Register at - burgerking.ky OVER $85K IN PRIZES! March 22-24 First 60 teams enter into $5k prize draw! cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 9-15 February 2024 Weather beaten Cayman recovers from devastating nor’wester Full coverage on pages 5-9 Photo: RCIPSMatinees (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $9.00 (Mon-Fri before 6pm) Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets 640-FILM (640-3456) Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. 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Compass Centre, Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman, KY1-1108 Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 • Email: newsdesk@compassmedia.ky ADVERTISE WITH US: T: (345) 949-5111 • E: sales@compassmedia.ky • W: caymancompass.com weather Friday Forecast FORECAST Slight chance isolated showers SEA STATE Rough with a wave height of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water WINDS Northeast at 15 to 20 knots. 83°F HIGH 72°F LOW NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES news in brief Jury conflicts delay trial of former housing trust chairman The trial of former National Housing Development Trust chairman Geoffry Ebanks has been delayed after potential conflicts with jurors were raised at the opening of the trial on Thursday, 1 Feb. Ebanks faces one count each of breach of trust and conflict of interest, which he denies. The charges stem from allegations that fill from an housing trust project site in North Side was illegally removed and delivered, using agency resources, to a parcel of land connected to his relatives. After prosecutor Sarah Lewis finished her opening remarks, one juror informed the court that Ebanks was a regular customer at the liquor store where she worked, but she hadn’t fully recognised him until then. Another juror then informed the court that her son was employed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, which initiated the investigation against Ebanks. The panel had initially consisted of nine jurors (seven jurors and two alternates), but one of the alternates had already been selected the day before after a conflict with one of the main jurors, leaving only six. Defence counsel Oliver Grimwood then applied to have the jury dismissed and new panel selected on 12 Feb. Ebanks was released on bail ahead of the trial. Beach vendor permits considered for Bodden Town public beach Government will consider applications from beach vendors to operate on Bodden Town’s Coe Wood Beach but intends to keep all other public beaches free of commercial activity. Micro-businesses have also been told they can seek deals with private landowners to cater to tourists on other beaches around the island. Bids for 34 spaces to sell food or rent chairs and jet- skis to tourists at Seven Mile Public Beach were four times oversubscribed, leaving multiple applicants disappointed. Several long-time vendors said they were unhappy with the new policy and are now left fighting for their livelihoods. But officials have defended their actions and insist there are other options for businesses and for cruise tourism elsewhere on the island. Wilbur Welcome, the chief officer in the Ministry of Lands, said the arrangement was the culmination of efforts over several years to find a fair compromise amid public opposition to businesses operating on the beach. He acknowledged comments from traders that the restrictions would impact their businesses, but said government had a duty to protect the public’s right to use the beaches. “It is about striking a balance between accommodating cruise tourism and ensuring public beaches are available for residents to enjoy at all times.” ‘Sustainable UCCI’ installing solar panels The University College of the Cayman Islands has taken a step closer to becoming a sustainable campus as its rooftops are being covered in solar panels. UCCI awarded a contract to local company Affordable Solar to install a solar array that will help power the facility. The project is being funded by a European Union Resilience, Sustainable Energy and Marine Biodiversity (RESEMBID) programme grant. The $960,000 grant was awarded to UCCI last year to help the educational facility become a solar-powered ‘living laboratory’. “This project will not only benefit UCCI but also contribute to the sustainable development of the Cayman Islands and the wider Caribbean region,” said Cleveland Julien, UCCI project manager, in a statement. UCCI says, recognising its status as one of the largest energy consumers in the Cayman Islands, it is “undertaking a crucial shift towards renewable measures, notably the installation of the solar array – a key component of the Sustainable UCCI project”. It said the initiative aimed to significantly reduce UCCI’s carbon footprint and harness energy-saving opportunities. The output from the solar panels, which will help power the campus, will be monitored in real time and will be accessible through a digital library hosted on an online platform. The data collected will be shared with other islands across the Caribbean, UCCI president and CEO Robert Robertson said previously. DEH issues advisory as Quaker Oats expands recall notice The Department of Environmental Health is advising the public to refrain from using affected products in the latest recall notice from the Quaker Oats Company. On Friday, 2 Feb., the company expanded the recall of a number of its products due to the potential presence of salmonella. The recall was issued due to the health risk that salmonella poses, which may lead to illness, if consumed. All local wholesalers and supermarkets have been contacted by DEH environmental health officers regarding the recall, a statement from the DEH said. “Measures have been implemented by the DEH to ensure that the affected products are not offered for sale to the public. Consumers are advised to refrain from using the affected product and properly dispose of them or return any unopened packages to the place of purchase. Consumers can scan the SmartLabel QR code on the product package to determine if it has been recalled,” the statement added. DEH is encouraging anyone who has become ill from the consumption of any of the items to contact their medical provider immediately. A detailed list of product names and images can be found at quakerrecallusa.com. The solar array installation at the UCCI campus. - Photo: Supplied cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 9-15 FEBRUARY 2024Thank you for your support in 2023 The Pines Retirement Home Board of Directors: Theo Bullmore, Heber Arch, Katharine Holmes, Tina Meigh, Pamela Webster, Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodriguez, Dr. Stephen Pickering, Management, Sta and Residents • Aall Foundation • A.L. ompsons • Animal House • AON • Ashley Furniture • A.T.L.A.N.T.I.C • Bake A Di erence - Nicole Crance • Barbados Consulate (Mrs. Gooding) • Beachcomber Condominiums • BrittHay Electric Ltd • Bodden Town Women’s Fellowship • Burger King • C.I. Regiment • Cayman Islands Baptist Church • Cayman lnt’I Girls Pageant • C.I. Gov’t Needs Assessment Unit (NAU) • C.I. Gov’t Health Services Authority (HSA) • CayShred Ltd • Caymanian Times - (Ralph Lewis) • Chelseas Cayman • Chicken Chicken • Church of God Chapel (George Town) • Church of God Full Gospel Hall (Youth Group) Church of God Universal • CIMBOCO • Compass Media • Cost-U-Less • Deloitte • Economy Printers • Edie’s Decor • Excite Motors • Fathers’ For Food • Florida District Key Club • Freemason Hall • Fosters • Gino’s Pizza • George Town Church of Christ • Global Impact Ministries • Good Deeds ri Shop • Grand Caymanian Holiday Inn • Grimex Ltd • Gully Cricket Club • HD Barbershop Team - (Lindsey Brady) • Hell’s Service Station • Himalaya Wellness • Hurleys Market • lntertrust SPV • Island Inspect Cleaning Systems (Mr. Cleve) • Island Taste • Island Supply • Jacques Scott • John Gray Women’s Fellowship • Kirk O ce • Kirk Freeport • Kirk Home Center • License To Chill • Le Visage • Lions Club Grand Cayman • Lions Club ofTropical Gardens • Marriott Beach Resort • Massy United Insurance Ltd • Mini Warehouse 2 - (Richard McLaughl in) • Mise en Place Ltd. Catering • Montessori By e Sea • Must Love Dogs • National Roads Authority (NRA) • Pinnacle Condominiums • Pink Ladies Volunteer Corps • Pizza Hut • Pizza Boat • Professional Waste Management • Progressive Distributors • Remax Cayman Islands - (Michael Binckes) • Red Bay Primary School Student Leadership • Project 2023 • Rehoboth Physio & Paincare • Reliable Cleaning Services • Rhema Global Impact Ministries • Ritz Carlton Cayman • Rosies Roses • Rotary Sunrise • Ristorante Pappagallo • Sol Petroleum • Starbucks • S.T. Bodden Construction • St. George’s Mother’s Union • St. Ignatius Catholic Church • Sunset House • e Garden Club • e Girls Brigade • Tiny Tots Academy • Treats Restaurant • Trisha’s Roses • Turtle Center COMPANIES • Adriel Gordon • Beulah McField • Barry Smith - (Forbes Hare) • Ching Chow • Cindy Raymond • Colin Wilson • Mr. & Mrs. Craig • Charles & Vanita Long • Dr. Sarath De Alwis • Debbie Guyton- Kirkconnell Family • Dewayne Bennett & Family • Eddie Balderamos • Ms. Evelin • Esther Anderson • Former Premier, Wayne Panton • Friends of Lezil Gardoce • H.E. Gov. Jane Owen • Hon. Andre Ebanks • Hon. Bernie Bush • Hon. Christopher Saunders • Hon. Roy McTaggart • Heber & Garth Arch • Heather Anderson • Herbert Bodden • Helen Dombowsky • Hock Beng Ching • Jan & Sylvia Ebanks • Joseph Ebanks • Joseph Hydes • Mr. Jimenez • Ms. Kenisha • Kessyrene Linwood • Kymberly Crance • Lyn Myles • Olga Jackson-Dacosta • Oraine Bunting • Paula Jimenez • Mr. Penta • Penelope Wunsch • PRH - Board of Directors • Ravi Kapoor & Family • Rebecca Smith • Mr. Ritch • Rosita Bodden • Russell Singh & Family • S. McCarthy • Salmon Marion • Sharon Bello • Simon & Candy Whicker • Sonya Govan • Sperandeo Family • Star Rose Ebanks • Swing Family • Sydney Shaw • Mr. Tushar • Tani Reis • Tim & Stephanie Dailey • Vanitha Rajesh • Verna omas • Winsome Edmunds • Yasmin Castillo • Uzzell Family INDIVIDUALS cayman compass 3 WEEKLY, 9-15 FEBRUARY 20241234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Thorough and detailed (2-5) 5 Student (5) 8 Being exhibited (2,7) 9 Portion of a curve (3) 10 Be open wide (4) 12 Impartial (8) 14 French (6) 15 Sumptuous environment (6) 17 Unquestioning (8) 18 Marjoram, for example (4) 21 Lion’s foot (3) 22 With reference to (2,7) 24 Before due time (5) 25 Propose (7) DOWN 1 Elephant tusk (5) 2 Useless (3) 3 Attitude assumed for effect (4) 4 Rob at gunpoint (4,2) 5 Bodily structure (8) 6 Commonplace remark (9) 7 In a particular area (7) 11 Self-discipline (9) 13 Armed forces (8) 14 Momentary view (7) 16 River of Iraq (6) 19 Hemmed in (5) 20 Eagerly expectant (4) 23 A cereal plant (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17549 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 17549 ACROSS: 1 In-depth, 5 Pupil, 8 On display, 9 Arc, 10 Yawn, 12 Judicial, 14 Gallic, 15 Luxury, 17 Implicit, 18 Herb, 21 Paw, 22 As regards, 24 Early, 25 Suggest. DOWN: 1 Ivory, 2 Dud, 3 Pose, 4 Hold up, 5 Physique, 6 Platitude, 7 Locally, 11 Willpower, 13 Military, 14 Glimpse, 16 Tigris, 19 Beset, 20 Agog, 23 Rye. What they’re saying Online Letters to the editor pic of the day Under the rainbow As the islands were still dealing with massive flooding, trying to come to grips with destruction caused by the extreme waves due to the high winds of a nor’wester, Cayman Brac resident Amber Tatum snapped this photo of the nicer side of Mother Nature. This double rainbow appeared over The Rock in Stake Bay on Tuesday, 6 Feb. Cayman doctors save mom and baby in ‘rare and challenging’ surgery As a retired OB/GYN, I understand the stress for the doctor and his team, when you suddenly find a complication which you were not prepared for. I compliment him for staying calm and dealing with the situation. Best wishes for mom and her new baby. - Paul L. Cayman Airways passenger volume surpasses pre-pandemic numbers It seems to me that Cayman Airways is trying to “bite off more than it can chew”. The reason for any airline/company is to make money, and I think that Cayman Airways is only losing money, so it should down-size, not grow bigger. If there is any destination that isn’t making money, it should be discontinued. We have enough airlines flying here now, so if we can get passengers just to Miami, where they can catch any other airline connection that they need, then that is what we should do. Of course, the Sister Islands should always have a service, and Jamaica should be another viable service. We are tired of prices on everything to do with government going up, while we have to support an airline that isn’t profitable to all of its destinations. Thanks for considering these ideas. Marilee P. So, if $15 was added to each ticket, no one would notice, and that would bring in more than $6 million. Bruce L. They will always lose money as long as they are run by the government. A shame they can’t figure out how to operate an airline! tam_guy3 Why did you discontinue the Chicago route? jgoldberg1123 I wish they would give Denver better flight times. We have to fly United to get flights that let us enjoy the weekends on the island. - Diane Lundquist Mr. Arthur’s shop named site of ‘historic significance’ Amazing this little treasure has withstood everything that has been thrown at it; always such a joy to shop there. - Gillian Rudd No storm or hurricanes can hurt that little shop. That is real good wood. - Orlene Ebanks May it ever be preserved! The good Lord has seen fit to safeguard it, so it should be forever saved. - Marion Webb Plans for stamp duty hike shelved, says premier Does this mean that the change in stamp duty for divorcing couples is shelved too? - Yvonne M. Government has been considering an increase in the minimum wage for many years, but the poor man is not able to bring influence to bear. A proposal to increase stamp duty on luxury property is thrown out after two months. The rich man wins almost every time in Cayman politics. - Trusty2man D. How about listening to the cries of the majority of the population who could never afford those apartments? - soleil.parkinson When wealthy people talk, government listens. - lovesunsetsandstars Grand Cayman no longer belongs to the Caymanians. - b24mclean Wouldn’t the hike mean having some kind of control over those who are building luxury property that locals cannot afford? If they can build ‘luxury buildings’ in the Seven Mile area, they can afford the 15%. - xatomsofannax As a long-time visitor, since the 1980s, to Grand Cayman I am disappointed to watch the overdevelopment of the Seven Mile Beach area especially. The Cayman residents were very welcoming, the shops, the restaurants all made for a wonderful visit and continue to. Along with progress comes the traffic and, unfortunately, crime. The beach vendors were never around years ago. They all need to have government-issued permits, which is in progress. I will return in the Fall for my usual visit. I want to thank all the Cayman people for sharing their paradise. Robert Gartelman Too much development cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 9-15 FEBRUARY 2024WEEKLY, 9-15 FEBRUARY 2024RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Coastlines along all three Cayman Islands took a battering on 5 and 6 Feb. as a powerful nor’wester left a trail of destruction, smashing homes, businesses and vehicles. As clean-up operations and damage assessments continued on the islands, the robust waves, accompanying sea surges, and near gale-force winds were a stark reminder of the implications of climate change on small and developing states like Cayman. Many are still counting losses after having been forced from their coastal condos by high waves. Hazard Management Cayman Islands Director Danielle Coleman pointed out that “when sea levels rise, you have this kind of wave activity. We are always going to be severely impacted by it.” Islands were placed under warnings Though the islands had been adequately advised of looming severe weather from both the National Weather Service and Hazard Management, with both marine and gale warnings implemented, the wave action that swept through communities in West Bay, the waterfront in George Town and on Cayman Brac were reminiscent of hurricane season activity. Asked if Cayman could have prepared better for this storm, Coleman said, “It’s always fair to expect the unexpected,” especially in light of climate change and rising sea levels in Cayman’s low-lying topography. Premier Juliana O’Connor- Connolly, on 7 Feb., toured impacted areas in Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman. She said the strength of the weather that unfolded was not expected. However, she said, “it’s a good practice run”. She added, “This year we can expect more intense hurricanes, and Cayman is overdue. ” Weather prompts closures Police closed harbourfront roads in George Town on Monday evening, 5 Feb., in preparation for the storm. The following morning, 6 Feb.,as the extent of the impact became apparent, the Ministry of Education ordered school closures. At that point, waves were reportedly reaching 15 feet at their peak. The roads in George Town remained closed, and North West Point Road in West Bay was also cordoned off as storm debris littered the streets. Coastline businesses like Macabuca, Vivo, both in West Bay, and Sunset House, Cayman Cabana and others in George Town, bore the brunt of the weather, that was spurred by a cold front and pressure gradient. Chief Meteorologist Kerry Powery, in a 8 Feb. comment to the Cayman Compass, said the Weather Service was still trying to collect meteorological data from different sources; however its “automatic weather station in the vicinity of the airport supports 10 minute [wind- speed] averages of 20 knots with [a maximum] gust of 37 knots”. He said the averaging period would make it appear that the winds were much lower than what was actually measured. However, “if a 1-minute average, as used for hurricanes, was used, the values would be more in keeping” with what was experienced. “Our wind measuring instruments are attuned to 10-minute averaging for aviation requirements,” he said. Seas had calmed by the time of publication, but choppy conditions were expected to continue into the weekend. Aerial surveys, damage assessment teams deployed On Tuesday, 6 Feb., the RCIPS helicopter took to the skies to conduct flyovers on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Mark Codling, hazard mitigation specialist with Hazard Management, said images received from the RCIPS helicopter team had helped identify areas that were the worst affected by the storm. On Cayman Brac, in addition to debris strewn across roads, he said, there had been some damage to road infrastructure and to the port building. “We’re working very closely with Public Works on the Brac,” he said. District Commissioner Mark Tibbetts, in an interview with the Compass on 6 Feb., said the north portion of the Port Authority building on the Brac had partially collapsed following the battering by waves overnight. He said Little Cayman’s north coast was also hit. “There’s been a number of private homes that have received some minor damage from flooding in the Sister Islands. There’s also a couple of business establishments that had also received damage as well,” he said, adding that emergency teams were continuing their assessments. Videos circulating on social media show major damage to popular watering hole Bussey’s at La Esperanza Bar and Restaurant in Cayman Brac, which was flooded by sea surges. Coleman also urged people to download the National Emergency Notification System (NENS) app, on which they can get alerts via their phone, so they can keep abreast of developing conditions, like what was experienced over the two-day lashing. Clean-up crews at work Crews from the National Roads Authority and the Department of Environmental Health spent the greater part of 8 Feb. cleaning up areas in George Town and West Bay impacted by the storm. Roads reopened later that day. Cayman Islands Tourism Association president Troy Leacock said he expected the clean-up and damage assessments to take a couple of days as the rough seas slowly return to normal. Leacock said he had been in contact with Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan and the Department of Tourism and had issued a survey to CITA members to assess the impact of the severe weather on local businesses along the coastline. Leacock said he, too, was affected by the devastation, like many members of CITA, as his joint business venture Vivo restaurant was obliterated by the waves. He said he had never seen anything like the conditions he witnessed Tuesday, 6 Feb. “My immediate reaction, especially in the North West Point area, is really shock at the level of devastation. "Being in the marine industry, we’re always aware of what weather is on its way and we knew that a nor’wester was on its way, but we didn’t expect to have really the intensity of the wave action, which I think is what caused so much devastation,” he said. This aerial shot shows waves overwhelming Macabuca, the Indepth Watersports dive shop and Cracked Conch. - Photo: RCIPS North West Point Road was covered by branches and pieces from heavily damaged Macabuca and Tortuga after the waves barrelled through. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay Severe storm delivers climate change warning shot cayman compass 5 news N news WEEKLY, 9-15 FEBRUARY 2024‘The whole ocean was coming inside inside the restaurant’ NORMA CONNOLLY AND RESHMA RAGOONATH Dive operators and restaurant owners along Cayman’s western coastline were faced with smashed docks, flooded premises and damaged equipment following this week’s devastating nor’wester that left many local businesses reeling. Of the many images and videos that circulated on early on Tuesday, one of the first that drove home the seriousness of the storm was of a car stuck on the stairs of Lighthouse Point in West Bay, after the waves lifted it from its parking spot and washed it around the car park before it landed on the steps. Franck Bottero, the co-owner of Vivo restaurant at Lighthouse Point, on North West Point Road in West Bay, said he woke up to dozens of messages on his phone, not just from Cayman but from his home country of France and other European countries, from people who had seen the image of the car on the stairs, as well as other scenes from the storm. “I came straight here, and it was devastating,” he said. “I have no words for that. We lost everything, everything.” He said not just the tables and chairs of the restaurant were wrecked, but even the fridges were smashed to bits. “The power of nature is just ridiculous. It literally blew the entire restaurant into a thousand pieces inside. The fridges, one screw here, one door there." ‘Just enough time to get out’ On Tuesday, Bottero had tried to salvage as much as he could from the restaurant and see if the water could be soaked up with mops and sponges. “Yesterday was probably too early to try to clean out everything,” he told the Compass on Wednesday morning as he and his staff were cleaning up. “We were inside and we barricaded the door, the big massive door, and the waves, several times during the day, just popped up and blew everything out. We had just enough time to get out.” He said nobody was expecting the nor’wester to be as strong as it was. “Everybody was talking about the 35 knots. We thought, yes, it’s a bad day, with big wind and big waves, but ... none of the Caymanian fishermen or dive operators I talked to were expecting this.” In preparation for the weather, before he’d left on Monday, he had placed table cloths around the windows “to avoid the little bit of water coming in”, but then, “the whole ocean was coming inside the restaurant”. He says he does not know when he can reopen, but is determined to do so, even if it means offering a limited menu and putting out some folding tables and chairs initially. One of the first things to sort out will be the electrics at the restaurant, and then comes the hard work of replacing everything – from the fridges to the tablecloths and cutlery. “I have two tables left out of 14,” he said. “Everything flew away, we might have a couple of knives and forks left.” Dive operators badly hit At Don Foster’s Dive on South Church Street, Sergio Coni and staff arrived on Tuesday morning to find their shop “took a severe pounding”, he told the Compass. They found remnants of the seaside decks, the pool fence, dive benches and cement walls piled up against the main building and in the parking area. “Besides our own debris, there were other things, I am not sure where they came from,” he said. “A huge clean-up awaits and very expensive repairs. It will take a while, honestly.” He added, “I am happy everyone is safe, the boats are safe and, once the seas subside, if we manage to secure a ladder for shore diving entry/exit and the docks remains operational, we will start over again.” Mark Williams of Cayman Diving in George Town said there has been some damage to the dock in front of his downtown Cayman shop, but he hopes his business will be in operation again once the seas calm down. “A bit of the wood has been knocked off. We’d have had the carpenter in today, but it’s still too rough here,” he said on Wednesday afternoon. Despite being on the waterfront, where huge waves smashed into the shoreline, Williams says his shop was not inundated with water, as it’s 6-8 feet above the beach level. One of his vessels slipped its moorings in South Sound, he said, but had been retrieved, and he expected that it would be operational. West Bay devastation Dive operators in West Bay were also assessing the damage caused by the devastating nor’wester, which many in the community are describing as the worst they’ve seen. Nat Robb, owner of Indepth Watersports, which took over the dive shop from Sun Divers at Macabuca just three months ago, was at his shop Wednesday, cleaning it out and trying to determine when it could be back up and running again. Dramatic images of waves crashing the building on North West Point Road, which houses the dive shop, the Macabuca Tiki Bar and Cracked Conch restaurant were circulated widely on Tuesday. “Never in 25 years have we seen swells this big,” Robb said. “We boarded up, but never did we consider the waves would be up so high. The water just filled up the compressor room through the exhaust fan, and just blew the door out from the inside. And then the waves smashed everything around for about 12 hours.” “Everything was pretty washing- machined in there,” he added. “We’re hoping to maybe salvage some of the equipment and then rebuild.” He hopes that shore diving at the site may be re-opened within a week or so. “I’ve known and visited this place for close to 30 years and no one has ever seen waves this big,” he said. Macabuca and the Cracked Conch were also badly damaged in the storm. All that is left of Macabuca is the concrete bar itself, while the deck on the second-floor Cracked Conch was wrecked. Checking reef ‘carnage’ Sunset House Divers on South Church Street in George Town was Waterfront businesses assess nor'wester damage’ Franck Bottero, far right, and the staff at Vivo at Lighthouse Point inside the devastated restaurant. – Photo: Taneos Ramsay Nat Robb outside his Indepth Watersports operation in West Bay, which was badly damaged in the storm. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay cayman compass 6 news N news WEEKLY, 9-15 FEBRUARY 2024FINGRANDCAYMAN.COMT: +1 .345.526.7777 BRAND NEW OCEAN-FRONT PENTHOUSES AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY From USD $3.4m with one year warranty and flexible owner financing, FIN can finally release six of the best penthouses in Grand Cayman. With five-star concierge and 24/7 security services combined with unmatched facilities and amenities, owning at FIN is like living in the finest boutique hotel. Owners can also achieve strong returns using the fully-managed rental pool. also impacted, but expects to have its boats back in the water and ready for customers on Thursday. Sunset’s Mel Hart said the staff divers would check the house reef for storm debris and damage before inviting shore divers to come back. “We’ll see how much carnage there is on the reef,” she said. “We’ll clean it up before we let anyone go diving there.” She is also concerned that, with the corals already under extreme stress and left vulnerable from stony coral tissue loss disease and bleaching from warmer-than-usual seas in the past several months, this storm is “another negative impact on an already fragile eco-system”. Sunset House bar and restaurant also suffered damage, with the cabana at the back of the bar where dominos players usually congregate, being destroyed. A clean-up crew was removing debris from the site when the Compass visited on Wednesday. Cat 5 hurricane door and windows blown off Joanna Mikutowicz, owner of Divetech, next door to Vivo, on Tuesday managed to access the Lighthouse Point shop, which was badly flooded after the strong waves broke down the shop’s heavy wooden and metal door and smashed its windows. The door and windows are Category 5 hurricane rated, she said. “I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. We fully prepared. I never expected the front door and front windows to blow off.” “I’m extremely fortunate that I have another location at Cobalt Coast, and most of our stuff was there, but we’ve lost everything here,” she said, indicating the Lighthouse Point shop. “It’s either gone into the ocean or it’s just trashed inside the dive shop.” She said the company’s boats, vehicles and compressor are all working so they can operate with almost business as usual from the Cobalt Coast location, which did not sustain any damage in the storm. “But to get Lighthouse Point back up and running, I don’t know,” she said. “It’s not actually on my radar right now to do.” Mikutowicz’s first indication of how disastrous the storm was when she arrived on Tuesday morning to find some Divetech air tanks and T-shirts on North West Point Road. “When we prepared we put everything from the outside inside the dive shop because we have Cat 5 hurricane windows and doors... When I came up yesterday morning, things that had been inside, like our tanks and some of our T-shirts, were up on the road, so I knew something had gone horribly wrong.” Divetech’s shop faces the ocean, while the road, at the back of the Lighthouse Point condos, is at an uphill incline about 120 feet away. This car ended up on a staircase at Lighthouse Point after high waves lashed the property. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay Don Foster’s Dive in George Town sustained serious damage. – Photo: Lindsey Mobley cayman compass 7 WEEKLY, 9-15 FEBRUARY 2024Why choose Island Heritage for home insurance? Visit us online at islandheritageinsurance.com or call +1 345 949 7280 Protect your buildings from natural and man-made calamities like hurricane, fire, theft, etc. Receive a multi-policy discount with home and motor insurance. Interest-free flexibility: pay your premium in instalments instead of one lump sum. See policy for details. This car from Dolphin Discovery was battered and washed away from its parking spot as seas kicked up overnight. – Photo: Reshma Ragoonath RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky When West Bay resident Chris Lickert went to bed Monday night, 5 Feb., he had no inkling that in a few hours, he and his wife would have to grab their dog and flee their home. In the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday morning, the Lighthouse Point Residences owners were among several residents who had to be evacuated. “We heard it, we knew the waves were going to be big. We didn’t know it was going to ruin all the bottom units,” Lickert told the Cayman Compass Tuesday. Lickert, who has been living at the residences on North West Point Road for about a year, said though he and his wife knew severe weather was coming, what happened overnight, “you can’t prepare for that”. A large section of that road remained closed Tuesday due to the rough seas and the damage to buildings in the area. It was eventually reopened on Wednesday once clean-up crews had cleared away debris. Rough seas force evacuations Lickert said when the Fire Service came to get the residents around 5am, it was “crazy”. “It’s just me, my wife and our dog. It was just a lot of chaos. The alarms were going off and people are crying because they lost their homes,” he said. Lickert, who was carrying a bag with some belongings he retrieved Tuesday morning, said he and his wife will be staying at a hotel for the time being until the weather settles. He said they live on the second floor, which was fine, but the ground floor homes were gutted. Debris and broken furniture clogged entrances to the homes there. Longtime visitor Paul Bookout said he and his wife were shaken from their slumber Tuesday morning by a loud banging, which turned out to be cars being pushed around by the rough seas at the Lighthouse Point Residences complex. Before he had time to process what he was seeing, Bookout said water started breaching his front door. “[In the] cracks around the door, water was coming in. So we were having to get towels and everything trying to keep the water out. Then, a couple of big surges came and we almost got about an inch or so of water in our unit coming around all through the door,” he said. Those surges pushed a Jeep into the dive lockers on the ground floor carpark and pushed another car over into a nearby complex. They also forced a car onto the stairs at Lighthouse Point next door. Savage sea Bookout, who lives in Tennessee and was visiting for the month, said this was the first time he had seen such a savage sea. “In 2018, they had some stuff getting knocked around, but nothing like this,” he said. He is not too worried about water coming inside any more as conditions will be improving, but he said he is concerned about the lack of air conditioning at his home. The water has destroyed the outdoor units and compressors, he added. Bookout, who is a diver, said, “I lost my BCD so I have to buy a new one. I know a lot of people lost a lot more... Divetech and Vivo, they’re wiped out. Windows busted out, flooded everything, so they’ve got a real long road for recovery for them.” (See page 6.) West Bay resident Chris Godet stood with his arms folded at his chest, staring at the waves as they raged across the street, near his front yard. “All I heard was the rumbling and I came out here and I saw this disaster,” he said, as he recounted walking down his driveway Tuesday morning to survey the impact of the severe weather. Before him lay the remnants of the outdoor deck at Tortuga and pieces of the pirate statue that adorned the entrance of the popular North West Point Road store. As waves battered Macabuca’s outdoor deck and bar and spilled into the roadway, residents flocked to take videos and photos on Tuesday. “I never expected to see it this bad,” Godet said. “The water usually come up sometimes [on the road], but I’ve never seen it like this.” He said he has lived there for six years and, while he has experienced rough seas, it never crossed to his property until Tuesday. His broken white picket fence was a stark reminder of the sea’s force. Further up North West Point Road at Dolphin Discovery, staff were busy trying to clear debris and secure their dolphins as waves lashed the facility’s exterior walls. Manager Marco Ortiz told the Compass that overnight, when the weather took a turn for the worse, their outdoor fixtures were destroyed; however, the animals at the facility were safe. Two of the company’s cars were battered by the sea surges and lay across the roadway. “We have a security guard and we have the trainers and the veterinarian were already reporting in when we saw the tides were going up,” he said. Ortiz said they came in around 3am to take care of the facility and check that the generators to keep the pumps operating were working, and that they were not impacted by any electrical damage due to the rough weather. Staff at Dolphin Discovery assess the damage. – Photo: Reshma Ragoonath Chris Lickert, a resident of Lighthouse Point Residences, leaves with some of his belongings after his apartment was damaged. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay Families evacuated as homes battered by waves cayman compass news N news WEEKLY, 9-15 FEBRUARY 2024 8 West Bay resident Chris Godet stands in the driveway to his North West Point Road home Tuesday. – Photo: Taneos RamsayScenes from the storm Waves smash over the Macabuca bar and Indepth Watersports dive shop at North West Point Road, West Bay. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay A ground-floor apartment at Lighthouse Point Residences was among the properties damaged in West Bay. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay Waves crash into the shore at downtown George Town Tuesday morning. - Photo: Orneil Galbraith Police blocked off North Church Street and Seafarers Way on the harbourfront as waves lashed the town. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay A rainbow is seen as waves continued to infiltrate the port in George Town on Tuesday morning. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay The dock by the Cayman Catboat Club in George Town was damaged in the storm. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay Cayman Brac suffered some severe damage in the storm. - Photo: Supplied Clearing debris from the pool area at Dolphin Discovery in West Bay. - Photo: Reshma Ragoonath cayman compass 9 news N news WEEKLY, 9-15 FEBRUARY 2024Next >