ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Thursday March 12, 2015 HomeOptions Shop around and pay less for more insurance! $250 gift certificate can be used to purchase BritCay motor insurance Home Insurance with BritCay offers convenient, interest-free monthly payments, flexible cover, fast claims, competitive premiums and deductibles. Ask for a quote. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky $250* CERTIFICATE WITH BUILDINGS INSURANCE *applies to new buildings policies Case thrown out after four trial dates carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A magistrate told Crown lawyers to “get their house in order” this week as she dis- missed charges against a man whose trial date had been set four times for the same charges. A trial date of March 10 was set for Andre Antonio Chase on five charges dating from January 2013. But Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez dismissed all charges after hearing that there were no witnesses present and that this was the fourth trial date. She pointed out that the date had been set since Dec. 18. Crown Counsel Candia James said all witnesses had been summoned for March 18 instead of March 10. She explained that Chase had two matters set for trial, one for March 10 and one for March 18. It appeared that the Crown counsel in court at the time had written the wrong date on the file. Administrative staff then filled out the sum- monses accordingly. Defense attorney John Furniss said Chase, who was brought from custody, had com- pleted his sentence for another matter in August 2014. “He has been awaiting these matters to be dealt with,” Mr. Furniss said. The magistrate looked over the file jacket and said, “I’m afraid I’m dismissing these charges. The Crown really need to get their house in order on these things. Charges dismissed.” She then granted Chase bail with a surety and curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and directed him to return for his next trial on March 18. The charges that were dismissed were assault causing actual bodily harm, es- caping lawful custody, disorderly conduct and two for resisting arrest. A check of the file showed that Chase was first brought to court on this matter in July 2013. Trial was set for November 2013. It did not go ahead and another date was set for March 2014 and then again for November 2014. According to the file note, the Crown did not summons the witnesses for that last date. The matter for trial on March 18 relates to an incident at the prison in May 2014, a single count of causing fear of violence to another prisoner. CUC halfway through installing smart meters Tad sToner tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Caribbean Utilities Company is in the process of installing 27,560 new “smart meters” throughout Grand Cayman to allow consumers to monitor and better manage their power consumption. According to CUC, the meters may also help consumers anticipate cheaper off-peak “time of use” pricing. The $5 million program, which started in 2011, is nearly halfway finished. The company intends to have all its residential and businesses customers connected to the meters by the end of the year. “The meter itself will not save the cus- tomer money,” said a CUC spokeswoman, but it “will allow the customer to get more detailed information on the quantity and timing of their electricity usage, allowing them to better manage their consumption.” The device samples usage information every 15 minutes, including such anoma- lies as power outages. “The data is commu- nicated wirelessly back to data collectors, which then re-transmits this information back to the systems at CUC headquarters,” the spokesperson said. “Customers can use this information to analyze their usage pat- terns and as a result, identify opportuni- ties to save energy. These meters allow CUC to read more efficiently for billing and can also remotely provision and disconnect ser- vice without having to deploy field crews.” The system also enables advance billing based on recorded data rather than on esti- mates of projected use. MASTERS NAMED TOP TCI PROSECUTOR BrenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former Cayman Islands Senior Crown Counsel John Masters has been named to the top prosecutor’s job in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Mr. Masters worked in Cayman between 2008 and 2011, starting as a Crown prosecutor and later promoted to senior Crown counsel with focus on international and financial crimes. A barrister with nearly 30 years’ experi- ence in England and Australia, Mr. Masters was named to the TCI Director of Public Prosecutions post on Tuesday. He is expected UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS TO IMMIgRATION COMINg BrenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government wants to provide local businesses, Caymanian job- seekers and non-Caymanian work permit holders a heretofore unseen level of access to employment and immigration-related data. A request for proposals to create and im- plement a computerized immigration and labor database, available online 24/7, is ex- pected to be released by government Monday. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » CUC has installed approximately 12,500 smart meters throughout Grand Cayman. – PhOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAy PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » High of 86 Low of 75 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. CArEErS guIDE 2015 Striving for Success Editorial | pagE 4 ucci educaTion: iT’s a MaTTer oF degree2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Thursday March 12, 2015 • Cayman Compass www. REGmovies.com SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. © 21st Century Fox UNFINISHED BUSINESS (R) 1:20 | 3:35 | 7:15 | 9:30 CHAPPIE (R) 12:50 | 3:40 | 7:00 | 9:45 KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE (R) 3:45 | 9:50 SEVENTH SON 3D (PG13) 1:10 | 7:10 LAZARUS EFFECT (PG13) 1:00 | 3:10 | 5:20 | 7:30 | 10:10 FOCUS (R) 1:30 | 4:10 | 7:20 | 10:00 SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS 3D (PG) 12:45 2D | 3:00 | 5:15 2D | 7:30 | 9:50 2D *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - THURSDAY - Woman dies in single-car accident Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A woman died following a one-vehicle collision in Spotts Wednesday afternoon. Royal Cayman Islands Police officers said the woman, identified as Rowena Scott, was driving a black Kia Sorrento eastbound along Shamrock Road around 2:30 p.m. when the SUV veered off the road into a stone fence. Witnesses who drove past the accident scene Tuesday afternoon saw the woman slumped over the wheel of the car while her male pas- senger had been taken from the vehicle by emergency crews and was lying on the ground receiving treatment. Police said both victims from the crash were trans- ported to hospital. Ms. Scott was pronounced dead upon arrival. The injured man was in serious condition at press time Wednesday. No other vehicles were be- lieved to have been involved in the accident. The wreckage of the Kia SUV involved in Wednesday afternoon’s smash on Shamrock Road. - Photo: Brent Fuller Ms. Scott Chamber event offers career advice James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The 20th annual Chamber of Commerce careers, ed- ucation and training expo promises to be the largest in several years, with 37 exhibitors slated for the event on Friday. Some of the island’s big- gest employers, including Dart and The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, as well as educational institutions such as the University of Tampa will be exhibiting at the event. Job-seekers and school- leavers will be able to get advice about scholar- ships and career oppor- tunities at the event, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Sir Vassel Johnson Hall at the University College of the Cayman Islands. Wil Pineau, chief execu- tive officer of the Chamber, said the event is aimed at helping students shape their future education choices, as well as people looking for a career change. “This will be the largest gathering in sev- eral years,” he said. He said the Chamber is trying to get younger stu- dents to attend to help them make early decisions on what type of educational op- portunities to pursue. Other exhibitors in- clude SteppingStones, CUC, Health City Cayman Islands, UCCI and the International College of the Cayman Islands. Virgin sued for $300 million in dispute over cruise line Richard Branson also named in suit MIAMI (AP) — The former chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line is suing British billionaire Richard Branson and his Virgin Group conglomerate, claiming that Virgin essen- tially stole his ideas and busi- ness plans to enter the lucra- tive luxury cruise industry by building a pair of state-of- the-art ships capable of car- rying 4,200 passengers each. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Miami fed- eral court on behalf of Colin Veitch and his VSM Development company, seeks more than $300 mil- lion in damages and asks a judge to stop London-based Virgin from going forward with its recently announced cruise line. Veitch’s attorney, Jeff Gutchess of the Bilzin Sumberg firm, said in an interview that Virgin wholeheartedly embraced Veitch’s ideas in early 2011 and then abruptly did an about-face by forcing a costly renegotiation of their partnership terms. “It was his idea,” Gutchess said. “He spent a year of his life doing it, and as a result he gets nothing.” Virgin did not imme- diately respond to emails seeking comment. Virgin in December an- nounced the formation of Virgin Cruises, which in- tends to sail out of Miami. It’s one of the newest of Branson’s numerous busi- ness ventures, which include airlines, the Virgin Galactic spacecraft, a music label, book publishing, a travel agency, hotels and mobile phone services. In a statement at the time, Branson promised Virgin Cruises would be dif- ferent from the current roster of cruise companies. “We plan to shake up the cruise industry and deliver a holiday that customers will absolutely love,” he said. According to the lawsuit, the plan was initially brought to Virgin by Veitch, who after analyzing the cruise in- dustry concluded that a well- known brand such as Virgin could break into the busi- ness profitably by building a pair of so-called “ultra” ships. These vessels, such as Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas ship, fea- ture a wide array of on-board attractions and command premium prices. The May 2011 agreement between Virgin and Veitch estimated that Virgin could make between $427 million and $483 million in profits over 10 years if the venture performed as planned. Under this deal, Veitch would get nothing if the ships were not profitable but stood to make $315 million if his projec- tions were met. Veitch, who was Norwegian CEO from 2000 to 2008, obtained financing to build one ship and a com- mitment from a German shipyard to do the work. It was then, according to his lawsuit, that Virgin changed terms of their deal in such a way that Veitch would be- come essentially an employee whose share of the profits depended upon Virgin. “Colin looks at this and says, ‘What the heck?’ I am not an employee here. I am a founder of the business,” Gutchess said. The dispute is a far cry from a 2011 promotional video in which Branson spe- cifically mentioned the part- nership with Veitch as he raised a glass of sparkling wine in tribute to the plan. “We’ve got talented people at the ready,” Branson says on the video, which was transcribed in the lawsuit. “I hope that the next time I raise this glass with you, is to say bon voyage. Cheers.” CuBa dissident leader exPeCts to survive reFerendum vote HAVANA (AP) — The head of the Cuban dissident group the Ladies in White was poised to survive a referendum on her leader- ship Wednesday following an internal dispute that sparked demands for her resignation. With more than half of the ballots counted, Berta Soler said she had won support from 108 members, enough to keep her position. The ballots counted came from seven cities outside of the capital, Soler said. Votes still were pending from 103 mem- bers in Havana, Pinar del Rio and Ciego de Avila, but nearly all would have to vote against Soler to oust her. Of the ballots al- ready tallied, nine were against Soler and five were counted as blank or abstaining. “This is very impor- tant for me,” Soler said. “There are many people asking for my resignation, and this is a democratic way of ratifying my posi- tion and deciding whether I can continue as the rep- resentative of the Ladies in White.” The Ladies in White formed following a 2003 crackdown on Cuban dis- senters, with wives and mothers of 75 jailed ac- tivists staging weekly marches in Havana clad in white and carrying gladiolas to press for their loved ones’ release. While the original ac- tivists later were freed and most of the founders have left the group, the Ladies have picked up new members who con- tinue to protest to de- mand democratic reform and freedom for other in- mates they consider polit- ical prisoners. Soler came under ques- tion after a video surfaced of Ladies at a December meeting shouting down with Alejandrina Garcia, a prominent member who had criticized her lead- ership. “Down with trai- tors!” “She should leave!” and “We don’t want to hear her!” they yelled. The scene resem- bled the so-called acts of repudiation in which crowds of pro-government counter-protesters gather to hurl epithets at the Ladies in White during their marches. Overseas members urged Soler to step down. Last month, she agreed to allow members living on the island to decide the matter in a referendum.3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday March 12, 2015 13TH ANNUAL NORTH AMERICAN OFFSHOREALERT CONFERENCE MAY 3-5, 2015 • MIAMI BEACH THE RITZ-CARLTON, SOUTH BEACH Join 250 clients, providers and investigators of high-end financial products and services from Europe, UK, USA, Canada and key offshore jurisdictions to discuss wealth creation, preservation and recovery. You’ll hear from over 40 speakers, including: • HSBC Whistleblower HERVÉ FALCIANI on how he downloaded HSBC’s client list and what he did with it • Attorney MATTHEW MENCHEL on how his client - ex-UBS Wealth boss Raoul Weil - beat the IRS in a tax fraud trial • Whistleblower KLAUS LINS on evidence implicating Liechtenstein’s best-known fiduciary in the theft of client funds when they died FOR EVENT & REGISTRATION DETAILS: VISIT: offshorealert.com/conference/miami CALL: +1 (305) 372-6296 SEATS ARE GOING FAST. REGISTER BY MARCH 13 & SAVE $300! Girl arrested for teacher assault Third John Gray student arrested in two days James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 15-year-old female stu- dent was arrested at John Gray High School on Tuesday on suspicion of assaulting a male teacher in a classroom following a dispute over the use of a cellphone. The girl is the third teen- ager arrested at the school in two days. On Monday, two 15-year- old boys were arrested on suspicion of assault and dis- orderly conduct following a schoolyard brawl, which edu- cation officials have linked to a gang feud. The girl arrested on Tuesday was also charged with assault causing actual bodily harm, disorderly con- duct and damage to property. She appeared before a spe- cial sitting of the Youth Court on Wednesday afternoon and was bailed to return to the court at a later date. Lyneth Monteith, acting chief officer in the Department of Education Services, de- scribed the incidents as “unfortunate.” She said the alleged as- sault on a teacher was “of great concern for the well- being of staff and students.” The teacher’s shirt was torn in the incident, but he did not require hospital treatment for his injuries, ac- cording to police. Ms. Monteith, who was principal at John Gray until last month, said Monday’s in- cident, involving a fight be- tween two groups of boys, was “related to a situation between students associated with rival gangs.” She added that school au- thorities were working with police and parents to resolve what was described as a “long-standing situation.” “This demonstrates the challenge schools face when situations in the community spill over to schools,” she said in a statement. She said police and edu- cation officials had agreed to a plan of action identifying “short- and long-term” solu- tions, including mediation between the two rival groups. Behavior in schools, par- ticularly at John Gray, has been an area of concern for several years. In April last year, a Year 11 student was arrested after allegedly punching and kicking a teacher in a classroom attack. The boy was suspended and charged with assault causing actual bodily harm. The case is still working its way through the court system. A network of CCTV cam- eras was installed at the school in the summer. A consultant’s report released last year highlighted serious concerns about the man- agement of bad behavior in Cayman’s schools, particu- larly John Gray. The report suggested some staff were fearful of physical and verbal violence amid a “sense of crisis” at the school, fueled by a minority of stu- dents influenced by “criminal intent and drug abuse.” According to the results of a Freedom of Information re- quest by the Cayman Compass, 64 suspensions of five days or longer were handed out for a variety of offenses ranging from verbal abuse and threats to physical assaults on teaching staff at the school be- tween 2010 and 2014. Violent behavior by pupils was also highlighted as a key concern of teachers leaving the school system, in tran- scripts of exit interviews con- ducted with the Department of Education Services. Romanian trio admits credit card conspiracy James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three Romanian nationals admitted using cloned credit cards to withdraw money from cash machines in a con- spiracy to defraud Cayman Islands banks. Two of the men, Roland Pop and Ianaca Vismos, also ad- mitted money laundering in re- lation to more than US$100,000 in cash found in their pos- session. They denied related charges of theft. The guilty pleas were accepted by the Crown last week, and the two men are scheduled to appear for sentencing on March 31. A third man, Florin Roata, admitted the con- spiracy charge but denied money laundering. His girl- friend, Mariana Oprinoiu, denied charges of con- spiracy, theft and money laundering. Her case was adjourned till March 20 for a trial date to be set. Roata’s case was adjourned pending discussions be- tween counsel over his plea. Speaking through an in- terpreter during a lengthy ar- raignment in Grand Court on Friday, the four Romanians entered a mixed set of pleas to the various charges. Pop and Vismos admitted using cloned cards to with- draw cash from banks in Cayman in December last year. The pair denied stealing more than $100,000 in cash during the same period but admitted a charge of money laundering in relation to US$101,698 found in their possession. Pop admitted to another charge of money laundering in relation to a money transfer of US$19,736. Roata also admitted using cloned cards to withdraw cash. Oprinoiu and Roata de- nied three charges of theft in different currencies totaling around $30,000 in relation to the credit card scam. They also denied money laundering charges con- nected to allegations of pos- session of US$19,511. Speaking through an interpreter during a lengthy arraignment in Grand Court on Friday, the four Romanians entered a mixed set of pleas to the various charges.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. UCCI education: It’s a matter of degree “I come from the private sector, and if somebody came to me with an associate degree, I’m really not going to pay much attention. I’m looking for at least a bachelor’s. I’m really looking for a master’s. An associate degree in this day and age is pretty much meaningless.” — Sheree Ebanks, former UCCI board chairwoman Can you handle the truth? Some people in the Cayman Islands apparently cannot, as evidenced by the visceral and vicious responses to a frank assessment of the associate degree program at the University College of the Cayman Islands by board chairwoman Sheree Ebanks, who resigned from her position last week. The public backlash was not the reason for the departure of Ms. Ebanks, who resigned because she believed her UCCI board position conflicted with her role as CEO of the Cayman Islands Society of Profes- sional Accountants. Nonetheless, the cascades of sour notes (mixed in with some sour grapes) marring her exit were unwar- ranted, misguided and uncalled for. Ms. Ebanks’s matter-of-fact comment was derived from her own professional experience in Cayman, and accords with UCCI’s “Towards a Viable UCCI” report, which states, “There is no good evidence that there exists any labor market demand within Cayman for employees who are trained only with an associate degree in business ... [They] offer nothing that our students might later use as a career advantage.” The report recommends eliminating the two-year associate business degrees altogether. Even so, we would not denigrate the initiative that young Caymanians exhibit in enrolling in UCCI’s asso- ciate degree program, or, for that matter, any post-sec- ondary educational pursuits. That already places them ahead of many of their classmates graduating from local high schools. Putting that aside, we’re not sure why Ms. Ebanks’s statement caused the uproar that it did. From our perspective in the private sector, UCCI’s associate business degrees comprise only a sample of the “undervalued” degrees offered by UCCI. Now, this comment is not intended to reflect nega- tively on UCCI’s students or teachers, but is an allusion to UCCI’s lack of accreditation as a higher education institution. As far as businesses (especially off-island) are concerned, it wouldn’t make a difference if faculty members included Albert Einstein, Adam Smith and Socrates, in the absence of external validation of UCCI’s worth. On this most fundamental front, we (and the UCCI administration, we’re sure) eagerly await the results of UCCI’s application before the U.K.-based Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges and Univer- sities, which sent an inspector to the Grand Cayman campus earlier this month. At the time, the inspector said his organization’s decision would be made known by around April 1. While we have defended Ms. Ebanks’s statement on associate degrees, we disagree with the entire direc- tion of UCCI’s “viability report” — that is, toward a reduction in operations and budget. On the contrary, we would argue that the way forward for UCCI should be one of enhancement, expansion and growth. The opening up of the board chairmanship and the possible accreditation of UCCI could, amid a renewed public focus on education in Cayman, provide the opportunity that UCCI needs to re-imagine and re-establish itself as Cayman’s premier provider of higher learning. Though UCCI is just now on the cusp of meaningful accreditation, the Cayman government’s experiment in tertiary education has been going on for 40 years. The time is ripe for a metamorphosis of mission at UCCI, which will only be possible with the assurance of full funding and strengthened support from our elected officials and community leaders. If our public sector cannot transform UCCI into the flagship educational institution that Cayman needs and deserves, the only other rational alternative, we submit, is for government to get out of the business of college altogether and to pursue the relevant policy goals by devoting those resources elsewhere. Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Thursday MarCh 12, 2015 • Cayman COmpass The Export-Import Bank’s grip on the US GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON – Conservatives’ next disappointment will at least be a validation. The coming reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank will confirm their warnings about the difficulty of prying the government’s tentacles off what should be society’s private sphere. The bank, which exists to allocate credit by criteria other than the market’s preference for efficiency, mirrors the market-dis- torting policies of foreign governments. These poli- cies favor those countries’ exports that compete with America’s. Much of what the bank does is supposedly to “level the playing field.” When Fred P. Hochberg, the bank’s chairman and president, defends it, an old joke comes to mind: A pastor officiating at a man’s funeral asks if anyone in the congregation would like to say something about the deceased. After a long, awkward silence, a voice shouts: “His brother was even worse.” South Korea, Hochberg says, provides “four to five times more ex- port support than we do.” Thus does sound policy get defined down: Others are even worse, supposedly forcing us to emulate them. The bank has been re- authorized 16 times since it was created in 1934 as a fil- igree on the New Deal pro- gram of politicizing the al- location of resources. The bank and its current au- thorization would expire in June, if Congress would just do, as it should learn to do, nothing. But the bank will be reauthorized because it has bought longevity. Congress is controlled by Republicans rhetori- cally committed to clari- fying the increasingly blurry boundary between the public and private sectors. But many Republicans have in their districts or states some businesses that benefit from the bank’s loans, loan guarantees and insurance. Stephen Fincher, R-Tenn., opposed the bank until he became a supporter when it helped Tennessee firms such as the one that exports chemicals that make golf courses lush. The bank makes nearly 90 percent of its transactions with such small U.S. firms in order to spread its largesse across the country, like butter on bread. So, many Democrats, too, have depen- dent constituents. Besides, progressives consider gov- ernment permeation of the economy inherently good: Progressivism postulates what realism about govern- ment refutes – the congru- ence of the government’s interests and the pub- lic’s needs. Sen. Elizabeth Warren – rhetorical scourge of Wall Street, big banks, the 1 percent, etc. – supports Ex-Im, even though it helps to fatten seven- and eight- figure compensation pack- ages for the leaders of some large America firms, which get the lion’s share of the bank’s resources. Ex-Im is called “Boeing’s Bank” because America’s largest airplane manufac- turer last year was the ben- eficiary of nearly 70 percent of the bank’s long-term loan guarantees, which lowers the cost of credit for foreign pur- chasers of Boeing aircraft. This, however, makes for- eign airlines more competi- tive with U.S. international carriers. Such as Delta, which vigorously objects. Hochberg, however, says that Delta ben- efits from Ex-Im financing: The bank helps finance for- eign airline engine overhaul services that Delta performs near Atlanta. He notes that whereas Americans average more than two flights per year, air travel has barely begun for India’s 1.2 billion people, and his bank can help Boeing com- pete for sales against Airbus there. But if, as he says, the bank makes low-risk loans, surely private banks would make them. Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling, chairman of the Financial Services Committee, would like to ter- minate the bank but recog- nizes the law that governs government, the law of “con- centrated benefits and dif- fuse costs.” America has 315 million sugar consumers and sugar import quotas: These mean unnoticed higher prices for everyone and a windfall for a few thousand grateful sugar producers. Similarly, Ex-Im’s financial costs, seen (the cost of government bor- rowing) and unseen (oppor- tunity costs – the benefits to the economy if the borrowed money instead were allocated by market criteria of produc- tivity), are diffused. The ben- efits to the bank’s client com- panies are concentrated. Hensarling, who of neces- sity practices the politics of long-term incremental gains, suggests lowering the mon- etary cap on the bank’s ac- tivities. And if, say, only one- third of Ex-Im’s resources are used to directly counter other nations’ export subsidies, the bank’s other two-thirds should be eliminated. The bank’s costs are, however, more than fi- nancial. It takes a toll on the quality and equity of American life and politics by helping to make legiti- mate and routine the prac- tice, which extends far beyond the bank, of allo- cating wealth to the politi- cally well-connected. The in- ability of Republicans to end the bank by inaction illus- trates the inertia of big gov- ernment when buttressed by the clients it creates. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2015, Washington Post Writers Group From CaymanComPass.Com “New airport design more than doubles size,” March 11 A larger airport is wel- come, but if this is the de- sign, I surely will miss standing outside under the covered A-frame and the joy of greeting my ar- riving family. (Or waving goodbye.) There’s a charm you feel standing up there that reflects Cayman. I’ll be sad to see it go. andy Buck Congratulations to RS&H for their fine rede- sign of the Owen Roberts International Airport! It evokes memories of the great Eero Saarinen TWA terminal at New York’s Idlewild Airport (now JFK International Airport) con- structed from 1956-62. nan socolow It looks very nice and this will definitely be a welcomed update. I must say I’m a little disappointed it could not in- clude jetways. Traveling to and from Cayman for the elderly or those who are disabled is very difficult and stressful. It is too bad we can’t somehow incorporate jetways into the design like most other modern airport designs. Bob Corruthers Yes, all fair enough, but the fact they can’t sort out the parking machines in three years leads me to doubt their ability to de- liver this project on budget or time. Who picks up the tab for the inevitable cost overruns? John Harris I thought the new air- port was supposed to bring us into the 21st century, not keep us in the past. Still no jetways, etc. Who do they think likes to remain on a plane while it rains, or attempt to come off and run through the rain to the immigration? If this is the future, it sure looks sad. What a joke! arthur scott Just like the new cruise ship dock, it’s never going to happen. Chris O’Brien No jetways is an issue. Perhaps they can buy a couple of those airport buses that can rise up to the high of the airplane doors. I have seen them used at the Washington, D.C., airport. But it’s better to have jetways. norman Linton5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday March 12, 2015 G T Y CG T Y C THE 2015 THURS. 12TH MARCH 7:00PM AT THE GEORGE TOWN YACHT CLUB FISHING DAYS: SAT 14TH & SUN 15TH MARCH SAT 21ST & SUN 22ND MARCH AWARDS CEREMONY: TUES 24TH MARCH FROM 7:00 PM THE GEORGE TOWN YACHT CLUB More Information available at www.fishcayman or www.barcadere.com Frank Thompson 916-6940 Frank@fishcayman.com PICK ANY THREE OF THESE FOUR DAYS TO FISH. www.fishcayman.com or Crash victim laid to rest Personalized coffin celebrates passion for diving James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman crash victim Kate Clayton was laid to rest last week as family and friends on both sides of the Atlantic gath- ered to remember her life. A convoy of motorcy- cles led a funeral procession in Southampton, England, while friends gathered at Tukka restaurant in East End on Grand Cayman, to raise a toast to the 30-year- old dive industry worker. Ms. Clayton, who worked for Tortuga Divers in Cayman, was buried in a personal- ized coffin that celebrated her twin passions of scuba diving and motorcycles. Her mother Jo Clayton said more than 200 people attended the March 6 service. “The ceremony was very touching and personalized to Kate, emphasizing how much of an inspiration she was and how she touched the hearts of all she met in so many ways,” she said. “Many people have said she was such a pleasure to be around and a great inspira- tion. Kate crammed a lot into her young years and wasn’t afraid to try new things, living life as she saw fit.” Billy Coats, a close friend of Ms. Clayton’s in Cayman, said a separate celebration of her life was held at Tukka Restaurant on Feb. 28. “She met a lot of people and made a lot of friends in just over a year,” Mr. Coats said. “You only had to meet that girl once and you would remember her. It’s a massive loss.” Ron Hargrave, owner of Tukka, said he had hosted the celebration to allow friends in Cayman to share pictures and memories of Ms. Clayton, who he said was a personal friend. “It has left a very big hole of emotion throughout Cayman and especially East End,” he said. “Everyone who knew Kate just loved her. “With every tragedy, there is reflection, understanding and ultimately farewell. It was awesome for all that knew her to spend a night to reflect and remember through photos and pictures just how she was in real life.” Ms. Clayton suf- fered serious head injuries after her Jeep Wrangler ca- reered off the road and col- lided with a tree on Jan. 11. She was flown to England on Feb. 8 after her family char- tered an air ambulance, but died in hospital 10 days later. Lighthouse students learn local arts and crafts Students at Lighthouse School are getting hands-on experience in making locally crafted products through the Cayman Traditional Arts Heritage Arts program. The special needs students are learning the art of making candies, miniature cat- boats, weaving and plaiting. Each week, Chris Christian of Cayman Traditional Arts brings craft experts from the community into the schools to teach the children. “Students benefit tremen- dously from the experience,” said Katherine Briscoe, a teacher at Lighthouse School. “I think the most re- warding part of this program is the opportunity for the kids to learn about their Cayman heritage from Caymanians,” she said. “It gives them a window to the past and an appreciation for the present. They get to move around, get instruction from a different adult whom they respect, and are learning not just about culture but about themselves.” Mr. Christian said the pro- gram, which was started more than three years ago, “has been tremendously successful within the mainstream public schools, reaching out to all Year 6 students in a bid to educate them about Cayman’s rich history, culture and tradition.” Now, for the first time this school year, he said, “We have been able to bring our Heritage Arts program to the students at the Lighthouse School, and it has been im- mensely rewarding for all of us who deliver the program to see the obvious enjoyment in the eyes of the students every time we work with them.” In addition to the hands- on experience, every Thursday the students attend art classes at the National Gallery. Students learn to twist rope and have limbo fun at the same time. Kate Clayton Kate Clayton’s coffin was personalized with images of her life in Cayman. She was laid to rest on March 6. Friends of Kate Clayton gathered at Tukka in East End to pay tribute to the crash victim.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community Calendar ■ Community Calendar is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. Thursday March 12, 2015 • Cayman Compass THURSDAY, MARCH 12 WORLD KIDNEY DAY: The Cayman Islands Health Services Authority invites everyone to observe World Kidney Day. Stop by to take a tour of the dialysis unit at the Cayman Islands Hospital and learn more about prevention of kidney disease from 9 a.m. to noon. Free screening for blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, 9 a.m. to noon in the atrium. ESSAY AND POSTER COMPETITION: The Department of Environmental Health is holding a competition for students ages 6 to 16 until March 31. The theme is “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, and Dispose in Waste Management in the Cayman Islands.” For further information, students and parents may contact Tania Johnson at 743-5952, recycle@gov.ky or Tania.Johnson@gov.ky, or visit www.deh.gov.ky. HEROES FOR HANNAH: Yoga classes tonight and March 19. From 6-7 p.m. $10 per class. Maximum of 12 people. Fitness Connection, South Sound. Visit www. fitness.ky or phone 949- 8485 for details. BOOK SIGNING: All are invited to meet Joanna Barsh, author, businesswoman and member of 100 Women in Hedge Funds. She will showcase her latest book, Centered Leadership at Books & Books, 5:30 p.m. This free event includes presentation, group discussion and book signing. FRIDAY, MARCH 13 YOUNG IMAGE MAKERS: The short film competition registration deadline has been extended until today. Open to 10-17-year-olds. Prize is a trip to New York Film School. Visit www. artscayman.org/young- image-makers for details. FISH FRY & ROAST: Presented by St. George’s Anglican Church off Courts Road. Noon to 6 p.m., $10. Proceeds in aid of Mothers Union programs. FISH FRY: Fridays during Lent until March 27. St. Ignatius School canteen, 5-8 p.m. Dine in or carry out. Menu includes mahi-mahi, $10; or snapper, $12, with all the trimmings. Child portions $7. SATURDAY, MARCH 14 EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSOCIATION: The Cayman Islands Early Childhood Association members’ meeting at St. Ignatius School at 9 a.m. There will be a special workshop on Mathematics for Young Children. Attendees will receive a certificate. Members free; non- members, $5. For more information, call 939-7426 or 322-3556. HEART HEALTH FAIR: The Cayman Heart Fund invites everyone to this free event, which includes presentations by medical specialists, a Get Active Zone for kids, heart-healthy local produce and cardiac- protective healthy snacks. Free screening for blood pressure, BMI (Body Mass Index), blood glucose and cholesterol and waist circumference. From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Arts & Recreation Centre, Camana Bay. For more information, contact caymanheartfund@gmail. com, 916-6324 or visit caymanheartfund.com. FARMERS MARKET: 10 a.m. to noon. Camana Bay, Gardenia Court. Chef demonstrations and tastings, free and open to the public. CAYMAN SUNSET: Adult mixed-media painting course today and tomorrow offered through the National Gallery. Contact education@nationalgallery. org.ky or 945-8111. Class fees $162 for members, $180 for non-members, includes some materials. MONDAY, MARCH 16 JURY DUTY: Grand Court jurors in the Jan. 14 to March 31 session who are not currently empaneled on a trial are to report today at 9:45 a.m. Call the Jury Information line at 945- 5072 for the most up-to- date information. TUESDAY, MARCH 17 STEM CONFERENCE: Science Technology Engineering Math conference today through March 20 at UCCI. Some events are free and open to the public. Full pass $150, students $100. One-day pass $50, Students $35. Register online at www.stem.ky. ST. PATRICK’S DAY 5K: The St. Patrick’s Day 5K Irish Jog starts at 5:30 p.m. at Grand Cayman Beach Suites, Britannia Golf Course. All proceeds to Special Olympics Cayman Islands. Entry fee is $10 per person. Registration starts March 12 at Butterfield House 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Email irishjog@ butterfieldgroup.com, visit www.ky.butterfieldgroup.com. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 SPECIAL NEEDS FOUNDATION: The Special Needs Foundation holds a community meeting 6-7 p.m. hosted by Hope Academy at Grand Harbour. Dr. Alexandra Bodden of Behavioral Health Associates Cayman will discuss stress management tips for parents of children with special needs. All are welcome to attend. For further information, contact Susie Bodden on susie@ specialneedsfoundation.ky. CITA ELECTIONS: Nominations are due by 4 p.m. today for the Cayman Islands Tourism Association board of directors elections, at the annual general meeting on April 22. Ten seats are open. The designated representative of any member business in good standing who has been a member for at least one year is eligible to be nominated, with the support of five other member signatures. FLOETRY: All are invited to join poets and performers who share their work during an open mic night of poetry and readings. Share your own work or listen to others. 7-8:30 p.m. Books & Books. THURSDAY, MARCH 19 PUB QUIZ: Fidel Murphy’s, 7 p.m. $10 per person, teams maximum of six people. All proceeds go toward transferring dogs to new homes in the U.S. Reserve a table by contacting 949-5189 or sarah.dyer.81@gmail.com. SATURDAY, MARCH 21 POETRY IS AN ISLAND: Documentary about Poet Laureate Derek Walcott with Q&A from director Ida Does. Harquail Theatre. 6:30 p.m. canapes; 7 p.m. start. $20 Email cayfest@candw.ky call 949-5477. LITTLE CAYMAN: Annual Exhibition Show, Blossom Village Park. Contact Debbi Truchan 925-6442 or debit@candw.ky. DRUM CIRCLE: Professional drummers of I Am Percussion Ensemble jam in Gardenia Court, 5-7 p.m. All are invited to join in or just enjoy the show. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 GARDEN PICNIC: National Gallery Art Café offers set menu including soup, salad, sandwiches and vegetarian options between noon and 2:30 p.m. Lunch packs will be available for those on the go. Exhibition halls open to view the national art collection and exhibition Luminescent Forms: Art Under the Microscope. For menu details, reservations and pre-orders email events@ nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945-8111. Reservations are recommended for groups of four or more. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY: Free presentation on occupational therapy for persons with mental health and intellectual challenges. Hibiscus Room, George Town Hospital, 8-9 a.m. FRIDAY, MARCH 27 GOLF SCRAMBLE: St. Ignatius-sponsored event at the North Sound Golf Club; 1 p.m. shotgun start. Space for 22 teams of four. Phone 949-6797 for details. SATURDAY, MARCH 28 CAYWRITERS: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Books & Books. Anyone interested in writing is invited to join other local writers who share their journey, stories, writing resources, ask advice, and discuss challenges. Held on the last Saturday of every month, new members are always welcome. CAPT. MARVIN’S MEMORIAL RUN/WALK: Two-mile event starts at Tiki Beach, 6:45 a.m. For all age groups. $15 registration. Proceeds will help the Flashy Nation Sports Club with equipment and money to represent Cayman in international events. Register with Kendall Ebanks at Anytime Fitness, or contact 924- 2898 or flashynation@ hotmail.com. SUNDAY, MARCH 29 FAMILY EVENT: Cayman Islands Baptist Church invites all to a community worship service and family event at Sir John A Cumber Primary School Hall at 6:30 p.m. Contact church office at 946-2422 for more details. TUESDAY, MARCH 31 NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER: The National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving takes place noon to 12:50 p.m. on the grounds of the Glass House, George Town. Sponsored by the Cayman Ministers Association. LITTLE MISS: Cayman’s Our Little Miss Scholarship Pageant organizing committee is accepting applications for the pageant on April 25. Entry deadline is today. Six age divisions, from Baby Petite (0-2 years) to Miss (18-26). Talent required for ages seven and up. 327-9890 or caymanolm@gmail.com. GENERAL INTEREST FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Professional First Impressions clothing drive through March 27, to collect gently used business attire, including shoes and accessories such as handbags, belts and fashion jewelry. Items needed to help women enter or rejoin the business world. Clothing drive organized through the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre and the Family Resource Centre. Email clothingdrivecayman@gmail. com or go to facebook.com/ professionalfirstimpressions. FREE YOUTH TOURS: Free guided tours of the temporary exhibition “Luminescent Forms: Art Under the Microscope” are available for students of all ages at the National Gallery. By appointment until March 27. Students will discuss the exhibition and get hands-on in the Sand Lab. Topics covered include art, science, social studies, literacy and numeracy. For information or to book a tour, contact NGCI at 945-8111 or education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. HIV TESTING: Free HIV testing is available every Tuesday year-round at the Cayman Islands Red Cross on Thomas Russell Way. Anyone wishing to get tested should arrive by 9 a.m. Testing will be available every Tuesday, 9-10 a.m. Contact HIV/AIDS Coordinator Laura Whitfield at 244-2631. REEF RESTORATION: Certified divers are invited to work on the Cayman Magic Reef restoration in George Town. A schedule of work dates and times is posted on Facebook under Cayman Magic Reef Recovery. Dates, times and places are listed under Events for volunteers to check and sign up. FOOD HANDLERS: Certification courses in basic food hygiene are offered by the Department of Environmental Health. March 25; April 15, 29; May 13, 27; June 10, 24. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DEH conference room in the Environmental Centre, 580 North Sound Road. $15 per person covers all materials and fees; pay at DEH headquarters, 580 North Sound Road, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. For more information, call 949-6696. OPEN CANVAS: Visual Arts Society supports this initiative at Karoo Restaurant located in Camana Bay. Wednesdays in February and March, 7 p.m. to close. No fee. Easels are provided for artists of all levels to enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Participating artists receive 2 tickets for house wine or beer compliments of Karoo. For more information, contact info@ visualartcayman.com or jr@ cib.ky, or call 546-9422. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Painting open studio available Mondays 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Watler House, Pedro Castle. This is an opportunity for adult intermediate artists to work at their own pace on their own projects. To register, contact openstudio@ visualartcayman.com or 546-9422. $10 per day or $15 non-members. ART FOR STUDENTS: The National Gallery hosts free Active Learning Sessions for students of all ages. Part tour, part art activity, the tour takes students up-close with the National Collection – more than 50 years of Caymanian art history – providing links to literacy, mathematics, social studies and science. For information or to book a session, contact 945-8111 or education@nationalgallery. org.ky. PINK LADIES: Coffee Shop at Cayman Islands Hospital is open Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, drinks, snacks. Takeout orders welcome, call 244-2661. Funds are donated back to the community. Contact pinkladiescayman@ gmail.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Thursday March 12, 2015 The online system would allow the Immigration Department to do a number of things that it either strug- gles with now, or that it simply cannot do in the cur- rent paper record manage- ment system. For example, the system seeks to allow the relevant immigration officer or immi- gration-related board con- sidering a work permit ap- plication to see – in real time – who has applied for specific jobs, including Caymanian applicants, and their relevant qualifications for the post. Once the system goes on- line, any business applying for a work permit will be able to do so at any time. It is envisioned that applicants for various immigration ser- vices will also be able to pay fees online around the clock. In addition to the immi- gration-related services, the site is expected to function as a jobs database where em- ployers can post positions and certain job-seekers can post resumes which can then be viewed by businesses. “We believe online ser- vices at immigration will mean a reduction of long wait lines and wait time in the immigration hall and a lessening of the burden of cumbersome forms and documents,” Premier Alden McLaughlin said. Other functions of the system could allow doctors, who must perform health tests on work permit ap- plicants, and local police, who must conduct crim- inal background checks on applicants, to upload those records directly to the relevant applications. The online system could also be made available to government entities such as the National Workforce Development Agency and/ or the Trade and Business Licensing Board to assist in their work. The level of access for var- ious system users will be a key issue for any successful bidder to resolve, Ministry of Home Affairs Chief Officer Eric Bush said Wednesday. For instance, a work permit holder seeking to determine whether his or her applica- tion has been approved would need a different level of ac- cess to the site than a busi- ness owner trying to submit a staffing plan or a payment. “That’s still under con- sideration,” Mr. Bush said. “Basically, we want two things: Increased customer service for the businesses, the work permit holder and Caymanian [job-seekers] and increased communication between immigration and its customers.” The deadline for the re- quest for proposals for the online system is April 15. The big picture Proposals for an on- line system are part of an overall work permit reform process that began in 2013 with the general goal of re- ducing the involvement of appointed boards in work permit approvals. A consulting review com- pleted by Deloitte advised the government on creating a work permit approval system that is faster than the current process and which also in- cludes less subjectivity in the decision-making. The com- puterized database was rec- ommended as part of that effort. Consultants also rec- ommended reducing the de- tails currently required on work permit applications. Premier McLaughlin has said he does not believe ap- pointed boards can be en- tirely taken out of the work permit approval process and, in any case, some mecha- nism will be needed for work permit appeals. The “big-picture” idea is to eventually have as many work permit, permanent residence and other immi- gration-related applica- tions as possible dealt with administratively. Now, immigration staff members approve or deny a significant number of work permits. The ruling Progressives government has said its goal is to have immi- gration handle all initial ap- plications and leave only ap- peals of permit denials to entities like the Work Permit Board and Business Staffing Plan Board. to start work in the eastern Caribbean Island chain in late April. Turks Governor Peter Beckingham said he was pleased to have someone with Mr. Masters’s experience in the role. The governor’s of- fice later clarified that the U.K. Special Investigation and Prosecution Team, not the Crown counsel’s of- fice, would be handling the criminal trial of former Premier Michael Misick, who was returned to the is- lands from Brazil last year to face corruption charges. Following Mr. Masters’s appointment in Cayman, he joined Blackburn Chambers in Canberra, Australia, where he represented high-profile defendant David Eastman. Eastman was accused of killing an Australian assistant po- lice commissioner in 1989, but his conviction was re- cently quashed following an inquiry that determined there had been a substan- tial miscarriage of justice at his trial. Misick trial looms Mr. Misick, along with about a dozen other people, faces various allegations in relation to corruption and maladministration during his former government’s time in office. Those criminal investi- gations forced the United Kingdom to implement di- rect rule over the Turks and Caicos Islands from 2009 until local elections were held in November 2012, re- turning local governance to the people of the islands. Four members of the former Turks and Caicos Islands Cabinet were among the 13 charged in a criminal corruption probe conducted by U.K. govern- ment representatives in the British overseas territory. Arrest warrants were issued in November 2012 by the Turks Special Investigation and Prosecution Team for Mr. Misick and developer Kem Cinay, according to a statement from the gover- nor’s office. In addition to the crim- inal charges, U.K. govern- ment representatives said 2,462 acres of Crown land have been recovered and various financial settle- ments for the land have been received. The costs of the replace- ment program will not be charged back to consumers, the CUC spokesperson said. “CUC is making this in- vestment in its advanced me- tering infrastructure with the approval of the [Electricity Regulatory Authority],” the spokesperson said. The company appears to have left the door open in regard to possible secu- rity. While the meters do not employ Internet proto- cols to move information, the wireless transfers are still electronic. The possibility exists that hackers could manipulate consumption – and there- fore billing – data or simply wreak havoc in the system. “Our system does not use the Internet at all. It is a completely isolated network, owned and operated solely by CUC,” said the utility representative, although she conceded that an indi- vidual might try to intercept transmissions. “CUC recognizes this risk and has mitigating systems in place,” she said without elaborating. CUC uses meters sup- plied by Sensus of Raleigh, North Carolina and General Electric Digital Energy based in Atlanta, both of which have trained local crews in installation, troubleshooting and “meter configuration,” the utility says. Other fears center on the possibility of overheating and subsequent fire, a problem reported in both the U.S. and Canada, although both sup- pliers have improved their equipment in the last year. The spokesperson ac- knowledged the historical complaints about the me- ters, and said CUC had faced similar problems, but said they had been few and quickly addressed. “Not unlike many other utilities, CUC has experienced failures of a small number of meters,” she told the Cayman Compass. “In most cases, in- vestigations indicated that the meters were damaged due to heat building up in loose connections on the cus- tomer’s meter base or water intrusion into the meter base causing the electronics in the meter to short circuit. “Sensus has upgraded their meters to resolve these issues,” she added. Approximately 12,500 meters have been installed throughout Grand Cayman’s five districts. To date, no one has declined to participate in the program. “CUC hasn’t had any such requests; on the contrary, customers are becoming aware of the benefits to them, and CUC has received re- quests for exchanges to be made sooner,” the spokes- person said. James Whittaker, chairman of the Cayman Renewable Energy Association and founder of the Greentech Group, points out that smart meters are not particularly in- novative, but need to be cou- pled with a broader program of energy conservation and even use of renewables. “With the ability to gather data on a property’s energy usage in real time, in theory the power company can more accurately make decisions to be more efficient, and that should cut down on costs to them and, at least in theory, to the consumer,” he said. Smart meters, Mr. Whittaker said, “could defi- nitely be a good thing if used to their maximum potential and for the right reasons. Are we going to build a smarter grid and adopt cleaner and more stable sources of clean energy for the long-term ben- efit of the country and our consumers? Are we going to use these technologies to re- duce their [CUC] costs and then pass those savings on to the consumers? “Whether or not this is a good thing comes down to how effectively it’s used as a tool to benefit consumers and the country as a whole, versus improving the internal efficiencies and/or profits of the power company.” Smart meters can poten- tially enable cost reductions through “time of use” infor- mation, encouraging users, for example, to operate washing machines at 3 a.m. rather than during peak afternoon and early evening hours. “CUC does not offer ‘time of use’ rates at this time,” the spokesperson said. “By changing its meters to the smart meter type, CUC will be able to consider the in- troduction of TOU rates in the future.” “Are we going to use these technologies to reduce their [CUC] costs and then pass those savings onto the consumers?” JaMes WhiTTaker, chairman, Cayman Renewable Energy Association CUC halfway through installing smart meters CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Unprecedented access to immigration coming CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 People line up outside the Immigration Department in October 2013. Government hopes a new data management system will make scenes like this history. – Photo: Chris Court Masters named top TCI prosecutor Mr. Masters CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A barrister with nearly 30 years’ experience in England and Australia, Mr. Masters was named to the TCI Director of Public Prosecutions post on Tuesday. The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Thursday March 12, 2015 • Cayman Compass Niger military kills extremists Niger’s police spokesman says that military operations in the country’s east have killed at least 500 of Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamic extremists. AP sues State Department over access to Clinton records Repeated FOI requests unfulfilled WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press filed a law- suit Wednesday against the State Department to force the release of email correspon- dence and government docu- ments from Hillary Rodham Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state. The legal action comes after repeated requests filed under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act have gone unfulfilled. They include one request AP made five years ago and others pending since the summer of 2013. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, comes a day after Clinton broke her silence about her use of a private email account while secretary of state. The FOIA requests and lawsuit seek materials related to her public and private calendars, correspondence involving longtime aides likely to play key roles in her expected campaign for president, and Clinton-related emails about the Osama bin Laden raid and National Security Agency surveillance practices. “After careful deliberation and exhausting our other op- tions, The Associated Press is taking the necessary legal steps to gain access to these important documents, which will shed light on actions by the State Department and former Secretary Clinton, a presumptive 2016 presiden- tial candidate, during some of the most significant is- sues of our time,” said Karen Kaiser, AP’s general counsel. “The press is a proxy for the people, and AP will con- tinue its pursuit of vital in- formation that’s in the public interest through this action and future open records re- quests,” she said. State Department spokesman Alec Gerlach de- clined to comment. He had previously cited the depart- ment’s heavy annual load of FOIA requests – 19,000 last year – in saying that the de- partment “does its best to meet its FOIA responsibili- ties.” He said the department takes requests “first in, first out,” but noted that timing depends on “the complexity of the request.” Michael Oreskes, a senior managing editor at AP, said the news agency was plan- ning to file additional re- quests under FOIA following the disclosure last week that Clinton used a private email account run on a server on her property outside New York while working at the State Department. Clinton on Tuesday said she sent and received about 60,000 emails from her per- sonal email address in her four years as President Barack Obama’s secretary of state. She said roughly half were work-related, which she turned over to the State Department, while deleting tens of thousands more that were personal in nature. The department says it will take several months to review the material Clinton turned over last year. Once the review is complete, the department said, the emails will be posted online. The AP had sought Clinton-related correspon- dence before her use of a personal email account was publicly known, al- though Wednesday’s court filing alleges that the State Department is responsible for including emails from that account in any public re- cords request. “State’s failure to ensure that Secretary Clinton’s gov- ernmental emails were re- tained and preserved by the agency, and its failure to seek out and search those emails in response to AP’s requests, indicate at the very least that State has not engaged in the diligent, good-faith search that FOIA requires,” says AP’s legal filing. Specifically, AP is seeking copies of Clinton’s full sched- ules and calendars from her four years as secretary of state; documents related to her department’s decision to grant a special position to longtime aide Huma Abedin; related correspondence from longtime advisers Philippe Reines and Cheryl Mills, who, like Abedin, are likely to play central roles in a Clinton presidential campaign; doc- uments related to Clinton’s and the agency’s roles in the Osama bin Laden raid and National Security Agency sur- veillance practices; and doc- uments related to her role overseeing a major Defense Department contractor. Top US military chief voices concerns about fight against Islamic State WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s top military officer says that while Iran’s support in the fight against Islamic State militants is helpful, the U.S. remains concerned about what happens “after the drums stop beating” and IS is defeated. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday that anything anyone does to counter IS is a “positive thing.” But he said there is concern about whether Iran-backed militamen, who are Shia, will turn against Sunni Iraqis, fur- ther destabilizing Iraq. “We are all concerned about what happens after the drums stop beating and ISIL is defeated, and whether the government of Iraq will re- main on a path to provide an inclusive government for all of the various groups within it,” Dempsey said, using an acronym for the militant group. “We’re very concerned about that.” “What we are watching carefully is whether the mili- tias – they call themselves the Popular Mobilization Forces – whether, when they recap- ture lost territory, whether they engage in acts of retri- bution and ethnic cleansing,” he said. “There’s no indica- tion that that is a widespread event at this point, but we’re watching closely.” Dempsey joined Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Ash Carter in testifying at a hearing about President Barack Obama’s proposal for new war powers to fight IS. The debate comes amid Democratic worries that it could lead to a full-scale U.S. ground war in the Mideast and GOP concerns that it should not, tying the hands of the commander in chief. The legislation, debated in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, will set up the first war vote in Congress in 13 years. Committee Chairman Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, said he hopes the hearing will help start a process where both parties can reach agreement on a new autho- rization to fight IS militants, who have seized territory across Iraq and Syria. Obama sent his draft to Capitol Hill last month. “As we have received that authorization for the use of military force, what we have come to understand is that – and this is not a pejorative statement, it’s an observation – we don’t know of a single Democrat in Congress, in the United States Senate, anyway, that supports that authoriza- tion for the use of military force,” Corker said. Obama’s proposal would allow the use of military force against IS for three years, unbounded by national borders. The fight could be extended to any “closely re- lated successor entity” to the IS, which has overrun parts of Iraq and Syria. He ruled out large-scale U.S. ground combat operations reminis- cent of Iraq and Afghanistan. Republicans expressed unhappiness that Obama had chosen to exclude any long- term commitment of ground forces, while some Democrats voiced dismay that he had opened the door to any de- ployment whatsoever. The 2002 congressional authorization that preceded the American-led invasion of Iraq would be repealed under the White House proposal, a step some Republicans were unhappy to see. But a sepa- rate authorization approved by Congress after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks would re- main in force, to the conster- nation of some Democrats. The struggle to define any role for American ground forces is likely to determine the outcome of the admin- istration’s request for legis- lation. The White House has said that the proposal was intentionally ambiguous on that point to give the presi- dent flexibility, although the approach also was an at- tempt to bridge a deep divide in Congress. During Kerry’s testimony, an anti-war protester from the Code Pink NGO shouted: “We’re tired of the endless war ... the killing of inno- cent people.” Corker called for order. Kerry responded, asking, “Killing more inno- cent people? I wonder how our journalists who were be- headed and the [Jordanian] pilot, who was fighting for freedom, who was burned alive – what they would have to say to their efforts to pro- tect innocent people?” Corker noted that the United States has signed on to train and equip forces to fight IS, yet once they are fielded, they will be subject to barrel bombs dropped by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad. Corker said the president’s proposed authorization would allow ways to protect the forces. “I don’t think we’ve made those decisions yet. And I think ... that shows is poten- tially a lack of commitment, if you will, to really deal with ISIS in a more significant way,” Corker said. Dempsey said the U.S. has undergone two rounds of talks with Turkish offi- cials about a possible air-ex- clusion zone in Aleppo, Syria, that would provide overflight to protect the troops. “We are continuing to develop that option should it be asked for,” Dempsey said. Former Secretary of State and likely 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks during a press conference Tuesday at the United Nations. - Photo: AP From left, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, and Secretary of State John Kerry arrive Wednesday on Capitol Hill in Washington to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. - Photo: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL Cayman Compass • Thursday March 12, 2015 Executions by firing squad poised for comeback in Utah SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah, the only state in the past 40 years to carry out a death sentence by firing squad, is poised to bring back the Old West-style executions if the state cannot track down drugs used in lethal injections. The Republican-controlled state Legislature gave final approval to the proposal Tuesday night, with law- makers billing it as a backup plan as states struggle to find execution drugs amid a na- tionwide shortage. If the governor signs the measure, Utah would be- come the only state to allow executions by firing squad if there is a drug shortage. Republican Gov. Gary Herbert has declined to say if he will approve or veto the bill, a de- cision that’s not expected for a week or so. The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Paul Ray of Clearfield, said it would give the state options. “We would love to get the lethal injection worked out so we can continue with that. But if not, now we have a backup plan,” Ray told The Associated Press. Utah is one of several states to seek out new forms of capital punishment after a botched lethal injection in Oklahoma last year and one in Arizona that took nearly two hours for the condemned man to die. Legislation to allow firing squads has been introduced in Arkansas this year, while a Wyoming firing-squad mea- sure failed. In Oklahoma, lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow the state to use nitrogen gas to execute inmates. Ray says a firing squad is a more humane form of execution. He argued that a team of trained marksmen is faster than the drawn-out deaths that have occurred in botched lethal injections. Opponents say firing squads are a cruel holdover from the state’s wild West days and will earn Utah in- ternational condemnation. “I think Utah took a giant step backward,” said Ralph Dellapiana, director of Utahns for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. He called firing squads “a relic of a more barbaric past.” Dellapiana said the Legislature should be dis- cussing whether, not how, to execute citizens. Sen. Gene Davis, a Salt Lake City Democrat, voiced the same concern. Davis, the only senator to speak about the bill Tuesday night, said he was voting against it be- cause it “only puts another alternative on the table” in- stead of doing away with ex- ecutions altogether. The state Senate did not debate the idea before passing the bill on an 18-10 vote, with four Republicans joining Democrats in op- position. The measure nar- rowly passed the House last month. Anna Brower with the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah said the leg- islation would make Utah “look backwards and back- woods.” The organization hopes Herbert will not sign the bill, she said. The gov- ernor’s spokesman, Marty Carpenter, issued a statement Tuesday acknowledging that the method would give Utah a legitimate backup if execu- tion drugs aren’t available. States have struggled to keep up their drug invento- ries as European manufac- turers refuse to sell the lethal concoctions to U.S. prisons and corrections departments over opposition to the death penalty. The supply in Texas be used up if the state goes forward with two lethal in- jections in the next two weeks. The Texas deadline is the most imminent, but other states are struggling, too. States that turn to alter- native drugs have faced legal challenges from inmates. The head of Utah’s prison system has said it does not have lethal injection drugs on hand and would have to obtain some if an execution were to be scheduled. The use of firing squads could be reinstated more than a decade after the con- servative state abandoned the practice. Utah lawmakers stopped offering inmates the choice in 2004, saying the method created a media frenzy around murderers and took attention away from vic- tims. A handful of inmates on death row were sentenced before the law changed and still have the option of going before a firing squad after their appeals are exhausted in a few years. Utah’s last firing-squad execution was in 2010, when Ronnie Lee Gardner was put to death by five police officers with .30-caliber Winchester rifles. The state has carried out three executions by firing squad since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. The Washington, D.C.- based Death Penalty Information Center, which opposes capital punish- ment, says it’s not a fool- proof execution method be- cause the inmate could move or shooters could miss the heart, causing a slower, more painful death. US military helicopter crashes; 11 presumed dead EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AP) — Human remains washed ashore in heavy fog Wednesday after seven Marines and four soldiers were killed in an Army heli- copter crash during a night- time training mission off a Florida beach. All 11 service members were presumed dead, ac- cording to a Pentagon of- ficial who spoke with The Associated Press on condi- tion of anonymity for lack of authority to be identified in the media. Kim Urr, 62, who works at the Navarre Beach camp- ground near where the heli- copter went down, said she heard a strange sound fol- lowed by two explosions around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. “It sounded like some- thing metal either being hit or falling over, that’s what it sounded like. And there were two booms afterward, similar to what you hear with ord- nance booms, but more muf- fled,” Urr said. “We knew immediately that something was not right. We listened for sirens, but there were no sirens. Then this morning, we heard a lot of sirens,” she added. Despite the presumption of death and the discovery of human remains, crews ham- pered by fog still consid- ered it a search-and-rescue mission, said Sara Vidoni, a military spokeswoman for Eglin Air Force Base, outside Pensacola. Much of the area was en- veloped in fog that reduced visibility to 2 miles or less when the UH-60 Black Hawk from the Army National Guard was reported missing Tuesday night, said Katie Moore with the National Weather Service in Tallahassee. Crews began finding debris around 2 a.m. Wednesday, but the fog kept obscuring the scene after the sun came up. The search was focused on the Santa Rosa Sound, a narrow waterway sepa- rating Santa Rosa Island from Florida’s mainland, Vidoni said. From the beach, search boats could be heard but not seen, blasting horns as their crews peered into the water. The Coast Guard secured the waters around the crash site, she said. The Marines were part of a special operations group based in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The National Guard soldiers were from a unit based in Hammond, Louisiana. None were imme- diately identified so that fam- ilies could be told first. The Army helicopter took off from a nearby airport in Destin, joining other aircraft in the exercise. The training area includes 20 miles of pristine beach- front that has been under the control of the military since before World War II. The mili- tary sometimes drops trainees into the water to swim ashore from boats or helicopters. Test range manager Glenn Barndollar told The AP in August that the beach pro- vides an ideal training area for special operations units from all branches of the mili- tary to practice over the water, on the beach and in the bay. Much of the area was enveloped in fog that reduced visibility to 2 miles or less when the UH-60 Black Hawk was reported missing Tuesday night. Randy Gardner, the older brother of Ronnie Lee Gardner, the last inmate to be killed by firing squad in Utah, in 2010, protests outside the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City, with a group opposed to capital punishment plans. - Photo: AP Gunmen stage jewel heist on French highway PARIS (AP) — About 15 gunmen ambushed two vans carrying jewels worth mil- lions on a French highway in the dead of night, ejecting their drivers and speeding off into the Burgundy country- side, police said. It was the latest of several big jewelry heists in France. Unusually this time, the attackers chose a moving target instead of one of France’s many high-end jew- elry boutiques. To pull it off, experts said, the gang must have been tightly or- ganized and well-informed, possibly thanks to an inside source with knowledge of the vans’ movements. The assailants and the jewels remained missing Wednesday evening, even after gendarmes and other authorities spent hours combing the forests and towns southeast of Paris around the scene of the over- night attack. The vans were slowing down to approach a toll- booth on the A6 highway connecting Paris and Lyon when four cars apparently surrounded them and forced them to stop, a security of- ficial said. No one was in- jured, and the drivers of the two vans were left at the scene unharmed, a police official said. The officials spoke on con- dition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named. The perpetrators then es- caped in four cars and the two vans, which police later found burned and abandoned about 30 miles away, the po- lice official said. Forensic in- vestigators in white suits ex- amined the area around the charred vans Wednesday amid vineyards in the town of Quenne. It’s unclear where the at- tackers were heading. After hours of searches failed to locate them, authorities con- centrated on their investiga- tion into the attack, which was handed to the French po- lice agency overseeing orga- nized crime.Next >