cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 Cruise pier debate resurrected Page 5 Momentum stalls on minimum wage Page 6 Holiday road safety operation begins Page 14 $1 | Funding local journalism Weekly, 15-21 December 2023 Government’s Christmas giveaway Budget includes big spending on glut of new projects Pages 26-29 2 new high schools Runway extension Olympic swimming pool 50 new hospital beds Central Scranton park © 2023 Burger King Corporation. Ghost Pepper Chicken FriesMatinees (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. DIE HARD (R) (FRI, MON-THURS) 12:30 | 3:35 | 6:35 | 7:00 VIP | 9:10 VIP | 10:00 (SAT) 1:30 | 4:30 | 7:00 VIP | 9:10 VIP NAPOLEON (R) (FRI, MON-THURS) 4:00 VIP | 9:35 (SAT) 4:00 VIP RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ (R) (FRI) 3:05 | 6:35 | 7:25 VIP (SAT) 1:00 | 7:25 VIP (THURS) 6:30 | 7:30 VIP THE HUNGER GAMES: BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES (PG-13) (FRI, THURS) 12:45 VIP | 9:20 (SAT) 9:20 (SUN) 3:30 | 6:10 | 6:30 VIP | 9:35 (MON-TUE) 12:45 VIP | 6:30 | 7:30 VIP | 9:20 (WED) 7:30 VIP | 9:20 TROLLS BAND TOGETHER (PG) (FRI) 12:45 (SAT) 11:10 (SUN) 4:00 VIP | 7:00 (MON-TUE, THURS) 12:45 | 4:10 WISH (PG) (FRI) 1:00 VIP | 3:50 | 4:35 VIP (SAT) 1:00 VIP | 1:20 | 3:50 (SUN) 3:30 VIP | 3:50 | 5:50 VIP | 7:15 | 8:10 VIP (MON-TUE, THURS) 1:00 VIP | 1:20 | 3:50 | 4:35 VIP (WED) 1:00 VIP | 1:25 | 3:50 | 4:35 VIP WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK KIDS CLUB JINGLE ALL THE WAY SATURDAY 10AM (PG) KIDS CLUB THE SANTA CLAUSE SATURDAY 10AM (PG) RUTHLESS (R) (FRI-SAT, MON-THURS) 6:45 | 9:45 | 10:00 THE HOLIDAY (PG-13) (SUN) 9:35 | 9:55 WONKA (PG) (FRI) 12:30 VIP | 1:10 | 3:30 VIP | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 (SAT) 12:30 | 12:30 VIP | 3:10 | 1:10 | 6:30 VIP (SUN) 3:45 VIP | 4:00 | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 | 9:10 VIP | 9:40 (MON-TUE) 12:30 VIP | 3:30 VIP | 4:00 | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 (WED-THURS) 12:30 VIP | 1:00 | 3:30 VIP | 3:45 | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 (WED) | 7:00 CLASSICS NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION SUNDAY 9:20 | 10:30 VIP (PG) WEDNESDAY 6PM FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. Compass Centre, Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman, KY1-1108 Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 • Email: newsdesk@compassmedia.ky ADVERTISE WITH US: T: (345) 949-5111 • E: sales@compassmedia.ky • W: caymancompass.com weather Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy with isolated showers SEA STATE Moderate with a wave height of 3 to 5 feet. WINDS East to northeast at 10 to 15 knots. 86°F HIGH 77°F LOW NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES New roundabout on Bobby Thompson Way opens Drivers are no longer be able to access the existing roundabout on Bobby Thompson Way, as the National Roads Authority introduces a new road layout in the area. Motorists must now use the new, larger roundabout on Bobby Thompson Way. The NRA said the existing roundabout will be removed, shifting traffic onto the new road layout. It is urging caution when using the new layout, as it is still an active construction site. “Not all lanes will be completed, so motorists are being asked to drive with due care and attention,” the NRA statement said. Suspect arrested in Sven Connor’s murder A 27-year-old man has been arrested for the killing of East End resident Sven Connor who was gunned down in a house on 7 Dec. Police said the suspect, also of East End, was arrested on 9 Dec. on suspicion of murder. Connor, 42, was shot and killed on Thursday, 7 Dec. He was found unresponsive in a house off Seaview Road, East End. Police said just before 10pm on 7 Dec., officers responded a report of gun shots being fired at a house in East End. When they entered the house they found Connor, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Connor, also known as ‘Dapper’ or ‘Dapps’, was known to police. He had previously been on the run for some time before being arrested in October in relation serious assault and other threatening and violent crimes. Body found in East End identified as missing man Police have confirmed that the remains recovered in the mangrove area of East End on 30 Nov. were that of missing man Adrian Williamson. Williamson, 26, a Jamaican national, was reported missing in July, 2022, police said in a 9 Dec. statement. The cause of death was not released. When asked by the Cayman Compass if foul play was suspected in Williamson’s death, a police spokesperson said, “we are exploring all possibilities”. Williamson was residing in George Town at the time of his disappearance. He was last seen at his home on 6 July and was reported missing the following day. His body were found in a secluded mangrove area in East End on the morning of 30 Nov. The RCIPS had said an “expert anthropologist” was working with health officials to examine the remains in “an attempt to assist the investigation”. Ben Tonner appointed chairman of Human Rights Commission Governor Jane Owen has appointed lawyer Ben Tonner, KC, as chairman of the Human Rights Commission. Tonner has been a member of the commission for four years, from 2015 to 2018, and again from 1 Sept. last year until 19 Nov. this year. His tenure as chairman began on 20 Nov., according to a press release issued this week. The Human Rights Commission is an independent body whose primary responsibility is to promote understanding and observance of human rights in the Cayman Islands. It currently comprises of Tonner as chairman, and four members – Deborah Barker Roye, Nick Quin, Cathy Gomez and Jennifer Hunter. Barker Roye had served as interim chair from 17 Sept. 2022 until 28 Oct. this year. New Year’s Eve bar extension extends to Sister Islands Partygoers on the Sister Islands have been granted extra hours to ring in the new year as the Liquor Licensing Board has granted an extension to bars, restaurants, nightclubs and hotels there to close later that usual on 1 Jan. 2024. However, unlike establishments in Grand Cayman, the Liquor Licensing Board has decided that hotels, restaurants and retail licence holders will be permitted to sell liquor and play music until 2am. It comes as this year New Year’s Eve falls on a Sunday. Bars, restaurants, nightclubs and hotels in Grand Cayman can open until 4am. No extensions are in effect for Christmas Eve on Sunday, 24 Dec, the board added, meaning normal operating hours will apply. The board said, on New Year’s Eve, the last serving of alcohol must be done 10 minutes prior to closing time, with the last serving of alcohol being done by 1:50am. News in brief Jamaican national Adrian Williamson was reported missing in July 2022. - Photo: RCIPS The new road layout at Bobby Thompson Way. - Photo: National Roads Authority cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 15-21 DECEMBER 2023cayman compass 3 WEEKLY, 15-21 DECEMBER 20231234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Traveller to holy place (7) 5 Dwarf planet discovered 1930 (5) 8 Throughout subsequent time (4,5) 9 Generation (3) 10 Examine superficially (4) 12 Shrink (8) 14 Legally bound (6) 15 Means (6) 17 Knightly conduct (8) 18 An attempt (4) 21 Immediately (3) 22 Useless (2,2,5) 24 Underground vault (5) 25 Probity (7) DOWN 1 Make insistent demand (5) 2 Sheltered side (3) 3 Stratagem (4) 4 A trusted adviser (6) 5 Standing in the eyes of others (8) 6 Faced with (2,7) 7 For all to see (7) 11 With great enthusiasm (2,1,3,3) 13 Get rid of (5,3) 14 Terse (7) 16 Local office of a company (6) 19 Oppress by threats (5) 20 To caution (4) 23 Tummy muscles (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17501 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 17501 ACROSS: 1 Pilgrim, 5 Pluto, 8 Ever since, 9 Age, 10 Skim, 12 Contract, 14 Liable, 15 Agency, 17 Chivalry, 18 Stab, 21 Now, 22 Of no avail, 24 Crypt, 25 Honesty. DOWN: 1 Press, 2 Lee, 3 Ruse, 4 Mentor, 5 Prestige, 6 Up against, 7 Overtly, 11 In a big way, 13 Clear out, 14 Laconic, 16 Branch, 19 Bully, 20 Warn, 23 Abs. In the spirit of spreading yuletide cheer, the Sikh and South Asian community – together with Compass Media, on 12 Dec. – donated close to 350 toys to the Lions Club of Grand Cayman for their annual toy drive, which provides gifts at its annual All Island Kids party at the Lions Community Centre in Red Bay. Hundreds of children from around the island are treated to food, games and toys at the event, which also features a visit from Santa Claus. The toys were collected as part of the Sikh community’s Guru Nanak Gurpurab celebrations in November. Club President Patricia Forbes, speaking at the handover ceremony at Compass Media’s Vault meeting hall, welcomed the donation, saying it would go a long way toward giving local children a special Christmas. - Photo: Seaford Russell Jr East End residents rattled after recent shootings Hopefully, the government takes action against this rising crime soon. likefastcars_711 I grew up in the district, and the atmosphere has changed drastically. It’s very scary. Any time I do pass through, I’m constantly asking who’s that new kid in town? Every nation you can think about lives up there. This poor island is overpopulated. MLAs, this matter needs to be dealt with. nothing__nahnormal69 $2 billion budget: Stamp duty hike and two new schools among key announcements So everything that made the islands thrive, tax attractive and successful over the years, they are beginning to undo? Brilliant. Empirical evidence proves when government increases any fees or taxes, revenues go down. And, when class envy infects government, only the “little guy” loses every time. paulvssr Make the pathway to citizenship easier for children born overseas of generational Caymanians. My mom has 50+ descendants that would love to be here, but because of the cost ($35,000+) and difficulties incurred trying to get my two sons (born in Texas) their blood right. They are feeling hopeless. dealebanks Tourism minister Bryan resurrects cruise pier debate #VoteNO Cruise Port Referendum Cayman A referendum was already done, proving that we don’t want it. Stop wasting people time and frustrating our souls with bringing this foolishness back up once again. iluskayy This is a mistake. As a frequent tourist to Cayman, the key appeal of the island is the fact it has not been overrun by cruise ship passengers and the related cruise ship-backed retail cabal. I hope Caymans residents reject such an expansion. intrepid_texan No piers. Different cruise tourism model (not super- mega-ships). There, referendum result sorted. John B. Fortunately, the Cayman public are intelligent enough to vote again, against mass cruise ship tourism, which will destroy our upmarket reputation. Trusty2man D. Momentum stalls on minimum wage increase Nonsense, minister! We had starvation rates for decades and no one has the guts to put the wages where they should be. We need more accurate data from the Office of Statistics so better decisions. James P. So, a starvation rate of pay is bad if you’re a Caymanian, but okay if you’re not? What are we really saying then? Eric H. 911 calls increase by 70% in two years It has increased, and the sad part is when you call them, there is no way they can help you out if you have an assault, only if there is blood involved they can do something about it. nuryamika Interested to see more stats on this. Wonder how many were traffic-accident related. onlyron345 Not surprising once you take into consideration the amount of people moving to the island and the fact that the majority of people here are living with poverty wages. the.neos.helios Congratulations to George Town and the organisers of the Cayman Marathon and Half-Marathon for putting on a fabulous show [on 3 Dec. 2023.] I have run many half marathons and this was one of the most scenic and enjoyable events I ever participated in. I happened to be in Grand Cayman for a planned week’s dive vacation when I heard about the event and signed up for the half on the spur of the moment. I had a wonderful time and it was one of the most fun events I have participated in. The event was efficiently run and the staff made it easy to jump in on the last day. Everyone I encountered was very encouraging and friendly, and the water stops were so enthusiastic. I plan to return next year and bring some friends. Woody Van Meter What they’re saying Online Letters to the editor WEEKLY, 15-21 DECEMBER 2023 pic of the week Gift of joy cayman compass 4 news N newsNORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Tourism and Ports Minster Kenneth Bryan has called for a referendum to be held on building a cruise pier at the next election. Speaking in his budget address in Parliament on Monday, 18 Dec., Bryan said it was time to address the ‘elephant in the room’ – that a decrease in cruise ship arrivals in coming years is inevitable if a pier is not built, as major cruise lines are refusing to use tender boats to transport their passengers from ship to shore. A petition in 2019 triggered a people- initiated referendum, but with the onset of the COVID pandemic, the Progressives-led government at the time indicated it did not intend to move ahead with its plans to build a cruise pier in George Town Harbour, therefore negating the need for a referendum. Bryan told his fellow legislators that, at the time the referendum was dropped, “people felt absolutely assured that the Cayman Islands was the jewel of the Caribbean cruise sector and ships had no choice but to stop here. In the years since the question of piers was last discussed, we have seen the cruise lines don’t have to stop here.” Noting that even larger ships have now been built than the Oasis classes that the cruise lines had said they would not tender, he said it was extremely unlikely the cruise companies would ever agree to tender those bigger ships. Declining cruise numbers The number of cruise ships stopping in Cayman has decreased considerably since 2019, the last full pre-COVID year, which saw record tourism arrivals. In the first 10 months of this year, 993,919 cruise passengers visited Cayman, which equates to 68.8% of the full-year 2019 arrivals, Bryan said. He also delivered the latest cruise arrival numbers for November, which was approximated 127,000 passengers, and the projected number for the traditionally extremely busy month of December, which was 179,664. This would mean the projected total number of cruise arrivals for 2023 would be 1.3 million. In 2019, more than 1.8 million cruise ship passengers visited Cayman. “At some point,” Bryan said, “we have to address the fact that if we continue in the cruise business, we either have to be willing to accept the continual decline in passenger numbers over time or reconsider our options in respect to having a cruise pier.” Addressing the speaker of the House, Sir Alden McLaughlin, Bryan said, “You among all people will be well aware of the level of public sensitivity concerning this subject matter.” McLaughlin’s Progressives-led government had championed the idea of a cruise pier in George Town to bolster Cayman’s cruise arrival numbers, but the plan met with widespread public opposition, prompting the referendum petition and legal action. Bryan noted that itineraries of some cruise lines were no longer including George Town, “which is what we have been told to expect” by the cruise companies. “So now that we see our cruise sector dwindling,” Bryan said, “I think it would be wise for us to hold a referendum in the next election, so that the people can settle the question once and for all, of whether the Cayman Islands should have piers.” Alternative location He added that a cruise pier did not necessarily have to be based in George Town, “where it may be a risk to Seven Mile Beach”. “Maybe it can be considered somewhere else,” he said. “Either way, the representatives of the people need clear direction because having piers or not having piers – both options have their pros and cons that people need to decide, but we as a country have to recognise that if we don’t have piers, our cruise tourism product will continue to decline, that’s a simple fact.” Bryan told the House that a recent tourism business survey conducted by the Department of Tourism had shown that 68% of respondents confirmed that 50% of their income came from the cruise business. Bryan resurrects cruise pier debate “In the years since the question of piers was last discussed, we have seen the cruise lines don’t have to stop here.” Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan Approximately 1.3 million cruise passengers are expected to visit Cayman this year. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay cayman compass 5 WEEKLY, 15-21 DECEMBER 2023RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Despite a year-long review process and a massive national consultation, government appears to be in no hurry to raise Cayman’s $6-an-hour minimum wage. Labour Minister Dwayne Seymour, speaking in Parliament during the budget debate Monday evening, noted that “only 23%” of those earning minimum wage are Caymanian, while 77% were “transient” workers. He proposed a further review of the minimum wage was needed to prevent any “mistake” being made and avoid increasing the burden on Caymanians. He said the community will hear more on the minimum wage at “a later date”, which he did not specify, but added that there needs to be another conversation on how to help Caymanians working above minimum wage, but on stagnant salaries, in the private sector to “get the necessary uplift that they need and cost of living adjustments”. In September, the Cayman Compass ran an investigative series, highlighting many of the challenges for minimum wage workers, as the committee tasked with reviewing the issue researched and reported its recommendations. The chair of that Minimum Wage Advisory Committee, Lemuel Hurlston, said the existing $6/hour rate fell below a “starvation wage”. However, Seymour, who is also a business owner, extrapolated from the committee’s report that only a small segment of Caymanian workers – or just under 1 in 4 of those earning the minimum wage – will reap the benefits of an increase. “What, in essence, I think the committee is saying is that, even if we increased it to the top number of the recommended minimum wage that they recommended, only 23% of Caymanians who are on minimum wage, will benefit from it,” he said. This, he said, is something “very serious to pay attention to”. ‘Sectorising’ minimum wage “We can really make a mistake if we don’t find a way to sectorise it... [so] that it doesn’t fully impact our Caymanian people whose salaries remain stagnant while services and persons that they need in their life to make their life work and remain comfortable... [their] salaries go up, while theirs remain stagnant causing additional pressures on our Caymanians,” he said. The minister, in an interview earlier this year, had noted that when the minimum wage was introduced in 2016, nannies’ salaries doubled from $3 to $6 per hour, affecting Caymanians “who needed a nanny to care for their children, and now they can’t afford it so they have got to share a nanny now”. Seymour told legislators on Monday that the conversation on the minimum wage is not complete, as caucus and Cabinet want to take “another look at it” and have stakeholders and the Opposition members read the report. Though he said he was trying to be “sensitive” with his assessment, Seymour said the government does not want to repeat the “unforeseen circumstances” which followed the introduction of the minimum wage in 2016. He said at that time, salaries in one sector of the economy doubled, in essence causing “havoc”. Meanwhile, Caymanian salaries remained stagnant, mostly in the private sector. Government, he said, has to make a “good, informed decision” and bring in the “right people” to try to help with this issue. “If we make the wrong decision with this, it can really cripple certain elements in our industry. I say that with all respect,” Seymour stated. “We need to recognise what it is and where we are and what economy we’re living in,” he added. The full report from the review committee has not been made public. Momentum stalls on minimum wage increase RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, in her first official statement on immigration reform, hinted that changes are on the horizon when it comes to obtaining citizenship in the Cayman Islands. “While we accept that foreign labour will be required to maintain our economy, we also do not accept that everyone who upon arrival should be on an automatic pathway to citizenship,” O’Connor-Connolly said, as she delivered her government’s inaugural policy statement Friday afternoon, 8 Dec., in Parliament. O’Connor-Connolly, who leads the United People’s Movement administration, said legislative changes to the Immigration Reform Act will be brought in the coming year “in order to address many outstanding issues”. In her address, the premier said her administration believes that sensible immigration reform is needed, but when it comes to citizenship, there is a clear position. “These are important yet sensitive discussions that we must have as a community,” she said, adding that she was pleased that Border Control Minister Dwayne Seymour is committed to this and he will be “ably supported” by West Bay West MP McKeeva Bush as his Parliamentary Secretary. Though the premier did not elaborate on the looming changes, two of her ministers – Kenneth Bryan and Seymour, both went on the record earlier this year calling for a moratorium on the granting of some forms of Caymanian status. Bryan, under the PACT administration led by Premier Wayne Panton, posted billboards in his constituency calling for immigration reform. Former Border Control Minister Chris Saunders, under the PACT government, had initiated a review of the existing Permanent Residency points system. The report has been submitted to Cabinet for review, the Cayman Compass understands. Immigration boards repopulated Meanwhile, Seymour has appointed members to the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board and the Business Staff Board, which have been vacant since the end of September. He opted not to re-appoint the former members of boards. In a statement Monday, 11 Dec., it was announced that George Anthony (Tony) Powell had been appointed as chairman of the Status and PR board, replacing attorney Steve McField. Jacqueline Terry has been named as Powell’s deputy. Juliette Johnson De Feu has been appointed to lead the Business Staffing Plan Board, replacing former chairman attorney Richard Barton. Radio Cayman broadcaster Orrett Connor was named as Johnson De Feu’s deputy. McField has retained the chairmanship of the Immigration Appeals Tribunal. The Compass understands that permanent residency applications are currently facing a backlog of at least a year, and appointments for history and culture tests, a key component for applications under the PR points system, are being scheduled more than nine months out from the date of submission. Premier signals changes coming for Caymanian status The Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board: George Anthony (Tony) Powell Chairperson Jacqueline Terry Deputy chairperson Tresea BrownMember Farrah MillerMember Denise DeMercadoMember Buel Rolphie BraggsMember Thelda WhittakerMember Stephen ScottMember Magalyn Velana Robinson-Clarke Member Pamela MyrieMember Director of WORC or the director’s designate (non-voting) Head of work permits, Caymanian status and permanent residency, or the director’s designate (non-voting) A secretary (non-voting) An assistant secretary (non-voting) Business Staffing Plan Board: Juliette Johnson De Feu Chairperson Orrett Connor Deputy chairperson Gannon RuttyMember Tavvis WaltersMember Pamela SmallMember Wilma WoodMember Cora GrantMember Stephanie WebsterMember Tamara RankineMember Sherry-Ann SmithMember Paula TathumMember Director of WORC or the Director’s designate (non-voting) Head of work permits, Caymanian status and permanent residency, or the director’s designate (non-voting) A secretary (non-voting) An assistant secretary (non-voting) The Immigration Appeals Tribunal: Steve McFieldChairperson Glenda Ebanks-LeeMember Joy VernonMember Sophia BryanMember “[E]ven if we increased it to the top number of the recommended minimum wage that they recommended, only 23% of Caymanians who are on minimum wage, will benefit from it.” Labour Minister Dwayne Seymour Labour Minister Dwayne Seymour cayman compass 6 news N news WEEKLY, 15-21 DECEMBER 2023REBECCA BIRD rbird@compassmedia.ky The growth of the Cayman Islands’ economy is likely to slow in 2024 but will remain steady in the following several years, Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly has said. When she presented the Cayman Islands’ budget for 2024 and 2025 to the House of Parliament on 8 Dec., she pinpointed several sectors as contributing to the deceleration. After recording nearly 30% of growth in 2023, the accommodation sector is expected to record an average growth of just 14.9% over the coming years, she said. Meanwhile, the transportation sector, which is projected to have expanded by 9% by the end of 2023, will drop to an average growth of 3.1% between 2024 and 2027. However, in a positive contrast, she said the inflation rate in the Cayman Islands is likely to drop to 2.2% annually between next year and 2027. Economic forecasts Due to global uncertainties such as fuel supply, geopolitical tensions and high interest rates, projections for Cayman’s economy anticipate a 3.1% growth in 2023. This is expected to decelerate to 2.2% in 2024 and average out at 2.5% between 2025 and 2027, the premier, who is also minister for finance and economic development, said. The accommodation sector is expected to expand by 29.9% in 2023 as a result of global consumer demand remaining strong, she continued. However, the sector is projected to record an average growth of just 14.9% per year between 2024 and 2027. The transportation sector is likely to expand by 9% in 2023 before moderating to an average growth of 3.1% between 2024 and 2027, the finance minister continued. Despite inflationary pressures and tighter monetary policy, the finance and insurance services sector is projected to expand by 1% in 2023 and 1.3% in 2024. “This steady performance is supported by stable demand for financial and insurance services and government initiatives,” the premier said. Growth in the sector is expected to average 1.7% over the medium term. The business services industry is projected to expand by 1.9% in 2023 before growing at an average rate of 2.6% per year between 2024 and 2027. The wholesale and retail sector is forecast to rise by 3.4% in 2023, with an average increase of 1.4% annually between 2024 and 2027. The electricity and water sectors are expected to expand by 3.7% and to an average of 2.6 percent annually between 2024 and 2027. In the construction sector, growth is expected to slow as the cost of funding for mortgages and investments rises. But several large-scale hotel and commercial projects could contribute to a modest expansion of 0.5% in 2023, averaging 1.9% annually between 2024 and 2027. The real estate sector in the Cayman Islands is also anticipated to grow moderately due to increased interest rates. It is projected to grow 0.2% in 2023 and 0.8% in 2024, averaging 2.1% annually between 2025 and 2027. Over the medium term, labour demand is anticipated to align with GDP growth, driven by the expansion of accommodation services and supporting sectors, the premier explained. “Government initiatives prioritising the integration of Caymanians into the workforce aim to sustain low unemployment levels,” O’Connor-Connolly said. “Training and mentorship programmes for Caymanian youths are expected to contribute to retooling efforts.” A generally balanced labour market is expected, with a forecast unemployment rate of 2.5% in 2023 and an average of 2.7% in the remaining four years. Inflation forecast In 2023, inflation in the Cayman Islands is projected to total 5.2%, with an average inflation rate forecast to be 2.2% annually between 2024 and 2027. “The global economy is facing various risks and uncertainties in the post COVID-19 era,” the premier said. “Factors such as pricing pressures and labour market disruptions are challenging economic recovery. “Despite these challenges, the global economy has shown resilience, with positive growth in economic activity due to sustained demand.” She said there remains concerns about the impact of supply restrictions by Saudi Arabia and other OPEC countries, which have led to higher input costs and shipping charges. Slowdown in international demand for financial and accommodation services could hinder Cayman’s projected growth, the premier told parliament. “Higher interest rates could limit investments, weigh on mortgage loans, slowdown residential demand and further increase the cost of living,” she added. “However, the general consensus seems to be an expectation of interest rates actually declining in the near- to- medium term.” Cayman’s economic growth to slow in 2024, says premier Premier Juliana O'Connor-Connolly cayman compass 7 WEEKLY, 15-21 DECEMBER 2023 SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST Waterfront Living With The Finest Boutique Hotel Services +1 .345.526.7777 FINGRANDCAYMAN.COM Six unique and expansive 3, 4 and 5 bedroom penthouses with uninterrupted ocean views and 24/7 concierge and security services. Brand new and ready to move in furnished or unfurnished. Happy holidays! 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Holiday hours MOTOR HOME CONTENTS MARINE COMMERCIAL GROUP PENSION GROUP LIFE & DISABILITY AD_IH_holiday season_cayman compass_6.1132x10.2107_FINAL_nov.27.2023.indd 1AD_IH_holiday season_cayman compass_6.1132x10.2107_FINAL_nov.27.2023.indd 128/11/2023 11:50 AM28/11/2023 11:50 AM RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Leader of the Opposition Roy McTaggart has called for a “shift in direction” of the United People’s Movement government’s expenditure plan saying that its “spend, rather than save” choices in the 2024-2025 budget will have serious economic implications for the Cayman Islands. McTaggart, in Parliament on Monday, 11 Dec., at the start of the budget debate, said the UPM’s $2 billion budget, which includes $150 million in new borrowing, will bring additional strain to an already burdened community battling with inflation and cost of living challenges. “Our commercial banks will be salivating at this opportunity to bid on providing new financing to the government. Caymanians will be paying for the excesses of those on the government benches for decades,” he said. ‘Saddling future generations with the bill’ Calling for a “course change,” McTaggart suggested Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly end the “raise it, spend it” approach. “We need to stop spending on vanity projects. We need to come back to living within our means. To do that, the country needs a much clearer focus on a smaller number of priorities, things that will have the biggest impact on our people today, and that will make the biggest difference in the long term,” he said. Setting out that the UPM has continued the PACT administration’s policy of borrowing, which included drawing down on the $349 million line of credit, McTaggart said these actions will leave Cayman with half a billion dollars of debt by the end of this term in office. “The willingness of the PACT and now the UPM to borrow to finance its capital spending plans is a mistake that is saddling future generations with the bill for their grand plans while also creating a free-for-all when it comes to operational expenditures,” he said. While he said the Opposition is willing to give Premier O’Connor- Connolly some leeway since she is new to the office, he added that the signs are “not encouraging” that there will be a new way forward when it comes to government expenditures. “The $150 million in the next two years will become much more than that, as projects that have only just started in the current period are taken to completion. The premier needs to tell the country how much would be needed to be borrowed to fully deliver all the projects in the UPM’s list,” he said. Pointing to infrastructure, McTaggart said the absence of the revised national development plan is glaring and is now “urgent” in the face of rapid population growth. Cayman, he said, has moved from a position of 100% of capital expenditures being financed by revenues to one that is almost 100% financed by borrowing. Issues impacting Caymanians yet to be addressed McTaggart said O’Connor- Connolly’s speech Friday failed “to understand the challenges we face” and underestimated what was needed to “rebuild a strong economy that benefits all of our people”. He put forward that a “course correction” was needed from the excessive spending over the last two years under the PACT administration. He said the budget was crafted on politics, as the UPM administration has made decisions to bring forward funding allocations for some things and not for others, “to increase the budgets in some areas and not in others, to spend rather than save, and those are political choices”. McTaggart said the government must focus on delivering on key areas affecting the jurisdiction and prioritise overcoming the ongoing impact of the cost of living crisis, reducing crime and the fear of crime and enabling better, more affordable, access to housing. He suggested temporarily reducing to zero the duty paid by utility providers on fuel, the duty on cooking gas, and fuel duty at the pumps. “Such a reduction through 2024, coupled with a freeze for the year on the Water Authority water rates, would bring immediate relief in the monthly bills, which are currently causing real hardships for many, targeting those costs that are continuing to increase the fastest, and creating breathing space for families,” he said. When it comes to crime, he said, the strategies must focus on building out the CCTV system and developing a proper anti-gang plan. “The most significant immediate priority needs to be more direct action by the police service to disrupt criminal gangs, target prolific and persistent offenders, and achieve more arrests and convictions,” McTaggart said, as he expressed confidence in Police Commissioner Kurt Walton. ‘Absence of priorities’ On the UPM’s plans to raise fees and duties, the Opposition leader said the premier had not shared what those increases would look like, only claiming they will bring in some $52 million in new revenues in 2024 and $18 million in 2025. “These fee increases are only necessary to fund the excessive spending plans of ministers because of the absence of setting priorities and ministers just thinking they can go on another spending spree with other people’s money. This is indeed nothing more than a continuation of the PACT government ‘raise it and spend it’ strategy,” he said. Government, he said, has benefitted from the increase in inflation and the unexpected “windfall” should be used to help the Caymanian public. “It is essential that the government does find an opportunity to provide further duty reductions to the Sister Islands, to help lower costs for our people there, including the small businesses fighting to survive,” he added. McTaggart knocks ‘spend, rather than save’ budget Opposition leader Roy McTaggart speaking in Parliament in the budget debate on 11 Dec. - Photo: CIGTV cayman compass 8 news N news WEEKLY, 15-21 DECEMBER 2023cayman compass 9 WEEKLY, 15-21 DECEMBER 2023 ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky A Grand Court jury on Wednesday returned a guilty verdict on one of three men accused of murdering Randy Kelsey Robinson who died in May this year after being stabbed. Shaun Antonio Jackson, 22, was convicted of murdering Robinson, but acquitted of a less serious charges of wounding in relation to another victim. He is one of three defendants who received mixed verdicts by the Grand Court jury of seven men and three women, who deliberated for the better part of seven hours. Co-accused Johnathan Alexander Woodhouse, 28, was acquitted of murder and the lesser charge of manslaughter, but convicted of wounding with intent, in connection with a second victim who was injured during the knife attack. Matthew Stefan Glasgow, 26, the third defendant, was acquitted of all charges. Following the delivery of the verdicts, Jackson, dressed in all black, shook his head while sitting in silence. The proceedings stem from a fight at Caribe Café on Shedden Road, George Town, in the early morning hours of Friday, 5 May 2023, during which Jackson used a large knife to stab Robinson, 37, who was taken to Cayman Islands Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Robinson’s stabbing, which occurred outside the line of sight of the CCTV camera, was one of two incidents violent attacks that occurred simultaneously. In the other incident, a man was assaulted by Woodhouse. That second victim went on to become the prosecution’s main witness. During the trial, he told the court that he remembers being approached by a man with a “funny walk” who threatened and followed him; causing him to fear for his life and launch a preemptive strike. Jackson, who initially pleaded guilty to manslaughter, did not give evidence in the trial. Woodhouse, taking to the stand in his defence, accepted that he and the second victim did engage in a fight, but claimed that he was pushed by someone from the back and began fighting after he was struck by the victim. Following the verdicts, Glasgow was released, while Jackson and Woodhouse were remanded into custody ahead of a sentencing scheduled for the first quarter of 2024. Jury returns mixed verdicts in murder trial Shaun Antonio Jackson, 22, was convicted of murdering Robinson, but acquitted of a less serious charges of wounding in relation to another victim. Police cars at the scene of the murder of Randy Kelsey Robinson on 5 May 2023. - Photo: Andrel HarrisNext >