James Whittaker

6 days ago | caymancompass.com | James Whittaker

Caymanians could miss out on huge savings on monthly bills and the islands will struggle to meet clean energy targets if a plan to commission new fossil-fuel-powered generators goes ahead. That is the warning from the Caribbean Utilities Company as it grapples with a contentious decision from energy regulators to approve 90.1 megawatts of new ‘thermal generation’ – a term for fossil fuel powered engines – to help meet Grand Cayman’s electricity needs.

1 week ago | caymancompass.com | James Whittaker

Sweeping changes to Cayman’s immigration law and regulations are in the pipeline, government leaders confirmed Thursday. On the heels of last week’s announcement of new term limit requirements for foreign civil servants, the coalition government revealed plans for further reforms. These include changes to the permanent residency points system, used to determine if longtime residents can stay in Cayman indefinitely.

1 week ago | caymancompass.com | James Whittaker

Cayman is experiencing extremely low tides, making for striking scenes on the coastline. At Barkers National Park, the ocean has rolled back to reveal an extended intertidal zone, with beachcombers wandering amid a tapestry of exposed turtle grass. Playful dogs now run along extended patches of beach, where only weeks ago, Easter campers swam in the shallows. There are similar scenes on coastlines around the island.

2 weeks ago | caymancompass.com | James Whittaker

Cayman’s new education minister, Rolston Anglin, will seek to put a heavy focus on early years learning as he attempts to transform academic performance in the country’s schools. Anglin, who has come back into the ministry after 12 years out of politics, said he was concerned at the lack of progress since he last held the post. Two-thirds of primary school students and around half of Cayman’s high school graduates are currently not meeting expected standards in maths and English.

2 weeks ago | caymancompass.com | James Whittaker

Rolston Anglin would be forgiven for having a sense of deja vu. More than a decade after he last held the post, Cayman’s new education minister, once again, finds himself inheriting responsibility for the ballooning budget of a controversial high-school construction project. When he last took on the role in 2009, it was the John Gray and Clifton Hunter high-school projects, which ended up costing the country close to $300 million.