ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Wednesday april 8, 2015 SportS | page 22 Woods hopes practice makes perfect Tiger hopes to break seven-year drought High of 86 Low of 74 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. editorial | page 4 the use, misuse and abuse of the media Teen TourisT criTically injured in road accidenT Motorist arrested for alleged dangerous driving James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 16-year-old American tourist was in critical condition in hospital after being hit by a mini-van while crossing the road out- side the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort on Monday. The driver of the Suzuki mini-van, a 66-year-old Cayman Islands resident, was ar- rested on suspicion of dangerous driving and was in police custody on Tuesday evening. The accident occurred on a busy stretch of road close to both the Marriott and Comfort Suites hotels on one side and several bars and restaurants, including Coconut Joe’s, on the other side. A section of the road around the accident site was closed to traffic Monday evening, following the incident at 9 p.m. Concerns have been raised in the past about low lighting and speeding traffic along that section of road, which is a busy area for tourists. In one high-profile accident last year, two SUVs collided at the site, sending one of the vehicles crashing into the patio of Coconut Joe’s restaurant. A proposal to reduce the speed limit to 30 miles per hour on West Bay Road has been under discussion for several years, but no changes have been made as yet, the National Roads Authority said Tuesday. A series of traffic calming measures, in- cluding new crosswalks, were introduced along the road in response to previous accidents. Ken Hydes, president of the Cayman Islands Tourism Authority, said, “Certainly the measures put in place have given some respite to people trying to cross the road. Is it time to Frustration on roads as traffic congestion increases James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than 2,000 additional vehicles were on Cayman’s roads in 2014, fueling rising traffic congestion in and around George Town. According to the Department of Vehicle and Driver’s Licensing, 35,885 vehicles were li- censed in 2014, compared to 33,649 in 2013. “There are too many cars on the road. If we keep going like this, over a period of time, we are not going to be able to go any- where,” said Inspector Adrian Barnett, head of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service traffic department. Commuters from the eastern districts have reported the worsening traffic congestion, saying it can take up to an hour to travel to George Town from Savannah at peak times in the morning. The same trip outside of rush hour ordinarily takes around 10 minutes. Government and the National Roads Authority have embarked on a road-widening program which they believe will eventually help relieve congestion. Wil Pineau, chief executive officer of the Chamber of Commerce, said traffic is- sues are an ongoing source of frus- tration for businesses. “Traffic congestion is becoming a way of life for many motorists, with delays during busy morning and afternoon commutes,” he said. “As Cayman’s population and the number of vehicles increases, traffic will become an even bigger issue in the future. There is a need Cayman Islands Fire Service officers attempt to put out a fire on a utility pole moments before the top snapped off. The pole fire caused a power outage of about two hours in many sections of George Town on Tuesday morning. - PhoTo: Taneos ramsay Power outage disrupts businesses, traffic, courts alan markoff amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com A nearly two-hour power outage Tuesday morning disrupted George Town residents and businesses, many of which were just reopening after the four-day Easter holiday. The power outage, which began at 9:17 a.m., was caused by a utility pole fire on North Sound Road in the vicinity of the Public Works Department offices. “The fire was the result of accumulation of sea salt on the pole and subsequent rain- fall,” the Caribbean Utilities Company said in a press release. CUC said the power outage affected 1,795 customers – which included large business customers – in central George Town and along Dorcy Drive, Bobby Thompson Way, Hospital Road, South Church Street and Cricket Square. According to CUC, power was restored to all customers by 11.11 a.m. The top of the pole that burned even- tually snapped, leaving it dangling with electrical wires attached. CUC said the pole was being replaced. However, power PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Wednesday april 8, 2015 • Cayman Compass Reshawn Alonzo Smith 8:55am For a special boy, who‛s turning ELEVEN today. Wishing you a wonderful day with lots of fun! HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY. Love you always Mum, Don & Amber 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 y x FURIOUS 7 (PG13) 12:45 I 1:30 I 3:45 I 4:30 I 6:45 I 7:30 I 9:45 INSURGENT 3D (PG13) 1:00 | 4:00 2D | 7:00 | 9:55 2D GET HARD (R) 1:15 I 3:40 I 7:10 I 10:00 HOME 3D (PG) 12:20 I 2:45 2D I 5:05 I 7:20 2D I 9:50 CINDERELLA (PG) 12:45 | 3:30 | 6:50 | 9:40 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - WEDNESDAY - $8.00 Review of Cuba as terror sponsor in ‘final stages’ WASHINGTON (AP) — White House officials left open the possibility Tuesday that President Obama could rec- ommend Cuba’s removal from a list of state sponsors of terror around the time of the Summit of the Americas later this week in Panama. The officials also sought to soften tensions with Venezuela that threatened to overshadow the summit. Deputy National Security adviser Benjamin Rhodes said the State Department’s review of Cuba’s place on that terror list is in “its final stages.” While he said the timing is in the hands of Secretary of State John Kerry, he would not rule out an Obama announcement be- fore or during the two-day summit in Panama City. Removing Cuba from the terror list would be one of the biggest developments since Dec. 17, when Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced they would seek to re-establish diplo- matic relations after half a century of antagonism. But Rhodes cautioned that the actual opening of embassies in Havana and in Washington by both countries was still some time off. “When you have two coun- tries that haven’t spoken to each other like this in over 50 years, you have lot of issues to work through,” Rhodes said in a call previewing Obama’s trip to Jamaica and then to the summit in Panama. Obama leaves for the Caribbean on Wednesday. Among the issues that have slowed the diplomatic efforts have been Cuba’s presence on the terror list and U.S. demands that U.S. diplomats be able to in- teract with the Cuban people without limitations. The normalization of re- lations with Cuba was to be one of the centerpieces of the summit Friday and Saturday in Panama city. The U.S. has repeatedly objected to Cuba’s participation in the periodic assembly of leaders from the Americas. But the U.S. dropped its opposition this year. Instead, the Obama ad- ministration has aimed its indignation at Venezuela over President Nicolas Maduro’s crackdown on dissent and his imprisonment of polit- ical opponents. Seeking to put pressure on Maduro, Obama signed an executive order slapping sanctions on seven Nicaraguans. Maduro and his al- lies in the region, including Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa, have characterized the sanctions as an act of ag- gression, citing language in the Obama executive order that describes Venezuela as a threat to U.S. security. Police officers injured in attack in Mexico MEXICO CITY (AP) — An at- tack on a police convoy in the western Mexico state of Jalisco has left at least some officers wounded, marking the latest in a growing series of confrontations between law enforcement and a local criminal gang. The Jalisco state pros- ecutors’ office said several officers had been hit in the shootout late Monday in a rural area, but did not say if any of them had died. Some local media re- ported as many as 15 dead. The prosecutors’ of- fice could not confirm those accounts Tuesday. On March 19, gunmen in Jalisco ambushed a federal police convoy, killing five of- ficers. On March 30, gunmen ambushed and tried to kill the state security commissioner. Jalisco is home to a drug cartel known as “Jalisco New Generation,” which experts say is now among Mexico’s most powerful. Prosecutors would not say whether that gang was involved in the attack. But they did say last month’s ambush on the se- curity commissioner’s convoy – in which he escaped un- harmed – was in retalia- tion for the March 23 killing of gang boss Heriberto Acevedo Cardenas, who was nicknamed “El Gringo.” Jalisco state prosecutor Luis Carlos Najera had pre- viously identified Acevedo Cardenas as the mastermind behind a May 2014 ambush of Mexican army troops in another part of Jalisco state that killed four soldiers and injured two more. Authorities said at the time that attack was car- ried out by the Jalisco New Generation cartel in reprisal for the army’s seizure of stolen gasoline. Such large-scale am- bushes of security offi- cials and Mexican army pa- trols are relatively rare in Mexico outside the border state of Tamaulipas. Grand Court jurors date ChanGed The Grand Court jury re- port date has been changed. Grand Court Jurors who are in the April 1 to June 30 session should report at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday, April 8. For the most up-to- date information, call the Jury Information Line on 945-5072. arrest in Bahamas slayinG of retired doCtor from Canada NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Bahamian police investi- gating the stabbing death of a retired doctor from Canada have arrested a suspect who likely will be charged with murder. Geoffrey Harding, an 88-year-old former resi- dent of British Columbia, was slain last week at his home on Long Island, a sparsely populated part of the Bahamas. Assistant Commissioner Stephen Dean of the Royal Bahamas Police Force said authorities believe the 43-year-old suspect killed Harding during a robbery. President Barack Obama may recommend removing Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism when he attends the Summit of the Americas this week in Panama. - Photo: aP3 LOCAL NEWS Six migrants on the run James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Six Cuban migrants were still on the run Tuesday after breaking out of the Immigration Detention Centre on Sunday night. They were among a group of 11 detainees who broke through a metal grilled window and escaped through a fence at the detention center in Fairbanks, George Town. Prison authorities say four of the men were recaptured after an extensive search of the area. Another man turned himself in to West Bay Police Station on Monday. The others were being hunted by police and Immigration authorities Tuesday. Holding center nearing capacity The detention center has been overwhelmed with Cuban migrants since the start of the year. At the time of Sunday’s escape, there were 42 detainees at the facility, putting it at the brink of ca- pacity in the occupied portion. Raquel Solomon, spokesman for the prison service, acknowledged that the detention center is harder to manage due to the growing number of Cuban migrants arriving on Cayman’s shores. “Certainly it makes it more of a challenge in terms of resources,” she said. “The more detainees that are there, the more they are able to agi- tate each other.” She said there are often only several migrants at the facility, but that re- sources need to be diverted from other areas to help manage the large increase in detainees. Another makeshift Cuban boat was spotted off Colliers Beach in East End on Saturday. Witnesses said the men appeared to have pulled up on shore and set up a temporary camp on the beach before moving on later in the day. Gary Wong, deputy chief immigration officer, con- firmed that a boat had been sighted off Colliers and had since carried on its journey. Increase in migrant numbers Officials last month said that the thawing of relations between the U.S. and Cuba appears to be behind the in- crease in migrant arrivals. In the wake of U.S. President Barack Obama’s policy shift toward opening up relations between the two countries, many Cubans fear the Cuban Adjustment Act may be sus- pended or abolished. The Act confers special status for Cubans who make it to U.S. soil, allowing them to qualify for expedited legal perma- nent resident status, and eventually U.S. citizenship. Wesley Howell, deputy chief officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs, said concerns that the Act may be abolished appeared to be fueling an in- crease in the number of mi- grants trying to reach the U.S. More than 160 Cuban mi- grants were estimated to have shown up in Cayman’s waters in the first three months of 2015, compared with 24-per-month on av- erage in 2014. The prison service is cur- rently helping police in the search for the missing de- tainees and asks anyone who knows the whereabouts of the men to call 911. A statement from the prison service warned people not to approach the men but to call the police if they en- counter them. Of the 11 men who origi- nally escaped on Sunday, one had been at the center since December, six arrived on the Brac in March and four were brought to the island by a cruise ship in March. “The public is also re- minded that assisting a de- tainee is a crime and anyone who is found to aid or abet the detainees may be pros- ecuted,” the statement from the prison service noted. Cayman Compass • Wednesday april 8, 2015 Cubans break out of detention center The detention center has been overwhelmed with Cuban migrants since the start of the year. Authorities are seeking missing Cubans: Clockwise from left, Leordany Valdes Gonzalez, Orlando Ojito Pereira, Yeimy Pino Rodriguez, Carlos Silvera Merino, Alfredo Ruano Perez and Genny Maikel Maceo Milanes.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. The use, misuse and abuse of the media Wednesday apriL 8, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Media critic Howard Kurtz describes the recent rape story debacle in Rolling Stone magazine as “one of the worst journalistic catastrophes of the last half century.” He’s correct and, for those not paying attention, he’s referring to Rolling Stone’s 9,000-word article centered on an alleged gang rape of a University of Virginia coed they called “Jackie” that was described in graphic detail, but up to this point has never been substantiated by factual evidence or anybody other than “Jackie.” The author of the article, Sabrina Rubin Erdely, had been searching for a perfect source (she found her in “Jackie”), and a perfect school (University of Virginia with its “politically correct” president Teresa A. Sullivan), to put forth her preconceived notion about “what it’s like to be on campus now … where not only is rape so prevalent but also that there’s this pervasive culture of sexual harassment/rape culture.” This incident ought to have every news department in every news media outlet, including those in Cayman, examining their own practices and re-examining their own responsibilities to the readers they serve. Senior faculty members from the Columbia Jour- nalism School produced a lengthy (although we believe flawed) report documenting three primary failures by the magazine in reporting, editing, editorial supervision and fact-checking. According to the Columbia investigators, Rolling Stone erred in its cavalier use of pseudonyms, its failure to check derogatory information with the people being disparaged and its failure to provide sufficient details to subjects from whom they were seeking responses. We prefer the assessment of Mr. Kurtz: “Anybody who’s been in the journalism business for three weeks knows that people tell all kinds of false stories. It’s your job to check and to double check, especially with such heinous allegations that roiled the University of Virginia campus, that set back the whole sensitivity about sexual assault, that libeled this fraternity. … this is a classic case of an activist reporter at a magazine that wanted to launch a crusade.” To compound this journalistic malpractice, Rolling Stone is standing by its reporter who, it has announced, will continue to contribute to the magazine. To be clear, any journalist who tried this at the Compass would be summarily fired — no warnings, no retraining, no lateral moves to “another department.” Along with the “pink slip,” we would be happy to con- tribute a fistful of dollars to cover the taxi cab fare to the nearest labor lawyer if the employee so desired. Each day on the front page of the Compass, we print our motto: “The islands’ most-trusted news source.” It’s more than a slogan. Every local article that appears in the Compass undergoes a series of checks, cross-checks, and fact checks before it’s sent off to the printing press. It’s a tedious, but necessary (and expensive), process. And yet, we still make mistakes — and when we do, we willingly correct them. We can’t promise — and don’t deliver — perfec- tion. However, we can pledge the following: Our news will always be separate from our opinions, and clearly labeled as such. Our news reporters and editors will never bring pre- written agendas to bear on the stories they are covering. Our Editorial Board, on the other hand, suffers from no such encumbrance, and will continue to be an unfettered, independent and provocative (but most importantly, informed) voice for this newspaper and the community. Restoring the rule of law Last week, the Obama Justice Department declined to press charges against former Internal Revenue Service official Lois Lerner – even though there was over- whelming evidence that she had targeted conservative groups and may have been complicit in destroying her emails. She also waived her Fifth Amendment privilege by proclaiming her innocence before a congressional com- mittee and then refused to answer questions. It is pos- sible that for some unknown reason Ms. Lerner’s case should have been dropped, but to many it appeared that once again President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder were applying the rule of law selectively. Concealing information from Congress is consid- ered a major offense, pun- ishable by fines and signifi- cant jail time. The evidence seems to be overwhelming that some in the IRS and the Department of Justice have concealed information from Congress. In fact, Mr. Holder was cited for contempt of Congress for withholding in- formation. The rule of law breaks down when those charged with enforcing the law are, in fact, violators of it. We now know that former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton withheld at least some of her emails from Congress despite pledging full cooperation back in 2012 regarding the Benghazi di- saster, and she failed to use U.S. government email servers as she was required to do. Again, these are serious crimes that someone less in- fluential than Mrs. Clinton might well go to jail for – yet she most likely will be given a pass. Mr. Obama has taken many actions contrary to the rule of law. One can go on the Internet to obtain long lists of these alleged violations, many of which are now being litigated. One of the cases that the courts have already settled was Mr. Obama’s out- rageous claim that he, not Congress, would decide when it was in session. By making the false claim that Congress was not in session, he im- properly made “recess” ap- pointments to the National Labor Relations Board and others, which the courts then reversed, along with deci- sions made by the board when it was composed of il- legal members. Sustained economic progress is near impos- sible without the rule of law. Historically, people have been governed by arbitrary deci- sions of rulers or by laws that are readily understood, equally applicable to all (in- cluding the lawmakers), and only changed by a formal and open process. The concept of the rule of law goes back at least to ancient Greece. In England, the Magna Carta (1215 A.D.), established that the rule of law was supe- rior to that of “divine right of kings.” It is no coincidence that the industrial revolution and modern commerce devel- oped first in the Netherlands and England, both of which were governed by the rule of law rather than the arbi- trary decisions of a king or religious ruler. In order to protect the rule of law, the American Founders explicitly designed a system to limit the power of the executive and even that of the legisla- ture and the courts. It is no surprise that those countries in the world whose citizens enjoy the highest per capita incomes (with the ex- ception of some petro-states) largely operate under the rule of law, particularly when it comes to economic issues, rather than the arbitrary de- cisions of a dictator. The economic impor- tance of the rule of law can be understood by looking at the highly publicized Argentine government bond default in 2001. Argentina sold more than US$100 bil- lion of government bonds in the years immediately preceding 2001 under New York law and using New York financial institutions. The reason it used New York rather than Argentine law is that purchasers of the bonds had much more faith in the rule of law in New York than the rule of law in Argentina. Thus, using New York law, Argentina could get a much better price for its bonds, saving its tax- payers many billions of dol- lars. The Argentine govern- ment has been trying to renege on its promise to use New York law but, fortu- nately, the U.S. courts have not let them do so. The rule of law has been undermined in the United States by the fact that not all are treated equally. Politicians have increas- ingly exempted and declined to prosecute themselves and other government employees for violations of the law that apply to the rest of us. One of the solutions would be to greatly expand the right of private action against indi- vidual government employees and elected officials when their actions cause harm to individuals or groups. Tea Party and other groups should be allowed to sue Ms. Lerner and other miscre- ants at the IRS, without the government protecting them under the doctrine of sover- eign immunity. Finally, the rule of law has been undermined by the enormous increase in the number of laws allowing people in government to target almost anyone. There are more than 4,600 fed- eral felonies now on the books, which many, if not most, citizens have un- knowingly violated because many of these laws defy common sense. If the Ten Commandments were good enough for the Lord, than a limit of a hundred felonies ought to be good enough for the federal government. Richard W. Rahn, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. © 2015, The Washington Times 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 find their own way” RichaRd W. Rahn5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Wednesday april 8, 2015 Chamber Pension: PENSION IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST MANAGING MONEY. • Quality diversified, balanced, investment portfolio • Local knowledge & international expertise • Run solely to benefit members • Keeping you up to date • Solutions for every life stage • Help when you need it • Expert advice • Low fees Providing you an investment strategy for the different stages of your life. IT’S ABOUT SOLUTIONS PENSION IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST MANAGING MONEY. • Help when you need it • Expert advice • Low fees investment strategy of your life. IT’S ABOUT IT’S ABOUT SOLUTIONSSOLUTIONS Chamber Pension Plan Hotline 345-745-7630 P.O. Box 609 • Grand Cayman KY1-1107 • Cayman Islands • admin@pensions.ky • www.chamberpension.ky • /ChamberPensionPlan Beach cleanup follows Easter weekend Cleanup crews were hard at work Tuesday morning to help clear up the litter left be- hind by the thousands who flocked to Cayman’s beaches over the long Easter weekend. When most people packed up Monday to get ready for the workweek, many left be- hind trash, old mattresses and all matter of litter. But early Tuesday morning gov- ernment crews were loading all that detritus into trucks. By midday, many of Cayman’s public beaches were almost back to normal, save for a few tents still standing. The campsites had been replaced by tourists lounging in the sun. Trash, piled in, on and around bins, had, for the most part, been carted off from many of the beaches be- fore Tuesday afternoon. Local teacher among TEDx speakers Cayman educator Jason Nehra and clin- ical psychologist and well- ness specialist Shannon Seymour, along with Karima Mariama-Arthur, founder and CEO of consulting firm WordSmithRapport, will be among the speakers at this summer’s TEDxSevenMileBeach event. Mr. Nehra, who started a new A-level physics program at Cayman Prep and High School, is now faculty head of science. A new A-level in ma- rine science has been a par- ticular success for his fac- ulty, with students attaining “top of the world” grades on two occasions, according to a press release from organizers of the TEDx event. Ms. Seymour is a director and registered clinical psy- chologist at The Wellness Centre Ltd., a private provider of psychological services, mental health counseling and corporate wellness ser- vices in the Cayman Islands since 2004. She has worked in mul- tiple areas in the field of clin- ical psychology, with experi- ence in child and adolescent mental health, addictions and family violence. Most recently, she has been committed to in- creasing early identification and treatment for children with autism and related de- velopmental disorders. Ms. Mariama-Arthur brings more than two de- cades of experience in law, business and academia to the field of professional develop- ment. She is recognized as an authority in adult education and professional develop- ment. She also enjoys helping young adults to increase self- confidence through coaching communication and leader- ship excellence. Under the theme “The Life of an Idea: Plant. Nourish. Harvest,” the nonprofit event is scheduled for June 10 at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort. Applications for those who would like to attend the con- ference are open until April 25. There will be a limited number of spaces reserved for students. Woman attacked in home Man charged for aggravated burglary Police arrested a 46-year-old Bodden Town man Friday on suspicion of attempting to assault a woman while armed with a knife after breaking into her home. The man was ar- rested and charged with aggravated burglary fol- lowing the break-in at Beach Bay at 4:30 a.m. Friday morning. Police said the woman, who was at home with her son, said she heard glass breaking and found a man at her bedroom door. “The accused male, armed with a knife, at- tempted to assault the female,” police said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. After the man left the premises, the woman reported the break-in and iden- tified the intruder, police said. Abandoned mattresses and other garbage are loaded onto the back of a cleanup truck on Tuesday morning. – Photo: taneos Ramsay Mr. NehraThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Wednesday april 8, 2015 • Cayman Compass was restored prior to that happening. In addition to dis- rupting businesses, the power outage also caused traffic tie-ups, particularly at intersections with dis- abled traffic lights. The lack of functioning traffic lights caused confusion at the busy junction of North Sound and Shedden roads until a Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officer arrived to direct traffic. The power outage also disrupted a busy day at the Law Courts Building. With emergency lights in the lobby and stair- wells initially functioning, people made their way into Court 2, where Magistrate Grace Donalds began sit- ting at 10:15 a.m. The court proceedings started with the emergency lights at the front and back doors offering illumination. However, one set of lights went off at 10:25 a.m. and the second set lost power at 10:40 a.m. Court pro- ceedings continued with the only available lighting coming from narrow win- dows at floor level. Court officials occasionally used their cellphones to look at documents. As the morning con- tinued, the magistrate dealt with court matters by sun- light and later by a battery- powered lamp. By the time court adjourned in late morning, the emergency lights in the stairwells had also gone out. Attorneys involved in a Grand Court trial met with the judge in cham- bers, where they agreed to adjourn until Wednesday. An estimated 60 Grand Court jurors waited out- side until around 10:05 a.m. and then were sent away and asked to return Wednesday morning. Kirk House, where Traffic Court and another Summary Court were held, was also without power. Six defendants de- tained in Northward Prison were to have appeared in Summary Court via video link. Their cases were ad- journed since no video link was available. Compass journalist Carol Winker contributed to this story. Power outage disrupts businesses, traffic, courts to develop a national infra- structure plan that includes a long-range plan to set aside funding for new road development, maintenance and improvements.” The number of licensed vehicles in 2014 represents the highest on record. Figures available on the Economics and Statistics Office website go back to 1999, when there were 22,828 licensed vehicles on the road. The large increase in the number of vehicles in 2014 coincides with an es- timated increase in popula- tion of around 2,500, a figure from another Economics and Statistics Office survey. Inspector Barnett said the increase in vehicles, com- bined with generally poor driving standards, is contrib- uting to more road accidents. “There is too much volume of traffic for the de- sign of the roads,” he said. The problem is compounded by the fact that there are too many roundabouts, many of which are poorly designed, and that many drivers don’t know how to use them prop- erly, he added. “We had around 1,000 traffic accidents last year and many of them could have been avoided if the driving standards were better,” he said. The National Roads Authority did not respond to requests for comment. Government has already indicated it is planning to re- vamp roads around the cap- ital, including widening the Linford Pierson Highway to four lanes, in an effort to deal with the problem. Mr. Pineau said some em- ployers are introducing stag- gered work hours and al- lowing employees to work from home because of the traffic congestion. He said promoting greater use of public transportation and carpooling could also help al- leviate the problem. But he acknowledged that many people rely on their vehicles during the day and may not be willing to compromise. “These strategies will only be effective, however, if res- idents and employers are willing to promote and to ac- cept them,” he said. Frustration on roads as traffic congestion increases roll out a more comprehen- sive program of improve- ments? I think that is a good conversation for us to be having, particularly with the increase in tourism.” He said the road, with hotels on one side and res- taurants and bars on the other, was potentially trou- blesome for tourists, par- ticularly those from North America who are not used to cars traveling on the left- hand side of the road. Tom Mason, who runs the Comfort Suites Hotel, close to where the accident occurred, said a review of traffic management mea- sures in the area would be welcome. “We at Comfort Suites were deeply saddened to hear of the occurrence that took place on West Bay Road last night,” he said. “Although the person con- cerned was not a guest at Comfort Suites, our thoughts and prayers are with the family concerned. “We are confident that the appropriate authorities will review this tragic in- cident and develop actions and plans to improve safety on the road for everyone in the Cayman Islands, to pre- vent this type of occurrence from happening again.” Teen tourist critically injured in road accident Angry air passengers demand travel refund Paying passengers turned away from Jamaica flight JAmes WhittAker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Passengers who had paid for air tickets to Jamaica over the Easter weekend were turned away at the airport after being told the travel company had not completed their booking. A crowd of angry pas- sengers, all of whom had been blocked from boarding planes to Kingston over the long weekend, gathered out- side Cayman 123 Travel on Eastern Avenue on Tuesday morning, waving receipts from the company and de- manding to be reimbursed. The company appeared to be shut and newspaper was plastered across the door. Eventually, a represen- tative turned up and told the customers they would be repaid or put on new flights to Jamaica. Theresa Chin, the owner of the company, refused to comment on the situation to the Cayman Compass. The passengers, many of whom had booked their tickets months in advance, say they were told at the Cayman Airways check-in desk airport that the pay- ments had not come through from the travel company. Bharat Persuad from Guyana had booked a ticket home via Kingston to be with his son, who is due to have heart surgery on Thursday. He said he was one of around 25 people turned away from the flight on Tuesday morning. Mr. Persuad, who had a receipt for a $819 ticket to Guyana, via Jamaica, said he was told there was no record of any reservation. Karissa Cameron, who was traveling to Kingston with a friend to start school, was also turned away at the airport. She said, “I got to the counter and the ticket agent asked what travel company. I told them 123 and the look on her face told me there was a problem.” She said the agent told her the ticket was showing as reserved but no pay- ment was confirmed, and if she and her friend wanted to board the flight, they would have to purchase another ticket. Another man, who did not want to be named, said he had the same problem on Saturday and had been trying to get hold of someone from the company ever since. Inspector Raymond Christian of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s Financial Crimes Unit said police had received a complaint last Thursday from a passenger who had purchased a ticket through the company. But he said the issue had been resolved between the person and the company, and the complaint was withdrawn. Cayman Airways did not respond to a request for comment by press time. A crowd of angry passengers, all of whom had been blocked from boarding planes to Kingston over the long weekend, gathered outside Cayman 123 travel on Eastern Avenue on Tuesday morning, waving receipts from the company and demanding to be reimbursed. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The fire near the top of the pole caused the pole to snap. The pole fire led to a power outage of about two hours in George Town on Tuesday. – Photo: taneos Ramsay CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Kenyan students protest school killings NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Hundreds of Kenyan stu- dents marched through downtown Nairobi on Tuesday to honor those who died in an attack on a college by Islamic militants and to press the government for better security in the wake of the slaughter. The raucous crowd of about 250 jogged down main thoroughfares in Kenya’s capital, sometimes sitting in traffic circles and intersections, backing up traffic for blocks and attracting bystanders. The singing, chanting demonstrators, some of whom were dressed in black to mourn those killed, denounced Somalia’s al- Shabab extremist group that carried out the at- tack last week on Garissa University College that killed 148 in northeastern Kenya. “Comrades are tired of al- Shabab,” said one placard. Other signs said: “You re- main in our hearts!” and “RIP comrades.” The protesters stopped at President Uhuru Kenyatta’s office building to present their demands, which in- clude state compensation for the families of the victims who died in the Garissa at- tack, the construction of a memorial for the dead and better security on campuses and in Kenya as a whole. “We might be next,” said Walter Mutai, a 22-year- old statistics student at Moi University. “These people, they can target anywhere.” “We are not safe,” the demonstrators shouted. On one road, the students passed a truck carrying se- curity forces with red be- rets and rifles. “Where were you?” the students shouted angrily. The troops did not respond. They also banged on the sides of a police vehicle and converged briefly outside Kenyan police headquar- ters, again shouting: “Where were you?” “We want guns,” they cried. Kenyatta’s government has faced criticism for an allegedly late response by its security forces to the college assault. Also on Tuesday, Kenyan po- lice presented in court five suspects arrested in connec- tion with the Garissa attack. The court granted police 30 more days to investigate the suspects before charging them in court. The suspects are: Mohammed Adan Surow, Osman Abdi Dakane, Mohammed Abdi Abikar, Hassan Aden Hassan and Sahal Diriye Hussien. Police say the suspects supplied guns to the four gunmen who carried out the killings. Police said they also want more time to investigate a sixth suspect, Tanzanian national Rashid Charles Mberekesho, who is being held in Garissa.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Wednesday april 8, 2015 8 WORLD&REGIONAL Wednesday april 8, 2015 • Cayman Compass SNP surge in Scotland could hold key to next UK government GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Ed Miliband’s crusade to bring the Labour Party back to power after five years in op- position has struck a road- block in Scotland, where the party is experiencing a dramatic drop in support in what had long been a reliable stronghold. In the aftermath of a spir- ited referendum on indepen- dence last fall, Scotland is moving away from its tradi- tional Labour Party voting habits in favor of the Scottish National Party, which favors splitting off from the rest of Britain. Polls show a substantial movement away from Labour, which may lose enough once- safe seats to dash its hopes of winning an outright ma- jority in the May 7 general election now one month away. Labour’s crisis in Scotland is fueling Prime Minister David Cameron’s hopes of maintaining his residence at Number 10 Downing Street. Michael Paterson, a former factory worker who has been out of work for the last six years, is, like many working class Scottish voters, fed up with what they call Labour’s patronizing attitude. “Labour doesn’t look out for ordinary people anymore,” said Paterson, 58, who lives in Anniesland, a suburb of Glasgow that has four food banks supplying an increasing number of families who can’t afford to make ends meet. The Scottish national- ists fell short of their goal of winning the September refer- endum on independence, but they are winning the after- math as voters embrace the party’s role as outspoken ad- vocates for Scotland’s rights. In contrast, the Labour Party and Miliband – who along with Cameron lobbied hard against the independence forces – have fallen from favor. The pro-independence party mustered 45 percent in favor of breaking away from the rest of Britain, well short of the majority needed, but that level of support is enough to win many seats in the British Parliament, which uses a “first past the post” system in each district. That means the party that wants to leave Britain may play a king- making role in forming the next government if no party wins a majority, an outcome many experts predict. The Scottish vote is crucial. The Labour Party has relied on Scotland’s 59 parliamentary districts for almost a century to bolster their total of MPs in the House of Commons. It used to be said that some dis- tricts would vote for a donkey if it was wearing a Labour Party red rosette, but that atti- tude has gone the same way of many other ancient powerful clan fortresses, the ruins of which still dot the landscape. “All my family were Labour Party supporters,” Paterson said. “My dad was and so was my granddad, but where has it got us? Labour has had 80 years to stand up for Scotland but the only time they are interested in what or- dinary people have to say is during an election when they take our support for granted. Well, they’re not getting my vote this time.” Even though he doesn’t want to vote for Labour, Paterson and many others in Scotland would like to see a Labour government in Britain supported by a strong team of SNP legislators to ensure that promises of more powers being given to Scotland are delivered. Scottish voters, invigorated by the debate over whether their country should end its 300-year-old union with England, are re-evaluating old allegiances, said John Curtice, a politics professor at Strathclyde University. “Every Labour MP who is standing in Scotland is effec- tively fighting for their polit- ical career,” he said. “I doubt they will lose all of their seats but the Labour Party cannot presume that any constitu- ency is going to present them with a safe victory.” He said the SNP’s 20-point lead in pre-election polls is so substantial that Labour may only keep a handful of districts. The SNP has never had more than 11 legislators in the British Parliament, but ex- perts expect far more after the May vote. “Even though the SNP lost the referendum they have po- sitioned themselves as the party of social justice with the best chance to deliver the changes and powers that those who voted for indepen- dence still want,” Curtice said. In the last six months SNP membership has grown from 25,000 to more than 104,000. The party is now the third largest in Britain even though Scotland accounts for just 8.3 percent of the U.K. population. Most Scots appear happy with the free medical prescrip- tions, free school meals, free education and other benefits the SNP has introduced since first winning power in 2007. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP chief, helped the cause last week with a strong showing in a televised debate that placed her on the same podium with Cameron and Miliband. However, even if the na- tionalists sweep Labour out of Scotland, observers believe Miliband could still become prime minister and lead a mi- nority government with the backing of SNP legislators. Sturgeon wrote in a news- paper column Sunday that she would work with Miliband under certain conditions, and she has publicly ruled out any support for Cameron and the Conservatives. SNP support would come at a cost. The nationalists have called for an end to the government’s austerity pro- gram, a reduction in cuts to public services, abolition of the House of Lords and the scrapping of Britain’s Trident submarine nuclear weapons fleet, which is based in Scotland. The SNP has never had more than 11 legislators in the British Parliament, but experts expect far more after the May vote. Ed Miliband9 WORLD&REGIONAL MAFRAQ, Jordan (AP) — Pregnant refugee women living in informal tent settle- ments are among the most vulnerable of the hundreds of thousands of Syrians who have found shelter in Jordan. They often can’t afford doctor visits and face poten- tial health hazards because of lack of running water and other challenges. By contrast, pregnant women in Jordan’s three of- ficial refugee camps have access to free services, in- cluding pre-natal care and delivery, according to the U.N. refugee agency. Zaatari, the largest camp, saw more than 3,500 births last year, out of a total more than 18,000 babies born to ref- ugee mothers in 2014, the agency says. Nearly 3.8 million Syrians have fled their country and are now regis- tered as refugees, according to the United Nations. Most face increasingly desperate circumstances. Pregnant women who spoke to The Associated Press in makeshift tent camps near the northern Jordanian town of Mafraq say they are fearful of an uncertain future. “A couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t feel my baby moving in my belly so I panicked and didn’t know what to do since I can’t af- ford heading to a clinic and check,” says Huda Alsayil, who fled fighting in Hama three years ago and is five months pregnant. Wadhah Hamada from al- Hasaka says she has no clue how her four-month preg- nancy is progressing. “I can’t afford to pay 50 Jordanian dinars [$70] for my ultrasound and other medical checks,” she says. “Our future is dark, my life is in a tent and my first child’s life won’t be different.” Khalida Alfarraj from Idlib suffers from low blood sugar and dizziness two months into her pregnancy, but cannot afford medicine. “I am so scared, this is my first baby,” Alfarraj says. “I want to send a message to every pregnant woman in the world, feel blessed to have a safe roof and a family around you.” Cayman Compass • Wednesday april 8, 2015 We Buy Gold!We Buy Gold! Cash For Gold Silver, Coins and Broken Jewelry Cash Paid on the Spot! Call 927-8565 Cash For Gold • Shedden Road LIFE EXTENSION GYM WAKE UP AND LIVE! Lose weight the easy way. Vibration Plates & saUna! Send to dberryoffshore@gmail.com www.lifeextensioncayman.com Dr. Wayne Porter Dermatologist CALL : 946-9020 BETWEEN 9AM TO 5PM Now located at Dees Plaza #282 on Crewe Road, GT He will be in of ce from April 7th - April 14th, 2015 Afghan women activists face rising violence, Amnesty says KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan women activists who are working to improve the human rights situation in their country face increased violence, including threats, sexual assault and assassina- tions, Amnesty International said Tuesday. The London-based watchdog criticized Afghan authorities in a new report re- leased in Kabul, saying that both the Afghan government and the international com- munity have abandoned the women activists despite the gains made in the past decade. Based on interviews with more than 50 women’s rights defenders and their relatives across the country, Amnesty said it found that Afghan au- thorities consistently ignored or refused to act on threats against women. “The lack of protection is simply shocking,” Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s sec- retary general, told reporters. He said that out of the 50 cases Amnesty examined, in only one instance was an ar- rest made. In all the other cases, complaints were ne- glected or ignored by officials. The report’s release comes as Afghanistan is ex- amining traditional attitudes on women following some high profile cases of abuse and violence. In late March, a 27-year- old woman was beaten to death by a mob in down- town Kabul, while a crowd watched and filmed the at- tack. Eyewitnesses have said that police failed to pre- vent the attack and in some cases participated. The woman, known as Farkhunda, had been falsely accused of burning a Quran, according to government in- vestigators. Her killing has been widely condemned, and many activists believe it could become the pivot on which Afghanistan’s cul- ture of impunity for abuse of women turns. While Shetty said that many attacks on female human rights activists were by religious extrem- ists like the Taliban and other conservative forces, government officials, local commanders and even male colleagues of women had also been involved in violence against them. Despite legal protections, Amnesty says that Afghan women’s rights workers who do report violence or attacks are put at further risk simply for speaking out. Afghanistan has regularly been named as one of the worst places in the world to be born female. Hasina Safi, head of the Afghan Women’s Network, a non-government organi- zation working with women to raise their awareness of their rights, said that out- side the main Afghan cities, women who work out- side their homes face daily threats of being killed or kidnapped – simply because they dare work. “Of course we are con- cerned as women, as mem- bers of society who want to work and remain in Afghanistan,” she said. In the years since the 1996-2001 Taliban regime, great strides have been made in Afghan women’s educa- tion and health, but they are still generally regarded as inferior to men, and treated as such. Girls are married off to older men, sold to pay debts and barred from leaving their marital homes, often even if they just want to seek medical care. Hundreds of billions of dollars have funded pro- grams aimed at improving women’s lives, yet constitu- tional rights still go largely ignored. President Ashraf Ghani, who took office in September, has pledged to ensure that women’s rights are respected. Amnesty’s report also urged the Afghan govern- ment to ensure that all alle- gations of threats or attacks against women rights activ- ists are fully and impartially investigated and perpetra- tors held to account. “The lack of protection is simply shocking.” Salil Shetty, Amnesty International ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey blocked access to social net- working sites Twitter and YouTube for several hours on Monday over photos showing a militant pointing a gun at a prosecutor who died last week in a failed hostage rescue op- eration. Turkey also threatened to ban Google over the images. A spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a Turkish prosecutor had or- dered Internet providers to block the sites. The request stemmed from postings of photos that showed militant Marxists pointing a gun at the prosecutor, Mehmet Selim Kiraz, who died in a shootout between police and the Marxists who were holding him hostage. Government officials have blasted Turkish media for posting the images, which they have called anti-govern- ment propaganda. Kiraz was shot in the head during the standoff and died in a hos- pital soon after. The state-run Anadolu Agency said access was blocked because Twitter and YouTube didn’t remove im- ages of the prosecutor despite an official notification. It said the Internet Providers notified Twitter and YouTube, but video, photographs and audio con- tinued to be posted on these sites. The Turkish telecommu- nications authority wouldn’t immediately comment. A government official said Turkey decided to lift the ban on Twitter in the late af- ternoon after the company agreed to remove all images of the prosecutor and tele- coms authorities verified that it had done so. Government officials have blasted Turkish media for posting the images, which they have called anti-government propaganda. Pregnant Syrian refugees fearful of future Turkey resTores access To TwiTTer, youTube Afghan health workers prepare to dispense vaccinations during a polio-fighting campaign Monday in Kandahar, south of Kabul. - PhoTo: aP Pregnant Syrian refugee Wadhah Hamada, 22, poses for a portrait inside her tent at an informal refugee settlement near the Syrian border, on the outskirts of Mafraq, Jordan. - PhoTo: aPNext >