Flounder Fish Sandwich is back! TM & © 2024 Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. . cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 Weekly, 15-21 March 2024 Football stadium shooting victim speaks out Pages 6-7 Heated debate over 10-storey building Page 10 ‘Coach Gillie’ walks away Page 34 The vanishing beach Report recommends beach renourishment for Seven Mile Pages 25-27 Photo: Curtis EldemireMatinees (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 afternoon showers SEA STATE Slight to moderate with a wave height of 2 to 4 feet WINDS East to northeast at 10 to 15 knots 87°F HIGH 77°F LOW NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES news in brief Third suspect in stadium shooting arrested, bailed A third suspect was arrested last weekend in connection with the 25 Feb. shooting at Ed Bush Stadium and later bailed pending further investigation, according to police. The 21-year-old man from West Bay was arrested on Saturday, 9 March, in relation to the shooting, in which seven people were injured. He was later released on bail, with conditions. The man, who was arrested on suspicion of possession of an unlicensed firearm and attempted murder, was the third person detained by police in relation to the shooting after two other men, ages 24 and 30, of West Bay, were held earlier this month on suspicion of the same charges. They were also bailed, with conditions. All of the shooting victims have been released from hospital. Meanwhile, acting on police advice, the Cayman Islands Football Association has suspended matches at both the Ed Bush and Haig Bodden stadiums. Illegal smugglers arrested Two men were arrested on a boat on 11 March on suspicion of importation of ganja and the importation of exotic birds, the Cayman Islands Coast Guard has said. While on patrol on 11 March, a team of officers intercepted a grey and blue vessel with two people on board, “engaging in what appeared to be criminal activity”, according to the Coast Guard. Around 10pm, the statement said, both occupants were arrested. It was not clear if any animals were seized during the arrest. They were handed over to the RCIPS for further investigation. Bodden Town man charged for gas station robbery A 21-year-old Bodden Town has been formally charged with robbery and possession of an imitation firearm after allegedly stealing items from Mostyn’s Gas Station in Bodden Town on 9 March. The incident happened just after 8pm, according to the RCIPS. Police said it was reported that a man wearing a black hoodie entered the gas station behaving in a “threatening manner”. He proceeded to steal cash and other items from the store before leaving in the direction of the beach. Police said officers followed the man’s escape route on foot and subsequently captured him. Fire-ravaged North Side Police Station to be refurbished The North Side Police Station, which was badly damaged in a suspected arson attack last July, is set to be refurbished for resumption of operations. The RCIPS has issued a tender for contractors to do structural repairs on the fire-ravaged building on Hutland Road. The tender, posted on government’s public procurement portal, Bonfire, is seeking non-binding quotations for the refurbishment works, the deadline for which is 29 March. According to the tender documents, “significant damage is flagged to the front (right) of the property – primarily to the roof – requiring replacement and remediation”. No one was in the building at the time fire broke out shortly before 2am on 31 July 2023. Dave Richard Ebanks, 55, of Rum Point Drive in North Side, was arrested in August last year for the alleged arson attack at the station. He has pleaded not guilty and that matter is scheduled to go before the Grand Court on 2 July. North Side police officers have been operating at the East End police station since the fire. Stew turtle, swanky among new national symbols Cayman has five new national symbols – a national dish, drink, dance, dessert and dress. Cabinet has chosen stew turtle as the new national dish; swanky, the national drink; the Cayman Quadrille the national dance; and Caymanian heavy cake as the national dessert. The national dress includes women’s everyday wear, men’s working-on-land wear, and the clothes of turtle rangers/seamen. Cabinet selected the symbols to recognise “the importance of national identity to the Cayman Islands and the efforts to preservation and awareness of Cayman’s cultural heritage,” according to a press release from the Ministry of Heritage. “The new symbols will contribute to the preservation of Cayman’s heritage, help to unite communities and strengthen national identity,” it added. These additions join the Cayman parrot, the silver thatch palm, and the wild banana orchid, as official national symbols of the Cayman Islands. Increased parental leave entitlements for civil servants Civil servants will soon benefit from increased parental leave and additional financial support from government, but it is unclear whether similar benefits will be available to the private sector. Cabinet has given approval to the drafting of amendments to the Personnel Regulations, which would increase overall maternity leave entitlements from 90 working days to 110 working days; increase overall paternity leave entitlements from two working weeks to 20 working days; and increase the paid portion of maternity leave from 30 to 60 working days on normal pay. The changes will also increase the paid portion of paternity leave from one week to 10 working days on normal pay. Beacon Farms composting supermarket waste Food waste and discarded cardboard boxes and pallets from Foster’s supermarkets, that would otherwise end up in the George Town landfill, are being ferried to Beacon Farms in North Side where they are being composted. More than 30,000 pounds of green waste – fruit and vegetables unfit for human consumption – from Foster’s Airport supermarket alone has made its way to the non- profit farm’s composting facility. The farm, which offers second chances to recovering addicts, has partnered on the initiative with Foster’s and Island Waste Carriers. It started with a pilot programme in August last year when the three organisations teamed up to take the waste from Foster’s Airport to the farm. Now, Island Waste Carriers has invested in a new truck so the programme can be rolled out to all Foster’s supermarkets and other large-scale waste producers. “The programme is a win- win for all involved,” said Sandy Urquhart, chief operating officer at Beacon Farms, in a statement. “It’s an environmentally friendly waste management process which results in wonderful, nutrient-rich compost we can use to fertilise crops and improve the quality of soil. Our aim is to scale up compost production at Beacon Farms so we can sell high-grade local compost to other farmers as well.” Beacon Farms can produce around 400 tons of compost per year at its compost facility. Green and brown waste from Foster's is delivered by the new Islands Waste Carrier truck to Beacon Farm's composting facility in North Side. - Photo: Supplied cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 15-21 MARCH 2024cayman compass 3 WEEKLY, 15-21 MARCH 20241234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 A venomous snake (5) 4 Diabolical (7) 8 Close friend (3) 9 Type of waterproof hat (9) 10 Worked up (7) 11 An enticement (5) 13 Secretly follow and watch (6) 15 To moderate (6) 18 Serenity (5) 19 Make a spectacular profit (5,2) 21 Wide-brimmed soft felt hat (9) 23 In the past (3) 24 Beat off (7) 25 Artful trick (5) DOWN 1 An evergreen tree (7) 2 Knitted hood for head and neck (9) 3 A useful attribute (5) 4 Strongly built (6) 5 Foot-operated lever (7) 6 Hard-shelled dry fruit (3) 7 Hot-tasting Indian dish (5) 12 Humbly (3,2,4) 14 Viewed as a whole (7) 16 Chide (7) 17 An abrasion (6) 18 Political control (5) 20 Edit to remove errors (5) 22 Brief bathe in sea (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17579 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 17579 ACROSS: 1 Cobra, 4 Satanic, 8 Pal, 9 Sou’wester, 10 Excited, 11 Decoy, 13 Shadow, 15 Temper, 18 Peace, 19 Clean up, 21 Wideawake, 23 Ago, 24 Repulse, 25 Dodge. DOWN: 1 Cypress, 2 Balaclava, 3 Asset, 4 Sturdy, 5 Treadle, 6 Nut, 7 Curry, 12 Cap in hand, 14 Overall, 16 Reprove, 17 Scrape, 18 Power, 20 Emend, 22 Dip. What they’re saying Online Letters to the editor Having travelled to Grand Cayman since the mid ‘90s, like most, I’ve been drawn to the food, culture, and the golden Caymanian sunset. When I arrived last week on vacation, I ignorantly expected many other things to be the same – I was wrong. During the week, I read about the issues I was also hearing from local citizens around rising fuel prices, traffic, gun violence, dwindling capacity for landfill operations, and land clearing/ flooding associated with future commercial developments. In parallel, I witnessed increased construction activity catering toward the travel and tourism industry in the form of high-end residential communities and hotels which will lead toward further population growth, further stressing critical infrastructure and an ecosystem already struggling to keep pace with economic goals. To be clear, these issues are not unique to Grand Cayman. However, the island is at a critical point in its history where it eventually will be too late to turn back. Economic growth is a worthy goal but not at the cost of negative externalities which will be borne by the Caymanian citizens who made the island great. Policymakers should not hide behind the noble veneer of lofty rhetoric on “needing to do more”, but act and have accountability under the office to which they’ve been elected. Visitors are complicit in this if they do not recognise the impact of their footprint. Regional comparisons to neighbouring jurisdictions in Jamaica and Honduras on things such as safety set a low bar and further excuse for inaction. Grand Cayman doesn’t have as much margin of error with a population density already higher than that of these same countries. I challenge policymakers to get serious about protecting this special place – take care of your people. Visitors, step away from your social media selfie and think about what impact you want to leave – take care of the island. Jim Madich Concerns of a regular visitor Will the Central Planning Authority members decide to approve Brian Butler’s plan for the 10-storey development of Aqua Bay on Seven Mile Beach? If the Aqua Bay high-rise tower of 38 apartments is okayed, the existing neighbourhood of Seven Mile Beach’s low-rise homes will change. Today there are issues of the increasing cost of utilities in the Cayman Islands. A 10-storey high- rise apartment building will strain electricity and water use. At present, there are dozens of objections to Butler Development’s new Aqua Bay complex. If Butler’s plan is passed by the CPA, there will be many new plans for high-rise tower developments on all three of the Cayman Islands. Nan Socolow New 10-storey development on Seven Mile not welcome The power struggle for Cayman’s energy future CUC should not be the decision maker on any of this. They are a private company. Why they have been allowed to essentially regulate the industry is beyond me. Our government and country needs to stop being for the big businesses and their profit margins and for the people instead! Natascha Schroll-McLaughlin Honestly, if we had a political class that actually wanted to reduce cost of living for Caymanians instead of directly benefiting from CUC’s maximising of profit extraction from the general public, the switch would have been started properly in the 2010s. Wake up, Caymanians, and understand how much this system is ripping you off. rojoe345 I don’t get it. There is a waste problem literally as big as a mountain and at the same time, at least according to several sources, a problem that there won’t be enough energy. How many more signs does it need to finally realise a waste-to-power plant? likefastcars_711 Football games suspended at Ed Bush, Haig Bodden stadiums What a shame that it has now come to this. Suzie Smith Can’t see it getting any better. Really sad as to what is happening to our beautiful Cayman Islands. Burmon Scott So the government is scared?! How about correcting bad behaviour? Corona Daneșfield Why can’t the police protect us? What next? No more school, no more church services, no more walking on the roads? Dexter Rivers Reactive over proactive, as per usual. Lewis Wilson “Hey, guys, we’re so ineffective at keeping you safe that we’re gonna ban you from playing football. Remember to thank us for doing our jobs during operation Winter Guardian where we try to break the year’s revenue for tickets given to people doing 2 mph over.” jd_345 We will end in an obligatory curfew to control the situation. Criminals are a pandemic, if is not controlled. Ingrid Rivers So sad that it has finally come to metal detectors and pat downs. Next thing will be clear bags like in the US. We shouldn’t be afraid in our own country. mattrgoleta Government advisor reveals minimum wage increase only worth 16% I really don’t know how those on minimum wage are able to work and live here, given the current costs of rent, utilities, food, etc. Tracey Goldie The wages in Cayman are ridiculous. That’s coming from an American who’s visited several times. When I looked at what you make, I don’t know how anyone can afford it. What you need is a national strike. Close down those hotels and resorts for a few days and see how things change. The wages are a total rip-off of the people. Thomas Breger Lower duties, lower gas prices, regulate rent prices. Raise minimum wage. There, I fixed it. thatskarmaforu Lowering the overpriced, incessant regulations, and unnecessary fees, and cutting down on insurance and superfluous professional charges could significantly reduce the cost of living. This, in turn, would improve individuals’ ability to afford a higher quality of life. roffo_snake Can someone who is getting $7.50 per hour working 45 hours per week and paying pension and insurance buy food, pay bus fare, plus rent? How can that person survive? ylrevebnosnib Cayman’s folklore explored in new exhibition Happy to participate in this wonderful exploration and exhibition. Thank you for encouraging and including my interpretation. Keep up the great work. Those of you who have not seen it yet, please don’t miss it. If you have already seen it, please share it. Lorna Reid cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 15-21 MARCH 2024WEEKLY, 15-21 MARCH 2024cayman compass 5 WEEKLY, 15-21 MARCH 2024 home grown + globally known Joining the AVP Agile programme allowed me to take my career in a new direction and develop expertise under the mentorship of our Corporate Governance leaders. My best career decision yet!” - DANNA EBANKS A career at Walkers just adds up for our employees. Scan here to search careers walkersglobal.com home grown globally known allowed me to take my career in a new direction and develop expertise under the mentorship of our Corporate Governance A career at Walkers just adds up Bermuda | British Virgin Islands | Cayman Islands | Dubai Guernsey | Hong Kong | Ireland | Jersey | London | SingaporeStadium shooting victim describes running from hail of bullets ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky With a cigarette clenched in trembling fingers, a survivor of the Ed Bush stadium shooting ran his free hand across the scar tissue of a narrow flesh wound on the side of his neck. Just over two weeks after the terrifying ordeal, his physical wounds are starting to heal. The mental scars might take longer. “I never thought that my life would ever be at risk at a football game,” he told the Cayman Compass in an interview this week. The man was one of seven individuals who were injured on the night of 25 Feb., when an unknown gunman, crouching behind an overgrown hedge, opened fire on a group of supporters watching a Premier League football game. “All I can remember is hearing the first couple of shots and seeing one person drop to the ground. Then it clicked, someone is shooting at us, [expletive] someone is shooting at me,” he said. “I could see was people falling around me while trying to get away, and I remember thinking [expletive], I’m dead, oh [expletive] I’m dead.” The survivor was among a group of around 25 people watching the match at the far end of the stadium when the gunman opened fire. It wasn’t until after he had fled the mayhem that he realised he had been shot. “I got to the car and I felt the stinging sensation and saw the blood on my shirt,” he said. Wrong place at the wrong time Despite his initial fear that he was a target, he now believes he was “simply in the wrong place at the wrong time”. The victim added, “My grandmother used to tell me to ‘Be careful of the people you hang out with’, but I always thought as long as I wasn’t at some bar or doing something illegal, I wouldn’t have to worry about anything like that. “I wasn’t doing anything wrong, and who would have thought that being at a football match would be a place where you could get caught up and shot at by someone you don’t know, and especially since you [weren’t] even the [expletive] target.” News of the shooting swiftly spread to every corner of Cayman and beyond, making regional and global headlines. Since then, the panic felt by the community has subsided, leaving in its place frustration and concern with the sustained level of gun crime. “To say that I don’t want to know who did this, would be a lie,” said the survivor, “Man, I hope police get them quick, ‘cause this is the kinda thing that makes people want to take the law into their own hands, and I can ‘I never thought my life would be at risk at a football match’ cayman compass 6 WEEKLY, 15-21 MARCH 2024 news N newstell you right now, I want justice.” In the wake of the shooting, police have arrested three suspects, each on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and attempted murder. They have all been released on bail, to the dismay of many in the community. However, Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton, in a statement informing the public of the suspects’ release, stated that each person was bailed on strict conditions, in line with the police and bail laws, as investigations continue. While the vast majority of the people in the community do not know who the suspects are, a select few do, and some have expressed fears for their safety. ‘Ripple signals’ in the criminal community From behind the safety of her half-cracked front door, one West Bay resident who lives a stone’s throw away from the home of one of the suspects told the Compass that police activity, no matter the intention, has real-world implications for the people in the community. “I know they are doing their job by arresting these suspects, and it is the right thing to do,” said the resident, whose identity is not being released by the Compass. “But when they make these arrests, the regular people don’t know who they are, but the criminals they know… and it’s like ripples that get sent out in that criminal community, saying police are looking at that one so it must be him.” She added that the subsequent fallout could be tit-for-tat shootings, and, potentially, more innocent people injured or killed. Since the start of the year, police have reported that they responded to seven instances where shots were fired, including the Ed Bush Stadium shooting. There is nothing released by police or criminal sources to demonstrate whether they were linked to the incident or not. Police have, however, stated that the Ed Bush incident was a targeted gang-related shooting. “Now you think about it, if you were a criminal and you heard that they got bail, you would say to yourself, well, now is the time to go get them, before police arrest them again,” said the resident. Government has offered a $200,000 reward for any information that could lead to the successful arrest and/ or prosecution of the wanted suspects. In addition, Cayman Crime Stoppers has offered up to a $50,000 reward toward solving the crime. ‘I never thought my life would be at risk at a football match’ “I could see was people falling around me while trying to get away, and I remember thinking [expletive], I’m dead, oh [expletive] I’m dead.” Police cordoned off the Ed Bush Stadium following the shooting on Sunday night, 25 Feb., that left seven people injured. – Photo: Andrel Harris cayman compass 7 WEEKLY, 15-21 MARCH 2024A le vel Scholarships RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Tourism leaders have pointed to January’s rough weather as the main reason behind a significant decline in Cayman’s cruise visitor numbers for that month, in comparison to the previous year. According to the latest statistics from the Department of Tourism, which were released on 12 March, cruise arrivals dropped by 6% in January 2024, compared to the same period last year, with 9,736 fewer visitors. A total of 149,392 cruise visitors were recorded this January, down from the 159,128 last year. Cayman Islands Tourism Association president Troy Leacock said the weather was a key factor that exacerbated an already declining number of calls to Grand Cayman. “Cayman experienced many days of strong wind and rough seas since December and the January decline of 9,736 cruise visitors can be largely attributed to the six scheduled ships which did not stop,” he said. The situation, he said, worsened last month, but those numbers have not yet been released. Leacock noted that “the rough weather continued through February, resulting in 15 scheduled ships bypassing Cayman”. The continuing drop in cruise numbers is something Leacock says needs attention. This decline “drives home the challenges faced by operators and service providers to the cruise visitor segment,” Leacock said. In 2023, there were 1.27 million cruise visitors, a far cry from the 1.83 million recorded in 2019. Piers debate lingers The cruise numbers are unlikely to improve vastly this year, with two major lines – Carnival and Royal Caribbean – noting in 2022 they would be reducing their calls to Cayman due to the “lack of a walk-on, walk-off facility”. Tourism and Ports Minster Kenneth Bryan, in December, called for a referendum at the next election on building a cruise pier. Bryan, speaking in Parliament, 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. Since Bryan’s comments, there has been no word on whether that referendum will be held. Cayman, in 2019, was near to a vote on the issue after a petition triggered a people-initiated referendum. However, 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, negating the need for a referendum. Air arrivals stoke optimism for ‘continued growth’ Cayman’s air arrivals have begun the new year on a more positive note, with January registering a 4% increase over the same period last year. According to the latest statistics, 38,446 visitors touched down in the Cayman Islands this January, an increase of 1,501 over January 2023. The gain was welcomed by Leacock, who said the increase in air arrivals reflects “a continuation of our steady recovery back to pre- COVID levels”. “With more airline seat and bed capacity, including the Indigo Hotel, coming onstream this year, we are optimistic for continued growth in the stayover visitor segment,” he said. Department of Tourism Director Rosa Harris, in an emailed comment to the Compass on the latest numbers, said they show a majority of visitors coming from the northeast United States. “The Northeast region is consistently a top performing region of the USA in the winter months. CIDOT is encouraged that tourism continues to recover, adding incremental value for our tourism partners in accommodations, restaurants, tours and activities,” she said. To stay ahead, she said the DoT team is already working on its summer promotion, ‘Experience More in Cayman’. “We encourage our partners to get in touch with the Department of Tourism to be able to highlight their business through the planned marketing and promotions for the upcoming Summer period,” she said. January cruise visitors down almost 10,000 on last year Cruise passenger numbers fell by 6% in January compared to the same period the year before. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay cayman compass 8 WEEKLY, 15-21 MARCH 2024 news N newscayman compass 9 WEEKLY, 15-21 MARCH 2024Next >