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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 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 WORC scrapping JobsCayman portal The government’s Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman is replacing its beleaguered JobsCayman portal, an online job ad system. In an announcement Monday afternoon that gave users fewer than three days’ notice of the closure of the portal, WORC announced that, from Wednesday night, 29 May, it would no longer be available. A temporary online service will be operating until a new system to replace JobsCayman is put in place in June, the department stated. The JobsCayman portal, which has been handling payments, job seeker and employer registrations, the posting of job vacancy ads, and job applications, has been criticised by employers and potential employees as being slow and difficult to navigate. As well as replacing the jobs portal, WORC is also relocating its customer service from Apollo House West to Artemis House, at 67 Fort Street in George Town, from Monday, 3 June, where services including payments, submission of applications and passport endorsement stamps will be carried out. With the JobsCayman portal going offline, another site offering reduced online services will be available from Monday, 3 June, according to the WORC release. It noted that this site will be temporary and will allow for final developing and testing of a new WORC jobs and online payment service, which it anticipates will launch on 18 June. Decades-old Pharmacy Act being modernised A new Pharmacy Bill has been gazetted to replace a 45-year-old law dealing with medications in the Cayman Islands. The bill repeals and replaces the Pharmacy Act of 1979 with a new regulatory regime for the import, manufacture, wholesale, dispensing and prescribing of medicines, according to the Memorandum of Objects and Reasons published alongside the proposed bill in the Government Gazette. A bill to update the 1979 legislation was passed in 1991, but that law was never brought into force. The latest bill was published online and opened for public consultation in September. Some new offences are created in the bill, including the manufacture of medicine without a manufacturing licence; the wholesale of a medicine without a wholesale licence; and the importing, selling by wholesale, dispensing, prescribing, administering or manufacturing of a non-approved medicine. Under the revised legislation, unlike at present, the Pharmacy Council would not be required to approve each individual medicine that may be used in Cayman. Instead, it can approve medicines if it is satisfied they meet specified requirements, such as if a corresponding authority of a country, prescribed by the regulations, approves it. Armed robber’s prison sentence upheld A man who punched and kicked a shopkeeper while robbing her at knifepoint has had his prison sentence of 12 years and 10 months upheld by the appeals court. Richard Edward Nash was convicted in February 2022 for the 2020 robbery of the Tortuga Liquor Store in Governors Square. Nash’s attorney Oliver Grimwood told the court the sentence was “too harsh and excessive”, stating that the mastermind behind the crime, Kasnique Patrice Austin-Cupid, had been given a lesser sentence of 10 years and six months. At the time of the robbery, Nash had been on a suspended sentence for an unrelated offence. During sentencing, Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop activated this suspended sentence and used the offence’s timing as a further aggravating factor, increasing Nash’s overall sentence. Grimwood argued that this was erroneous on the part of McDonald-Bishop, a contention the Court of Appeal judges accepted. However, in a judgment posted to the court’s website on 24 May, Court of Appeal Justice Sir Jack Beatson stated that the court had “concluded that the total period of imprisonment, although arrived at in a way which was erroneous, is not arguably manifestly excessive”. “It might be said that, given the ferocity of the attack on [the victim], the judge was merciful in concluding that, before mitigation, the starting point for the sentence of this applicant was 12 years and six months,” noted Beatson who later dismissed the appeal. Firearm seized after shots fired in North Side A man was arrested after a report of shots being fired during an apparent attempted robbery on North Side on Tuesday, 28 May. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service responded to the scene on North Side Road around 1:30pm and seized a firearm. “Initial enquiries indicate the incident was the result of an attempted robbery which led to an altercation,” RCIPS said in a press release. The arrested man was treated for minor injuries at hospital. Another man involved also sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene. No people were shot. Third beachside death in a month In the third water-related fatality this month, a 78-year-old West Bay man found unresponsive in the sea off Cemetery Beach died over the weekend. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said in a 28 May press release that officers responded to a distress call in West Bay at about 8:15am on Sunday, 26 May. Beachgoers performed CPR on the man until responders arrived, police said. A member of the public first noticed him unresponsive in the ocean, and people nearby pulled him ashore to render aid. An attending doctor later pronounced the man dead after he was transported to the Cayman Islands Hospital. Police did not release the name of the man, saying they were making inquiries into the circumstances of his death. The two earlier water-related deaths involved visitors to the Cayman Islands. On Sunday, 5 May, a 72-year-old woman from the United States died after getting into difficulty while snorkelling at Cemetery Beach. Four days earlier, on 1 May, a 65-year-old man from New Zealand died after being discovered unresponsive while returning to shore from snorkelling off Seven Mile Beach with his family. WORC’s JobsCayman portal is being replaced. - Photo: File cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 31 MAY - 6 JUNE 2024ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Man sentenced to five months in prison A man who denied veterinary care to his dog, that was found starving and emaciated last year, has been sentenced to five months in prison for what has been described by a magistrate as one of the worse cases of animal neglect she has encountered. The defendant, Warlito Damasco Samelo Jr., of the Philippines, was jailed on Wednesday, 29 May, after previously being convicted of one count of cruelty to an animal in his absence in relation to his dog Brun-Brun, who was renamed Wilbur by rescuers. “This, in my judgement, is one of the most serious cases of animal neglect that I have seen, on the evidence presented,” said Magistrate Philippa McFarlane, while making note of the limitations of the Animals Act. That legislation states that an owner convicted of causing “unnecessary suffering” to an animal is liable to a fine of $4,000 and imprisonment for one year. When calling for a custodial sentence, prosecutor Tetrina Rivers told McFarlane that Wilbur’s prolonged suffering and eventual death merited the top end of the sentencing range despite the lack of sentencing guidelines. “The UK does have sentencing guidelines which might be of some use; however, the law prescribes a maximum sentence of five years in prison,” said Rivers. When handing down her sentence, McFarlane started with six months in prison but reduced it to five months to reflect Samelo’s previous good behaviour. Christer Brady, who represented Samelo, asked for the court to consider imposing a suspended sentence, while adding that his client would be willing to do community service. “He is prepared to complete such an order at the Humane Society, where he can put his skills, or lack thereof, to work and development.” McFarlane said she believed a suspended sentence, whether partial or whole, would be entirely inappropriate. “These courts must send a clear message, that of deterrence,” McFarlane said. “When you are considering owning an animal, you must be ready to take on the responsibility that comes with it, or face the consequence.” The magistrate noted that, although the law prescribes for a financial penalty as well, it would not be appropriate due to Samelo’s lack of financial means. ‘Betrayed by his owner’ Wilbur was rescued in October of last year by animal charity One Dog at a Time, after being found by a neighbour in Prospect, not far from Samelo’s home. He was taken to veterinarians who attempted to restore his health, but he was too far gone. His case led to the widespread calls for animal cruelty laws to be better enforced and a campaign called Justice for Wilbur was launched. “The very fat from around the animal’s eyes and other parts of its head were gone,” said McFarlane. “The animal’s eyes were infected. It had heartworm and hookworm. There were worms in its faecal matter.” News of Samelo’s sentence was met with mixed emotions by Caroline Johnston, of animal charity One Dog at a Time. “We are happy that this case progressed all the way through the courts because it is a step in the right direction,” Johnston told the Cayman Compass, but added that she had hoped for a harsher sentence. “When we found Wilbur, you could see in his eyes that he had lost all hope and just wanted to die,” she said. “And to think that he was betrayed by his owner in such a cruel manner, it’s just not right.” According to a social inquiry report, Samelo accepts that he denied the animal veterinary care, because he was unable to afford the medical expenses and had sought to import medicine from the Philippines. “In a jurisdiction like the Cayman Islands, where even if you found yourself in circumstances where you would have struggled to pay for treatment, no veterinarian would have turned you away,” said McFarlane, who also noted Samelo’s lack of remorse. No question as to the real ‘victim’ The social inquiry report also revealed that Samelo views himself as the victim, and is being unfairly punished despite his good intentions and history of good deeds. “The report reveals that his attitude towards the offending suggests that he believes he is the victim,” noted McFarlane. “It states that he feels that all the love and care that he provided to the dog before it became ill has not been taken into account, and that now he is being punished for not providing the dog with medicine although he could not afford it.” When rejecting his claims of remorse, McFarlane stated that she believes Samelo was sorry that he was appearing before the court, and not for the act. “The report reveals that he believes his only mistake was not going to look for the dog before it was found and rescued, after it disappeared from his home,” the magistrate said, as she quoted from the report. Despite his protestations, McFarlane made clear that she did not believe Samelo to be a victim, rather “the only victim here was Brun-Brun”. Dog owner jailed for Wilbur animal cruelty case “The animal’s eyes were infected. It had heartworm and hookworm.” Magistrate Philippa McFarlane Wilbur died on 5 Nov. 2023 after being found by a neighbour in Prospect severely emaciated and sick. - Photo: Supplied Warlito Samelo Jr has been jailed to five months for a conviction of animal cruelty. - Photo: Andrel Harris cayman compass 3 news N news WEEKLY, 31 MAY - 6 JUNE 20241234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 North American puma (7) 5 Criminal deception (5) 8 Moroseness (3,6) 9 Bath (3) 10 Accurate (4) 12 Handsome (8) 14 A neckerchief (6) 15 Presumptuous (6) 17 Uncontrollably apprehensive (2,1,5) 18 Sort (4) 21 Make unable to move (3) 22 Listless (9) 24 Praise highly (5) 25 Smallest possible (7) DOWN 1 Promontory (5) 2 Zero (3) 3 Drag forcibly (4) 4 Deeply entrenched (6) 5 Permanently (3,5) 6 Legal power (9) 7 Clair de Lune’s composer (7) 11 Having to contend with (2,7) 13 Comparison to show similarity (8) 14 Maim (7) 16 Prey (6) 19 To shine (5) 20 Mental suffering (4) 23 Precious stone (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17645 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 17645 ACROSS: 1 Panther, 5 Fraud, 8 Ill humour, 9 Tub, 10 True, 12 Generous, 14 Cravat, 15 Uppity, 17 In a panic, 18 Type, 21 Pin, 22 Lethargic, 24 Extol, 25 Minimal. DOWN: 1 Point, 2 Nil, 3 Haul, 4 Rooted, 5 For keeps, 6 Authority, 7 Debussy, 11 Up against, 13 Parallel, 14 Cripple, 16 Victim, 19 Excel, 20 Pain, 23 Gem. What they’re saying Online Letters to the editor I was never comfortable with the term ‘expat’. For many years, I associated this terminology with ‘ex-patriot’, which was certainly not the case for me. I guess the correct term would be that I’m an expatriate with no longing for expatriation, which means renouncing allegiance to your home country with no intention of returning. Confusing, isn’t it? I prefer a much simpler definition of living and working abroad, which I have done for several decades. The question is, why? Adventure, better job opportunities, better quality of life, escaping family drama, running from the law? Personally, I was in it for the adventure, initially. The Caribbean has been my home for most of my adult life, but the decision to leave your home country is not an easy one. Living or working abroad is for a lot of people just a temporary escape. They haven’t really thought it through. They believe the adventure of a new place abroad will resolve issues that geography cannot alter, even in the beautiful Caribbean. Making a move to the Cayman Islands from somewhere else can be isolating and lonely. Making real friends with locals can be challenging because most locals know the routine – there is an emotional distance, because the vast majority of expats will leave at some point. I remember reading the term ‘driftwood’ years ago to describe work-permit holders. It was meant as a condescending remark, but I saw some truth to it. Some of us are adrift, searching for contentment on a new shore. However, I would imagine that every nation has benefited from people not born on their soil. The contributions made remain even when they are washed back out to sea. As a non-citizen, I am also acutely aware of the expat/ local issues that arise in the Caribbean, especially as it pertains to jobs and culture. I know that I am simply a guest here in the Cayman Islands. I can understand the need for good governance to ensure that Caymanians are the priority. I’m sure there are discussions amongst my Caymanian friends when I’m not present about the challenges facing Cayman. I get it. This is a complex issue for the people of the Cayman Islands to decide, but one that should include many voices. There are roughly 300 million people around the world who are living and working overseas. The decision for most is a difficult one that entails years of missing family members, isolation, loneliness and sacrifice. It can also be a wonderful journey of job fulfilment, new friends, cultural enrichment and financial rewards. The cost- benefit analysis of living abroad is not easily conducted, although it’s much easier to make ledger entries from a lounge chair on the beach. Bob Nickoles I am a concerned resident of the Cayman Islands. I am writing to shed light on mental health problems in our country, that I call ‘The Silent Plague’. As a youth advocate in the Cayman Islands, I must address an issue of utmost severity that often remains shrouded in silence. The silent plague of suicides and mental health problems in the Cayman Islands demands attention at once! As the plague spreads throughout the community, it inflicts an alarming amount of devastation among our people. It is high time we brought the matter to the forefront of public discourse. Too often, our islands’ development and serene beauty belie Caymanian residents’ deep- seated struggles. After all, mental health problems are just as real as physical health problems. If we don’t act now, the consequences could cause even more devastation among our already devastated people. This plague requires comprehensive action and an unwavering commitment. Caymanian residents shoulder a collective responsibility to protect our community from the silent plague. Jordan McDonald Rolling power outages could hit during peak heat There is something very wrong about skyrocketing rates when the CUC reports record profits. Andrew McLachlan You have got to be kidding. With what they charge, they should be able to power this island five times over and air condition hell at the same time. David Khouri Government should offer some sort of incentive for people to be able to purchase solar panels and batteries for their home. Other places have done this and it has worked well. Solar costs up front are quite high, and most people cannot afford to pay thousands to purchase and get it installed. If government can help to make the cost more cost efficient, it will help immensely. All these brand new buildings and condos being built should be investing in some sort of solar. Just my humble opinion. Renee Bernardo This should never have become an issue. But even so, I would hope negotiations could have been had to allow people with solar to capitalise more on their investments. I’m not 100% on the process, but given this heat, solar homes could take a good number of users off the grid if they were allowed to use all power generated and lower use of CUC generators. Shena Ebanks What will happen when the new developments come online? For example, what impact will the three large hotels in George Town have on the grid? Anne Briggs Where have we heard this before: “regulatory issues that have delayed upgrades”? How can the incompetence of government put at risk the lives of thousands of people, not to mention the inconvenience that rolling power cuts bring. They have all had enough time to plan effectively for this – all the stats are well known, and yet they create an unnecessary crisis. We won’t hear of any demotions or sackings as a result. Government will wander along, complacently trotting out one excuse after another, when the problem was anticipated eight years ago. David A. Top striker wants financial guarantees to play for Cayman After reading the article, fair play to him as his reasons are warranted. Cayman needs to invest in its own talented sportsmen and sportswomen instead of throwing money down the drain on pointless projects. Chris Hirst Absolute embarrassment... We as a country should be embarrassed how we treat our national players and then have the audacity to say the man is asking for “the moon and part of the sun” to get fair value. Ron Reid No pay, no play, I agree with you. The risk is too high to get hurt, and then you’ll be on your own. Playing for your country is a honour, but playing without surety is a dishonour. Abdullah Solomon CIFA is asking for the moon and part of the sun from its players. While the coaches get paid, the players are being asked to play for free... make it make sense! chadome We need to address mental health issues Pros and cons of living as an expat in Cayman cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 31 MAY - 6 JUNE 2024WEEKLY, 31 MAY - 6 JUNE 2024NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky The Central Planning Authority has approved a $12.6 million complex comprising 95 apartments by 20 North Development on Willie Farrington Drive in West Bay, despite concerns by government departments and neighbours about flooding. The planning board had previously refused to grant permission to the application because its members felt the developer had failed to demonstrate that the site was suitable for an apartment complex of this size. In their comments on the latest application, which differs little in size and layout from the original, both the Department of Environment and the National Roads Authority raised concerns over the possibility of flooding at the low-lying site, which is, on average, one foot above sea level. The NRA stated that the area is prone to flooding and “if this application is approved as is, it will cause major flooding issues for homes, etc., around it, therefore, the applicant needs to think more holistically”. It added, “simply stated, the [storm water management plan] will guide how the site is designed”, and requested that the Central Planning Authority have 20 North Development draw up a “strategic” storm water management plan, not just for the site, but for the area as a whole, considering the recent development of a parcel of land nearby. The Central Planning Authority, at the 8 May meeting at which the application was considered, disagreed with the NRA that the applicant should be responsible for carrying out such a plan for the site and the area, saying, “if the NRA feels such a study is required, then that the NRA should undertake the study themselves”. However, the board did order the applicant to submit a storm water management plan for the project to the roads authority for approval, prior to beginning construction. ‘Inadequate’ swale The NRA also said it considered the addition of a 6-foot swale around the site as “inadequate”, stating that it needed to be a minimum of 10 feet. A swale is a shallow drainage channel with gentle side slopes where water running off a site can collect and soak away. Swales can be used to channel run-off from roads, yards and car parks. During the meeting, Sam Small, speaking on behalf of the developer, advised that most of the site will have French drains – a buried pipe system used to divert groundwater – which don’t have to be six feet wide. Small also noted that the site will have 40% open space and there will be swales in the lower areas. The DoE had also noted that the site is very low lying, and stated that “drainage is likely to be a significant concern”. The low-density-residential-zoned site would include a parking lot with 177 spaces. Objections Four neighbours objected to the application. Some of the objectors noted that the application was, in most respects, identical to the previously rejected application, which had not been appealed by the developer. According to the recently released minutes of the meeting, one of the objectors stated that she did not feel that this was “a new application nor has the applicant responded to CPA’s concerns regarding suitability and density”. Jess Peasy, representing the developer, told the CPA that there had been some changes to the scheme, including the addition of French drains and swales; an increase to the distance between buildings and the property line; a decrease in the number of parking spaces; and the amount of floor space. She noted that the average density in the area was 15.44 units per acre, and the proposed development aligned with this. RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Sue Winspear, Cayman’s first female auditor general, will be leaving office later this year after eight years of service to the people and government of the Cayman Islands. Governor Jane Owen announced Winspear’s departure from office in a statement on 24 May. Winspear, who has been battling cancer for over a year now, joined the Office of the Auditor General in 2016, taking over from the then acting Auditor General Garnet Harrison. Winspear spoke briefly with the Cayman Compass on her decision to resign, simply saying, “It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to serve as auditor general.” Owen, in her statement, said Winspear has indicated her intention to return to England and “to transition leadership at a time that is most beneficial to her team”. Winspear’s exact departure date will be confirmed in the autumn, the governor said. The recruitment process to fill the role of auditor general will begin soon, Owen added. Strong legacy The governor expressed her gratitude and admiration for Winspear’s contribution to Cayman, saying, “she has been a fierce advocate on behalf of our people, demanding good value for money in the ways public bodies procure goods and services, and insisting on strong accountability in their policy mandates”. Winspear has been quite outspoken over the years to ensure the community gets value for the money spent by government. She has also been circumspect in her reports and her function when she appears before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee. PAC chairman and Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart, in a brief comment via text on Winspear’s resignation, said he was “saddened” to learn of her decision to return to the UK as she continues to battle cancer. “I pray that her treatment will be successful. On behalf of the Opposition and Public Accounts Committee, I thank Mrs. Winspear for her 8 years of service to the Government and people of the Cayman Islands. During her tenure the quality and timeliness of financial reporting by government entities has improved significantly,” he said. He said in his capacity as chair of the Public Accounts Committee, he has enjoyed working with Winspear over the past three years and “I wish her well as she prepares to leave us and return to the UK”. ‘Earned respect and confidence’ Owen pointed out that during Winspear’s tenure, the Office of the Auditor General has gone from strength to strength. “Sue has earned the respect and confidence of all her stakeholders, including the Public Accounts Committee, our diverse range of ministries and public bodies, our local accounting profession, and fellow audit bodies regionally and internationally,” Owen said. She added that during Winspear’s tenure, financial management and reporting by the Cayman Islands’ public sector has continuously improved, “thanks to strong effort and collaboration by the Auditor General’s office and senior civil and public servants including our Chief Financial Officers”. The most recent 2023 financial audit cycle, she said, saw 39 out of 46 public sector entity audits completed by the 30 April statutory deadline, all with clean audit opinions. “This marks our best ever performance in the Cayman Islands and amongst the best in the world. In addition, there have been many improvements to public services arising from legislative changes made in response to audit recommendations,” Owen added. These, she said, include the introduction of the Procurement Act and Regulations, “which have improved value from public spending by markedly reducing poor procurement practices such as contract awards being made without competition”. The Standards in Public Life Act was also introduced in 2017 after repeated audit recommendations from Winspear. Additionally, Owen said, the introduction of the Public Authorities Act has improved many aspects of governance in statutory authorities and government companies, as recommended by the Office of the Auditor General. Winspear’s recommendations through audits and special investigations have also led to the government issuing new guidance to further strengthen the way that it operates, Owen said. One example, she said, was the issuing of new guidance for public servants in December 2022 to prevent the signing of new contracts or the development of new policies after an election has been called. “This is a major step in improving accountability and transparency and will be important in the run up to our next election in 2025,” Owen added. Auditor General Winspear to leave office this year 95-apartment complex approved for flood-prone site Sue Winspear An artist’s rendering of the proposed new apartment complex off Willie Farrington Drive. - Image: CPA planning document cayman compass 5 news N news WEEKLY, 31 MAY - 6 JUNE 2024RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Amid high temperatures, Cayman’s power provider is preparing for the possibility of rolling blackouts – known as load shedding – to accommodate demand. The Caribbean Utilities Company (CUC) announced on 27 May that customers could experience outages for up to an hour during peak usage times, typically from 4:30-8:30pm in Grand Cayman. During the worst summer heat, outages could begin as early as 3pm. CUC attributed the possible outages to high temperatures, rapid economic growth and delays in updating grid capacity. The company’s ‘reserve margin’ is lower than normal, the power operator said, meaning the total electric generation capacity could fall short of peak customer demand. That increases the risk of needing to ‘shed’ customer load through rolling outages in the case of unplanned loss of power generation, the company said. CUC attributed much of the current concern to regulatory issues that have delayed upgrades necessary to keep pace with development. “In recent years, Grand Cayman has experienced significant growth, resulting in an increased demand for electricity,” CUC said in a press release. “Peak electricity demand on Grand Cayman grew by 9% from 113.5 megawatts in 2022 to 124.1 MW in 2023 and is expected to grow further in 2024.” The last significant upgrade to power generation capacity came in 2016, followed by a smaller addition in 2022, CUC said. Further installations require approval by OfReg, the Utility Regulation and Competition Office. A 2019 proposal, involving a 13-megawatt solar plus storage project, was not approved by OfReg, pending a competitive bidding process. “In 2021, CUC formally requested that OfReg initiate the procurement of 23MW of Solar and Storage capacity to meet increasing consumer demand. This procurement process by OfReg is currently in the final planning stages,” CUC said. “As a temporary measure, the Company leased 10MW of mobile generation in 2023 and an additional 10MW to be installed later in 2024, for which regulatory approval is pending.” Customer-owned solar programmes have also added 16.8 MW to the grid since 2021. Without battery storage, however, CUC said solar power capacity is left unavailable during peak evening hours. A 20-MW battery energy storage system called BESS should be commissioned by CUC in June to begin assisting with evening demand. The BESS system, CUC said, should return reserve margins to normal levels between June and July. In the meantime, if customer demand exceeds capacity, CUC will begin load shedding through a rotating system. Schedules are expected to be published in advance on CUC social media pages and announced on the radio. The power company said if load shedding becomes necessary, it would published schedules “as far in advance as possible” via its social media pages, press releases and radio announcements. NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Southwest Airlines is launching a new seasonal daily non-stop route between Grand Cayman and Orlando, Florida, replacing its Fort Lauderdale service. The new route is a result of Southwest Airlines relocating its hub from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando. The inaugural flight between Cayman and Orlando will be on Tuesday, 4 June, with the Fort Lauderdale-Cayman route being retired on 3 June. The route will be daily until mid-August, weekly on Saturdays from then until the end of October, and daily again from November. The opportunity for the Cayman Islands “is to ensure Southwest travellers have an efficient connection point from the West Coast and Mid-west region of the United States… which improves the destination’s Transatlantic connectivity with several daily direct routes between Orlando, the UK and the European mainland,” Cayman’s Department of Tourism said in a statement. Cayman’s Director of Tourism Rosa Harris congratulated the airline, in the statement, on its move to Orlando, adding that the Department of Tourism was “happy that the Cayman Islands’ seat capacity from Florida is stabilised”. Seat capacity to and from Florida, and other American states, was severely impacted in the aftermath of COVID-19, with airlines taking some time to relaunch routes they had run to Cayman prior to the pandemic. Harris noted that the introduction of direct, daily flights from Orlando “gives Northern Floridians the opportunity to explore more of what the Cayman Islands has to offer and allows Cayman residents to explore Orlando’s many parks and attractions”. Southwest’s chief operating officer Andrew Watterson in October last year announced the airline’s plan to move its hub to Orlando. He explained at the time that the airline connects significant numbers of travellers from further north in the US to Caribbean destinations via its Florida flights, and that Southwest run more flights to northern markets from Orlando than from Fort Lauderdale. He stated that changing airport hubs would “offer better connectivity in our domestic network via the nearly 140 daily departures” from Orlando International Airport. The new Orlando-Cayman flight will take just under two hours. Rolling power outages could hit during peak heat 9% The growth of peak electricity demand on Grand Cayman between 2022 and 2023 Southwest launches direct Orlando-Cayman route The new route is a result of Southwest Airlines relocating its hub from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando. Southwest will launch its new Orlando-Grand Cayman route on 4 June. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay CUC attributed the possible outages to high temperatures, rapid economic growth and delays in updating grid capacity. cayman compass 6 news N news WEEKLY, 31 MAY - 6 JUNE 2024NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky The definition of firearms is being amended in local legislation to include homemade weapons created on 3D printers and from assembly kits. Substantial amendments are being made to the 2008 Firearms Act “to address some of the current challenges faced in enforcing the law relating to firearms”, according to a memorandum accompanying the proposed changes. The memorandum noted, “The inclusion of privately made firearms which are created by the use of 3D, or three-dimensional, printing technology is in recognition of the global challenge being faced by law enforcement where access to software facilitates the printing of firearms using easily accessed 3D printers.” In a recent series the Compass ran on gun-trafficking in the region, experts noted that untraceable ‘kit guns’ and 3D-printed weapons were a growing issue for law enforcement, though few cases have been reported in the region. The proposed amendments ban the assembly, manufacture or supply of any firearm, ammunition or firearm parts kits, as well as the downloading of software with which a firearm may be printed. Anyone found guilty of doing so could face a fine of $250,000 and/ or 35 years in prison, according to the proposed amendments. The revised legislation also notes that no licence or permit will be granted for any privately made firearm which is assembled from a firearm parts kit or from component parts, or for any firearm not bearing a serial number or bearing a mark which has been altered. Another new section of the law empowers the police commissioner to collect and store physical and digital ballistic signatures and information relating to firearms in Cayman. Cayman has seen an increase in gun violence in recent times. In the most serious case, a gunman opened fire on a group of people at the Ed Bush Stadium in West Bay in February this year, leaving seven people injured. A few days after that shooting, Police Commissioner Kurt Walton told a public meeting in West Bay that police were aware of the existence of 90 different guns on island, based on ballistics data. Changes to wording on importation Amendments are also being made to the legislation regarding the importation of weapons to Cayman. Earlier this year, a court found the wording of the existing law could be interpreted as meaning the firearms could be imported without a licence being in place. High Court Judge Marlene Carter ruled in February that the current legislation, which appears to deal with transient travellers, could be interpreted to mean firearms can be brought into Cayman by individuals so long as they declare them and surrender them to Customs and Border Control officers at the airport, giving those individuals an opportunity to apply for a firearms licence. This led to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions dropping its case against Canadian- Russian national Anton Parygin in March this year. He had been charged with illegally importing multiple firearms into Cayman. However, under the amended legislation, prior to arriving on island, a traveller must notify and receive approval in writing from the commissioner of police to bring the weapon to Cayman. Any traveller arriving in Cayman with an unlicensed firearm must make a declaration on the relevant form, and deliver the weapon (or ammunition or bullet-proof vest) to a Customs and Border Control officer in a sealed packet. In the event that the traveller has a licence for the firearm, the weapon or ammunition will be returned to him or her by Customs and Border Control. If a traveller fails to provide a permit or the commissioner’s written approval authorising the importation of the firearm, it may be forfeited to the Crown, the revised legislation notes. The reworded legislation does not give a specific timeframe for which Customs and Border Control officers can hold onto a firearm once it has been handed over to them – an issue that was covered in the Parygin case. The maximum penalty for illegally importing a weapon into Cayman remains the same under the proposed amendments – a $100,000 fine and/or imprisonment for 20 years. Other amendments The proposed amendments also empower Cabinet to permit the importation of prohibited items “when it sees fit”. The Firearms Bill also seeks to introduce a new offence relating to the alteration of a firearm or conversion of anything into a firearm. It “prohibits anything that alters the ballistic signature of a firearm and prohibits tampering with any mark on a firearm”, and anyone convicted of doing so would be liable on conviction to a fine of $100,000 and/or imprisonment for 10 years. It also would outlaw the stockpiling of guns and ammunition. Anyone possessing two or more prohibited weapons or 20 or more pieces of ammunition could face a fine of $250,000 and/or a jail sentence of up to 20 years. Amended legislation to outlaw 3D-printed guns Police cordoned off the Ed Bush Stadium following the shooting on Sunday night, 25 Feb., that left seven people injured. - Photo: Andrel Harris Amendments to Cayman’s Firearms Act seek to address issues such as guns created on 3D printers. - Photo: File cayman compass news N news WEEKLY, 31 MAY - 6 JUNE 2024 7 Ask your employer about a pension with Island Heritage. Manage your plan 24/7 via our online pension portal. Enjoy competitive fees with daily trading and valuations. Choose your investment plan — target date, risk- based, or self-directed. Visit us online or call +1-345-949-7280Quitting smoking seemed like an impossible task until I discovered the 'I Can Quit' programme. From day one, I felt supported and empowered to take control of my health and break free from the chains of addiction. The programme provided me with the tools, strategies, and motivation I needed to overcome cravings and stay on track. 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