ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Tuesday april 14, 2015 SportS | page 16 arsenal gunning for smalling United defender wanted at Emirates High of 87 Low of 74 Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 3 feet. editorial | page 4 operaTion Tempura: ‘open invesTigaTion,‘ closed records back to back wins www.butterfieldgroup.com Proud winner of The Banker’s prestigious Cayman Islands Bank of the Year award for 2013 and 2014. Bank of the year... Again! Premier insists EY reforms progressing BrenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Six areas where the Cayman Islands gov- ernment expects to reform its operations, fol- lowing a consultant review completed last September, were outlined by Premier Alden McLaughlin on Monday. The options being pursued included the merger of various government watchdog agencies, the merger of government commu- nications services and the merger of certain public utility regulatory agencies. The gov- ernment would also consider the sale of cer- tain “surplus” Crown land, raise the retirement age from 60 to 65, and consolidate primary schools in Cayman Brac. Mr. McLaughlin said these specific areas did not constitute the sum of reforms that would be proposed out of the Ernst & Young report, and that other plans would certainly be made in time. “There is always great clamor for imme- diate change … and often these changes do not happen as quickly as we’d like, but we have to make sure we do these things prop- erly,” he said, adding that the EY report was simply “one tool in the box” of government as it sought to reform the public service. The ultimate goal of the reform was not “job losses,” according to the premier, but improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the civil service. “We need to decide what areas government ought to be in the business of doing,” he said. To assist in the implementation pro- cess, in addition to seconding a civil ser- vice chief officer, Mary Rodrigues, and a small team under her, Mr. McLaughlin said Monday that his office had hired an adviser from the U.K. Kieran Stigant, an accountant, will serve as a political appointee to the premier’s office on a one-year contract. He has worked in local government in the U.K., including as a chief officer, and three years as chief executive at West Sussex County Council. Wage committee says Welfare rate too generous charles duncan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new report calls for a review of the $3,000 per month household income threshold for temporary public assistance. The Minimum Wage Advisory Committee says the rate is too high, given wage levels in Cayman. The committee’s report, published last week, calls for an immediate review of the in- come threshold used by the Needs Assessment Unit, charged with giving public assistance. The report states the rate puts welfare recipi- ents at a level earning $9.62 an hour, substan- tially more than the recommended $6 min- imum wage. Committee chair Lemuel Hurlston called the income level “too generous.” “One has to look at capping costs,” he said, pointing to what he called “slightly con- tentious” budget debates over spending on public assistance. The government budget lists almost $1.5 million in funding for the Needs Assessment Unit, which oversees welfare payments. The Needs Assessment Unit declined to comment and forwarded all questions to the Ministry of Home and Community Affairs. The ministry had not responded to Cayman Compass requests for comment by press time Monday. The unit’s representatives told the Minimum Wage Advisory Committee that be- tween June 2012 and Aug. 20, 2014, more than 1,100 people requested welfare benefits due to unemployment or inadequate income. The committee report cites Anne Knowles Neglected dogs provide therapy for Cayman’s youth James WhiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A pilot program to teach youngsters life skills through dog training is under way in Cayman’s schools. The program is predominantly targeting at-risk youth and those with behavior prob- lems or learning difficulties, but is also seen as an alternative career opportunity. The youngsters will learn basic dog con- trol skills as well as feeding, grooming, walking and even reading to the animals. Research has shown that working closely with dogs can help teach young people important life skills, including em- pathy and responsibility, organizers say. The pilot program is initially being held twice a week at George Town Primary School, the Lighthouse School and John Gray High School, using dogs from the Humane Society that have been trained by handlers. Dog trainers Kenneth Morgan and Alberto Bryan Jr. have teamed up with Michael Myles, government’s at-risk youth coordinator and one of the founders of com- munity group the Youth Anti-Crime Trust, to deliver the program. Mr. Myles said research has shown that working with dogs helps young people with a variety of issues. “Who doesn’t love a dog?” he said. “This type of program is becoming a worldwide phenomenon, where dogs are used in a variety of different ways, in- cluding as an alternative therapy for chil- dren,” he added. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Youngsters at the skate park are among those involved in a new program aimed at teaching life skills through dog training. - PHoto: James WHittaKer PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS Tuesday april 14, 2015 • Cayman Compass Rope expert questions competence Tad SToner tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com An inquest into the April 2012 hanging death of 43-year- old Australian Lija Godenzi began in the Coroner’s Court on Monday, seeking answers in the demise of the Cayman Islands resident. “An inquest is not ad- versarial and not par- tisan. There are no parties to it and no one is making a case,” Acting Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez told the seven jurors. “It is only to ascertain who, how, when and where of a death.” David McGrath, man- aging partner at Samson and McGrath, appeared for Ms. Godenzi’s widower Andreas Haug. Greg Walcolm, of the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions, appeared on behalf of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Ms. Hernandez reviewed a series of witness statements, most from forensic experts, but also including bank man- agers and former employers. A DNA specialist said that in June 2014 and again two months later she had tested the rope used in Ms. Godenzi’s hanging, iden- tifying the DNA samples as belonging to her – with only a one in one quintillion chance of error. A document examiner said that writing samples, including a note reading “just do it” most likely were written by Ms. Godenzi: “[It] fits comfortably within the variations and significant similarities characteristic in writing, so the entry was probably written by her.” He said it was “very probable” that she used the pen the police asked him to examine. Three Fire Service offi- cers testified they helped po- lice break into Ms. Godenzi’s Sunrise Apartments home on April 7 after one of them re- ported a “foul smell” ema- nating from the home. An American Airlines customer service represen- tative said that on April 3 Ms. Godenzi had booked an April 5 flight – to see her brother in Hawaii – with an April 12 return, but that the reservation was automati- cally canceled on April 4 when it was not confirmed. Finally, an internation- ally recognized forensic spe- cialist in knots, U.K.-based Mike Lucas, said the knots in the polyester rope implicit in Ms. Godenzi’s death were “complex” and “common as- pects of a boating and ma- rine environment.” “The way it was tied demonstrated a knowledge of knots and boating. Did Ms. Godenzi have an in- terest in boats and small boating?” he asked. If she had “the knowl- edge and aptitude,” he told investigators, “it was fea- sible for suicide. Without that expertise, she is un- likely to have had the ability to tie it, and a third party could have been involved.” Also attending the in- quest was Ms. Godenzi’s Hawaii-based brother Lance, and Thomas Samal, first secretary and consul in the Australian High Commission in Trinidad. “Whenever a citizen is in- volved, we just try to look in to make sure what is hap- pening,” Mr. Samal said. The Port of Spain commission, he said, bears responsibility for the entire Caribbean area. The hearing continues, scheduled for the rest of this week. 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. FURIOUS 7 - 3D (PG13) 12:45 I 1:30 2D I 3:45 I 4:30 2D I 6:45 I 7:30 2D I 9:30 2D I 9:45 THE COBBLER (PG13) 1:00 | 3:40 | 7:20 | 9:40 GET HARD (R) 1:15 I 7:10 THE LONGEST RIDE (PG13) 12:30 | 3:30 | 6:55 | 9:50 INSURGENT - 3D (PG13) 4:00 2D | 9:55 HOME - 3D (PG) 12:20 I 2:40 2D I 5:00 I 7:15 2D *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - TUESDAY - $8.00 Prison officer suspended after hidden camera found in office JameS WhiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A prison officer has been suspended after a covert sur- veillance camera was found hidden in the office of a se- nior manager. The Cayman Compass un- derstands the secret camera was discovered inside an air conditioning duct in the manager’s office on Thursday. Prisons boss Neil Lavis confirmed the discovery and said an officer had been suspended pending further investigations. Police were called to Her Majesty’s Prison Northward following the find and the Ministry of Home Affairs was alerted. “It is regrettable that someone has seen fit to in- vade another person’s pri- vacy in such a manner,” said prisons director Mr. Lavis. “I am committed to uncovering the parties involved.” The prison service said in a statement that the camera was switched on and was covertly recording when it was found. Prison authorities are still attempting to es- tablish if any crime has been committed under Cayman Islands law. The matter, ultimately, may be dealt with internally through the Prison Officers’ (discipline) regulations. It is the second time in the last six months that an officer at the prison has been suspended. In December 2014, an anonymous source alerted prison management that one of their employees was a registered sex offender in another jurisdiction. The of- ficer was suspended and later resigned. CaroL Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 46-year-old woman was sentenced to 18 months im- prisonment on Monday after pleading guilty to obtaining $39,210.94 by deception while she was a senior employee at Scotia Bank and Trust. Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn pointed out that the be- havior of Ilsa Dalila Archibold was a breach of trust of- fense, negatively affecting the banking industry and im- pacting public confidence. Sentencing guidelines put this offense in the range of two to three years, the mag- istrate said. A starting point of two years was pushed to three years because of Archibold’s position as senior home financing specialist and the lengthy period over which the offending occurred – 22 counts between June 2010 and July 2012. In Archibold’s favor were her early guilty pleas and offer of compensation, which brought the sentence back down to two years; other fac- tors cited by defense attorney Delroy Murray further reduced the sentence to 18 months. Full compensation was ordered to be paid within 14 days or the defendant would serve a further six months in default. Mr. Murray noted that his client’s accounts had been frozen, so court assis- tance might be needed to get the funds in time. The offending occurred when Archibold received a 1 percent commitment fee from bank customers who had been approved for a mort- gage. The deception was her acceptance of the fee and falsely representing that it would be applied to the cus- tomer account. Instead of crediting the accounts, she kept the money. The bank was alerted in September 2012 when a mortgage applicant attended the bank with a receipt for a commitment fee that could not be found in the bank’s general ledger. Archibold was asked about it and said she had forgotten to process the transaction. She subsequently pro- duced a record and funds, and then resigned on Sept. 20, 2012, leaving the juris- diction the next day. When she returned seven months later, she was arrested by the Financial Crime Unit. Mr. Murray had advised that the stolen money was not used for any extravagant lifestyle; rather, he submitted a letter from a physician who was treating Archibold’s fa- ther in Honduras. Funds she sent for his treatment to- talled more than US$59,000 between 2008 and 2012. The magistrate detailed records from Archibold’s bank and credit union ac- counts, noting that the credit union account had increased some $40,000 in two years. She therefore rejected this ex- planation as to use of funds. There was no evidence as to the impact of the of- fending on the victim or on Archibold’s fellow employees. The impact on herself – em- barrassment, being the sub- ject of speculation, inability to find employment – was not unusual for this type of of- fense and had been bought on by Archibold’s own actions, the magistrate pointed out. Mr. Murray has asked that consideration be given to his client’s health and the wel- fare of her children. He sub- mitted a letter in which her doctor had said that incar- ceration could impede a long- standing ailment. The magistrate said the medical condition was not one which would make in- carceration prohibitive. As to any emotional harm to the children, no evidence had been produced to sug- gest that they were more ad- versely affected than many children who are in the un- happy situation of having a parent before the court con- victed of serious offenses. Breach of trust offenses, she concluded, are almost al- ways dealt with by way of a prison sentence unless the amount is small or there are exceptional circumstances. In this case, the amount was not small and she did not find exceptional circumstances. Inquest opens in resident’s hanging death Senior bank employee gets 18 months A hidden camera was found inside the office of a prison manager. Ms. Hernandez reviewed a series of witness statements, most from forensic experts. The bank was alerted in September 2012 when a mortgage applicant attended the bank with a receipt for a commitment fee that could not be found in the bank’s general ledger.3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday april 14, 2015 that the Cayman Islands Financial Services Industry is the single BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR to government revenue? 345-623-6725 | www.caymanfinance.ky Financial Services. Moving Cayman Forward. *Estimated based on the 2013 Compendium of Statistics, published by the Economics and Statistics Office and an Oxford Economics study. * Roads Health Housing Education Social Services Financial Services Industry ALL other industries, including Tourism, Development, Construction, Real Estate, Retail, Utilities, etc. 55% 45% $349m $286m * of government revenue of government revenue INOUT Tempura settlement figure kept secret Disclosure could prompt lawsuits, information commissioner says Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The precise amount Cayman Islands taxpayers spent paying off three former Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officers following various settlements related to the ill-fated Operation Tempura investigation cannot be given to the public because government would likely face lawsuits over the release of that information. Acting Information Commissioner Jan Liebaers ruled last week that dis- closure of amounts paid to former RCIPS Commissioner Stuart Kernohan, former Deputy Commissioner Rudolph Dixon and former Inspector Burmon Scott would result in an “action- able breach of confidence” by the government, which had pledged confidentiality to all three men as part of their settlement agreements. Both Mr. Kernohan and Mr. Dixon were suspended in March 2008 during the course of the Operation Tempura po- lice corruption investigation. Mr. Scott, who had already retired from the police ser- vice, was arrested along with Mr. Dixon in May 2008 over various accusations related to the Tempura case. Mr. Kernohan was fired later in the year when he did not return to the Cayman Islands on the order of the former governor. He was never arrested or charged with a crime. Mr. Scott was never charged following his May 2008 arrest and was eventually exonerated. Mr. Dixon was prosecuted and acquitted by a jury in 2009. Mr. Kernohan agreed last year to settle a 2009 lawsuit over what he alleged was a wrongful termination for which he was paid an un- disclosed sum. Mr. Dixon settled his case out of court in 2011, again for an undis- closed sum. Mr. Scott also re- ceived some payment from government due to his ar- rest after suing the Cayman Islands government. The Cayman Compass made an open records re- quest more than a year ago seeking to obtain the settle- ment amounts paid to each former officer. The newspaper later offered to amend its re- quest to seek a “lump sum” of all the payouts made. The Portfolio of Legal Affairs declined to release any information, stating that all three men had objected and that all the agreements had been made in strict confidentiality. In such a case, simply stating “confidential” on a document is not necessarily considered a protection from the Cayman Islands Freedom of Information Law, Mr. Liebaers said. However, where an “action- able breach of confidence” could occur – in other words, someone could bring a legal action and have a strong chance of winning – the release of records would be exempted, he said. A common law public in- terest test must be weighed against the interest of keeping that information under wraps, Mr. Liebaers said. In this case, the public interest in disclosure would include “the accountability of government expenditure in the context of the pub- licly funded, and very costly, Operation Tempura.” Operation Tempura, to date, has cost Cayman Islands taxpayers more than $10 million, not in- cluding the hundreds of thousands – possibly mil- lions – paid to Messrs. Kernohan, Dixon and Scott. However, the public’s right to know must be balanced against the privacy rights of the three former police offi- cers involved in this case, Mr. Liebaers said, as guaranteed under the Cayman Islands [Constitution} Order, 2009, Bill of Rights. Also, releasing details of the confidential settlements could open the government to further litigation over Operation Tempura, of which it has already seen its fair share, the acting information commissioner said. “[There is] public interest in the government avoiding unnecessary and expensive litigation, which the portfolio says would surely follow if the settlement amounts were disclosed, or would be more likely to ensue in future cases if the government was unable to maintain confiden- tiality in such agreements,” Mr. Liebaers said. The Compass reported in 2014 that government had spent more than $3 mil- lion fighting off legal ac- tions and open records re- quests related to Operation Tempura, inclusive of a $1.275 million lawsuit set- tlement paid to Grand Court Judge Alexander Henderson over his wrongful arrest in connection with the in- vestigation in September 2008. The $3 million does not include whatever was paid to Mr. Kernohan, Mr. Dixon or Mr. Scott and also does not include the latest Grand Court hearings held in February concerning fur- ther release of documents related to Tempura. Former Auditor General Dan Duguay reported that the initial investigation be- tween September 2007 and January 2009 spent $5.7 mil- lion. He also estimated an- other $1.1 million was spent between February and June 2009 on the continuing case. Subsequent investigations and court trials related to Operation Tempura and its spin-off Operation Cealt have never been assessed for costs. “[There is] public interest in the government avoiding unnecessary and expensive litigation, which the portfolio says would surely follow if the settlement amounts were disclosed.” Jan Liebaers, acting information commissioner Mr. LiebaersMr. KernohanThe 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. Operation Tempura: ‘Open investigation,‘ closed records Round and round the Tempura documents go, where they’ll end up, nobody knows. But we can hazard a guess … probably down a drain somewhere. Former Cayman Islands Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan has, after nearly six years, withdrawn his lawsuit against former Operation Tempura chief Martin Bridger. That effectively closes Mr. Kernohan’s chapter in the narrative of the bungled U.K. probe, which led to his firing in late 2008 (and a wrongful ter- mination lawsuit settled in March 2014). Mr. Bridger, however, still has a role to play, as he is apparently the subject of an ongoing criminal inves- tigation to which current Police Commissioner David Baines first alluded eight months ago. The criminal investigation against Mr. Bridger still remains as the primary legal obstacle separating the public from records related to Tempura. Last month, visiting Cayman Islands Grand Court Judge Timothy Owen ruled that the investigation of Mr. Bridger — concerning criminal allegations Mr. Bridger made to Cayman police in January 2014 against former Cayman Governor Stuart Jack and current Attorney General Samuel Bulgin — allowed the governor’s office to withhold the Tempura records from release. Mr. Bridger has publicly called for the release of the documents. The records in question relate to a 2010 complaint filed by Tempura’s former legal adviser Martin Polaine, alleging misconduct by certain judicial and legal figures in Cayman — as well as a critical 185-page evaluation, by U.K. attorney Ben Aina on behalf of the governor’s office, of Mr. Polaine’s complaint. We understand from earlier court proceedings that Judge Owen would order Cayman’s Acting Informa- tion Commissioner Jan Liebaers to consider for a third time whether those records should be released for public perusal. Knowing Mr. Liebaers’s past work, we’re sure that whatever answer he arrives at will be supported by sound reasoning and informed by a keen insight into Cayman’s Freedom of Information Law. On the other hand, considering the track record of U.K. and Cayman governmental authorities (and having an inkling of the magnitude of what’s at stake if the Tempura records are released), we’re fairly certain — as in, we’d be willing to take bets, if that weren’t against the Gambling Law — that the ultimate response to any recommendation to disclose said documents will be a polite, but firm, “No way. No how. No sir.” In regard to Tempura, government’s (and the FCO’s) Rule No. 1 is “Secrecy … We might add, “at all costs,” except that we don’t know the total cost of Tempura. Nobody does. That’s because the cost of Tempura to Cayman taxpayers is one of the things government won’t talk about. Based on the limited information we do have, we can set a hard floor of at least $10 million that Cayman taxpayers have funded to finance Tempura, including about $7 million on the initial investigation and $3 million on legal actions — but not including subsequent investigations, Tempura spinoff Operation Cealt or the settlement amounts paid to three former Royal Cayman Islands Police Service Officers swept up in the probe: former Commissioner Kernohan, former Deputy Commissioner Rudolph Dixon and former Inspector Burmon Scott. Tempura has devolved into a long-term war of attri- tion, a no-win scenario for all parties involved, save for the proverbial “powers that be.” The Compass’s position on these documentary matters is simple and straightforward (and appar- ently in harmony with Mr. Bridger’s and Mr. Liebae- rs’s): Release the documents (even in redacted form) — especially the so-called “Aina Report.” The Cayman people paid CI$335,000 on behalf of former Governor Duncan Taylor to commission the report, and we continue to pay many more thousands of dollars in legal fees and judicial expenses to keep its secrets under wraps. Unwrapping these records would go a long way toward wrapping up Tempura — once and for all. Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Tuesday apriL 14, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Income taxes: A pox on democracy Politicians have manipu- lated the income tax to salve voter angst about fairness but in the process are de- stroying the work ethic and corrupting public judgement about the appropriate limits of government. Liberals habitually derided the wealthy for gorging on an unfair share of the nation’s bounty but thanks to the IRS, it’s simply not so. The top fifth earn about 51 percent of income but pay 84 percent of the taxes. Whereas, the bottom two fifths don’t contribute to the federal coffers and actu- ally get money back, because President Obama has used the tax code to redistribute income to lower and middle- income Americans. For example, the Earned Income Tax Credit returns cash to families with annual incomes as high as US$53,000, and the American Opportunity Credit, which assists with col- lege costs, provides tax re- funds to families with in- comes as high as US$160,000. Add in food stamps, Obamacare subsidies and more generous deductions for mortgage interest and state taxes for lower and middle income filers, and most folks are getting far more out of government programs than they are paying. And they are incentivized to vote for more of the same. A recent CNN poll indi- cates 59 percent of Americans want the next president to have substantial executive ex- perience, and nearly as many, 57 percent, want a candidate who would change most of Obama’s policies. The latter is not sur- prising. Most Americans find Obamacare terribly complex and frustrating. Hillary Clinton is an expe- rienced government executive but could hardly be expected to roll back the Affordable Care Act – unless it entailed imposing an alternative mod- eled after the paternalistic British Health Service. Yet, she polls quite strongly against likely Republican candidates. Simply, too many Americans have become so de- pendent on the present system of government largess that they cannot vote against con- tinuing it. Recently, the Wall Street Journal highlighted a Los Angeles janitor supporting a family of four on US$30,000 a year, who relies on the US$6,000 Earned Income Tax Credit he receives each spring to catch up on his bills. His employer leans on it too. It simply would not be able to get responsible workers for so little money without the EITC, food stamps and other benefits to subsi- dize the pay. The same applies to much maligned McDonald’s and Walmart. Moreover, those benefits discourage second earners in families, because those phase out as incomes rise, making the income lost for each additional dollar earned much greater than the 15 or 25 percent income tax rate levied on low and middle income households. As many jobs in manu- facturing and construction, which paid men quite good wages, have disappeared, too many have failed to make the transitions as effectively as women into other well-paying and expanding activities, for example, in health care. Many of the 7 million men ages 25 to 54, neither working nor seeking jobs, find it easier to collect government benefits and rely on wives and girl- friends than take up the re- sponsibility of earning a living. Just as many deductions, credits and exemptions in the corporate income tax code encourage businesses to game that system or move factories abroad rather than invest in new products and jobs, the combination of cash back on taxes and gov- ernment benefits discour- ages too many men from ac- quiring marketable skills and leading productive lives It would be better to just junk the whole corporate and personal income tax system, impose a national sales tax and award parents a fixed stipend for each child under 18 or attending college. If Congress repealed Obamacare, the tax rate could be lowered or the stipend for raising chil- dren increased substantially. That would create an in- teresting campaign dynamic. Liberals running on platforms to offer Americans more free stuff would have to explain why those are worth raising the national sales tax or cut- ting payments for children. Peter Morici is a professor at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. He served as chief economist of the U.S. International Trade Commission from 1993-1995. He tweets @pmorici1. FROM CayManCOMPaSS.COM “Report details domestic worker abuse,” April 13 Chronic abuse of do- mestic servants is an en- demic problem in the Cayman Islands and abso- lutely nothing has been done about it. Shame on Caymanians and the government for turning a blind eye to this sit- uation for so many decades. Roger Davies Shame, too, on the Human Rights Commission for its silence on the exploi- tation of domestic workers – and also on past Human Rights Committees. (I served on two of those Committees, back in 2005- 2006, and was frustrated at every turn by the refusal of my colleagues to go into bat for the domestics.) Gordon Barlow Why are these other countries not complaining about Cayman laws not protecting their citizens? Ron Clair Ebanks “Minimum Wage: What it is … And what it isn’t,” April 10 The net result will be more government, and that is paid for somehow. However it is funded, the result will be a higher cost of living, and the result may well be that there will need to be a higher min- imum wage to pay for the cost of implementing a min- imum wage. Minimum government is a better idea than a minimum wage – that will put more ‘’value’’ in everyone’s pocket. andy Gray This whole notion of “All of the modern countries have a minimum wage” argument, pushed with feel-good poli- cies by pseudo-intellectual politicians is rubbish! Almost all of the “modern countries” are bankrupt or are going bankrupt, including the U.S. Minimum wage will now be used by politicians as a political football to buy votes election after elec- tion. It will help no one; no one will be better able to buy a home because of it; no one will become unpoor be- cause if it; and it will cost everyone more, especially business owners to do busi- ness; it will increase cost of living; and most impor- tantly, it will cost “low-in- come jobs” (the very people who are supposed to be pro- tected by this idiotic law). aJ Ebanks “West Bay Road: Where inaction endangers lives,” April 9 Many years ago I jokingly nicknamed this “death” bay road. Trying to get across at any time of the day or night is dangerous. Pedestrian walk-overs would be my choice for a solution. Getting people above the traffic would be the best answer. David puckett Peter Morici [T]oo many Americans have become so dependent on the present system of government largess that they cannot vote against continuing it.5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday april 14, 2015 AT FINCOR, WE PROVIDE ELECTRONIC FILING, AND QUICKBOOKS SETUP. We offer personal organized financial management including paying monthly bills, preparing budgets, bank reconciliation etc. We work closely with our clients, serving as their financial partners and trusted advisors. Our goal is to help our clients and their businesses to grow and succeed through knowledgeable guidance and dependable service. If you are looking for an affordable solution to your back office accounting tasks, consider making an appointment with our firm to discuss how we may assist you with our comprehensive list of services. Phone: 345-746-9272 (345-74MYCPA) #9 Paddington Place, Godfrey Nixon Way, George Town, Grand Cayman, P.O. Box 194, KY1-1601 ACCOUNTING SERVICES • Full Accounting Outsourcing • Bookkeeping • Billing Services • Financial Statement Preparation • Bank reconciliation • QuickBooks set up • Accounts Payable Services • Payroll Processing • QuickBooks hosting • Budget Preparation • Personal Financial Management • Accounts receivable & banking www.fincor.ky Two civil servants, who for many years have been the first point of contact for members of the public who walked into the Government Administration Building or called the main government phone number, are retiring. Hope Stephenson, a re- ceptionist at the front desk, spent her last day at the office on Friday. Beatrice Chisholm, known affec- tionately as Ms. B, is the switchboard officer for the main government phone line; she retires in June. The women each have more than 25 years of ex- perience working with government. Acting Facilities Manager Troy Whorms said Ms. Stephenson had carried out her duties at the recep- tion desk with “grace, ef- ficiency and an absolute commitment to excellence.” Of Ms. Chisholm, who transfers an average of 300 calls a day to 62 gov- ernment agencies, he said, “Her consistently pleasant demeanor to cus- tomers and colleagues in the face of such a work- load demonstrated the im- pact that strong customer service values have in frontline staff.” Earlier this month, Governor Helen Kilpatrick, several ministers and other high-ranking government officials hosted a recep- tion to celebrate the long- time civil servants and presented them with 25- year service awards for their contributions. The women have more than 25 years of experience each. Two retire from government frontline Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com At least 40 prospective police officers showed up for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service open house on Saturday. The RCIPS is taking applications this month and hopes to find 12 to 15 qualified recruits to start training in August. To join the police service as entry-level officers, appli- cants must be Caymanian or have permanent residency, have a clean criminal record, be physically fit and have a high school diploma. Police say they have received sev- eral dozen applications so far this month and expect more to come in by the cutoff date at the end of April. Inspector Kevin Ashworth, the RCIPS training and de- velopment manager, said the open house Saturday was meant to give candidates “a relaxed atmosphere to ask questions about the process and about policing in gen- eral.” He had officers from the department’s various units on hand to speak with appli- cants one-on-one about being an entry-level constable. Speaking at the Governor’s Square police training center Saturday, Inspector Ashworth said the young recruits he trains each year “have the prospect of becoming senior officers and will be the future leaders in the department.” Constable Gregory Banks, 22, who is finishing up his first year with the RCIPS, said he was surprised by just how close his job brings him to the community. He’s on shift duty, meaning he responds to calls in George Town. “I didn’t know how much I would be involved with people on a daily basis,” he said. “I go to a report and I can see I’ve made a difference for people.” Assuming recruits make it through the exams, medical tests and an interview, they are offered a seat in the 16- week training course. In the 17th week, they have to sit for another set of exams before they can graduate. New con- stables are assigned a more senior officer as a tutor after graduation and they work to- gether for six to eight weeks. New constables are not per- mitted to work on their own until their tutors sign off. Constables have a two- year probation period be- fore becoming full members of the police service and can then look into a specializa- tion like the marine unit or fi- nancial crimes. RCIPS will host a second open house Wednesday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Governor’s Square training center. Interest high in police recruitment drive Beatrice Chisholm, left, and Hope Stephenson, who are retiring from government, with their 25-year service awards. In the back row, from left to right, are Fisher ‘Porter’ Wright, Troy Whorms and Adam McLaren, all members of the Facilities Management Department.TUESDAY, APRIL 14 Sickle cell Group: The next meeting of the Sickle Cell Support Group is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Health Services Authority’s Public Health Waiting Room. Dr. Anna Matthews will lead the discussion. All interested persons are welcome. Additional information is available from the Genetics Coordinator at phone 244- 2630. VoluNTeerS NeeDeD: In hosting the CONCACAF Under 15 Boys Youth Tournament in Grand Cayman from Aug. 11–23, the Cayman Islands Football Association is appealing to those interested in volunteering their time and services to email voluteers@ cifa.ky, call the CIFA office at 949-5775 or visit www. caymanfootball.com. HiV TeSTiNG: Free HIV testing is available every Tuesday year-round at the Cayman Islands Red Cross on Thomas Russell Way. Anyone wishing to get tested should arrive by 9 a.m. Testing will be available every Tuesday, 9-10 a.m. Contact HIV/AIDS Coordinator Laura Whitfield at 244-2631. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 FloeTrY: Join poets and performers who share their work during an open mic night of poetry and readings at Books & Books. Share your own work or listen to others. Free and open to the public. 7-8:30 p.m. police recruiTMeNT: The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service holds an open house for prospective applicants to chat with officers and get all information they need to apply, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the RCIPS Training and Development Unit, Governor’s Square. Applications are available online at www.rcips. ky/careers. Completed application forms should be submitted online to localrecruits@rcips.ky. THURSDAY, APRIL 16 BrAc police recruiTMeNT: The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service holds an open house for prospective applicants to chat with officers and get all information they need to apply. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Aston Rutty Centre. Applications are available online at www. rcips.ky/careers. Completed application forms should be submitted online to localrecruits@rcips.ky. FurTHer eDucATioN: The Cayman Islands Further Education Centre invites everyone to an open house, noon to 3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. to see opportunities offered, including courses, community service projects and internships. The center is on Walkers Road across from Cayman Economy Cars, in the old John Gray campus. coMeDY plAY: “Duets” opens tonight at Prospect Playhouse, presented by Cayman Drama Society. Show time 7:30 p.m. $25 per person, $15 for students. Show continues April 17-18, 23-25, 30; May 1-2. For tickets, contact www.cds.ky; boxoffice@cds.ky or 938-1998. FRIDAY, APRIL 17 plANNiNG DepT.: Staff of the Department of Planning will undergo PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in Delivering Excellence) training today and Monday, April 20. Staff availability will be limited. SUNDAY, APRIL 19 BAck To NATure: Family fun day at the QEII Botanic Park, Frank Sound Road. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Organized by park and National Trust staff. Tours, scavenger hunts, workshops, exhibitions, games. Refreshments on sale. 25 percent off all plants. Admission is $5 for adults; kids 16 and under, free. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 roTArY FuNDrAiSer: The Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Sunrise hosts an art exhibit and social upstairs at the George Town Yacht Club 6–8 p.m. The event is in support of Guaruma, a project in Honduras that helps students ages 9-18 develop skills using photography, digital technology and the Internet. All are invited. There will be a welcome address by a representative of the Honduran Consulate. Music, art, food and drinks available for purchase. For more information, contact drjohnlee@mac.com or visit www.rotarysunrise.ky or www.guaruma.org. FRIDAY, APRIL 24 MArriAGe coNFereNce: First Assembly of God at 195 Old Crewe Road hosts a Marriage Conference at 7 p.m. today and at 3 p.m. tomorrow. There will also be a session for singles at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Guest speakers are Richard and Cynthia Nicholson. This is a free event; all are welcome to attend. Contact 945- 2182 or 916-0291 for more information. lAW ScHool GAlA: The Truman Bodden Law School Student Society hosts a gala at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort Ballroom. Cocktail reception, 7 p.m., dinner, 8 p.m. Tickets $150 per person; $95 for students; $1,500 for table of 10. Four-course steak dinner; vegetarian option available. Entertainment, dancing, live raffle and auction. RSVP to olivia.connolly@me.com or orsi_szotyori@hotmail.com. SATURDAY, APRIL 25 coNcerT AND FiSH FrY: Red Bay Church of God (Holiness) holds a fish fry and open air concert featuring the Red Bay Gospel Band at 6 p.m. on the open lot next to RBC, Shamrock Road, Red Bay. Free admission. Fish fry $10. plASTicS iN pArADiSe: Lecture by Heidi Bassett Blair at the National Gallery. 6-7:30 p.m. Admission $5 for non-members; free for National Gallery members. Refreshments will be served. THURSDAY, APRIL 30 YouNG AT ArTS: Today is the deadline for performers ages 12 to 17 to book an audition for the Intensive Summer Term. Auditions will be held at Tthe Harquail Theatre on May 9 and May 16, 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit www. artscayman.org/young-at arts. To book an audition, spot email cayfest@candw. ky or call 949-5477. GENERAL INTEREST ScHool reGiSTrATioN: Registration of students enrolling in or transferring to government schools for the 2015/2016 school year is open through June 26 at the Department of Education Services and the Cayman Brac Teachers Centre. Parents may pick up registration forms at government schools, the Department of Education Services at 130 Thomas Russell Way, George Town, or the Cayman Brac Teachers Centre. Registration for government reception classes is open for qualifying children age 4 Years before Sept. 1, 2015. GrANTS For THe ArTS: Registration is now open for grants from the Cayman National Cultural Foundation for art-related projects that need some financial help. CNCF hands out grants twice a year. Visit www. artscayman.org/grants-for- the-arts for guidelines and a registration form. Deadline is July 15. cHilDreN & FAMilY SerViceS: The West Bay office of the Department of Children and Family Services is closed until further notice. Staff have been relocated to Commerce House on Dr. Roy’s Drive. People in need of assistance should call 949-0290. FooD HANDlerS: Certification courses in basic food hygiene are offered by the Department of Environmental Health. April 29; May 13 and 27; and June 10 and 24, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the DEH conference room in the Environmental Centre, 580 North Sound Road. $15 per person covers all materials and fees; pay at DEH headquarters, 580 North Sound Road, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Call 949-6696. THriFT SHop SeekS cloTHiNG: The Humane Society Thrift Shop is desperately low on stock. Clothing, accessories, toys, small appliances, shoes, bric-a-brac and pictures are needed. Please bring donations to the Humane Society building on North Sound Road. BeTHeSDA couNSeliNG ceNTre: At 68 Mary St. caters to all who seek help. Call 946-6575. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Center is owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. reeF reSTorATioN: Certified divers are invited to work on the Cayman Magic Reef restoration in George Town. A schedule of work dates and times is posted on Facebook under Cayman Magic Reef Recovery. Dates, times and places are listed under Events for volunteers to check and sign up. ViSuAl ArTS SocieTY: Painting open studio available Mondays 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Watler House, Pedro Castle. This is an opportunity for adult intermediate artists to work at their own pace on their own projects. To register, contact openstudio@ visualartcayman.com or 546-9422. $10 per day or $15 non-members. ArT For STuDeNTS: The National Gallery hosts free Active Learning Sessions for students of all ages. Part tour, part art activity, the tour takes students up-close with the National Collection – more than 50 years of Caymanian art history – providing links to literacy, mathematics, social studies and science. For information or to book a session, contact 945-8111 or education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. piNk lADieS: Coffee Shop at Cayman Islands Hospital is open Monday- Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, drinks, snacks. Takeout orders welcome, call 244-2661. Funds are donated back to the community. Contact pinkladiescayman@gmail.com. ArTiSANS MArkeT: Camana Bay Artisans Market every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society has artists displaying arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale between noon and 8 p.m. near KARoo. For more information about being a displaying artist, contact info@visualartcayman.com or 546-9422. MiND’S eYe: Guided tours for up to eight people are offered at Mind’s Eye – The Visionary World of Miss Lassie, Cayman’s intuitive artist. $8 per adult, $4 per child. Tours by appointment, 10-11 a.m., second and fourth Saturdays. Contact the Cayman National Cultural Foundation by email at admincncf@candw.ky or 949-5477. HuMANe SocieTY Book loFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, Thursday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition always needed. SpeciAl olYMpicS: Volunteers are needed on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:45 p.m. to assist with training athletes in track and field, bocce and football. Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Contact Penny McDowall, 516-2578, soci@candw.ky or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. loST DoGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. reD croSS THriFT SHop: Open Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at RC headquarters on Thomas Russell Way. Book bargain every Thursday and Friday, a bagful for $5. ArT TAlk For SeNiorS: This National Gallery program engages people age 60 and over in conversation about art by focusing on a particular piece from the gallery or special exhibition every other Thursday. Admission is free, refreshments provided. 2-2:45 p.m. For more information, contact education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. AlZHeiMer’S SupporT Group: For anyone who is a caregiver, spouse, child or friend of someone suffering from this debilitating disease. Group meets the last Wednesday of every month at the Hibiscus Conference Room at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Contact Dorothy at 924-4170 or email alzheimersgroup. caymanislands@gmail.com. c.A.S.k. kArATe: Free public Tai Chi at Camana Bay on Sundays (ongoing). 8:30- 9:30 a.m. Contact Greg Reid on 925-3367 or email caskkarate@gmail.com. WAiTiNG For JoSepHiNe: This is an ongoing appeal for second-hand magazines for the waiting rooms at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Please take magazine donations to Books & Books at Camana Bay or deposit them in the big bin outside the Cancer Society on Maple Road (opposite the hospital). For more information, contact Carol Hay at 526-6932. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar. The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community Calendar ■ Community Calendar is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. Tuesday april 14, 2015 • Cayman Compass 7 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Brac’s Heritage Arts program is expanding its programs for students and adults. The organization is in its second year working with the Spot Bay Junior and West End Primary schools, taking students to tour nat- ural areas and meet with local craftsmen and artists. “Last year, we taught the old traditions of wattle and daub, thatch plaiting and so on. This year, we have fully embraced the local com- munity into the program to have them instruct the youngsters on vital aspects of their heritage,” said coor- dinator Simone Scott. “Renowned storyteller Quincy Brown came and gave duppy stories, and the students were so inspired by his stories that they were eager to make up and share their own during the story- telling workshop,” she said. The program took stu dents for a tour of West End Community Park, where guides lectured on tree identification. “Students were also shown how to build a ca- lavan or bird catcher by Mr. Sheldon Scott and then divided into teams to see which team could actually build one the fastest. They then tried to catch birds at the park,” Ms. Scott said. Johnny Scott, a longtime Brac boat builder, showed off his craft to students re- cently, explaining how cat- boats and schooners are built and work. Cayman Compass • Tuesday april 14, 2015 Heritage Arts expands Brac programs Heritage Arts students build a calavan, or bird trap. Students see the first square-stern fishing boat built by Johnny Scott 40 years ago. It is still in use today. Boundary Commission to hold public meetings The Electoral Boundary Commission plans to hold a series of public meeting to gather input from the public on proposals to adopt single member constituencies. The meetings, which begin on April 21, will be held on all three islands of the Cayman Islands and will address the pro- posed transition from the current electoral arrange- ment in which voters elect a varying number of can- didates to the Legislative Assembly, depending on the district in which they live, to one in which each voter casts a single vote to elect a single representa- tive in his or her district. The chairperson of the commission, U.S. academic Lisa Handley, is urging the public to attend, saying the group is looking for sug- gestions on where to draw the boundaries, taking into account population, nat- ural boundaries and com- munities of interest. Other members of the commission are local at- torneys Adriannie Webb and Steve McField. The commission’s remit and scope of work will be available online at www. elections.ky, officials said. The commissioners will submit their recom- mendations to the gov- ernor by the end of June. Officials expect the new voting system will be in place in time for the 2017 general elections. The first of the public meetings will be held at the Ashton Rutty Centre in Cayman Brac at 6:30 p.m., April 21, followed by a meeting on April 22 at the Public Works Department hurricane shelter on Little Cayman. On Grand Cayman, the following meetings will be held: East End Civic Centre, 7:30 p.m., April 23; Mary Miller Hall in George Town, 7 p.m., April 27; Sir John A. Cumber Primary School Hall, West Bay, 8 p.m., April 28; Bodden Town Primary School Hall, 7 p.m., April 29; and North Side Civic Centre, 8 p.m., April 30. BOOK BEFORE 17TH APRIL FOR REDUCED RATES MeMbers: $300 CI Non-members: $375 CI International: $300 US Venue: Ritz carlton May 1st 2015 Nothing is taboo 12th annual HR Conference NO TOPIC is off limits a conference like you have never seen before! Look out for Friday ’s advert for Several other high profile speakers! JOY BALDRIDGE Joy began her speaking and sales career at birth - she was born into an entrepreneurial family of educators. Her parents were the founders of the Baldridge Learning Institute. Her first speaking engagement was at The White House at age 19 after cold calling the President of the United States. She is the author of The Fast Forward MBA of Selling, an acclaimed how-to guide to sales success, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc, and translated into Portuguese and Chinese. Pure Joy! A collection of quotes and quips to brighten your Day. The authority on how to have fun, make money, and enjoy your work and life Sports and Nutrition Coach to the England Rugby Team and British Rugby CLOSE DR GRAEME www.cishrp.ky Graeme is currently the nutrition consultant to England Rugby, the lead nutritionist to Team GB Ski and Snowboard and works with some of the world’s leading golfers. On top of this, and despite spending most of his professional career helping big people get bigger, he currently receives funding from Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (the owner of Manchester City FC) to help professional jockeys make weight safely. Move More Eat Less – Is it really that simple? Nutrition and Exercise from the sporting field to the office floor will take a critical look at some of the current advice regarding nutrition and exercise and examine why this usually fails.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Tuesday april 14, 2015 • Cayman Compass Mergers Some options dis- cussed at Monday’s press briefing seemed more def- inite than others. For in- stance, the premier dis- cussed a plan to merge the complaints commissioner, information commissioner and soon-to-be created po- lice public complaints com- mission into one office, under the direction of a single ombudsman. “The collective view of all of us … is that this is something we should pursue,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “I’m not sure, struc- turally, how it will all work. We’re seeking to avoid du- plication or replication of functions.” Government has gen- erally the same idea with the creation of a Public Utilities Commission, which would seek to con- solidate the functions now performed by the Petroleum Inspectorate, the Electricity Regulatory Authority, the Information and Communications Technology Authority and the Water Authority, Cayman. Preliminary discussion of a Public Authorities Bill making the legal changes necessary to create the new commission was ex- pected during this week’s meeting of the Legislative Assembly as part of a pri- vate members motion filed by Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush. Meanwhile, a merger of government communica- tions functions, including Government Information Services, Radio Cayman and CIG-TV was due to come under a further re- view next week by visiting U.K. officials, who expect to meet with local stake- holders – including the pri- vately-run media – seeking advice on how that plan should move ahead. “The big question isn’t so much about the merger of these things, it’s that ‘Is this system that we have in place … effec- tive in delivering the com- munications that the gov- ernment needs?’” Mr. McLaughlin said. A merger of another sort is being proposed for Cayman Brac, where two public primary schools on three campuses are ex- pected to be consolidated into one campus, according to Ms. Rodrigues, the chief officer driving the imple- mentation of the govern- ment reform. Acquisitions The sale of certain “ex- cess” Crown property hold- ings would occur at some stage in the future and would involve the public tendering of lands that were not “in use” by govern- ment, the premier said. Precisely where those properties are and how much the lands might be worth was unknown. The EY report had identified some $65 million in prop- erties that the accounting firm believed could be sold, but Mr. McLaughlin said Monday that the actual sale amount would be less. The premier said gov- ernment had already de- cided not to sell certain assets, such as the main administration building, the Water Authority or Radio Cayman. He said the Lands and Survey Department re- viewed a list of other gov- ernment properties and de- cided which ones “would be useful to retain.” Any that were not on the list could be considered for sale. Retirement age The government has long proposed, and the EY report also recommended, that the retirement age be raised to 65. Both Mr. McLaughlin and Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said this should be done, but alluded to a number of legal changes that would have to be made to put that into effect. Now, government workers must retire at age 60 unless they are given a contract to continue working beyond that age. Mr. Manderson said be- tween 160 and 190 people in government above age 60 are now working on one-year contracts and it had become relatively standard practice in the civil service to employ workers beyond age 60. He said changing the retire- ment age would likely re- quire changes in the Public Service Management Law and potentially the Labour Law as well. In addition, Mr. McLaughlin alluded to constitutional issues that might arise if civil service pensions were affected by a change in the working age. He said it is also a ca- reer training opportunity for some youngsters. Mr. Bryan, who runs House Guard Security firm, said he approached Mr. Myles with the idea after seeing the impact that working with his dogs had on a young man he had been mentoring. He said the boy, who had been suspended from school, had shown dramatic im- provement in his behavior at school since working with the dogs. Mr. Bryan said he re- searched the issue and be- came certified as a pet therapy handler. “We are teaching [the children] how to properly handle the dogs, how to care for them, to provide food and clean water, the im- portance of Heartgard and things like that. “It helps to build self-es- teem and confidence and teaches them responsibility,” he said. One of the more unusual aspects of the program in- volves the children reading to the dogs. Researchers say the activity has been proven to help reading skills, partic- ularly with children who are intimidated by reading aloud to classmates. The program, named Paws4Youth, is being funded through Youth ACT in the initial stages. Mr. Myles is looking for sponsors and esti- mates it will cost $12,000 per year, per school, to keep the program going permanently. He said the cost is mainly associated with housing and caring for the dogs, which will cycle through the pro- gram from the Humane Society until permanent homes are found for them. with the International Labour Organization, as saying, “It was ‘important that social security bene- fits are not higher than min- imum wage’ as this would obviously provide no incen- tives for persons to enter the workforce.” People receiving assis- tance, Ms. Knowles said, would receive more money for staying unemployed than finding a minimum wage job. With public assistance, a person’s annual salary would be about $20,000. At the proposed $6 minimum wage, the annual salary would be $12,480. The International Labour Organization acted as the technical adviser to the wage committee and pro- duced the statistical analysis free of charge. Needs Assessment Unit staff told the committee that over the past five years they have seen more people in their 40s and 50s un- employed due to health is- sues such as diabetes and heart problems. They also said there were more people in their 50s who say they can’t find a job because of their age, and more people whose income is not enough to cover basic living ex- penses like food, rent and medical expenses. The unit’s representatives said the lack of a national unemployment benefits pro- gram forces people to apply for welfare programs. The Needs Assessment Unit gave the committee al- most 26 months of data on people who applied for bene- fits due to unemployment. Of the 415 unemployed people who applied for benefits, 65 percent were women. Almost half were 30 to 49 years old. An additional 676 people, according to the report, ap- plied for benefits because their salary did not cover basic expenses. Almost 400 of those people said their income was inadequate be- cause of either low wages, a cut in hours, or a lack of skills. Most of that group, 65 percent, was in the 30 to 49 age range. The Needs Assessment Unit made three recom- mendations to the min- imum wage committee: make work training mandatory for healthy people receiving gov- ernment assistance, create a national unemployment program, and require wel- fare recipients to volunteer in the community. Premier insists EY reforms progressing CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “There is always great clamor for immediate change … and often these changes do not happen as quickly as we’d like, but we have to make sure we do these things properly.” PReMieR Alden MclAughlin Wage committee says welfare rate too generous Neglected dogs provide therapy for Cayman’s youth CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Eduardo Galeano, a leading voice of the Latin American left, dies MONTEVIDEO (AP) — Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano, whose The Open Veins of Latin America be- came a classic text for the left in the region and pro- pelled the author to fame, died Monday at age 74. Galeano had been ill with lung cancer for several months. His death was con- firmed by the weekly publica- tion Brecha, where he was a regular contributor. Galeano’s work inspired several generations of Latin Americans with pow- erful, acerbic descriptions of the continent’s exploita- tion by capitalist and impe- rialist forces. The writer de- fined himself as someone who helped rescue “the kid- napped memory” of Latin America, a “despised and be- loved land.” No work reflected that more than Open Veins, pub- lished in 1971. In it, Galeano wrote that Chile with its vast nitrate deposits, Brazil with its abundant rain for- ests and small Venezuelan towns with oil reserves “had painful reasons to believe in the mortality of fortunes that nature bestows and imperialism usurps.” “The world and Latin America have lost a mae- stro of the liberation of the people,” said Bolivian President Evo Morales, a left- leaning leader. “His messages and works have always been oriented toward defending the sovereignty and dignity of our peoples.” Open Veins had such strong resonance in the re- gion that former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a populist always quick to li- onize thinkers on the left, handed a copy of the book to U.S. President Barack Obama the first time they met in 2009, calling it “a monument in our Latin American history.” Sales of the booked spiked after that interaction. Galeano remained a sharp critic of capitalism and of U.S. policies to the end. But he shocked many last year when he criticized his sig- nature work, saying it was poorly written and that at the time he didn’t have the aca- demic formation to take on such a weighty subject. Author Eduardo Galeano died on Monday in Montevideo, Uruguay. - PHOTO: AP Alberto Bryan Jr. introduces youngsters to dog training at the Cayman skate park. – PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKERThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 German woman, 65, pregnant with quadruplets A 65-year-old German mother of 13 is getting ready to give birth again – this time to quadruplets. Annegret Raunigk, a Berlin schoolteacher who is due soon to retire, is expected to give birth to the four babies within the next two months. Cayman Compass • Tuesday april 14, 2015 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 Russia lifts ban on delivery of S-300 missiles to Iran MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin on Monday opened the way for Russia’s delivery of a sophisticated air defense missile system to Iran, a move that would sig- nificantly bolster the Islamic republic’s military capability. Russia signed the $800 million contract to sell Iran the S-300 missile system in 2007, but suspended their delivery three years later be- cause of strong objections from the United States and Israel. Putin on Monday lifted that ban. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry over the phone Monday to discuss Iran-related issues, the sit- uation in Syria, Yemen and other issues, the Foreign Ministry said. Speaking in a televised statement, Lavrov said that a preliminary agreement on settling the Iranian nuclear standoff reached earlier this month made the 2010 Russian ban unnecessary. “The S-300 is exclusively a defensive weapon, which can’t serve offensive pur- poses and will not jeop- ardize the security of any country, including, of course, Israel,” he said. The deal reached by Iran and six world powers is intended to significantly restrict its ability to pro- duce nuclear weapons while giving it relief from international sanctions. The agreement is supposed to be finalized by June 30, and there is no firm agree- ment yet on how or when to lift the international sanctions on Iran. Back in 2010, Russia linked its decision to freeze the missiles’ delivery to the sanctions the United Nations Security Council im- posed on Iran over its nu- clear program, but Lavrov argued Monday that the Russian move was voluntary and not directly required by the U.N. resolutions. “It was done in the spirit of good will in order to en- courage progress in talks,” Lavrov said. “We are con- vinced that at this stage there is no longer need for such an embargo, specifi- cally for a separate, volun- tary Russian embargo.” Iran responded to the Russian ban by filing a law- suit with a court in Geneva seeking $4 billion in dam- ages for breach of contract, but the court has not is- sued a ruling. Lavrov said that Russia had to take into account “commercial and repu- tational” issues linked to freezing the contract. “Because of the suspen- sion of the contract, Russia has failed to receive signif- icant funds,” he said. “We see no need to continue doing that.” He added that Iran badly needs modern air defense systems because of the tense situation in the region, specifically in Yemen. Lavrov didn’t say when Moscow could deliver the missiles. Russian officials previously said that the spe- cific model of the S-300 that Russia was to deliver under the 2007 contract is no longer produced, and offered Iran a modified version of it called Antey-2500. Russia signed the $800 million contract to sell Iran the S-300 missile system in 2007, but suspended their delivery three years later because of strong objections from the United States and Israel. DONETSK, Ukraine (AP) — Fighting has picked up in eastern Ukraine after more than a month of relative calm, as diplomats gathered in Berlin on Monday to dis- cuss the country’s crisis. Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Sunday that its mission observed an intense clash with the use of tanks and heavy artillery as well as grenade launchers and mor- tars in the north of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk. On Sunday alone, the OSCE recorded at least 1,166 explosions, caused mainly by artillery and mortar shell strikes in northern Donetsk as well as on its outskirts in- cluding the airport, now obliterated by fighting. The OSCE also reported intense mortar fire outside the village of Shyrokyne, by the Azov Sea, but said its representatives were repeat- edly barred from accessing the village on Sunday. Mortar fire was also heard at night and in the morning on Monday in cen- tral Donetsk. Rebel officials as well as Ukrainian and Russian colonels in charge of mon- itoring the cease-fire went early Monday afternoon to the northern outskirts of Donetsk, a scene of heavy fighting Sunday night. The rebels told reporters they took captive a Ukrainian soldier and showed the body of another Ukrainian soldier. Intermittent shelling and exchanges of machine gun fire were heard from what appeared to be half a mile from the scene. Fighting picks up in war- torn eastern ukraine KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — Sudan began voting Monday in an election expected to be won by President Omar al- Bashir, the world’s only sit- ting leader wanted on geno- cide charges. Voters slowly began ar- riving at polling places in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. Opposition parties, citing a lack of freedom of speech and assembly in the African country, are boycotting the vote, which includes electing candidates for the country’s legislative council. Voter lists hung on walls at polling stations. Some po- lice officers and soldiers lined up with civilians to vote. Ahmed Sulieman, a univer- sity professor, was one of a handful of voters at the polling place in St. Francis School in downtown Khartoum. He de- scribed voting as the only way for a “peaceful transition of power” in this country of 35 million people. “Many countries are suf- fering amid power strug- gles,” Sulieman said. “I am here for the sake of stability and safety.” Al-Bashir, dressed in white traditional robes, later arrived to the same polling place, surrounded by bodyguards. The 71-year- old leader cast his ballot and waved to supporters, saying “God is great” before leaving in a convoy. Al-Bashir has ruled Sudan unchallenged for 25 years and presents him- self as a symbol of stability. He survived the 2011 Arab Spring and his massive se- curity apparatus has left the once-vibrant opposition a husk of its former self. The 2011 secession of South Sudan, which ended Africa’s longest-running civil war, deprived Khartoum of a third of its territory and population, and nearly 80 percent of its oil revenues. Smaller armed conflicts are currently raging in other parts of his country. As long as he remains president, al-Bashir remains immune from being sent to the International Criminal Court on charges of orches- trating genocide during the Darfur conflict, which left 300,000 people dead and 2 million displaced. Economic losses from South Sudan’s succession forced al-Bashir to embark on austerity measures in 2013 that sparked the largest anti-government demonstra- tions of his rule. Security forces clamped down, killing some 200 people and ar- resting hundreds more. Mohammed Hashim, a businessman who voted Monday, defended the crack- down, saying “detentions are meant to preserve the rights of others.” “The Arab Spring produced wars and failed in embodying people’s dreams,” he said. “The Arab Spring failed and what we have here is better.” Nearly 13 million people are registered to vote. Results are expected on April 27. Sudan began voting Monday in an election expected to be won by President Omar al-Bashir, the world’s only sitting leader wanted on genocide charges. Sudan begins voting in election; al-Bashir expected to win A Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system on display at an undisclosed location in Russia. The Kremlin says Russia has lifted its ban on the delivery of a sophisticated air defense missile system to Iran. - photo: ap President Omar al-Bashir casts his ballot Monday as he runs for another term, on the first day of the presidential and legislative elections, in Khartoum. - photo: apNext >