SportS | page 17 busy month to hone and tone Plenty of activities to get fit High of 85 Low of 74 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. editorial | page 4 hurricane season: take no comfort from rosy forecasts ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – tuesday June 2, 2015 178210_PRINT-Compass-6colx1*5.pdPage 1 12/8/14 11:20:19 AM Airport interior designs unveiled James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Architects have released concept drawings of how Cayman’s new ex- panded airport will look following a $55 million redevelopment. The computer-generated images show a spacious ticketing area and de- parture lounge, with high ceilings and light flooding in from large windows – a significant contrast to the current over- crowded facility. The redevelopment will more than double the capacity of Owen Roberts International Airport. Cayman Islands Airports Authority CEO Albert Anderson said, “The interior design is very impressive and I am con- fident that once completed the new ex- panded airport will be a first-class ter- minal facility.” The design phase of the project is being led by Florida-based firm RS&H Group, which produced the concept drawings. The project is ex- pected to take around three years to complete, with construction on the first phase to begin this summer. FIFA stain continues to spread InternatIonal medIa focusIng on cayman michael klein mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com An unfinished, problem-plagued football field next to the Cayman Islands Football Association’s headquarters has become the symbol of FIFA’s lopsided power structure in international media. In the wake of the organization’s cor- ruption scandal, The New York Times and Germany’s Bild-Zeitung featured Cayman’s “football center of excellence,” funded by FIFA, to illustrate the dependency that leading of- ficials at the world’s football governing body create through financial assistance and devel- opment initiatives. The New York Times on Sunday explained how the Cayman Islands, whose population could not fill a large football stadium, “became a FIFA power” by pointing to the payments made by FIFA under its Goal program to de- velop the sport, and particularly youth foot- ball, in its members associations. “The Cayman Islands represents how that financial assistance program keeps the lights on. That means these small soccer associa- tions are beholden to the leaders of FIFA,” The Times quoted David Larkin, a Washington- based lawyer and director of an organization called ChangeFIFA. FIFA president Sepp Blatter visited the Cayman Islands in 2009 to announce the planned state-of-the-art facility. Five years and nearly $1.8 million later, the center remains unfinished, largely because much of the 18- acre plot is wetlands where grass cannot grow. The Cayman Compass reported in January that, according to the Cayman Islands cIfa meetIng In emergency sessIon James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The executive committee of the Cayman Islands Football Association called an emer- gency meeting Monday night to discuss the future of the organization following the arrest Wednesday of its president and figurehead Jeff Webb on bribery charges in Switzerland. Bruce Blake, first vice president of the organization, said CIFA, which has so far remained silent on the allegations facing Webb, would have some public statement following that meeting. Webb has been suspended by world soccer governing body FIFA from “all football activ- ities” and “provisionally dismissed” as presi- dent of regional governing body CONCACAF. Local football coaches have called for changes at CIFA while Cayman is facing in- creasing scrutiny worldwide following allega- tions last week of widespread corruption in world football’s governing body, centering on the Americas region. Cayman Finance, mean- while, issued a short statement saying it was “saddened” by the allegations. With Webb being held by Swiss authori- ties, Mr. Blake cast a vote on behalf of Cayman football in the election in Zurich on Friday that resulted in the re-election of Sepp Blatter as head of FIFA. Mr. Blake declined to say Monday who he had voted for in the election and why. Blatter was re-elected after winning the first round of voting by 133-73, prompting his only opponent, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, to concede defeat. Each of the 209 member organizations of Bruce Blake, first vice president of the Cayman Islands Football Association, casts the ballot of his association during voting to decide the organization’s presidency at the 65th FIFA Congress in Zurich, Switzerland. - Photo: reuters/ruben sPrIch corPorate PresIdent gets $5m bond In fIfa Probe brent fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A U.S. businessman whose com- pany was accused of indirectly funneling US$1.5 million in bribe payments in 2012 to former FIFA Vice President Jeffrey Webb posted a US$5 million bond in an American federal court Friday. According to proceedings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cheryl Pollak in the Eastern District of New York, Aaron Davidson, president of Traffic Sports USA Inc., pleaded not guilty to all nine counts in the indictment. His release on bond was based on several conditions, including that he be made subject to home detention A computer-generated concept image of the interior upgrade proposed for Owen Roberts International Airport. – Image: rs&h grouP of florIda PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL MEXICO CITY (AP) — Members of a radical Mexican teachers union broke into or blockaded elec- toral offices in the southern state of Oaxaca on Monday amid threats to block this weekend’s midterm elections. National Electoral Institute head Lorenzo Cordoba said that teachers destroyed fur- nishings at two of the of- fices and that the union’s ac- tions could force authorities to move polling places to al- ternate locations for Sunday’s voting. Teachers blockaded several other offices, causing the electoral institute to sus- pend work in parts of Oaxaca. Cordoba said the situa- tion in Oaxaca probably repre- sents the biggest threat to the election, even more than drug cartel violence that has marred past elections in Mexico. “Given today’s events, I would say our area of biggest concern is Oaxaca,” he said. “Organized crime hasn’t tried to block the elections, but some social movements have.” The radical teachers movement has built a reputa- tion for long strikes and take- overs of public spaces, like the 2006 uprising that sought the ouster of the Oaxaca state governor. Teachers led a five- month takeover of colonial Oaxaca city, the state capital. The teachers, some of whom inherited their teaching jobs from relatives rather than proved their skills in the classroom, vigorously oppose a 2013 education reform that requires competitive testing for teachers. The union says those tests don’t really mea- sure teaching skills and don’t take into account the special knowledge needed to teach in Indian and rural areas. Over the weekend, the gov- ernment appeared to bow to their demands by suspending planned tests, without stating what many people suspected was the real reason: per- suading the teachers union to allow Sunday’s elections to go forward. The Education Department said only that “given new elements that should be taken into ac- count in [teacher] evalua- tion … the previously an- nounced test dates will be indefinitely suspended.” Because teacher testing was considered the central point of the hard-fought re- form of Mexico’s woefully under-performing schools, the announcement drew widespread criticism. “By suspending teacher evaluation, the federal authori- ties have given up the chance to advance toward quality educa- tion,” a group of 20 civic groups said in a statement. “And what is worse is that it was done in the face of blackmail,” it added, referring to the teachers’ threat to block the elections. Mexico has seen drug cartel violence mar elections in the past. In 2010, the leading can- didate for the governorship of the border state of Tamaulipas was slain by cartel gunmen. So far this year’s campaign for congressional seats, nine gover- norships and hundreds of may- orships has been marred by lower-level killings, including the deaths of two small-town mayoral candidates. Cordoba said drug-gang violence and crime remains a concern, forcing electoral workers in some places to operate only in daylight and in teams. Workers sometimes leave their electoral institute caps and other identifying insignia behind and work in plain clothes. But he said threats to block elections, which appar- ently started with the parents of 43 missing college students in southern Guerrero state who said they wouldn’t allow elections until their children were found, has become a greater potential danger. “I think we run the risk, as a society, that the threat to block elections is be- coming a universal practice, as a way to press demands,” Cordoba said. Tuesday June 2, 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. y x *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - TUESDAY - $8.00 SAN ANDREAS 3D (PG13) 12:45 I 3:20 2D I 7:00 I 9:50 2D PITCH PERFECT 2 (PG13) 1:10 I 4:10 I 7:15 I 9:50 TOMORROWLAND (PG) 1:00 I 3:55 I 6:50 I 9:45 POLTERGEIST 3D (PG13) 12:30 I 2:50 2D I 5:10 I 7:30 2D I 10:00 AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (PG13) 12:25 I 3:30 I 6:35 I 9:40 MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (R) 1:20 I 4:20 I 7:10 I 9:50 Radical teachers vow to block Mexican midterm elections Thousands protest in Honduras cities following scandal A protest movement in Honduras organized over social media has led to large demonstrations around the Central American country. The protesters are upset over a scandal involving a purported million-dollar embezzlement of Social Security funds, alleg- edly to finance the ruling political party. Among other things they are calling for President Juan Orlando Hernandez’s resignation. The movement began recently as just a couple of dozen people at a torchlight vigil in the capital. But it gradually picked up steam, and thousands marched through Tegucigalpa on Friday. Similarly large protests in San Pedro Sula, Siguatepeque, Choluteca and Comayagua followed over the rest of the weekend. Tropical storm forms in Pacific Ocean off Mexico Tropical Storm Blanca has formed in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico and is expected to strengthen quickly over the next two days. The second named storm of the season was about 335 miles south- southwest of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, on Monday. It has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving northwest at 5 mph. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says no coastal warnings or watches are in effect, but the storm is expected to gain strength and become a hurricane Tuesday. Forecasters call it a slow- moving storm. Meanwhile, Hurricane Andres weakened a bit Monday morning. It was about 840 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. It ias moving west-northwest at 6 mph with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. No warnings or watches are in effect. Retired Colombian general on trial for murder of politician Colombia’s Supreme Court began hearing arguments Monday in the trial of a retired army general accused of taking part in the 1989 assassina- tion of a top presidential contender. Miguel Maza was head of Colombia’s intelligence agency when Luis Carlos Galan was assassinated while campaigning in a poor suburb of Bogota. He’s accused of taking payments from Pablo Escobar’s Medellin drug cartel to reduce the candidate’s security detail ahead of the fateful campaign stop, in which he was riddled with bullets. Galan, a cartel-fighting politician whose youthful good looks and ide- alism drew comparisons with John F. Kennedy, was heavily favored to win Colombia’s highest office. Maza, who has been jailed since 2013, denies any wrongdoing and said that he himself was a victim of several cartel plots on his life. The trial comes as Colombians re-evaluate the role of corrupt state agents in several high-profile mur- ders at the apex of drug-fueled vio- lence two decades ago. That includes last year’s exhumation of former guer- rilla Carlos Pizarro who was killed 25 years ago while running for president. Family members and political allies have long accused bodyguards as- signed by the state of standing by as an assailant opened fire on Pizarro in a crowded airliner midflight. © 2015, Associated Press RegionAl news RounduP A masked woman holds a sign that reads in spanish ‘The quiet war’ in reference to 43 missing students from a rural teachers college, during a protest march Tuesday in Mexico City. - Photo: AP US APProveS firSt wAiver for tribAl School (AP) — The Obama admin- istration for the first time on Monday granted an Indian tribe’s school flexibility from some of the requirements of the No Child Left Behind ed- ucation law. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said they’re hopeful the waiver becomes a model for other tribes around the county. The waiver will allow the Miccosukee Indian School in South Florida, which has 150 students, to have its own standard for measuring yearly progress, one that is different from the state’s. As part of the waiver agreement, the school has committed to cutting by half the per- centage of students deemed not proficient in reading and mathematics. Duncan said during a signing ceremony Monday that the Miccosukee’s school will have more freedom to emphasize the tribe’s cul- ture and language, and the school’s standards in some cases will exceed state requirements. “Having a real commit- ment to language and cul- ture, I am convinced in my heart and bones, will help students be more successful in English and language arts, in reading, in math and sci- ence,” Duncan said. The administration has already granted waivers to most states because meeting the targets set by No Child Left Behind proved unworkable. Colley Billie, the tribe’s chairman, said the school will use the Florida Everglades as a laboratory to emphasize sci- ence. He also said the school will ensure students main- tain a sense of identity with the tribe. “It is the utmost impor- tance to our community that our language and culture continue to thrive with fu- ture generations,” Billie said during a signing ceremony at the Department of Interior. clArificAtion In the editorial on page 4 of Monday’s Compass, a reference was made to Canover Watson’s Admiral Administration sharing the same roof (90 Fort Street, in George Town) as Jeffrey Webb’s local CONCACAF office. Company officials indicate that Mr. Watson was terminated as managing director of Admiral Administration in Cayman in November 2014. The Cayman Compass strives for accuracy and is committed to correcting errors that appear in the newspaper. Those interested in contacting the paper for that purpose can email the editor at newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com.3 LOCAL&REGIONAL Cayman Compass • Tuesday June 2, 2015 ENTER online at caymancompass.com/competitions TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. Must be 18 or older to enter. Deadline: noon Thursday June 11, 2015 Enter to WIN 2 FREE Entries to the Flowers Sea Swim. 2015 Pick your swim! June 15, 2015 Flowers International 5k & 10k Swims June 13, 2015 Flowers One Mile Sea Swim Minister says gas price rules coming soon Soccer beats baseball in game of Cuban detente Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Gas prices are on their way back up in Cayman, but the planning minister said recently in the Legislative Assembly that price regula- tions will be coming soon with the creation of the Public Utilities Commission. Minister of Planning Kurt Tibbetts, whose ministry oversees the petroleum in- dustry, said a proposal is coming to develop rules so that bulk gas distributors will have to report prices to government. That’s the first step in regulating consumer gas prices, Mr. Tibbetts said. “When we went at this the first time years ago, the biz of price control was something we were very afraid of,” he said. But now, the minister said, the government has been studying the price-set- ting scheme in the Bahamas, and gas distributors could end up with a regulated market similar to how the Caribbean Utility Company has to set electricity rates. The Bahamas uses a system in which its govern- ment sets a level that bulk distributors can mark up and a second level for gas sta- tions, dictating how much money they can make on a gallon of gas. Mr. Tibbetts said govern- ment could not rely on gas distributors to self-report prices. He said distributors gave import records to cus- toms from their local offices without actually proving how much they paid for the fuel in the first place. If gov- ernment took the distrib- utors’ word on the prices, Mr. Tibbetts said, “They’d be laughing behind our backs” while manipulating prices on import forms. The new Public Utilities Commission, under the min- ister’s proposal, will take re- sponsibility for setting rates on fuel imports and markups by retailers. He said the new regulator will be up and run- ning before the next legisla- tive session in September. When gas prices spiked to more than $5.50 late last year, the minister said, he spoke with fuel importers and re- tailers, asking for their sug- gestions on how to control gas prices. They refused to turn over pricing data, calling the costs confidential busi- ness information. “Since they have not come back to us with any suggestions, we are now acting,” Mr. Tibbetts said. Gas prices bottomed out in the spring at just under $4 a gallon, but have since started going up again to around $4.40 to $4.50 a gallon for reg- ular, unleaded gas. Outsized impact “The price of fuel has the ability to almost single- handedly decide what your inflation rate is for the year,” Mr. Tibbetts said. The Cayman economy is linked so closely to the price of fuel, he said, the cost “af- fects the price of every single thing.” Government inflation data shows fuel and related goods are regularly the largest category of imports to Cayman, accounting for a full 20 percent of imports by dollar amount for the past two years. “When there are certain commodities, especially fuel,” Mr. Tibbetts said, “you can’t simply leave [the price] to chance.” HAVANA (AP) — In a land- mark act of sports diplomacy, soccer’s New York Cosmos on Tuesday become the first U.S. professional team to play in Cuba since Presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama announced their countries planned re-establishing dip- lomatic relations. Baseball may be sport the two nations most share, but soccer’s popularity is growing in both nations and Cuban officials said the friendly match against the country’s national team is an important step in the nor- malization of the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba. “In this new era that our two countries are living, this game is another link that will help establish the relations announced by the two presi- dents,” said Antonio Garces, vice president of the Cuban Soccer Association. While the two governments have yet to reopen embas- sies following the December announcement of detente, Havana has been flooded by a surge of U.S. tourists, as well as delegations of lawmakers, businesspeople and athletes. A group of retired NBA stars held a training camp for Cuban players in April and Cuban officials have said a Major League exhibi- tion game is planned for the near future, although Major League officials have said no plans have been made. The Cosmos, who are leading the standings in the second-tier North American Soccer League, arrived Sunday night, and were training ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s match at 30,000-seat Pedro Marrero stadium, which is to be tele- vised nationally in Cuba. They were accompanied by honorary president Pele, the legendary Brazilian star who played for the original Cosmos franchise as his ca- reer was ending. Asked about the bribery scandal that ex- ploded last week in soccer’s global governing body, he de- clined to criticize FIFA or its head, Sepp Blatter. “We are players and we want to provide joy to the public and people. What hap- pens with executives doesn’t interest me,” he said. “He’s a man who has been there 25 years. You have to respect him.” While Cuba is far from a soccer powerhouse, the sport hasn’t been spared the waves of departures that have robbed its teams of many top-ranked athletes. Forward Maykel Galindo left in 2005 and went on to play for sev- eral U.S. teams. Midfielder Osvaldo Alonso abandoned Cuba two years later and now plays in Seattle. Cuba’s relatively weak in- ternational soccer perfor- mance hasn’t stopped the sport from spreading on the island, with growing num- bers watching professional games on television and playing on dusty fields and neighborhood streets. “Soccer is a people’s sport that’s gained a lot of popu- larity in recent years, in Cuba and the United States, and without a doubt it’ll help tear down barriers and open doors,” Garces said. The last professional U.S. soccer team to visit Cuba was the now-defunct Chicago Sting, which played in 1978 after President Jimmy Carter moved to warm ties with Cuba and open the interests section in Havana that both countries want to soon con- vert into a full embassy. “When there are certain commodities, especially fuel, you can’t simply leave [the price] to chance.” Kurt tibbetts, planning minister A group of retired NBA stars held a training camp for Cuban players in April and Cuban officials have said a Major League exhibition game is planned for the near future. Minister Tibbetts New York Cosmos player Adam Moffat tries out the sidecar of an old Russian motorcycle, used by workers at the Pedro Marrero Stadium, after training for an upcoming friendly match against Cuba’s national soccer team in Havana. - Photo: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Tuesday June 2, 2015 • Cayman COmpass While the attention of Cayman Islands residents has been focused, quite rightly, on the public relations disaster that is the arrest and indictment of regional football leader Jeffrey Webb on suspicion of corrup- tion and money laundering, we remind our readers not to forget about the natural disaster that may be lurking around yesterday’s turn of the calendar. Monday, June 1, marked the beginning of “hur- ricane season” in the Atlantic basin. From now until the end of November, residents and visitors should remain on heightened alert that a terrible storm may develop and strike Cayman at any time. Officials from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmo- spheric Administration are predicting a 70 percent likelihood of a below-normal hurricane season, with six to 11 named storms in the region, three to six of which will become hurricanes, and zero to two becoming major hurricanes. Don’t listen to them — or take comfort from their rosy predictions. Common sense tells us “it only takes one” — in other words, all the prognoses in the world will amount to naught if a hurricane does indeed land on our shores. “As we’ve seen before, below-normal seasons can still produce catastrophic impacts to communities,” NOAA administrator Kathryn Sullivan said, referring to the 1992 season, which was largely uneventful — except for the Category 5 Hurricane Andrew that devastated South Florida. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle news- paper, U.S. National Hurricane Center Director Rick Knabb (who grew up near Houston but now lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida) riffed on a variation of the “it only takes one” theme — saying, “It just takes a single headline … Even if we get all of those prepara- tion messages out, a single headline that comes out and suggests hurricanes are going away, or are going to be less, or it’s going to be quieter, can erase all of that in one fell swoop.” We concur. We at the Compass will postpone our celebrations until nearer to Christmas. We advise our readers to do the same. Most people in Cayman, particularly those who were unfortunate enough to experience Hurricane Ivan in 2004, should know what to do to ready them- selves and their property for a storm event. However, like CPR and snow skiing, it never hurts to refresh oneself on the basics. A good place to start is (surprise!) the Compass. Included in last Thursday’s newspaper is this year’s Hurricane Guide, a comprehensive source of informa- tion about “what to know before, during and after a storm.” The glossy and attractive magazine includes everything you need to know going into hurricane season, including the creation of personal hurricane plans, locations of local hurricane shelters, consular contacts for expatriates, insurance coverage, emer- gency supplies checklist, Cayman’s history of hurri- canes, and much more. Additionally, in Monday’s Compass, Foster’s Food Fair IGA sponsored its own concise Hurricane Pre- paredness Guide, which (among other information) includes recipes for post-hurricane (i.e. no-electricity) cooking, a list of official storm names for 2015 and definitions of hurricane terms. That way, if we do end up sitting in the dark after a storm, we can use the proper nomenclature and pro- nunciation to curse out the specific hurricane, while enjoying our meal of bottled water, four-bean chili, skillet cornbread and tuna-and-apple pilaf. We can’t stop Mother Nature, but we can help our- selves to mitigate the effects of her wrath. Hurricane season: Take no comfort from rosy forecasts Why fans wink at corruption in sports John Feinstein Special to The Washington Post To those who follow soccer, the news that nine high-ranking members of FIFA – the sport’s world gov- erning body – were accused of wrongdoing was akin to a report that the sun will con- tinue to rise in the east. Why is corruption ram- pant throughout the soccer world? Because it can be. All one has to do is look at the career of FIFA President/ dictator Sepp Blatter, who was re-elected Friday to a fifth term even in the wake of the arrests. Blatter, who is always quick to claim credit for the extraordi- nary worldwide popu- larity of “football” – as vir- tually all non-Americans call it – stood before FIFA’s Congress on Thursday and, with a straight face, asked, for all intents and pur- poses: How was I supposed to know? He was supposed to know because he’s in charge; he’s the boss; he’s the guy reportedly being paid US$6 million a year. It isn’t as if Blatter just took over; he’s been running FIFA since 1998. But Blatter’s no Harry Truman. He told the FIFA Congress that “a few” people had badly damaged the or- ganization’s reputation. Sure, and Watergate was a third-rate burglary. Actually, the arrests did little to change FIFA’s reputation; they simply shone an international spotlight on it. Even as U.S. authorities were indicting 14 people – the nine FIFA officials and five sports marketing executives – on numerous charges involving bribery, kickbacks and money laundering, Swiss authorities announced they were opening a separate investigation into widespread reports that bribes and kickbacks were involved in the awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the inexplicable awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. No one who knows any- thing about FIFA doubts that the Swiss will find plenty of evidence that money changed hands, es- pecially in the Qatar bid. Perhaps the evidence will be so overwhelming that Qatar will lose the bid and the runner-up – the United States – will end up as host. But don’t bet on it. If we have learned any- thing in recent years about corruption in sports, it’s that few care what governments or governing bodies do. People care only about what time the game starts and whether their team wins. The Olympics, also run by a Swiss-based organization (the International Olympic Committee) with a shady past, were held in Sochi in 2014 even while Russian President Vladimir Putin was being pilloried for human rights violations by most of the world. Putin more or less laughed off the protests and was truly upset only when his men’s hockey team failed to reach the medal round. That was important. The plight of the poor in Brazil, which hosted last year’s World Cup and will host next year’s Summer Olympics, has been chroni- cled countless times by jour- nalists, their cameras fo- cusing on people living in squalor a stone’s throw from multimillion-dollar soccer stadiums under construction. The World Cup generated US$2.6 billion in profits last year – all of which went to FIFA – not a dime to the host country. TV ratings worldwide were mammoth, even in the non-soccer-mad United States. Here in the United States, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell became a laughingstock last summer when he somehow thought that suspending Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice for two games after he was arrested for beating up his then-fiancee in a casino elevator was a punishment that fit the crime. After being publicly sav- aged for the decision – and his weak attempts to de- fend it – Goodell stum- bled through an embar- rassing news conference trying to explain that, if he’d only seen the full tape of Rice pummeling his fi- ancee in that elevator, the punishment would have been different. There were calls for Goodell to resign from his US$44 million-a- year job, and there were more mistakes made in the case of another star run- ning back, Adrian Peterson, who took a switch to his 4-year-old son. The 32 NFL owners backed Goodell. Why? Because he’s made them even richer than they were before he took over in 2006. How did the public react? The league’s TV ratings were as high as they’ve ever been. “Sunday Night Football” on NBC continued to be the highest-rated prime-time TV show of the fall – not sports TV show, TV show. Oh yes, the video TMZ acquired that showed Ray Rice throwing haymakers at Janay Rice was horrifying. The pictures of Peterson’s son after his beating were frightening. Goodell cer- tainly handled it all poorly. Oh, and, what time does the game start? In Thursday’s Post, mixed in with the many stories about the FIFA ar- rests and the group’s his- tory of corruption, was an article with the headline: “In shadow of scandal, U.S. women keep focus.” The women’s World Cup begins in Canada on June 6. Sepp Blatter will be there in all his glory – essentially untouched by the ongoing scandal tearing at the foun- dation of FIFA. The Americans play their first game on June 8 in Winnipeg, against Australia. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Eastern. Feinstein is a contributor to The Post. © 2015, Washington Post If we have learned anything in recent years about corruption in sports, it’s that few care what governments or governing bodies do. People care only about what time the game starts and whether their team wins. On Friday, May 29, FIFA president Sepp Blatter celebrates his re-election in Zurich, Switzerland. - Photo: AP Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway”5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday June 2, 2015 Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Acknowledging that his Progressives-led administra- tion had “carried forward” some of the “good” ideas from the previous government, Premier Alden McLaughlin said his coalition had also saved other former United Democratic Party initiatives from “failure” and rescued Cayman from the financial “chaos” it experienced during the former government’s reign. Mr. McLaughlin’s com- ments came late Thursday in response to Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush’s budget debate on the government’s 2015/16 spending plan, during which Mr. Bush said the Progressives government had “taken credit” for his previous administra- tion’s work. Mr. McLaughlin said Mr. Bush’s statements were an at- tempt to “rewrite history and an attempt to justify the fail- ings of his administration.” Government had carried on with some of the former United Democratic Party plans from the 2009-2012 era, but only “when they have been right for the country.” One such example was Health City Cayman Islands, which opened in February 2014, but which was largely negotiated and planned during the UDP government, Mr. McLaughlin said. “The Progressives sup- ported it from the outset,” the premier said. In contrast, Mr. McLaughlin said the former UDP gov- ernment – upon taking of- fice in May 2009 – had essen- tially tossed out legislation to modernize Cayman’s educa- tion system, the premier said. Current Education Minister Tara Rivers was in the pro- cess of revamping and re- introducing that legisla- tion but in the meantime, Mr. McLaughlin said, the country had lost seven years and “damaged the [chances] of hundreds of children.” “The UDP just threw out ev- erything the previous [People’s Progressive Movement] admin- istration had introduced,” Mr. McLaughlin said. Contrary to earlier reports, Premier McLaughlin said his government had not aban- doned ongoing talks with the Dart group of companies over a land-swap and development deal known as the ForCayman Investment Alliance, a por- tion of which led to the clo- sure of a section of West Bay Road along Seven Mile Beach and the construction of a new Kimpton hotel on the beach. “This government and I personally have spent many hours in discussions with Dart to improve the agreement and get a better one for the country that did not include Dart re- taining 50 percent of the hotel room tax [from the Kimpton],” he said. “I don’t blame Dart for seeking to get the best deal they could, but I do hold the now-Leader of the Opposition and his administration re- sponsible for not doing the same for this country. “I am grateful that the management of Dart realized that this administration, while serious about the need to im- prove the agreement, also real- ized that we are a government that can be trusted to nego- tiate in good faith,” the pre- mier continued. In recent days, it has also been reported that the govern- ment’s contract with the spe- cial economic zone in Cayman Enterprise City had been re- negotiated to add new busi- nesses to the sector, including a new Maritime Park to benefit the international shipping in- dustry registers. Mr. McLaughlin said that renegotiation happened because initially, a “bad deal” was given to Cayman Enterprise City. “Until recently, the original agreement remaining in place was preventing Caymanian businesses from entering any market segments that were included in the original Cayman Enterprise City,” he said. “CEC has renegotiated its legal agreement with gov- ernment to now allow gov- ernment the ability for rea- sonable flexibility in allowing other businesses, especially Caymanian businesses, to have access to the market segments that were locked down by the original agreement.” During his hour-long budget response, Mr. McLaughlin also alluded to claims – although not men- tioning them directly – that Mr. Bush had made earlier re- garding a wide-ranging con- spiracy that “took down” his former UDP government. “Does he not realize, or can he not admit, that the United Democratic Party lost the 2013 elections because the voters of this country lost confidence and perhaps felt betrayed by his leader- ship as premier and as min- ister of almost everything?” Mr. McLaughlin said. “He is only misleading himself.” Mr. McLaughlin also at- tacked the opposition leader over his handling of the coun- try’s bidding process for var- ious public projects and his handling of the government budget, which resulted in long delays presenting the spending plan to parliament and – according to the pre- mier – brought Cayman “to the brink of possible interven- tion by the U.K. government” and the possible suspension of its constitution order by the Mother Country. The premier cited $4 mil- lion in cost overruns from the Royal Watler cruise project, some $1.65 million the then- auditor general said had been wasted in the construc- tion of the Boatswain’s Beach project, the $20 million to $58 million in insurance claims “given up” following 2004’s Hurricane Ivan and $2.5 mil- lion paid to GLF construction for breach of contract over the proposed construction of a cruise berthing facility in downtown George Town. “The lesson that I have learned, and that I hope this country has learned, is just what a destabilizing effect the now-Leader of the Opposition has on any government,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “His disre- gard for following proper pro- curement process, his political interference, his mismanage- ment of the country’s affairs and finances and his magnetic capacity to attract scandals cause the country endless con- cern and grief.” Proposal Invitation CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT On behalf of the Government of the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) i your experience, expertise and compatibility with the Cayman Islands destination and CIDOT’s strategic objectives. The following provides an overview of the type of service and agency we seek to employ for either : 1) Agency of Record for Creative 2) Agency of Record for Public Relations Demonstrated experience in advertising communications and/or public relations globally and within Canada; Ability to conceptualize and deliver broad marketing campaign programs designed to inform and influence the travel planning and purchasing decisions of the following: couples, families, divers, corporate incentive travel planners, destination wedding & honeymoon couples, affluent families and others with special interests such as soft adventure/nature, culinary, sports tourism, events/festivals etc. Also to inform and influence opinion formers within the global tourism market industry; Specifically (but not exclusively) for PR Agency candidates: Demonstrated existing relationships with general media and key members of the travel industry, across all stakeholder groups, e.g. trade, consumer publications and newspapers; and special interest and lifestyle media which support the destination’s relevant markets; online media including social media; and broadcast media – at national, regional and, occasionally, international levels; Specifically (but not exclusively) for Creative candidates: Demonstrated approach to integrated advertising executions including digital marketing as a key component of the marketing mix; Proven methodology for measurement/ROI of marketing investment – this may include research services and opinion forming research; Relevant experience and understanding of Cayman's competitive tourism industry; Demonstrated capabilities and understanding of the international travel and tourism industry, including air travel, hotels and destination management companies (DMCs), etc. High level of commitment to client service in terms of quality, thoroughness of strategic approach and follow through; Ability to establish strong rapport with representatives of the Cayman Islands Government tourism staff and other program stakeholders (e.g., other agencies of record, private sector, industry associations, etc.); Existing and effective planning and cost control mechanisms; Proven track record through key success indicators and results with other client accounts; Demonstrated strong background in digital media solutions; Demonstrated track record in Social Media program strategic development. At the close of this search, our intent is to contract two agencies (providing Creative and PR services separately) for a two year time frame. nvites eligible vendors/agencies to submit their proposal to provide marketing and advertising and/or public relations services for the CIDOT in support of their Canadian marketing and PR initiatives, covering all mediums and marketing communication channels. Our objective is to ascertain o o o o o o o o o o o o o Interested parties are invited to visit www.caymanislands.ky/CAagencySubmit for more information about the process and submission guidelines. Submissions can only be made online. Deadline for submission is 5:00 PM CST on Friday, 19 June, 2015. The Cayman Islands Government will not defray any submission costs incurred by the proposing company. Premier: We fixed UDP ‘mess’ “I hope this country has learned…what a destabilizing effect the now-Leader of the Opposition has on any government.” Premier Alden mclAughlin Premier McLaughlin Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Catboat Club is looking for financial assistance to con- tinue preserving Cayman’s maritime history. Over the past years, the Catboat Club has worked to raise awareness of the impor- tance of the catboat history of the Cayman Islands and to preserve its cultural legacy. Catboat Club president Jerris Miller said the club is trying to raise money for tools and other equipment for the workshop and for schools’ on- going catboat programs. All catboat lessons for schoolchil- dren are free, he said. The club also needs help to furnish the clubhouse of- fice on Whitehall Bay, North Church Street in George Town. “Anyone who has a desk, computer or office equipment, sailing supplies or tools they would like to donate, will be greatly ap- preciated,” Mr. Miller said. They are also looking for new members. Capt. Kem Jackson, vice- president of the club, is working with students from the Sunrise Adult Training Centre to restore the Bluenose catboat. They need assistance with tools and other items such as life jackets. Sunrise students gather in Captain Jackson’s yard in West Bay to help with the sanding, painting and scraping of the boat. “The Bluenose is a very old boat that Mr. Foster [Arch] built when he was 15 years old sometime in the early 1920s,” Mr. Jackson said. The boat will be painted blue. “Catboats were often painted blue to minimise the reflection of the sun’s glare into the fishermen’s eyes,” Mr. Jackson explained. Groups of schoolchil- dren, as well as tourists are able to not only see how the boats are built, but also take rides and learn what a major role catboats played during Cayman’s earlier years. “We are looking forward to having a full-time manger at the Catboat clubhouse and we are looking [for] some assistance with that,” Mr. Jackson said. The club meets every third Thursday of the month. Catboat club seeks community assistance “Anyone who has a desk, computer or office equipment, sailing supplies or tools they would like to donate, will be greatly appreciated.” Jerris miller6 HEALTH NEWS LAURA DURSTON ldurston@pinnaclemedialtd.com Just before participants dive in for the Flowers Sea Swim on June 13, there will be a community attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most people simultaneously applying sunscreen on the beach. In the months that follow, various initiatives will focus on everyone from children to adults, including mole screenings at corpora- tions, educational visits to schools and promotions at large sporting events. The new Skin Cancer Awareness Program is being launched by Elian fiduciary services, the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and Baptist Health International to increase awareness of the impor- tance of sun protection, skin cancer prevention and early detection. “The program was ini- tially spearheaded by Elian in Jersey and sup- ported the Donna Annand Melanoma Charity,” said Katherine Atkinson, busi- ness development and mar- keting manager at Elian. “Donna Annand was a rel- ative of an Elian employee who sadly passed away at just 29 years old from mel- anoma, and the charity was set up in her honor.” Elian hopes to create skin cancer awareness programs in all of the ju- risdictions where they op- erate. So far they have initiatives in Jersey and Guernsey. In Cayman, the program falls under the umbrella of the Cancer Society in order to comple- ment its wider efforts. “We are benefitting from work that our col- leagues in Jersey have al- ready put in working … and so we’ve learned of the effectiveness of con- cepts such as mole clinics, … workshops and pro- file-raising for the initia- tive at targeted community events,” said Colin MacKay, group director of Elian Fund Services. “Hopefully we can be as successful as they have been in raising public awareness of the simple steps that we can all take to reduce the in- cidence of this very dan- gerous form of cancer.” Skin cancer affects more than 2 million Americans each year, and the number is rising. Survival rates are highest if the disease is di- agnosed and treated early, physicians say, thus the importance of screening and increased awareness, especially in locations such as Cayman. “We’ll be working to- gether to make sure ev- eryone from medical profes- sionals to hairstylists can join the fight against skin cancer,” said Jennifer Weber, operations manager at the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. “Sometimes I hear people say, ‘skin cancer isn’t real cancer,’ and that’s not true. Bob Marley died from melanoma on his toe.” As part of the pro- gram, Baptist Health International brought Baptist Health South Florida dermatologist Dr. Arthur Colsky to Cayman. “In order to enhance the detection skills for our local physicians in Cayman, Dr. Colsky visited to perform a skin cancer workshop … at- tended by local healthcare practitioners,” said Rebekah Brooks, Cayman Islands representative for Baptist Health International. The training will be used by healthcare practitioners in mole clinics in order to screen and detect for other forms of skin cancer. Tuesday June 2, 2015 • Cayman Compass Family physician Dr. Francisco Martinez has joined Dr. John Addleson at the International Medical Group in Pasadora Place. Dr. Martinez graduated in medicine and surgery at the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. He worked in a rural practice for five years ob- taining his qualification in family medicine. After being awarded a di- ploma in palliative care, he worked in a palliative care and geriatrics hospital in Spain for three years. In 2001, he took up a post in the emergency room at the main military hospital in Spain, where he trained and worked in emergency medi- cine for nine years. In 2010, he moved to the United Kingdom, where he worked in the accident and emergency depart- ment of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn. He moved to Grand Cayman in 2012 and worked in urgent care and family medi- cine at Trincay Medical Center. Dr. Martinez’s prac- tice will augment the ex- isting services offered at the International Medical Group, which encompasses all disci- plines of General and Family Medicine, including gen- eral family practice, pediat- rics, dermatology, gynecology, minor surgery, orthopedics, geriatrics, facial cosmetics, and regenerative medicine. Family physician joins International Medical Group Dr. Francisco Martinez Various initiatives will focus on everyone from children to adults, including mole screenings at corporations, educational visits to schools and promotions at large sporting events. Efforts under way to raise awareness of skin cancer Sunscreen will be applied en masse at the start of this year’s Flowers Sea Swim in an effort to raise awareness of skin cancer and win a Guinness World Record. - Photo: Ron ShillingfoRd DaVinci Centre hires two practitioners Two new practitio- ners have been hired by the DaVinci Wellness Centre. Samuel Garrido special- izes in managing sport, mus- culoskeletal and orthopedic injuries and getting patients back to optimum health as quickly as possible. He played professional basket- ball for more than 12 years and has extensive knowl- edge of sports related in- juries. He is also qualified as a craniosacral therapist, using a noninvasive tech- nique that releases tension held deep in the body, re- lieving pain and dysfunction and improving whole body health and performance, ac- cording to DaVinci Centre representatives. Dr. Maria Zazzi, a family chiropractor, specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of injuries in fellow runners. Dr. Zazzi uses various techniques, including gentle manual and instrument-as- sisted spinal mobilizations, myofascial release techniques and kinesio taping. She blends “new-age” chiropractic care with lifestyle tips and rehabilitative exercises to help each patient attain their goal and live their best pos- sible, pain-free life. heRoeS foR hannah PlanS foR SePtembeR ‘Shave’ Planning is under way for the third annual Heroes for Hannah Shave fundraiser at the Wicket in Cricket Square on Sept. 11, and organizers are again seeking participants and donors to help in the fight against childhood cancer. The event was inspired by Hannah Meeson, now 7, who has been battling brain cancer for nearly half her life. Her determination and spirit were the catalysts for starting the Heroes for Hannah an- nual shave in 2013, but she is just one of several children battling cancer locally. In two years, the Cayman community has raised nearly US$600,000 to support the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a charity that raises money for child cancer research. Last year, 35 people had their locks shaved, while a crowd of hundreds gathered in support. The fundraising continues at www.stbaldricks.org/ participants/heroesforhannah.7 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday June 2, 2015 Hundreds attended the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman’s “Camelot Auction” Friday night at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, to enjoy “The Magic of the Musicals” theme and to support the com- munity organization’s programs. Maggie Hurley and Rotary Club of Grand Cayman President Brian Hurley - PHOTOS: MAGGIE JACKSON Michelle Veldhoven and Kym Bailey Reigning Miss Cayman Tonie Chisholm and Tom Quigley Melissa Rewalt, Michelle Richie, Natalie Bogle, Christine Bodden and Raulin Gonzalez Ellen Cuylaerts, Margaux Maes, Michael Maes and Carrie Manfrino Anne and David Baines Larry and Lynda MitchellGraeme Skinner and Trevor NecklesBobby and Supriya Bodden with Al ThompsonThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community Calendar ■ Community Calendar is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. Tuesday June 2, 2015 • Cayman Compass TUESDAY, JUNE 2 Moonlight & Movies: Every Tuesday throughout the summer at 7 p.m. Tonight’s film is “Jurassic Park” (PG-13). Families are invited to Gardenia Court in Camana Bay to set up a picnic on the grass, or just bring a blanket, relax and enjoy the show on the outdoor big screen. ChilD Month event: Child Month organizers invite families to enjoy the rescheduled Board Games evening at Book Nook, in the Galleria Plaza on West Bay Road, 6-8 p.m. THURSDAY, JUNE 4 PAinting oPen stUDio: The Visual Arts Society holds sessions at Watler House Studio, Pedro Castle grounds, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Artists are free to work on their own or take guidance from a qualified instructor. Today, June 11, 18, 25. $25 per session for members; $35 non-members. Sessions with no instructor, 1 - 4 p.m., $10 members; $15 non-members. Contact 546-9422 or visualartcayman@yahoo.com FRIDAY, JUNE 5 BRAC RUnDoWn: The Cayman National Cultural Foundation takes Rundown to the Aston Rutty Centre. Doors open 7 p.m. Showtime, 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children and seniors. YoUng iMAge MAkeRs: The Short Film Competition is in its final stages. Films of 15 finalists have been uploaded to www.youtube.com/ caymanculture for the public to pick a favorite. The deadline to vote is today at 4 p.m. SATURDAY, JUNE 6 little leAgUe: Little League annual fundraiser, 6 p.m. $10,000 grand prize. $10 tickets available from players, parents, outside supermarkets, and at the Field of Dreams. Phone 916- 5643 for further details. SUNDAY, JUNE 7 CeRAMiC oPen stUDio: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Watler House Studio, Pedro Castle grounds. Visual Arts Society members, $15; non-members $25. Clay, materials, glazes and firing facilities are available. Contact visualartcayman@ yahoo.com evAngelistiC seRviCes: John Gray Memorial Church, West Bay, invites everyone to services today and Sundays through June, at 10 a.m. Friday, June 12, is Youth Night, 7 p.m. Guest speaker is the Right Reverend Christopher Mason, moderator, United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. TUESDAY, 9 JUNE: Moonlight & Movies: Tonight’s film at 7 p.m. is “Penguins of Madagascar” (PG). Families are invited to Gardenia Court in Camana Bay to set up a picnic on the grass, or just bring a blanket, relax and enjoy the show on the outdoor big screen. GENERAL INTEREST MosQUito sPRAYing: Mosquito Research & Control Unit is conducting aerial operations over mosquito-breeding swamp areas on Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. These operations involve low-level flights during the mornings and late afternoons. More information and schedules can be found on the MRCU Facebook page. For any inquiries, call 949-2557. PResChool FUnDing: The Ministry of Education offers funding to assist eligible young Caymanian children to attend an early childhood center (preschool). Application forms are available at the Government Administration Building on Elgin Avenue, at the Department of Education Services on Thomas Russell Way, and from early childhood center directors/ operators. For further information, call 244- 5735 or contact turnette. stewart@gov.ky or renee. barnes@gov.ky. 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. 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. FooD hAnDleRs: Certification courses in basic food hygiene are offered by the Department of Environmental Health June 10 and 24; 9 a.m. to 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. MUseUM toURs: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@ museum.ky. 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. FRee gAlleRY toURs: Free guided tours of the temporary exhibition “Plastic In paradise: Scenes of Real Life Fictions” by Heidi Bassett Blair are available for students of all ages at the National Gallery. Students will discuss the exhibition and get hands-on art activities that incorporate literacy and numeracy. Tours run until July 3. For information or to book a tour, contact 945-8111 or education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. 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. Registration forms available 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. 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. 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. Pink lADies: Coffee Shop at Cayman Islands Hospital is open Monday- Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, drinks, snacks. Takeout orders welcome, call 244-2661. Funds are donated back to the community. Contact pinkladiescayman@gmail. com. ARtisAns MARket: Camana Bay Artisans Market every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society has artists displaying arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale between noon and 8 p.m. near KARoo. For more information about being a displaying artist, contact info@visualartcayman.com or 546-9422. MinD’s eYe: Guided tours for up to eight people are offered at Mind’s Eye – The Visionary World of Miss Lassie, Cayman’s intuitive artist. $8 per adult, $4 per child. Tours by appointment, 10-11 a.m., second and fourth Saturdays. Contact the Cayman National Cultural Foundation by email at admincncf@candw.ky or 949-5477. hUMAne soCietY Book loFt: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, Thursday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition always needed. sPeCiAl olYMPiCs: Volunteers are needed on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:45 p.m. to assist with training athletes in track and field, bocce and football. Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Contact Penny McDowall, 516-2578, soci@candw.ky or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. lost Dogs: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs. com. ReD CRoss thRiFt shoP: Open Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at RC headquarters on Thomas Russell Way. Book bargain every Thursday and Friday, a bagful for $5. ARt tAlk FoR senioRs: This National Gallery program engages people age 60 and over in conversation about art by focusing on a particular piece from the gallery or special exhibition every other Thursday. Admission is free, refreshments provided. 2-2:45 p.m. For more information, contact education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. AlZheiMeR’s sUPPoRt gRoUP: For anyone who is a caregiver, spouse, child or friend of someone suffering from this debilitating disease. Group meets the last Wednesday of every month at the Hibiscus Conference Room at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Contact Dorothy at 924-4170 or email alzheimersgroup. caymanislands@gmail.com. volUnteeRs neeDeD: CONCACAF Under-15 Boys Youth Tournament 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. C.A.s.k. kARAte: Free public Tai Chi at Camana Bay on Sundays (ongoing). 8:30- 9:30 a.m. Contact Greg Reid on 925-3367 or email caskkarate@gmail.com. WAiting FoR JosePhine: This is an ongoing appeal for second-hand magazines for the waiting rooms at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Please take magazine donations to Books & Books at Camana Bay or deposit them in the big bin outside the Cancer Society on Maple Road (opposite the hospital). For more information, contact Carol Hay at 526-6932. sPeCiAl neeDs FoUnDAtion oF CAYMAn: For anyone who is a parent, relative, friend or carer of a special needs child. Also for professionals interested in special needs. SNFC is a nonprofit organization providing information, resources, education and support with meetings, social events and newsletters. Contact www. specialneedsfoundation. ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar. BUs DePot: The George Town bus depot’s operating hours are Mondays through Fridays, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. On the last Friday of each month, the bus depot is open until 9 p.m. for people wishing to use public transportation to attend “Culture Shock” in George Town. PAWs thRiFt shoP: Bodden Town Shopping Plaza, opposite BT Post Office. Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Tuesdays. Please don’t leave donations outside shop. Call Sharon, 324-9760; or Susanna, 916-3957 for more information. All proceeds for animal welfare. hUMAne soCietY thRiFt shoP: The Claws-It Thrift Shop, 153 North Sound Road is always in need of donations of all types of clothing, shoes, household items, linens etc. We also welcome garage sale leftovers. Volunteers are always needed, too. Opening hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri and 9-4 Saturday. Call the manager Terri-Ann Watler at 945-5596 or email cihs.thriftshop@ outlook.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Tuesday June 2, 2015 UEFA wants player input LONDON (AP) — In the buildup to the Champions League final, Lionel Messi and Andrea Pirlo could be overshadowed by a star of the showpiece 30 years ear- lier: Michel Platini. As Barcelona and Juventus descend on Berlin to contest European soc- cer’s annual extravaganza on Saturday, the UEFA pres- ident will be formulating the continent’s fight against Sepp Blatter’s FIFA. Platini, a European Cup winner with Juventus in 1985 who helped Blatter first get elected in 1998, has put UEFA on a direct collision course with FIFA in what he says is a mission to restore credibility to the sport. Platini and UEFA led ef- forts to oust Blatter from power, supporting challenger Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan in Friday’s election, but the 79-year-old Swiss of- ficial extended his 17-year grip on power. Blatter’s vic- tory came despite some of his close allies, including FIFA vice presidents, being arrested in Zurich ahead of the congress as part of an American investigation into soccer corruption. Platini will now lead a UEFA meeting in Berlin on Friday to discuss their next move: begrudgingly put up with four more years of Blatter or seriously threaten a European exodus from FIFA. English soccer leaders have been long-standing critics of Blatter and are hoping for action from Platini. “It does require real leadership and Mr. Platini has now got to stand up,” English FA chairman Greg Dyke told the BBC on Sunday. “He stood up and criticized Sepp Blatter. He’s now got to lead the oppo- sition.” A World Cup boy- cott does not appear to be a credible threat without the weight of the game’s powers behind UEFA. “If we could get 10 large countries to do the same thing then I think you could have a big impact,” Dyke said. German federation presi- dent Wolfgang Niersbach, a new member of FIFA’s ruling executive committee, cau- tioned that “boycotts are al- ways a bad weapon.” “I don’t see that it helps us Europeans to boycott the [FIFA] executive committee,” Niersbach told German newspaper Bild am Sonntag. Blatter warned on Saturday of the main poten- tial consequence of a UEFA boycott: players deserting Europe’s wealthy leagues to ensure they could continue playing for national teams. In a Swiss newspaper interview published on Sunday, Blatter pointed out: “Europe couldn’t even get to- gether its own candidate.” Dutch football federation president Michael van Praag and Portugal great Luis Figo withdrew their candida- cies a week before the poll, leaving Prince Ali as the UEFA-backed challenger. Blatter’s daughter, Corinne, weighed in to defend her fa- ther’s integrity on Sunday and questioned why Platini ducked out of contesting the presidential election. “How can UEFA, who say they are the strongest con- federation, not put up a can- didate?” Corinne Blatter told the BBC. “If [Platini] was se- rious about it he should have [stood].” Platini’s plans were de- railed, though, when Blatter reneged on a 2011 pledge to step aside at the end of his four-year term. “If he had kept his promise and recommended that his protege Platini should be his successor, a clean transition would have been possible,” Niersbach said. “We wanted change – we did not achieve that aim. Now we as Europe must watch that we keep to a clear line and of course we will continue to work closely together in UEFA on this. “We must, for example, watch out that we do not lose power in the ExCo be- cause the number of mem- bers from other continents is increased. We must now deal with the situation and con- sult again as UEFA before the Champions League final.” The soccer world will also be watching to see if any leading players – like Barcelona’s Messi or Juventus’s Pirlo – take a stand against Blatter. In the run-up to Blatter’s re-elec- tion, the stars of the game stayed silent despite the FIFA corruption scandal leading the news agenda globally. That frustrates David Bernstein, the former English FA chairman. “We need ac- tion now,” Bernstein said. “I’d like to hear football managers speaking out. I’d like to hear footballers speaking out. I’d like Lionel Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo coming out. “I’d like to hear football clubs coming out and trying to influence their supporters.” As Barcelona and Juventus descend on Berlin to contest European soccer’s annual extravaganza on Saturday, the UEFA president will be formulating the continent’s fight against Sepp Blatter’s FIFA. Football Association, much of the money had been spent on fill to develop the low-lying land. The asso- ciation secured another $500,000 from FIFA to in- stall artificial turf. Since 2002, Cayman has received $2.2 million from the program, compared to $900,000 given to Germany, even though its football association has nearly 7 million members, Bild- Zeitung, Europe’s second- largest newspaper, reported on Monday. In a story with an image of the dilapidated pitch in Prospect, the tabloid tar- geted FIFA’s voting system, which gives member asso- ciations equal voting rights regardless of their size. Under the headline “This [recreational ground] ex- plains FIFA’s power struc- ture – Cayman football as- sociation as influential as Germany’s FA” the news- paper criticized the payouts made to Cayman and other Caribbean countries as a mechanism to cement presi- dent Blatter’s hold on FIFA. “It is clear that the as- sociation votes for Blatter [so it] does not saw off the branch it is sitting on. Divide and conquer,” the newspaper concluded. In addition, Bild fea- tured a photo of Bruce Blake (the same one as on the front page of today’s Cayman Compass), the first vice president of the Cayman Islands Football Association, with the cap- tion: “The delegate of the Cayman Islands Football Association casts his ballot in the FIFA [presidency] election. For whom, should be obvious.” Mr. Blake voted on be- half of the association’s president Jeffrey Webb in Friday’s FIFA election in Zurich. Webb, the highest- ranking FIFA official im- plicated in the corrup- tion probe, became head of the regional football body CONCACAF in 2012 and as such “the ruler of 34 FIFA associations – or 35 votes,” Bild-Zeitung said. The man who, according to Sky TV news, “put the Caymans on the world football map,” rising to FIFA vice president, was also Blatter’s personal fa- vorite to become his suc- cessor, the European press reported in unison. Swiss business paper Handelszeitung called him “Sepp Blatter’s sugar baker” in reference Webb’s co- ownership of The Captain’s Bakery in Cayman. Meanwhile, British Sunday paper The Observer tied the allegations in the 161-page indictment that companies and bank ac- counts in the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Cayman Islands were used to obscure kickbacks and bribe payments to a call for a clampdown on off- shore banking. The lack of transpar- ency and oversight al- lowed bribery and cor- ruption to thrive, The Observer claimed. Citing John Mann, a Labour MP and Treasury se- lect committee member, the paper said the use of British Overseas Territories made investigating the scandal more difficult. “The problem is that the Serious Fraud Office here can’t investigate these tax havens, and that anomaly needs rectifying. They are centers for money laundering in a very big way,” Mr. Mann said. “We are negotiating to change relations with the European Union, but we should spend just as much time renego- tiating the deals with the overseas territories. They are becoming a serious problem for the world.” Amid these attacks, a Sky TV news team that vis- ited the Cayman Islands noted the unwillingness of Cayman officials to make a public statement. Neither the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, nor banking and business as- sociations had responded to a request for interview, leading the Sky News re- porter to conclude that offi- cials are “closing ranks.” with electronic monitoring. Davidson was also or- dered not to perform any work for Traffic USA or any Traffic affiliate. He is charged with racke- teering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering and money laundering conspiracy. The only defendant among 14 in the FIFA bribery and racketeering investigation to face more charges than Davidson is Webb, who was charged in 15 counts. Webb and six other defendants are fighting extradition from Switzerland, where they were arrested last week prior to the commencement of FIFA’s annual meeting. In March 2014, during a meeting to discuss Traffic’s ongoing bribe schemes, fed- eral prosecutors allege that Davidson referred to the practice of paying bribes to obtain the commercial rights to world football tournaments: “Is it illegal? It is illegal,” Davidson is quoted as having said. “Within the big picture of things, a company that has worked in this in- dustry for 30 years, is it bad? It is bad.” U.S. federal court re- cords allege that during- mid 2012, Webb and an unnamed person identi- fied as “co-conspirator #4” participated in discussions to negotiate the media and marketing rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualifier matches. These rights were being sought by Traffic USA, which wanted to buy the rights from the Caribbean Football Association, fed- eral court records state. Co-conspirator #4 was em- ployed by the Traffic Group at the time, but later in the year became the general secretary of CONCACAF. Near the end of these talks, co-conspirator #4 met with another defen- dant, Costas Takkas, iden- tified as a close associate of Webb’s. “Takkas told co- conspirator #4 that Webb wanted a US$3 million bribe in exchange for the [football union] contract to be awarded to Traffic USA,” the court records state. It is further alleged that the bribe was split between two companies, Traffic USA and another company referred to in the indict- ment as “Sports Marketing Company C,” so that each would pay US$1.5 million to Webb. It is further alleged that Traffic USA’s payment was transmitted to Takkas through a Miami bank to an HSBC bank in Buffalo, New York, and eventually transferred to an HSBC ac- count in Hong Kong. The indictment alleges that two wire transfers to- taling US$1 million were sent from Hong Kong to a correspondent account in New York City for credit to an account in the name of Kosson Ventures – a com- pany controlled by Takkas – at Fidelity Bank in the Cayman Islands. The records state that the remaining US$500,000 bribe money paid by Traffic USA was put into another account controlled by Takkas at Fidelity Bank in the Cayman Islands. “Takkas subsequently transferred the funds to an account in the name of a swimming pool builder at United Community Bank in Blairsville, Georgia,” the criminal complaint reads. “[This was] for the benefit of the defendant Jeffrey Webb, who was having a pool built at his residence in Loganville, Georgia. Takkas trans- ferred another portion of the funds directly from his Kosson Ventures ac- count at Fidelity Bank in the Cayman Islands to SunTrust Bank in Georgia for Webb’s benefit in con- nection with Webb’s pur- chase of other real estate in Stone Mountain, Georgia.” It was unclear from the indictment whether Webb ever received the other half of the alleged bribe money from “Sports Marketing Company C.” International media focusing on Cayman Corporate president gets $5M bond in FIFA probe “Within the big picture of things, a company that has worked in this industry for 30 years, is it bad? It is bad.” AAron DAviDson, Traffic USA president, allegedly referring to paying FIFA bribe money CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A Sky TV news team that visited the Cayman Islands noted the unwillingness of Cayman officials to make a public statement. Next >