Cayman Compass - 24 May, 2024

Mix n’ Match 26 $ for * © 2024 Burger King Corporation.© 2 Chicken Sausage Croissan’wich® Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissan’wich® Bacon, Egg & Cheese Croissan’wich® 100% Butte r Croissan t made with cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 Weekly, 24-30 May 2024 Four found guilty in RBC heist Page 2 Governor Owen tests the water with eFoil board Page 23 Sprinter Jamal Walton back training for Olympics Page 28 What’s the plan? After 28 years and a population hike of 48,000, feedback sought on new draft National Development Plan Page 3Matinees (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 fi lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA (R) (FRI, MON, WED-THURS) 3:30 | 3:45 VIP | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 | 8:50 | 9:30 VIP (SAT) 12:45 | 3:40 | 3:45 VIP | 6:30 VIP | 7:00 | 8:50 | 9:30 VIP (TUES) 3:30 | 3:45 VIP | 7:00 | 8:50 | 9:30 VIP IF (PG) (FRI, MON-THURS) 3:30 VIP | 4:10 | 6:45 (SAT) 12:50 VIP | 1:35 | 3:30 VIP | 4:10 | 6:45 (SUN) 3:40 VIP | 4:10 | 6:45 | 6:45 VIP KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (PG-13) (FRI-SAT, MON-THURS) 4:00 | 9:20 VIP | 9:30 (SUN) 4:00 | 7:00 VIP | 7:15 | 8:50 | 9:00 VIP THE FALL GUY (PG-13) (FRI-SAT, MON-THURS) 6:45 VIP | 9:40 (SUN) 7:30 | 9:20 | 9:20 VIP THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1 (R) (FRI-SAT, MON, WED-THURS) 7:00 VIP | 7:20 | 9:45 VIP | 10:15 (TUES) 7:00 VIP | 7:20 | 10:15 | 10:15 VIP WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEK THE GARFIELD MOVIE (PG) (FRI, MON-THURS) 3:45 | 4:00 VIP | 6:20 (SAT) 1:10 | 1:30 VIP | 3:45 | 4:00 VIP | 6:20 (SUN) 3:45 | 4:00 VIP | 5:00 | 6:20 | 6:30 VIP IP CLASSICS HARRY POTTER & THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN TUESDAY 7PM VIP (PG) KIDS CLUB HARRY POTTER & THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) KIDS CLUB HARRY POTTER & CHAMBER OF SECRETS SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE (PG) 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 Little chance morning isolated showers SEA STATE Slight to moderate with a wave height of 2 to 4 feet. WINDS East to northeast at 5 to 10 knots. 91°F HIGH 78°F LOW NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES news in brief Four found guilty in RBC bank heist A Grand Court jury has found three men and one woman guilty of being involved in a daring half-a-million dollar heist at Royal Bank of Canada in George Town. David Samuel Bodden Jr., Statan Omar Clarke and Elton David Webster were each found guilty of burglary in relation to the theft of CI$464,910 and US$126,187 from cash- dispensing machines on the night of 22 June 2016. Webster’s wife, Eliza Webster, was convicted of one count of possession of criminal property in relation to US$4,020 that was seized from her at Owen Roberts International Airport three weeks after the burglary. Upon hearing the guilty verdicts, Bodden stood in silence with his head down, while Clarke shook his head and appeared shocked. Eliza Webster knelt sobbing at the dock railing as her husband attempted to console her. The jury of five men and seven women, who had listened to testimony from an array of witnesses during the two-month trial, deliberated for three days before delivering their unanimous guilty verdicts after lunch on Thursday, 23 May. Justice Roger Chapple told the four defendants to expect to be imprisoned when the matter returns to court for sentencing in August. “I am extending your bail,” he told them, “but be under no disillusion that, come time of sentencing, any option but a custodial sentence is inevitable.” The court had heard that Bodden, at the time a bank employee, had deactivated the branch’s security system and left the door open for Webster to enter the building and empty several cash-dispensing machines. Although no video evidence of the theft was recovered, the prosecution provided the jury with information showing Bodden’s key fob was detected on the floor with the cash-dispensing machines a short time before the bank’s security protocols were breached. The jury heard that Clarke was the getaway driver. During the trial, the three men each took the stand, denying any participation in the burglary. Eliza Webster chose not to give evidence. See caymancompass.com for more on this story. Police arrest suspect in attempted murder A man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after patrolling police officers found a victim who had sustained “serious and life-threatening injuries” lying in the car park of Trafalgar Place on West Bay Road, just before midnight on Monday, 20 May. Officers rendered first aid to the man and called for emergency responders, who transported him to hospital, the RCIPS said in a statement. The following morning, police stopped a “suspicious looking vehicle” near the Strand complex, and arrested a 21-year-old West Bay man on suspicion of attempted murder and driving under the influence of alcohol. Police said the man was released on bail “under strict conditions, including electronic monitoring, while investigations continue”. 2 held for illegal firearm, ammunition Two George Town men were detained by police following the discovery of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition in a car. Police said officers conducting targeted patrols in George Town on the night of 17 May had cause to observe the movements of a silver Honda Fit. They later located the vehicle on Halpine Road, George Town, shortly after 2am on 18 May, and during a search of the car, retrieved a firearm and ammunition in an extended magazine. A 24-year-old George Town man was arrested and detained for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Later that day, around 10pm, officers searched a home in George Town, and arrested a 39-year-old George Town man on similar charges. The RCIPS confirmed that both men were later released on bail and investigations continue. Prep students donate 13,000 items to food bank When 8-year-old Cayman Prep primary school student Lucas Burke learned of the Cayman Food Bank’s struggle to meet the demands of families in need, he set off on a mission to gather supplies and singlehandedly collected 900 food items for donation. He and fellow schoolmates gathered 13,156 items for the food bank through a food-drive challenge launched by teacher Robert Watt. Burke told the Cayman Compass he got his parents’ support for the initiative and knew it was right thing to do. “They might not have enough food, and we have a lot of food, so maybe we could help them and give them some of our food,” Burke said as he explained why he wanted to help. Watt, who started the drive as a way to give back to the community after receiving his permanent residency, said he was moved to help the food bank after reading about its plight in a recent Compass article that highlighted the increased demand for food support. He challenged the students to bring in four items each, aiming to collect 2,088 in total, but at the end of the two-week drive, he was stunned to see the final tally. “I figured that we’d at least be able to hit the initial number, but I had no idea that we’d times it by more than six. It was incredible. The school really got on board. The kids were really fired up and excited, and it went a lot further than what I thought it would,” Watt said. Cayman Prep primary school students form an assembly line to offload the 13,156 food items they gathered for the food drive for the Cayman Food Bank. - Photo: Supplied cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 24 - 30 MAY 2024NORMA CONNOLLY nconnollycompassmedia.ky A draft document that may form the basis of a new national development plan – the first in 28 years – has been released by government for public feedback. The draft Planning Statement, which forms part of the overall ‘Plan Cayman’, goes on the road over the next two months, with a series of public meetings across all three islands. Since the last development plan was drawn up, Cayman’s population has grown by more than 130% from about 36,600 in 1997 to 84,738 by the end of 2023, according to the latest Economics and Statistics Office’s Labour Force Survey. In those intervening years, the islands have also seen the addition of major infrastructure and a development boom, with the inevitable resulting impacts on the environment and roads. Those are among the issues the draft plan aims to address, according to the government. The document notes that the vision of Plan Cayman is to “maintain and enhance quality of life in the Cayman Islands by ensuring that development promotes the most desirable balance of economic, social and environmental outcomes, while safeguarding the culture, health and general welfare of the people”. The draft plan, drawn up by the Central Planning Authority, the Development Control Board which oversees in the Sister Islands, and the Ministry and Department of Planning, is a 30-page document that outlines planning zones and ‘overlay’ zones, as well as other considerations, such as the subdivision of land, transportation and infrastructure. The precise location of these zones will be mapped out at a later dates when area plans will be drawn up and presented to Parliament for approval. There have been several efforts over the last three decades to update the existing 1997 Development Plan, but none have succeeded. (See timeline on right.) According to a government press release issued this week, the new draft plan comprises three elements: • Planning statement (currently available for public consultation), which is a “high-level policy defining land use zones and identifying land use priorities for Cayman”; • Area plans and zoning map, which includes detailed policies for different locations in Cayman and a map assigning land-use zones; • Development and planning regulations – the legislation to support the planning statement, area plans and zoning map. Zones The draft document expands on the types of zones outlined in the 1997 plan, and includes agricultural, residential, commercial and industrial zones. Under the draft plan, the kinds of residential zones are increased from three to five, with estate plus single-family, low- density, medium-density and high-density residential included. The previous plan only specified low-, medium- and high-density residential zones. The document noted that the new estate residential zones would address the need for large-lot, single-family residences typically located outside of urban areas, while duplexes and multi-family residences would not be allowed in single-family residential zones. Draft development plan released for comment 1971: The Development and Planning Law is passed, establishing the Central Planning Authority, which is tasked with preparing a development plan for the islands. 1977: Cayman’s first development plan is drawn up. 1991: A review of the 1977 plan begins. 1997: A new development plan is approved. 2001: Central Planning Authority begins a review of the 1997 plan, with volunteer district sub-committees being formed, as well as a Development Plan Review Committee. 2003: Central Planning Authority prepares final amendments in preparation for a development plan 2004. This fails to result in a new plan. 2009: A Planning and Regulations Committee, chaired by the late Burns Conolly, forms to review planning laws and regulations, while the Planning Department carries out a review of the development plan. Again, this does not result in a revised development plan. 2018: The Progressives-led administration begins its ‘Plan Cayman’ exercise to develop a national planning framework for all three islands. 2019: The Central Planning Authority approves a draft of the National Planning Framework. 2022: The Central Planning Authority reviews another draft National Planning Framework, which is then forwarded to the Ministry of Planning. 2023: In February, a finalised draft of the National Planning Framework is published. 2024: A development plan ‘Planning Statement’, dated March 2024, is released for public consultation in May. For more details on the consultation schedule and how to get involved, visit https://www.plancayman.ky. The closing date for comments on the Planning Statement is 30 July. Timeline of Cayman’s Development Plan PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10» The cover of the draft Planning Statement of the Cayman Islands Development Plan. Under the draft plan, there would be three tourism zones: hotel, neighbourhood and resort residential. - Photo: File cayman compass 3 news N news WEEKLY, 24 - 30 MAY 2024cayman compass ONLINE POLL 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Venomous African snake (5) 4 Disorderly rout (7) 8 Express publicly (3) 9 Person as subject in experiment (6,3) 10 Receive by legacy (7) 11 Four-wheeled goods vehicle (5) 13 Sand and small stones mixture (6) 15 Obtain by coercion (6) 18 Mix well together (5) 19 Arrogance (7) 21 Fall guy (9) 23 Moreover (3) 24 Meet the needs of (7) 25 Drive back (5) DOWN 1 Significance (7) 2 Alice in Wonderland character (5,4) 3 Tool for boring holes (5) 4 Delicately pretty (6) 5 A polish for wood (7) 6 Surpass (3) 7 Incite to action (3,2) 12 Stiff-kneed marching style (5,4) 14 Incessant (7) 16 Extreme confusion (7) 17 Fastidious (6) 18 Bedrock (5) 20 Out-and-out (5) 22 To function (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17639 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 17639 ACROSS: 1 Mamba, 4 Debacle, 8 Air, 9 Guinea pig, 10 Inherit, 11 Wagon, 13 Gravel, 15 Extort, 18 Blend, 19 Hauteur, 21 Scapegoat, 23 Too, 24 Satisfy, 25 Repel. DOWN: 1 Meaning, 2 March Hare, 3 Auger, 4 Dainty, 5 Beeswax, 6 Cap, 7 Egg on, 12 Goose step, 14 Endless, 16 Turmoil, 17 Choosy, 18 Basis, 20 Utter, 22 Act. What they’re saying Online Letters to the editor Calgary 17% 565 Las Vegas12% 379 Mexico City29% 958 Montego Bay7% 236 Puerto Rico 4% 142 Vancouver 15% 508 Increased airlift to Florida 14% 458 More flights to Sister Islands 1% 42 Where would you like Cayman Airways to consider for its next destination? Cayman’s soaring temperatures and scant rainfall spell prolonged heatwave If they keep chopping down the bush, we will never survive! Lilly Jane Can’t go outside because it’s 100°F in the shade and can’t go inside because it’s $100 per minute at CUC. What a mess. Kris Gomez Not only in Cayman but in countries in Central America, such as Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, which have been experiencing temperatures well over 100°F with the real feel being well over 115°F. Jamie Montero I live in the Yucatan, Mexico. We have exactly the same weather. Audrey Dodd We’re just into planting concrete and asphalt! Jewel Bush And this is relatively cool weather compared to a decade from now. aapoetik In other words, we’re doomed either way! With soaring CUC bills or heatstroke, only the wealthiest and the fittest might survive. May God help us all! ladydenz In other words, we dead. That’s what happens when you turn a tropical paradise into a concrete jungle! m.a.d_m.e.d.z Surging cost of living prompts fears of a recruitment crisis The irony is that if the expats can’t afford to live here, how are Caymanians expected to live? Yes, one can say our children can attend government schools, but then, the regular Caymanian worker doesn’t make an average salary of $6,500. At least the expat has choices, what choices does the Caymanian have? Hugh J. It would be interesting to find out how many Caymanians have moved to the UK where medical treatment and schooling are free, and they can vote at elections. Trusty2man D. 50 years ago: Dorothy McCoy named Miss Cayman; drunken sailor Was hoping there would be some advice as to what to do with a drunken sailor but, alas, no... Paul Arbo To the tune of 1,500 people attending back in the day? How many show up today to support our young ladies? Denver Douglas I remember that night. I was there and it was held at the Royal Palms Hotel... Boy, wasn’t [Dorothy McCoy] pretty – and still pretty. Blessing for her. Joan Genus Advocate looks to Privy Council in dispute over governor’s power What kind of emergency is same-sex legislation?! Michaela Freedom There are so many horrible things happening in the world right now. To care so much about not letting two people who love each other get married, no matter what sex they are, seems so trite. Why does she care so much? Who cares? They aren’t hurting us. I don’t get it. I’m not gay, but if two people love each other, why do we care if they are the same sex? Why not focus on things that actually hurt people? Like war, and starvation, and sickness? ellenmarcher If only there was religious guidance that showed how to live while loving everyone, respecting everyone, caring for all people… maybe one day. I’m sure this is very important. sean13libra I think people need to remember this is not a democracy. We live in a monarch state. itsactuallyswan I promise you there are much bigger and more dire problems we’re facing right now. 222indiaa They can’t make some noise about how people can’t afford housing and stuff? This is such a non issue. neos.helios35 Is there another country in the world that will not charge one’s credit card in the currency of the country that you are in? Here, unlike every other place I have ever been to, because my card is not from a local bank, the purchase that I have made must be priced in US dollars, not Cayman dollars. The result is that thousands of tourists, as well as residents, are legally robbed each time they use their cards. Apparently, according to the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, it is up to the outlet how they convert from Cayman dollars to US dollars. For example, the Cayman Islands Postal Service and Health Services Authority divide Cayman dollars by 0.82 to convert to US dollars. This is not too bad. But supermarkets, restaurants, liquor stores and most others divide by 0.8. The result of this is that although my purchase was for, say, CI$200, my bank will charge me, and pay them about CI$207. (CI$200 divided by 0.8 equals US$250, then to the bank this is about CI$207.) So, every time that I use my card, I am charged about 3.5% more than I have spent. How can this be legal? How has this been allowed to go on for so long? I cannot believe that I am the only one to spot it! It could be solved tomorrow, by getting the card readers to accept purchases in Cayman dollars. George Tustin Losing money on credit card purchases cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 24 - 30 MAY 2024WEEKLY, 24 - 30 MAY 2024cayman compass 5 WEEKLY, 24 - 30 MAY 2024Let’s help you ensure that your dependent’s ﬁnancial future is secure, and they are protected against life’s eventualities. Feel free to contact one of our advisors today. APRIL 2024 PROTECT WHAT MATTERS MOST OUTSTANDING ADVISORS PR Floriza Miller (345) 326-9343 Juliet Osbourne (345) 916-0500 Drought conditions expected RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Cayman’s temperatures have been soaring near record levels in recent days, and it appears the scorching heat will not let up any time soon as rainfall projections remain relatively low for the coming weeks. National Weather Service Chief Meteorologist Kerry Powery Linwood told the Cayman Compass the heat is expected to continue. “We haven’t had any good showers,” Powery Linwood said. “Unfortunately, although we see the models are hinting that all the parameters are there [for rain], they’re just not lining up together to give us the break that we need. That, plus the sea temperatures around the area are still running kind of high from last year.” This month, Cayman has recorded the highest temperature for the year, at 93°F, with April coming in second at 90.0°F, based on the latest National Weather Service climate data shared with the Compass. Three of four months this year have had monthly average maximum temperatures that exceeded the climatological average with the remaining month matching the average. It said the inability to effectively cool down at night is contributing to the hot temperatures during the day. “One possible cause of this inefficient cooling at night may be the warm sea surface temperatures which have been rather warm since last year,” the report added. As for rainfall, only 2.39 inches of rain was recorded this month as at 20 May. This low figure still represents the highest monthly volume collected year to date. “Rainfall so far this year is below the climatological average expected for the month,” the report added. No let up for heat conditions May temperatures have been sweltering with heat indexes of 103°F almost daily. Temperatures for the rest of this week are forecast to reach 90°F during the day with a slight chance of isolated showers. Powery Linwood said the National Weather Service is working on metrics to better advise the community on extreme heat conditions and has started including heat index projections with daily local forecasts. Temperatures in April, he said, surpassed the recorded average, based on 1981 to 2020 data, and May has continued with the high temperatures. “Our lowest temperature [in April] was higher than the 30-year average. Even our lowest maximum temperature is, like, half a degree lower than our climatological average,” he said. The average temperature recorded for February, March and April at Owen Roberts International Airport was 26.9°C or 80.4°F. April’s average temperature was 28.6°C or 83.5°F. That’s 1.6°C above the climatological average. The National Weather Service Climate Bulletin projects a 30% chance of experiencing heat waves in May and an 80% probability of above-average temperatures. Powery Linwood said conditions will be transitioning from El Niño to La Niña later on in the year and it is during these transition periods that temperatures tend to be higher and rainfall tends to fluctuate. The climatological outlook through July, he said, projects that rainfall should be up to about 60% above the climatological average. Until then, however, the dry conditions should continue. The Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum, in its Heat Outlook for May to October 2024, stated that near- record heat can be expected until October, particularly in August and September. It said the heat impact potential from May to July 2024 was moderate for the Cayman Islands with 20-50% of the time spent in heatwaves. Protect against the heat Powery Linwood urged residents to take steps to protect their well- being when outdoors, whether for work or leisure. He said residents should keep properly hydrated. “We are dealing with the heat but we also have the sun rays, so you need UV protection and also ventilation,” he said. Powery Linwood urged workers toiling in the hot sun to ensure they take steps to keep cool and take breaks when the heat becomes too much. “If you feel faint or anything, take a break and try to gradually cool yourself down because even quick cooling down could have a severe effect. You could have heatstroke or even fainting because of the changes in the body temperature. You won’t be able to regulate that change, so you’ve got to be careful,” he said. Soaring temperatures and scant rainfall spell prolonged heatwave Source: National Weather Service JANUARYFEBRUARYMARCHAPRIL UP TO 20 MAY 2024 monthly rainfall 1.50 Inches 0.00 Inches 0.61 Inches 1.06 Inches 2.39 Inches 30-year average2.13 Inches 1.21 Inches 1.17 Inches 1.33 Inches 5.89 Inches Highest max temp for the month88.3 °F87.1 °F89.8 °F90.0 °F93.2°F Monthly average max temp85.4 °F83.7 °F87.7 °F87.9 °F 30-year average max temp83.1 °F83.7 °F84.5 °F86.2 °F Lowest min temp for the month71.8 °F64.4 °F71.6 °F75.7 °F77.5 °F Monthly average min temp 76.3 °F73.2 °F77.0 °F78.5 °F 30-year average min temp73.6 °F73.2 °F73.6 °F75.8 °F 2024 Climate Data Kerry Powery Linwood, chief meteorologist, Cayman Islands National Weather Service cayman compass news N news WEEKLY, 24 - 30 MAY 2024 6FOR 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! ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Forecasters at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are warning of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season, with as many as 13 hurricanes, seven of which they say could become major storms. The predictions, which have been issued with 85% certainty, call for between 17 and 25 named storms, of which eight to 13 are likely to develop into hurricanes with winds of at least 75 miles per hour. Of those hurricanes, four to seven are anticipated to become at least Category 3 storms, with winds of at least 120mph. In their 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, published on 23 May, experts at NOAA warned than warmer-than-average ocean temperatures coupled with a La Niña effect, were major factors behind their forecast. The annual Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from 1 June through 30 Nov., is calculated on a 30-year average. The current average runs from 1991 to 2020 and indicates that a typical season has 14.4 named storms, 7.2 hurricanes, and 3.2 major hurricanes. “The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season is expected to have above-normal activity due to an confluence of factors, including near-record warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean, development of La Niña conditions in the Pacific, reduced Atlantic trade winds and less wind shear, all of which tend to favor tropical storm formation,” NOAA said in a statement posted to its website. According to NOAA, the 2024 hurricane season will also feature the potential for an above- normal west African monsoon, which they say can produce African easterly waves that seed some of the strongest and longer-lived Atlantic storms. NOAA’s forecast largely falls in line with that of Colorado State University’s Tropical Meteorology Project, which in April warned of as many as 23 named storms, of which they said 11 could become hurricanes – five of which could become Category 3 or higher. When issuing its annual forecast, the Cayman Islands National Weather Service takes into consideration the forecasts issued by the NOAA’s National Hurricane Center and Colorado State University. 2024 storm names • Alberto • Beryl • Chris • Debby • Ernesto • Francine • Gordon • Helene • Isaac • Joyce • Kirk • Leslie • Milton • Nadine • Oscar • Patty • Rafael • Sara • Tony • Valerie • William Forecasters warn of up to 7 major hurricanes this season cayman compass 7 WEEKLY, 24 - 30 MAY 2024 news N newsF1 Driver, Alex Albon Earlier this month, Carrie Harding of the Cayman Islands Family Ofﬁ ce Association caught up with Williams Racing F1 driver, Alex Albon. During a reception for members of the association held at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Carrie asked him about his career, aspirations, investment strategy and precious downtime. Albon was visiting the Cayman Islands with his girlfriend and LPGA Tour player, Lily Muni He, for a few days of R&R following the Miami F1 Grand Prix, before returning to Europe to continue the race season. During his visit, he kissed four stingrays, reportedly bringing him 28 years of good luck! He also signed a multi-year contract extension with Williams, taking their partnership into the new era of Formula 1 regulations. An Interview with Carrie: Can you share with us a bit about your early life and how your upbringing inﬂ uenced your passion for racing? Alex: My Dad was passionate about motor racing and got me into the sport, ﬁ rstly as a hobby. He was my engineer, my driving coach, my mechanic. In the very beginning, it was very much a father and son racing and quite pure. I was about 7-years-old when he bought me my ﬁ rst go-kart and we lived by a farm, so the farmer would let us use the concrete barn, and after school my dad would lay some bricks out and I would drive in a ﬁ gure eight, constantly, doing 10 or 20 laps until I was dizzy and he would take my time with a stopwatch. That’s how it started. He was the guy who got it all started for me and by the time I was 12-years-old, well that is when you have to start thinking about getting into a racing team. And that’s when it starts to get expensive! Carrie: We understand that Lando Norris has life-size posters of you in his home. He does this to inspire him and clearly it worked in Miami! Can you share with us, other than your Dad, who has inspired you during your race career? Alex: Michael Schumacher. He was my poster child growing up. It got to a scary level! I had a red bedroom, I got my Dad to paint it red, and I had a red bed, red pyjamas, red alarm clock, my carpet was even red! The whole place looked like a crime scene! I was a huge fan of Ferrari and of Michael and he was clearly my inspiration. I remember going to Silverstone, that was my ﬁ rst F1 race that I went to and there was a circuit competition. You had to give the predicted results of the ﬁ rst three drivers in the race and so I put my three favourite drivers down, as I didn’t know any better. Two of the three drivers I chose were starting from the pit lane because they qualiﬁ ed badly the day before. Somehow, the three drivers I picked ﬁ nished in the top three! I think I was 6-years-old at the time and I got to go on stage in front of this huge crowd and meet Michael, that was my introduction to following him. Carrie: Talk us through a typical race day routine for you and how you physically and mentally prepare for a race weekend. Alex: It’s all about routine and consistency. I have been in F1 for six years, so long enough to understand what works for me and what doesn’t, and I’ve learnt this over time. So, the mornings are simple. You try to eat a very bland simple breakfast, as obviously when you are driving around in fast cars you don’t want your breakfast sloshing around! So usually, we eat something like mashed sweet potato, or scrambled eggs; nothing too hard on your body. My trainer measures my hydration, so we do my osmosis in the morning each day, and that’s because we sweat so much during our sessions. Weight is also very important; we are trying to be as light as we can while still being hydrated, so for qualifying days we’re a bit like boxers, we’ll try to lose all the water weight so we can shave off about a kilo ready for the qualifying session, and then on Saturday night after qualifying we will hydrate and then go into the race as hydrated as possible. We will then go to the track and run through the normal warm-up drills. We start at feet level to keep moving and work our way up towards the neck, which is one of the most important parts of our body due to the physical stresses the F1 cars put us under. Trying to keep your neck mobilised and strong is key. If you don’t warm up your neck in an F1 car and just go out and drive, though it won’t snap, you will have some serious issues! Carrie: What aspects of being an F1 driver do you ﬁ nd the most challenging? Alex: I think it differs from driver to driver, but for me it’s the spotlight of Formula 1. It depends on what motivates you and the reasons you enjoy being a racing driver, but the spotlight and attention hasn’t been something I enjoy or feel comfortable with. The driving is the easiest part, it’s the part we have all done from six or seven years of age. Speed is easy, so driving an F1 car for the ﬁ rst time never felt scary, but it was actually the noise around being an F1 driver that was unexpected. I have a strong memory of my ﬁ rst F1 test and driving the car for the ﬁ rst time. I was in Barcelona, I did half a lap and I spun. I thought oh no, but a simple mistake like this, we’ve all done a million times before, it’s ok. But as I came back to the garage, there were forty or so photographers waiting for me and that was the difference right there. You are under a microscope, and you have to be able to deal with that, and still perform. When you race in Formula 2 it is much lower key, you are only speaking to your mechanic and your engineers. Formula 1 is very different. The structure of Formula 1 and having a team around you is awesome to safeguard you from all the external factors within the sport. Carrie: Could you share any behind-the-scenes anecdotes or experiences from your time in F1? Alex: I would say the celebrities keep it interesting! We had Brad Pitt join us for a driver’s brieﬁ ng one time. They are doing a movie right now, and he has been joining us quite a lot. It’s interesting. He showed us the trailer for the movie, a couple of races ago, and the ﬁ rst thing was a massive crash and explosion! It looks great, if very dramatic! Meeting the celebrities is obviously fun and interesting, it doesn’t bother me too much as I am so focused on my job at the track, but I can see how it’s easy for people to get blinded by that. Nothing crazy really happens in F1. It is seen as glamorous and fun but on the inside and behind the scenes, it’s technology-led ands very serious. Carrie: Did you get a selﬁ e with Brad? Alex: Yeah, I did! But this was a ﬁ rst, and it is Brad! Carrie: What are your thoughts on people and companies sponsoring and investing in F1, and can you explain to us why it’s good business? Alex: F1 is very appealing to the younger generation now. If you look at where F1 was twenty years ago and before Drive to Survive, that Netﬂ ix series has really transformed the commercial side of F1 and broadened its audience. Nowadays, Lily and I ﬁ nd when we’re walking a street track, a lot of the fans treat us more like K-Pop stars! It’s very different to previous generations’ fan base. Formula 1 is so global, when you think about the technology we use, it has a huge reach and sponsorship appeal is now truly global. For example, I have Thai heritage and there are Thai brands that want global reach, so it makes sense for them to partner with me and reap the rewards, especially whilst F1 is going through this massive growth phase. Carrie: With the world’s private banks competing to take on F1 drivers, can you share why you chose a family ofﬁ ce, and why you chose Cayman? Alex: At the start, I was so caught up in the world of racing I wasn’t very good at managing my ﬁ nances, which is probably true of most kids growing up. When I got into F1, I didn’t really know who to trust and what direction to go in. I remember a lot of banks approaching me and I didn’t know what to do. I heard about Panthera through a colleague of mine, and it became clear that this was a group I could trust, who weren’t going to sell to me, and would help me ﬁ nd a structure unique to me that works for me. I want to be able to focus entirely on racing and leave everything else in expert hands. Panthera having ofﬁ ces in London, Cayman and Singapore, and the way they can manage my investments and my day-to-day needs is really important to me. It gives me peace of mind. I can race, knowing I am being taken care of. Carrie: What are your ﬁ rst impressions of our beautiful island and can you see yourself living here? Alex: Lily lives in Los Angeles and I live in Monaco, so a lot of how we live is long distance. We have been to a lot of hotels around Arkansas, and to middle-of- nowhere places, with maybe four connecting ﬂ ights to get us there! Cayman is ideal from a logistics standpoint for us. Coming from the UK is direct and easy, and for Lily to travel back and forth to LA is a direct ﬂ ight, too. We have discovered that the general consideration for health and wellness and food here is incredible and at the highest level. We struggle to ﬁ nd places to spend time where we can get down to some proper training and manage nutrition, but also relax. Lily was on the golf course yesterday and today, and we feel we’ve found a perfect place where we can focus on ourselves and enjoy great weather. The ﬁ rst thing I did after three hours here, was look at real estate websites! This is a place where we would consider spending a lot more time. I know George (Russell) was here a week or so ago, just before the race, so maybe we can split a property between us! Carrie: Talk us through what has been the most memorable moment of your racing career so far. Alex: I would say my ﬁ rst race in Formula 1. We were in Australia at the time, and I remember the lights going out and how nervous I was. In Formula 1 we have a hand clutch, and I remember holding my clutch and seeing the lights counting down. I was so nervous; my hand was shaking so much and I was trying so hard to make sure I didn’t stall the car! To experience my ﬁ rst F1 race, that whole weekend in fact, I remember it like it was yesterday because honestly it had always been a dream of mine. To live it was like a fairytale. Carrie: Can you share what you enjoy doing in your free time, when you are away from the track? Alex: It depends! After a race Sunday I’m actually very happy to lie on the couch and binge-watch Netﬂ ix for a day to help get my energy back! In some ways I am so much in the spotlight it’s nice to get away from it. I love travelling and I love food, and I love travelling for food. Lily and I are big foodies! And we love photography, we share a lot of common interests. Of course, I love golf as well, but it’s really hard for me to enjoy it because of Lily! I get very frustrated, because clearly, I am not as good as her! What are your aspirations for your career in F1 and beyond? Alex: I want to become world champion, and it is a journey to achieve that. I know it won’t come instantly so the focus is on creating a system and a plan to achieve it. That’s the goal. And before that, it’s to win my ﬁ rst Formula 1 race. As a kid I had this four-tier goal system, ﬁ rstly to become a Formula 1 driver, secondly to score my ﬁ rst podium, then to win a race and to become a world champion. I’ve achieved two of those goals so far. The other two are still to come. I also want to give back and establish a way to create opportunities for Thai youth in the world of motorsport; not just drivers, but create opportunities for mechanics, engineers and crew. Asia isn’t currently a great training ground for this. This is the reason you don’t really see any Southeast Asian drivers in F1 because the only way you can achieve that is to be schooled at boarding school in Europe and become ‘European’. To be the best, you need to be where the best are and that’s in Europe right now. In wrapping up the conversation, Alex shared some memorable insights from the recent visit, including kissing Cayman’s southern stingrays, walks on Seven Mile Beach, nine rounds at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, working out at the REC Room and discovering two favourite dining spots on island Tillies and Chicken-Chicken. Cayman’s crystal-clear waters, vibrant marine life, and welcoming community provided the perfect setting for the couple to relax and rejuvenate. As Alex gears up for the challenges ahead in the Formula 1 season, we hope it's not long before we see him back on our beautiful shores, enjoying all that the Cayman Islands have to offer. Thank you, Alex, for sharing your experiences, and best of luck on the track! Alex Albon and Lily He making friends at Stingray City. Alex with Deputy Premier and Minister of Financial Services and Commerce Andre Ebanks who delivered opening remarks at the Cayman Islands Family Ofﬁ ce Association event. cif o a.k y cayman compass 8 WEEKLY, 24 - 30 MAY 2024F1 Driver, Alex Albon Earlier this month, Carrie Harding of the Cayman Islands Family Ofﬁ ce Association caught up with Williams Racing F1 driver, Alex Albon. During a reception for members of the association held at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Carrie asked him about his career, aspirations, investment strategy and precious downtime. Albon was visiting the Cayman Islands with his girlfriend and LPGA Tour player, Lily Muni He, for a few days of R&R following the Miami F1 Grand Prix, before returning to Europe to continue the race season. During his visit, he kissed four stingrays, reportedly bringing him 28 years of good luck! He also signed a multi-year contract extension with Williams, taking their partnership into the new era of Formula 1 regulations. An Interview with Carrie: Can you share with us a bit about your early life and how your upbringing inﬂ uenced your passion for racing? Alex: My Dad was passionate about motor racing and got me into the sport, ﬁ rstly as a hobby. He was my engineer, my driving coach, my mechanic. In the very beginning, it was very much a father and son racing and quite pure. I was about 7-years-old when he bought me my ﬁ rst go-kart and we lived by a farm, so the farmer would let us use the concrete barn, and after school my dad would lay some bricks out and I would drive in a ﬁ gure eight, constantly, doing 10 or 20 laps until I was dizzy and he would take my time with a stopwatch. That’s how it started. He was the guy who got it all started for me and by the time I was 12-years-old, well that is when you have to start thinking about getting into a racing team. And that’s when it starts to get expensive! Carrie: We understand that Lando Norris has life-size posters of you in his home. He does this to inspire him and clearly it worked in Miami! Can you share with us, other than your Dad, who has inspired you during your race career? Alex: Michael Schumacher. He was my poster child growing up. It got to a scary level! I had a red bedroom, I got my Dad to paint it red, and I had a red bed, red pyjamas, red alarm clock, my carpet was even red! The whole place looked like a crime scene! I was a huge fan of Ferrari and of Michael and he was clearly my inspiration. I remember going to Silverstone, that was my ﬁ rst F1 race that I went to and there was a circuit competition. You had to give the predicted results of the ﬁ rst three drivers in the race and so I put my three favourite drivers down, as I didn’t know any better. Two of the three drivers I chose were starting from the pit lane because they qualiﬁ ed badly the day before. Somehow, the three drivers I picked ﬁ nished in the top three! I think I was 6-years-old at the time and I got to go on stage in front of this huge crowd and meet Michael, that was my introduction to following him. Carrie: Talk us through a typical race day routine for you and how you physically and mentally prepare for a race weekend. Alex: It’s all about routine and consistency. I have been in F1 for six years, so long enough to understand what works for me and what doesn’t, and I’ve learnt this over time. So, the mornings are simple. You try to eat a very bland simple breakfast, as obviously when you are driving around in fast cars you don’t want your breakfast sloshing around! So usually, we eat something like mashed sweet potato, or scrambled eggs; nothing too hard on your body. My trainer measures my hydration, so we do my osmosis in the morning each day, and that’s because we sweat so much during our sessions. Weight is also very important; we are trying to be as light as we can while still being hydrated, so for qualifying days we’re a bit like boxers, we’ll try to lose all the water weight so we can shave off about a kilo ready for the qualifying session, and then on Saturday night after qualifying we will hydrate and then go into the race as hydrated as possible. We will then go to the track and run through the normal warm-up drills. We start at feet level to keep moving and work our way up towards the neck, which is one of the most important parts of our body due to the physical stresses the F1 cars put us under. Trying to keep your neck mobilised and strong is key. If you don’t warm up your neck in an F1 car and just go out and drive, though it won’t snap, you will have some serious issues! Carrie: What aspects of being an F1 driver do you ﬁ nd the most challenging? Alex: I think it differs from driver to driver, but for me it’s the spotlight of Formula 1. It depends on what motivates you and the reasons you enjoy being a racing driver, but the spotlight and attention hasn’t been something I enjoy or feel comfortable with. The driving is the easiest part, it’s the part we have all done from six or seven years of age. Speed is easy, so driving an F1 car for the ﬁ rst time never felt scary, but it was actually the noise around being an F1 driver that was unexpected. I have a strong memory of my ﬁ rst F1 test and driving the car for the ﬁ rst time. I was in Barcelona, I did half a lap and I spun. I thought oh no, but a simple mistake like this, we’ve all done a million times before, it’s ok. But as I came back to the garage, there were forty or so photographers waiting for me and that was the difference right there. You are under a microscope, and you have to be able to deal with that, and still perform. When you race in Formula 2 it is much lower key, you are only speaking to your mechanic and your engineers. Formula 1 is very different. The structure of Formula 1 and having a team around you is awesome to safeguard you from all the external factors within the sport. Carrie: Could you share any behind-the-scenes anecdotes or experiences from your time in F1? Alex: I would say the celebrities keep it interesting! We had Brad Pitt join us for a driver’s brieﬁ ng one time. They are doing a movie right now, and he has been joining us quite a lot. It’s interesting. He showed us the trailer for the movie, a couple of races ago, and the ﬁ rst thing was a massive crash and explosion! It looks great, if very dramatic! Meeting the celebrities is obviously fun and interesting, it doesn’t bother me too much as I am so focused on my job at the track, but I can see how it’s easy for people to get blinded by that. Nothing crazy really happens in F1. It is seen as glamorous and fun but on the inside and behind the scenes, it’s technology-led ands very serious. Carrie: Did you get a selﬁ e with Brad? Alex: Yeah, I did! But this was a ﬁ rst, and it is Brad! Carrie: What are your thoughts on people and companies sponsoring and investing in F1, and can you explain to us why it’s good business? Alex: F1 is very appealing to the younger generation now. If you look at where F1 was twenty years ago and before Drive to Survive, that Netﬂ ix series has really transformed the commercial side of F1 and broadened its audience. Nowadays, Lily and I ﬁ nd when we’re walking a street track, a lot of the fans treat us more like K-Pop stars! It’s very different to previous generations’ fan base. Formula 1 is so global, when you think about the technology we use, it has a huge reach and sponsorship appeal is now truly global. For example, I have Thai heritage and there are Thai brands that want global reach, so it makes sense for them to partner with me and reap the rewards, especially whilst F1 is going through this massive growth phase. Carrie: With the world’s private banks competing to take on F1 drivers, can you share why you chose a family ofﬁ ce, and why you chose Cayman? Alex: At the start, I was so caught up in the world of racing I wasn’t very good at managing my ﬁ nances, which is probably true of most kids growing up. When I got into F1, I didn’t really know who to trust and what direction to go in. I remember a lot of banks approaching me and I didn’t know what to do. I heard about Panthera through a colleague of mine, and it became clear that this was a group I could trust, who weren’t going to sell to me, and would help me ﬁ nd a structure unique to me that works for me. I want to be able to focus entirely on racing and leave everything else in expert hands. Panthera having ofﬁ ces in London, Cayman and Singapore, and the way they can manage my investments and my day-to-day needs is really important to me. It gives me peace of mind. I can race, knowing I am being taken care of. Carrie: What are your ﬁ rst impressions of our beautiful island and can you see yourself living here? Alex: Lily lives in Los Angeles and I live in Monaco, so a lot of how we live is long distance. We have been to a lot of hotels around Arkansas, and to middle-of- nowhere places, with maybe four connecting ﬂ ights to get us there! Cayman is ideal from a logistics standpoint for us. Coming from the UK is direct and easy, and for Lily to travel back and forth to LA is a direct ﬂ ight, too. We have discovered that the general consideration for health and wellness and food here is incredible and at the highest level. We struggle to ﬁ nd places to spend time where we can get down to some proper training and manage nutrition, but also relax. Lily was on the golf course yesterday and today, and we feel we’ve found a perfect place where we can focus on ourselves and enjoy great weather. The ﬁ rst thing I did after three hours here, was look at real estate websites! This is a place where we would consider spending a lot more time. I know George (Russell) was here a week or so ago, just before the race, so maybe we can split a property between us! Carrie: Talk us through what has been the most memorable moment of your racing career so far. Alex: I would say my ﬁ rst race in Formula 1. We were in Australia at the time, and I remember the lights going out and how nervous I was. In Formula 1 we have a hand clutch, and I remember holding my clutch and seeing the lights counting down. I was so nervous; my hand was shaking so much and I was trying so hard to make sure I didn’t stall the car! To experience my ﬁ rst F1 race, that whole weekend in fact, I remember it like it was yesterday because honestly it had always been a dream of mine. To live it was like a fairytale. Carrie: Can you share what you enjoy doing in your free time, when you are away from the track? Alex: It depends! After a race Sunday I’m actually very happy to lie on the couch and binge-watch Netﬂ ix for a day to help get my energy back! In some ways I am so much in the spotlight it’s nice to get away from it. I love travelling and I love food, and I love travelling for food. Lily and I are big foodies! And we love photography, we share a lot of common interests. Of course, I love golf as well, but it’s really hard for me to enjoy it because of Lily! I get very frustrated, because clearly, I am not as good as her! What are your aspirations for your career in F1 and beyond? Alex: I want to become world champion, and it is a journey to achieve that. I know it won’t come instantly so the focus is on creating a system and a plan to achieve it. That’s the goal. And before that, it’s to win my ﬁ rst Formula 1 race. As a kid I had this four-tier goal system, ﬁ rstly to become a Formula 1 driver, secondly to score my ﬁ rst podium, then to win a race and to become a world champion. I’ve achieved two of those goals so far. The other two are still to come. I also want to give back and establish a way to create opportunities for Thai youth in the world of motorsport; not just drivers, but create opportunities for mechanics, engineers and crew. Asia isn’t currently a great training ground for this. This is the reason you don’t really see any Southeast Asian drivers in F1 because the only way you can achieve that is to be schooled at boarding school in Europe and become ‘European’. To be the best, you need to be where the best are and that’s in Europe right now. In wrapping up the conversation, Alex shared some memorable insights from the recent visit, including kissing Cayman’s southern stingrays, walks on Seven Mile Beach, nine rounds at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, working out at the REC Room and discovering two favourite dining spots on island Tillies and Chicken-Chicken. Cayman’s crystal-clear waters, vibrant marine life, and welcoming community provided the perfect setting for the couple to relax and rejuvenate. As Alex gears up for the challenges ahead in the Formula 1 season, we hope it's not long before we see him back on our beautiful shores, enjoying all that the Cayman Islands have to offer. Thank you, Alex, for sharing your experiences, and best of luck on the track! Alex Albon and Lily He making friends at Stingray City. Alex with Deputy Premier and Minister of Financial Services and Commerce Andre Ebanks who delivered opening remarks at the Cayman Islands Family Ofﬁ ce Association event. cif o a.k y cayman compass 9 WEEKLY, 24 - 30 MAY 2024Next >