ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Tuesday March 17, 2015 SportS | page 15 eMphasis shifTs To speedy kids Invitational focuses on youth events High of 86 Low of 74 Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 2 feet. editorial | page 4 Taking invenTory of cayMan’s uneMployMenT probleM 178114_PRINT-Ad-Strip-IrishJog-1Page 1 3/4/15 12:52:52 PM Judge rules to keep Tempura documents from public brenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a visiting Cayman Islands Grand Court judge on Monday agreed that hundreds of pages of records re- lated to the ill-fated Operation Tempura police corruption investigation should be withheld from public release. Justice Timothy Owen’s ruling, delivered via Skype inside courtroom 3, marked the culmination of a three-year process to de- cide whether a 2010 complaint by Tempura’s former senior investigating officer, Martin Bridger, and the Cayman Islands gover- nor’s office’s subsequent evaluation of it should be made public. In the end, Justice Owen decided that an ongoing criminal investigation targeting Mr. Bridger allowed the governor’s office to ex- empt those records from release, essentially declaring the governor’s office victorious in its appeal against an earlier order from the infor- mation commissioner’s office that sought the release of those records. Other reasons given by former Governor Duncan Taylor and current Governor Helen Kilpatrick’s office for withholding the records were denied in the judgment released Monday. According to section 16 [b] of the Cayman Islands Freedom of Information Law: “Records relating to law enforcement are exempt from disclosure if their disclosure would, or could reasonably be expected to ... affect [i] the con- duct of an investigation or prosecution of a breach or possible breach of the law; or [ii] the trial of any person or the adjudication of a particular case ...” It was revealed in court proceedings last month that Mr. Bridger remained under in- vestigation concerning criminal allega- tions he made to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service in January 2014. Those accusations, found to be unwar- ranted following a review by local police, made various claims against former Cayman Islands Governor Stuart Jack and Attorney General Samuel Bulgin over their respective roles in the Operation Tempura investigation. Mr. Bridger’s allegations were supported by Cayman’s former police commissioner and Government launches Fatca portal Michael klein mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Department for International Tax Cooperation has launched an Automatic Exchange of Information portal that allows Cayman’s financial institutions to register and report customer data under the U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. FATCA is a U.S. tax-reporting initiative that forces financial institutions and certain nonfi- nancial entities worldwide to report bank ac- counts and ownership interests of U.S. tax- payers or face a 30 percent withholding tax on transactions with the United States. In December 2013, Cayman signed a FATCA Model 1 intergovernmental agree- ment with the U.S. which stipulates that enti- ties in Cayman report this information to the Cayman Islands government rather than send it directly to the Internal Revenue Service. The government developed the new website to re- ceive and collect the data from local institu- tions and then transfer the records to the IRS. The portal will also enable the filing of tax information in relation to the U.K.’s ver- sion of FATCA beginning in 2016 and to other countries that have signed up to the OECD’s Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters and its common reporting standard from 2017. Minister for Financial Services Wayne Panton said the multilateral exchange of tax information is now a global standard. GT road widening to begin this month brenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Road works seeking to widen and improve connections to two key roads in the central George Town area are sched- uled to begin within the next month, according to the National Roads Authority. The first stretch, along Godfrey Nixon Way is set to start next week, National Roads Authority director Paul Parchment confirmed Monday. Meanwhile, road widening along Smith Road between Hospital Road and Bobby Thompson Way is due to get under way in early April, he said. Maps describing the extent of the works on Smith Road were made public Friday. Public notices sent out by the roads authority involved more than 50 parcels of land in the im- mediate area that the authority Cayman samples Slow Food The Slow Food movement on Grand Cayman continues to grow, with local farmers producing more vegetables and proteins than ever before, and more chefs using those ingredients at restaurants. During the morning segment of Saturday’s Slow Food Day 2015 at Camana Bay, local farmers teamed up with chefs, including, from left, Sandy Tuason of the Westin, Thushara Siriwardana of Grand Old House, Thomas Tennant of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, Cindy Hutson of Ortanique and Ervin Horvath of Agave Grill, to create free tastes of dishes using local ingredients. For more on Slow Food Day, see page 2. - photo: alan markoFF PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Tuesday March 17, 2015 • Cayman Compass www.tonymosleylifeinsurance.com 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. © Warner Bros. Pictures © 21st Century Fox CINDERELLA (PG) 12:40 | 3:15 | 6:45 | 9:20 FOCUS (R) 1:30 | 4:10 | 7:20 | 10:00 LAZARUS EFFECT (PG13) 1:00 | 3:10 | 5:20 | 7:30 | 10:10 CHAPPIE (R) 12:50 | 3:40 | 7:00 | 9:45 THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (PG) 12:45 | 3:30 | 6:50 | 9:40 BLACK OR WHITE (PG13) 1:10 | 4:00 | 7:10 | 9:55 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - TUESDAY - Slow Food Day offers a true taste of Cayman AlAn MArkoff amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com Local farmers teamed up with chefs from near and far to highlight food ingredients from the Cayman Islands at the 2015 Slow Food Day event at Camana Bay on Saturday. Slow Food is an interna- tional culinary group based in Bra, Italy, that was created to oppose the industrialization of food and the “fast food” culture. The organization promotes the use of sustainable, locally sourced foods, maintaining local food traditions and the enjoyment of food with others in a convivial setting. Now in its fourth year, Slow Food Day is a part- nership between Slow Food South Sound and Camana Bay. The event features a morning session at Camana Bay’s Gardenia Court, where chefs use locally sourced fruits, vegetables and pro- teins to create dishes and give free taste-sized samples to the public. Participating restaurants included Agave Grill, Beach House at the Westin, The Brasserie, Grand Old House, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink and Ortanique. The morning session also included cooking demonstra- tions in Bon Vivant by local chefs Tanya Foster, repre- senting Bay Market, and pri- vate chef Keith Griffin. In the evening, a dinner with the theme “Saluting the Queens of Local Cuisine” was held on the gorgeously deco- rated Camana Bay Crescent. The headlining chefs for the event were a trio of women: dessert chef Hedy Goldsmith representing Michael’s Genuine, Ortanique’s Cindy Hutson and visiting chef Susan Spicer from the famed New Orleans restaurant Bayona. The three chefs were sup- ported with appetizers or dishes prepared by other Camana Bay restaurants, in- cluding Mizu, Abacus, Jessie’s Juice, Bay Market, Upper Crust and Gelato & Co. KARoo pro- vided the welcome cock- tail and West Indies Wine Company provided Benziger Family Winery’s biodynamic and organic wines. Thomas Tennant of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink serves Scotch eggs using local pork and eggs. - Photos: AlAn MArkoff The Brasserie’s Aide Davila and Chef Daniel Taylor serve satin snapper ceviche with green mango and Cayman lime on a plantain chip during the morning session of Slow Food Day 2015. The Beach House restaurant at the Westin had a strong showing at Slow Food Day 2015, and used Patrick Panton’s farm-raised chickens and produce to create a chicken sadeko wrap. From left, the Westin’s team of Norbert Szalay, Sandy Tuason, Dimuth Munasingha, Allwyn Dias and Gobinath Sanmugasundaram. Homegrown pot on the rise in Mexico MEXICO CITY (AP) — Once upon a time, Mexican mari- juana was the gold standard for U.S. pot smokers. But in the new world of legal mar- kets and gourmet weed, afi- cionados here are looking to the United States and Europe for the good stuff. Instead of Acapulco Gold, Mexican smokers want strains like Liberty Haze and Moby Dick – either importing high-potency boutique pot from the United States, or growing it here in secret gar- dens that use techniques per- fected abroad. It’s a small but growing market in a country where marijuana is largely il- legal, unlike the U.S. states of Colorado and Washington that have legalized recre- ational use, and others where medicinal pot is available. A text message will bring a Mexico City dealer to the customer’s doorstep with a menu of high-end buds for sale at the swipe of a credit card through a smartphone reader. Hydroponic shops have sprung up that supply equipment to those who want to cultivate potent strains in sophisticated home-grown operations. Some are even setting up pot cooperatives to share costs and swap what they grow with each other. “I know people who are ar- chitects, executives, lawyers … who went to the United States or Europe,” said Antoine Robbe, the 35-year-old, French-born proprietor of Hydrocultivos, one of the shops. They say, “’Man, why don’t we have this in my country?’” So far, reports of U.S.- grown marijuana making its way south have been only anecdotal but enough to raise concern, according to Alejandro Mohar, a Mexican physician and member of the U.N. International Narcotics Control Board. A U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration official told NPR in December that Mexican cartel operatives were smuggling in high- end U.S. marijuana to sell to wealthy customers, though there’s no sign so far of a massive southward trade. The DEA declined to com- ment further in response to a request from the AP. In Mexico City, several people said they have seen freezer-size bags of mari- juana here labeled as being for medicinal use in Los Angeles. Mexico allows people to carry up to 5 grams of pot for personal use but bans sale and growing. Marijuana grows in a hydroponic garden inside an apartment in Mexico City. - Photo: AP It’s a small but growing market in a country where marijuana is largely illegal.3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday March 17, 2015 178104_PRINT2-QP-IrishJog-17.pdfPage 1 3/4/15 12:44:40 PM Support for lifeguards on beaches JameS Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Support is growing for lifeguards and a warning flag system to be introduced on some of Cayman’s beaches to help protect tourists. Six people, including five visitors, have died in the water so far this year. The Cayman Islands Red Cross has called for trained lifeguards to be put on patrol on the beaches. Dive operator Steve Broadbelt, of Ocean Frontiers, agrees. “When something hap- pens once, you can call it an accident but when it keeps happening again and again, you start to think you need to learn from this and put some measures in place,” he said. Divers from Ocean Frontiers assisted with the search last week for snor- keler Norman Lee, who was reported missing after appar- ently getting into difficulty in strong currents close to the Reef Resort, where he was staying with his wife. Mr. Lee, 47, an artist for Marvel Comics, was never found. Mr. Broadbelt believes lifeguards could provide in- formation to tourists so they would know where and when it was safe to swim, as well as being ready to intervene if they got into trouble. He said currents were strong in the area where Mr. Lee was swimming because of waves crashing over the reef and surging back out through the channel. “If someone is out swim- ming in the wrong place at the wrong time because they are not knowledgable about local conditions – these things are avoidable,” he said. “My view is that I would like to see something in place to improve safety – a lifeguard on duty and a flag system. We are not re- inventing the wheel, this is pretty common,” he added. A large majority of water-related deaths in the Cayman Islands have been linked to medical condi- tions. But Mr. Broadbelt notes that early intervention from trained lifeguards when someone experiences a med- ical emergency in the water may help prevent a fatality. “If someone has a heart attack on a golf course, you can get a different outcome for the same medical event,” he added. The dive operator said he was making the rec- ommendation despite con- cerns about adding to the government budget. He said the bad publicity associated with tourist deaths and lack of lifeguards as reassurance likely put off tourists. “It is not a difficult thing to do,” he said. “The tourists that come here pay 13 per- cent tax per night. They bring a lot of money to the island and we have little in the way of water safety. It should be done as a public service, it has happened too often.” The Cayman Islands Red Cross, which trains life- guards for the Turtle Farm as well as for the Bermuda life- guard service, has been advo- cating for some time for life- guard patrols in Cayman. Peter Hughes, first aid program manager and a life- guard instructor, believes a lifeguard service would not prevent all fatalities but could provide reassurance to tourists and help deal with other issues on the beaches. “I continue to main- tain a vision of a National Lifesaving Society which will maintain a presence on se- lected local beaches. To date, we have had no direct sup- port for this goal,” he said this week. Mr. Hughes believes in- terest and support in life- guarding is growing. He said the Red Cross was working with the amateur swimming association, as well as with resorts and businesses, to train lifeguards for their fa- cilities and events. The Ministry of Tourism said the parks department had responsibilty for beaches. A spokeswoman added, “As lifeguard cover is cur- rently not provided on our beaches, both visitors and residents alike are encour- aged to be aware of the con- ditions and self-aware of any limitations they may have due to health or ability. She said, “The Cayman Islands is known as a safe destination for travelers and it is always distressing when a visitor perishes under any circumstance while vaca- tioning with us. As a leading destination for water-re- lated activities by people of all ages, it is important to bear in mind that the vast majority of visitors to the Cayman Islands enjoy our land and sea based attrac- tions without incident. “It is difficult to an- ticipate whether someone will encounter difficulties doing something they have come to love, such as snor- keling, but when incidents do occur, the emergency re- sponse infrastructure is in place to quickly respond when a report for assistance is received.” The Bermuda govern- ment spends $500,000 an- nually on a full-time life- guard superintendent and 17 seasonal employees to guard five beaches during the tourist season from May 1 to Oct. 31. Statistics for the service, from the Bermuda government budget, show that the service rescued 58 swimmers in distress and made 5,780 visitor assists in the 2011/2012 financial year. The Cayman Islands Red Cross has called for trained lifeguards to be put on patrol on the beaches. Cayman Islands Red Cross staff give lifeguard training courses in Bermuda. JameS Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Tourism Association president Ken Hydes is considering seeking another year in the job as the organization’s elections loom. Mr. Hydes, who has been in the role for two years, is one of four industry figure- heads automatically elected to the 14-member board of directors for next year, by virtue of winning the most votes in last year’s poll. CITA is currently ac- cepting nominations from its members for the other positions on the board, with a deadline of 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 18. The elections take place at CITA’s annual general meeting on April 22. A president is then se- lected by the new board of directors. Mr. Hydes said he had not ruled out leading the organi- zation again. “My two terms as presi- dent of the CITA have been very rewarding, with much accomplished during this time,” he said. “With that been said, I have not decided yet if I will seek the office of president again and in large part will be guided by the wishes of my peers. “Whatever the outcome of the election process is, I will certainly be there to support CITA and its initiatives and programs for years to come.” Tiffany Dixon-Ebanks, executive director of the as- sociation, added, “We look forward to a team of di- rectors who will work tire- lessly to champion the cause of this very valu- able industry and the ef- forts of the CITA. With the fact that tourism contrib- utes to so many other of the traditional sectors in the Cayman Islands economy, it is hoped that we will see a full list of potential candi- dates poised to contribute.” There are 14 board di- rector positions, repre- senting various CITA sec- tors: hotels, condos/villas, water sports, transporta- tion/airlines, restaurants/ nightclubs, cruise related, Sister Islands, land-based attractions and allied. Theresa Broderick (condos/villas); Brian Krug (transportation); Steven Hayes (restaurants) and Mr. Hydes (cruise) are all guaran- teed spots on the board be- cause of their performance in last year’s vote. CITA is currently accepting nominations from its members for the other positions on the board, with a deadline of 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 18. The elections take place at CITA’s annual general meeting on April 22. Tourism association seeks election candidates Mr. HydesThe 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. 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” Tuesday MarCh 17, 2015 • Cayman COmpass The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce has sounded a clarion call for all unemployed people in the country to be required to register with the govern- ment’s National Workforce Development Agency. Government could probably force all of them to sign up, particularly by linking enlistment with NWDA to enrollment in public social service benefits programs. But even if 100 percent of unemployed people did sign up with the NWDA, the best-case result would be the creation of a large database — not additional job opportunities. Forcing people to register with the NWDA belongs in the same category of ideas as the mandatory cancer registry and the national minimum wage. They are compulsive without being effective. Even if the measures are implemented completely and enforced fully, they will fail to address the problems which sparked their conception. Mandatory NWDA registration doesn’t get us any closer to solving Cayman’s unemployment troubles than a mandatory cancer registry does to finding a cure for cancer. What initiatives such as these do, more or less, is to mimic the motions of effective action, leaving the performers and their supporting audience with the feeling that something actually has been accomplished. Let us be straightforward: The only meaningful measure of the effectiveness of the NWDA is not how many clients are enrolled in its database but how many clients must be removed from that database because they have gained long-term employment. If Cayman’s unemployment problem were as dire as some individuals vocally contend, and if unemployed people thought that signing up with the NWDA would help them to secure jobs, the question of mandatory registration would never arise. The line at the agency’s office at Midtown Plaza would be snaking out the door and down the sidewalk ... as can often be seen just a few hundred yards down Elgin Avenue at the Depart- ment of Immigration. The following, we contend, is a more accurate por- trayal of the situation in Cayman: The unemployed population can be divided into three groups — those who are qualified and really want jobs (and so do not need to be prompted to approach the NWDA); those who are not qualified (and may be unemployable) and who may really want jobs; and those who quite frankly don’t want any sort of job at all (and who con- sequently are beyond the help of NWDA or any other earthly agency). An effective strategy toward combatting unemploy- ment is far more difficult and ambitious and includes increasing overall job opportunities by attracting new employers, reducing business costs and eliminating governmental red tape; and by improving the overall quality of the local workforce by educating the next generations of Caymanians to prepare them for the careers to which they aspire. Our officials would be well-advised not to confuse “process” with “progress” — because they are not the same, and one should never be allowed to masquerade as the other. Taking inventory of Cayman’s unemployment problem British elections promise a nasty constitutional crisis Clive Crook British politics seems to be heading for a consti- tutional crisis after elec- tions on May 7. Recent polls suggest the Scottish National Party will take al- most all of Scotland’s seats at Westminster from Labour. Regardless of whether Labour or the Tories lead a new government, the SNP’s support might be needed to pass legislation. A party com- mitted to breaking up Britain would be a decisive force in the union’s parliament. Conceivably, the SNP could make a good-faith ef- fort to help a Labour-led government run Britain Ideologically, after all, the two parties are well-aligned. But fruitful cooperation is unlikely. The SNP’s strategic interest will lie in crippling the Westminster system and making England its ally in the drive for Scottish inde- pendence. The more friction the SNP can cause – out- right paralysis, ideally – the louder will be the demands in the south for Scotland to go. Division, not good govern- ment, serves the SNP cause. That’s why the SNP is also unlikely to do the right thing by recusing itself from voting on English law. That would surrender its leverage – as well as making a Labour-SNP coalition largely impotent. Even if the party did commit to responsible all- Britain governance, the con- stitutional impropriety would be outrageous. The longstanding anomaly known as the West Lothian question would assume horrendous proportions. Scotland has its own parliament and a gen- erous measure of home rule. By what right, then, could its members in Westminster take it upon themselves to decide laws affecting England and Wales in the many areas of policy that have already been devolved to Holyrood? In short, it was wrong to think, as many did, that the SNP’s defeat in last year’s referendum settled the ques- tion of independence. Far from marginalizing the party and its cause, that loss has prompted a remarkable surge of support. One wonders why. On the face of it, the argument for independence looks much less appealing now than it did during the referendum campaign. The SNP’s case rested heavily on oil rev- enues. Its arithmetic was bogus even before oil prices plunged; today, making the numbers even seem to add up would be impossible. How come support for the SNP is so strong? I suspect many Scots are ashamed that they bowed to prudence last year. They feel that the SNP fought the better, nobler campaign (despite its fiscal dishonesty), and that the unionist side made a weak case and didn’t deserve to win. (Scottish Labour’s cam- paign for the union seems to have caused particular of- fense.) At any rate, many Scots voted reluctantly for the union. I think the polls ex- press a desire to atone for this timidity by sending the SNP in force to London. The Scots may not be thinking too hard about where this choice will actually lead. Whatever the cause of surging SNP support, a big SNP block in Westminster would be toxic to the union. Ed Miliband, Labour’s leader, has come under pres- sure to rule out a post-elec- tion pact with the SNP. Some Scottish Labour MPs like this idea because it could improve the party’s chances of turning back the SNP surge. You might expect Miliband to go along with it too. He’s telling Scots that a vote for the SNP is really a vote for the de- spised Tories – and this argu- ment would be stronger if he credibly promised to cut no deal with the SNP. But here’s Miliband’s dilemma: This promise, if kept, might very well deny him the ability to form a government, and keep him out of 10 Downing Street. However complex and un- predictable the short-term political maneuverings may be, Britain’s longer-term choices about its system of government come down to two. The first is outright in- dependence for Scotland. The Scots, if they thought about it, might want this less than they did before – but, regard- less, by sending SNP mem- bers to Westminster they’ll further destabilize the British constitution and energize support for Scottish indepen- dence in England. The other choice is moving Britain to a federal model. In principle, this may look attractive, but in prac- tice, it would be hard to pull off. Federal systems can tol- erate only so much imbal- ance among the constituent states, and Britain’s economy and population are just too heavily skewed toward England. In the end, Scots must get comfortable with being a small piece of a me- dium-sized nation – or else go it alone. Clive Crook is a Bloomberg View columnist and a member of the Bloomberg View editorial board. © 2015, Bloomberg News From CaymaNCompass.Com “Gimme shelter: Back to the drawing board,” March 16 I certainly agree that we should go back to the drawing board in making a good design even better. Yes, we should add the jetways, extend the runway to accom- modate longer-range aircraft. I say we stay first class on all things involving our airport and airplanes. Yes, we may think that $20 mil- lion extra is a lot of money but we have to remember that we have spent much more in areas where it was not needed. The airport re- structuring is necessary, and keeping our planes well maintained is necessary, so my suggestion is go for it. Twyla Vargas I disagree with the ne- cessity of jetways as I for one love exiting the confines of the jet into the beauty, sun, warmth and fresh Cayman air. The experience of exiting the jetway leaves me cold and is a sterile experience. The visitor could be anywhere as it is just another jetway. Keep the experience small and intimate and get rid of the machines for parking slips and replace them with smiling Caymanians. Jack augsbury I have been traveling through ORIA for 30 years (driftwood comes and goes) and I remember only getting rained on once. Most of the tropical showers that move through Cayman are short lived. Maybe we are getting too used to going from our air-conditioned houses to our air-conditioned cars to our air-conditioned offices. Open your windows and enjoy the Caribbean. Brian Tomlinson The truth is that air travel to and from the Cayman Islands for persons using wheelchairs and crutches is more than difficult – it is dan- gerous for everyone involved. Try showing up at Owen Roberts International Airport in a wheelchair and see how much you enjoy the experience. J.D. mosley-matchett With all that’s needed to bring Cayman’s airport into the future, it seems to me that it may just be best to build a new one and make a central park out of the ex- isting airport when it closes. Where will an extended run go anyway? michael Davis I have been a visitor to the Cayman Islands for more than 30 years, the last five in a wheelchair. I just request that the naysayers about jet- ways borrow a wheelchair, get it to the top of the stairs to the plane door, then see how you go down the stairs sitting in it! Enjoy. nav Fosse The problem identified by Nav Fosse and J.D. Mosley- Matchett is one I am very fa- miliar with because while still in her late-30s, my late sister was confined to a wheelchair for the final four years of her life but still con- tinued to travel regularly. The fact that ORIA has never invested in something like an Ambulift access vehicle or even adapted air stairs for wheelchairs is a disgrace, but it’s still not justification for jet- ways because there are viable alternative options. Arguing for jetways to be put in to cater for people with physical limitations is ig- noring a whole range of other tried and tested alternatives. David Williams The [Scottish National Party’s] strategic interest will lie in crippling the Westminster system and making England its ally in the drive for Scottish independence.5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday March 17, 2015 New Cuban arrivals seek asylum US vows no policy change on migrants Tad SToNer tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Washington will not change its “wet foot/dry foot” policy in the foreseeable fu- ture, U.S. Embassy officials said Monday, countering speculation among Cubans driving recent illegal emigra- tion from the island state. Meanwhile, local officials said some of the 37 refugees who landed on Cayman Brac at the weekend may seek po- litical asylum. “Some have given an indi- cation that they would like to apply for asylum,” said Gary Wong, deputy chief immi- gration officer. He declined to specify numbers, however, saying only “it is fewer than three or four.” “We have to be very careful about this,” he warned. “If word gets back to Cuba,” it could spark further depar- tures in greater numbers. Speaking to the Cayman Compass, a senior U.S. em- bassy official in Jamaica said January’s twice-an- nual Havana-Washington migration talks, staged in the Cuban capital this year, had addressed rampant ru- mors that Washington was on the verge of ending its 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act, and attendant 1995 wet foot/dry foot policy – which allows any mi- grant reaching U.S. shores to remain and, after one year and one day, to gain a “green card,” and apply for permanent residence. Havana has long sought changes in the policy, which officials claim drives illegal emigration from Cuba and il- legal entry into the U.S. The embassy spokesman told the Compass, “We don’t anticipate a change in that policy. We have been having these migration talks for multiple years, and there will be no change to the policy.” At the weekend, a 37-person boatload – including eight women – of Cuban migrants landed on Cayman Brac. The arrivals boosted to 44 the number of illegal immigrants now detained at the 70-person- capacity Immigration Reception Centre adjacent to HMS Fairbanks women’s prison in Fairbanks Road. “All 44 are being pro- cessed accordingly,” Mr. Wong said. “We will comply with the [Memorandum of Understanding].” The 10-point April 1999 Havana-George Town MOU details protocols for pro- cessing refugees, including identification, detention and repatriation. Asylum claim- ants are subject to a series of intensive interviews as officials seek to separate “economic” migrants from “political” migrants seeking shelter from persecution by Cuban authorities. Between 2011 and late 2014, immigration authori- ties interviewed 115 claim- ants, peaking at 42 in 2013. Only one of the 115 was granted asylum. In January, 88 Cubans passed through Cayman Brac, eclipsing 2014’s 24 per month average and 2013’s four per month. Since late January, more than 75 Cuban migrants have passed through or landed on Cayman Brac, not including last weekend’s 37 arrivals. Both Cuba and the Cayman islands have sought to amend the 1999 MOU, but have been unable to set a date to complete the talks that started in the autumn. Diplomats had initially hoped to complete negotiations by the end of 2014, but unre- solved issues and scheduling problems have interfered. “I haven’t heard any- thing,” Mr. Wong said of new discussions. In late January, Director of the North America Department of Cuba’s Foreign Ministry Josefina Vidal – Cuba’s chief nego- tiator in talks with the U.S. – said local authorities had found multiple people with fake documents seeking to touch base on American soil. “Cuba,” she said, “aspires to a normal relationship with the United States in the broadest sense, but also in the area of migration,” as U.S. delegates pointed out that, despite President Barack Obama’s Dec. 17 executive act, dramatically expanding U.S. contacts with Cuba, any changes to the Cuban Adjustment Act and the wet foot/dry foot policy required an act of Congress. After the December an- nouncement, however, illegal departures from Cuba spiked significantly as human traf- fickers spread rumors of U.S. policy changes, sparking new individual efforts to flee the country and boosting prices for a boat off the island to between US$8,000 and US$10,000. Following up on a sus- pected case of menin- gitis on island, the Public Health Department issued a statement to remind the public that the menin- gococcal vaccine MPSV4 is offered mainly to stu- dents attending school overseas, especially those who reside in dormito- ries, and travelers to coun- tries in which meningitis is endemic. Only those in need of the vaccines for the rea- sons noted are required to have the vaccine and may contact the depart- ment for an appointment to be vaccinated. Last week, the Public Health Department issued a statement saying it was maintaining a “heightened state of awareness and vigilance” regarding a sus- pected case of meningitis. Health officials were still awaiting laboratory test results in the case and were working with health authorities from overseas to determine whether a public health response was warranted. The department’s state- ment last Tuesday fol- lowed the death last month of a young man suspected of having the disease. Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Samuel Williams said other than that one suspected case, no other cases of sus- pected meningitis have been reported to the Public Health Department. For further information, contact the Public Health Department on 244-2648. Meningitis vaccine guidelines No deNgue or chikuNguNya this year Public health officials say Cayman has been free of dengue and chikungunya since the start of this year. According to the Caribbean Public Health Agency, there have been no confirmed local cases of chi- kungunya or dengue reported in Cayman since the begin- ning of 2015. However, health officials continue to monitor sus- pected cases of the illnesses. Between Feb. 1 and March 7, six suspected cases of chikun- gunya involving people with no travel history were sent for testing. During that period, local health officials received the results of six other tests – all negative – and are awaiting the results of seven others sent earlier, including one case dating back to last year. The total number of con- firmed chikungunya cases re- ported in the Cayman Islands is 44, health officials said in a statement released last week. Despite no new confirmed reports, Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Samuel Williams said the local public health surveillance team re- mains on high alert. As of March 7, 23,283 confirmed/probable cases of chikungunya have been reported by all CARPHA member states and 11 other Caribbean countries/territo- ries since the beginning of the outbreak in the region last year. The total number of suspected cases is 863,207.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. Tuesday March 17, 2015 • Cayman Compass 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. TOASTMASTERS: Grand Cayman Toastmasters Club meets at the George Town Public Library. 6 p.m. till 7:15 p.m. Contact George R. Ebanks on 916- 0687/322-9369 or georger. ebanks@gmail.com for more information. FRIDAY, MARCH 20 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 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. SUNDAY, MARCH 22 TENT MEETING: The New Testament Church of God, George Town, hosts a two- week tent meeting tonight through April 3, 7:30 p.m. Tent behind the church on North Sound Road. Speakers are Rev. Dennis Walton and Evangelist Arthur Grant from Jamaica. All are invited. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 FEAST OF ANNUNCIATION: St. George’s Anglican Church, Courts Road off Eastern Avenue. 6 p.m. Dramatized readings, music, liturgical dance, choral singing. Organized by the Mothers Union. All are invited. 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, Cayman Islands Hospital, 8-9 a.m. THURSDAY, MARCH 26 BRAC COURT: Today and tomorrow, Aston Rutty Centre, from 10 a.m. FRIDAY, MARCH 27 FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Today is the last day of the Professional First Impressions clothing drive 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: Today is the final day for guided tours of the exhibition “Luminescent Forms: Art Under the Microscope” for students of all ages at the National Gallery. By appointment only. 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. 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 BRAC BIKEATHON: The Rotary Club of Cayman Brac holds its annual Bike-a-Thon. Contact Dhallchand Seeram 916-2143 or dhalls@candw.ky for further details. 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 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. 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. OPEN CANVAS: Visual Arts Society supports this initiative at Karoo Restaurant located in Camana Bay. Wednesdays in 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. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay Artisans Market every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society has artists displaying arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale between noon and 8 p.m. near Karoo. For more information about being a displaying artist, contact info@ visualartcayman.com or 546-9422. MIND’S EYE: Free guided tours for up to eight people are offered at Mind’s Eye – The Visionary World of Miss Lassie, Cayman’s intuitive artist. Tours by appointment, 10-11 a.m., second and fourth Saturdays. Contact the Cayman National Cultural Foundation by email at admincncf@candw.ky or 949-5477. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, Thursday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc in good condition always needed. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:45 p.m. to assist with training athletes in track and field, bocce and football. Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Contact Penny McDowall, 516-2578, soci@candw.ky or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: Open Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at RC headquarters on Thomas Russell Way. Book bargain every Thursday and Friday, a bagful for $5. BETHESDA COUNSELING CENTRE: At 68 Mary St., caters to all who seek help. Call 946-6575. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Center is owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Tuesday March 17, 2015 the former chief superinten- dent of the RCIPS. He has since declined to comment about the issue and did so again on Monday. Crimes alleged In August 2014, RCIPS Commissioner David Baines alluded to the possibility that Mr. Bridger, Tempura’s former commanding officer, could be in some legal trouble over certain statements he made regarding the case, particu- larly criminal allegations Mr. Bridger made against the ter- ritory’s former governor and current attorney general. “Whilst the criminal alle- gations made by Mr. Bridger failed, were unsupported and unproved after analysis of all of the available evidence, it is correct to say that his account and publishing of data within the media led to counter allegations of crim- inal conduct being made in relation to his conduct,” the police statement, attributed to Mr. Baines, read. “Those allegations remain under in- vestigation and are subject to continued inquiry.” The police service did not specify who made the counter allegations against Mr. Bridger. However, Justice Owen’s 52-page ruling released Monday did specify criminal allegations against Mr. Bridger via an affidavit filed by former Crown Counsel Douglas Schofield on Dec. 19, 2014. The affidavit states in paragraph #16: “[Commissioner] Baines has authorized me to advise the court that Bridger is cur- rently being investigated for the following offences (1) misconduct in a public office, contrary to common law, (2) providing false information to a public officer ... (3) will- fully misleading a police of- ficer ... (4) making a false re- port to a police officer ... “In addition and in con- nection with the U.K. High Court civil action ... Bridger is under investigation for po- tential criminal charges in ei- ther the Cayman Islands or the U.K. relating to (5) theft of police property, (6) han- dling and/or possession of stolen property, (7) breaches of the U.K.’s Data Protection Act 1998. “I personally assisted the commissioner of police in the preparation of a file for pre- liminary review by Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Richards and I was present at the DPP’s office on Nov. 28, 2014 when the com- missioner delivered that file directly into her hands.” Mr. Bridger has said there would come a time when he would have to be interviewed as part of the RCIPS investi- gation. “I would be prepared to surrender myself for inter- view in the Cayman Islands, at a mutually agreed time, because that would then allow me to share some of the evidence which the com- missioner has not seen in making his assessment and justify why I originally made the allegation of crime.” Not over? Acting Information Commissioner Jan Liebaers said Monday that the exemp- tion referred to under section 16 [b] of Cayman’s Freedom of Information Law typically would apply only until the completion of any criminal investigation and any subse- quent trial that might arise. This raises the possibility that, at the end of what- ever case local police might pursue against Mr. Bridger, the “law enforcement” ex- emption would fall away and the records would be sub- ject to another Freedom of Information request. “Whether ultimately [the exemption applied] prevents publication of the whole of the governor’s report [or merely identified parts of it] or whether future events wholly undermine the basis for ... the exemption are all matters for the information commission to reconsider ... in light of the full exercise of his investigative powers,” Justice Owen’s ruling stated. Any subsequent request for the records would have to prove that the law en- forcement exemption did not apply and that no other new evidence had come to light that would allow the records to be withheld. How long an RCIPS probe involving alleged statements by Mr. Bridger might take is unknown. Seven months have passed since Mr. Baines first publicly alluded to the crim- inal probe, and Mr. Bridger said recently that he was not aware of any charges being filed against him in the case. The information commis- sioner also has the right to appeal Justice Owen’s de- cision. Kyle Broadhurst, acting as attorney for the of- fice, said that option would be considered. The records The records in ques- tion relate to a 2010 com- plaint initially filed by the Tempura probe’s former legal adviser, Martin Polaine, which was car- ried forward later by Mr. Bridger. The complaint, which alleges misconduct by certain Cayman Islands ju- dicial and legal figures in- volved in the Tempura probe, was dismissed by then- Cayman Islands Governor Taylor, who said the claims in Mr. Bridger’s complaint amounted to defamation. Mr. Taylor used a 185-page evaluation of the complaint, completed by U.K. attorney Ben Aina, to aid in his dis- missal of the claim. Retired Cayman Islands journalist and U.K. citizen John Evans filed an open records request under the Cayman Islands Freedom of Information Law in February 2012 for both the complaint and the gover- nor’s evaluation of it. The governor’s office denied the request, a decision that was later overturned by the in- formation commissioner. Mr. Taylor challenged the information commissioner’s decision by way of judicial review. That case, following a first hearing in late 2013 when it was sent back to the information commissioner’s office for further consider- ation, headed back to court in February 2015. In the end, Justice Owen decided that an ongoing criminal investigation targeting Mr. Bridger still allowed the governor’s office to exempt those records from release. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Judge rules to keep Tempura documents from public Dinosaurs anD aliens unDer microscope at stem 2015 James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Alien worlds, meat-eating dinosaurs, interstellar travel, drone technology and lion- fish are some of the diverse topics under discussion at the Science Technology Engineering and Math con- ference, starting Tuesday. Stephon Alexander, a pro- fessor at New Hampshire’s Dartmouth college and a National Geographic Explorer, will give the keynote speech to open the conference at the University College of the Cayman Islands. Dr. Alexander, a theoret- ical physicist who specializes in cosmology, particle physics and quantum gravity, will also speak about his work during the conference on Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, Ed Guinan, a professor of as- tronomy and astrophysics, will speak on the possibilities of interstellar travel. Francois Therrien, curator of Dinosaur Paleoecology at Canada’s Royal Tyrrell, Museum will speak later on Wednesday on “lean, mean killing machines” – a look at the paleobiology of meat- eating dinosaurs. All talks are free and open to the public. Tuesday’s opening ceremony starts at 6 p.m. The full schedule can be seen at www.stem.ky. Police describe battling marathon bombers in escape attempt BOSTON (AP) — Three po- lice officers on Monday de- scribed an onslaught of gunfire and bombs thrown during a violent confron- tation with the Boston Marathon bombers days after the deadly attack and one suspect’s furious es- cape in a stolen car that ended with him dragging his brother’s lifeless body through the street. The Watertown officers, testifying Monday in the federal death penalty trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, de- scribed a ferocious gun battle that began early on April 19, 2013, after an of- ficer spotted a carjacked Mercedes SUV on a quiet residential street. During the ensuing shootout, officers said, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his brother, Tamerlan, hurled ex- plosives at police, including two pipe bombs and one pressure-cooker bomb sim- ilar to the bombs used near the marathon finish line that killed three people and in- jured more than 260 others. Joseph Reynolds, the first officer there, said he “locked eyes” with the driver of the stolen SUV, a man later iden- tified as Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Reynolds said Tamerlan Tsarnaev got out of the car and began firing at him. “All I could see was muzzle flashes,” he said. “I couldn’t count it. It was non- stop.” The shots continued as other officers began to ar- rive, Reynolds said. He saw a wick and a lighter and then watched as an object flew through the air, landed in the street and exploded, he said, shaking him to his knees. “I could feel all the de- bris landing on top of me,” he said. Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese said he cut through backyards to get closer to the bombers and eventually could see their feet illuminated by car headlights. He said he aimed at the ground near their feet to have the bullets ricochet into their ankles. While he was doing that, Tamerlan saw him and came charging up the street firing at him, said Pugliese, who fired back. The two men came face to face, with only 6 to 8 feet separating them, Pugliese said. But Tamerlan had a problem with his pistol, the officer said. “He kind of looked at his gun. He looked at me. We looked at each other,” Pugliese said. “I think out of frustration, he threw his gun at me.” Pugliese said Tamerlan began to run away, but he tackled him. Tamerlan con- tinued to struggle as three officers tried to handcuff him, even though he was wounded and bleeding, Pugliese said. That’s when they saw the stolen car speeding toward them with Dzhokhar behind the wheel, Pugliese said. The officer stepped out of the witness box to dem- onstrate how he tried to pull Tamerlan out of the way and rolled over to get out of the car’s path himself. “The black SUV, it was right in my face,” he said. “I looked down, and I saw the front wheels were over Tamerlan.” Dzhokhar ran over his brother and dragged his body 25 to 30 feet, Pugliese said. He also struck a po- lice car before he made his escape. After a massive manhunt and door-to-door search, Dzokhar was found hiding in a boat parked in a back- yard in Watertown. Earlier Monday, jurors went to see the bullet-ridden boat, which was brought to a location in South Boston. The Associated Press was one of two news organiza- tions and three courtroom sketch artists allowed to see the boat and provide pool coverage for the media. The 18 jurors walked around the outside of the boat and peered inside, while Tsarnaev, flanked by three attorneys and U.S. marshals, watched impas- sively from a table about 50 feet away. As a defendant, Tsarnaev had a right to be present at the viewing. The red and white boat is covered with more than 100 bullet holes marked individually with small pieces of white evidence tape. One of the boat’s two front widows is shot out almost completely. Jurors took notes and then went two at a time onto a lift to look inside the vessel, which was on a trailer parked on a flatbed. In this courtroom sketch, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, center seated, is depicted between defense attorneys while the boat in which he was captured sits on a trailer for observation during his federal death penalty trial in Boston. - pHoto: apThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Tuesday March 17, 2015 Israeli candidates make last appeals Israeli politicians were making their final appeals to voters on Monday, a day before the country was to decide whether to give embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu another term in office. Syria’s Assad dismissive of Kerry remark on negotiations DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad said Monday that only Syrians can decide his fu- ture – apparently dismissing U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s remark that the U.S. would be willing to talk with Assad to help broker a polit- ical resolution to the coun- try’s civil war. Asked about Kerry’s state- ment regarding potential talks with the Syrian gov- ernment, Assad said, “We are still hearing statements and have to wait for actions. Then we will decide.” Assad added that any “talk about the fu- ture of the Syrian president is for Syrian people alone.” Assad said Damascus is not concerned about com- ments made from abroad, describing them as “bub- bles that disappear after some time.” The Syrian leader spoke to Iranian TV after a meeting with visiting Iranian Economy Minister Ali Tayebnia. Tehran is one of Assad’s closest allies and strongest backers in his battle against rebels trying to remove him from power. Kerry said in an interview with “CBS News” that the U.S. is pushing for Assad to se- riously discuss a transition strategy to help end Syria’s four-year conflict, which has killed more than 220,000 people since it started four years ago. Some in the Middle East saw Kerry’s statement as a shift in America’s policy on Syria after President Barack Obama’s repeated calls for Assad to step down. Damascus has long accused Washington and its allies of militarizing Syria’s conflict. Last year, the U.S. joined talks in Switzerland with Assad’s foreign minister and members of the U.S.-backed moderate Syrian opposition, but those talks failed when Assad’s representatives re- fused to discuss how to create a transition government. Asked about Kerry’s state- ment regarding potential talks with the Syrian gov- ernment, the French Foreign Ministry said Paris’s position opposing talks with Assad re- mained unchanged. The main Western-backed opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition, said in a statement Monday that “bringing down the head of the regime and all offi- cials responsible for crimes against the Syrian people are a main goal of the coalition.” Assad said that inter- national overtures are pos- itive “if they are sincere.” He added that such a move should start with “ceasing political support to terrorists, stop financing them and stop sending weapons.” He said that pres- sure should be exerted on European countries and re- gional states who give “lo- gistical, financial and mili- tary support to terrorists and then we can say that the change has become real.” Also Monday, Syria’s Minister of National Reconciliation, Ali Haidar said the Americans “are searching behind the scene” for some way to reopen a direct line of communication with the Syrian leadership to negotiate a political compromise. “The change has come as a result of a failure in the U.S. policies after a four-year-long crisis,” Haidar said in an in- terview with The Associated Press. He added that all states have “agreed that a po- litical solution doesn’t abso- lutely mean a prior condition that President Assad should step down.” “All have figured out that this condition is non- objective and unachiev- able and there is no power to implement it on ground,” Haidar said. This photo released on the official Facebook page of the Syrian Presidency shows Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, meeting with Iranian minister of economy and financial affairs, Ali Tayebnia, on Monday in Damascus. - Photo: AP Man, 20, accused of shooting officers at Ferguson protest CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) — A man charged in the shooting of two police officers during a demonstration in Ferguson told investigators he was not targeting law enforcement and had been aiming for someone with whom he was in dispute. Announcing charges against Jeffrey Williams on Sunday, St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch said he believed the 20-year- old suspect attended the pro- test last week before the shoot- ings. Activists said Williams wasn’t a consistent fixture in their tight-knit group. “We’re not sure we com- pletely buy that part of it,” McCulloch said of Williams’ contention that he did not fire at the officers. Williams is charged with two counts of first-degree as- sault, one count of firing a weapon from a vehicle and three counts of armed crim- inal action. McCulloch said there may have been other people in the vehicle with Williams and that the inves- tigation is ongoing. The police officers were shot early Thursday as a late-night demonstration outside the Ferguson Police Department began to break up. The protest followed the resignation of city Police Chief Tom Jackson in the wake of a Justice Department report that found widespread racial bias in the police department. County police spokesman Brian Schellman said Monday that the officers are both white and St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar has identified Williams as black. But Schellman said it was not clear if race played a role in the shooting. “He was out there earlier that evening as part of the demonstration,” McCulloch said of Williams. But several activists who’ve been involved in the protests since the Aug. 9 fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer told The Associated Press they were not familiar with Williams. Williams used a handgun that matches the shell cas- ings at the scene, McCulloch said. He also said tips from the public led to the arrest. Williams is being held on $300,000 bond. He was ap- pearing in county court in Clayton Monday morning. Schellman said he didn’t know whether Williams had an attorney or when he’d ap- pear in court. A message left at the St. Louis County Justice Center was not imme- diately returned. Brittany Ferrell, 26, a pro- test leader with the group Millennial Activists United, had just left a meeting with other leaders Sunday when word of the arrest circulated. She said no one in the group knew Williams, and they checked with other frequent protesters – who also hadn’t heard of him. Ferrell suspected McCulloch tried to cast him as a protester to reflect negatively on the movement. “This is a fear tactic,” she said. “We are very tight-knit. We know each other by face if not by name, and we’ve never seen this person before.” John Gaskin, a St. Louis NAACP leader, said of Williams, “I don’t know him. I’ve never seen him.” Williams, a north St. Louis County resident, was on pro- bation for receiving stolen property, McCulloch said. “I think there was a warrant out for him on that because he had neglected to report for the last seven months to his probation officer,” he said. Online state court records show a man by the name of Jeffrey Williams at the ad- dress police provided Sunday was charged in 2013 with re- ceiving stolen property and fraudulent use of a credit/ debit device. There was no answer at the door at the small, ranch- style home. Several neigh- bors, including the people just across the street, said they didn’t know Williams. But one, 26-year-old Jason White, said “He was cool. I never heard of him doing nothing to nobody.” Attorney General Eric Holder said in a state- ment Sunday that the arrest “sends a clear message that acts of violence against our law enforcement personnel will never be tolerated” and praised “significant coopera- tion between federal authori- ties and the St. Louis County Police Department.” Belmar previously called the shooting “an ambush,” and had said the two offi- cers easily could have died, like two New York City of- ficers who were shot and killed in their police cruiser in December. A 41-year-old St. Louis County officer was shot in the right shoulder, the bullet exiting through his back. A 32-year-old officer from Webster Groves was wearing a riot helmet with the face shield up. He was shot in the right cheek, just below the eye, and the bullet lodged behind his ear. The officers were released from the hos- pital later Thursday, and Belmar said Sunday that they “were getting better, not get- ting worse.” The Ferguson police de- partment has been a national focal point since Brown, who was black and unarmed, was killed by now-former po- lice officer Darren Wilson. A grand jury led by McCulloch declined to indict Wilson in November, and Wilson was cleared of civil rights charges by a Justice Department re- port released March 4. But a separate Justice Department report found widespread racial bias in the city’s policing and in a mu- nicipal court system driven by profit extracted from mostly black and low-income resi- dents. Six Ferguson officials, including Jackson, have re- signed or been fired since the federal report was released. Williams is charged with two counts of first-degree assault, one count of firing a weapon from a vehicle and three counts of armed criminal action. Kerry said in an interview with “CBS News” that the U.S. is pushing for Assad to seriously discuss a transition strategy to help end Syria’s four-year conflict. Mr. Williams10 WORLD&REGIONAL Tuesday March 17, 2015 • Cayman Compass Afghan army kills commander of Islamic State affiliate KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Afghan army killed a militant commander who had claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, the Ministry of Defense said on Monday. In an operation in the southern Helmand prov- ince, long a hotbed of insur- gent activity, Hafiz Wahidi and nine of his men were killed, the ministry said in a statement. Wahidi is the second militant com- mander who claimed links to the extremist IS group, to be killed in Helmand. His uncle, Adbul Rauf Khadim, was killed in a drone strike in February. Khadim was a former Taliban commander who had switched allegiance and aligned his followers with the Islamic State group, which controls about a third of Iraq and Syria in a self-declared caliphate. He had allegedly set up an IS recruiting network across southern Afghanistan. Officials have voiced concern about the IS pres- ence in Afghanistan though the group’s real strength in the country is unknown. President Ashraf Ghani has mentioned the threat posed by the group in re- cent speeches and is due to visit Washington next week – where he is expected to re- quest an extension of the American military presence as his government battles the Taliban, al-Qaida and possibly IS on a number of fronts. Monday’s operation in Helmand appears to have been part of a major mili- tary offensive against the Taliban and other insurgent groups ahead of the warm- weather fighting season. After being cleared from a number of its strongholds in the past two months, the Taliban has launched a fero- cious backlash with suicide bombings and attacks on police and civilians. French police on trial for teen deaths that kicked off riots CLICHY-SOUS-BOIS, France (AP) — Some things have changed since riots swept across France’s troubled neighbor- hoods a decade ago. Public money has funded glis- tening new housing projects with Mondrian-style color schemes, roads have been re- paved, tramways installed and new sports and cultural facilities have been built. But to many French youths of black and Arab de- scent, the face-lift is just a Band-Aid. The new buildings simply mask a severe lack of job prospects for those from immigrant backgrounds, a two-track French justice system and entrenched dis- crimination across French so- ciety that offers little-to-no exit from dead-end futures. Roiling suspicions that French justice may not be colorblind come as two po- lice officers went on trial Monday for allegedly failing in their legal responsibility to help “people in danger” – no- tably two minority teenagers whose electrocution deaths in 2005 set off a three-week wave of rioting across France. A decade later, the country is still struggling to mend such social problems – a task that has taken on crit- ical importance since three French radicals from poor, minority backgrounds killed 17 people in Paris in January – France’s worst terrorist at- tacks in decades. Mainstream French polit- ical parties, meanwhile, are seeing the far-right capitalize on broad feelings of insecu- rity and frustration about joblessness. On Oct. 27, 2005, Clichy- sous-Bois, a hardscrabble suburb worlds away from rich central Paris, became the epicenter of three weeks of car burnings and clashes between French youths and police. The trigger was the electrocution deaths of Zyed Benna, 17, and Bouna Troare, 15, while they hid from police in a power substation after entering an off-limits con- struction site. By the end of the riots, more than 10,000 cars had been torched, 300 buildings damaged or destroyed and 1,300 people had been con- victed of violent offenses. Many see the trial of offi- cers Sebastien Gaillemin, 41, and Stephanie Klein, 38, as a chance to get answers about how the riots started and see if anyone in authority can be held to account. For years, prosecutors have sought to block any trial and it’s only happening because France’s highest court stepped in. The five-day trial began in the distant jurisdiction of Rennes in western France. If con- victed, Gaillemin and Klein could face up to five years in prison and 75,000 euros (US$79,000) each in fines. When it comes to feelings of discrimination, Clichy- sous-Bois and towns like it are France’s closest an- swer to Ferguson, Missouri. While America has tough inner cities, France’s down- trodden have been consigned to giant housing projects in suburbs on the outskirts of major cities. While many in- justices in the United States are rooted in racism and slavery, France’s legacy with its ethnic minorities is post- colonial — many housing project inhabitants have family roots in North or sub- Saharan Africa. Ultimately, some say, money can’t buy the real remedy: A change in attitude among France’s white ma- jority and power elite that opens up opportunities to underprivileged minorities. Prime Minister Manuel Valls recently denounced “apartheid” in France – ad- mittedly a powerful term, clearly aimed at shaking up public opinion in favor of more inclusion. “The elites in France are white, over 60 years old, an oligarchical class — and those with North African or black origins have trouble getting in,” said Nadir Kahia, president of Banlieue Plus, a group that tries to re- shape poor suburban neigh- borhoods and give residents back their dignity. “This dom- inant minority won’t give us the keys. These elites have trouble handing things over.” Yet hopes for more inclu- siveness in France may be fading. The far-right, anti- immigration National Front party has surged in the polls in recent months, riding frus- tration about entrenched un- employment, sluggish growth and political fat cats. The party has tapped into fears about radical Islam and both anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic attacks have been on the rise. Meanwhile, the French- born children of immigrants feel that recent efforts they have made – like surging to the polls to help President Francois Hollande and his fellow Socialists win elec- tion in 2012 – have gone unreciprocated. “Over the past 10 years, these 8 or 9 million people who live in these working class districts have had the impression of not being rec- ognized as full French citi- zens but as French on the margins, that the republic has forgotten some of its children,” said Mohamed Mechmache, president of the civic association ACLeFeu. He said the political and social “awakening” in France’s poor suburbs was the most positive result of the 2005 riots. His group has polled cities and villages across France to sound out public opinion, and is preparing a new list of grievances for the 10-year anniversary of the boys’ deaths this fall. In Clichy-sous-Bois, some residents hail refurbish- ments: A new tramway is in the works to help end its near-isolation from Paris public transport, and the el- evators are finally operating again in the towering, 1,500- unit Chene Pointu housing project. But several young men complained of continued police harassment, calling the infrastructure improve- ments superficial. “There are still no jobs, the police break our balls,” said Ibrahim Sidibe, 23, out- side Clichy’s main shopping center. He lamented at how long it has taken for the two policemen to go on trial over the teens’ deaths. “Imagine that two people get killed, and you have to wait 10 years for this - aw! If I were to kill a police officer, believe me, I think I would be naked at the station, and I can’t even imagine what would happen next,” he said. “What happened to Zyed and Bouna could have happened to anybody here.” In this October 2006 photo, a resident walks past portrayals of Zyed Benna, rear left, and Bouna Traore, who died after being electrocuted in a power substation in Clichy-Sous-Bois, outside Paris. The government has made changes since a wave of riots swept up France’s troubled neighborhoods a decade ago. - Photo: AP Putin reappears after 10-day absence, looks healthy ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin resurfaced Monday, smiling and looking his normal self after a 10-day absence from public view that fueled a wave of rumors about his health. Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, who met with Putin in St. Petersburg’s ornate Konstantin Palace on Monday, referred to the swirling spec- ulation about Putin by noting that the Russian leader was in good shape. He said Putin drove him around the pal- ace’s park before the talks, adding that “the president of Russia not only walks, but speeds around.” “It would be dull without gossip,” Putin retorted with a smile. The 62-year-old Russian leader was last seen in public on March 5, when he hosted Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. The Kremlin insisted that he continued holding of- ficial meetings after that, and released photos and video of Putin at meetings on national television, but Russian media suggested the images had ac- tually been shot much earlier. Putin’s decision to abruptly postpone a trip to Kazakhstan planned for last week fueled speculation that he was unwell or isolated by a palace coup. A Swiss news- paper claimed that Putin had traveled to Switzerland, where it said his reported girlfriend – former Olympic gold-winning gymnast Alina Kabayeva – had given birth to their baby. The Kremlin has denied all those allegations. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov greeted reporters Monday with sarcastic re- marks: “So, have you seen the president paralyzed and seized by the generals? He has just come back from Switzerland, where he at- tended the delivery.” Asked if Putin’s condition required treatment by an os- teopath, the spokesman re- torted: “Yes, the osteopath was with the generals.” President Putin In an operation in the southern Helmand province, long a hotbed of insurgent activity, Hafiz Wahidi and nine of his men were killed, the ministry said in a statement.Next >