Editorial | pagE 4 Above the minimum: unemployment’s culturAl component SportS | pagE 20 powell tops invitAtionAl stArs Jamaican sprinter in 100m ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – wednesdAy April 15, 2015 Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 3 feet. High of 87 Low of 74 bush motion alleges conspiracy ‘toppled’ udp government Opposition leader goes after UK, premier brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush has alleged “unconstitutional interference” and “violation of the indigenous population’s rights” involving the territory’s former governor Duncan Taylor, Premier Alden McLaughlin, Police Commissioner David Baines, and other unnamed local politicians and civil servants in connection with the 2013 general election. Mr. Bush’s allegations were made Tuesday in a private members’ motion filed with the Legislative Assembly in which he asked for an independent review of “the involvement of the [U.K.] Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Office of the Governor, Commissioner of Police and the then-Leader of the Opposition [refer- ring to Mr. McLaughlin] in the conspiracy to remove the then-constitutionally elected pre- mier [referring to Mr. Bush].” The motion stated that Mr. Bush had in his possession “irrefutable documentary evidence” of interference by the governor’s office in con- spiring, along with local elected representa- tives and civil servants, “to topple a democrat- ically elected government while misusing the power of the state and its judicial and law en- forcement arms.” Mr. Bush did not make any of this “irre- futable evidence” public on Tuesday when he held a press conference to discuss details of his private members’ motion, but prom- ised to do so if the motion was heard by the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Bush, while under a criminal investi- gation, was removed from the premier’s office in December 2012 following a no-confidence vote of the Legislative Assembly against his government. An interim government, made up of five members of Mr. Bush’s former United Democratic Party, led the Cayman Islands between late December 2012 and Power failure interruPts schools, businesses chArles duncAn cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Widespread power outages in Grand Cayman resulted in most public schools closing early Tuesday. The failure hit much of the island, cutting power to many homes and businesses from West Bay to East End inter- mittently for several hours. The outage started around 10:40 a.m. as the result of a fault in a generator at the Caribbean Utilities Company power station, according to Pat Bynoe-Clark, spokeswoman for CUC. “As a result, the system safely shut down as it is designed to do,” she said. CUC said it had restored power to all cus- tomers by 3:30 Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday’s outage is the second in a week. Exactly a week earlier, a problem with a utility pole cut power for about two hours in George Town. The Department of Education Services shut most public schools by noon Tuesday because of the outage. Students at two schools, Prospect Primary and Clifton Hunter High School, were able to finish the regular day because both have backup generators, education officials said. Students assigned to school buses were taken home early. Education officials contacted local media around midday for help in alerting parents to make arrangements to pick up chil- dren not on the bus system. The outage kept emergency services busy. Simmering tension among Cuban migrants Inside the immigration detention center JAmes whittAker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Amid rows of decrepit bunks, men lie sleeping on tattered mattresses sur- rounded by the few belongings they car- ried with them on the dangerous sea journey from Cuba. The smell of tobacco permeates and the sound of Spanish guitar plays softly on a television music channel. Through the barred windows, a few men can be seen sitting in the yard, smoking and talking. A pregnant woman lies on a corner bunk, feeling the cooling breeze of an electric fan. Washed clothing hangs everywhere around the single-story dwelling where 36 Cuban migrants live in tight proximity, bat- tling boredom and mounting frustration as they wait for news on when they will be sent back home. Fleeing poverty and government oppres- sion at home, the migrants have endured worse conditions than this, surviving days at sea on ramshackle, homemade boats, in thwarted efforts to reach the United States. Then they had hope, now they have none. One of the prisoners, who gives his name as Iguacio de la Terga, makes a ges- ture indicating shackles on his wrists, telling us, “We are in prison here. Everybody who is here, they are wasting their time PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Cuban migrants inside the Immigration Department’s detention facility. - Photo: JaMes whittaKer2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Wednesday april 15, 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 new charge is based on an incident on Sept. 21, 2014, at West Bay Road in the vicinity of the Fidelity Roundabout, when Anglin was said to be in charge of a Honda Accord while his blood-alcohol level was 0.159. The legal limit in Cayman is 0.100. Magistrate Adam Roberts set May 25 as the next men- tion date after confirming that defense attorney Lloyd Samson had the neces- sary disclosure documents in the case. The penalties are the same for driving under the influence of alcohol or being in charge of a ve- hicle on a road while under the influence. For a first of- fense, a person is liable to a fine of up to $1,000, or imprisonment up to six months, or both. For a second or subse- quent offense, the convicted person is liable to a fine of up to $2,000 and impris- onment up to 12 months, or both. In addition, for a first or subsequent offense, the convicted person is li- able to disqualification from driving for 12 months or such longer period as the court may order. In March 2013, while a serving member of Cabinet, Anglin was fined $500 and disqualified from driving for 12 months after pleading guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol in May 2012. His blood-alcohol level then was 0.110. Before sen- tencing, he attended a pri- vate DUI-education program at his own expense because the program offered by the court was full. The magistrate in that matter, Kirsty-Ann Gunn, also ordered Anglin to pay costs of $2,473 to the Crown. Of that amount, US$2,000 was for a forensic consultant who had prepared a report and who would have given evidence about blood-alcohol levels and medication if the defendant had not changed his plea shortly after the trial began. Anglin, 43, served as one of four Members of the Legislative Assembly for West Bay from 2000 to 2013. New biometric permit cards required for long-term UK stays Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman nationals who want to go to the United Kingdom for more than six months for work or studies will have to get a new bio- metric residence permit card starting May 31. The residence permit card, about the size of a credit card, will include the fingerprints, photo, sig- nature and other details about the permit holder, ac- cording to a statement is- sued by the Governor’s Office on Tuesday. The card will serve as an official identification card for foreign nationals in the U.K. who plan to stay longer than six months, al- lowing people to access public services and verify their identity for services such as opening a bank ac- count. Foreign nationals will no longer need to keep their passports with them as proof of identification. The program is not just for overseas territories – any foreign nationals from outside the European Union will need to get the card as part of their student visa or work permit. The U.K. began rolling out the pro- gram in March and plans to require the permit cards for every non-U.K. citizen by the end of July. Cayman citizens trav- eling to the U.K. for ex- tended periods for work or school can get a special 30- day sticker to enter the U.K. and then pick up the permit card from a post office after they arrive. People applying for a visa in the U.K. will not have to apply separately for the permit card. All the in- formation for the card will be included in the immigra- tion or visa application. Children under 5 will not have to provide fin- gerprints but will have to have a photograph taken for the card. Rolston Anglin Three injured in MiaMi police shooTouT, car chase MIAMI (AP) — A man got out of a taxi with an assault rifle and opened fire on an officer, then stole the officer’s cruiser and led police on a chaotic car chase before he was shot and wounded, au- thorities said Tuesday. Two bystanders also were hurt. The officer shot back, and neither man was hit, said Miami police spokesman Sgt. Freddie Cruz. However, the suspect managed to steal the police car and speed away. Local Fraternal Order of Police President Javier Ortiz said a motorist passing by in a van used the vehicle to provide cover for the officer while the suspect was firing the assault rifle. “The Fraternal Order of Police wants to thank this good Samaritan for putting his life on the line to save one of our brothers,” Ortiz said. Neither the driver nor the officer was identified. Meanwhile, the sus- pect in the stolen police car was heading toward North Miami, where the chase ended in a residential neighborhood. Officers traded gunfire with the suspect, who was shot and wounded and taken for treatment at a local hos- pital. Local television footage showed the Miami police cruiser behind crime scene tape with a bullet hole in its back window.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Wednesday april 15, 2015 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass offi ce. WEDNESDAY APRIL 15, 2015 • CAYMAN COMPASS The Minimum Wage Advisory Committee report, recently released to Cabinet and to the public, sheds light and insight into employment issues in Cayman that go far beyond the primary purpose of the committee, that is to recommend a minimum wage for the country. When Cabinet approved the committee’s fi nal terms of reference last fall, it included the following policy objective: At what point should the Cayman Islands’ minimum wage be set, in order to improve employment opportunities for Caymanians by decreasing the demand for foreign workers? To address that question, the committee embarked upon an exploration of the prevailing economic and attitudinal conditions in Cayman that might impact local employment. In doing so, the committee tackled the presump- tion that foreigners “steal” jobs from Caymanians by accepting lower wages, fi nding, in an analysis that underlies the report, that “The increase of unemploy- ment since the global crisis did not disproportionally affect Caymanians. “In fact, as the data presented substantiate, unemployment went up and remained high for Cay- manians and Non-Caymanians in a quite propor- tionate way.” And, “These data strongly suggest that inadequate employment creation has been the root cause of the unemployment challenge in the Cayman Islands, and not a lack of competiveness of the Cay- manian labor force.” Consider that myth debunked (again). More interesting, the committee tackled the sen- sitive issue of what are called “reservation wages,” namely the lowest wage at which Caymanians and non-Caymanians would be willing to work. The com- mittee concluded: “[R]aising the minimum wage to the level of the reservation wages of Caymanians could destroy certain industries … As is the case in many affl uent societies, unemployed Caymanians are expected to be unlikely to aspire to and/or be less successful com- peting for low wage jobs since their reservation wage tends to be higher than migrant workers.” In other words, not only are most unemployed Cay- manians unwilling to perform low-level jobs at the level of wages currently accepted by foreigners, but many Caymanians would not be willing to do those jobs at any level of wages those companies could possibly afford to pay. Given the social safety net currently in place in Cayman, this makes perfectly logical sense. Why would any Caymanian take a job at $5 or $6 an hour (or even $8 or $9) when the government will provide welfare benefi ts the equivalent of $9.62 an hour? That’s more than 50 percent above the commit- tee’s suggested minimum wage, with no actual work involved other than fi lling out paperwork. With such a generous cushion of benefi ts in place, the phenomenon of Caymanian unemployment becomes one not primarily of money, but of culture – a culture in which it is more socially acceptable not to have a job at all than to have “certain” jobs. The report goes on to substantiate this. In a section dealing with a focus group held with Passport2Success participants (comprising 17- to 20-year-old Cayman- ians), the question was asked: “Are young people open to working in all indus- tries?” There was a resounding “no” stated by the entire group. When asked why, the participants said they would not work in some industries because of pride. “[Y]oung people don’t want the shame of being seen by their peers while working in certain indus- tries or holding certain jobs that they consider below them,” according to the report. We would urge our most prominent members of society, beginning with Premier Alden McLaughlin and including our most successful business leaders, to speak out publicly against this ethos of indulgence and indolence by championing the inherent dignity of work – all work. As we know all too well, when individuals aren’t willing to do certain jobs, businesses will necessarily fi nd somebody else who will. Above the minimum: Unemployment’s cultural component 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 fi nd their own way” Abolish the IRS Abolish the Internal Revenue Service? IRS Commissioner John Koskinen has said the government must have an IRS to collect the taxes to fund the government. Mr. Koskinen is right that no matter what kind of tax system we have, there needs to be a tax collection bureau. But those in favor of abolishing the present IRS are correct in that the United States certainly can get along perfectly well without the politicized, abu- sive and rights-trampling tax agency the IRS has become. Mr. Koskinen and others who defend the IRS claim the problem is with the tax law, which is written by Congress. A tax system ought to be de- signed to obtain the neces- sary revenue with the least amount of damage to the economy and the civil lib- erties of the citizens. The present tax system gets a failing grade on both ac- counts. Promising special provisions to those who will provide campaign funds is a temptation that some politi- cians seem not to be able to resist. A simple fl at tax or consumption tax would take care of many problems. That said, there is still no excuse for much of what the IRS does. IRS agents complain that nobody likes them and they are shunned when they go to parties. Count me as one who is not sympathetic. No one is forced to work for the IRS. They are all there by free choice. I expect most of them are there because it was the best job they could fi nd that offered the combination of pay, benefi ts and the luxury of almost no risk of being fi red no matter how incompetent their performance. That in- cludes criminal offenses, such as releasing private taxpayer information and targeting taxpayers on the basis of ideology. Some IRS workers claim they are there for patriotic rea- sons because someone has to raise the revenue to keep the government going. I would have sympathy for this argu- ment if they were only raising revenue for activities that are actually authorized under the Constitution, rather than funding all of those unnec- essary or destructive activi- ties that diminish economic growth and waste the monies of hardworking taxpayers. Every day, there are reports of government spending, ei- ther for corrupt purposes (i.e., taking money from one group of taxpayers to give to a more politically powerful group), or just plain incompetence and waste. What if IRS agents went on strike – as real patriots – to demand that the monies they collect would no longer be used for political payoffs, mis- managed programs and un- constitutional activities? IRS agents whine that they are not respected. Yet, too many agents engage in thuggish behavior and show no understanding of the un- necessary burdens they place on small businesses and entrepreneurs. There have been many documented cases where IRS agents have hounded people to such an extent that some have com- mitted suicide. The IRS has seized taxpayer assets without said taxpayer being convicted of any crime. Offi cials at the IRS approve tax forms that are incomprehensible – to not only the average taxpayer but to even tax professionals. The new instructions and forms for the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act are a prime example. Competent tax lawyers have shown me ex- amples of totally indeci- pherable IRS instructions – thus ensuring that no one knows for sure whether they are in compliance. When the law becomes arbitrary, there is tyranny. Too many IRS employees do not know the basics of the laws they are to enforce and frequently provide tax- payers with the wrong infor- mation. Then the IRS penal- izes the taxpayer for relying on the incorrect informa- tion provided by its own em- ployees. The IRS, by its own admission, is answering less than 40 percent of the phone calls of people asking for help, and it is almost impos- sible to get an appointment to see someone who can com- petently answer questions. The IRS blames this situ- ation on a lack of funding, while glossing over the fact that if the agency pre- pared its forms and instruc- tions in clear, understand- able English far fewer people would be calling in. The IRS seems to assume that its “customers” (as it likes to call taxpayers) all have degrees in accounting and have the rare ability to keep all relevant re- cords for many years in per- fect order (even though the folks at the IRS cannot seem to master this task). The IRS record keeping requirements criminalize a large part of the population who correctly think they have better things to do with their time – like making a living and enjoying life – than to act like obses- sive bookkeepers. If the folks at the IRS want respect, then they need to start treating hardworking taxpayers with respect and understanding and not as government-owned slaves. Richard W. Rahn, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. © 2015, The Washington Times RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN Offi cials at the IRS approve tax forms that are incomprehensible — to not only the average taxpayer but to even tax professionals. The new instructions and forms for the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act are a prime example.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Cayman Compass • Wednesday april 15, 2015 Tell us how RBC helped you achieve your goals for a chance to win a weekend getaway! 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One bill that will not make it to the House floor in the upcoming meeting is the Cancer Registry Bill, which Premier Alden McLaughlin said has been put off until later in the year due to con- cern from various stake- holder groups – including local doctors. Wednesday’s Legislative Assembly meeting will be the first in four months for Cayman’s governing body. The Progressives-led gov- ernment is expected to pass legislation that would ex- empt non-Caymanian care- givers from the country’s nine-year term limit on resi- dency if they obtain a certifi- cate for those purposes from the Immigration Department. The Immigration [Amendment] Bill, 2015 will re-establish the “Certificate for Specialist Caregivers” under the law, allowing those workers to stay up to 10 years beyond the end of their normal term limit, as long as they are still caring for the same individual. Unlike in the previous version of the law, approved in 2010 under the United Democratic Party govern- ment, applicants who ob- tain the certificate can apply for permanent resi- dence once they reach at least eight years of contin- uous residence. The changes made in 2010 were crossed out of the legislation in 2013 amendments to the Immigration Law. Meanwhile, a private members’ motion filed by North Side MLA Ezzard Miller seeks to require all Cayman Islands compa- nies that maintain busi- ness staffing plans under the Immigration Law to make those plans public. Mr. Miller has requested that government amend the Immigration Law to “re- quire that all businesses that have a business staffing plan make them available for public inspection during normal working hours of the business by any member of the public.” “There is much con- cern amongst Caymanians that the Business Staffing Plan Board is not pro- tecting their opportunities for employment,” Mr. Miller’s motion stated. All companies in the Cayman Islands that employ at least 10 non-Caymanian workers on work permits are required to file annual busi- ness staffing plans, which must be approved by the rel- evant immigration board. The subject of greater regulation of gas prices in the Cayman Islands will come before the Legislative Assembly this year. Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush filed a private members’ motion in January asking government to con- sider more specific reporting requirements for the islands’ two major fuel distributors on the “actual costs” of ship- ments to the territory. Mr. Bush said at the time that he believed even $4 per gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is too high a price. Since then, four gas stations have dropped their prices below $4 per gallon. The cur- rent retail price for unleaded gas in Cayman averages around $4.10 per gallon. “There should be no need for debate on this matter as each and every citizen is very curious as to why our gaso- line/fuel prices consistently move upward within weeks of any global price increase, but never can follow a down- ward trend on global fuel,” Mr. Bush said. This private members’ motion also seeks to ex- pand the authority of the Cayman Islands Petroleum Inspectorate to include sub- poena powers to “ensure market prices are passed on to the general public.” Premier McLaughlin said Monday that govern- ment would consider the creation of a Public Utilities Commission to assist in reg- ulating gas prices and other public utility issues. Also in the upcoming meetings, the Directors Registration and Licensing Law will be changed to allow an appeals process for indi- viduals whose fund directors license or registration is sus- pended or revoked. The pro- posal will amend the current law, which does not contain an appeals mechanism. Another bill seeks to make changes to the opera- tion of the Coroners Court, and a third seeks to amend the Proceeds of Crime Law. Additional private members’ motions filed last year by Mr. Miller, including proposed changes to the Customs Tariff Law and the Liquor Licensing Law, will also be taken up. Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officers deployed to the busiest stoplight intersections to direct traffic. Power went out at the George Town fire station, and a fire ser- vice representative said they had numerous calls during the outage. The power failure caused a false fire alarm at the LIME building in George Town, a fire service repre- sentative said. At many businesses, power went on and off for a couple hours during the middle of the day. Paperman’s Coffeehouse in Midtown Plaza lost power at the beginning of the lunch rush, reducing its menu and forcing it to ac- cept cash only as people from surrounding busi- nesses and government offices used the time of the power outage to go out for lunch. The power outage also impacted the local courts. Magistrate Adam Roberts, who had 70 defendants before him Tuesday, con- tinued working with a bat- tery-powered lamp and at- torneys used illumination from cellphones to read court documents. He ad- journed by midday as the emergency lights in his courtroom failed. The Courts building does not have a generator. Around 11:45 a.m. Crown counsel Alex Upton requested permission to re- move his jacket and the magistrate remarked, “We are going back to 2004” – a reference to the days after Hurricane Ivan in September that year when downtown George Town was without power for sev- eral days. Emergency lights in the courtrooms and stairwells failed one by one, leaving much of the building dark by 1 p.m. Approximately 14 de- fendants in custody at Northward Prison were to have appeared in court via video link, but just like during the power failure last week, their cases had to be put off. Grand Court criminal matters were adjourned again until Wednesday morning. Justice Ingrid Mangatal and Justice Richard Williams were hearing civil matters in their cham- bers because of avail- able natural light. Power failure interrupts schools, businesses CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Busy agenda set for LAThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 15, 2015 The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Wednesday april 15, 2015 • Cayman Compass We Buy Gold!We Buy Gold! Cash For Gold Silver, Coins and Broken Jewelry Cash Paid on the Spot! Call 927-8565 Cash For Gold • Shedden Road 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 this country. The only thing we want is to get out.” Tension is simmering at the Cayman Islands Immigration Detention Centre. “When we left Cuba, we knew we could lose our life in the sea. So long as we could help our families, we did not mind. They should give us the boat we came in and we could continue on our way,” said Mr. de la Terga, a phar- macy technician who says he earns $30 a month in Cuba. A group of 11 detainees broke out of the holding facility over the Easter weekend. Six of them re- mained on the run this week. Prison officials in charge of the center acknowledge that increasing numbers of migrants are putting a strain on the building, converted from the foundations of an aborted hospital construction project in the mid 1990s. Neil Lavis, the prisons director, said it is a tricky balancing act between the requirement to detain the mi- grants until they can be sent back to Cuba and the de- sire to treat them humanely. The detainees are allowed to wander the grounds and can play football or lounge around in the adjacent yard, but the lights go out at 10 p.m. and a razor-wire fence surrounds the premises. “Clearly, we have to con- tain them. They are not pris- oners, but we have to contain them or we get situations like we had the other week with them going over the fence,” said Mr. Lavis. The Cubans housed at the center all sleep in the same large hall and share bathroom and kitchen facil- ities. The arrival of another boat would likely be enough to take the already cramped center beyond its capacity. Mr. Lavis acknowledges that new buildings may have to be found if the trend of increasing immigration be- tween Cuba and the U.S. con- tinues. Eight prison officers have been diverted to patrol the detention center, which authorities acknowledge is in need of investment. Some basic work has been performed by the Cubans themselves. They can’t be paid, so they earn candy and Gatorade for completing chores, including cleaning and maintaining the center. They seem pleased with the compensation, if not with their general circumstances. One of the men, Osmani Humbert Daialo, points to a bag of Snickers bars, biscuits and energy drinks, indicating that he will bring it back to Cuba for his children. As a gym teacher in Cuba, he says he earned $23 a month and had hoped to make it to the U.S. to make some money to send to his family. “Many of us are educated professionals and we don’t see any future in Cuba,” he said. “If we can continue, it would be better for everyone. If they don’t want to help us, then at least send us back to Cuba … we are young people, we feel stressed-out locked up here.” Some of the Cubans, like Rogelio Joel Santana, have tried to reach the U.S. several times. He said engine trouble ended this, his third effort to escape Cuba. He and his compatriots used a makeshift sail to reach Cayman Brac. “It took four days to get here,” he said. “If they would give us some help, we could continue on. That is all we want. I feel stressed, I feel like I am in prison.” Under the terms of a memorandum of under- standing with the Cuban gov- ernment, the Cayman Islands must repatriate any Cuban migrants who set foot on these shores. Boats that simply pass through are allowed to con- tinue on their way. More than 160 Cuban migrants are estimated to have shown up in Cayman’s waters in the first three months of 2015, compared with 24 per month on average in 2014, and just four per month in 2013. Fears that special status and residency rights cur- rently enjoyed by Cubans who make it to the U.S. may be revoked as relations be- tween the two countries are normalized appear to be be- hind the increase. “It does make it more difficult to manage. We are looking at various contingen- cies if this trend continues,” said Mr. Lavis. He said other housing is being looked at, as well as adapting another part of the current building to make it fit for use as a shelter. Increased numbers also raise the tension at the center, though the attitudes of some groups differ from others. “Some groups just want to get away and they will take any and every opportu- nity to get out of the center; others are more passive,” Mr. Lavis said. May 2013, when the current Progressives-led coalition was voted into office. “The indigenous people of these islands have had their rights infringed by using the jurisdiction as a[n] instru- ment to further the economic designs that were contrary to the interest of the indigenous people and, through systemic policies of discrimination, that constitutes a gross vio- lation of their fundamental human rights protected under the United Nations Charter and the European Union regulations,” the mo- tion read. In addition to calling for an independent commission of inquiry, Mr. Bush’s motion also sought to mete out “ap- propriate responsibility” by making the inquiry public and allowing it to initiate legal action, if required, “at the appropriate international legal forum.” Mr. Bush also asked for what he called an “independent historical re- view” of legal measures taken by U.K. authorities “that has led to the marginalization of the indigenous Caymanian population and disrepute of its financial industry.” Asked Tuesday for a re- sponse to Mr. Bush’s motion, Premier McLaughlin said, “I think the Leader of the Opposition has finally taken leave of his senses.” The governor’s of- fice noted it was aware of the private members’ mo- tion, but said the deci- sion whether to debate the motion was left with the Speaker of the House. Police Commissioner Baines had not commented on the mo- tion as of press time. Premier McLaughlin said his government could con- sider, in due course, whether to accept the opposition lead- er’s motion. It is not legally required to accept it, but Mr. McLaughlin indicated his ad- ministration might do so. “[Mr. Bush] best be careful what he wishes for, he just might get it,” Mr. McLaughlin said. Secret meetings alleged Mr. Bush alleged that during 2011-2012, while he was under investigation in various criminal probes, cer- tain meetings were held that discussed removing him as the then-premier from of- fice and who might form the “interim government” if he were replaced. Asked to clarify what “ir- refutable evidence” he pos- sessed, Mr. Bush said he had written correspon- dence between the var- ious parties – including former Governor Taylor, then-Opposition Leader McLaughlin, Commissioner Baines and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Some of the correspondence may be considered legally privi- leged, Mr. Bush said, but he noted that would not pre- vent him from discussing it within the Legislative Assembly’s confines. Some of Mr. Bush’s al- legations are based on evi- dence that came out during his criminal trial on corrup- tion allegations last year. Mr. Bush was acquitted of charges relating to allega- tions that he used his gov- ernment-issued credit card to withdraw nearly US$50,000 in casinos in the U.S. and the Bahamas, using at least some of the cash withdrawn to gamble at slot machines. During the trial, a series of emails were read out by Mr. Bush’s defense team which lawyers suggested showed a conspiracy to “bring down” the former premier. Former Governor Taylor suggested in one email that a “quiet bottle of bubbly” would be in order if Mr. Bush was charged with criminal offenses. In one email, dated March 20, 2013, Mr. Taylor intimates to an official, named only as Tony, that Mr. Bush is about to be charged that afternoon. “I’m not opening any quiet bubbly until it is con- firmed,” he wrote. “When it is, there will be a huge sigh of relief across the Cayman Islands, including a loud one from this office.” He fol- lowed up with confirmation that the charges have been brought, writing “Good day for Cayman.” Visiting Judge Michael Mettyear, in summing up the trial evidence, said that it was possible the former gov- ernor’s comments could be taken in a less negative way. “If you think the former governor believed, rightly or wrongly, that [Mr. Bush] was corrupt and his ac- tions were to the detriment of the Cayman Islands, you may view his apparent en- thusiasm to have Mr. Bush charged and his celebra- tory attitude ... in a different light,” Justice Mettyear said. Elections Mr. Bush was asked during Tuesday’s press con- ference whether he thought the “violations” described in the private members’ mo- tion were serious enough for the territory to con- sider voiding the results of the 2013 vote and holding new elections. He responded that he did “not necessarily” want fresh elections, but indicated that he did have concerns – in light of the correspondence he had received – as to the fairness of the vote. “I do not believe the elec- tion last time was held above board,” Mr. Bush said. A group of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association observers brought in for the 2013 general election gave Cayman a clean bill of health as far as its balloting and or- ganizational processes, al- though they did opine that the current hybrid voting system was out of step with international norms. Mr. Bush was asked what he would do if the local gov- ernment refused to hear his motion. He inferred that the next step would be taking the matter to the U.K. parliament. Bush motion alleges conspiracy ‘toppled’ UDP government “I think the Leader of the Opposition has finally taken leave of his senses.” PrEmiEr AldEn mclAughlin Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush filed a Legislative Assembly motion Tuesday alleging a major conspiracy to remove him from office. – Photo: Brent Fuller A Cuban man who arrived in Cayman by boat bides his time inside the fence of the detention center. - Photo: JAMeS WhIttAKer Simmering tension among Cuban migrants CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union says that more than 7,000 migrants have been plucked from the Mediterranean since Friday as an unprecedented wave of people fleeing conflict and poverty seeking better lives in Europe. Of those 7,000, EU migra- tion spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud said Tuesday that “over 3,500 are still on board rescue vessels and being taken to Italy and so far, 11 bodies were recovered.” More than 280,000 people entered the European Union illegally last year. Many came from Syria, Eritrea and Somalia and made the per- ilous sea journey from con- flict-torn Libya. European coast guards have been overwhelmed by the numbers. The EU’s top migra- tion official Dimitris Avramopoulos told EU lawmakers Tuesday that the influx “is unfortunately the new norm and we will need to adjust our re- sponses accordingly.” The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Israel’s leader protests missiles to Iran Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has spoken to Russia’s president to convey his displeasure over Russia’s decision to sell advanced anti-aircraft missiles to Iran. Cayman Compass • Wednesday april 15, 2015 LIFE EXTENSION GYM WAKE UP AND LIVE! Lose weight the easy way. Vibration Plates & saUna! Send to dberryoffshore@gmail.com www.lifeextensioncayman.com Change the world - Invest in your people Spring into action $100.00 per person for all training courses. Get a free list – rod.waddell@rubox.com “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela To Learn More Call 916-2052 April Training courses; Mentoring Success, Superior Business Writing, Managing Conflict, Delegating For Results Classes run from 9:00 to 3:pm 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 Nigeria president-elect: Can’t promise to find Chibok girls Hundreds of girls kidnapped a year ago LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — On the first anniversary of the kid- napping by Islamic extrem- ists of hundreds of girls from a school in northeast Nigeria, President-elect Muhammadu Buhari said Tuesday that he cannot promise to find the 219 who are still missing. “We do not know if the Chibok girls can be res- cued. Their whereabouts re- main unknown,” Buhari said in a statement. “As much as I wish to, I cannot promise that we can find them.” The statement by Buhari, a former military ruler of Nigeria who was demo- cratically elected on March 28, is a marked departure from President Goodluck Jonathan, who, after his ad- ministration initially denied there had been a kidnapping, made hollow promises that they would be rescued. But a year after the April 14-15 mass abduction by Boko Haram militants at a school in Chibok, a town in northeast Nigeria, hope has dwindled. Activists are marking the anniversary with a change in their slogan from “Bring Back Our Girls – Now and Alive” to “Never to be Forgotten.” “We hear the anguish of our citizens and intend to respond accordingly,” Buhari’s state- ment said. “This new approach must also begin with honesty.” Several dozen girls man- aged to escape as the kidnap- pers were taking the hostages to the Sambisa Forest in north- east Nigeria, but 219 remain missing. They may have been split up and some eyewitnesses said some were taken across the border into Cameroon. A hopeful message ad- dressed to the captives from Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai promised the girls scholarships and said they must never lose courage. The 17-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate – who has stood up to the Taliban – chastised Jonathan’s ad- ministration and the inter- national community, saying neither have done enough to rescue the girls. The activist for girls’ education spent her birthday in Nigeria in July, meeting with the parents of the kidnapped girls. She said she and millions of people around the world stand in solidarity with the girls who have come to be known as “the Chibok girls.” Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau claimed they had converted to Islam and been married off to his fighters. Their kidnapping sparked international outrage around the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. In New York City, the campaign said the Empire State Building will be lit up Tuesday night, over the hours the girls were snatched, in purple and red colors symbolizing the call for an end to violence against women and girls. At least 2,000 women and girls have been abducted by Boko Haram since the start of 2014, and many have been forced into sexual slavery and trained to fight, Amnesty International says. Hundreds of boys and young men also have been kidnapped and forced to fight with the extremists, or slaughtered for refusing to do so, it said. “We do not know if the Chibok girls can be rescued. Their whereabouts remain unknown.” President-elect MuhaMMadu Buhari Nigerians march during a silent protest in Abuja on Monday calling on the government to rescue the kidnapped girls of the government secondary school in Chibok, who were abducted a year ago. - Photo: AP BAGHDAD (AP) — A de- cade after his first Iraq tour, former U.S. Marine Jamie Lane has returned to the battlefields of the Middle East to fight a still unvan- quished enemy and wrestle with the demons of his past. The 29-year old from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan served as a machine gunner from 2004 to 2008, mainly in the western Anbar prov- ince, where he saw fierce fighting against al-Qaida in Iraq. Now, as a private cit- izen suffering from post- traumatic stress disorder, he is back in the region to battle its successor, the Islamic State group. “In order to aid my re- covery from PTSD, I have taken it upon myself to fight on my terms, against an enemy I know is evil,” said Lane, who joined Kurdish militiamen in Syria. “It is re- demption, in a sense.” He is one of a small but growing number of Iraq war veterans who are making their way back to the Middle East, not as uni- formed soldiers, but as in- dividuals waging their own personal battles. Many describe feeling a sense of unfinished busi- ness as they watched the Islamic State group ram- page across the country last summer, seizing terri- tory they had fought and bled for during the U.S.-led intervention. Some express remorse for taking part in that war, while others say they are driven by the same sense of moral obligation that brought them here in the first place, joining their fate to that of a deeply troubled country. Scott Curley, another U.S veteran of the Iraq war, re- turned to join the Kurdish peshmerga fighters after Islamic State militants in Syria beheaded Peter Kassig, a former U.S. Army Ranger who had returned to the region to provide humani- tarian aid to Syrian civilians. Most of the U.S. vets are fighting alongside Kurdish forces, who have invited foreigners with military experience to join their ranks. US vets return to Mideast to battle past, present demons Jamie Lane, 29, an American veteran poses for a picture in front of an Iraqi Army Humvee captured and later abandoned by Islamic State militants in Tel Hamis, Syria. - Photo: AP More thAn 7,000 MigrAnts rescued off itAly since fridAyNext >