High of 83 Low of 72 Seas: Slight to moderate with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet, becoming rough in and around heavy showers Stunning Sienna ART & CULTURE Island-inspired art Laurél Schmid’s exhibit at Full of Beans B7 Special Event Cayfilm debut Film festival promises red carpet glamourB10 Hungarian wines The sweet history of Tokaji wines B4 Food & Drink Leisure Island Living Popular home and garden expo returns B9 FRIDAY JUNE 5, 2015 • CAYMAN COMPASS If the speed of your internet does not allow you to enjoy a night of binge-viewing, then why not switch to a real quality connection? Contact us about our Fibre Internet and TV options today! Stunning Sienna This young dog has an adorable nature. Can you offer her a loving home? B3 cayman weekender Island-inspired art Editorial | pagE 4 Bureaucrats’ meddling with puBlic safety puts cayman at risk eSTaBLISHed 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – friday June 5, 2015 SWIM | DINE | DANCE | RELAX Acting fire chief arrested in hit-and-run Brent fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s acting fire chief, John Bodden, was arrested Thursday morning in connec- tion with a January hit-and-run accident in which a teenage boy and his older brother were injured, Royal Cayman Islands Police officers confirmed Thursday. Mr. Bodden, 48, was arrested at the George Town Police Station around 10 a.m. Thursday on suspicion of dangerous driving and leaving the scene of an accident. At press time, he remained in police custody and had not been charged with any crimes. In addition to the arrest, RCIPS officers seized a Lincoln Town Car from Mr. Bodden’s home address as part of their investigation. Mr. Bodden could not be reached for com- ment by press time. The crash that led to Mr. Bodden’s ar- rest occurred on Jan. 26 – Heroes Day – on Shamrock Road just before 7 p.m. A 14-year-old boy suffered serious head and leg injuries after he was struck in the pe- destrian crossing outside Savannah Primary School. His 21-year-old brother was also hit while walking across the four-lane section of road. The elder brother was treated and re- leased from the Cayman Islands Hospital shortly after the crash. The younger boy was hospitalized for several weeks afterward and police said Thursday that the 14-year-old has since been released from hospital. According to the initial police description of the accident, a “light colored sports car” was heading east toward Bodden Town when it struck both young men and did not stop. The victims were assisted by a man driving by in an SUV shortly after they were hit. The crash was one of sev- eral major hit-and-run incidents re- ported in the Cayman Islands during the early part of this year. 24 years of Cayman football history ron shillingford rshillingford@pinnaclemedialtd.com When Jeffrey Webb became president of the Cayman Islands Football Association 24 years ago, there was so little documentation and memorabilia that the whole extent of its history was handed to him in a shoebox. How times have changed. Webb’s progress at the helm of the local football associa- tion and on to become presi- dent of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football as well as a vice president of FIFA was inexorable – until it all imploded with his arrest in Switzerland last week. He was indicted by U.S. au- thorities on charges of racke- teering, money laundering and wire fraud. He is now fighting ex- tradition from Zurich. Initial reaction in Cayman was shock and sympathy for Webb, but as details have un- folded of what he is alleged to have done, the general public’s mood has changed. There is a growing realiza- tion that although Webb said he wanted to eradicate the percep- tion of endemic corruption in FIFA, he was seemingly secretly abusing his power in the same way as his predecessor at the helm of CONCACAF, Jack Warner. From the beginning Neil Murray has been im- mersed in Cayman football for four decades, first as a schoolboy player and later at all levels in the senior and masters game, in- cluding a regular player in the na- tional team. Since 2005, Murray has co- ordinated the CUC Primary Football League and CUC Girls Primary Football League. Murray also formed and coordinates the Cayman Islands Youth Football Program, which was started in 2011 to develop primary league players and prepare them for the youth national teams. Thirty years ago, the senior league and the youth leagues were extremely competitive and games were always well attended, Murray said. “There was a competitive but friendly rivalry between the var- ious district teams such as Western Scholars (West Bay), McAlpine and Strikers FC (George Town), Nissan United (Bodden Town) and East End FC which filled the Annex field and Town Hall Field in West Bay,” he said. “They were not merely games but ‘events’ that brought out young and old to enjoy. The surrounding area around the Annex field was filled with cars on Sunday afternoons.” From these marvelous teams, he said, players for the national teams were chosen. “It was a great honor to be called to the national team squad and every player worked hard to earn that spot.” Well-respected overseas coaches such as Winston Chung, Ken Fogarty and Bernhard Schumm were brought in to work alongside local coaches such as the late Ed Wilson, Ernie “Gillie” Seymour, Everton Bryan and Joscelyn Morgan to improve the national teams. “Cayman football was moving in the right direction then,” Murray said. His early memories of Webb are that he managed Strikers FC when he first joined the club in 1986. Webb, then 21, worked tire- lessly, ensuring that players were committed to the club just as much as he was. “We always met before games Neil Murray, left, celebrates with team captain Lee Ramoon and Noel Williams following Cayman’s historic victory over Jamaica in 1994. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 16 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Acting Chief Fire Officer John Bodden - Photo: Jewel levy2 LOCAL NEWS Friday June 5, 2015 • Cayman Compass Shabbat Candle Lighting time on Friday, June 5 6:44pm Chabad Jewish Center of the Cayman Islands jewishcayman.com-345.516.4474 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 2b, 2b, 1029s/f garden view Fabulous beach location Well regarded complex A must see! l l l l NEW LISTING! US$579,000 Member CIREBA MLS#404510 345-945-4411 info@cirealty.ky caymanislandsrealty.com Tarpon Fish Feeding 7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly Eugenio Leon Harpist Extraordinaire, serenades tableside tonight and every Friday night! Tonight! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm with FREE Hors d’oeuvres + Drink Specials Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday 7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly TOMORROW Saturday June 6th Barefoot Man and Sea N’B Starting live at 8:00pm Come for dinner Stay for Dancing No Cover Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky Tuesdays Salsa Free lessons with Kirk starting 345.623.1400 • SALES & RENTALS • MEMBER OF CIREBA • COMMERCIAL LEASES • capitalrealty.com.ky OMEGA LAKES CONDO Corner of Omega & Chinaberry 1 bed/1bath condo, Strata fees CI$170 CIREBA MLS 404567 CI$139,900 CALL AMAR SHEOW 926.4162 THE BLOSSOMS, GREAT LOCATION ARTERIAL BYPASS 2 bed/1.5bath condo. Strata fees CI$325 CIREBA MLS 404482 CI$180,000 CALL MICHAEL MIGHTY 329.3532 “We Do The Homework” Call Us Today 623.1400 Enjoy a Cimboco breakfast of *Two Eggs (Done to your liking) *Your Choice of Apple Smoked or Canadian Bacon *Herb Roasted Potatoes *Honey Wheat Toast For ONLY $5.00!!! Finish it o with a cup of Java for .99¢ Start your day o right! Mon-Fri * 7:30-11:00am *Except Holidays www.tonymosleylifeinsurance.com ‘Acting’ chiefs and unfilled jobs mount in civil service Role of “Moratorium Committee” revealed Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A number of problems in hiring government workers, both in rank-and-file jobs and in leadership positions, were revealed during proceedings in the Legislative Assembly’s Finance Committee this week. In one instance, the po- lice commissioner stated that “hiring freeze” rules in the government had essentially prevented him from spending nearly $2 million this year to hire more Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officers. In another matter, Premier Alden McLaughlin said he would not personally sup- port hiring a non-Caymanian chief fire officer, despite the fact that the position has not been permanently filled for more than two years. The government faces similar problems in other de- partments, including immi- gration, customs, the com- plaints commissioner’s office and the information commis- sioner’s office, among others, where all the leadership posi- tions are filled by employees “acting” in those roles. “It looks like we got Hollywood right here…every- body’s acting,” East End MLA Arden McLean said. Moratorium On Tuesday, RCIPS Commissioner David Baines stated that he had 487 jobs in the RCIPS, both civilian and police, representing the total positions provided in his department’s budget for the upcoming 2015/16 year. At present, RCIPS em- ploys 450 people. It is un- clear whether all of the vacant jobs will be filled be- cause at various times in a budget year, the government will give directives for the “freezing” of job vacancies in order to save money. “I will be in the region of $1.9 million underspent on my budget this year [refer- ring to the 2014/15 budget year that ends in June], not because I didn’t want to spend it, but due to various bureaucratic procedures that prevent the quick advertise- ment and replacement of po- sitions that become vacant by retiring or leaving staff,” Mr. Baines told the Cayman Compass. “The police and other agencies that have a significant expat workforce get disproportionately hit by this moratorium on appoint- ments as it is the short-term contract[s] that are subjected to most churn and are most affected by freezes.” Determining whether a job can be filled during a “hiring freeze” is left to an entity known as the Moratorium Committee, which the government has had in place since 2008. According to Gloria McField-Nixon, chief officer of the Portfolio of the Civil Service, the “committee” con- sists of the deputy governor, who makes all final deci- sions, and a representative of the portfolio who serves to advise the deputy gov- ernor on the employment sit- uation being considered. Requests that must go be- fore the committee include filling a new or currently va- cant government post, the renewal of a non-Cayma- nian employee’s government contract or the contract ar- rangements for a Caymanian who has reached the manda- tory retirement age of 60 but who the department wants to keep in that job. The committee typically meets once a month to de- termine which jobs can be filled, but those meetings can be cancelled if Deputy Governor Franz Manderson is not present, thus putting off all hiring requests until the next meeting. Mrs. McField-Nixon said the committee was formed in 2008 at a time when the civil service had to cut costs after noting “significant increases in our headcount.” Since the committee was formed, the number of employees in the central government service has declined from more than 3,800 to about 3,550. “The [departments] decide who to hire, but the decision about incurring the expense [for the salary] goes through the moratorium process,” Mrs. McField-Nixon said. Acting chiefs The last time the Cayman Islands had a full-time, per- manent fire chief was more than two years ago when Dennom Bodden retired. Since then, various acting chiefs have been placed in that role, including Rosworth McLaughlin, Roy Grant and current chief fire officer John Bodden. The government tried to hire a fulltime chief last year but was unable to do so following a recruit- ment process. A second hiring process under way is drawing to a close, Premier McLaughlin said Wednesday. Mr. McLaughlin’s Ministry of Home Affairs has responsi- bility for the fire service. There have been what the government described as “ru- mors” in recent weeks that the ministry intended to hire a non-Caymanian to fill the role, following a damning report first revealed by the Cayman Compass earlier this year. The consultant’s report found, among other things, that various firefighting ex- pertise and training opportu- nities did not exist in the fire service at present. “I don’t know what the re- sult of this process is going to be…but don’t ask me to endorse the appointment of a chief fire officer because that I will not do,” Mr. McLaughlin said Wednesday, acknowl- edging that the elected min- isters have ostensibly no role in civil service hiring. “We have had a Caymanian chief fire officer since the establishment of the fire service in 1956. It would be a retrograde step of the highest magnitude for us, in 2015, to say that we have to recruit a chief fire officer who is not Caymanian.” In addition to the fire service, the Immigration Department, Her Majesty’s Customs Service and two independent oversight bodies – the complaints commissioner and the in- formation commissioners – are being led by acting department heads at the moment. Mr. McLaughlin said that while it is not the ideal situation, it won’t be corrected overnight. “We have had what I re- gard as a most unfortunate practice in the public service for many years of having people acting, and acting, and acting, and acting in many, many posts,” he said. “That is largely the result, in my view, of a lack of suc- cession planning. It is a matter that the deputy gov- ernor is keenly aware of. The deputy governor is taking the very best steps he can given the circumstances.” “It looks like we got Hollywood right here…. everybody’s acting.” Arden McLeAn, East End MLAThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Friday June 5, 2015 4937 - LIME - NEW iPhone 6 Offer - Full Page Ad - CMYK - 10.33 x 15.97 - 13 May 2015 UPGRADE TO iPhone 6 $ 299 iPhone 6 isn’t just bigger _ it’s better in every way. Larger, yet thinner. More powerful, yet power efficient. It’s a new generation of iPhone. BUY NOW | LIME.COMThe 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. Mac Margolis Bloomberg View This much is certain. On Jan. 18, Argentine star prosecutor Alberto Nisman was found dead, with a bullet wound to his head, in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor of his apartment in an upscale Buenos Aires neighborhood. Almost everything else about the demise of the chief investigator into the worst terrorist attack on Latin American soil – the time of death, whether it was a murder or suicide, and how a team of bodyguards missed the action – remains a mystery. Yet just when the nation seemed to have resigned itself to that enigma, a new twist to the tragic plot promises to keep the Argentines in gossip and conspiracy theories for many news cycles to come. This week, a police video surfaced suggesting possible tampering at the scene of Nisman’s death. The footage shows police investigators in Nisman’s apartment han- dling evidence without pro- tective latex gloves and, at one point, using tissue paper to clean the blood-smeared .22 caliber Bersa pistol that fired the fatal bullet. Viviana Fein, the lead in- spector on the Nisman case, has denied any official mis- chief or bungling, claiming that the scene of his death “was not contaminated.” But the video, which aired on a popular news program and became an Internet hit, has revived chatter about a case that most Argentines – not least President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner – thought had gone cold. Recall that Nisman in early January had accused Fernandez of obstructing his probe into the 1994 bombing of a Jewish Community Center, which killed 85 people. He died the day before he was sched- uled to lay out his findings to Congress. Those charges sparked public outrage, a media frenzy, an instant book and a parallel forensic inves- tigation by Nisman’s ex-wife. Fernandez fiercely denied any wrongdoing, airing suspicions that the prosecutor had been murdered by “dark forces” looking to incriminate her. Argentine courts summarily dismissed Nisman’s charges. The whole tragedy might have faded there to be spun into a poignant tango, but in Argentina, where even ghosts are partisan – think of the two decade-long battle over the remains of Eva Peron – the bandoneon plays on. The death-scene video “shows how not to do things,” Ernesto Duronto, vice presi- dent of the national forensic association, declared. “This way they wipe everything, not just the blood but the fingerprints that could have been underneath.” La Nacion, a major Buenos Aires daily, reported that Nisman’s computer had been used after his death. Investigators are looking into allegations that his Samsung PC was hacked and some documents altered remotely. For Fernandez, the timing is awkward. Argentina’s economy is contracting, while inflation, debt and unemploy- ment are rising. A nasty battle with bondholders, which has frozen Argentina out of the in- ternational credit market for a decade, rages on, a clear sign that hubris still runs deep on the Rio Plate. Presidential elections are slated for October and although she is ineligible to run, Fernandez is counting on a win by the Victory Front, her faction of Peronismo, the country’s leading political brand. The new twist in the Nisman tragedy is unlikely to revive his allegations against her, which three judges have refused to hear. Fernandez’s preferred candidate, Daniel Scioli, the governor of Buenos Aires province, has been gaining in the polls. But Argentines may need something more to quiet their ghosts. The country’s last big case of famously bun- gled forensics was the Amia bombing that Nisman was investigating, which has yet to be solved. Now, the mys- tery of Nisman’s death risks ending up the same way. Mac Margolis is a Bloomberg View contributor based in Rio de Janeiro. © 2015, Bloomberg News Friday June 5, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Bureaucrats’ meddling with public safety puts Cayman at risk As the old saying goes, “There’s never a cop around when you need one.” Here in the Cayman Islands, now we know why: Because the government won’t allow Police Commis- sioner David Baines to hire the officers he needs, which residents are demanding, and for which he already has the budget. Specifically, Mr. Baines said that he has the resources, on paper, to employ 487 people in the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (both civilians and police officers), but he’s stuck at 450. That means having to “rob” officers from certain areas, such as neighborhood assignments, to help cover other areas, such as local patrols. The rub, Mr. Baines said in response to lawmakers’ questions about a perceived lack of police presence in the eastern half of Grand Cayman, is that a relatively high percentage, about half, of the RCIPS are expatri- ates. “So when there’s a [general government hiring] freeze needed to meet a budgetary need in the country, the gaps and vacancies are held in those departments which have [the] most expats,” he said. (For the record, no one should fault Mr. Baines, or the RCIPS, for being “hostile” to hiring Caymanians. For the last two years, the department has conducted very visible “cadet courses” with the aim of recruiting Cayma- nians to the force. Each has resulted in the hiring of 12-15 local officers.) Nevertheless, in our words, not Mr. Baines’s, the police are being penalized for “not being Caymanian enough.” The culprit, it appears, is the government’s little-known “moratorium committee” — which could be more accu- rately described as a “solo act,” at most a “duet,” working behind a curtain: Deputy Gov. Franz Manderson and/or a representative from the Portfolio of the Civil Service. Since the civil service implemented its “soft” hiring freeze around 2009, the moratorium committee has taken responsibility for approving or disapproving departments’ requests to fill vacancies (with Caymanians or expats) or to extend the contracts of Caymanians who have reached the normal retirement age. As a rule, this Editorial Board applauds and encour- ages government’s initiatives to restrain its growth, and we, of course, support efforts to ensure that, according to the law, when a Caymanian and non-Caymanian are equally qualified for a particular position, that the Cay- manian applicant should take precedence. However, we do not support arbitrary, micro-manage- rial decisions by unaccountable (and, up until this point, practically invisible) government bodies that are exces- sively punitive toward people of certain nationalities — any nationality. And that appears to be precisely the business of the moratorium committee. Exacerbating the situation is the all-important role that the RCIPS fulfills in ensuring the safety of Cayman’s residents, visitors, businesses and property. It is almost unthinkable that our police department would be pur- posefully deprived of desperately needed human resources, just because those humans happen to carry particular passports. (We also would expect to hear from Governor Helen Kilpatrick on this issue, since she is ulti- mately responsible for Cayman’s police force.) We have a similar, but distinct, scenario facing the Cayman Islands Fire Service, which has been without a full-time fire chief for more than two years. Despite a scathing report from a visiting U.K. expert — who deter- mined that Cayman’s firefighters, while engaged and enthusiastic, simply do not have the training or equip- ment needed to function as a modern firefighting agency — recently Premier Alden McLaughlin declared in Finance Committee that he would not support hiring a non-Caymanian fire chief … while in the same breath acknowledging that, legally, as an elected official, he should have no role in the employment of civil servants. Premier McLaughlin should consider abiding by his own caveat, and step away from the Fire Service. Likewise, Deputy Governor Manderson should let Police Commissioner Baines bring in the personnel his depart- ment, and Cayman, need. Ensuring the safety of Cayman’s population is arguably the single most important function of Cayman’s government. Until our police and fire services are staffed at appropriate levels, with people who have the appro- priate experience and training, they are being set up for failure — and we are all being put in personal, and economic, danger. Prosecutor’s death may go unresolved in Argentina The death-scene video “shows how not to do things ... This way they wipe everything, not just the blood but the fingerprints that could have been underneath.” 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” Viviana Fein, who leads the investigation of Argentinian prosecutor Alberto Nisman’s death, has come under sharp criticism. - Photo: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Cayman Compass • Friday June 5, 2015 Changing the way we do things. It's time for us all to say, You've got two ears, but one mouth, so talk less, and listen more. That's what we've been doing. You've got two ears, but one mouth, so talk less, and listen more. That's what we've been doing. And the world we all live in. treatment and first-class service. Changing the way we do things. And the world we all live in. You deserve DON'T SETTLE FOR LESS. JOIN US CHANGING. So we know you're... Bored with ordinary. Listening to you. THAT'S WHY WE'RE It's time for us all to say, Fed up with average. And tired of ok.6 LOCAL NEWS Friday June 5, 2015 • Cayman Compass COMFORT COOLING COOLING WHEN IT COUNTS COMFORT WHEN IT MATTERS High-power operation quickly cools the room and provides better overall economy. Sizes Available 12,000 BTU, 18,000 BTU & 24,000 BTU Most popular brand in the CARIBBEAN Just landed in the CAYMAN ISLANDS Available Islandwide Call 949-CAKE (2253) FINE WINE & SPIRITS ® www.tortugarumcakes.com PROMO CODE : DADCAYMAN And a FREE GIFT with the purchase of a 32 oz. Rum Cake at Tortuga Fine Wine & Spririts or Discount Liquors stores. Get FREE COFFEE RUMBALLS with any purchase of $32.95 or more. FOR EVERY SPECIAL OCCASION THERE IS THAT ONE MOMENT THAT DEFINES IT ALL. Available Islandwide Call 949-CAKE (2253) FINE WINE & SPIRITS ® ® www.tortugarumcakes.com PROMO CODE : DADCAYMAN And a FREE GIFT with the purchase of a 32 oz. Rum Cake at Tortuga Fine Wine & Spririts or Discount Liquors stores. Get FREE COFFEE RUMBALLS with any purchase of $32.95 or more. FOR EVERY SPECIAL OCCASION THERE IS THAT ONE MOMENT THAT DEFINES IT ALL. THIS COMING FATHER’S DAY KNOWS THAT... Available Islandwide Call 949-CAKE (2253) FINE WINE & SPIRITS ® www.tortugarumcakes.com PROMO CODE : DADCAYMAN And a FREE GIFT with the purchase of a 32 oz. Rum Cake at Tortuga Fine Wine & Spririts or Discount Liquors stores. Get FREE COFFEE RUMBALLS with any purchase of $32.95 or more. FOR EVERY SPECIAL OCCASION THERE IS THAT ONE MOMENT THAT DEFINES IT ALL. Bankers disciplined over pool party antics James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A group of employees from the Royal Bank of Canada were disciplined after a staff pool party at a Grand Cayman resort got out of hand. The bank hosted an event at the Morritt’s resort in East End last month to recognize staff for their “dedication and- hard work.”.But the evening ended with several employees facing disciplinary action. “We regretfully acknowl- edge that a small number of attendees behaved unprofes- sionally and in a manner out- side of our values,” the bank said in a statement. “Our management team was on site and responded immedi- ately to resolve the situation and we have since met with the resort’s management team to provide a formal apology. “We are grateful that no property was damaged, and have taken necessary actions to ensure no such issue oc- curs in the future.” The bank declined to say what, specifically, the em- ployees had done, or what ac- tion had been taken. “Matters related to our personnel are confidential,” a spokeswoman said. The statement added, “RBC Royal Bank strives to be a responsible organiza- tion, committed to upholding the highest standards of ser- vice excellence and cour- tesy especially where our clients and our employees are concerned.” New education Law goes to house in september James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A planned new Education Law creates the framework for publicly funded, privately managed schools in the Cayman Islands. The law, released in draft form this week, is a compre- hensive update of outdated legislation underpinning the territory’s education system. It outlaws strapping, enshrines the National Curriculum in law and es- tablishes an independent schools inspection unit called the Office of Education Quality Assurance. The law also contains pro- vision for “assisted schools” – funded, but not managed, by government. Education Minister Tara Rivers and coun- selor Winston Connolly have previously floated the concept of introducing U.K.-style acad- emies, known in the U.S. as charter schools, in Cayman. KPMG has been commis- sioned to review the educa- tion governance system in the islands, including an as- sessment of the suitability of Academies, which are run by private sector boards. Education Minister Tara Rivers said the law was broad and flexible enough to allow for different types of schools, depending on what policy direction government chose to go in. The draft law, states, “The minister may make grants to assisted schools or those that are to become assisted schools.” It adds that Cabinet can make regulations dic- tating the terms and condi- tions of such grants for dif- ferent categories of schools. Ms. Rivers said, “It al- lows for a number of different types of schools in the country depending on the strategic di- rection of government.” In practice, many of the provisions of the law, in- cluding the ban on corporal punishment, are already fol- lowed as a matter of policy. Winston Connolly, coun- selor for education, said the bill was based on the 2009 Education Modernisation Law, passed in the last days of the previous Progressives government in 2009 but never enacted after the United Democratic Party took over. “The current law has been operating since 1983. It was high time that this legislation, which is effectively 30 years old, was revised to meet the changes that have occurred in education over the years.” The 1983 Education Law makes no provision for a na- tional curriculum other than a requirement that religious instruction is included. The new bill is open for public consultation until June 30 and a final draft will go to the Legislative Assembly in September, ac- cording to Mr. Connolly. The bill also seeks to es- tablish a professional stan- dards unit for teachers and a new school’s inspection unit. The office of Education Quality Assurance will be required to inspect schools at least every four years. Consultants were hired last year to carry out a “base- line inspection” of all govern- ment schools, which is ex- pected to be completed in the next few months. Government’s own in- ternal inspection unit was effectively disbanded after staff numbers dwindled to zero. Prior to the baseline review, no full school in- spections have been con- ducted since 2008. Education Minister Tara RiversThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Friday June 5, 2015 For more information about our services please email us at: Nigel.Twohey@aon.com, Don.kissoon@aon.com, Jennison.nunez@aon.com or call us on: (345) 945-1AON (1266) Aon Risk Solutions (Cayman) Camana Bay | 94 Solaris Ave. 2nd Floor | Grand Cayman, KY1-1001 F: (345) 949-0002 | aon.com Commercial: Strata | Business | Liability | Cargo Personal Insurance: Home | Motor | Marine | Aircraft Life, Health & Disability: Group | Family | Individual Professional: E&O | D&O | P.I. | Medical | Lawyers | Corporate Services The Dream Team There’s a new team in town. Insurance can be complicated, but not when you have a team with knowledge, expertise and a knack for simplifying the complex, on your side. We know your needs are yours alone. We will never know your business as well as you do, but we do know insurance, and will work as your trusted partner to help you uncover risks and set you up for success. To accomplish this, we only have the very best on our team. Don Kissoon and Jennisen Nunez have joined Aon and will continue to uphold our legacy of putting our customers first. Their extensive knowledge and expertise, particularly in the health and medical sectors, will insure you get the right coverage at the right price, and will make any claims process a breeze. Nigel Twohey, Deputy Managing Director “We call them the Dream Team . . . they are that good!” 8 LOCAL NEWS Friday June 5, 2015 • Cayman Compass We regret to announce the passing of John Killanin Who departed this life On Friday, 29 May, 2015. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com Mr. Killanin will be repatriated to the USA We regret to announce the passing of Shelby “Booksie” Lusta Scott Who departed this life On Saturday,23 May 2015. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page Funeral Services will be held at the Hillside Chapel, Ashton Reid Dr. On Saturday June 6, 2015 at 4:00 PM. Viewing will take place from 3:00-3:45 PM prior to the service. Interment will follow at the Watering Place Cemetery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Sonia Connolly who passed away on May 17, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, June 7, 2015 at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Rd., at 3:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:45 p.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery To sign the Guest Book visit: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Rd., at 3:00 p.m. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Maud Beverly Green who passed away on May 25, 2015 A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at All Nations United Pentecostal Church, #23 A Woodlake Dr., George Town at 12:30 p.m. Viewing will be from 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. In lieu of owers, donations can be made at the Service, in aid of the Church building fund. To sign the Guest Book visit: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com Sanchez acquitted of murder Judge finds no case to answer in fatal shooting of special athlete Solomon Webster last year CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com “You’re free to go,” Justice Charles Quin told Jose Guadalupe Sanchez at 12:20 p.m. Thursday, shortly after finding that the Crown had not proven its case against him on a charge of mur- dering Solomon Webster, 24, a Special Olympics gold med- alist who lived at 57 Miss Daisy Lane in West Bay. Sanchez, 27, was staying with his mother, who also lived in that yard. On the night of Sept. 7, 2014, he was given a ride back to that ad- dress. Before he got out of the vehicle, he was ap- proached by Shaquille Bush, who lived nearby, and a con- frontation developed. As the men struggled, Mr. Webster involved himself and it was during the struggle that he was shot. The bullet per- forated his femoral artery and he died approximately two hours later. Sanchez had been in cus- tody since his arrest several days after the shooting. With no case to answer, and on bail for a matter in the Summary Court, Sanchez was expected to be released shortly. Justice Quin said he wanted to clarify the role of prosecuting counsel. Some people think it is their duty to obtain a conviction at all costs and by any means pos- sible, he noted. In fact, it is their duty to bring before the court all the facts avail- able and then the defense is obliged to test that evidence. He thanked Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Richards and Senior Crown counsel Tricia Hutchinson “for the admirable way they presented this case.” He also thanked defense counsel Mark Heywood and Guy Dilliway-Parry for their care- fully reasoned submissions. The judge first dealt with the defense submission that there had been an abuse of process such that Sanchez could not have a fair trial. He found that there was no de- liberate obstruction or failure to obtain evidence helpful to the defense. The judge did say, how- ever, that he found it diffi- cult to understand why in- vestigators would not have searched Bush’s home or ob- tained his clothes for gun- shot residue testing. He said the investigators came to an early view that Sanchez was the only suspect. However, he added, the court recognized that the in- vestigating officers’ job is made more difficult when there is a delay in witnesses coming forward. He also re- ferred to evidence that a yard resident had found a gun about 10 minutes after the shooting and he had hidden it in the yard. Justice Quin wondered why the gun was not turned over to police until two days later. An expert said that a bullet casing found in the yard had come from the Colt Commander pistol recovered, but he could not say when it had been fired. When he ex- amined the handgun, it was not operable. These facts had led to the suggestion that the Colt pistol was not the murder weapon and could have been planted. Moreover, Sanchez was excluded from any match with a partial DNA profile obtained from the gun. Importantly, the bullet that passed through Mr. Webster’s thigh was never recovered. Some of these details were repeated when Justice Quin went on to rule on the “no case to answer” submission and summarized the events of the day. The core of the Crown’s case had been iden- tified as Sanchez having the gun with him when he re- turned to the yard that night. Sanchez had left the yard to attend a birthday celebra- tion aboard a party boat. His brother was driving him home again when they came across Rachelyn Bush, whom they knew. Sanchez then got into her vehicle, saying he wanted to spend the evening with her. She declined and carried him to his mother’s house. He was wearing swimming shorts and nothing else; he had his shirt over his arm, with his phone in one hand and a bottle of rum in the other hand. As he sat in her car, Shaquille Bush came over in an aggressive mood and demanded the rum and Sanchez’s watch. When he couldn’t get them, he picked up Sanchez out of the car and a struggle began. Neither Sanchez’s brother nor Ms. Bush saw a Sanchez with a gun that day. Justice Quin noted that the chief investigating officer had said that Shaquille Bush was never a suspect in this matter. But it was known that Bush had a propensity for guns, he had access to guns. There was evidence he had a gun in August 2014 and there was evidence he fired a gun in October 2014. When officers spoke to him after Mr. Webster was killed, Bush accepted being present at the time of the struggle and the shooting, but said he did not see anyone with a gun. The judge said he did not understand why the decision was taken so early that the defendant was the only sus- pect. He said it was incredible that the two men present were not both treated as suspects and efforts made to gather ev- idence regarding both of them as soon as possible. Justice Quin said the men had been fighting and a firearm appeared. Nobody witnessed when the gun went off. He said he could not rule out the following scenarios as reasonable and possible: Did Sanchez shoot Mr. Webster? Did Bush bring a gun to shoot Sanchez and it went off in the struggle? Did Mr. Webster bring a gun to the scene? Was it possible Mr. Webster acci- dentally shot himself? If this were a jury trial, he would have to warn jurors not to speculate; as the trier of fact, he said, he could not speculate. After reviewing all of the evidence, exhibits and sub- missions, he found there was a distinct lack of pri- mary evidence that Sanchez had arrived at the yard with a gun. There was evidence to support the contention that the gun recovered was not the gun that discharged the bullet that inflicted the fatal wound. He said he was clear that under no circumstances could he be convinced be- yond reasonable doubt that there was reason to allow the trial to continue because the evidence could not support a guilty verdict. Sailors didn’t know Cayman drug laws CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two crew members from a vessel that stopped for repairs in Cayman found themselves in court this week on drug charges. Johannes Wiggins, 30, and Ryan Meyers, 24, pleaded guilty to con- suming ganja, possession of a little under 2 ounces of ganja, plus possession of scissors and papers used in the consumption of ganja. Each was fined $1,000 and their request to have no convictions recorded was denied. Meyers, an American citizen, told Magistrate Valdis Foldats that they were moving a boat from Belize to St. Martin when it broke down. They had come to Cayman to fix it, but were unable to do so. They had planned to fly out this week, while someone else would be flying in to make the necessary repairs. The men readily ad- mitted their offending, but the magistrate said there was nothing he could do until the Crown received the files in the case. He directed them to return on Wednesday. On that day, they ap- peared before Magistrate Grace Donalds, who for- mally put the charges to them and recorded their guilty pleas. Crown counsel Candia James advised that the men hoped to leave the island that afternoon and explained the background to the charges. She said Customs of- ficers were checking ves- sels at Scott’s Marina at the George Town Barcadere on May 29. One of the officers noticed a spliff in the water and then saw two males coming out of a nearby bush area. One of them was holding a pair of scissors. The officers observed vegetable matter on one of the blades of the scissors and it smelled of ganja. A K-9 team checked the bush area where the men had been and a plastic bag was found. That bag had an- other bag inside and both contained vegetable matter that was later tested to be 20 grams and 1.2 ounces. Both men apologized for any inconvenience they had caused. They said they did not know Cayman’s laws. Wiggins, a citizen of South Africa, thanked the Customs officers for their courteous treatment. He asked if they could have no convictions recorded be- cause convictions could hurt their career. A man in the court gallery identified himself as the boat captain. He described both defendants as good guys who had not been in trouble before. He said they might lose their jobs as a result of this incident. “We were not aware of the laws and rules here,” he told the court. The magistrate imposed the same fines for each defendant: $250 for con- suming ganja; $250 for joint possession of the scissors; $500 for possession of the larger quantity of ganja; no separate penalties for possession of the ciga- rette papers or the smaller quantity of ganja. The drugs and utensils were or- dered forfeited. Wiggins asked if their bail bonds could be used for the fines. He was told yes. The court heard that each man had been bailed in the sum of US$1,000, while the fines were in Cayman currency. The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JUNE 5, 2015 We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Alvin Aaron who passed away on Friday, May 22, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2015 at Savannah United Church, (behind Rubis Gas Station) at 1:30p.m. Viewing will be from 12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Interment to follow at Garden of Re ections, Old Prospect Rd. To sign the Guest Book visit: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com Thank You July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015July 31, 1931 - April 28, 2015 Thomas Henry Edlin Merren , B.A., D.D.S., O.B.E., J.P. The family of the late Dr. Edlin Merren thank you for your kindness, sympathy and prayers during the time of his illness and passing. It gives us much comfort to know that you are thinking of and praying for us as we cope with this enormous loss. We greatly miss him. God bless you all. On Thursday afternoon, the Cayman Islands Fire Service – which hasn’t had a permanent, full-time fire chief since early 2013 – named veteran firefighter Ronnie Dixon as acting chief in Mr. Bodden’s place. Mr. Dixon currently serves as a senior divisional of- ficer for the fire service’s domestic division. “Operations will con- tinue and there will be no interruption of service to residents,” said Ministry of Home Affairs Chief Officer Eric Bush, who has oversight responsibility for the fire service. Mr. Bodden’s status with the fire service was unknown at press time. Mr. Bodden had been put forward as a potential suc- cessor for the permanent fire chief’s post and was participating in a recruit- ment process within the fire service. Mr. Bush said the min- istry had no evidence of any previous criminal convic- tions against Mr. Bodden. Acting fire chief arrested in hit-and-run CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cayman’s financial regulator begins ‘internal review’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The chairman of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority Board of Directors said Thursday that the agency will commission an internal review related to the involve- ment of local individuals and financial institutions in the wake of the ongoing FIFA cor- ruption scandal. The FIFA probe, being conducted in the U.S., led to the arrest of Caymanian businessman Jeffrey Webb – FIFA’s former vice pres- ident and ex-CONCACAF president – last week in Switzerland and has named at least one current and one former Cayman Islands bank in what American prosecu- tors allege were money laun- dering activities. CIMA’s Managing Director Cindy Scotland’s husband, former government minister Mark Scotland, has worked since last year for the Cayman Islands Football Association under its pres- ident, Webb, and was in Switzerland with Webb at the time of his arrest on May 27. The family connec- tion has prompted some concern among the local fi- nancial services industry over the appearance of con- flicts of interest. In addition, former gov- ernment minister Cline Glidden’s wife Gloria cur- rently serves as deputy head of CIMA’s banking division. Mr. Glidden was also in Switzerland with Webb last week for FIFA’s annual meeting and has been working for CONCACAF on the creation of a regional football dispute resolution court. The CIMA board met Thursday to discuss a number of issues related to the ongoing FIFA scandal and how it could potentially affect Cayman’s financial services industry. Board Chairman George McCarthy said members were “very much concerned about the events that are oc- curring,” but agreed that it was too early for direct board involvement in these matters. Mr. McCarthy said the three-person internal re- view committee will include newly appointed CIMA head of banking Charles Ilako, head of compliance R.J. Berry and deputy general counsel Andre Mon Desir. After the review committee completes its work, it will present a report to CIMA’s management committee, and the management committee will report to the board, Mr. McCarthy said. Mr. McCarthy confirmed that Ms. Scotland would re- main in her role as man- aging director and that there was “no need for her to set aside her role at this time.” In addition, Mr. McCarthy said there was no evidence at the present time that any Cayman Islands banks had done anything wrong. Ex-Panama vice president detained amid corruption probe PANAMA CITY (AP) — Former Panamanian Vice President Felipe Virzi has been detained while prose- cutors investigate him for al- leged corruption in connec- tion with a costly irrigation project that was never com- pleted, officials said. Virzi, 71, was one of two vice presidents during the 1994-99 government of President Ernesto Perez Balladares and is seen as close to former President Ricardo Martinelli, who him- self is being investigated for possible corruption during his 2009-14 government. Virzi, one of Panama’s wealthiest men, is the latest high-profile figure in the Central American country to get caught up in the anti-corruption campaign by current President Juan Carlos Varela. The case against Virzi is related to an alleged $10.2 million payment he received from an Ecuadorian com- pany after it won a $37.4 million contract in 2012 to build an irrigation project in central Panama. The project was never carried out. Prosecutors al- lege that Virzi, who was no longer vice president at the time, distributed some of the money to businessmen and political allies of the president. Virzi rejects the accusa- tions against him.Next >