ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Tuesday april 28, 2015 SportS | page 16 Cubans give fans golden Cheer Cuba wins at NORCECA beach volleyball High of 91 Low of 78 Smooth to slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. editorial | page 4 freedom of informaTion: ready for upgrade 179108_PRINT-Butterfield-YMOY-6cPage 1 4/23/15 3:16:40 PM CINICO suit may depend on an email Charles dunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A lawsuit in a United States federal court in Ohio, pitting the Cayman Islands National Insurance Company against its former claims administrator Simplifi, hinges on whether an email was suitable to give notice and cancel the contract. Depositions and email exchanges in the suit, recently filed with the court, show a dete- riorating relationship between CINICO’s chief executive officer Lonny Tibbetts and manage- ment at the Ohio-based company that handled insurance claims and payments. A review of more than 1,200 pages of testi- mony shows disorganization at the insurance company and Simplifi management concerned over losing its biggest client. Mr. Tibbetts declined to speak on the re- cord about the ongoing suit, which has cost the insurer some $150,000 as of last month. Simplifi lawyers also would not comment on the legal dispute. Simplifi as a company no longer exists, having sold its remaining assets to another company after the CINICO deal fell apart. CINICO hired Simplifi in 2011 to handle insurance claim payments, but one year later the national insurer put out a request for pro- posals for a new administrator. The U.S. company put in a new bid but did not win the contract. In an interview earlier this year, Mr. Tibbitts said Simplifi’s services “weren’t bringing us what we needed.” In the depositions and email exchanges filed with the court, it’s clear that the rela- tionship deteriorated after Mr. Tibbetts sent a two-sentence email to the company on Feb. 6, 2013: “Please accept this email as formal no- tice of termination of services on May 31st, 2013. Please schedule a call so we can begin discussions of the transition.” Simplifi Vice President Tod Lawrence replied the next day by email to Mr. Tibbetts. He wrote, “It has now been 24 hours since your request for a call to begin Gas prices on the rise in cayman brenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Grand Cayman gas prices, which dropped to a two-year low in March, rocketed back up last week, increasing by 40 cents a gallon for regular, unleaded fuel at some retail stations. The price increase, the first substantial rise since October, comes on the heels of a sig- nificant retail price increase in the U.S. since January and a steady rise in Brent crude oil prices over the same period. The increase also comes amid recent warnings in the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly that indicated locally operating pe- troleum companies could soon face tighter regulations and price reporting requirements via a proposed Public Utilities Commission. Prices at George Town and Seven Mile Beach area Esso-Sol Petroleum gas stations reported a 15 cents per gallon increase on reg- ular, unleaded fuel since last Tuesday, from $4.22 to $4.37 for regular, self-serve unleaded fuel. In West Bay, prices for full-service un- leaded went from $4.25 per gallon to $4.45 per gallon, and in North Side, prices went from $4.25 to $4.40. Prices at several Rubis-owned stations in the George Town/Prospect/Savannah area went from below $4 a gallon to $4.39 per gallon for regular, full-service unleaded gaso- line. The prices went up late last week. The average price of regular, unleaded fuel at Grand Cayman gas stations had fallen steadily since late 2014, from a high of $5.59 per gallon in mid-October to an average of $4.38 on Grand Cayman in January, to $4.15 per gallon in late March. Average prices on Grand Cayman again hovered in the $4.35 to $4.41 range last week, Cayman’s Nepalese community unites to support earthquake victims James WhiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Members of Cayman’s small Nepalese community gathered Sunday to say a prayer for their devastated homeland in the after- math of the massive earthquake that killed at least 4,000 people. As images emerged of demolished build- ings, broken roads and victims buried amid the rubble, around 150 Nepalese people living in Cayman faced a frantic weekend, trying to get in touch with family and friends back home. Durga Limbu, a security guard at the Government Administration Building, helped gather about 50 people at a bas- ketball court in his George Town neighbor- hood. Many of them had lost homes and property, but no loss of life was reported among their immediate families. Hair stylist Puspa Rumba said her home was destroyed, but her immediate family, in Kathmandu, was safe. She said her mother and brother were living in a tent because the government was preventing people from re- turning to their homes amid fears that after- shocks from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake would cause further destruction. She is still PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Nepalese volunteers unload relief material brought in an Indian air force helicopter for victims of Saturday’s earthquake at Trishuli Bazar in Nepal on Monday. - photo: ap PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Tuesday april 28, 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. © Warner Bros. Pictures y x CHILD 44 R 6:40 I 9:40 FURIOUS 7 3D (PG13) 12:45 I 1:30 2D I 3:45 I 4:30 2D 6:45 I 7:30 2D I 9:45 PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 (PG) 1:00 I 4:00 I 7:00 I 9:20 WATER DIVINER R 1:10 I 3:50 I 7:20 I 10:00 THE LONGEST RIDE (PG13) 3:40 | 9:50 HOME (PG) 12:20 I 3:10 GET HARD (R) 1:15 I 7:10 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - TUESDAY - $8.00 Crazy hat day at GT Primary George Town Primary School held a Fancy Hat and Crazy Socks Day on Monday to raise money to hold a family picnic at Dart Park. Year 4 students came up with the idea for the fundraiser. According to their teacher, Joan Anderson, who helped to orga- nize the event along with teacher Jack Ebanks, stu- dents were asked to dec- orate their own hats and socks, which were judged, and prizes were awarded based on creativity, va- riety of materials used and uniqueness. The children raised smiles as well as money when they arrived at school wearing a variety of head gear for the price of $2. Ms. Anderson said the students were learning new skills to develop their poten- tial by thinking creatively. Principal Marie Martin said each month a different class will host an event to raise money for activities. “It brings the children and parents together for fun times,” she said. George Town Primary students arrived at school wearing a variety of head gear during a Fancy Hat and Crazy Sock parade. - Photo: Jewel levy Frozen foods recalled Foster’s Food Fair-IGA has announced that Inventure Foods, Inc. has issued a vol- untarily recall on certain va- rieties of its Fresh Frozen line of frozen vegetables, as well as select varieties of its Jamba “At Home” line of smoothie kits due to finding of Listeria monocytogenes, in its Jefferson, GA facility. Foster’s Food Fair-IGA, Priced Right locations and Bay Market only have a few of the items on the recall list, according to a statement from the company. These recalled prod- ucts did not test positive for Listeria monocytogenes, and there are no known illnesses linked to the consumption of Fresh Frozen IQF frozen veg- etables or Jamba “At Home” smoothies to date, a Foster’s spokesperson said. However, Inventure Foods is neverthe- less issuing a voluntary re- call because Listeria mono- cytogenes was detected in the facility during rou- tine testing. To date there have been no confirmed ill- nesses linked to the consump- tion of these products. For the full list of recalled products, visit www.inventurefoods.com/ information/frozenrecall. Jamba At Home smoothies are being recalled. NASA celebrAteS hubble’S 25th CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — What better way to cel- ebrate the Hubble Space Telescope’s quarter-century in orbit than with cosmic fireworks? At the end of last week, on the 25th anniversary of Hubble’s launch, NASA re- leased an image taken by the space telescope showing a brilliant breeding ground for stars. This stellar nursery is 20,000 light-years from Earth in the Constellation Carina. NASA’s science mission chief John Grunsfeld told the crowd gathered for the unveiling at the Newseum in Washington that the fact it’s taken thousands of years for the light from these bright, young stars to reach us means “they planned really far in advance.” Grunsfeld was among five former shuttle astronauts who flew on Hubble mis- sions who attended the cer- emony. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden also was there; he helped deliver Hubble to orbit on April 24, 1990 aboard space shuttle Discovery. Bolden said neither he nor anyone else back then expected the space tele- scope to work much beyond 15 years – or accomplish so much. From its approxi- mately 350-mile-high perch, Hubble has made more than 1.2 observations of more than 38,000 celestial objects. “A quarter-century later, Hubble has fundamentally changed our human under- standing of our universe and our place in it,” Bolden said Noted Grunsfeld: “Hubble inspires the world.” NASA expects Hubble to keep producing first- class science for at least five more years. An image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope shows a breeding ground for stars in the Constellation Carina, about 20,000 light years from Earth. - Photo: NASA/AP Fisherman find another lost cocaine shipment Police say drugs worth $700,000 floating in ocean James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Around 23 packages of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $700,000, were discovered by fishermen near 12 Mile Bank last week. The find follows the dis- covery earlier this month of a similar quantity of cocaine on an East End beach. Detectives say there is no immediate evidence to link the two drug shipments, Fishermen reported finding the 23 individu- ally wrapped packages floating in the water close to 12 Mile Bank. The police marine unit in- spected the packages on site and brought them to shore to be forensically examined. The cocaine was destroyed in an incinerator along with the drugs found in East End ear- lier in the month. Detective Superintendent Robert Scotland of the Drugs and Serious Crime Task Force said, “There is no evidence at this time to connect the drugs found near the 12 Mile Bank with those found in East End. However, U.S. law enforcement were notified of the recent finds and the in- formation was shared, with a view of identifying possible origins and destinations.” The police commended the anglers who turned in the cocaine, saying they acted responsibly by re- porting the find to the relevant authorities. Police have previously warned that anyone who finds drugs washed ashore or in the water has an obli- gation to alert police. Anyone who keeps such drug finds is liable to prosecution for pos- session with intent to supply. Drugs have been found washed ashore on 26 occa- sions since January 2013. In total, 60 kilos (130 pounds) of cocaine and 90 kilos (200 pounds) of marijuana, poten- tially worth more than $5 million, have been found and turned in to police. Traffickers using the Caribbean Sea as a transit route from South and Central America to lucrative U.S. mar- kets are thought to be re- sponsible for the bulk of the lost contraband. Cocaine found near 12 Mile Bank was destroyed by police.3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday april 28, 2015 174039_3-Avis-FleetSale-CompJRPgPage 1 3/26/15 11:34:17 AM Report shows IT dangers facing gov’t Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Lack of understanding re- garding basic computer tech- nology and information system access protocols led to the potential for major security breaches in the Department of Agriculture prior to last year. A report by the Cayman Islands government’s Internal Audit Unit in February 2014 indicated that department managers were unaware of proper security procedures for various computerized opera- tions dealing with the “coun- terpoint point-of-sale” system the department used, so those procedures were not reported to the government Computer Services Department. For instance, access to the information system used by the Agriculture Department was not restricted to autho- rized users only, internal audi- tors found. “According to the assistant director of the Department of Agriculture, he was unaware of this security issue,” the re- port found, indicating that computer services was relied on to “configure best practice security on their network.” “This means that any gov- ernment employee with basic computer knowledge who tin- kers around the network and accidentally finds the net- work folders owned by the Department of Agriculture could modify data, create fic- titious data, or delete critical files and information and dis- able the [system] by deleting critical configuration files.” Agriculture Department management noted in its re- sponse to the audit that the Computer Services Department had since been asked to fix the issue, noting “they are respon- sible for [the] operation, main- tenance and security of the server and network.” Throughout the report are documented occurrences in which the department man- agement – which was unaware of IT security protocols – did not report these issues to com- puter services. The Computer Services Department, while re- sponsible for IT security and operations of government, would not necessarily have known about the issues unless they were informed by the de- partment, auditors said. Another problem identified in the 2014 report was that se- curity “patches” – published online at various intervals by software companies – were not being added to the depart- ment’s point-of-sale computer servers. Auditors found that no program was established to update these security patches. “The counterpoint point-of- sale server and database are, therefore, vulnerable to known threats,” auditors stated. “These exploitations could lead to exposure of data, ma- nipulation of data, or total de- struction of the system by ex- ternal parties.” Again, this was news to de- partment managers. “The department was com- pletely unaware that these critical security patches were not being installed as a matter of routine maintenance,” the management response to the report read. “The department ... is cognizant of the fact that it can only make requests with [computer services] but has no authority to instruct or direct [computer services] in the operation of govern- ment IT systems.” Although a number of other security issues were identified in the internal audit report, the software used by the Agriculture Department was found to be “functional for its intended purpose” by audi- tors who reviewed it. The department has also taken steps to implement audit recommendations re- lated to security and opera- tions protocols since the re- port was issued. In a number of cases, department officials complained of short staffing and vacant positions that led to some of the difficulties re- garding unauthorized access to the system. “Many of the recommen- dations we made require the assistance of the Computer Services Department,” audi- tors found. “While [computer services] should be proactive in collaborating with the de- partment regarding informa- tion technology best prac- tices, it is ultimately the responsibility of the depart- ment, as the owner of their systems and data, to ensure that the entire IT infrastruc- ture ... has effective controls in place to mitigate the iden- tified risks.” ‘ConspiraCy’ motion aCCepted, lawsuits threatened Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A parliamentary mo- tion alleging a “conspiracy” to influence the results of the May 2013 general elec- tion in the Cayman Islands has been accepted by the Speaker of the House. However, whether Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush’s private members’ mo- tion will ever make it to the Legislative Assembly floor for debate remains uncertain. Mr. Bush’s motion, filed with the assembly clerk’s office on April 14, was ac- cepted by Speaker of the House Juliana O’Connor- Connolly last week. That puts the motion before the House Business Committee, which must then decide whether to place it on a meeting agenda and when that might occur. The business committee consists of five members, the majority of whom are mem- bers of the Progressives-led government. Mr. Bush is the leader of the opposition Cayman Islands Democratic Party, previously called the United Democratic Party. The motion, which makes various allegations against named and unnamed indi- viduals, has been called “li- belous” by Premier Alden McLaughlin and could result in Mr. McLaughlin taking legal action against Mr. Bush. The premier warned of pending litigation in a letter sent to local press or- ganizations on Friday. Mr. McLaughlin said he has asked Mr. Bush to apologize over his accusations con- tained in the motion or face further action. Generally, private mem- bers’ motions filed with the House are considered ab- solutely protected speech under what is known as parliamentary privilege. However, Mr. McLaughlin argues that the manner in which Mr. Bush’s mo- tion was made public – in a press conference on April 14, the same date it was filed – exempts it from that privilege. Therefore, any- thing said in the motion and at the subsequent press conference is subject to claims of defamation, Mr. McLaughlin said – defama- tion referring to untrue and damaging allegations made publicly by one person against another. The letter sent to the local media Friday advised that Mr. McLaughlin was asking the press to refrain from publishing the details of Mr. Bush’s motion or sub- sequent statements about it. Mr. Bush had not re- sponded to requests for com- ment by press time Monday. The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 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. Tuesday apriL 28, 2015 • Cayman COmpass – EDITORIAL – A review of Freedom of Information processes may be incumbent upon local FOI managers, many of whom appear to be less-than-versed in what the law requires or the limits it may place on compliance. The Cayman Compass itself, for example, has recently encountered both extremes. We are not per- suaded the errors are purposeful or intended, at the one end, to obfuscate or impede information applica- tions, or, at the other, to invoke private-sector outrage and a court review at an over-release of information. Let us explain: A couple of weeks ago, the Compass filed a series of questions to three government agencies. None of them responded, and two explicitly said they would never respond. Another – and unrelated – request went to the Office of the Solicitor General, who also rejected our approach. The reason offered was reasonable and largely cogent: Part of our request was to see docu- ments in respect of a case still in process. However, the stated reason for the rejection of the other part was that our request had not been phrased in terms of seeking specific “records.” In any case, inquiries to the Information Commis- sioner yielded a fascinating response. Under section 7 of the Freedom of Information Law, a request for infor- mation from a government agency does not have to specify it is an FOI request in order for it to qualify as an FOI application. Nor does it have to be addressed to an FOI manager; nor does it need to name the FOI Law or any information officer. Indeed, the FOI website, the most basic of informa- tion tools, explicitly states: “There is no requirement to state that a request for information is made under the FOI Law.” Additionally, if the request is not couched in terms of seeking “documents” or “records” – or fails to specify how or where those documents may be held – the FOI manager is obliged under regulation 21 of the Freedom of Information General Regulations to contact the applicant, helping him or her rewrite the request so that it can be properly processed. None of these things was done in any of the cases cited above, despite the Office of the Information Com- missioner flatly stating that government information managers “should know this.” Again, we do not accuse anyone of willful obfusca- tion or an effort to sidestep our requests, but we are less than persuaded that the dozens of FOI managers throughout central government, statutory authori- ties and government-owned companies are fully knowledgeable about their responsibilities under this complex law. Our fears are underlined by the enthusiastic response – some may say “over-response” – of the Immigration Department to our mid-February request for records of the salaries of Cayman’s more than 20,000 work-permit holders. The department did not merely comply in all respects with the request, but the information manager also provided job titles, start dates and nationalities – although not the names – of every work- permit holder in the Cayman Islands. This generated a whole different kind of FOI-related lawsuit. Instead of complaining that government had failed to comply with a request, the court action – filed by Ernst & Young, Maples FS, KPMG and Butterfield Bank – said too much had been released, and sought a judicial review on the grounds it was proprietary and commercially sensitive to the four companies. (The publisher of the Compass, in a sworn affidavit, sup- ported the position of the four plaintiffs.) We have to ask: If information managers do not know the basic facts of compliance, what else don’t they know? How far do these inadequacies extend? And can our Information Commissioner do anything about it? Freedom of Information: Ready for upgrade FROM CAYMANCOMPASS.COM “Playing ‘Hide and Seek’ with audit reports,” April 27 These reports have histor- ically been kicked into long grass, because the Cayman Islands government and pol- iticians have become used to being able to ignore them. These reports are for both the government, and the people. It is absurd that the very people that are being investigated can hold them up at all, let alone for long periods. The only solution, because the rights of reply are being abused, is to have a time limit – say, three months to re- spond to the report and a fur- ther month after which it is public. That would sort a few wrongs, and that’s why it will never happen! arthur Rank I wonder if some people in the Cayman Islands gov- ernment might have been encouraged to refuse to make the results of their audits public by instances in which the Office of the Auditor General has re- fused (as has recently hap- pened with Operation Tempura) to even conduct an audit where one was clearly necessary. In fact, I suspect a de- tailed investigation of some of the departments and or- ganizations that the Office of the Auditor General has not found fault with in recent years might raise more than a few awkward questions. As one example – was the Information Commissioner’s Office really justified in splashing out CI$500,000 on legal fees (a sum matched by the Governor’s Office) to fight an FOI issue through the courts? That decision appears to have simply been rubber-stamped by the Office of the Auditor General without any real investi- gation into where all the money went. Another example might be the potentially even larger amounts that were spent by the Attorney General’s Office chasing Martin Bridger through the courts both here and on the U.K. over documents removed from Operation Tempura. Shouldn’t that simply have been a police matter? The bottom line is people learn by example and they’ll happily copy both the bad and the good without making much dis- tinction between the two. In this case, those involved could easily be excused for thinking along the lines of – What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. David Williams “Eastern representatives fear district redraw,” April 23. I have always wondered why on Earth we need so many MLAs to represent the people. In the Cayman Islands there are 18 members to represent about 25,000 cit- izens. And of course no one to represent the other 25,000 residents. In the U.K. there are about 600 MPs to represent some 60 million. Or one MP per 100,000. norman Linton To all those rejoicing in advance, don’t worry Arden McLean and Ezzard Miller are not going any- where. Neither will North Side or East End. The U.K. government, through the FCO, has al- ready shown that they are willing to be flexible in this matter when they allowed for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman to have a guar- antee of two seats put in the Constitution. The two eastern districts will be al- lowed to remain as is based on historical reasons, or as the [Electoral Boundary] Commission leader said, “re- spect for communities of in- terest.” End of story. Leon Fishman I have always asked my- self why Mr. Miller and Mr. McLean would want to push so aggressively for single member constituencies and this idea of equal repre- sentation as it was clear to me that such a move would have most likely resulted in the combination of their two districts in order to achieve equal representation. The other election dis- trict that might be of some concern is Cayman Brac/ Little Cayman. We need to get these things sorted out fast. mack Boland Europe stops pretending to like Greece’s finance minister Mark Gilbert Bloomberg News Most of us have been in a business or strategy meeting where the outcome turned on the personalities in the room, rather than the logic or merits of the subject under discussion. The latest twists in Greece’s negotiations with its creditors suggest a similarly unhelpful dynamic is at work among euro area finance ministers. The solution might be to change the cast, rather than keep hoping the drama will have a happy ending. Yanis Varoufakis, Greece’s finance minister, was vari- ously called a time-waster, a gambler and an amateur at Friday’s meeting of the euro zone finance chiefs. Here’s what Varoufakis tweeted about himself on Sunday, channeling U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt from 1936: “ ‘They are unani- mous in their hate for me; and I welcome their hatred.’ A quo- tation close to my heart (and reality) these days.” Roosevelt was trying to win an election, railing against what he described as “the old enemies of peace – business and financial monopoly, specu- lation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.” That context makes Varoufakis’ commentary upon his own situation both wildly inappropriate and deeply sad- dening; he still seems in- clined to treat his creditors as sworn enemies. When the new Greek government took power in January and Varoufakis be- came finance chief, much was made of his academic back- ground in game theory. But this isn’t a game. All too often, the Greek fi- nance minister sounds like he’s focused only on winning over his domestic audience. His fellow finance ministers across Europe have become sufficiently annoyed that they no longer seem willing to ne- gotiate with him at all. The Greek people are pretty clear about what they want. A weekend poll by Kappa Research for the To Vima newspaper showed 72.9 per- cent want to stay in the euro, 71.9 percent see reaching a deal as the best solution for the country’s woes, and 68.8 percent view exiting the euro as a real danger. A separate survey by Alco for Proto Thema newspaper showed similar results; it also indicated a 55 percent ap- proval rating for Varoufakis even as 52 percent said they’re dissatisfied with the govern- ment. If only he was as popular with his peers, who happen to control the euro purse strings and who therefore have more sway over Greece’s destiny than its electorate. There’s a theory making the rounds in the blogosphere that Varoufakis will prove useful as a scapegoat to be jettisoned and blamed once the Greek government has re- neged on its election prom- ises to satisfy the demands of its lenders. That seems like a dan- gerous game; it assumes a deal can be reached between the current interlocutors, which seems increasingly unlikely. If, by his own admission, Varoufakis is unanimously hated by those he would seek to persuade, today’s an- nouncement that the govern- ment has reshuffled its nego- tiating team should come as welcome news. Deputy Foreign Minister Euclid Tsakalotos will co- ordinate a team with newly assigned responsibilities; Greece will get the new voices it needs speaking on its behalf and Varoufakis will have his wings clipped. Time and money are running out; let’s hope introducing new faces can get Greece out of its current stalemate. Mark Gilbert is a Bloomberg View columnist and a member of the Bloomberg View editorial board. (c) 2015, Bloomberg News Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday april 28, 2015 Affordable homes sales increase ChArles DunCAn cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Fifteen of the 20 new af- fordable homes in Bodden Town have been sold or are awaiting bank approval, and the application backlog that has plagued the National Housing Development Trust for more than a year has been eliminated, according to Trust records and board chair George Powell. The Trust built 20 homes in Bodden Town in 2013. Sales have been completed on six of them, and an ad- ditional nine mortgages are under bank review, Mr. Powell said. Additionally, he said, only two of the East End homes are still available for sale, and three or four in West Bay. “Going forward,” Mr. Powell said, “we are going to build where there’s demand.” He faulted former Trust board members for building homes when there were not enough people to buy them. The demand is in George Town, the board chair said, the only district where all the affordable homes have been purchased. The Trust con- ducted a survey earlier this year, but Mr. Powell said he has not yet seen the results. The survey seeks to find out where low-income people ac- tually want to buy a home, and he said it will be used to direct the Trust’s resources in future developments. The Trust has changed sig- nificantly in recent years, tran- sitioning from renting homes directly to acting as a devel- oper. The Trust now accepts donated land from govern- ment, builds the homes and sells them to qualified low-in- come buyers who can borrow from a traditional bank. “Before, the perception was [that] the government builds a house, gives you a key, and you never have to pay rent, water or electricity,” he said. Minutes from the Trust board show that one of the Bodden Town home sales was to the family of missing landfill worker Anna Evans. Previously it was reported that they did not have to go through the standard appli- cation process. The Trust received more than 200 applications, many dating back several years, for the 20 Bodden Town homes. Housing Trust director Julio Ramos said earlier that bringing in a new board after the last election delayed ap- plication approvals. Mr. Ramos, in an interview last month, said, “Moving for- ward, I think we will reverse the process and have people qualify for a mortgage before we build the homes so that homes would not sit there empty for a long time.” He did not respond to re- quests for comment by press time Monday, First-time home buyers who make less than $30,000 a year or families making less than $45,000 a year can poten- tially be approved for a home through the Trust. Then they must apply to a bank for a mortgage. At the Bodden Town development, six two-bedroom homes sold for $105,000, and 14 three-bedroom houses sold for $120,000. Mr. Powell said approved buyers get the land for free, which gives the property for a three-bedroom a value of $180,000. “You already have built-in equity,” he said. Successful applicants are not allowed to sell the home or property for five years after purchase, he said, to avoid people buying the homes and selling immediately, making a profit off the land. Priority for the homes so far has gone to Bodden Towners. Late last year the Trust board debated appli- cations from Caymanian status holders or people married to non-Cayma- nians versus people seen as longtime Caymanians, ac- cording to minutes from the Nov. 20 meeting. The Trust had received several ques- tions about these types of applications being deferred to the board’s finance com- mittee. The meeting minutes state: “The Trust must not marginalize Caymanians vs Caymanian status holders. Whilst it is ideal that we seek to have the houses oc- cupied by Bodden Towners, it cannot negate the oppor- tunity for Caymanian status holders for home ownership under the affordable housing initiative program.” Mr. Powell said the Trust has mainly exhausted the in- terest of qualified longtime Bodden Town residents and is now reaching out to other communities to find buyers for the four remaining homes. With the new model of acting as the developer for af- fordable housing, Mr. Powell said, the Housing Trust should have enough money to continue building houses as buyers express interest. He said the core program to build homes is now self-suf- ficient and the only funding from government will be for specific items in the govern- ment budget. The Trust will use the money from home sales to build new houses, cre- ating a cycle of income and, Mr. Powell said, “won’t have to rely on government for funding.” The Trust has changed significantly in recent years, transitioning from renting homes directly to acting as a developer. The greatest demand for affordable homes, like these in Windsor Park, appears to be in the George Town district. - Photo: taneos Ramsay6 LOCAL NEWS Check out these photos and others by visiting caymancompass.com/photogalleries or on facebook.com/caycompass (and don’t forget to tag yourself and your friends!) Tuesday april 28, 2015 • Cayman Compass Some incredible hats were on display at the National Trust’s “Hatitude with Gratitude” gala fundraiser at Pedro St. James on Saturday. The event included a dressage parade and televised horse races, in keeping with the equestrian theme of the event. Miss Cayman, Tonie Chisholm, was also on hand, modeling a dress and hat made from flowers. Angelyn Hernandez won the “Most Hatitude” competition. Marghanita Jacques and Natasha Hernandez Stuart Mailer was winner of the men’s “Most Hatitude” competition. The Foster family – PHOTOS: MAGGIE JACKSON Christina McTaggart, executive director of the National TrustLaura Butz and Michelle Lockwood Charmaine Moss Suzi Culbert, Danielle Watler and Kimberly Pearson-Murray Marnu van Rensburg and Asha Charles Joanne Brown of Celebrations with Miss Cayman Tonie Chisholm in a dress and hat made of flowers, which was sponsored by Celebrations.7 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday april 28, 2015 Cayman HospiceCare held its annual “CHC Bash” fundraiser at Pappagallo Ristorante in West Bay on Friday night. All ticket sale proceeds went to the charity, which offers end-of-life care to Cayman residents. Among those in attendance was marathon runner Derek Haines, who raised more than $1 million for HospiceCare last year. Date: Wednesday, 29 April 2015 Time: 12:45 PM - Registration 1:00 PM Venue: The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Main Ballroom RSVP: https://aimacayman.formstack.com/forms/ aimacaymangaimopsluncheon2015 Attendance at the luncheon is FREE and is open to all AIMA Cayman members as well as GAIM delegates. Register early online. Seating will be limited to a “ rst come/ rst served” basis. FEATURED P ANELIST S JIRI KROL Deputy CEO and Head of Government & Regulatory Aff airs JACK INGLIS AIMA Global’s Chief Executive Offi cer The Fund Director’s Guide is an initiative of AIMA’s Sound Practices’ Committee. The 2015 revision of the Guide has been updated in light of the major new regulatory and tax developments and several new sections have been added. This luncheon is the rst opportunity to learn more about the Guide in its new form. Cynthia Hew, James Bovell and Debi Bergstrom Chris Kennedy, Philippa Stokes and Emma and Danny Santiago. - PHOTOS: MAGGIE JACKSON Jackie Doak, Derek Haines and Stacey VanDevelde Alan and Marcia Milgate Carol and Hon Ming CheangAnthony and Joanne LawsonTawnie and David FarinezThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY APRIL 28, 2015 • CAYMAN COMPASS INSURANCE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION OF CAYMAN EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION The Foundation is currently oering one scholarship for a maximum of four years to a Caymanian High School graduate. Preference will be given to those candidates who intend to pursue a career in the nancial services industry upon graduation from university. However applications from all disciplines will be accepted. Candidates should be prepared to begin their university degree programme in the 2015 school year. The choice of university must be approved by the Foundation. Applicants should possess a minimum of ve good passes at CXC or ICGSE or equivalent. Evidence of educational achievements and, if possible university acceptance should accompany the application. In addition, a brief biography and a narrative as to the reason for the choice of University/Course should be included. Additional details and an application form can be obtained at www.caymancaptive.ky Applications should be submitted preferably by pdf, no later than 9th of May 2015 to: william.forsythe@caymancaptive.ky or delivered to the IMAC oce at Landmark Square, Suite 3E-2, 64 Earth Close, West Bay Road AARON FARRINGTON, KAYLA SOLOMON & ASHLI WELCOME – 2014 RECIPIENTS Cayman Islands. Clearly Better Business. our transition discussions and I have not heard from you.” He also noted in the email that CINICO had to send a formal letter, not an email, to cancel the contract. According to Mr. Tibbetts’s deposition and other records in the suit, after that month he did not reply again to Simplifi until April. Meanwhile, Simplifi managers were preparing to lose more than $150,000 in monthly revenue, according to the email exhibits. Those plans included layoffs and closing two offices. Background Court records show that CINICO emailed Simplifi on Dec. 11, 2012, telling the company that it did not win the bid for a new contract. Two months later, records show, Mr. Tibbetts emailed the company, saying the con- tract would end June 2013. Simplifi management replied that the termination needed to be in writing, but appar- ently neither Mr. Tibbetts nor anyone else at CINICO sent a written letter or a fax to end the contract. As the deadline neared to formally cancel the contract, Simplifi leadership did not remind CINICO that it had not given formal notifi- cation to stop the agreement from automatically renewing for another year. The situation deteriorated further, with CINICO making late payments to the admin- istrator, several times causing the services and website to be cut off. As the agreement fell apart, Simplifi sued CINICO, alleging a breach of contract in July 2013, and CINICO counter- sued in October 2013, claiming the administrator had over- billed by more than $700,000. When the relationship broke off completely, CINICO did not have a new adminis- trator in place and was left without many financial re- cords and no company ready to handle all the transactions with overseas hospitals. Mr. Tibbetts, in an inter- view earlier this year, said the firm had to bring the accounting operations in house and use his own lim- ited staff to make sure all the bills got paid. This interim system, as reported by the Cayman Compass, led to sev- eral Florida hospitals suing CINICO for unpaid bills over the past year. The transition, Mr. Tibbetts said last month, has been a “rough period.” The in- surer was essentially using spreadsheets to run a multi- million-dollar operation in an already understaffed office. The lawsuit in Ohio con- tinues, hinging in part on whether email was a per- missible form for the formal notification to cancel the contract. waiting for news from her home village of Khukhure, where initial reports sug- gested the majority of build- ings, including her own home, had been destroyed. “In my village, there are no houses left, lots of people are injured and no aid is get- ting through. The animals, the cows and the buffalo are dead, more than 900 build- ings have collapsed,” said Ms. Rumba, who works at Eclipze Hair Design and Day Spa. She said her uncle and cousins had survived the initial quake but there had been no communication with the village since Saturday. She fears that aid is not getting through to remote rural areas. “I am not worried for my house, a house can be re- built,” she said. “I’m worried for my family and friends if they don’t get water or aid. “All the focus is on Kathmandu and the climbers at Mount Everest, but so many people are dying in rural areas because they have no water. The roads are de- stroyed and there are not enough helicopters, so the aid can’t get through.” Vast tent cities have sprung up in the Kathmandu valley area, with authorities advising people not to return to their homes. Simon Limbu, one of around 20 Nepalese na- tionals working for the Security Centre in Cayman, was in Nepal when the earth- quake struck. He sent col- leagues a picture of himself and his child in a tent where they are staying to show that he was safe. Suresh Budhathoki, who works at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, said his family members were living in a construction truck. “They are safe, but they are not able to go home because of a se- ries of aftershocks,” he said. He said they and neigh- bors in the town of Hetauda, 60 miles east of Kathmandu, were living off the basic pro- visions they had at home be- fore the earthquake. Neeta Yogi, a security of- ficer, said 10 members of her family, including her brother and sisters, were sheltering in tents by the side of the road in Kathmandu. They are trying to get back to their home village of Danz, 155 miles away, but the roads are blocked. Durga Limbu, who brought some of Cayman’s Nepalese com- munity together to offer sup- port on Sunday evening, said, “My aim was to get people there and ask if anyone was hurting. Thankfully, there was nobody who lost family members. People had build- ings and property dam- aged, but we did not hear of any loss of life. “Now we are trying to raise donations for the di- saster relief. Cayman is small and there are not so many Nepalese people here, but we want to do what we can to help.” Guy Manning, the Cayman-based lawyer who climbed Mount Everest in 2013 to raise money for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, said the di- saster would be devas- tating for the impoverished Himalayan nation. “It is a terrible tragedy and I expect the news is going to get worse. A lot of Nepal is so remote that there is still no news from the rural areas. They have got problems with the water supply and the risk of disease,” he said. The impact of the disaster was felt on Everest too, where an avalanche swept through base camp, killing 17 people. “On a smaller scale, but no less sad, the devastation at Everest base camp has been awful,” said Mr. Manning. A climber with Jagged Globe, the trekking com- pany that led Mr. Manning’s expedition, was killed and others were injured. One of the sherpas who helped the Campbells lawyer reach the summit was killed in a sep- arate avalanche last year. “It inevitably crosses your mind, how lucky we were. Over the last two years there have been terrible fatalities with that team,” he said. For more coverage on the aftermath of the earthquake and a list of agencies that are accepting donations, see page 10. more or less matching January’s retail prices. The price increase was not entirely unexpected. In early February, U.S. re- tail prices started to rise after falling spectacularly between June 2014 and January 2015. Since then, retail prices for regular, unleaded fuel have gone from US$2.18 per gallon to Monday’s U.S. national av- erage of US$2.54 per gallon. Some market analysts, in- cluding the American Automobile Association, were expecting retail fuel prices to dip slightly again by the summer. Brent crude oil, the global benchmark for fuel prices, increased from US$55.79 a barrel as of March 31 to US$64.75 as of Friday. Oil futures project the price pushing above US$65 per barrel. While international pe- troleum prices continued their upswing, local law- makers argued earlier this month that the local “markup” was too high and that local fuel distributors had for years “hidden” their actual markup figures from the government. Planning Minister Kurt Tibbetts, whose ministry has responsibility for the Cayman Islands Petroleum Inspectorate, said during the Legislative Assembly’s debate on a gas prices mo- tion that he had “given up hope” of trying to negotiate with local fuel distributors Rubis and Sol Petroleum. “I don’t believe a word they tell me about their markup,” he said. There are two “markups” with regard to retail gas and diesel sold at local sta- tions. The first occurs be- tween the time the petro- leum product leaves the supplier’s shores and ar- rives in Cayman for storage at the Jackson Point fuel terminal; the second occurs when the fuel is loaded into the pumps at the gas stations. Historically, it has been difficult for govern- ment to obtain that in- formation from local re- tailers and impossible to get it from the fuel distrib- utors, so Mr. Tibbetts said the government is left with “the continuing saga of the Petroleum Inspectorate in- quiring about prices of fuel and not being able to have any method to verify the in- formation that they receive.” “The Petroleum Inspectorate will have proper legislation in place which guarantees their ability to get this informa- tion,” he said. Gas prices on the rise CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cayman’s Nepalese community unites to support earthquake victims CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CINICO suit may depend on an email CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Members of Cayman’s Nepalese population gather Sunday night for a candlelight vigil to pray for the victims of the earthquake.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 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. Cayman Compass • Tuesday april 28, 2015 IMPORTANT MEETING NOTICE FOR CHAMBER PENSION PLAN MEMBERS The Board of Trustees of the Chamber Pension invites our members of the Hospitality and Tourism Employee Sector to attend an Extraordinary General Meeting of Members to participate in the election of a new Trustee to represent the Hospitality and Tourism Employees. If you are interested in representing your industry group as a Trustee, please visit our website www.chamberpension.ky to download a form or email admin@pensions.ky. All submissions must be received no later than Friday May 15th, 2015 via The Chamber Pension Plan is democratically managed plan in the Cayman Islands. This unique structure places the decision making in the control of the plans’ membership. For this structure to work your involvement and participation at the meeting is essential either as a volunteer OR to vote for your chosen representative. In the event you are unable to attend the meeting in person, you are requested to appoint a proxy (a representative or a Member) to vote in your place no later than Monday May 25th, 2015. Please visit our website for more information or to print your proxy form www.chamberpension.ky. If you have additional questions please contact the pension hotline at 745-7630. We hope to see you at the meeting Thursday May 28th at 5:30 pm. Thursday May 28th, 2015 - 5:30 pm Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa Email - admin@pensions.ky Fax - 745-7699 Mail - P.O. Box 609, KY1-1107 admin@pensions.ky • www.chamberpension.ky • 345-745-7630 • /ChamberPensionPlan TUESDAY, APRIL 28 BOUNDARY COMMISSION PUBLIC MEETING: Sir John A. Cumber Primary School Hall, West Bay. 8 p.m. The public is invited to share thoughts on single-member constituencies and where the boundaries should be drawn. The proposed change would mean each voter casts only one vote. In the present system, voters may elect a varying number of candidates to the Legislative Assembly, depending on the district in which they reside. AUDITIONS: 7 p.m. sharp at Prospect Playhouse for Cayman Drama Society’s production of Rent. See www.cds.ky for details and instructions. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 POETRY FESTIVAL: All are invited to celebrate a multicultural night of poetry, storytelling and music at Books & Books in Camana Bay. 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Admission is free. BOUNDARY COMMISSION PUBLIC MEETING: Bodden Town Primary School Hall. 7 p.m. The public is invited to share thoughts on single-member constituencies and where the boundaries should be drawn. The proposed change would mean each voter casts only one vote. In the present system, voters may elect a varying number of candidates to the Legislative Assembly, depending on the district in which they reside. FOOD HANDLERS: Certification courses in basic food hygiene are offered by the Department of Environmental Health; today; 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. THURSDAY, APRIL 30 BOUNDARY COMMISSION PUBLIC MEETING: North Side Civic Centre. 8 p.m. The public is invited to share thoughts on single- member constituencies and where the boundaries should be drawn. The proposed change would mean each voter casts only one vote. In the present system, voters may elect a varying number of candidates to the Legislative Assembly, depending on the district in which they reside. 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 the 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. COMEDY PLAY: “Duets” plays tonight at Prospect Playhouse, presented by Cayman Drama Society. Show time 7:30 p.m. $25 per person, $15 for students. Show continues May 1-2. For tickets, contact www.cds.ky; boxoffice@cds. ky or 938-1998. FRIDAY, MAY 1 BRAC CANCER AWARENESS: Public meeting 7 p.m. at the Veterans and Seamen’s Building, 205 Ashton Reid Drive. Organized by the Lions Clubs Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac with the Cancer Society. A doctor and cancer survivor will speak about prostate and colon cancer. Free testing available starting 6:30 p.m. SATURDAY, MAY 2 JUMBLE SALE: John Gray Memorial Church Hall, next to the 4-Way Stop, West Bay. 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Clothes, household items, toys etc. Funds raised will go towards the church’s mission outreach. THURSDAY, MAY 7 YOUNG MUSICIANS: The Young Musician of the Year will be named at the Prospect Playhouse during the evening, starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets may be obtained at the door. $5 adults, $2 children. This event is sponsored by Butterfield Bank as part of the National Children’s Festival of the Arts. SATURDAY, MAY 9 THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Free drop-in family activities at the National Art Gallery based on the exhibition “Plastic in Paradise” by Heidi Bassett Blair. Activity sheets and art materials will be available in the breezeway for children of all ages. Self-guided tour packs can be collected for families to use as they explore the exhibition. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free coffee and tea available in the Art Café. Donations welcome. For additional details email education@ nationalgallery.org.ky or call (345) 945 8111. GENERAL INTEREST VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: CONCACAF Under 15 Boys’ Youth Tournament, to be held in Grand Cayman from Aug. 11–23, needs volunteers. Email volunteers@cifa.ky, call the Cayman Islands Football Association 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. 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 Brac Teachers Centre. Registration for reception classes is open for qualifying children who are age 4 before Sept. 1, 2015. GRANTS FOR THE ARTS: Registration is 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. 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www. compasscayman.com/caycompass/ portal/community-calendar.Next >