cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism Weekly, 29 September - 5 October 2023 Police Commissioner Byrne bids farewell Page 8 ‘Mad cow’ blood donation ban lifted Page 15 PACT intact Isaac Rankine replaces Dwayne Seymour in Cabinet as Premier Wayne Panton retains control of government Pages 3 and 6 In photos: Calendar art auction for charities Pages 16-17Locally transmitted dengue case reported Health officials are alerting the public to at least one case of local person-to-person transmission of dengue in the Cayman Islands. In a statement issued on 26 Sept.,Tuesday afternoon, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nick Gent said, “While previous confirmed cases of Dengue were linked to persons with a travel history, new evidence has identified that local transmission – meaning passed from a person in the Cayman Islands to another person in the Cayman Islands with no travel history – has occurred.” Since the start of this year, 28 cases of suspected dengue have been investigated locally. Of those, four cases have been confirmed – three with travel history and one with no travel history. “Thus far, we have had one confirmation of a person with no travel history,” Gent said, “but I caution that this a disease where there can be a number of asymptomatic cases, so we will remain vigilant and will continue our efforts to educate the public on how to protect themselves while taking measures to control the mosquito population.” According the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Public Health Department, there are typically between zero and eight confirmed dengue cases each year in Cayman, with the exceptions of an outbreak in 2012 when 37 cases (18 imported and 19 locally transmitted) were confirmed, and again in 2019, when there were 24 cases (three imported and 21 locally transmitted). There is currently an outbreak of dengue in Jamaica, where, as of 22 Sept., 565 suspected cases had been reported, with 78 confirmed. Going bald in run-up to Big Shave Parents, students, teachers and staff of Cayman International School packed the gymnasium Wednesday, 27 Sept., to bear witness to 14 students shaving their heads as a sign of solidarity and support for children fighting cancer, who would often lose their hair following chemotherapy. The school hosted for the first time their very own satellite ‘Big Shave’ event in the lead-up of the annual Hannah’s Heroes Big Shave event on Friday, 29 Sept., at Cricket Square, one of the most successful events held in Cayman to raise funds for the St. Baldrick’s foundation, the largest private funder of childhood cancer. The CIS satellite shave was coordinated by high school students Allie Capasso, Aleena Danter and Charli Foster, who are survivors of childhood cancer. Their mission was to raise awareness and funds for research for the St Baldrick’s foundation. Foster said the CIS shave was inspiring, “it really shows how much the CIS community cares and it’s great to see everybody coming together just to support a really great cause,” she said. Customs seize crystal meth The seizure of two pounds of methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth, by customs officers has heightened concerns about a growing demand for hard drugs in Cayman. Customs officers found the illegal drugs on 29 Aug. in a courier parcel documented as containing clothing, according to a statement issued by Customs and Border Control on 25 Sept. Seizures of the potentially deadly drug fentanyl in Cayman by customs officers have been on the rise. Most recently, in February this year, during the inspection of a parcel at the Airport Post Office, officers discovered 200 fentanyl tablets concealed in an incoming package. Three people were arrested in connection with that seizure. CBC director Charles Clifford said last month’s crystal meth seizure was “yet another indication that there is an increased demand for hard drugs in the Cayman Islands”. He described methamphetamine as a “very addictive”, dangerous substance, consumption of which can be fatal. “The deadly drug Fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs such as Cocaine, Heroin and Crystal Meth so drug users are often unaware of the cocktail of drugs that they are purchasing and consuming,” Clifford said in Monday’s statement. “This has proven fatal in many cases in other jurisdictions and I fear that it is just a matter of time before we experience this in Cayman.” The circumstances surrounding the importation of the crystal meth is being investigated by the CBC Investigations Section. Police arrest 2, seize 100 pounds of ganja Police officers seized an estimated 100 pounds of ganja following a search of an abandoned building in George Town. According to a police statement, the seizure was made on Saturday, 23 Sept. when officers observed two men behaving suspiciously outside the building on Rock Hole Road. While speaking with the men, police said, the officers detected the strong scent of ganja coming from the building. They conducted a search of the building under the Misuse of Drugs Act and recovered several bags containing an estimated 100 pounds of suspected ganja. The men were taken into custody on suspicion of drug offences, and officers subsequently determined that they had recently arrived on island illegally. The two men, ages 35 and 57, both Jamaican nationals, have since been formally charged with importation of ganja, possession of ganja, possession of ganja with intent to supply, and illegal landing. They appeared in court on Tuesday. Matinees (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $9.00 (Mon-Fri before 6pm) Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets 640-FILM (640-3456) Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted BARBIE (PG-13) (SUN) 3:40 VIP | 6:40 VIP | 7:00 | 9:25 VIP | 9:45 PAW PATROL: THE MIGHTY MOVIE (PG) (FRI) 3:20 | 4:40 VIP (SAT) 1:00 VIP | 1:15 | 4:10 | 4:40 VIP | 6:30 (SUN-THURS) 4:10 | 4:40 VIP | 6:30 SAW X (R) (FRI-SAT, MON-THURS) 3:45 | 6:45 VIP | 6:45 | 9:40 VIP | 10:15 SOUND OF FREEDOM (PG-13) (FRI, MON-THURS) 3:30 | 9:00 (SAT) 12:30 | 3:30 | 9:00 (SUN) 3:30 | 7:30 VIP | 9:00 THE CREATOR (PG-13) (FRI, SUN, THURS) 4:00 | 7:00 VIP | 7:15 | 9:30 | 10:00 VIP (SAT) 12:30 VIP | 1:00 | 4:00 | 7:00 VIP | 7:15 | 9:30 | 10:00 VIP (MON, WED) 3:45 VIP | 4:00 | 7:00 VIP | 7:15 | 9:30 | 10:00 VIP (TUES) 3:45 VIP | 4:00 | 7:15 | 9:30 | 10:00 VIP THE EQUALIZER 3 (R) (FRI) 9:35 (SAT) 4:00 VIP | 9:35 THE EXPEND4BLES (R) (FRI-SAT, SUN) 7:00 | 7:30 VIP | 10:10 VIP THE INVENTOR (PG) (SAT) 1:20 (SUN) 4:20 | 7:00 | 10:10 WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK CLASSICS PRIMAL FEAR TUESDAY 7PM VIP (R) KIDS CLUB DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LONG HAUL SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) KIDS CLUB AN AMERICAN TAIL SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) SPORT: RUGBY WORLD CUP AUSTRALIA V PORTUGAL (SUN) 10:45 AM VIP NEW ZEALAND V ITALY (FRI) 2:00 VIP PRIVATE NEW ZEALAND V ITALY (FRI) 2:00 VIP NEW ZEALAND V URUGUAY (THURS) 2:00 VIP SCOTLAND V ROMANIA (SAT) 2:00 VIP S. AFRICA V TONGA (SUN) 2:00 VIP 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 Chance morning isolated thundershowers SEA STATE Smooth with a wave height of fewer than 2 feet. WINDS East to northeast at 5 to 10 knots. 90°F HIGH 80°F LOW NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES news in brief Shaved heads abound at Cayman International School. - Photo: Shanda Gallego An estimated 100 pounds of ganja was recovered by police. - Photo: RCIPS cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 29 SEPTEMBER - 5 OCTOBER 2023NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Premier Wayne Panton has weathered a political storm, holding his PACT coalition together following the shock resignation of Border Control and Labour Minister Dwayne Seymour. The Bodden Town MP, on Friday, 22 Sept., became the second senior Cabinet minister to jump ship, following former Finance Minister Chris Saunders move over to the Opposition benches, with a damning speech condemning Panton’s leadership. Criticising the disorganisation, “lacklustre” leadership and “autocratic” style of the premier, Seymour said he had to divorce himself from what he suggested was a deeply divided coalition. His resignation plunged the government into turmoil, with the evenings Parliamentary business postponed as rival camps huddled to assess the damage. Despite fevered speculation of a leadership challenge or an alternate Opposition-led coalition forming, there was no word out of government for four days. It wasn’t until Panton and the remaining PACT members arrived at Parliament Tuesday, similarly clad in pink ties, scarves and dresses, that it became clear the group had patched up its differences. The group was also united in voting yes on each supplementary budget item presented at Tuesday’s gathering of the Finance Committee. Every Opposition member abstained on each one of the votes. Nearly all the male government MPs, including Panton, who chaired the committee meeting, had donned light pink ties, while Deputy Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly wore a pink-and- white floral dress and backbencher Heather Bodden featured a pink scarf. Among those in pink ties was East End MP Isaac Rankine, who resigned Tuesday as deputy speaker, and was later sworn in as the minister for border control and labour, replacing Seymour in Cabinet. Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan told the Compass in response to a WhatsApp message that the pink attire was a show of “unity and love”. Unity among the government had not been overly apparent at meetings of the House the week before, especially on Thursday, when Panton found himself as the sole opponent to an Opposition-proposed motion to legalise pepper spray for defence in the Cayman Islands. All members of his Cabinet and backbenchers who were present voted in favour of the motion, brought by Opposition member David Wight. Several government members later in that session unexpectedly reversed their votes on another motion, on affordable housing, brought by Deputy Opposition Leader Joey Hew. Panton was not present for the vote on the motion. Initially, the majority of PACT members voted against the motion, but once a division was called, several members, including O’Connor-Connolly, switched to ‘yes’ votes, amid whispered conversations on the front row. Seymour was among those who gave his support to the motion, which ended up attracting majority support from the House. The following day, in his resignation speech, Seymour accused Panton of running the government and caucus in an “autocratic way” that left “much to be desired”. He blamed the premier for divisions within the PACT government, saying he had failed to keep it cohesive and focused. Pink has not always been the colour chosen by PACT to show a united front. Previously, members have favoured blue when demonstrating their unity, such as in October last year when the administration headed off a proposed no- confidence motion from the Opposition, which boycotted that parliamentary session over McKeeva Bush’s continued presence in the Speaker’s chair at the time. Instead, PACT held its own ‘confidence motion’ in the government. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, across the floor, each member of the Opposition, including its most recent additions – Seymour and former finance minister Chris Saunders, who resigned from PACT’s coalition of independents in March this year – were also showing their cohesiveness by their clothing. Each was wearing the Progressives’ party colour of red – in ties for the male members and a reddish-orange dress for the sole female Opposition member Barbara Conolly. In this screengrab from the televised session of the Finance Committee on 26 Sept., government members wear pink to show their unity following the previous Friday’s resignation of Border Control and Labour Minister Dwayne Seymour. – Photo: Via CIGTV Youtube The ties have it Panton holds on to leadership as PACT remains intact Isaac Rankine, after being sworn in as minister of border control and labour on Tuesday, 26 Sept. - Photo: Supplied NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky East End MP Isaac Rankine was sworn in as the new minister for border control and labour on Tuesday afternoon, 26 Sept., bringing an end to four days of speculation about the stability of the PACT government following Dwayne Seymour’s fiery resignation speech in Parliament. Rankine stepped down as deputy speaker to take the ministerial post. “Today, Member of Parliament for East End, Mr. Isaac Rankine, has been appointed by His Excellency the Acting Governor Mr. Franz Manderson as Minister for Border Control and Labour. The rest of the Cabinet and Caucus remain determined to work together for the greater good of our people and the country,” Premier Wayne Panton said in a statement announcing the appointment. Speakers and deputy speakers of Parliament cannot also be Cabinet ministers, under parliamentary standing orders, necessitating Rankine to resign as deputy speaker before he could take up the Cabinet position. Heather Bodden was voted in as his replacement Tuesday. Rankine, who had been rumoured in the intervening days between Seymour’s resignation and the East End MP’s appointment as the frontrunner for the post, said he was “honoured and grateful” to take on the role. This is his first ministerial position in government. ‘Pressing forward’ The government’s announcement of Rankine’s appointment is the first public response the PACT administration has made in relation to Seymour’s dramatic resignation late on Friday afternoon, 22 Sept. Rankine, in a statement included in the announcement, said, “I thank the Premier and my colleagues for this expression of their confidence in me. Indeed, I look forward to taking on this challenge and serving the people of the Cayman Islands to the best of my ability.” Panton, in that same statement, said, with Rankine’s appointment, the PACT government would “press forward as we always have. Because the people of this nation need relief and solutions.” He added, “Let me remind you that this is a government that truly cares for Caymanians. We will continue to offer solutions to the families and people of this country. That will not change.” Earlier on Tuesday, government members nominated and elected Bodden as Rankine’s replacement as deputy speaker, who will take on the speaker’s role in the absence of the speaker, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks. Rankine replaces Seymour as labour minister Despite fevered speculation of a leadership challenge or an alternate Opposition-led coalition forming, there was no word out of government for four days . Dwayne Seymour delivers a dramatic resignation speech in Parliament on Thursday, 21 Sept. - Photo: Screengrab from CIGTV Youtube cayman compass 3 news N news WEEKLY, 29 SEPTEMBER - 5 OCTOBER 20231234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Recapitulate evidence (3,2) 4 Incidental (7) 8 To regret (3) 9 Great flood (9) 10 A deadly poison (7) 11 Correct in every detail (5) 13 A bomb-firing cannon (6) 15 Manually (2,4) 18 Allow to enter (5) 19 Eccentric person (7) 21 Storm with violent wind (9) 23 Irritatingly reticent (3) 24 Highest in rank (7) 25 To pass (5) DOWN 1 Scornful mockery (7) 2 Violent whirlpool (9) 3 An edible nut (5) 4 Attempt at political revolution (6) 5 The fashionable world (7) 6 A climbing plant (3) 7 Entire range (5) 12 Downhill rush of ice and snow (9) 14 Extending across (7) 16 Held up (7) 17 Find exact position of (6) 18 Residue of a fire (5) 20 To clothe (5) 22 Knock (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17435 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 17435 ACROSS: 1 Sum up, 4 Passing, 8 Rue, 9 Cataclysm, 10 Arsenic, 11 Exact, 13 Mortar, 15 By hand, 18 Admit, 19 Oddball, 21 Hurricane, 23 Coy, 24 Supreme, 25 Spend. DOWN: 1 Sarcasm, 2 Maelstrom, 3 Pecan, 4 Putsch, 5 Society, 6 Ivy, 7 Gamut, 12 Avalanche, 14 Astride, 16 Delayed, 17 Locate, 18 Ashes, 20 Dress, 22 Rap. What they’re saying Online Letters to the editor I was most interested in your ‘50 years ago’ story regarding the parcel that arrived very late. For your interest, I mailed a letter from Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman and it arrived after 49 days! It was mailed August 3, 2023 and arrived September 21, 2023. It was an important letter, sent to a business in Grand Cayman. About two weeks after I mailed it, I flew to Grand Cayman to hand-deliver a copy of this important mail. Edna Platts Boggy Sand Road seawall case to go to UK Privy Council Stop wasting the taxpayers’ money on these stupid appeals. If the issue is so important to allow one group of arbitrary people final say over another, then petition the members of Parliament to change the law. This is out of hand and makes the entire government look bad. Josh L. This issue has turned into a ‘turf war’ between the two administrative bodies. The Central Planning Authority must also face the fact that poor decisions in the past by the CPA are now showing up in declining natural conditions on our islands (such as Seven Mile Beach erosion and even erosion near the Boggy Sand seawall). The CPA should immediately drop plans to take this to the Privy Council, resulting in a waste of government funds. This is especially important when the Cayman Islands government is going deeper and deeper into debt. Bob B. Most people support the ruling, CPA needs to stop wasting time and money. Which person needs to be removed from the CPA to stop this madness? Tania Johnson Why are they wasting money on this? Krista Wight Special report: Double- stacking vault saves space in Cayman’s cemeteries I’m tapping out. I can’t read any more of this. Eden Hurlston Usually this is done among family members. Victoria Button Is it time to consider cremation? All the services minus the stacking of bodies on top of each other? Richard Nathan Parson Many are already opting for cremation. Claudia Metzler Look at the cemetery across from Kirk Market in North Church Street. The hotel is even squeezing between the beautiful cemetery and the shore line, taking all the square inches they can get. No respect for the dead. Roland Talanow The roads, schools, hospitals and everything else are overcrowded, homelessness is increasing, and we are running out of space for the dead. Yet someone thinks the population isn’t growing fast enough. Jenny Manderson I hope I did not hear the minister correctly when she said over 7,000 vaults were being planned. I mean, we need houses for living Caymanians but are only building 70 or so. More families are choosing cremation now and this will likely continue. I would not have thought vaults would be a priority over housing for the living. Looks like the government can only do the small things. Dexter Rivers When $4.50 an hour can add up to $60,000 a year Good for the servers that make 50K or more. Just like any industry, job or career, the people that grab the responsibility by the horns make the money. You can’t make money if you don’t make a huge effort to be the best. Graeme Thomson A minimum wage should be at least $15. Sai Powery $4.50 an hour is a disgrace. Employers getting rich at the expense of low-paid cheap labour. Perhaps some of these low payers should be made public. Jerry Young Slow postal service forces delivery by hand pic of the week Members of youth environmental group Protect Our Future are pictured demonstrating at Midtown Plaza on Friday, 22 Sept., before setting off for the Government Administration Building to call for early implementation of the goals set out in the islands’ National Energy Policy. The group said the demonstration, as well as the presentation of letters to government, was to call attention to the global shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. In a statement on the event, the group warned that “without urgent changes in Cayman’s treatment of the environment... [it] may be too late” to achieve some of the energy goals. - Photo: Supplied Young voices call for change cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 29 SEPTEMBER - 5 OCTOBER 2023cayman compass 5 WEEKLY, 29 SEPTEMBER - 5 OCTOBER 2023 For further information contact Public Health Department 244-2889 hsa.ky/public-healthGov’t ‘sailing close to the wind’ with marginal budget surplus $3.3 million Projected government surplus cayman compass 6 news N news WEEKLY, 29 SEPTEMBER - 5 OCTOBER 2023 REBECCA BIRD rbird@compassmedia.ky The Opposition has insisted it was “in no way, shape or form” attempting to form a new government in the immediate aftermath of Border Control and Labour Minister Dwayne Seymour’s resignation. There was no secret meeting, no strategic planning, and members were simply catching up on rest and chores after a busy session, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Joey Hew said in a Radio Cayman interview. His comments came despite conjecture over the weekend that the Opposition had reached out to select members of government to test the water on a possible alternative coalition. Further speculation was stoked on Monday, 25 Sept., when Progressives MP David Wight posted a social media image of the Opposition group, including Seymour and independent MP Chris Saunders, with the caption, ‘Government in waiting???’ . Speaking on the ‘For the Record’ show on Wednesday, 27 Sept., Hew gave his views on the week’s events which culminated in the labour minister’s resignation. He told host Orrett Connor he found the whole episode “rather strange”, but said the PACT administration looks like it may have “found unity in the middle of the storm”. Meanwhile, Progressives leader Roy McTaggart, speaking during the same radio interview, had a different take. He said a seeming display of unity by the government – who wore matching colours on Tuesday – could not hide the discord. ‘Off the rails’ There were nine private member’s motions to be filed in Parliament last Thursday, and Hew described the day as “starting out quite well”. But when, what he called the “more contentious” motions were reached, Hew said the government did not appear to be prepared for them. After Opposition MP David Wight presented his motion asking for the legalisation of chemical sprays for self-defence, Premier Wayne Panton said he would not be supporting it. And when the vote was called, he was the sole opponent, with the rest of his government voting for the motion to be passed. “It seems as if, at that point, things just got off the rails, and the premier was not in his seat at the time when the rest of the motions were brought in,” Hew said. The deputy Opposition leader said that he’d thought the premier was on his way to Government House to hand in his resignation. “I certainly would have, because it [would be] very obvious that I had lost complete support of my government. Not just my Cabinet, but my entire government.” Hew’s motion asking for the government to develop and incentivise private sector-built affordable home and rental schemes was the next to cause friction among members. “It’s my understanding that the government were instructed not to support the motion,” he said. However, during the vote, there seemed to be confusion among government members about how to respond, with some changing their votes when a division - when individual members verbally vote yes or no when their names are called - was held. The final vote saw 10 for and three against the motion, with just the premier absent, which led to it being passed. “I think, at that stage, other members stormed out of the House,” Hew said. “There were words exchanged between those who voted yes and those who voted no.” He said things went “haywire” from there, and added that the Opposition “found the entire thing rather strange”. No secret meeting The next day, Seymour resigned as minister and from the government in a speech to the House. Backbench MP McKeeva Bush immediately called for a break, which Hew said was for the government to “have a huddle” and “put a Band-Aid on”. As it was late in the afternoon, the Opposition asked for Parliament to be called into recess until Tuesday morning, to allow them time to review the supplementary appropriations. “There was a lot of speculation over the weekend, my phone was ringing off the hook,” Hew said. But he added that, after a long week, members were simply catching up on their chores and resting. “There were no secret meetings with us. There were one or two phone calls from those who were seeking to see if there were any opportunities for themselves,” he said. “But there was not an exercise by the Progressives’ Opposition to form a new government over the weekend.” He said Opposition members, including Seymour, met on Monday and spent three-and-a-half hours going through the supplementary appropriations. PACT intact On Tuesday, before the Finance Committee meeting, they heard rumours of the government reshuffling, but, on arrival, members were wearing matching colours as a show of solidarity. “From our understanding, it was that they’re back to the PACT being intact,” Hew said. “Perhaps that exercise worked out to be a good thing. Perhaps they have found unity in the middle of the storm, and it can only be good for the country.” Leader of the Opposition McTaggart had a different view though, saying the events of last week show “a great division and discord” among government members. “At the end of the day, no amount of dressing up in pink ties and pink scarves and dresses, whatever they do, it’s the actions [that] speak louder than the appearances.” He said the premier has a problem as he is now down to a bare majority of 10 to eight, “and I don’t know how he’s going to fix it”. “He’s got to be feeling very uncomfortable in that position, given the performance of his government to date.” Opposition: ‘We were not forming a new government’ REBECCA BIRD rbird@compassmedia.ky Government expenditure is expected to be just $3.3 million less than government revenue this financial year, Premier Wayne Panton has said. He made the announcement during a meeting of the Finance Committee in Parliament on Tuesday, 26 Sept. Before presenting 11 supplementary appropriations to members, he said they would total $68.8 million, which, if spent, would bring total expenditure for 2023 up to $1.03 billion. Meanwhile, government revenue is expected to be “very marginally shy” of April’s Strategic Policy Statement projection of $1.037 billion. During the session, Opposition members accused the government of “sailing close to the wind” and risking a deficit. Leader of the Opposition Roy McTaggart asked if efforts had been made to see what other areas could have offset some of the $68.8 million in supplementary spending, approved Tuesday despite all Opposition members abstaining. “Considerable requests were made to ensure that spending was appropriate and being done efficiently, and savings were realised where possible,” Panton responded. The Opposition leader then asked if there are amounts within the requested additional expenditure – which included significant funds for overseas healthcare costs as well as salaries for primary school maths specialists – that have been spent already, to which the premier responded that there were not. “[The ministries] have indicated, however, that they need to be able to get the funding in place to be able to move forward in October,” he added. Opposition MP Sir Alden McLaughlin, the former premier, asked the financial secretary Kenneth Jefferson: “As a veteran of these things, are you comfortable with sailing so close to the wind? In other words, the risk that the government finishes the year in a deficit?” Jefferson responded he was not comfortable, and it “could easily turn into a break-even position”, but reiterated that supplementary appropriations may not be spent in their entirety. The premier, in response to questioning from McLaughlin, added, “As minister for finance, premier, and in… Cabinet, we are very conscious about spending and we will try to ensure that we limit spending as much as possible.” David Wight, MP for George Town West, posted this picture of seven of the members (minus Sister Islands MP Moses Kirkconnell) with the caption 'Government in waiting???' following a meeting at the George Town Yacht Club on Monday, 25 Sept. Deputy Leader of the Opposition Joey Hewcayman compass 7 WEEKLY, 29 SEPTEMBER 5 OCTOBER 2023 Mass_NRG_WhiteLine_Inset_NoMask_CMYKConfirm your information today! Act now to ensure we have your most current information to avoid service interruptions and for the best possible banking experience. ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. Call the RBC Advice Centre at 1-888-847-5803 or visit your local branchANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky After seven years, two governments, three governors, a global pandemic, a population increase of more than 20,000 people, multiple lawsuits, and a massive overhaul of the police service, Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne is saying his final goodbyes, having helped to train a Caymanian successor to take over his role. “It’s not easy walking away from Cayman and the people of the Cayman Islands,” said Byrne at a final media roundtable discussion on Wednesday, 27 Sept., during which he reflected on the successes, failures and ongoing challenges of the police service. A mission to mend Byrne, who is a native of Dublin, Ireland, was appointed as commissioner of the RCIPS on 1 Nov. 2016 after a 36-year career that saw him climb to the rank of assistant commissioner of Ireland’s national police service, An Garda Síochána. Months before his appointment, the then Police Commissioner David Baines had unexpectedly resigned, citing strife between himself and elected officials whom he claimed had undermined his authority. An external view of what Byrne inherited was nothing short of shambles. The relationship between the police and the public had been severely strained after the community policing unit was made all but defunct. Allegations of discrimination and corruption within the ranks of the police service were rife. There was a high level of attrition, which resulted in the RCIPS hemorrhaging officers to other uniformed bodies, such as the then Immigration and Customs departments. An ageing fleet and a lack of equipment resulted in police having to outsource crucial services, which in turn drained their budget and hampered the timeliness of criminal investigations and subsequent prosecutions. All of this was against the backdrop of an ever-growing landscape of criminal activity which was swiftly evolving and outpacing police who were struggling to detect, let alone react to, emerging criminal trends. The stats speak for themselves Publicly available crime and traffic statistics which date back to 2010 show that, under Byrne’s watch, the most serious offences either decreased or remained the same, despite a population increase. Between 2010 and 2016, before his arrival, there were 26 murders, 95 reported rapes, 4,031 reported burglaries, 343 reported robberies, and 162 charges for unlicensed firearms. Between 2017 and 2022, while Byrne was at the helm, there were 16 murders, 88 reports of robberies, 1,452 reported burglaries, 176 reported robberies, and 70 charges for unlicensed firearms. That represents an average 20% fall in the most serious crimes during his watch, with the most notable figure being a drastic 60% drop in reported burglaries. These figures also do not include the tens of thousands of pounds of drugs that have been seized during his tenure. The only real area of worrying growth was that of car crashes, which saw 8,515 collisions, including 50 fatalities, between 2010 and 2016; that figure nearly doubled to 15,605, with 53 fatalities, between 2017 and 2022. While the comparisons are not exact matches, because of a discrepancy between timelines of seven years versus six years, the population increase of 20,000 people during Byrne’s tenure (as per the Economics and Statistics Office) helps to compensate for the one less year. Successes and failures When asked about the successes and failures of the last seven years, Byrne noted that, in addition to the support he attracted from his officers, the police also received financial and public support from successive governments and governors – which allowed his officers to shine when the world’s eyes descended upon Cayman, for example when British royals visited the islands. The then Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, visited in 2019, and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie visited last year. “A royal visit is no light touch event,” said Byrne. “If something goes wrong, it’s significant. We hosted them without any issues arising.” He added, “To have the international policing services say to us, we are as good as they’ve seen and as good as it gets, shows that we have that capacity, that our officers are able to deliver [and] that we can plan, and we can host [royal visits] safely.” Other successes of which the commissioner says he is proud are behind-the-scenes projects which have noticeable benefits to the police and the wider community. In 2017, the RCIPS unveiled a ballistics hub at the George Town Police Station, which has since processed hundreds of rounds of ammunition and more than 250 firearms from Cayman and the wider Caribbean. One notable success was the recent seizure of a handgun that has been matched as the murder weapon in five murders in Jamaica during the last four years. Another win was the rethinking of child safeguarding and the introduction of the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub in 2017, following the mishandling of a number of earlier child abuse cases. Since then, there have been numerous successful prosecutions for sexual abuse of minors and adults, but Byrne believes more can be done. “I have a concern about the number of sexual crimes that are in the islands, and that includes involving children,” he said. “I have to say, I’m really concerned about the level of it. It seems disproportionate to me, the whole issue.” Under his leadership, the police gained another helicopter which has assisted with medevacs, border patrols, search and rescue, and prisoner transports, in addition to several other police Police Commissioner Byrne signing off Police Commissioner Derek Byrne stands at attention beside then Prince Charles during the royal visit to Cayman in March 2019. - Photo: File cayman compass news N news WEEKLY, 29 SEPTEMBER - 5 OCTOBER 2023 8 BE PREPARED THIS HURRICANE SEASON. Check that your insurance policies are up-to-date, so you’re covered in the event you need to make a claim. For more preparation tips, visit islandheritageinsurance.com/hurricane For more information call +1 345 949 7290 or visit islandheritageinsurance.com AD IH hurricane_general_check policies_FINAL_run.sept.29.2023.indd 1 AD IH hurricane_general_check policies_FINAL_run.sept.29.2023.indd 126/09/2023 8:43 AM26/09/2023 8:43 AMcayman compass 9 WEEKLY, 29 SEPTEMBER - 5 OCTOBER 2023 Hospitality Job Fair Are you an experienced hospitality professional or someone looking to make a change to a career in hospitality? Explore exciting career opportunities available at • The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman • Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa • Hotel Indigo, Grand Cayman (scheduled to open April 2024) This opportunity is open exclusively to Caymanians, PR and RERC holders. Register now to make the most of this opportunity: LOCATION: Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa DATE: Wednesday, 11 October 2023 TIME: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. DART.KY/HOSPITALITYNext >