Scratch card with every purchase over $6! $ 40,000 WIN UP TO IN CASH, FOOD & PRIZES! ANNI V ER SA R Y ~ SCR AT CH & W IN ! ~ cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 Weekly, 12-18 April 2024 1 in 4 children under 5 could need hearing or vision treatment Page 6 In first part of Compass crime series: The criminal merchants profiting from gun violence on Cayman's shores Interview with Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton Pages 24-26 DEADLY TRADE Manuf actur er/Model Calibr e Price $1,500 - $5,000Matinees (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. DUNE: PART TWO (PG-13) (FRI-SAT, MON-THURS) 3:30 (SUN) 3:30 | 4:00 VIP | 7:35 VIP | 7:45 GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE (PG-13) (FRI, SUN, MON-TUES, THURS) 7:15 VIP | 9:55 | 10:00 VIP (SAT) 12:45 VIP | 7:15 VIP | 9:55 | 10:00 VIP GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE (PG-13) (FRI, MON-THURS) 3:30 VIP | 3:45 | 7:00 VIP | 9:45 VIP | 10:05 (SAT) 12:45 | 3:30 VIP | 7:00 VIP | 9:45 VIP | 10:05 (SUN) 3:30 VIP | 3:45 | 7:00 VIP | 7:05 | 9:45 VIP | 9:50 KUNG FU PANDA 4 (PG) (FRI, MON-THURS) 4:00 VIP | 4:30 | 6:50 (SAT) 1:50 | 4:20 | 6:50 (SUN) 3:45 VIP | 4:30 | 6:50 | 9:15 SUGA: AGUST D TOUR ‘D-DAY’ THE MOVIE (PG) (SAT) 3:00 | 3:00 VIP THE FIRST OMEN (R) (FRI-SAT, MON-THURS) 7:05 | 9:15 BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN (PG) (FRI-SAT, MON-THURS) 6:30 (SUN) 4:15 | 6:30 WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK CIVIL WAR (R) (FRI, MON, WED-THURS) 4:00 | 4:20 VIP | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 | 9:15 VIP | 9:45 (SAT) 1:00 | 1:40 VIP | 4:00 | 4:20 VIP | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 | 9:15 VIP | 9:45 (TUES) 4:00 | 4:20 VIP | 7:00 | 9:45 | 9:55 VIP KIDS CLUB TOY STORY SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (G) KIDS CLUB SING SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) | 4:00 6:30 VIP CLASSICS INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE TUESDAY 7PM VIP (R) FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. Compass Centre, Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman, KY1-1108 Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 • Email: newsdesk@compassmedia.ky ADVERTISE WITH US: T: (345) 949-5111 • E: sales@compassmedia.ky • W: caymancompass.com weather Friday Forecast FORECAST Chance of isolated showers SEA STATE Moderate to rough with a wave height of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water WINDS Southeast at 10 to 15 knots 86°F HIGH 77°F LOW NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES news in brief American nurse fined $10K for cocaine importation An American woman who was arrested with 7.15 grams (0.25 ounces) of cocaine, has been fined $10,000 and released, with a strict warning to get the rehabilitative help she needs. Appearing before the Grand Court on Friday, 5 April, Yoojin Oh wept silently as prosecutors outlined the uncontested case against her. Oh, 31, an American nurse who was visiting Cayman to attend the wedding of a longtime friend, was caught with eight packets of cocaine dispersed throughout her luggage at the time of her arrival at the Owen Roberts International Airport on 20 March. “Customs and Border Control officers had reason to search Ms Oh, after she began acting nervous and anxious,” Scott Wainwright, assistant deputy director of public prosecutions, told the court. Officers are said to have found the first two packets of cocaine in a bag containing Oh’s toiletries, resulting in a further search of the rest of her belongings, during which an additional six packets, two each, were found in three pairs of jeans. The discovery of the drugs resulted in Oh being charged with four counts of importation of a controlled drug, to which she pleaded guilty. Oh’s attorney Jonathon Hughes read a letter penned by the nurse to the court, offering an apology to the people of Cayman. In several letters of character reference written on behalf of Oh, her friends, family and psychiatrist petitioned the courts to pass a sentence that would allow her to return to the US, where they vowed they would assist with her recovery. In the end, Richards sentenced the nurse to a fine of $2,500 for each count, which amounts to a total fine of $10,000, saying, “An additional $500 in costs must be paid to the prosecution for the drug test conducted.” Drug runners admit to importing 435 pounds of ganja Two men who were caught importing 435 pounds of ganja into Cayman have entered guilty pleas in Summary Court. On 11 March 2024, Garth Nelson Forrest, 59, and Richard Lewis Atkinson, 38, both of Jamaica, were caught aboard a blue-and-grey drug canoe, by officers of the Cayman Islands Coast Guard. An initial statement released by a police spokesperson said that two men had been engaging in “what appeared to be criminal activity”. Appearing before the court via video link on Tuesday, 9 April, both men entered guilty pleas to a single count of importation of ganja. “My client is familiar to these courts having being convicted of similar charges before,” said Forrest’s attorney Amelia Fosuhene during a brief hearing, as she requested a social inquiry report be prepared on him. In addition to the several hundred pounds of ganja, the men were also found in possession of two exotic birds – believed to be yellow-crowned Amazon parrots. Neither Atkinson nor Forrest has been charged in relation to importation of the animals, and as such did not enter any pleas. Both men were remanded into custody and are due to return to court next month to be sentenced. Coroner’s court: Drowned man died by misadventure The death of an initially unidentified Jamaican man who drowned after getting caught up by rough currents off Spotts Dock, George Town, is said to have died by misadventure. The deceased, Rovyn Jerone Cameron, is said to have rolled up his pants before walking out into the water fully clothed, in sight of a handful of beachgoers on the evening of 28 Aug. 2023. “He continued to walk further and further out, but then he went under the water for a very long time before coming back up twice,” according to a witness statement that was read out by Chief Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez for the jury of six women and one man at an 8 April hearing. According to that statement, the water was rough, and so the witness and her group of friends decided to stay out of the water. However, when they realised that the man was in trouble, they sprang into action. “When he came back up the second time he stuck his hands out, before going back under slowly, then he didn’t come back up,” Hernandez read. The statement revealed that the woman and her friends swam out to save the drowning man, who was found face down underwater, and brought him back to shore where they administered CPR and called police. According to Julian Schoefer, an emergency medical technician with the Health Services Authority, Cameron, 21, had no identification on him, which led to him being designated as a John Doe for several days before police were able to confirm his identity. Two days after Cameron’s death, he was reported missing by his grandfather, who was informed by police of the unknown male victim. His grandfather is said to have then made the positive ID. After several minutes of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of death by misadventure. King’s New Year Honours nominations open Nominations are now open for the King’s New Year Honours, the Governor’s Office has said. The honours system recognises people who have made achievements in public life and committed themselves to serving the Cayman Islands. “They will usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding in what they do. They must still be actively involved in what you are nominating them for,” the Governor’s Office statement said. Honours are given to individuals for making a difference to their community or field of work, enhancing the reputation of the Cayman Islands, long-term voluntary service, and innovation and entrepreneurship. They're given to people involved in community, voluntary and local services, arts and media, health, sport, education, science and technology, business and the economy and civil or political service. Nominations should be submitted to the Governor’s Office by Friday, 26 April. The Cayman Honours Committee will then review them and decide which nominations they will submit to the UK. Nominations can be sent by email to GovernorsOffice. Cayman@fcdo.gov.uk or dropped off at the reception desk at the Government Administration Building on Elgin Avenue. CORRECTION The story ‘Barbados route questioned as low passenger counts revealed’ carried in last week’s print edition incorrectly stated the figure as 14 passengers per flight. It should have been 34 passengers a flight. Two men caught with 435 pounds of ganja aboard this canoe entered guilty pleas on Tuesday, 9 April. - Photo: RCIPS cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 12-18 APRIL 2024cayman compass 3 WEEKLY, 12 18 APRIL 20241234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Ability to stand a test (5) 4 Underhand (7) 8 Cushion against pressure (3) 9 Fundamentally (2,7) 10 Terse (7) 11 Italian city (5) 13 New recruit (6) 15 Open up for discussion (6) 18 Divide into parts (5) 19 Filled to bursting (7) 21 A little at a time (2,7) 23 Soft sound of a dove (3) 24 Regret for wrong done (7) 25 Deep chasm (5) DOWN 1 Generally liked (7) 2 Traditionalists (3,6) 3 Simulate (5) 4 Saturate (6) 5 Caller (7) 6 Acknowledge (3) 7 Lustre (5) 12 The genuine article (4,5) 14 Whole number (7) 16 Repulsive (7) 17 Become monarch (6) 18 Restrained (5) 20 Perplexed (2,3) 22 Only faintly visible (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17603 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 17603 ACROSS: 1 Proof, 4 Devious, 8 Pad, 9 In essence, 10 Laconic, 11 Turin, 13 Rookie, 15 Broach, 18 Split, 19 Crammed, 21 By degrees, 23 Coo, 24 Remorse, 25 Abyss. DOWN: 1 Popular, 2 Old school, 3 Feign, 4 Drench, 5 Visitor, 6 Own, 7 Sheen, 12 Real McCoy, 14 Integer, 16 Hideous, 17 Accede, 18 Sober, 20 At sea, 22 Dim. What they’re saying Online Letters to the editor I try my best not to be alarmed by anything going on in this crazy world of ours these days but I was truly alarmed, distraught even, to read that there are now no fewer than 50,000 cars on the roads of Cayman. Why on earth has this been allowed to happen? It is not as though this has happened overnight. The writing has been on the wall for quite some time. You published a letter of mine (in April 2022) in which I said that the warning signs were there and referred to three other territories where very different policies had been put in place to address the issue: – in Sweden, to allay fuel shortages, your licence plate determined which days you could drive; – in France, for religious and recreational reasons, heavy goods vehicles are banned on the Sabbath; – in Bermuda, households have long been restricted to a single car, engine size also being limited. Just what has been going on in Cayman in the interim to address this alarming dilemma? Mike Spragg Kingdom’s Foreign Service, as in duty stations at embassies where you can speak and read the native language of that country. Eddie Jones I learned Latin at school and it is a fantastic way to understand how many different types of languages and words work. It gives a grounding in grammar, it gives you a heads-up learning many modern languages and it teaches you to decode what you read. It also helps understand European history, literature and culture more deeply. I never regretted studying it. Plus it made first year theology at university way easier. Rachel Osborne My mother, Georgette Ebanks nee Hurlston, was taught Latin in school. She was in Triple C School’s first graduation class in 1947. She loved her English language and English literature courses. She was like my dictionary when I couldn’t even as an adult figure out the spelling or pronunciation of certain words. Anita Ebanks Exile to Scotland? Climate report contemplates a future exodus from Cayman The models don’t lie. I’m very pleased to see that the government is recognizing this threat, even if it is decades down the line. The action to prevent this dystopian future needs to happen now. Judging by these comments, we have a lot of work to do… Cayman ought to be at the forefront, screaming for the protection of us ‘little people’. The big nations are belching out fumes by the gigatonnes. How can we seriously think that this would have no impact on the balance of the planet? I’m praying for a greener world, and a greener Cayman. imae.ky When will people stop addressing this as climate change? The climate always changes, nothing is new. This has been happening from time immemorial. The problem is infrastructure change. This is what needs to be addressed. true.livingky Or how about govt stops allowing our land, seas and skies to be destroyed and polluted? Stop overdevelopment, especially along the beach front. Stop allowing chem trails to be spread across our skies polluting our water and land. island_dream_photography Or...or... how about we cease construction along the shoreline and the removal of our millennia-strong, and proven, best defense against storm surge – the mangroves? No wonder our kids are battling anxiety etc justjon_345 Man faces potential jail time for Wilbur animal cruelty case There is no other option then... to set an example for others who insist on owning animals with no intention of caring for them. This has got to stop and it is unfortunately left to the prosecutors and the courts to stop this kind of animal neglect and cruelty. E W. Horrible as the whole case is, it really sickened me further to read that he did not show up for his trial and basically laughed it off! I hope the courts will do the right thing. A year in prison is nothing compared to the suffering he caused. Concerned C. Don’t get animals if you can’t care for them. mrschefsimpson Poor doggo. Hopefully this guy gets years of jail! Who’s the animal? missmilesbeach 30 years in prison will make him respect animal life. Javier Jouz It shouldn’t be “potential jail time”, it should 100% be jail time! Krystal Arch It is time that anyone who abuses animals are given penalties; if not equal to penalties of abuses against children and adults, then close penalties. Animals are living beings and should be protected especially if they are of no threat to anyone’s safety. This is disgusting and the book should be thrown at this person! Patricia Bryan Barbados route questioned as low passenger counts revealed I say one more time San Juan, Puerto Rico, the gateway to the eastern Caribbean and more. And their cruise ship ports for local vacationers wanting to take eastern Caribbean cruise tours. This is not rocket science Sean Bodden Hopefully they pull the plug on this once the guarantee from Barbados expires. Scott EB So they’re running our jets to pieces for 34 passengers! This must be a joke! Whomever thought this was a good idea doesn’t have a clue about this business. Elaine Patti Too many cars in Cayman New school adds ancient language to modern curriculum I took Latin from grades 7 through 12, and one year at university. It helped with grammar and vocabulary a great deal. I also found that I can read some French, Spanish, and Italian as a result. Latin tends to have a lot of ancient history taught as well. While many might dismiss this as unnecessary, I would completely disagree. Plenty of research has shown students with a well-rounded background tend to be more successful in all of life. Peter Farrow This is a wonderful and extremely beneficial opportunity for these students. I took multiple years of Latin in school growing up and it was incredibly helpful in enhancing not only my English grammar and vocabulary skills but also in deciphering the meanings of certain words, since Latin provides the blueprint for so many languages. You can recognize a lot in French, Italian, Spanish and other languages from having a good base in Latin. Well done! Wish more schools did this! Tracey Kline There’s a lot of Latin phrases in medical and law school for those who want to get a jump on things if advanced post-college graduate work is in the plan. Also, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese are all Latin-based Romance languages. If you understand Latin, then the other foreign languages will come much easier. Folks who speak several foreign languages can find great job opportunities to include working for the United cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 12-18 APRIL 2024WEEKLY, 12-18 APRIL 2024cayman compass 5 WEEKLY, 12-18 APRIL 2024cayman compass 6 news N news WEEKLY, 12-18 APRIL 2024 JOEL ADAMS jadams@compassmedia.ky More than a quarter of children under 5 have eyesight or hearing issues which require investigation or treatment, a charity programme which provides vision and hearing screenings has found. Since 2020, 62 out of 260 children screened for eye problems across eight nurseries and preschools have been referred for further testing. In the same period at the same schools, 83 of 212 children tested for hearing problems were recommended for some sort of follow-up. The screenings have been carried out by Optical Outlook and the Cayman Hearing Center, which have provided medical staff and equipment free of charge to the Thrive By Five programme, run by literacy charity LIFE. They have uncovered visual problems including squint and amblyopia – commonly known as lazy eye – and more than one in 20 has been found to need glasses. Hearing issues ranging from severe wax build-up, to borderline hearing loss, and delays in auditory processing have been diagnosed. All these conditions can be corrected if treatment is begun early enough, but if diagnosis or treatment are delayed, problems can become irreversible because visual and auditory development stops at around age 7. Those involved with the initiative called on parents to make sure their children’s eyes and ears are tested by the age of 3 or 4 and not to rely solely on post-natal screenings. Maria Trumbach, mother of Mia, now 7, and Lia, now 5, bought glasses for both her daughters after the programme found they needed them. She said: “When Lia was in Rite Start in Savannah she did the visual screening with LIFE. They recommended we should get her tested further because she might need glasses – and she did. “It was good, it was very easy. I called them, booked an appointment, and picked out the glasses the same day and within a couple of weeks we had our new glasses. I’d absolutely encourage other parents to get their children screened.” Dr Annette Stephenson, CEO and audiologist at the Cayman Hearing Center has, with her team, performed all the hearing tests since the programme began in 2020. She explained that, if left undiagnosed, hearing problems can become speech problems, and can commonly lead to – or be misdiagnosed as – behaviour problems too. “If you can’t hear, you can’t speak. “And if children misunderstand what’s being said, or they don’t hear when teacher says ‘do this’, – well, often the teacher says ‘you’re misbehaving’ or ‘they don’t listen’.” Louise Cagney, optometrist at Optical Outlook, has, with colleagues, conducted all the visual screenings, using an auto- refractor device which checks pupil response and eye alignment. She said: “LIFE got in touch and I just thought it was such a good opportunity to help.” “I find the same thing, often there can be a misconception that these are ‘naughty kids’. “I’ll be told ‘she’s tough work’ or ‘this one won’t sit still’, but a lot of the time it’s those that need the vision correction, or there is something which needs to be investigated or treated. “And sometimes it’s the really shy kids – they can’t see well so they’re not so confident in their surroundings.” All the tested children’s parents consent to the screening in advance, and Cagney and Dr Stephenson contact parents directly if they believe there is need for follow-up. With spectacles costing $200 or more per pair and hearing therapies also expensive, treatment costs can put some families off, but Optical Outlook and CHC discount their products and waive co-pay fees to Thrive By Five families. Neither business demands any kind of exclusivity from parents, who are welcome to go to other providers for follow-up treatment should they wish. Tracy Galvin, LIFE’s programme manager responsible for Thrive By Five, said ensuring kids can see and hear is part of ensuring they can read and learn, which is LIFE’s driving motivation. To donate to LIFE go to https://www.life.org.ky/donate. Quarter of under-5s screened could need hearing or vision treatment 62 out of 260 Number of children screened for eye problems across eight nurseries and preschools who have been referred for further testing, since 2020. “If you can’t hear, you can’t speak. And if children misunderstand what’s being said, or they don’t hear when teacher says ‘do this’, – well, often the teacher says ‘you’re misbehaving’ or ‘they don’t listen’.” Dr Annette Stephenson, CEO and audiologist at the Cayman Hearing Center Mia and Lia Trumbach were prescribed glasses after screening by the LIFE-led programme. - Photos: Supplied A member of Cayman Hearing Center staff conducts a hearing screening, January 2024. From left, LIFE director Erica Dell’Oglio, CHC owner Dr Annette Stephenson, and Optical Outlook optometrist Louise Cagney. FOR WORK, REST OR PLAY, STAYCATION WITH CAYMAN VILLAS! PRIVATE RETREATS AMAZING RATES BEACH FRONT BLISS 345.945.4144 RESERVATIONS@CAYMANVILLAS.COM WWW.CAYMANVILLAS.COM View or book our 70+ properties online or call us today to find your Cayman home away from home! cayman compass WEEKLY, 12-18 APRIL 2024 DANA KAMPA dkampa@compassmedia.ky Less than a third of primary school students in Cayman hit the expected standard for reading, writing and maths in the last academic year, according to a new Department of Education Services report. The report highlights improvements in secondary school results compared with the previous year. But still less than half of Year 11 students are hitting target metrics for exam performance. Meanwhile, school attendance fell to its lowest point in a decade last year – something that was attributed to the lingering impact of the pandemic. Exam performance remains an ongoing challenge nationally at both primary and secondary level. Year 11 students rebound In Year 11 – the year that students finish high school before going on to the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre to retake exams, pursue vocational studies or move on to A-Levels – there was some improvement. Community members expressed concern last year about students’ academic performances. Only 37.5% of government secondary school students met the minimum national expected standard of five subjects at level two (C grade or above), including English and mathematics. In 2022-23, students raised that figure to 48.5%. High-achieving students increased their numbers as well. A total of 32.9% earned honours with at least seven level two subjects, including English and mathematics, in 2021-22. In 2022-23, a total of 38.5% surpassed the standard. Primary school struggles in key subjects At the primary level, only 26% of students met expectations for reading, writing and mathematics in the KS2 Standard Assessment Tests in 2022-23, a one percentage point drop compared to the previous academic year. And none of those three key core subjects had an individual pass rate higher than 50%. The results represent little change from previous years. “The chart highlights minor fluctuations in performance across various subject areas, but the overall variance remains relatively stable,” the report states. ‘Modest’ improvement While the average of most secondary schools was a “modest but noteworthy” improvement, attendance at the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre led to a slight dip in national attendance. Last year, the Department of Education Services reported an overall average attendance in government schools was about 88.9% for the 2021-22. The recently released report for the 2022-23 academic year put that figure at 88.4%. “This attendance rate, while generally consistent within the overall attendance for the academic year 2021-22, is significantly below the national expectation of the 95% rate defined by Office of Education Standards,” the report states. While attendance exceeded 90% at primary schools, it remains low at the secondary level at 86.5%. The report states that the low attendance at the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre significantly affects the overall statistics. “At the national level, excluding CIFEC, the attendance graph exhibits a significant uptrend, averaging 90.2% over the analysed period,” the report said. The report attributed part of the three-year dip to the “lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent respiratory illnesses”. Two-thirds of primary school students falling short in reading, writing and maths 2022202220222022202220232023202320232023 58% 59% 42% GPSReadingWritingMathematicsR/W/M 43% 46% 46% 42% 41% 27% 26% KS2 Results over a two-year period news N news 2023 Results: Key Performance Indicators (Year 11) Percentage English Mathematics Single Science 5 or more L2 Subjects 7 or more L2 Subjects 7 or more L2 Subjects (inc Eng and Mat) 5 or more L2 Subjests (inc Eng and Mat) 79.8 52.3 67.3 67.8 48.5 42.3 38.5caymannational.com/about/careers Think Beyond Banking. This summer, get hands-on work experience, build your CV, develop interview skills and explore many exciting career options that go way beyond banking. Join our 10-week paid internship programme to explore roles in IT, property management, HR, marketing and, of course, banking. Apply by 30 April 2024 for a June through to August internship. You must be Caymanian and 16+ years by June 1. Apply today at caymannational.com/about/careers. JOEL ADAMS jadams@compassmedia.ky A 10-storey development at the north end of Seven Mile Beach has been turned down by planners, to the delight of objectors who described the proposed building as an “ill- conceived monstrosity”. The Central Planning Authority ruled against plans to tear down Aqua Bay Club in West Bay and redevelop the site into a glass- and-steel tower of 38 apartments over 10 floors. The CPA ruled that since the parking garage would not be entirely below ground level, and the roof deck would be enclosed above by a floor housing mechanical equipment, both constituted additional storeys, breaching regulations which limit developments to 130 feet or 10 storeys, whichever is less. Objectors welcomed the news and hoped the decision may mark a turning point in the drift towards more and more high-rise buildings. Attorney for the objectors Kate McClymont told the Compass via email: “I’m pleased with the outcome and acknowledge the CPA’s willingness to engage with us on technical issues that I hope will positively impact or stop a number of the high-rise developments still in the planning process and yet to come. “However, until the Department of Planning and Development puts in place a Development Plan that is relevant to this country’s current needs and circumstances, the self interest of individual developers will continue to trump the interests of the people Aqua Bay 10-storey plan: CPA rejects ‘ill-conceived monstrosity’ Planners say the proposed building would actually be 12 storeys of this country – most of whom won’t ever be able to live on the beach but all of whom deserve to be able to see it and engage with it as the jewel in the crown of the Cayman Islands. “The Department of Planning needs to plan, not just react.” The strata boards of the nearby Silver Sands and Palms complexes, who objected and sent many members to the 13 March hearing, said in a statement: “We are very pleased that the CPA has denied the Aqua Bay redevelopment application, as the development plan was clearly in violation of multiple building regulations. “It is encouraging that the Board ‘did the right thing’ to enforce the law, and fairly represented the interest of the residents of the Cayman Islands in the face of unbridled development on Grand Cayman. “We all know Seven Mile Beach is an international treasure, and the far northern section is still the relatively unspoiled crown jewel of that treasure. “We sincerely hope – and request – that our friends and neighbors who are owners at Aqua Bay will now abandon the idea of this ill-conceived monstrosity, and just enjoy the priceless beauty and tranquility of the area like the everyone else.” Developer Brian Butler was unavailable for comment. The proposal from Butler, who built the current condo complex in the 1980s, was met with 45 letters of objection, citing inconsistencies with the low-rise character of the neighbourhood, as well as concerns over noise and pollution, traffic bottlenecks, and adverse effects on sea turtle nesting sites. Department of Environment experts advised the committee the building would contribute to the general shift of Seven Mile Beach from low- to high-rise in nature. Aqua Bay is one of a number of 10-storey developments which have come before the CPA in recent months, sparking concerns from some about the speed and scale of changes to Cayman’s skyline. Last week, the committee heard plans to build the ‘The Shores’, a $30 million 10-storey development near the Cayman Tennis and Pickleball Academy on West Bay Road. In January, the CPA gave permission for Dart’s second 10-storey office block in Camana Bay, an $87 million project. Last summer, they granted permission for the owners of The Westin to build a 10-storey hotel block with 234 guest rooms, and the 10-storey ONE|GT tower on Goring Avenue is already close to completion. A $95 million plan for another 10-storey George Town tower block came before planners in February, but was adjourned. More than 40 objectors to the planning application attended the 13 March meeting in person, some having flown in from abroad. - Photo: Joel Adams An artist’s impression of the planned Aqua Bay development. - Image: Butler Development cayman compass 8 news N news WEEKLY, 12-18 APRIL 2024cayman compass 9 WEEKLY, 12-18 APRIL 2024Next >