lawyer from the Special Advocate’s Panel in the UK – a select group of expert lawyers who have been vetted at the highest levels of British intelligence. But there is no indication of how they would be supported to work locally. The bill also includes a clause which allows the attorney general to nominate any Cayman lawyer to fulfil the role. It’s not clear how that would work in practice, however, and the attorney general’s office declined to comment. One private-sector lawyer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the type of expertise, security checks and vetting required to fill such a specialist role simply didn’t exist in Cayman. The legislation also sets out the circumstances under which parties to a civil case can apply for Closed Material Procedures and how those should be administered. It is not clear whether government will seek to use such a procedure in the case of Osbourne Douglas and Justin Ramoon, the two gang killers seeking to contest their transfer to UK prisons. The Privy Council’s ruling indicated that the case, which has dragged on for almost seven years, could proceed to judicial review on the basis of the evidence that had already been introduced. Lawyers for then Governor Martyn Roper had argued that its case would be impacted if it weren’t able to rely on classified documents, including information from informants which they say show the brothers were a national security threat. But summaries of the ‘gist’ of that evidence have been disclosed in the form of affidavits from Roper and senior police and prison officials, and the judges indicated that should be enough for the challenge to proceed. However, at the time of the Privy Council ruling, there was no express legislation for closed hearings in Cayman. The new law includes a transitional clause which states, “This Act applies to every matter or proceeding in any court that is pending or in progress immediately before this Act comes into force.” The prisoners’ judicial review case, which would seem to fall into that category, is next scheduled for a hearing in November. The Governor’s office declined comment, referring questions to the government. The bill closely mirrors the UK legislation, and there is no indication of wide consultation locally to consider Cayman-specific issues. Controversial secret trials planned in Cayman cayman compass news N news WEEKLY, 8-14 SEPTEMBER 2023 5RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky The southern end of the world-famous Seven Mile Beach was once a pristine stretch of Cayman’s biggest tourism attraction, but now much of the beloved beach in that section has disappeared. Repeated assaults from storm surges, the most recent following the passage of Hurricane Idalia, which skirted Cayman, have reclaimed the prime beach, leaving gaping spaces where white sand used to be. The Compass recently examined the length of the beach using a drone camera to get the most up-to-date images of the impacts of the storm and ongoing erosion. It showed that some areas along the southern stretch have suffered a total loss of beach, and in at least one section, a near-fi ve-feet-high ledge of sand has been created by the bombardment of the waves. The beach loss has been causing physical and fi nancial distress to properties, like the Marriott, Laguna del Mar and South Bay Beach Club, which have been hardest hit by the erosion. Though not a new issue, the situation has been exacerbated by intense surges and an apparently slow government response. “The erosion is impacting our bookings for the property as prospective guests want to know if there will be a beach when they arrive for their winter vacation,” Maggie Mendes, manager of South Bay Beach Club, told the Cayman Compass via email. She said, as far as she knows, there has been no damage assessment after the recent surges. “Property owners are very concerned about the continuing beach loss and what it may cause to property values,” she said, adding that government has not allocated any funds to assist with replacing sand. “I have submitted an application to renourish our upper beach which is private; this application was made last October, and I am still waiting for a response from the planning department. [T]his project is being paid for by the owners of South Bay,” Mendes added. Swimmers now wade waist deep where sunbathers once lay on sand in front of properties on the southern end of the beach, while those seeking a leisurely walk along the coastline either have to go into the sea to continue their trek or turn back. Other property owners in the area, including the Marriott resort, have made previous applications to restore or protect what little beach remains. The hotel, which no longer advertises beachfront, is in the process of a major renovation. Beach unlikely to return Department of Environment Deputy Director Tim Austin, in a 7 Sept. comment to the Compass on the situation, said the DoE completed a drone analysis of the entire Seven Mile Beach. While a detailed assessment of the extent of beach movement is still under way, he said “immediate observations and site visits confi rm that the southern portion of the beach was once again the Years of erosion exacerbated by recent storm action takes its toll on Cayman’s biggest tourist attraction The stripping of Seven Mile Beach “The current situation highlights the importance of adhering to appropriate and conservative building setbacks that take account of future climate-related scenarios.” Tim Austin, Department of Environment This aerial image shows how far the sea has encroached along the southern end of Seven Mile Beach, washing away sand in front of buildings and seawalls. - Photo: Supplied cayman compass 6 news N news WEEKLY, 8-14 SEPTEMBER 2023most heavily impacted”. The southern section of Seven Mile Beach, from the Sovereign to Crescent Point condominiums, had already experienced a “catastrophic loss of sand reserves that have shown very little signs of recovery of the past year”, he said. This was due in part to the interaction of the sea with the “numerous seawalls” that have been required to protect the buildings from being undermined and from seawater inundation, Austin said. “Given the continued presence of seawalls and buildings on the active beach and the predicted climatic changes associated with a warming planet, including forecasted sea level rises, it is highly likely that recovery of this section of the beach will not occur without large-scale costly beach restoration efforts or active removal of structures impacting the recovery,” Austin said. He explained that the southerly movement of sand reserves from the northern sections of Seven Mile Beach, which historically replenished this area, “have likely been reduced due to the lack of favourable weather conditions, including strong winter Nor’westers”. “The current situation highlights the importance of adhering to appropriate and conservative building setbacks that take account of future climate-related scenarios. Beaches, as a coastline, have constantly evolved and adapted naturally with the islands they surround and they will continue to do so if given the ability to respond to the climatic conditions that sustain them,” Austin said. Setback revisited The Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency has said it is in the process of preparing a proposal for an updated coastal setback reference line for Seven Mile Beach, based on decades of coastal data. “We foresee this as being a fi rst step towards proposing updated coastal setback reference lines for all three islands. Damage to coastal communities and properties is an ongoing risk of climate change that is expected to be made worse by rising seas and severe weather events,” a ministry spokesperson told the Compass in an email. Revising coastal construction setbacks, the spokesperson said, is one of several strategies suggested in the draft Cayman Islands Climate Change Policy that aims to mitigate this risk going forward. “The public consultation for the Climate Change Policy wrapped up at the end of June and, since that time, our Ministry has been working to review the hundreds of comments received to produce an updated Policy which will be submitted to Cabinet in the coming weeks,” the spokesperson added. Funding support questioned In 2021, government pledged to allocate $21 million over two years for a project to remediate the lost sand at the southern end of Seven Mile Beach following severe damage from storms that year. But businesses and property owners in the area said they had received few updates since that time and are still waiting for action. Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan, speaking on the 6 Sept. episode of the Compass weekly talkshow ‘The Resh Hour’, said while he was concerned by the beach loss, he was not inclined to support public funds being used to replace a beach that could potentially be lost again. “How do I say take $20 million to put sand back, that potentially is at risk of being lost again in any Nor’wester, as well as... [risking] taxpayers’ money and they can’t even go to the beach? I can’t support that,” Bryan said, qualifying that this was his personal opinion. He said he had not heard a convincing argument to move his view as minister of tourism, “even though I want to protect the product”. He said he wanted to protect “my people” fi rst. “I can’t... sacrifi ce my people and their money.” He added the remit for dealing with the issue falls with the Ministry of Lands and the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resilience. Bryan said there is a shared responsibility, but the developers of the properties took a risk when they decided to build close to the coastline. He added, “This is a unique situation that we’re fi nding ourselves in with global warming and the sea level rise... that are changing the dynamics of expectation of our natural environment”. Bryan said there was no easy solution, adding the problem was a result of weather patterns, global climate circumstances, hurricanes and “possibly [what] one would consider bad planning” previously. The Compass reached out to government for an update on the beach-replenishment project, which is now the remit of the lands ministry, after initially being under the sustainability ministry. We are awaiting a response. Cayman is currently undergoing a storm-surge modelling exercise which will be used to help prepare for any further impacts on the coastline. Rough seas brought by Hurricane Idalia ripped away several feet of sand in front of The Sovereign on Seven Mile Beach. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay Water reaches right up to the seawall at Coral Beach bar and restaurant. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay cayman compass 7 news N news WEEKLY, 8-14 SEPTEMBER 2023RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Cayman’s long-awaited vote on decriminalising small amounts of ganja and establishing a national lottery will not take place under the PACT administration’s term and could instead be added to the 2025 general elections ballot. Tourism and Ports Minister Kenneth Bryan, speaking on the Cayman Compass talkshow ‘The Resh Hour’ on Wednesday, 6 Sept., said, based on his last discussion with Premier Wayne Panton, he supported having the referendum at the same time as elections. However, Bryan seemed to indicate that this proposal was not set in stone. “I hope that the referendum is there, but I respect the leader, our honourable premier. It is [up to] him to make that call. I just hope that we follow through with it,” Bryan said. Last December, lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to hold the referendum, which was based on a motion from Panton. However, since then, there has been no clear direction from the government on what the questions would be or when the legal framework to hold the vote would be taken to Parliament. Bryan, who had been campaigning to have the referendum and even posted billboards on the issue, said, after speaking with Panton, having a vote at this point would be an added expense. “It’s pointless to try to have a referendum in six months when you have an election in 20 months because it’s very costly... If you did [it] earlier on than it would have been justified because it’s a safer distance between the two,” Bryan said. The issue of the vote comes as Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nick Gent published guidelines on the sale of cannabinol and cannabinol derivative products on Thursday, 31 Aug., following reports that a teenager consumed an edible purchased through a food-delivery app. People’s input needed Bryan said the premier supports holding the referendum at elections, as had been done previously, and “I would encourage that because I do think these two matters are unresolved”. With the vote being added to the polls, he said, there are options for expanding the issues covered by the referendum. He said if the community wanted to reopen the discussion on cruise piers, then that too could be a topic put to the people. Bryan suggested people can “reach out to the premier... and maybe finalise this topic about cruise piers on a referendum, [asking] does the country need it?” In 2019, Cayman was headed to its first people-initiated referendum on building cruise piers, but the then Progressives-led administration pulled the plug on the cruise port project, after which Premier Sir Alden McLaughlin said there was no need for the referendum to go ahead. The people should have gotten their chance to have their say on piers at that time, Bryan said, adding that he believed the will of the people should be heard through a referendum. “I think it would have been a good thing if they did have the referendum because you could have explicit information to say yes or no, but most people have accepted that we don’t want a cruise pier,” Bryan said. He added he wished there were more surveys and referendums “because you can’t go wrong if the people tell you what they want”. “Your job is to advise [the people] that ‘if you do this, this will happen. Do you still want to do it?’ Now people have this view that all leaders should just tell them what to do and they know what’s better for them. I don’t believe in that type of politics or that type of representation,” he said. Go green and grow Make a positive footprint and save more with the green energy loan from Scotiabank. Available to individuals that are seeking funding for the following activities: • Installation of solar panels • Purchase of electric or hybrid vehicles • Procurement of energy-saving equipment Visit ky.scotiabank.com or call (354) 949-7666 for further details. *Green perks: Low interest rates available Discounted processing fees No payments for up to two months Registered trademark of the Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license. *Conditions Apply In December 2022, lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to hold a referendum into the decriminalisation of ganja use and possession, as well as gambling. - Photo: File Ganja, lottery vote unlikely until 2025 elections “It’s pointless to try to have a referendum in six months when you have an election in 20 months because it’s very costly.” Kenneth Bryan, minister of tourism and ports Tourism and Ports Minister Kenneth Bryan. - Photo: Andrel Harris cayman compass 8 WEEKLY, 8-14 SEPTEMBER 2023 news N newscayman compass 9 WEEKLY, 8-14 SEPTEMBER 2023Next >