2pc $3 85 4pc $6 95 cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 22-28 December 2023 No place to turn for homeless Pages 20-22 Photo of the week Page 4 Kareem Streete- Thompson inspires students Page 27 Gift of life Liver transplant for baby Zoe Pages 5-6First phase of Airport Connector Road opens Phase 1 of the Airport Connector Road will open to the motoring public on 22 Dec., the National Roads Authority has announced. When fully completed, the road, which has been named the Jay Bodden Highway, will be a four-lane, two-mile-long highway connecting the Esterley Tibbetts Highway to the Owen Roberts International Airport. The first phase, which cost $10.2 million to build, is scheduled to open at noon on 22 Dec. It will extend from the Esterley Tibbetts Highway to the Water Authority Sewage Treatment Plant at Alie B Drive, with internal roads providing access to the North Sound Road and Sparky Drive intersection, the NRA stated. The project broke ground in August 2020. Back in June, infrastructure minister Jay Ebanks told legislators work on the first section of the road would be completed by September, but delays pushed that date back to the end of this month. “The public is kindly reminded to travel along this area with caution and observe signage as they become familiar with this new route,” the roads authority said in a statement. Underwater researchers explore 12-Mile Bank Marine scientists have explored 12-Mile Bank – a dozen miles west of Grand Cayman – for the first time, in a bid to gather information about the seamount’s ecological significance. A team of technical divers, led by Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley, director of research of Little Cayman’s Central Caribbean Marine Institute, dived to depths of 160 feet to collect data that will be added to the Cayman government’s Biodiversity Action Plan. The researchers had also planned to visit another previously unexplored site – Pickle Bank – 45 miles north of Little Cayman, but inclement weather and other challenges prevented that from happening. Plans to explore Pickle Bank next year are being drawn up. Funded by the UK government’s Darwin Plus Programme, the research is being carried out by CCMI, the Department of Environment, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. CCMI, on 15 Dec., released a three-part video documentary, called ‘Expedition Hope’, highlighting the exploration project which was carried out in August, Dump fire brings ReGen into focus A fire that broke out at the George Town landfill on 19 Dec. has once again brought into focus the need for a waste-to- energy facility at the dump. Opposition MP Joey Hew, in whose George Town North constituency the landfill sits, following the latest fire, said the incident is “a stark reminder” of how quickly the landfill can become a major hazard if it is not managed properly. “It also demonstrates the urgency of the waste-to-energy facility and the dangers of an over- capacity landfill site,” he added. Government is still in negotiations with the Dart-led consortium to sign the financial close for the long-awaited waste-to- energy plant – known as ReGen – which is supposed to help with the limitations of the existing landfill. Fire officers responded to the landfill fire, which broke out at 8pm on 19 Dec. The high winds that night fanned the flames; however, fire officers were able to bring the fire under control quickly. The fire was fully extinguished that same night, but a Fire Service crew remained at the scene throughout the night to monitor the situation. Man shot in leg Police are investigating a shooting in George Town shortly after midnight on 20 Dec., in which a man received a gunshot wound to his leg. According to the RCIPS, officers from its Firearms Response Unit responded to a 9-1-1 call at 12:10am about shots fired in the vicinity of Gresscott Lane, off Rock Hole Road, in George Town. Shortly afterwards, police said, they received a report that a man had attended the Cayman Islands Hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg. He was treated in hospital for the injury, which police said appeared to be non-life- threatening. Officers at the scene of the reported shooting recovered spent shell casings. Christmas hatching for Hawksbills Cayman’s turtle nesting season came to a close with a yuletide season hatching on 19 Dec. as hundreds of baby hawksbill turtles made their way to the sea. The Department of Environment announced, on 21 Dec. that the final nest for the nesting season was a late-season nest from a hawksbill nest. Hawksbill nest numbers in the Cayman Islands are extremely low, the DoE said, with many years where no nests are recorded at all. “This year, 9 hawksbill nests were recorded across the islands, which is above the average of 6.5 nests per year over the last 10 years. Of the 3 islands, most hawksbill nesting occurs in Little Cayman,” it said in a 21 Dec statement. Despite low nesting numbers, the DoE said, Cayman’s reefs host a healthy feeding population of juvenile hawksbill turtles, where they feed primarily on sponges. “As migratory species, the juveniles that we encounter will not be nesting here. Once mature, they will migrate back to the beaches they hatched from, likely elsewhere in the Caribbean,” the DoE added. Worldwide hawksbills are critically endangered due to human impacts including over exploitation for the tortoiseshell trade, for their meat and eggs and their susceptibility to entanglement in gillnets, the DoE said. Cayman named ‘Luxury Destination of the Year’ The Cayman Islands was named ‘Luxury Destination of the Year’ in the Caribbean Travel Awards 2024. Caribbean Journal dubbed the territory as at “the forefront of the new Caribbean luxury” when it published the names of the award winners on Tuesday, 12 Dec. “Luxury isn’t the same everywhere. And luxury also isn’t what it used to be,” the publisher of regional travel and tourism wrote on its website. “The definition is changing, and that’s precisely how the Cayman Islands has managed to cultivate such a sought-after collection of travellers, all drawn to a destination that delivers the height of luxury without the attitude. “That means top hotel brands, world-class eateries, unmatched shopping, but where a blazer is never required.” The 10th Caribbean Travel Awards celebrates the people and places contributing to the Caribbean’s success. 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 to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. ELF (PG) (FRI) 12:45 | 2:35 VIP | 3:40 | 6:05 | 8:35 VIP | 10:10 (SAT) 10AM | 10AM VIP | 12:45 | 2:35 VIP | 8:35 VIP | 10:10 (SUN) 3:30 VIP | 6:50 (MON) 3:45 | 6:00 VIP | 8:35 VIP | 10:10 (TUE, THURS) 8:35 VIP | 10:10 (WED) 1:00 | 4:00 VIP | 8:35 VIP | 10:10 FERRARI (R) (FRI) 1:10 | 7:05 | 9:25 VIP | 9:35 (SAT) 1:10 | 3:25 VIP | 7:05 | 9:25 VIP | 9:35 (MON) 7:05 | 9:25 VIP | 9:35 (TUE-THURS) 2:00 VIP | 3:25 | 7:05 | 9:25 VIP | 9:35 MIGRATION (PG) (MON) 3:35 | 4:20 VIP | 6:15 (TUE-THURS) 1:00 VIP | 1:20 | 3:40 | 4:20 VIP | 6:15 THE HUNGER GAMES: BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES (PG-13) (FRI, TUE-THURS) 5:05 VIP | 9:05 (SAT) 5:05 VIP | 7:105 (SUN) 6:00 VIP | 6:00 (MON) 9:05 WISH (PG) (FRI-SAT) 3:35 (SUN) 4:05 (TUE, THURS) 1:05 WONKA (PG) (FRI) 12:30 | 12:50 VIP | 3:45 VIP | 4:05 | 6:25 | 6:45 VIP | 8:35 (SAT) 12:30 | 12:50 VIP | 3:45 VIP | 4:05 | 6:25 | 6:45 VIP (SUN) 3:45 VIP | 3:50 | 6:25 | 6:45 VIP (MON) 3:45 VIP | 4:05 | 6:25 | 6:45 VIP | 8:35 (TUE, THURS) 1:00 | 3:45 VIP | 4:05 | 6:25 | 6:45 VIP | 8:35 (WED) 1:00 | 4:05 | 6:25 | 6:45 VIP | 8:35 WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK KIDS CLUB THE SANTA CLAUSE SATURDAY 10AM (PG) AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM (PG-13) (FRI) 12:35 | 1:00 | 4:15 | 6:50 | 7:10 VIP | 10:00 VIP (SAT) 12:35 | 1:00 | 4:15 | 6:30 VIP | 6:50 | 9:05 | 9:20 VIP (SUN) 3:15 | 3:45 VIP | 6:30 | 6:30 VIP (MON) 4:15 | 6:30 VIP | 6:50 | 9:20 VIP (TUE-THURS) 1:30 | 1:35 VIP | 4:15 | 6:30 VIP | 6:50 | 9:20 VIP TROLLS BAND TOGETHER (PG) (FRI) 12:15 VIP CULTURE THE MET: LIVE IN HD: THE MAGIC FLUTE SATURDAY 4:30 SUNDAY 4:10 (PG) FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. 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WINDS Northeast at 15 to 20 knots with higher gusts. 85°F HIGH 75°F LOW NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES news in brief Marine scientists explore 12-Mile Bank in August 2023. – Photo: CCMI cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 22-28 DECEMBER 2023cayman compass 3 WEEKLY, 22-28 DECEMBER 2023WEEKLY, 22-28 DECEMBER 20231234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Greatly distressed (3,2) 4 Italian rice dish (7) 8 An expert (3) 9 Final statement of terms (9) 10 Fetter (7) 11 Whinny (5) 13 Examine condition of (6) 15 Really (2,4) 18 Expenses of litigation (5) 19 Never appearing old (7) 21 Central American country (5,4) 23 A vegetable (3) 24 Himalayan mountain (7) 25 Prompt (5) DOWN 1 Car’s base frame (7) 2 A synonym dictionary (9) 3 Remove feathers from (5) 4 For preference (6) 5 Creator of Inspector Maigret (7) 6 Small measure of liquor (3) 7 Vitality and enthusiasm (5) 12 Angry (2,1,6) 14 To trap (7) 16 Region of central Italy (7) 17 Lasso (6) 18 Collection of hidden stores (5) 20 Obliterate (5) 22 Establish by inquiry (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17507 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 17507 ACROSS: 1 Cut up, 4 Risotto, 8 Ace, 9 Ultimatum, 10 Shackle, 11 Neigh, 13 Survey, 15 In fact, 18 Costs, 19 Ageless, 21 Costa Rica, 23 Pea, 24 Everest, 25 Early. DOWN: 1 Chassis, 2 Thesaurus, 3 Pluck, 4 Rather, 5 Simenon, 6 Tot, 7 Oomph, 12 In a temper, 14 Ensnare, 16 Tuscany, 17 Lariat, 18 Cache, 20 Erase, 22 See. What they’re saying Online Letter to the editor Santa Claus and his helper left their sleigh and reindeer behind, in favour of a motorbike and sidecar, as they made the rounds of the districts on Grand Cayman on Saturday, 16 Dec., to deliver gifts to children. The hundreds of presents had been donated by members of the public as part of the annual Toys For Tots toy drive, organised for the 21st time by the Cayman Islands Motorcycle Riders Association and the Fire Service Department. - Photo: Casey Keller Revving up for Christmas Is Cayman a member of Mangrove Alliance? Considering sea level rise and Cayman’s plan to lay more asphalt, covering a large mangrove area gives the impression of a total lack of awareness of the climate crisis. And a lack of any electrifying development for the island’s traffic. Chris Lundin MPs propose review of National Conservation Council’s oversight Are they stunting development or protecting what is left of Cayman’s nature? caribbeancanadian On the contrary, they are one of the only ones actually doing their job in this process... Imagine how much more environmental damage we would’ve had if there were no NCC? onlyron345 You’re supposed to be protecting our wildlife and marine life, not destroying it. raexsafiya What needs to happen is a moratorium on any new development. Cayman has so much flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth. Destroying that out of nothing more than financial greed is utterly disgusting. mclachlanwild What needs to die is the idea that Cayman can keep “developing“ indefinitely. We are done full up! rachaelvcosta Conservation Council is in place for this exact reason! Not every corner of this rock has a price tag! Perhaps educating the Finance Committee on the value of our eco-systems and why they are there might help the ignorant! klj104 Future of governor’s residence will be a ‘big political decision’ After all these years, why does it have to change now? Curtis Conolly Would the current Governor’s House be used for public purposes? Or to build a hotel or condos? This is a very valuable stretch of beach. Norman L. [Chris] Saunders needs to be more specific in his reasoning for evicting the Governor from the property that our forebears decided in their wisdom should be home for the King’s representative effectively whilst we remain a colony. It is not at all clear to me what he means by “a place where Caymanian excellence can be celebrated and used as an open space for Government and the public”. I trust he takes heed of the comments from the Governor which directly address the some of the concerns he appears to have. Trusty2man D. Opinion: Cayman’s corporations have a responsibility to their island home It should not be a business’s responsibility to support social issues. That’s what we elected a government for. And people need to get there to assist in ALL communities and not just committees that have people from their country of origin - charity begins at home. Business in Cayman main responsibility is to provide work for Caymanians so that people can support themselves. Yes, businesses can contribute to charity but they should not be pressured to do so if they are already supporting a Caymanian workforce. Richard McLean They don’t care about that, most are just trying to make as much money as possible. Natascha Schroll-McLaughlin Special Report: For Cayman’s homeless, there’s no place to turn Most Caymanians seem to be unconcerned about the huge amounts being paid to the local politicians, as many of them have lucrative civil service jobs. Alan Mark Foster I have served him food at night times in Subway where persons send him out. Best believe me he seems very humble. author_jevane Could Meals on Wheels help him with meals perhaps? flaviaabu Prison needs to focus on rehabilitation, prepare inmates with skills and knowledge they need to succeed when they are out. hayden.345 Protect the mangroves pic of the week cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 22-28 DECEMBER 2023WEEKLY, 22-28 DECEMBER 2023ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky A life-saving gift in the form of a new liver for eight-month-old Zoe Valkyrie Langlois is nothing shy of an early Christmas miracle for the little fighter who continues to defy the odds. When Cayman Compass first wrote about her story in August, the then four-month-old had been diagnosed with a rare liver disorder called biliary atresia, which forced her family to seek treatment in the United States. It’s been four months since then, and during that time the emotional and financial strain of splitting up their young family to pursue her treatment was made more difficult by the mixed results of the scores of medical procedures she has endured that ultimately culminated in a liver transplant. 8-month-old with a failing liver “It’s not if she is going to need a liver transplant, it’s when she is going to need one,” Zoe’s mother Shayhnie Langlois told the Compass back in August. Three months later, those words became a reality. At the time, Zoe was in the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, in Florida, where she had completed a Kasai procedure – a delicate surgery to remove damaged bile ducts from her liver, which brought her to the brink of death. The surgery was followed by treatment with antibiotic drugs, which were pumped directly into one of her main arteries around the clock through an intravenous line. “She was so pale, and she went practically one whole month without a single smile,” said Shayhnie. “It broke my heart to see her so weak.” “I can remember looking into her eyes and seeing that this little baby has the will to live,” said Zoe’s father Nicholas, who has stayed with her in the US during her treatments, while Shayhnie remains in Cayman with their two-year-old daughter Lila. When the initial surgery and medications failed, and Zoe’s condition worsened, she was transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital, also in Florida, where the process of finding her a new liver began. “When they transferred her, the new doctors looked over her tests and results, and then did their own tests just to confirm,” said Nicholas. “It was really frustrating at first because, as her mom, I just felt like she needed the transplant so let’s get her on the list ASAP!” said Shayhnie, as she spoke of her anxiousness. “But I kind of also understood there was a process that needed to be followed.” A donor is found As the doctors ran their tests, Nicholas and Shayhnie were busily arranging their affairs to assist with getting Zoe on the donors list and, eventually, they did. “I’ve seen a few movies about this kind of thing and I remember thinking this could take weeks or even months,” said Nicholas. It took a gruelling three weeks for them to get the news they desperately desired. “When the doctors updated me, I called Shay, but I might have delivered the news badly,” said Nicholas, to which Shayhnie quickly replied, “Yes, he did!” “I answered the phone, and he was silent, with tears running down his face, and the first thing I thought was ‘Oh my God, we lost her’,” she recalled. Nicholas explains that at that moment he was overcome by a mixture of deep emotions that left him in silence. “Eventually I was able to tell her that the doctors found a donor and they need us to sign the documents, while they rush to inspect the potential liver,” he said. As the doctors raced across the country in an emergency medical jet, Shayhnie caught the next flight out of Cayman. Unfortunately, she arrived minutes after her daughter had been wheeled into the operating theatre. Surgery time was slated for 7pm, but unforeseen complications pushed it back to 10pm. “They said it was a very difficult Shayhnie Langlois and her daughters Zoe and Lila. – Photos: Supplied Early Christmas gift for baby with ‘will to live’ “She was so pale, and she went practically one whole month without a single smile. It broke my heart to see her so weak.” Shayhnie Langlois At eight months old, Zoe Langlois underwent a liver transplant, having been diagnosed with biliary atresia months prior. After a successful surgery, Zoe was discharged by doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital. cayman compass news N news WEEKLY, 22-28 DECEMBER 2023 5SAVING 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. From USD $3.4m with one year warranty and flexible owner financing. Nicholas Langlois with daughters Lila and Zoe. – Photo: Supplied and hard procedure, but that she [did] well,” said Shayhnie. Nicholas, who paced back and forth, watched over his wife, who fell asleep after 1am out of sheer exhaustion and anxiety. Two hours later, Zoe had pulled through the surgery and her new liver was responding well. “I took me another two hours before I could finally fall asleep,” said Nicholas. “I remember thinking, wow, it really happened, she is going to be OK.” Life in death The melancholy reality of the source of Zoe’s new liver is not lost on her family. “We know that in order for our child to live, someone else’s child had to die, and that is not an easy reality for us, and must be difficult and painful for the parents who lost their child,” said Shayhnie. The donor’s identity was not released to Zoe’s family, and so they may never get to meet or thank them. “But we hope they find peace in knowing that even though their child died, a part of them still lives on in our Zoe,” said Nicholas. Nicholas and Shayhnie say that, while they have each found ways to cope with these stressful months, their strength has been bolstered by the outpouring of love and support from friends, family and even strangers who are all rooting for Zoe’s full recovery. ‘The best gift for Christmas’ Zoe has since been discharged from the hospital. However, she isn’t quite out of the woods yet. According to the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, 75% of children with a liver transplant live to be 15-to-20 years old with “a good quality of life”. For the next six months, she will need to do frequent blood tests, but the delay in receiving results from Cayman labs requires her to stay in the US, close to the hospital where her doctors can make any quick interventions that may be necessary. Because she can’t make it back home to Cayman for her first Christmas, her family will be travelling to her. “All of the COVID restrictions from a few years ago made it difficult for my parents, who are in Canada, to travel and get to meet her,” said Nicholas. “Fortunately, they have met Lila, and now they will be travelling to Florida to spend Christmas with us.” Shayhnie says her relatives also intended to travel to Florida, so both families could celebrate Christmas and Zoe's victories thus far; however, financial constraints will prevent them from going. In parting words to the Compass, Shayhnie said, “Zoe getting discharged was the perfect gift for Christmas!” Early Christmas gift for baby with ‘will to live’ cayman compass 6 WEEKLY, 22-28 DECEMBER 2023 news N newsNORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Government has budgeted $30.6 million to cover the costs of healthcare for uninsured or underinsured Caymanians in 2024, a sum that politicians agree is unlikely to cover those expenses. Government, for many years, has had to find additional funding to cover medical care for indigents, which is often double the amount originally budgeted. The issue came up at a meeting of Parliament’s Finance Committee last week, which was signing off on the two-year budget’s individual line items. For 2024, $12 million has been earmarked for medical care for indigents, and another $18.6 million for their specialised tertiary care at local or overseas institutions. Health Minister Sabrina Turner told the Finance Committee that a “new strategic direction” was being implemented to help counter the growing costs of healthcare to Cayman’s ageing local population. She said government was “putting the necessary guardrails up, trying to curtail this”, but admitted the impact of this would be unlikely to be seen in this two- year budget cycle. Roy McTaggart, leader of the opposition, queried why only $12 million had been allocated for the coming two years for healthcare funding – outside of specialised tertiary care – for indigents, when it cost $27 million this year. Politicians also addressed the notorious budget line item known as NGS 55, which covers the cost of tertiary care at medical institutions in Cayman and overseas for uninsured indigents, veterans and seafarers, and which has been an underfunded budget item year after year. In this budget, $18.6 million in 2024 and $14.4 million in 2025 has been earmarked for this kind of in- patient specialised healthcare. The projected spend for NGS 55 for 2023 is expected to be between $50 million to $52.5 million, McTaggart noted. The original budget set for this had been $21.5 million. In 2022, the government spent almost $72.7 million on medical care at local and overseas facilities for Caymanians who were uninsured or underinsured – $39.7 million more than was originally budgeted. Healthcare costs for indigents are predominantly paid for by CINICO. ‘New strategic direction’ Part of Turner’s new strategic direction is using preventative measures to tackle non- communicable diseases in Cayman, based on the finding of the STEPS national health survey, which was carried out earlier this year. In an earlier budget-related speech in Parliament last week, Turner had stated that the ministry would be using the results of the STEPS survey to take a more data-driven approach to policy making and public health planning, and could provide a better understanding of the current barriers to healthcare, particularly preventative care. Preliminary findings in the survey showed that almost 70% of Cayman’s adult population were overweight; that 1 in 20 residents were diagnosed with diabetes but were not on medication; and 1 in 59 people had previously undiagnosed diabetes. This kind of data will assist the healthcare services in Cayman to “join the dots” and improve the health of the people in Cayman, Turner said. ‘Making full use’ of local resources? McTaggart, questioning in Finance Committee the budget amounts allocated to healthcare for indigents, asked if the Health Services Authority and government were “making full use of the available resources and specialties available on island before sending people off island to Florida, which is for all intents and purposes, the most expensive jurisdiction”. The majority of the payments for this kind of overseas medical care comes from the government’s insurance company, CINICO. CINICO CEO Michael Gayle responded to McTaggart’s question, stating that about 75% of the expenditure spent on tertiary care for indigents is local. “The protocol is where the service can be rendered on island, it is rendered on island,” he told the committee. “So, typically, what happens is that the patient goes to the HSA. If the HSA cannot provide the service, then we seek alternatives locally, and it is only when a service is not available locally that we send them overseas.” West Bay West MP McKeeva Bush said, even though there may be facilities and medical professionals on island who can deal with cases, MPs are often approached by constituents to try to get the HSA to send them overseas for care. “When a person is sick and... don’t want to go here, we representatives bend to their wishes and then we go put pressure on the services, so we have to bear that in mind. I do believe the cost that we are running up is far away from what it should be,” he said. $30M indigent healthcare budget unlikely to cover costs “If the HSA cannot provide the service, then we seek alternatives locally, and it is only when a service is not available locally that we send them overseas.” Michael Gayle, CINICO CEO cayman compass 7 news N news WEEKLY, 22-28 DECEMBER 2023 Your Scotia credit card gets you closer to your Scotia Holiday Wishlist. All-Expense vacation trip to a destination of your choice* 1 year Grocery, Gas and/or Utility payment Holiday Home Makeover Learn more: Spend US$120 or more to win any one of these amazing prizes valued at US$15,000, plus 2 winners of consolation prizes at US$5,000 each. Visit ky.scotiabank.com Call (354) 949-7666 *Conditions apply. Draw date - January 29, 2024. Promotional date: October 25, 2023 - January 10, 2024. *Winners are responsible for their own travel itinerary, visas and choice of destination. View Terms and Conditions on website. Registered trademark of the Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license. Visa is a registered trademark of Visa Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.REBECCA BIRD rbird@compassmedia.ky MPs have suggested there should be a review of the National Conservation Council’s involvement in the planning application process. During a meeting of the Finance Committee last week, some members claimed its level of oversight is stunting Cayman’s development industry. The Department of Environment, which provides analysis on a large percentage of submitted plans under delegated authority from the council, has refuted the claims. “It is clear that the facts do not support the rhetoric behind the accusations of delay and ‘doom and gloom’ being promulgated in the public discourse,” it said in a statement. It added that it could instead be “unnecessary and time-consuming” actions of the planning boards that are causing hold ups. MPs suggest review Members of the Finance Committee spoke on Wednesday, 13 Dec., about the National Conservation Council and suggested its powers of oversight are excessive. West Bay West MP McKeeva Bush was particularly vocal in the discussion, saying it is “time to change that council – or we’re going to die”. MP Chris Saunders asked: “Where does the CPA draw the line with regards to that council, because it has been impacting development, big time, within the country?” He also queried if the Central Planning Authority and the National Conservation Council should be merged to “make it more efficient”. The topic arose following the presentation of the budgeted expenditure for the ‘Management of planning applications’ during 2024 and 2025. It its response, the Department of Environment said it has been talking with the authority and planning department on how to review applications as “expeditiously as possible”. The statement said it previously suggested that when a planning application review is initiated, the department should provide a single reply. However, it said, the planning authority is choosing instead to conduct a consultation first, then initiate a review, and then based on the outcome of that, request an assessment. It added, the authority appears to be inviting applicants into meetings to seek their views on whether their application may fall under an example of an ‘adverse effect’ listed in the law. It said both the department and council see this as “unnecessary and time- consuming”, particularly when the council was specifically drafted to remove the burden of consultation. These are Central Planning Authority processes over which the department and council have no control, the statement said. The department added that it remains “guardedly hopeful” that an integrated process can be worked out. But it said it is up to the planning boards to do their part to “allow that to happen and their customers to again benefit from an integrated and timely permit review process”. The National Conservation Act The National Conservation Act, 2013, sets out the requirement for the establishment of a National Conservation Council. The council’s functions include promoting biological diversity, and the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in the Cayman Islands, the act says. It is also responsible for maintaining protected areas and conservation areas, critical habitats of protected species and other natural resources, among other things. Section 41 of the law requires all entities to consult with or get approval from the council before making a decision that would likely have an adverse effect on the environment. According to the DoE statement, before the law was enacted the Department of Planning consulted with the Department of Environment and other agencies on planning proposals. “The National Conservation Act added no real delay to the planning process as the Department of Environment normally have a three-week turnaround time,” it said. “The act simply made the consultation on adverse environmental effects mandatory.” And that was for all government entities contemplating an action or decision likely to have an adverse effect on the environment generally, not just the planning boards, it added. The statement continued that in the 10 years since the law was unanimously passed in Parliament, the pace of physical development has not slowed down. “For example, of the 4,000 planning applications reviewed since 2016, the National Conservation Council has directed refusal for just 0.23% of proposals,” the department said. “An example of one proposal which was refused was for construction of a private car park in a protected area.” Judicial review A 2021 planning application to demolish and rebuild a cabana and seawall on an eroded section of beach along Boggy Sand Road led to a controversial court case. The Central Planning Authority had granted permission to the company to demolish and replace the structures, contrary to a directive from the National Conservation Council. The council did not to approve the project due to the harm it was likely to cause to the protected marine environment. A judicial review before the Grand Court in 2022 centred around whether the conservation council had the power to order another government body to take a certain action. The Court of Appeal in September this year found the Central Planning Authority did not properly follow Section 41 of the National Conservation Act, 2013. In their ruling, the appeals court justices confirmed that the council has the final say on applications likely to have adverse effects on environmentally protected areas. According to the statement, the National Conservation Council and the Department of Environment then met with the planning authority and sought to agree a way forward. “However, it appears that the Central Planning Authority have introduced a process requiring multiple rounds of meetings and adjournments,” the department continued. As a result, the National Conservation Council is issuing updated guidance notes to reflect that the originating entity must first seek the approval of the council. MPs propose a review of conservation council oversight Environment department hits back at accusations of delay “Where does the CPA draw the line with regards to that council, because it has been impacting development, big time, within the country?” MP Chris Saunders Mangroves growing in shallow lagoon, bay of Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. cayman compass 8 news N news WEEKLY, 22-28 DECEMBER 2023cayman compass 9 WEEKLY, 22 28 DECEMBER 2023 Supporting our community, sharing the joy. We’re by your side this festive season. Have yourself a very Cayman ChristmasNext >