ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Monday april 13, 2015 High of 87 Low of 74 Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 3 feet. Economy Online dating games 17 Politics Rand Paul battles the labels 45 Myths Major league pitchers 23 DEFYING DEATH For centuries, explorers have searched the world for the fountain of youth. Today’s billionaires believe they can create it, using technology and data. PAGE 12 ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY Nation The lifestyle impact of a dry California 8 THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2015 . IN COLLABORATION WITH THE wASHIngTon poST Defying death Editorial | pagE 4 abusing the Most vulnerable aMong us FOUR LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER: SEVEN MILE BEACH, WATERFRONT, WALKERS ROAD, TOWN CENTRE PLAZA Report details domestic worker abuse Labour Law violations “widespread” for household employees Charles dunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com One domestic worker was left penniless at the airport when she refused her employer’s sexual advances, another was given a chair as her “accommodations,” and a third live-in domestic worker was expected to be “on call” from 5 a.m. until midnight for a family with six children and paid $800 a month. A new report from the Minimum Wage Advisory Committee cites these stories after studying Cayman’s low-wage workers over the past year. Domestic workers are the lowest paid and most vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, according to the report released last week by the committee. The group recom- mended a $6 an hour minimum wage and said the biggest impact would be on the esti- mated 2,600 household employees earning less than the recommendation. Committee chairman Lemuel Hurlston said Cayman is “addicted to cheap labor and needs to wean away from that addiction.” The average domestic worker in Cayman makes a little more than $4 an hour. The min- imum wage proposal gives an exception for household employees who are given room and board, which can make up a quarter of the hourly wage, or $1.50. For domestic workers who receive room and board, and bartenders and others who get gratuities, the minimum hourly wage would be $4.50. The report estimates that the wage in- crease would cost household employers more than $10 million, and 190 domestic jobs would be lost. Committee co-chairman Nicolas Joseph, a lawyer, who attended the focus groups and in- terviews with domestic workers, said he was not surprised by what he called “widespread noncompliance” with labor laws among household employers. Much of what he heard in the in-person interviews and written comments sent to the committee, Mr. Joseph said, showed domestic MiniMuM wage will iMpact hospitality industry Ritz-Carlton boss says impact of tips underestimated JaMes Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The minimum wage will have a “significant impact” on the Cayman Islands’ hospitality in- dustry and could ultimately force prices up, according to a leading hotelier. Marc Langevin, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, believes the rec- ommendations do not go far enough in making a distinction between workers who earn tips and those who do not. The Minimum Wage Advisory Committee has recommended a $6 an hour minimum for workers who do not get gratuities and $4.50 for those who do. Mr. Langevin said he had no problem with the $6 rate. The hotelier, also the Cayman Islands Tourism Association representative for the hotel industry, said he was pleased that the committee had consulted with the industry and recognized tips as part of the equation. But he believes the recommendations have not adequately considered the importance of gratuities. Other industry figureheads also welcomed the division between tipped and non-tipped labor, though some questioned how effectively the limits would be enforced. Lemuel Hurlston, chairman of the Minimum Wage Advisory Committee, said the committee had “agonized over any element of gratuities being included.” He acknowledged that setting a mark for Operation Tempura lawsuit finally ends brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former Royal Cayman Islands Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan confirmed Friday that he had withdrawn his lawsuit against the former head of the Operation Tempura police cor- ruption investigation, nearly six years after the writ was filed. Citing “unforeseen devel- opments” since he began legal proceedings against former Tempura Senior Investigating Officer Martin Bridger, Mr. Kernohan said in a statement that he had agreed to withdraw the lawsuit due to those devel- opments and “other factors.” “In particular, I appreciate the detrimental impact that legal pro- ceedings [have] on the families in- volved and this has been a major fact[or] in my decision to bring this to an end,” Mr. Kernohan said. “My sincere gratitude goes out to everyone that has assisted me throughout this period.” Mr. Kernohan, who was fired from the commissioner’s job in late 2008 following a crim- inal probe led by Mr. Bridger in which he was never charged and from which he was eventu- ally exonerated, initially named Kernohan withdraws claims against Bridger anglers to help protect sharks Researchers are aiming to tag at least 20 oceanic whitetip sharks over the course of the Cayman Islands International Fishing Tournament, which starts Thursday, and the Kirk Slam tournament in May. The effort, which teams Guy Harvey’s research institute with local anglers, is part of a major research project on the critically endangered species. Researchers pictured here tag a shark during last year’s tournament. See full story on page 3. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Monday april 13, 2015 • Cayman Compass www. REGmovies.com SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. 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The first charge alleges that the offense took place at Foster’s in The Strand shop- ping plaza between 5:53 a.m. and 5:58 a.m. on March 27. The second charge alleges an offense at Foster’s Food Fair in the Airport Centre be- tween 5:16 a.m. and 5:21 a.m. on March 26. In Summary Court last Wednesday, Crown counsel Alexander Upton told Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn that sophisticated equipment had been found on the defen- dant and the case against him was overwhelming. He said the Crown believed there were 60 to 100 people seen on CCTV footage whose card details had potentially been compromised. Defense attorney Dennis Brady, who provided a sum- mary of the background to the charges, also explained that he had been asked by of- ficers of the Financial Crime Unit to assist the defendant as counsel amicus [without being formally retained] be- cause there were concerns about time constraints re- garding the custody of the ac- cused. He said he sat through an interview that lasted six or seven hours at Central Police Station on April 2. A representative of the Director of Public Prosecutions Office, who was on stand- by to give a ruling on the police investigation at that stage, ruled that Smilyanov be charged with two counts of attempted theft while investigations continued. Mr. Brady told the court that the Financial Crime Unit had been investigating com- plaints, particularly from CNB, relating to what are called card-skimming devices being installed in ATMs. The device enables the operator to capture information they might use locally or interna- tionally to access card num- bers, and then various sums of money are transferred. Mr. Brady said the bank’s CCTV captured the image of a man matching Smilyanov’s description implanting a de- vice. When further checks were made, one such device was in operation in the ATM where the man was seen im- planting something. Police made inquiries and traced him to an apartment at Treasure Island Resort that was occupied by Smilyanov. In a suitcase identified as his, officers discovered a device similar to the one recovered from the ATM. The defendant was interviewed regarding the CCTV and the device found in his room; he denied putting any device into the machine or withdrawing any cash from the machine. Mr. Brady said police were awaiting forensic analysis and checks with Interpol to determine the defendant’s true identity plus any other information that might be available about him. On Wednesday morning, Mr. Brady related, he was in court for another matter when he was approached by officers and told him that a second attorney who had been contacted could not rep- resent Smilyanov. Mr. Brady was approached again to rep- resent him: “I can’t say for how long.” No bail applica- tion was made. Mr. Upton asked for a further two weeks and the next mention date was set for Tuesday, April 21. The court was assisted on both days by a resident who served as translator. Mr. Brady said the bank’s CCTV captured the image of a man matching Smilyanov’s description implanting a device. aTM card-skimming devices alleged South Sound drowning victim buried in Cuba Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Ninety-eight days after drowning in the waters off South Sound, the body of Manuel Ramon Mariño Vasquez was buried in his native Cuba on Friday. Mr. Mariño, 51, and three other men in a makeshift boat sailed into Cayman waters in rough seas on Jan. 2, first seen near the Brac and the next day off the southern coast of Grand Cayman. The boat ran into trouble off South Sound. Mr. Mariño drowned, and surfers in the area pulled the other three men to shore near Sand Quay. Cayman authorities kept Mr. Mariño’s body in the morgue for two-and-a-half months while they negoti- ated with the Cuban gov- ernment on how to return the body. The man’s family in Miami and Cuba con- tacted the Cayman gov- ernment and a local pastor for help getting the body back to Mr. Mariño’s native Santa Cruz, on the southern coast of Cuba. Local churches started a collection in March to raise the $5,000 to send the body home. Pastor Herbert Rodriguez of the Cayman Baptist Church, who was helping the family with arrangements, said the Cayman government told a church representative they would bury Mr. Mariño’s body here since the negotia- tions with Cuba had stalled. Last month the Ministry of Home Affairs said it would pay the full cost to return the body to Cuba. The three other men traveling with Mr. Mariño – Dalier Perez Arresoitia, 28, Lexy Sanchez Fonseca, 33, and Diosruel Barerro, 37 – have been sent home after being detained by the Immigration Department. The four men from Santa Cruz had been trav- eling to Honduras to seek work in the United States, according to statements given to police. More people have been leaving Cuba for the U.S. be- cause many worry about the end to the “wet-foot, dry- foot” policy giving Cuban immigrants special status if they reach U.S. land. In January, Cuban officials pushed a U.S. delegation to end the policy. Cayman is on pace to see more Cuban migrants pass by on the way to the Central American land route to the U.S. than the country has seen in a decade. Almost 50 Cubans have landed in the Cayman Islands and at least 85 passed through the coun- try’s waters so far this year. For all of 2014, 143 Cubans landed in Cayman and 368 passed through the territorial waters. The U.S Coast Guard has seen the increase too, re- porting that it picked up al- most 500 Cuban migrants in December 2014 alone, double the number from the year before. Last month the Ministry of Home Affairs said it would pay the full cost to return the body to Cuba. Grand Court jurors report 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 are now to report on Wednesday, April 15, at 9:45 a.m. Please call the Jury Information line at 945- 5072 for the most up-to-date information. Bodden town man injured in hit and run A 56-year-old man suf- fered serious injuries in a hit-and-run accident early Saturday on Bodden Town Road, according to police. The Bodden Town resi- dent was walking against traffic at 1:43 a.m. on the westbound side of the road when he was hit near Chester’s Heavy Equipment Services, a police press re- lease states. Police and medics responded and took the man to Cayman Islands Hospital. The man was still listed in critical condition as of press time Sunday, ac- cording to police. Police ask anyone who may have information about the accident to contact Inspector Adrian Barnett at 526-2204. staff traininG limits availaBility Staff of the Department of Planning are undergoing training described as PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in Delivering Excellence) on April 13, 17, and 20. Staff avail- ability will be limited on these days, according to a govern- ment press release. mexiCan aCtivist says authorities hinder miGrant protest MEXICO CITY (AP) — About 200 Central American mi- grants who were plan- ning to take part in a tra- ditional “Viacrucis” protest have been hemmed in by Mexican immigration checkpoints and threats to detain them, an activist said Saturday. For several years, mi- grants have carried wooden crosses in protest marches around Easter week to il- lustrate their suffering at the hands of criminals and corrupt police. But the Rev. Alejandro Solalinde, who runs a shelter for migrants, said authorities threatened to arrest on human-traf- ficking charges the owners of buses rented to take the protesters from Ixtepec to the capital. The protesters are calling for an end to im- migration raids that have largely prevented them from riding freight trains north toward the U.S. 3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday april 13, 2015 OTHER BANKS up to $538 per month RBC ROYAL BANK approx. $394 per month OTHER BANKSRBC ROYAL BANK Same car, same price. Just a lower monthly payment at RBC. Spot the difference: Call or visit any RBC Royal Bank branch or go online at rbc.com/caribbean NO Pay me nts for 60 da ys! Keep more cash in your wallet with financing options from RBC Royal Bank ™ that lower your monthly payments with very competitive interest rates and terms! 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Researchers, Cayman anglers team up to protect sharks James WhittakeR jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Researchers are aiming to tag up to 100 oceanic whitetip sharks in Cayman’s waters in a major research project on the critically en- dangered species. Guy Harvey’s research in- stitute is teaming up with an- glers in two upcoming fishing tournaments to catch and tag as many sharks as possible. The aim is to tag at least 20 sharks over the course of the Cayman Islands International Fishing Tournament, which starts Thursday, and the Kirk Slam tournament in May. Mr. Harvey said the un- precedented scale of the study was only possible because of the coopera- tion of fishermen, who were changing their attitude to- ward sharks. Historically, he said, an- glers would kill the sharks because they prey on their catch. Now, he says, more and more understand the value of the apex predators to the ecosystem and are willing to hold the animals for his re- search teams to tag. Four “chase” boats will be on the water over the four days of the interna- tional tournament, ready to respond to calls from an- glers who have hooked an oceanic whitetip. “We are dealing with a shark that is very widely dis- persed on any given day. If we were doing this ourselves, we would be hard-pressed to find one,” said Mr. Harvey. Ten sharks were tagged last year, but Mr. Harvey says the research team needs a much wider sample. “Ultimately we want to tag around 100 to establish a pattern of movement, to see where they go and for what period of time. “They used to be the most abundant large an- imal on planet Earth; now they are down to less than 5 percent of the pre-ex- ploitation population. “The real purpose is to learn more about this very beleaguered species,” he said. The SPOT tags, which last for around 12 to 18 months, send a signal via satellite every time the shark breaches the surface, providing a track of its movements. It is hoped that the re- search will help fuel pan- Caribbean conservation pol- icies. Cayman’s National Conservation Law, once fully implemented, will provide protection for sharks in the island’s territorial waters. But Mr. Harvey says more regional coordination is needed because the sharks move vast distances, some- thing that has been shown already by the study. An example of the vulner- ability of the species comes from another recent Guy Harvey study in which 30 mako sharks, were tagged off Mexico and the northern U.S. Seven of the tagged sharks ended up being killed by longline fishing boats. Fishermen who catch a shark during the upcoming tournaments will be paid a $500 bounty and will re- ceive a specially produced Guy Harvey painting of an oceanic whitetip. Mr. Harvey said the reward is acknowl- edgment for lost tournament fishing time, as well as an in- centive to the anglers. The tags have been funded by corporate spon- sors who will also take part in a “great shark race.” The shark that travels the far- thest over the duration of the tagging period will win a prize for its sponsor. Matthew Leslie, the owner of CayBrew, which is a sponsor of the Guy Harvey Institute, said a shark tagged last year and named after himself, had been the slowest mover. “My shark barely left South Sound,” he said. “I’m going to get another one this year, Matthew II, and I’m sure it’s going to go the furthest.” Mr. Leslie, a keen an- gler, believes attitudes to- ward sharks are changing in Cayman and fishermen are learning more about their importance to the ecosystem through the tagging projects. “Last year,” he said, “a lot of the fishermen were looking for sharks just as much as fish. A lot of them ad- mitted, ‘normally that shark would have been a goner.’ We have been able to turn that around by offering them an incentive.” Mr. Leslie said CayBrew’s White Tip lager was the first “conservation beer,” with pro- ceeds from every sale going to Guy Harvey’s research in- stitute. He believes more people are beginning to ap- preciate the value of sharks to Cayman. “The message is getting out there,” he said. “We have an abundance of sharks here and we don’t have to be scared about it. It is an at- traction for the island.” Guy Harvey, left, and Matthew Leslie show off Mr. Harvey’s painting of an oceanic whitetip shark, which will be a prize for fishermen who help tag the sharks during the upcoming tournament. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKERThe 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” Abusing the most vulnerable among us The most illuminating reading of the Cayman Islands government’s report on the minimum wage has little to do with wages and everything to do with decency. We applaud Premier Alden McLaughlin and his govern- ment for its transparency in making this document public. We especially want to recognize committee chairman Lemuel Hurlston who is re-emerging as one of Cayman’s most highly regarded and principled leaders. After serving 26 years in public service, Mr. Hurlston retired from gov- ernment in 1995, having held numerous leadership posi- tions, including Chief Secretary/Deputy Governor. Oftentimes, what makes a journey worthwhile isn’t the destination, but what is encountered along the way. From this perspective, the Cayman Islands government’s recent report on a national minimum wage is proving to be an enlightening expedition. The Minimum Wage Advisory Committee’s 10-month- long odyssey to get from $5 an hour (North Side MLA Ezzard Miller’s initial proposal) to $6 an hour (the committee’s recommendation) meanders throughout Cayman’s geographical districts, social strata and imme- diate economic history. In the course of arriving at a deceptively simple public policy proposal, the committee delves into some of the darkest recesses of our country, pulling back the curtain on attitudes, behaviors and practices that, in hindsight, many may prefer to have been left undisturbed or, at least, unremarked. The real substance of the committee’s report is related only tangentially to the topic of the minimum wage. The report’s greater value consists in its depic- tion of a minority of miscreants in Cayman society, who – emboldened by “cultural norms” and enabled by a com- plicit system – regularly mistreat, abuse and exploit their most vulnerable fellow human beings … people whom they, ironically enough, have invited to occupy positions that often necessitate a great amount of trust. The injustices the committee documents have not been perpetrated by cold, profit-calculating companies, but by individual Cayman households (our country’s “moms” and “pops”) who employ Jamaican and Filipino domestic workers. The stories related by those household workers to the committee are ones not typically found within the pages of this newspaper, or in any local media, not because we aren’t told about them, but because we are rarely told about them “on the record.” The storytellers are scared, and perhaps rightly so. Consider the following extracts from the report, on the topic of Jamaican and Filipino household workers: • “No one in attendance ever got paid overtime (despite some reports of working 12-hour days and on the weekends.”) • “Employers will often deduct the health insurance fees from the employee’s salary but they will not make the payments to the insurance company.” • “The figures that are listed on the work permit appli- cation are normally not the amount paid to the employee; one Consul estimated that 90 percent of the persons encountered cited this issue.” • “The employees feel that they have nowhere to turn to report the violation and in some instances fear having to go to the authorities to report the viola- tion against their employer because of their desire to make an income. Therefore, they say nothing and the exploitive practices continue.” • “[A] Caymanian male employer contracted her as a live-in helper; he was verbally abusive to the employee and when the young woman did not comply with her employer’s sexual advances, he didn’t pay her and left her destitute at the airport. When this incident was reported to the Immigration Department, they were advised that the employer had been the subject of similar complaints from previous employees.” The gross ill-treatment of Cayman’s “helpers,” nannies and housekeepers is a stain on our country’s conscience that cannot, and must not, be ignored or tolerated. In the words of Lady Macbeth, “Hell is murky.” The only solution for darkness is sunshine. Monday apriL 13, 2015 • Cayman COmpass WASHINGTON – This week brings a constitutional mo- ment illustrating a paradox of Barack Obama’s presidency. The catalyst of the drama is legislation proposed by Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, asserting Congress’ foreign policy responsibilities and pre- rogatives. The paradox is this: Obama’s disdain for con- stitutional etiquette – his contempt for the institu- tional self-restraint that en- ables equilibrium under the separation of powers – has been primarily in domestic policy. His anti-constitu- tional actions have involved the Affordable Care Act, en- vironmental, education, wel- fare and immigration poli- cies, Internet regulation and judicially rebuked recess ap- pointments, among other matters. Now, however, Congress’ revival comes regarding foreign policy, where constitutional logic and historical precedents are most supportive of presi- dential discretion. Corker proposes legisla- tion to prevent Obama from unilaterally ending sanctions that Congress wrote into law. If all 54 Republicans and 13 Democrats agree on this point of constitutional integrity and institutional dignity, Obama’s promised veto of Corker’s leg- islation will be overridden. Some who partake of Obama’s condescension say it is unseemly for the presi- dent to have to accommodate Chairman Corker, a former mayor (of Chattanooga). But one of the commit- tee’s best chairmen since 1945 was a former mayor (of Indianapolis), Richard Lugar. And the chairman who in the 1940s tugged Republicans toward interna- tionalism, Michigan’s Arthur Vandenberg, was a former publisher of a newspaper in Grand Rapids. For those who have forgotten the phenom- enon, Corker’s patient biparti- sanship is what a senator be- having senatorially looks like. Iran surely construes Obama’s veto threat as evi- dence that, such is his hunger for an agreement, he will make concessions (about Iran’s nu- clear infrastructure, the mo- dalities of inspections and the removal of sanctions) that are unacceptable to Congress. The negotiations about such issues already have reflected asym- metries of desire. Obama wants to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power, but more ardently wants, in the process of trying to do this, to encourage dy- namics that will domesticate Iran’s regime and validate his claim to greatness. Iran de- sires relief from sanctions, but more ardently desires a nuclear capability. Obama’s aspiration may be fanciful, but Iran’s regime is unlikely to be the first in world history to last forever. Iran’s aspiration may be sin- ister, but U.S. wars of regime change in Iraq and Libya have shown other nations the advantages of possessing nu- clear weapons. Obama’s obnoxious air of entitlement to unearned im- munity from oversight should not blind us to this fact that has been obvious for some time: Iran is going to be a nuclear power if it intensely wants to be, and it does; no practicable sanctions can be severe and durable enough to defeat this determination. The Middle East today is more resistant than ever to America’s healing touch. The 1990s disinte- gration of Yugoslavia dem- onstrated dangers that ac- company nations – Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo – re- asserting their sovereign- ties. Today’s Middle East con- vulsions demonstrate the greater dangers when nation- ality is eclipsed by sectarian tribalism. It is unclear what policy changes could give America much control over these events. Arms control agreements that substantially alter na- tions’ arsenals become more possible as they become less important. That is, until events in other spheres make the adversarial nations less so. Having abandoned the un- obtainable project of blocking Iran’s path to nuclear weapons, Obama has settled for trying to make the path longer and steeper. Even if the agreement merely extends the time during which Iran de- ceives inspectors to evade re- strictions, time might matter. Nothing is inevitable, but 10 years can be a long time in the life of a nation, es- pecially when the regime is discordant with modernity: In 1979, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan; in 1989, the Berlin Wall came down. With 80 million people (equal to Germany) and the world’s fourth-largest proven crude oil reserves, Iran is culturally ancient but de- mographically young. The median ages of Japan, the European Union, the United States and China are 45.5, 41.9, 37.3 and 35.1, respec- tively. Iran’s is 28. Fortunately, nations such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia are flexing their conventional military mus- cles, a necessary precursor to a balance of power. However precarious it might be, such a balance is a start to con- taining Iran. Dealing with Iran is dis- agreeable, but not more so than depending on Stalin’s Soviet Union as a World War II ally more important than all other allies combined. Deterring a nuclear Iran might be even more problematic than was deterring the Soviet Union, depending on whether Iran’s theological intoxication is more than rhetorical. We are going to find out. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2015, Washington Post Writers Group Containing Iran’s nuclear intoxication GEORGE F. WILL Nothing is inevitable, but 10 years can be a long time in the life of a nation, especially when the regime is discordant with modernity.5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday april 13, 2015 178442_PRINT-Buttrfield-SchlorshPage 1 3/24/15 11:25:52 AM Mother accused of murder gets new court date Attorney advises on progress with medical issues Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Tamara Butler, charged with the murder of her 6-year-old daughter Bethany, appeared in Grand Court on Friday for an update on the progress in her case. Defense attorney Laurence Aiolfi said he was in the process of ar- ranging with the legal aid office for an overseas psy- chiatrist to see his client. In addition, an on-island ex- pert has been identified, he told Justice Charles Quin. Bethany Butler’s body was found in the early hours of Oct. 27 by police on patrol along the Queen’s Highway in East End. Her body, which had multiple stab wounds, was in the pas- senger seat of a car parked in the bush. Mrs. Butler was arrested nearby soon afterward. She first appeared in the Summary Court on Nov. 14, when the matter was trans- mitted to Grand Court for mention again on Dec. 19. Her attorney at the time was Delroy Murray; his re- quest that the defendant be remanded to the George Town Hospital was granted. There were further ap- pearances in January and February, with Mr. Aiolfi’s colleague Ben Tonner con- firming on Feb. 9 that the defendant’s health was a feature of the case. He asked that legal aid be ex- tended for a certified med- ical practitioner. During Friday’s hearing, Justice Quin questioned the causes of delay. The issues of expense and the medical council were mentioned. The judge agreed to an adjournment of six weeks and spoke directly to the defendant. “The doctors are talking to Mr. Aiolfi and he is doing everything he can to ensure you have a med- ical examination as soon as possible,” he told her. She was remanded in custody until Friday, May 22. Stabbing victim receives no compensation Bills total more than $10,000 Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A security guard found guilty of wounding with in- tent will not have to pay his victim’s medical bills because he has no means to do so. A jury found Kenroy Leonard Rowe guilty on March 8. Sentencing was postponed until April 9 for a social inquiry report and victim impact state- ment. After hearing submis- sions last Thursday, Justice Charles Quin said he would hand down sentence on April 16 at 2:30 p.m. Rowe was charged after an incident on March 21, 2014 at the Energy Lounge on Shedden Road, when the victim objected to being searched before being al- lowed entry. Justice Quin noted that the victim ac- cepted the refusal. Defense attorney John Furniss blamed a third man for jumping in and “from then on things got worse.” The weapon was a flick knife that Rowe had con- fiscated from another bar patron earlier and kept in his pocket. Crown Counsel Toyin Salako told Justice Quin that the one stab wound under the victim’s heart caused him to lose consciousness; he lost so much blood that the police took him to the hospital rather than wait for an ambulance. The judge remarked that their quick action may have saved the man’s life. His victim impact state- ment included the ongoing effect of the stabbing on his general health, the emotional impact of almost losing his life, and the financial impact of the cost of medical treat- ment – in excess of $10,000. Reading from various reports in his file, Justice Quin noted that the victim did have health insurance through his employer, but it seemed the insurer might not honor the claim “because they do not cover fights.” Ms. Salako said the victim would like some kind of com- pensation, but the reality was that Rowe would not be able to make any payment. Mr. Furniss pointed out that Rowe had been unem- ployed since the incident. Until he was remanded in custody after the verdict, he had been supported by his girlfriend and members of his church. As a Jamaican national, he will be deported after serving his sentence. The Cayman Compass reported a case in 2013 in which an insurance company refused to pay for a victim’s surgery because the wound was the result of a shooting. A reporter contacted people in the insurance in- dustry for comment. Mervyn Connolly, of the Health Insurance Commission, said it was possible that payment had been deferred until the conclusion of court proceed- ings. He noted that insurers had the right to include ex- emptions for injuries sus- tained while committing or attempting to commit a crime. An insurance specialist suggested that the shooting victim ask for his claim to be re-adjudicated after the case was finished in court. If this was not successful, he could ask the Health Insurance Commission to re- view the matter. Justice Quin noted that the victim did have health insurance through his employer, but it seemed the insurer might not honor the claim ‘because they do not cover fights.’ There were further appearances in January and February, with Mr. Aiolfi’s colleague Ben Tonner confirming on Feb. 9 that the defendant’s health was a feature of the case.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Monday april 13, 2015 • Cayman Compass workers are frequently de- nied overtime pay, don’t get healthcare coverage and have substandard housing, all violations of Cayman labor laws. He estimated only 10 percent to 30 per- cent of households with do- mestic workers comply with the law. None of the most ex- treme examples, Mr. Joseph said, were recorded by him firsthand, but came through written comments or in- terviews with consular of- ficials from Jamaica and the Philippines. “There’s a history of very light regulation in the Cayman Islands” when it comes to labor protections, he said, and it’s not sur- prising that compliance with the law is low. “Many of the mechanisms look good on paper,” Mr. Joseph said, but that does not trans- late to better conditions for domestics. The Minimum Wage Advisory Committee rec- ommended two legislative changes to help address is- sues of abuse and exploita- tion in the domestic worker industry and others. First, the report states, government should add whistle-blower provisions to the Labour Law to protect workers who complain about conditions or pay. Second, the com- mittee report recommends classifying households with domestic workers as em- ployers so that the Labour Law will apply to nannies and household workers. Mr. Hurlston said exploi- tation comes in two forms for Cayman’s lowest paid workers: economic, with low wages, and by “em- ployers physically, verbally or sexually abusing their employees.” The wage com- mittee heard from workers who had experienced both. Almost 95 percent of do- mestic workers are expats, mostly from Jamaica and the Philippines, according to government statistics. Mr. Joseph said the Filipino gov- ernment vets employers be- fore allowing its citizens to travel overseas for work, providing an “extra check” for workplace conditions. the restaurant and hospi- tality industry was complex and had been one of the more challenging aspects for the committee. He said it would have to be closely monitored, if implemented. Mr. Langevin estimates the decision could add be- tween $500,000 and $1 mil- lion to the wage bill at The Ritz-Carlton, much of it going into the pockets of the highest earners at the hotel. The hotel employs around 800 people, with more than 200 likely to be affected by the decision. Mr. Langevin said the banquet and restaurant busi- ness relies on a high volume of employees, some of whom he said earn up to $60,000-a- year, when tips are included, despite very low base wages. “It is going to cost us a lot of money on the depart- ment that needs it the least,” he said. “Food servers in our hotel are making $15 to $30 an hour. “By forcing a minimum wage, even at $4.50 an hour, you are increasing the wage for the people that don’t nec- essarily need it. They are the ones that make the most money in the hotel. “It is counterproductive right now. It is going to have a very significant impact.” He said he was grateful that the report had acknowl- edged some distinction for tipped labor. But he said he hoped there could be further discus- sions, before the law comes into force. “I hope that it can be re- evaluated and that there is still some flexibility again in understanding the gratuity part of it. “My frustration is the dis- regard of the economic model of the hospitality industry.” He added that gratuities were included as part of the calculation in determining the hotel’s pension contri- bution requirements to its staff and should therefore be properly considered in the wage calculation. He said there would not be job cuts at the hotel, which is one of Cayman’s big- gest employers, but acknowl- edged the pay increases may have to be paid for through some price increases. “Cutting jobs is not the so- lution; we still need to serve our customers. We will have to figure it out and reorganize.” Markus Mueri, of the NM Ventures restaurant group which includes Deckers and Karoo, said he was pleased that there had been a con- sideration of the difference between tipped and non- tipped labor. He said, “A lot of the restaurants pay this rate right now. I can live with it,” he said. He said good servers in Cayman restaurants are making substantially more than minimum wage. “The service industry has a lot to do with side tips. You give exceptional service, you get exceptional tips. That is what the game is all about.” He added that enforce- ment would be the key issue as to whether the law had any impact. “Is it one law for Seven Mile Beach and one law for everywhere else? We have a lot of beautiful laws, but when it comes to enforce- ment, what happens?” He said, overall, he was impressed with the report, and congratulated committee chairman Mr. Hurlston on a job well done. Julie Allan, who runs Rackams bar on the water- front, said, “I think they def- initely made the right deci- sion in separating tips. All my servers already make that wage and a lot more in tips. “We always treat our staff well,” she said. “They work hard and everybody’s happy.” Report details domestic worker abuse CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Minimum wage will impact hospitality industry CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Mr. LangevinMr. Mueri “My frustration is the disregard of the economic model of the hospitality industry.” Marc Langevin, general manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman “There’s a history of very light regulation in the Cayman Islands.” nicoLas JosephThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Monday april 13, 2015 Premier Health BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, Grand Cayman KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, P.O. Box 254, Cayman Brac KY2-2101 Tel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Ltd. acts solely as an agent on behalf of various insurers; it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. Premier Health. The health plan that works at one speed. First for service and benefits! Speed and efficiency enabled BritCay to settle 209,003 claims in 2014. 57%* of claims were auto-adjudicated. 96% of claims were settled in less than 5 working days. As a group, CGI settled 638,901claims in 2014 with the same speed and efficiency. *2014 results CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky a number of parties in the May 2009 wrongful termi- nation lawsuit. Those par- ties included the Cayman Islands government, former territorial Governor Stuart Jack, former Acting RCIPS Commissioner James Smith and Mr. Bridger. Mr. Jack and Mr. Smith were re- moved from the lawsuit in 2011 by decision of a U.K. High Court judge. In March 2014, the Cayman Islands government and Mr. Kernohan agreed to settle the lawsuit out of court for an undisclosed sum. Mr. Bridger was ex- cluded from the 2014 settle- ment, leaving him alone to defend himself. In addition to that lawsuit, Mr. Bridger also faced – between 2012 and 2014 – various claims made by the Cayman Islands government in local courts and in the U.K. al- leging that he had improp- erly taken legally privileged official documents related to the Operation Tempura investigation. An agreement regarding those records was reached earlier this year in the Cayman Islands Grand Court. Mr. Bridger was ini- tially called to the Cayman Islands in September 2007 to investigate allegations of a “corrupt relationship” between RCIPS Deputy Commissioner Anthony Ennis and local newspaper pub- lisher Desmond Seales. Mr. Bridger’s investigative team said they quickly disproved those accusations, which in- cluded claims that Mr. Ennis was privately divulging de- tails of sensitive police op- erations to Mr. Seales who, in turn, passed that informa- tion along to his contacts at Northward Prison. The investigation that became known as Operation Tempura fo- cused on the efforts of Mr. Kernohan and former RCIPS Superintendent John Jones in directing a covert search of Mr. Seales’s of- fice at Cayman Net News on Sept. 3, 2007. That probe led to the removal of both senior officers and a third man, RCIPS Deputy Commissioner Rudi Dixon, from their positions. None of the three was ever con- victed of any criminal ac- tivity. Messrs. Jones and Kernohan were never ar- rested or charged with an offense. Mr. Dixon was ac- quitted during a crim- inal trial and eventually awarded a large settlement. In a statement released last week, Mr. Bridger said that Mr. Kernohan “included me as a defendant to his proceedings as he had been misinformed as to my in- volvement in the matters [re- lated to the 2009 lawsuit.]” “In 2012, Mr. Kernohan and I became aware of facts that were previously un- known,” Mr. Bridger said. “My inclusion as a defen- dant in the Kernohan ac- tion gave rise to other court proceedings being brought against me both in the Cayman Islands and the U.K. These proceed- ings were brought by the attorney general of the Cayman Islands. These con- tinue to cause the gravest stress and anxiety to my family and me, both finan- cially and emotionally. “I have suffered the in- dignity of the Cayman Islands government placing a financial charge on my family home and have been unable to have any post-re- tirement career due to these endless proceedings.” Mr. Bridger has previ- ously said that the charge against his home was made following his receipt of a legal bill for £200,000 (ap- proximately US$292,000) re- lated to the U.K. court pro- ceedings brought by the attorney general. It is un- known how much he has spent defending himself against the Kernohan law- suit and other court proceed- ings in the Cayman Islands. According to information obtained by the Cayman Compass, Mr. Bridger has received or has been pledged about US$500,000 in legal assistance from the Metropolitan Police Service and the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime over the last several years, but it is unclear whether that will cover all his costs. In addition to the civil court wrangling, Mr. Bridger was placed under investigation in a criminal probe in Cayman. Mr. Bridger learned in February that he remained under investigation over allegations concerning a criminal complaint he made to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service in 2013. The complaint, which was found to be unwar- ranted following a review by local police, made var- ious accusations against former Cayman Islands Governor Jack, Attorney General Samuel Bulgin and U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office ad- viser Larry Covington over their respective roles in the Tempura corruption investigation. Now, Mr. Bridger may face allegations against him related to his 2013 accusa- tions, which were supported at the time by Mr. Kernohan and Mr. Jones. Mr. Bridger has declined to comment about the criminal investi- gation against him. “I have said publicly … that it remains my hope that all the facts as to how Operation Tempura pro- gressed over time will be ad- dressed,” Mr. Bridger said. Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The settlement of former Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan’s lawsuit does not end all legal disputes related to the Operation Tempura case in the Cayman Islands. Although the official order had not been released as of press time, it was understood from earlier court proceed- ings that U.K. Judge Timothy Owen would order Cayman Islands Acting Information Commissioner Jan Liebaers to review, for a third time, whether certain records re- lated to the Tempura probe should be released. The records in question relate to a 2010 complaint initially filed by the Tempura probe’s former legal adviser, Martin Polaine, which was carried forward later by the operation’s senior in- vestigator, Martin Bridger. The complaint, which al- leges misconduct by cer- tain Cayman Islands judicial and legal figures involved in the Tempura probe, was dismissed by then-Cayman Islands Governor Duncan 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, QC, to aid in his dismissal of the claim. Mr. Aina’s 185-page re- port cost taxpayers $335,000 to produce. It has never been made public. 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 Mr. Bridger’s complaint and the governor’s evaluation of it. The governor’s office denied the request, a decision that was later overturned by the information 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. Following the February hearing, Justice Owen agreed that the records should still not be released, citing the ongoing criminal investigation against Mr. Bridger by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. His ruling left it again to Mr. Liebaers to decide – for a third time – what should be done with the pending open records request. How long an RCIPS probe involving alleged statements by Mr. Bridger might take is unknown. Eight months have passed since Police Commissioner David Baines first pub- licly alluded to the criminal probe, and Mr. Bridger said recently that he was not aware of any charges being filed against him in the case. Mr. Bridger was in the Cayman Islands in February and was not questioned by police at that time. “I am aware that the in- formation commissioner has a further decision to make in relation to the findings of my complaint made by [former Governor] Duncan Taylor,” Mr. Bridger said. “If I were asked by the information commissioner to make an affidavit in respect of those matters, I would not for one moment hesitate to do so.” Mr. Liebaers said in March that the exemp- tion Justice Owen cited, re- ferred 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. Kernohan withdraws claims against Bridger Tempura records case drags on CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Monday april 13, 2015 • Cayman Compass Shark kills surfer on French island A 13-year-old boy was killed by a shark while surfing off the shore of Reunion island in the Indian Ocean. It was the seventh shark-related death near the island since 2011. Grand Opening Special 4 Weeks Karate $ 69.00 4 Weeks Karate $ 69.00 Call 926-Kick (5425) caymankarateacademy.com or email: bobdaigle@me.comor email: bobdaigle@me.com New location #1 Alexander Place, Dorcy Drive Relationship Counseling by Joan Summers 25 years experience in counseling broken relationships. Help to repair marriages, boyfriend and girlfriend issues, family troubles and emotional problems. Help with stress related problems. Call for free consultation. 305 290 0888 In historic meeting, Obama, Castro vow to turn the page PANAMA CITY (AP) — President Barack Obama and Cuba’s Raul Castro sat down together Saturday in the first formal meeting of the two country’s leaders in a half- century, pledging to reach for the kind of peaceful relation- ship that has eluded their na- tions for generations. In a small conference room in a Panama City convention center, the two sat side by side in a bid to inject fresh mo- mentum into their months-old effort to restore diplomatic ties. Reflecting on the historic nature of the meeting, Obama said he felt it was time to try something new and to engage with both Cuba’s government and its people. “What we have both con- cluded is that we can dis- agree with a spirit of respect and civility,” Obama said. “And over time, it is possible for us to turn the page and develop a new relationship between our two countries.” Castro, for his part, said he agreed with everything Obama had said – a stun- ning statement in and of it- self for the Cuban leader. But he added the caveat that they had “agreed to disagree” at times. Castro said he had told the Americans that Cuba was willing to discuss issues such as human rights and freedom of the press, main- taining that “everything can be on the table.” “We are disposed to talk about everything – with patience,” Castro said in Spanish. “Some things we will agree with, and others we won’t.” Not since 1958 have a U.S. and Cuban leader convened a substantial meeting; at the time, Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House and Fulgencio Batista in charge in Cuba. But relations quickly entered into a deep freeze amid the Cold War, and the U.S. spent decades trying to either isolate or actively over- throw the Cuban government. In a stroke of coincidence, Eisenhower’s meeting with Batista in 1958 also took place in Panama, imbuing Saturday’s session between Obama and Castro with a sense of having come full circle. The historic gathering played out on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas, which this year included Cuba for the first time. Although the meeting wasn’t publicly announced in ad- vance, White House aides had suggested the two leaders were looking for an opportu- nity to meet while in Panama and to discuss the ongoing efforts to open embassies in Havana and Washington, among other issues. At the start of their hour- long meeting, Obama ac- knowledged that Cuba, too, would continue raising con- cerns about U.S. policies – earning a friendly smirk from Castro. Obama described the sit-down later as “candid and fruitful,” and said he and Castro were able to speak about their differences in a productive way. Even still, raw passions were on vivid display earlier in the day when Castro, in a meandering, nearly hour- long speech to the summit, ran through an exhaus- tive history of perceived Cuban grievances against the U.S. dating back more than a century. Then, in an abrupt about face, he apologized for letting his emotions get the best of him. He said many U.S. pres- idents were at fault for that troubled history – but that Obama isn’t one of them. “I have told President Obama that I get very emo- tional talking about the rev- olution,” Castro said through a translator, noting that Obama wasn’t even born when the U.S. began sanc- tioning the island nation. “I apologize to him because President Obama had no re- sponsibility for this.” Obama agreed. “The Cold War has been over for a long time,” he said. “And I’m not interested in having battles frankly that started before I was born.” The flurry of diplomacy kicked off Wednesday when Obama and Castro spoke by phone – only the second known call between U.S. and Cuban presidents in decades. It continued Friday evening when Obama and Castro traded handshakes and small talk at the summit’s opening ceremonies, setting social media abuzz with photos and cellphone video. Obama and Castro sent shock waves throughout the hemisphere in December when they announced the plan for rapprochement, and their envoys have spent the ensuing months working through thorny issues such as sanctions, the re-opening of embassies and the island na- tion’s place on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. Although earlier in the week Obama suggested a de- cision to remove Cuba from the list was imminent, he declined to take that step Saturday, citing the need to study a recently completed State Department review. Lawmakers briefed on that review have said it resulted in a recommendation that Cuba be delisted. Removal from the terror list is a top priority for Castro because it would not only purge a stain on Cuba’s pride, but also ease its ability to conduct simple fi- nancial transactions. “Yes, we have conducted solidarity with other peoples that could be considered [ter- rorists] – when we were cor- nered, when we were strongly harassed,” Castro conceded earlier Saturday. “We had no other choice but to give up or to fight back.” VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis on Sunday called the slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks “the first genocide of the 20th century” and urged the international community to recognize it as such, sparking a diplomatic rift with Turkey. Turkey, which has long denied a genocide took place, immediately summoned the Vatican ambassador to com- plain and promised a fuller official response. “The pope’s statement which is far from historic and legal truths is unac- ceptable,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted. “Religious positions are not places where unfounded claims are made and hatred is stirred.” Francis, who has close ties to the Armenian community from his days in Argentina, defended his pronouncement by saying it was his duty to honor the memory of the in- nocent men, women and chil- dren who were “senselessly” murdered by Ottoman Turks 100 years ago this month. “Concealing or de- nying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it,” he said at the start of a Mass in the Armenian Catholic rite in St. Peter’s Basilica honoring the centenary. In a subsequent message directed to all Armenians, Francis called on all heads of state and international organizations to recognize the truth of what transpired and oppose such crimes “without ceding to ambiguity or compromise.” Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey, however, has in- sisted that the toll has been inflated, and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest, not genocide. It has fiercely lobbied to pre- vent countries, including the Holy See, from officially rec- ognizing the Armenian mas- sacre as genocide. Pope sparks Turkish ire with Armenian ‘genocide’ remarks Pope Francis arrives to celebrates an Armenian-Rite Mass on the occasion of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary Sunday of the Armenian genocide, in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican. - Photo: AP Cuban President Raul Castro and President Barack Obama in an historic meeting at the Summit of the Americas in Panama City. - Photo: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL Cayman Compass • Monday april 13, 2015 Cayman HospiceCare AGM Tuesday 14 April 2015 5:30PM at LUCA We need your participation to keep the services of Cayman HospiceCare available and free to anyone living in The Cayman Islands. Please join us... Let your voice be heard! Annual General Meeting. Cayman HospiceCare 492 North Sound Road Box 10614 Grand Cayman KY1-1006 t: 945.7447 f: 946.2183 chc@candw.ky Previous ISDHF videos can be viewed at: http://www.scubahalloffame.com/videobios.html Invitation to Tender CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT On behalf of the Government of the Cayman Islands, the Department of Tourism invites tenders for the provision of video production for the 2015 International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF) to be submitted to the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. The purpose of the videos is to provide a two minute digital biography for each of the 2015 International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Inductees including the pioneer award, plus an introduction video for the ISDHF event which will be featured during a live ceremony and then posted on the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame website in perpetuity. These videos will be used for advertising and promotion of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame and they will be the property of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT). Objectives for the Vendor: w Produce a two minute video biography for each Inductee (usually 4 - 6 persons). w Produce a two minute video biography for each pioneer awardee (usually 1 or 2 persons). w Produce a two minute video biography for each local awardee (usually 2 persons). w Produce a video introduction for the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame event. w Videos must include narration and can also include music and special effects. w Videos must be high definition for the live ceremony and then in mpeg-4 or MOV format for website use. w Videos must be completed by September 4, 2015. The proposal should include: w Links or electronic copies of previous videos produced. Criteria for selecting the successful tender will be on the following basis: w Understanding of ISDHF & CIDOT objectives. w Relevant prior experience. w Quality of video production work and creativity. w Pricing/budgeting of project. Tender Documents to be submitted to the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. Interested parties should obtain and download the Full Invitation to Tender document at web address: www.caymanislands.ky/ISDHFRFP from April 7, 2015. All tenders and queries to be submitted by email to gdominguez@caymanislands.ky and will be answered by email only. Tenders must be received by 12:00 PM EST on May 1, 2015. Two attacks on troops in Egypt’s Sinai kill at least 12 EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) — At least 12 people, mostly Egyptian policemen, were killed Sunday when militants attacked a police station in the provincial capital of Egypt’s North Sinai province, and detonated a roadside bomb against a passing ar- mored vehicle, officials said. North Sinai has witnessed a series of complex and suc- cessful attacks targeting Egyptian security forces, many of which have been claimed by a local affiliate of the Islamic State group. In the largest of the day’s attacks, a suspected car bomber detonated his vehicle at the entrance of a main po- lice station in el-Arish, the capital of North Sinai prov- ince, killing at least six, in- cluding five policemen, and injuring several civilians, the Interior Ministry said. The blast left a deep crater in the residential area, and damaged several homes nearby. Officials said rescue crews were searching through the rubble for survi- vors and the death toll was expected to rise. The explosion was the second attack Sunday on troops in Sinai. Earlier in the day, six soldiers, including an officer, were killed when a roadside bomb struck their ar- mored vehicle traveling south of el-Arish. In a third smaller attack, militants clashed with soldiers at a mobile check- point in Rafah, south of el- Arish, wounding one police of- ficer and two soldiers. Sunday is Eastern Orthodox Easter in Egypt, and police have been on high alert against attacks. The attacks took place as Egypt’s defense minister carried out a limited mili- tary reshuffle, replacing the commander of the army divi- sion responsible for securing North Sinai. Maj. Gen. Mohammed el-Shahat, who only com- manded Egypt’s second field army for about a year, was promoted to head of mili- tary intelligence; el-Shahat’s deputy, Maj. Gen. Nasser el- Assi, will replace him. In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the Interior Ministry – which oversees the police – said a suicide bomber in a small truck drove through a check- point outside the police sta- tion, causing guards to open fire before the vehicle ex- ploded. The ministry said five policemen and a civilian were killed in the explosion. An official said the dead include two ranking police officers and two conscripts. The officials all spoke on condition of anonymity be- cause they were not autho- rized to brief reporters. Residents say the explo- sion outside one of four main police stations in el-Arish shook the surrounding dis- trict. One woman said her house walls cracked. Cars out- side the station were on fire. Abu Mohammed, a resi- dent who lives near the police station, said body parts lit- tered the area after the huge explosion, which also split an armored car into two. He said the suicide bomber kept on driving past sand mounds and a cement blast wall se- curing the station – all de- spite coming under heavy fire from the guards. Video appears to show London diamond-district heist gang LONDON (AP) — The gang members, dressed in flu- orescent vests and hard hats, calmly carried bags and wheeled garbage bins into a high-security storage facility in London’s diamond district. After two nights of work, they left with the contents of dozens of safe-deposit boxes, in a methodical heist that has fascinated Britain – and put police on the defensive. The Daily Mirror news- paper on Saturday published surveillance-camera images showing the thieves in ac- tion. The footage shows sev- eral men, their faces cov- ered with dust masks, entering and leaving the building repeatedly over the Easter weekend. London’s Metropolitan Police said detectives had obtained the footage before the newspaper published it. On Saturday the force re- leased still images of what it called three “highly auda- cious” suspects. Detective chief inspector Paul Johnson said the bur- glars entered the building late on Thursday, April 2, and left the next morning. They returned on Saturday night and left Easter Sunday morning. They climbed down an elevator shaft and drilled through concrete walls 6 feet thick into the vault. They stole the contents of 72 safety deposit boxes, which are used by many local dealers to store jewelry. Police have not disclosed the value of the stolen goods. The force has acknowl- edged that a burglar alarm at the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit facility was trig- gered just after midnight on April 3, the start of the holiday weekend, but no one was sent to check on it. The crime was not discov- ered until businesses re- opened on Tuesday. John O’Connor, former head of Scotland Yard’s armed-robbery squad, told the BBC that the thieves ap- peared professional and well-prepared, but police had been “utterly incompe- tent” in not answering the alarm call. Britain has a soft spot for a good heist, and newspapers have rev- eled in the emerging details of the robbery. Under the headline “Diamond Geezers,” the Daily Mirror dubbed one red- haired raider in the video footage “Mr. Ginger,” another “Mr. Strong” and a third, who appeared to be wearing ex- pensive shoes, “The Gent.” Egyptians gather around the crater following a bombing Sunday that struck a main police station in el-Arish, capital of North Sinai province. - photo: apNext >