High of 92 Low of 79 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Tuesday July 28, 2015 Editorial | pagE 4 Windsor Park fire: ‘Code red’ for The CommuniTy sports | pagE 16 JamaiCa hold Their heads high Gold Cup run raises expectations 178210_PRINT-Compass-6colx1*5.pdPage 1 12/8/14 11:20:19 AM Lawyer: New Labour Law adds costs BrenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com If the proposed Cayman Islands Labour Relations Bill remains unchanged, every pri- vate sector company will likely have to re- write its current employment contracts with workers – if those agreements exist at all – according to a review of the legislation by a local law firm. “There will be additional HR costs and zero time in which to [make the changes],” HSM Chambers managing partner Huw Moses said during an interview with the Cayman Compass last week. Mr. Moses, who also gave a presentation last week to business owners at the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce on the new legislation, said he believed government should seek to make some “tweaks” to the law as it is currently rewritten, particularly to give employers a grace period to comply with new dictates from the administration. The new Labour Relations Bill, which will repeal and replace the current Labour Law (2011 Revision), is undergoing a public com- ment period prior to its presentation to the Legislative Assembly. The public comment pe- riod ends on Aug. 31. The Ministry of Employment said in a statement released Monday that a “number of observations” raised by Mr. Moses and his firm HRC: Gov’t must allow same-sex unions A recent judgment from Europe’s highest human rights court may force the Cayman Islands to change its stance on the legal union of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender couples. A ruling from the European Court of Human Rights last week found Italy in breach of established human rights principles for failing to offer enough legal protection to same-sex couples. Italy is one of the few Western European countries that maintains a national ban on same-sex marriages. The European court ruled on July 21 that by failing to introduce new legislation, Italy’s government breached Article 8 – the right to private and family life – of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission said Monday that Cayman should take note of the European Court’s decision. “Cayman’s Constitution [Order 2009] ex- plicitly defines marriage as a union between persons of different sexes,” the rights com- mission said in a statement. “However, this does not prevent the enactment of legislation to recognize same-sex unions and to provide same-sex couples in stable relationships with the opportunity to access the same rights and obligations which married couples enjoy. “The Human Rights Commission calls upon the government to enact such legisla- tion [regarding civil unions]. In the event that it fails to do so, this recent judgment [from the European court] is likely to mean that Cayman is in breach of its obligations under the con- vention and certainly that it is more vulner- able to a successful challenge in the court.” A civil union is a legally recognized ar- rangement that is similar to marriage. The unions can be referred to by many other names, including legal partnerships, domestic CIMA directors change in midst of ‘internal review’ BrenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A shake-up in the Cayman Islands financial services in- dustry regulator comes in the midst of an internal review that began earlier this year re- lated to the involvement of local individuals and finan- cial institutions in the ongoing FIFA corruption investigation. The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority board has replaced former Cayman Islands Chief Secretary George McCarthy as chairman of the panel along with at least two other mem- bers who served as directors, ac- cording to an official gazette no- tice released by government. Grant Stein, the former man- aging partner of Walkers Global in the Cayman Islands, was ap- pointed as the new chairman. Other new appointees to the board include Gus Pope, Patricia Estwick and Brian Murphy. All of the new members were ap- pointed to three-year terms ending July 20, 2018. The appointments, ap- proved by Cabinet on July 21, retained professor William Gilmore and Judith Watler on oil rig stops by grand Cayman A floating oil rig made a brief stop off Grand Cayman on Sunday for supplies, the Cayman Islands Port Authority said. The oil platform, pulled by the 249-foot- long tug boat Terasea Osprey, is being transported from Singapore to Texas. According to the Port Authority, the oil platform and tug made a brief stop about three miles west of George Town port Sunday as a tender delivered supplies. The vessels continued on their route after receiving the supplies. - PHoto: taneos Ramsay Mr. Moses PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Mr. Stein PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 REGIONAL NEWS Tuesday July 28, 2015 • Cayman Compass www. REGmovies.com SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. PAPER TOWNS (PG13) 1:10 | 4:00 | 7:20 | 9:50 PIXELS 3D (PG13) 1:00 | 3:30 2D | 7:00 | 9:40 2D TRAINWRECK (R) 1:30 | 4:20 | 7:10 | 10:00 VATICAN TAPES (PG13) 12:45 | 3:00 | 5:15 | 7:30 | 10:10 ANT-MAN 3D (PG13) 1:40 2D | 3:40 | 7:05 2D | 9:30 MINIONS 3D (PG) 1:20 | 4:30 2D | 7:10 9:45 2D *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - TUESDAY - $8.00 Massive search under way for teens who set out for Bahamas TEQUESTA, Fla. (AP) – The Coast Guard scoured the seas off Florida and friends combed the shore- line Monday for any sign of two teenage fishermen, described as experienced boaters, who went missing three days earlier after set- ting out for the Bahamas on a stormy afternoon. What began as a teenage summer adventure – a chap- erone-free getaway on the high seas – took an omi- nous turn after the 19-foot boat that carried Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos was found capsized and days of searches proved fruitless. But authorities and the boys’ families held out hope, saying the teens were consum- mate seamen and a rescue is still possible. “We operate with the highest level of optimism,” Coast Guard Petty Officer Steve Lehmann said at a news conference Monday, though he declined to say how long the search would go on be- yond “the time being.” Crews studied ocean cur- rents and zeroed in on an area off Jacksonville as the most likely position for the boys Monday. Meanwhile, the teens’ families and a fa- mous neighbor – NFL Hall of Famer Joe Namath – pledged to walk the beaches beginning in their home- town of Tequesta in hopes of finding clues. “We need every clue and we need everyone’s help,” said Nick Korniloff, the step- father of Perry. The boys were last seen Friday after- noon buying $110 worth of fuel near Jupiter. Officials said they departed around 1:30 p.m. Weather reports for Friday say storms reached the Jupiter-Tequesta area around 4 p.m., and thunder- storms with heavy rains were expected there until sunset. Their vessel was found Sunday off Ponce Inlet, more than 180 miles north of where the boys began their journey. Though the boat was overturned it did not ap- pear damaged. No foul play was suspected. The Coast Guard said its search had covered an area the size of Indiana by heli- copter, boat and airplane, and local authorities and the USS Carney also joined the efforts to locate the boys. The fami- lies of the teens are offering $100,000 reward in the search. The teens were believed to have been heading toward the Bahamas, about 75 miles southeast of Tequesta. “It’s a lot of water out there,” Namath said. “We just keep on looking till we get an answer.” Austin’s mother, Carly Black, told WPBF she never would “bat an eye” at the boys’ ability on the seas. “This isn’t something that he’s new at,” she said. “I think they feel better on the boat than they do on land.” Korniloff said he was fo- cused on finding the boys and wouldn’t comment on ques- tions about whether 14-year- olds should be allowed to venture so far alone. He said the boys had been “raised on the water” and were taught how to navigate safely. “If you put two pretty girls in front of them and two fishing rods, they’d grab the fishing rods first,” the step- father said. Still, Lehmann said boaters of any age and experience level could encounter danger. “Regardless of how expe- rienced you are in the water, things can happen,” he said. “Things befall even the most surefooted of mariners.” This combination made from photos provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows Perry Cohen, left, and Austin Stephanos, both 14 and missing at sea. - Photo: AP Colombia unearths landfill looking for scores of disappeared MEDELLIN, Colombia (AP) – The last contact Margarita Restrepo had with her daughter was a hurried phone call on Oct. 25, 2002. The school day was over and 17-year-old Carol Vanesa was going to meet friends at a metro stop near the sprawling Comuna 13 hill- side slum. Restrepo and her children had fled the violent Medellin neighborhood a few days earlier, right before it was taken over by thousands of Colombian soldiers trying to ferret out leftist rebels. She begged the girl not to risk returning there, but the teen went anyway. Neither she nor her two friends have been seen again and, to this day, nobody knows who is respon- sible for their disappearance. Thirteen years later, Restrepo and dozens of others who have missing loved ones are closer than ever to closure thanks to a project to remove 31,000 cubic yards of rubble from La Escombrera, a de- bris landfill on Medellin’s out- skirts where the remains of as many as 300 people are be- lieved to have been dumped during one of the darkest chapters of Colombia’s long- running civil conflict. At a ceremony Monday to remember the missing and kick off the search effort, officials joined more than 100 women who dressed in white and carried black, plastic silhouettes to repre- sent their loved ones. After years of silence on the part of the government and much of society, supporters of the families welcomed the start of the work. “This is the site of one of the most atrocious episodes that weigh down our his- tory and is a stain on our na- tional identity before the en- tire world,” Javier Giraldo, a Roman Catholic priest and human rights activist, said following a Mass to honor the victims. Human rights activists say La Escombrera could prove to be the largest mass grave ever found in Colombia and the dig represents a glimmer of hope that jus- tice will be realized. But the search will be complicated. Despite more than a decade- long clamor by victims’ fami- lies that the landfill be closed and excavated, giant trucks have continued to dump con- struction waste daily. “If that light doesn’t shine for me, I hope it does for one of my companions,” Restrepo said while holding up a placard with her daughter’s photo and disappearance date, the eye-catching symbol used by the group Mothers Walking for the Truth to draw attention to their fight. The missing are a lasting reminder of one of the darkest chapters of Colombia’s half- century-old rebel conflict. The rightist paramilitary groups demobilized a decade ago, and the government now is negotiating a peace deal with the biggest rebel movement. With the five-decade conflict winding down, officials have been fanning out across the country to exhume hundreds of bodies, attempt to identify them through DNA testing and return the remains to family members. But most of the un- marked graves are located in lawless rural areas, not Medellin, which is Colombia’s second-largest city. Restrepo’s disappear- ance took place at a time and place where being young like her was almost tantamount to a death sentence. Shortly after taking of- fice in 2002, then President Alvaro Uribe launched Operation Orion to repel leftist rebels from a densely populated hillside slum in the poor and violent Comuna 13 district. The offensive li- onized Uribe’s reputation among Colombians as a crime-fighting conservative whose tough talk was backed by action. But almost as soon as the military retrenched, the void was filled by far-right mi- litia fighters in ski masks and wielding heavy weapons. Allegations of killings of ci- vilians and disappearances multiplied. Many of the para- military crimes were carried out in an alliance with U.S.- trained security forces. Relatives and families of missing people arrive at a ceremony on Monday to remember the missing and kick off a search effort in La Escombrera, on the outskirts of Medellin, Colombia. - Photo: AP 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. PAPER TOWNS (PG13) 1:10 | 4:00 | 7:20 | 9:50 PIXELS 3D (PG13) 1:00 | 3:30 2D | 7:00 | 9:40 2D TRAINWRECK (R) 1:30 | 4:20 | 7:10 | 10:00 VATICAN TAPES (PG13) 12:45 | 3:00 | 5:15 | 7:30 | 10:10 ANT-MAN 3D (PG13) 1:40 2D | 3:40 | 7:05 2D | 9:30 MINIONS 3D (PG) 1:20 | 4:30 2D | 7:10 9:45 2D *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - TUESDAY - $8.003 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday July 28, 2015 Family routed by fire wants to rebuild compound Community, government and business vow support James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A large family left home- less after a fire on Friday say they plan to rebuild their George Town family com- pound within three months. Community support has flooded in for the Buttrum family, who lost their homes after an electrical fire ripped through the building, re- ducing it to cinders in a matter of minutes. Thousands of dollars in food, clothing and cash were raised over the weekend to support the family in the short term. Now the community is galvanizing to assist them in rebuilding their home in Windsor Park. Government’s Needs Assessment Unit was helping them pay for temporary ac- commodation on Monday. The fire broke out in a va- cant room at the group of adjoining family homes just after 8 p.m. on Friday. Alwin Buttrum, who owns the house with his five brothers and sister, said friends in the construction trade had promised to help them rebuild. “All the family will be chipping in, right down to the babies,” Mr. Buttrum said. “Everybody is going to help. We are a close family and we have friends in the neigh- borhood that are helping as well as contractors that are willing to lend a hand.” Government represen- tatives met with the family Monday morning and have agreed to assist in navigating the planning process. Mr. Buttrum said. Alice Ramos, president of Rotaract Blue, said the club was helping to coor- dinate with architects and other businesses to as- sist the family in rebuilding their home. Sandra Miller, area repre- sentative for Windsor Park, said she was helping to co- ordinate with social services. She said the neighborhood was coming together in sup- port of the family. “We will keep working and doing what we can to get assistance to make sure they can get their home back,” she said. Tina Choy of the fire pre- vention unit said an inves- tigation confirmed that the cause of the fire was an electrical fault. She said the building had burned quickly, in part because it was an old, timber structure. Mr. Buttrum said the family was still appealing for help with building materials and expertise to ensure the new dwelling is built quickly and safely. “We have a lot of people offering support and coming to our aid,” he said. “We have been really surprised and really grateful. We ap- preciate everything ev- eryone has done.” Matthew Leslie of Cayman Islands Brewery handed over thousands of dollars’ worth of donations to the family on Saturday, and a volunteer crew from Island Waste Carriers were on site Sunday and Monday to clear the property. Anyone who wants to help may call Mr. Buttrum on 927-3886. Development board reappointed after audit report Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com All serving members of the Cayman Brac and Little Cayman Development Control Board have been reappointed through mid- 2017 following the re- lease to lawmakers of an auditor’s report that questioned some of the board’s activities. The reappointments were made by Cabinet on July 21, just prior to the public release of the plan- ning and land use audit by Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick’s office Thursday. However, Mr. Swarbrick said local lawmakers had a copy of the report at least three to four weeks prior to its public release. Reappointed board members were, according to official government gazettes released Friday: Edgar Ashton Bodden (chairman), Capt. Arlin Tatum, Royce Dilbert, Melgreen Reid, Alva Bodden, Garston Grant, Zanda Scott and Andrea Stevens (ex- ecutive secretary). The audit found that both the Development Control Board and the Central Planning Authority in Grand Cayman were operating in an opaque fashion, without open meetings and not pro- viding reasons for their rul- ings. The report also noted that the boards often com- prise members who have potential conflicts of in- terest with certain devel- opment projects that come before them. In one case reviewed by auditors, the Development Control Board approved an extension to a quarry despite the Department of Environment and the Water Authority informing the board that the appli- cant for the extension was in breach of license terms. The departments asked that the quarry operator remediate the breach “as a condition of the applica- tion approval.” The board approved the application without requiring those conditions, noting that it had taken the concerns “into account.” Mr. Swarbrick’s re- port was also rife with examples of the Central Planning Authority disre- garding technical advice from government agen- cies in the development of several high-profile, high- dollar projects, including the Health City Cayman Islands and Kimpton hotel construction efforts. “Often, the decision would state only that the authority or board had ‘considered’ information from other agencies,” the audit report states. No one in government had responded to the audi- tor’s report regarding land use and development is- sues as of press time, Mr. Swarbrick said. annual boat show draws enthusiasts Harbour House Marina’s annual boat show on Saturday drew browsers and buyers alike to get a closer look at the merchandise and the opportunity to test drive Boston Whalers and Sea Rays. Since its inception in 2004, the event has become a staple in boat enthusiasts’ calendars, and also for those interested in kayaks, inflatable paddle boards and other equipment, said Jonathan Cuff, general manager at the marina. - Photo: taneos Ramsay Volunteers on Sunday cleared what was left of the burned-out building. - Photo: mattheW LesLIe “We have a lot of people offering support and coming to our aid. We have been really surprised and really grateful. We appreciate everything everyone has done.” Alwin Buttrum East End burglary suspect arrested Police arrested a 46-year-old East End man in Bodden Town early Saturday on suspi- cion of burglary. The man was arrested around 2:45 a.m. He is a suspect in the burglary of a house in the vicinity of Sea View Road in East End that was carried out in the late afternoon or early evening on Friday, police said. According to a state- ment released by police Monday, uniform offi- cers on patrol stopped the man due to two out- standing warrants for his arrest, relating to a default on a fine pay- ment and failure to ap- pear in court. During this stop, po- lice found the man in possession of an item that they said linked him to the East End burglary. He remained in cus- tody Monday afternoon. The reappointments were made by Cabinet on July 21, just prior to the public release of the planning and land use audit by Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick’s office Thursday. The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” TUESDAY JULY 28, 2015 • CAYMAN COMPASS A collection of wooden residences in George Town caught fire on Friday evening and burned to the ground. Now, 17 people are homeless. It easily could have been much, much worse. If the blaze had started in the middle of the night, 17 people could have been dead. First, we offer our condolences to the Buttrums, their relatives, tenants and neighbors in the family compound in Windsor Park. To see your possessions destroyed and your home demolished, and then to be faced with the prospect of rebuilding anew, is among the most arduous of human experiences. Next, we applaud Matthew Leslie of Cayman Islands Brewery and the volunteers from the Cayman Islands community, who stepped forward immediately with donations of clothing, food, temporary shelter and assistance. This isn’t the first time Mr. Leslie has led a campaign to help his fellows in need, the highest- profile instance of his generosity being his efforts following the shooting of brewery employee Kemar Golding in 2011. We are sure that public sector officials, from social services, etc., will also be involved in helping the Buttrum family piece their lives back together; however, it must be emphasized that this tragedy may have been an avoidable one, and one that may be, at the very least, an indirect consequence of govern- ment negligence. It raises questions about the safety of many other residential structures — scattered throughout the nooks and crannies of the country, “out of sight and out of mind” — which may be inad- equate, substandard or downright unsafe. For the purposes of this editorial, we shall sidestep legal and regulatory issues dealing with the precise language of building codes, inspection regimes and various grandfather clauses — and simply state the fol- lowing: For 20 years, this particular family has been living in wooden structures they built themselves, structures which on Friday burned to the ground in about six minutes. It is most fortunate, even miraculous, that nobody was harmed in the fire. This incident should be a five-alarm wake-up call to Cayman officials, and the Cayman community, that we can no longer “look the other way” when we see people living in homes that may be unsafe. The purpose of building codes is to ensure a minimum level of safety for all people. Our officials cannot provide exceptions to basic standards for people of modest means, even if they believe that by doing so they are “doing them a favor.” What they are actually doing is putting them in harm’s way. If someone cannot afford to build, renovate or reconstruct a home in order to meet minimum safety standards, well, then this is an opportunity for social services to fulfill its mandate. Failing that, the residents must seek accommodations elsewhere. We understand that relocating, especially from family-owned property, is difficult and disruptive, but of far greater importance is the preservation of human life. As for the Buttrums, they are out of danger, for now. What gives us pause, however, is the assertion that they plan to rebuild their home and move back in. This time, we hope that they will not be building it alone, and that the construction will be performed by professionals (with the community’s assistance, if need be) and with oversight from the proper authorities. We must ensure that this family did not narrowly escape death just to be placed at risk again. Windsor Park fire: ‘Code Red’ for the community FROM CAYMANCOMPASS.COM “Stray dogs targeted after attack on governor Kilpatrick,” July 24 Just look out on the by- pass from the Butterfield roundabout heading north. There is a pack of what Americans would call “junk yard dogs,” which roam around on the verges, and look extremely dangerous and/or aggressive. David Wheaton Dog owners who allow their dogs to run free any- where on the three Cayman Islands deserve the full ex- tent of the law. My 16-year- old Cayman Brac cat was killed by dogs. Only someone who has lost a pet (or a blue iguana) to marauding dogs can un- derstand the loss and the anger at dog-owners who flout the law. Nan Socolow I’m very sorry to hear about the attack on governor Kilpatrick. But it’s also an- noying that it takes an at- tack on her before any action is taken to curb the wild dog menace. It’s a menace that has been known about for years. Norman Linton “Longtime manager of botanic park passes away,” July 27 May his soul rest in peace, surrounded by heavenly palms and beautiful flowers. Andrew Guthrie was a very gracious, kind and knowl- edgeable man who always had a minute to speak with the guests at the park! The world has lost a great gardener! Carol Cooper Rest in peace, Andrew … J.D. Mosley-Matchett “Police: Woman sexually assaulted in West Bay by intruder,” July 25 Innocent people will con- tinue to be the victims of these violent criminals until their is a change in leader- ship and thinking. How many more women will need to be brutally assaulted before something is done? Mack Boland “Treasure Island deal in doubt,” July 24 What I am curious about is the prospect of a 10-story twin-tower development on the site. I wonder what the people who own the condos think about that? Remember that the Treasure Islands Resort is only the yellow colored building closest to the road. The rest is completely sepa- rate with a shared pool and shared beach access. David Williams “Caymanian neurologist completes studies abroad,” July 21 My heartfelt congratu- lations to Dr. Wendell Bobb for his success in com- pleting his studies to be- come a “fully board-cer- tified Neurologist with the American Academy of Psychiatry and Neurology.” This is a great and won- derful achievement and hope- fully an inspiration for others to study and apply them- selves for success in their chosen fields. May God bless and guide you, Dr. Bobb, in your endeavors and future undertakings. Geoffrey Daniels Writer: Improve SMB by removing jet skis and dogs, adding police My family and I are frequent visitors to the island – between three and four visits per year, one week each. We’ve gotten to know many islanders, and the is- land as well. I’ve been coming to Grand Cayman since 1991. My comments are as fol- lows and are on the heels of the much trumpeted awards of Seven Mile Beach being named the “best beach in the world” by U.S. News & World Report. 1. Ban all jet skis from the Marriott to the Renaissance Your number one busi- ness on the island is scuba and snorkeling (not jet skis). You’ve already had one death incident this year on Seven Mile Beach – and it’s only a matter of time before the unregulated masses of jet skis get into another ac- cident and/or with a diver or snorkeler. We were afraid to snorkel out too far on our own for fear of being run over by some careless jet skier! Ban it – you don’t need it; people don’t come to Grand Cayman to ride jet skis – they go to Panama City Beach, Florida, or Daytona, Florida, for this. Think about it – you’re allowing untrained nov- ices (fresh off the ship liter- ally) drive at speeds up to 50 miles per hour over/around your most precious water areas. I’d send them else- where – stat. 2. Ban all animals from Seven Mile Beach – Period This would be the simple and best solution. The best beach in the world doesn’t have unleashed dogs, doesn’t have strays, and doesn’t have leashed dogs – any of them – pooping and peeing on it. This past week we wit- nessed two strays making their way up/down, in/out of the nicest places (Ritz/ WaterColours and points in between) scouring for food – all day – and following anyone looking for food or a snack. Additionally we watch many – many pet owners with their dogs unleashed – allowing them to poop and pee in the sand – then taking it to the sea – up/ down the Seven Mile Beach – think very nice. No way. Ban them and round up strays – chickens are one thing – dogs are another. (I’m a dog owner, FYI.) Minimally, enforce leash laws. The “No. 2” best beach location Kauai, Hawaii, has very strict leash laws (max- imum of two under control on leash), and further all of Hawaii has strict dog entry rules (quarantine) along with serious fines ($500) for those that break the law – speaking of which … 3. Patrol the beach I appreciate the fact that the police helicopter buzzes by every so often – but it’s going to be very hard to fine/arrest/assist – or any- thing else from that view. Why on earth do you not have that beach patrolled 24/7/365 – are there any po- lice on the island? I never see them. Why don’t you give them bikes/or a 4 wheeler or a golf cart – whatever. Where are the police? They could fine lawbreakers – prevent open glass containers on the beach, stop the pot/ganja smoking up at the public beach (the one just north of the governor’s property), and generally provide a presence – that Cayman is serious about protecting the integ- rity of Seven Mile Beach. You simply cannot do that from a helicopter. All they need is a mode of trans- portation, and a book of tickets to write, and presto, behavior will change, people will take notice and things will improve. I love your island, and its lovely people – protect your most treasured asset, now. M. Benjamin Seven Mile Beach is among the best strips of sand in the world, but there’s always room for improvement.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Cayman Compass • Tuesday July 28, 2015 The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community Calendar ■ Community Calendar is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. Tuesday July 28, 2015 • Cayman Compass TUESDAY, JULY 28 HEPATITIS TESTING: As part of World Hepatitis Day, the Cayman Islands Hospital offers free Hepatitis B and C testing from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free testing will also be available by appointment only throughout this week. Call Nurse Laura Elniski at 244-2507 for an appointment or more information. MOONLIGHT & MOVIES: Tonight’s free film at 7 p.m. is “Field of Dreams” (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. THURSDAY, JULY 30 NCVO BINGO: Play Bingo at Craft from 6:30 p.m. to support programs of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations. $10 entrance. More than $4,000 worth of prizes to be won. Raffle tickets also available, to be drawn during the evening. FRIDAY, JULY 31 IMMIGRATION OffICE CLOSED: The Department of Immigration headquarters, including Passport & Corporate Services, Visa Office and front counter is closed to the public for all but essential services today. Only work permit and permanent residence applications, including applications for permission to continue to work that must be submitted prior to Aug. 1 in order to allow continued employment, will be accepted. Time- sensitive applications for visitor extensions will also be accepted. The Passport & Corporate Services Office will not accept any applications, but passports and visa waivers may be collected at the Immigration main counter location. The department will remain open until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 29, and Thursday, July 30, resuming normal operations on Monday, Aug. 3. HARBOUR NIGHTS: A free George Town revitalization music and entertainment event, 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Harbour Drive, South Church Street (street closure from Bayshore Mall to Guy Harvey’s). Performances by local musicians, teen disco, fire eaters, acrobats and street dancers and food vendors. SATURDAY, AUGUST 1 fAMILY fUN DAY: AAVIC (All Against Violence in Cayman) invites everyone to Jeremiah’s 5th Annual Memorial Family Fun Day at Seven Mile Public Beach from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free admission, food and drinks, games, face-painting and activities for everyone. CAR BOOT SALE: At the NCVO Bargain Shop, 90A Anthony Drive. $25 per spot. Proceeds for National Council of Voluntary Organisations projects. To reserve a space, contact Alta Solomon at 949- 2124 or ncvocoordinator@ ncvo.org.ky BRAC CAMP DAY: The National Gallery holds Brac Summer Day Camp 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Children work with visiting artist. Lecture and children’s exhibit 7 p.m. SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 JAMAICAN INDEPENDENCE: A church service in celebration of the 53rd anniversary of Jamaica’s independence takes place at 8 a.m., St. George’s Anglican Church, Courts Road off Eastern Avenue. The office of the Honorary Jamaican Government representative invites the public to attend. MONDAY, AUGUST 3 NATIONAL PENSIONS: The public is invited to a discussion of the National Pensions (Amendment) Bill at the North Side Civic Centre, 8 p.m. THURSDAY, AUGUST 6 GALLERY COLLECTIONS: Lecture by Natalie Urquhart, National Gallery curator and director, 6-7:30 p.m. She will discuss the history of the National Gallery collections and how the current collection was acquired over the years. Other topics include collections policy, future plans, conditions and requirements for long-term care. For more information or to RSVP, email info@ nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945-8111. NATIONAL PENSIONS: The public is invited to a discussion of the National Pensions (Amendment) Bill in the Bodden Town district, at the Savannah Primary School Hall, 7:30 p.m. MONDAY, AUGUST 10 NATIONAL PENSIONS: The public is invited to a discussion of the National Pensions (Amendment) Bill at the East End Civic Centre at 8 p.m. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12 NATIONAL PENSIONS: The public is invited to a discussion of the National Pensions (Amendment) Bill in West Bay at the Shirley Kidd Memorial Hall at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School, 7:30 p.m. THURSDAY, AUGUST 13 NATIONAL PENSIONS BILL: The public is invited to the final meeting to discuss the National Pensions (Amendment) Bill. It takes place in George Town at the Town Hall, 7:30 p.m. SUMMER CAMPS VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church holds Vacation Bible School July 27-31 with the theme “Everest.” From 8:30 a.m. For more information, call 925-5737. SUMMER PROGRAM: Light of the World after-school extends its program to all day, until July 31. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., for children from Years 1 to 7. Special emphasis on literacy and numeracy, directed by qualified and experienced teachers. Arts and crafts, inside and outside games; field trips to parks, historic places and Camana Bay. Venue is 65 Smith Road. For more information, call 926-1541 or 326-0871. Registration open now. NATIONAL GALLERY SESSIONS: Summer sessions of art-related activities for kids every Thursday till Aug. 20, 2-4 p.m. Free, but space is limited. Register at education@nationalgallery. org or 945-8111. CREATIVE CAMPERS: In session through Aug. 28, for ages 3-13. Runs 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Elmslie Memorial Church Hall. $80 per week includes camp fee, field trips, snacks and lunch. Activities include arts and crafts, sports, science, talent show, Bible study. Contact 324-8707 or creativecampers@live.com. ART AND CRAfT: Organized by the Visual Arts Society. Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, until Aug. 12, 8 a.m. to noon. $45 per session or $120 per week, or $485 for the month. Camp takes place on the grounds of Pedro Castle at the Watler House Art Studio. Visit visualartcayman@ yahoo.com. GENERAL INTEREST NCVO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Volunteers are needed for various activities within the National Council of Voluntary Organisations’ Children Services programmes. Contact Alta Solomon at 949- 2124 or ncvocoordinator@ ncvo.org.ky SUMMER BOOK SWAP: Every Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. until the end of August, at the Learning Tree, Cassia Court in Camana Bay. Book lovers can find titles for all ages and interests. Browse the selection, take your pick and replace it with one of your favorites to help spread the joy of reading. 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. fAMILY SUPPORT UNIT: The Family Support Unit has temporarily relocated to Elizabethan Square. Officers are available to meet those with inquiries or reports regarding domestic violence, child abuse, or other sensitive family- related issues. Individuals wishing to meet with the FSU should inform reception at police headquarters, in Elizabethan Square, 4th floor, Amerigo House. A representative from the FSU will meet with them in a separate office. FSU can be reached at 946-9185, but any emergencies should be reported to 911. NATIONAL GALLERY: The gallery has extended hours for the summer: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the exhibition halls is free and open to the public. Current exhibition is the gallery’s permanent collection. A 20-minute documentary film, “Caymanian Art – A New Frontier,” by Jacob Olde VI will be screened on a loop throughout the exhibition “All Access.” 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. PUBLIC fEEDBACK: The Ministry of Education, Employment & Gender Affairs and the Department of Labour & Pensions has released the Labour Relations Bill, 2015 and the National Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 2015 for public consultation. These bills can be accessed on the Ministry’s website, www.education.gov.ky/ labourpensions. In addition to participation at district meetings, the public can email their feedback on the bills to the Ministry and Department at lpl@gov.ky. 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 CENTER: 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. 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. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at the Catboat Club clubhouse, North Church Street. All are invited to attend. For more information, call 924-4170 or email info@ adacayman.com. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. OPEN CANVAS: Wednesdays from 7 p.m. at KARoo restaurant in Camana Bay. No fee, easels provided. Artists of all levels invited. KARoo offers two complimentary tickets for wine or beer. For more information contact visualartcayman@yahoo.com or jr@cib.ky or 546-9422. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Tuesday July 28, 2015 would be considered during the next phase of drafting the legislation. However, the ministry also alleged that the presentation to the Chamber last week sought to “sensa- tionalize certain issues.” “For example, much con- cern was raised in relation to the new proposed provi- sion that gives the ability for a Labour Tribunal to order an employer to reinstate or reengage an employee who has been found to have been unfairly dismissed, as an al- ternative remedy for com- pensation,” the government statement read. “However, it was not explained during the presentation that, if a tri- bunal chose to exercise this remedy, the practicality of making such an order would need to be considered by the tribunal – in addition to both parties’ wishes.” Mr. Moses told the Cayman Compass Friday that he believed the broader powers given to the Labour Appeals Tribunal would actually assist in the pro- cess, in particular by al- lowing both parties in a labor dispute to resolve the matter without taking the more expensive route of going to court. However, the veteran local attorney also told local busi- nesses that they could ex- pect generally larger awards in dismissal cases, more claims of unfair dismissal and more labor-related ap- peals and more legal costs for companies that will be mostly unrecoverable. Policies relating to unfair dismissal, when an employee is found to have been fired without cause, are proposed to include much stricter pen- alties for employers. Under the old law, workers who were unfairly dismissed were entitled to a maximum of one week’s pay for each year worked at the company. The new bill sets the min- imum pay for an unfairly dis- missed employee at a min- imum of four weeks per each year employed at the com- pany with no upward limit set on the award. Mr. Moses said the old award for unfair dismissal needed to be increased, but the lack of an upward limit on the award could poten- tially cause local employers significant hardship and a lack of certainty. Another area of the law that needed to be clarified, he said, was the termination of fixed-term contracts. For instance, some have misin- terpreted the proposed leg- islation to mean that non- Caymanian work permit holders can have their con- tracts or permits canceled at any time if the company de- cides to replace them with a permanent resident or a Caymanian. Mr. Moses said that’s not true. However, if a non-Caymanian is replaced at the end of their current contract with a Caymanian or permanent resident, they would not be entitled to sev- erance pay or payment for fair dismissal. “But the drafting of the legislation appeared to say [the employer] would be li- able for severance pay- ments [in that case],” Mr. Moses said. Requirements The redrafted labor legislation also places a number of responsibilities on the employer, for which fines and/or jail sentences can be levied in cases of noncompliance. Under the Labour Relations Bill, employers are required to make a copy of the new law available to all workers and must keep the law and regulations given to employees up to date. A fine of $500 will be levied if the company does not make this information available. Mr. Moses said it ap- peared that a “conflict” in the proposed legislation re- quired both a contract of em- ployment and a statement of working conditions for the employee where that would not be necessary. In any case, the statement of working conditions would have to be signed by both the employer and the employee. Mr. Moses questioned what would occur if cur- rent employees who have no working contract refuse to sign one unless they’re given a substantial raise and whether the employer would face fines for not having a contract in that situation. The proposed legislation levies a $10,000 fine for failing to pro- vide a written statement of working conditions, a $2,500 fine or six months’ impris- onment for providing an employee with a “defective” written statement of working conditions and a similar fine for failure to provide such a statement to a worker upon request. In a case of employees losing their job – being made redundant – in a com- pany with five or more em- ployees where they have been employed full-time for six months or more, a report on that job loss must be filed with the government’s director of the Department of Labour and Pensions. A $500 per day fine can be assessed if that report is not filed. However, Mr. Moses points out there is no set time frame in the law within which the company must file such a notice. Bill review In its statement released Monday, the ministry indi- cated that the draft Labour Relations Bill was not a “done deal” and that the public, including Chamber of Commerce members, would have ample opportunity to give their views. “[During] the process, there has been a deliberate attempt to balance the inter- ests of the employee and the employer,” the ministry state- ment read. “Attempts have been made to clarify and strengthen a number of pro- visions in the law in order to benefit both the employee and the employer and the economy as a whole. “As long as an employer abides by the law, there would be no fear about the application of increased pen- alties and fees as a result of breach of the law.” Lawyer: New Labour Law adds costs the board through mid-July 2018. Also, current board member Harry Chisholm has been designated deputy chair for a term through mid-July 2017. Neither Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton nor CIMA Acting Managing Director Patrick Bodden responded imme- diately to queries seeking comment about the board changes. Mr. McCarthy was also contacted but had not responded before press time Monday. CIMA Managing Director Cindy Scotland was off island at the time questions from the Cayman Compass were received. Mr. McCarthy said in June that the agency would commission an internal review following the ar- rest of Caymanian busi- nessman Jeffrey Webb, former FIFA vice president and ex-CONCACAF presi- dent, in Switzerland May 27 on U.S.-based charges of racketeering and money laundering. At least one current and one former Cayman Islands bank were named in connection with the probe, although nei- ther bank was accused of wrongdoing in records filed with the U.S. court. The CIMA board met in early June to discuss a number of issues related to the FIFA investigation and how it could potentially af- fect Cayman’s financial ser- vices industry. Mr. McCarthy said at the time that members were “very much concerned about the events that are occur- ring,” but agreed that it was too early for direct board in- volvement in these matters. Mr. McCarthy said the three-person internal re- view committee will in- clude newly appointed CIMA head of banking Charles Ilako, head of com- pliance R.J. Berry and deputy general counsel Andre Mon Desir. After the review committee com- pletes its work, it will present a report to CIMA’s management committee, and the management com- mittee will report to the board, Mr. McCarthy said. Mr. McCarthy con- firmed that Ms. Scotland would remain in her role as managing 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. CIMA directors change in midst of ‘internal review’ partnerships and common- law marriage. The level of rights similar to a marriage that are afforded a couple in a civil union de- pends on the legislation of the country in which the union was formed. Some countries allow same-sex couples, or common-law married hetero- sexual couples, to adopt chil- dren, for instance, while others forbid it. “The [European] court con- sidered that legal protection and recognition should be available to same-sex couples in a stable, committed rela- tionship as it was for couples of different sexes,” the Human Rights Commission noted. Legal recognition of a union for same-sex couples can serve to protect a number of rights and obligations that married couples have, including laws regarding financial support, child maintenance payments and inheritance/estate rights, among others. Cayman, as a British Overseas Territory, falls within the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights. “[Last week’s] judgment is in line with that issued by the U.S. Supreme Court last month,” the HRC noted. “[The U.S.] court’s judgment dealt specifically with marriage, however, many of the same ar- guments apply.” No surprise Cayman’s being required to follow international proto- cols regarding the recognition and legal acceptance of civil unions was alluded to in a number of public statements earlier this year. Robert Wintemute of King’s College in London specifically referred to the Italian court case during a speech to the Truman Bodden Law School in January. Mr. Wintemute said at the time that the Italy case could create a precedent that would apply to the Cayman Islands. “If the European Court of Human Rights says Italy has to have it, that will mean Cayman Islands too,” Mr. Wintemute told the Cayman Compass during an interview. “You can’t appeal and say we are the Cayman Islands, we are different, we have a different culture. They will have already taken that into account.” He said it would be in the country’s best inter- ests to introduce a package of reforms updating its leg- islation to comply with the European Convention rather than waiting to be challenged in court. He also recommended legislators go one step further and introduce a civil partner- ship law and anti-discrimina- tion legislation – steps that are not yet required by the con- vention but could soon become mandatory, depending on the outcome of upcoming cases. In addition, he advised Cayman to look at other laws currently on the books related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people that may not be compliant with human rights. For instance, the higher age of consent for ho- mosexual sex, laws restricting group sex for gay and lesbian people and the civil union ban – particularly as it relates to local Immigration Law – are all outside what the European Convention on Human Rights establishes. HRC: Gov’t must allow same-sex unions “There will be additional HR costs and zero time in which to [make the changes].” Huw Moses, attorney “The Human Rights Commission calls upon the government to enact such legislation [regarding civil unions].” HuMaN RigHts CoMMissioN stateMeNt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Boston out; olympic committee looks elsewhere (AP) – Boston’s bid to host the 2024 Olympics is over. The city and the U.S. Olympic Committee severed ties after a board teleconfer- ence Monday, ending an effort that was troubled nearly from the moment it started. The decision throws the bid process – and hopes that the U.S. will host another Olympics – into flux. Only seven weeks remain before cities have to be officially nominated. USOC CEO Scott Blackmun said the federation wants to stay in the race. If so, Los Angeles would be the likely choice. Blackmun said the bid leaders still felt Boston could deliver a great Olympics. “They also recognize, how- ever, that we are out of time if the USOC is going to be able to consider a bid from another city,” Blackmun said. “As a result, we have reached a mutual agreement to withdraw Boston’s bid.” The Boston bid soured within days of its beginning in January, beset by poor communication and an active opposition group that kept public support low. It also failed to get – and keep – the support of key politicians. Earlier Monday, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh an- nounced he would not be pres- sured into signing the host city contract that puts the city on the hook for any cost overruns. Gov. Charlie Baker had been unwilling to pledge his sup- port, waiting instead to see a full report from a consulting group that wasn’t scheduled to be complete until next month. The chairmen of No Boston Olympics released a statement, and planned a celebration at a Boston pub later Monday. Grant Stein, the former managing partner of Walkers Global in the Cayman Islands, was appointed as the new chairman. The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Tuesday July 28, 2015 • Cayman Compass Gunfight kills 21 at wedding party A shoot-out at a wedding party in northern Afghanistan has left 21 people dead and eight wounded, an official said Monday. Most of the dead were wedding guests and at least two of the wounded were younger than 18 years old. In northern Syria, US and Turkey aim for Islamic State-free zone BEIRUT (AP) – The United States and Turkey are final- izing plans for a military campaign to push the Islamic State group out of a strip of Syrian territory along the Turkish border, a move that would further embroil Turkey in Syria’s civil war and set up a potential conflict with U.S.- backed Kurdish forces. A U.S. official said the cre- ation of an “Islamic State-free zone” would ensure greater security and stability in the Turkish-Syrian border re- gion. However, the official said any joint military ef- forts with Turkey would not include the imposition of a no-fly zone. The official in- sisted on anonymity because this person was not autho- rized to publicly discuss the talks with Turkey. The U.S. has long rejected Turkish and other requests for a no-fly zone to halt Syrian government air raids, fearing it would draw U.S. forces fur- ther into the civil war. The discussions come amid a major tactical shift in Turkey’s approach to the Islamic State. After months of reluctance, Turkish war- planes started striking mil- itant targets in Syria last week, following a long- awaited agreement al- lowing the U.S. to launch its own strikes from Turkey’s strategically located Incirlik Air Base. But in a series of cross- border strikes since Friday, Turkey has not only targeted the IS group but also Kurdish fighters affiliated with forces battling the extremists in Syria and Iraq. The Syrian Kurds are among the most ef- fective ground forces battling the IS group and have been aided by U.S.-led airstrikes, but Turkey fears they could revive an insurgency against Ankara in pursuit of an inde- pendent state. It was not immediately clear how an IS-free zone would be established along the Turkish-Syrian border, most of which is controlled by the Kurds. Syria’s main Kurdish fighting force is af- filiated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which waged a decades-long insur- gency in Turkey and main- tains bases in remote parts of northern Iraq. On Monday Syria’s main Kurdish militia and an ac- tivist group said Turkish troops had shelled a Syrian village near the border, tar- geting Kurdish fighters. The Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, said the Sunday night shelling on the border village of Til Findire targeted one of their vehicles. It said Til Findire is east of the border town of Kobani, where the Kurds handed a major defeat to the Islamic State group earlier this year. But Turkish officials dismissed the claims, in- sisting their forces were only targeting the IS group in Syria, and the PKK in neighboring Iraq. A government official said Turkey returned fire after Turkish soldiers at the border were fired upon, in line with Turkey’s rules of engagement. “The Syrian Kurds are not a target of the opera- tions. Our operations only target IS in Syria and PKK in Iraq,” he said. The Turkish official said authorities were “in- vestigating claims that the Turkish military engaged po- sitions held by forces other than ISIS.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of rules that bar of- ficials from speaking to jour- nalists without authorization. The YPG did not say in its Monday statement whether there were casual- ties in the shelling. The YPG said Turkey first shelled Til Findire on Friday, wounding four fighters of the rebel Free Syrian Army and several local villagers. It urged Turkey to “halt this ag- gression and to follow inter- national guidelines.” The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four fighters were wounded in the vil- lage of Zor Maghar, which is also close to the Turkish border. Conflicting reports are common in the aftermath of violent incidents. Earlier this month, Syria’s main Kurdish party, the Democratic Union Party, or PYD, warned Turkey that any military intervention would threaten international peace and said its armed wing, the YPG, would respond to any “aggression.” Turkish police mean- while raided homes in a neighborhood in the cap- ital on Monday, detaining at least 15 people suspected of links to the Islamic State group, the Turkish state- run news agency said. The Anadolu Agency said those detained in Ankara’s Haci Bayram neighborhood in- clude a number of foreign nationals, without naming their home countries. Turkey has arrested hun- dreds of people with sus- pected links to violent extremists. On Sunday, it called for a meeting of its NATO allies to discuss threats to its security, as well as its airstrikes. In comments published Monday, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey and the United States had no plans to send ground troops into Syria but said they had agreed to pro- vide air cover to moderate Syrian fighters. “If we are not going to send land units to the ground – and we will not – then those forces acting as ground forces cooperating with us should be protected,” Davutoglu told a group of senior journalists over the weekend. His com- ments were published in the Hurriyet newspaper. Davutoglu also said Turkey wanted to clear its border of IS extremists. “We don’t want to see Daesh at our border,” Hurriyet quoted Davutoglu as saying, using the Arabic ac- ronym of the group. “We want to see the moderate opposi- tion take its place.” The Turkish leader also said Turkey’s action against the IS has “changed the re- gional game.” Despite the U.S. and Turkey’s shared interests in fighting the Islamic State, the Turks have also prioritized defeating Syrian President Bashar Assad. While the U.S. says Assad has lost legiti- macy, it has not taken direct military action to try to re- move him from office. A police officer on Monday checks IDs while Turkish police raid homes in the Haci Bayram neighborhood of Ankara, Turkey. Security forces have detained at least 15 people suspected of links to the Islamic State group, the state-run news agency said. - Photo: AP MAlAysiA, CubA tAken off us huMAn trAffiCking blACklist WASHINGTON (AP) – The State Department has taken Malaysia and Cuba off its blacklist of countries failing to combat modern- day slavery. That could leave the U.S. open to criticism that poli- tics is swaying the often- contentious rankings in its annual human traf- ficking report. Thailand, downgraded with Malaysia last year be- cause of pervasive labor abuses in its lucrative fishing industry, remained on the blacklist. Critics contend that Malaysia’s up- grade is related to its par- ticipation in a U.S.-backed trade agreement among Pacific Rim countries. Thailand is not part of the proposed agreement. The department released Monday the annual U.S. as- sessment of how 188 gov- ernments around the world have performed in fighting the flesh trade and other forms of exploitative labor. Yemen ground fighting rages after airstrikes pause SANAA, Yemen (AP) – Shiite rebels and their opponents battled across several prov- inces Monday after the start of a five-day humanitarian pause in the Saudi-led air campaign, Yemeni officials said. Coalition planes carried out flyovers over Yemen but did not drop munitions, the officials said. Ground fighting erupted in multiple provinces within minutes of the start of the unilateral cease-fire late Sunday. The rebels, known as Houthis, said in a statement that they fired missiles across the border at a Saudi mili- tary position in the kingdom’s Jazan region. The Saudi-owned Al-Hadath news channel said Saudi forces “responded” to Houthi shelling in Jazan, without elaborating. Fierce clashes also broke out in the nearby town of Sabr, which is on a key supply route. Officials aligned with pro-gov- ernment fighters say they have regained control of the center of the town and trying to ad- vance into northern neighbor- hoods. Witnesses who fled Sabr Monday morning say corpses of fighters lay in the street next to destroyed military vehicles. Officials and witnesses said there were sporadic clashes in Yemen’s central Marib prov- ince. In Taiz, mortar shells fired in the center of the city killed four civilians, security and medical officials said. Anti-aircraft gunfire was heard in the rebel-held cap- ital Sanaa as coalition planes buzzed overhead. The humanitarian pause is intended to help allow hu- manitarian aid to be deliv- ered to ease the suffering of civilians in the Arab world’s poorest country. A U.S. official said any joint military efforts with Turkey would not include the imposition of a no-fly zone. Witnesses who fled Sabr Monday morning say corpses of fighters lay in the street next to destroyed military vehicles.9 WORLD&REGIONAL Cayman Compass • Tuesday July 28, 2015 Israel wants US to release its spy but not as part of Iran deal JERUSALEM – Israel reacted with cautious optimism on Sunday to the news that the spy Jonathan Pollard might be released on parole from a U.S. prison in November after serving 30 years of a life sentence. But Israeli leaders stressed that Pollard’s freedom would not derail their plans to vigorously op- pose the Iran nuclear deal. The American-born U.S. intelligence analyst, who sold top secrets to the Israelis, has been jailed since 1985. His uncovering was a major em- barrassment for Israel, which relies on the United States as its No. 1 ally. The Pollard affair strained relations between the two countries’ spy agencies, and his early release was opposed by a generation of top U.S. intelligence officials serving under Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly sought Pollard’s release. The Israeli leader visited Pollard in federal prison in North Carolina in 2002, when he was out of office. News that Pollard might be released at his next pa- role hearing in November after serving 30 years was seen by many as an attempt by the Obama administra- tion to “compensate” Israel for the Iran deal, which the Netanyahu govern- ment vehemently opposes as an existential threat to Israel’s survival. Publicly, Israeli leaders denied any quid pro quo. An Israeli official in the prime minister’s office, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss dip- lomatic discussions, said: “Israel has for years been calling for Jonathan Pollard’s release for humanitarian rea- sons. This is ongoing. We rou- tinely bring it up.” Pollard, an American Jew, worked as a field analyst at the Navy’s Field Operations Intelligence Office when he was arrested. He is 60, has spent half his life in prison and reportedly has health problems. His supporters say that he spied out of love for Israel and that the secrets he stole aided only Israel and did not harm U.S. inter- ests. His detractors call him a traitor who stole for money; most of the American Jewish community has kept him at arm’s length. Israel granted him citizenship in 1995. The Israeli official said “we apologized decades ago” for employing Pollard as a spy. The official said the prime minister concurred with White House assertions “that this has nothing to do with the Iran deal.” The Justice Department said on Friday that the terms of Pollard’s life sentence re- quire that he be released after 30 years unless the gov- ernment can show he vio- lated prison rules or remains a danger. The White House rejected the suggestion that it would use Pollard’s release to ap- pease Israel or sway Congress to support the Iran deal. Congress is weighing a vote to approve the Iran deal, which would lift economic sanctions against Iran in ex- change for limiting the coun- try’s nuclear program and freezing for a decade or more its creation of weapons-grade uranium. Israeli leaders and lobbying groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee plan to press Congress to kill the deal. A National Security Council spokesman, Alistair Baskey, said Pollard’s future would be decided “according to standard procedures” of the U.S. Parole Commission and that “there is absolutely zero linkage between Mr. Pollard’s status and foreign policy considerations.” An Israeli member of parliament, Nachman Shai, chairman of the Knesset caucus for Pollard’s release, said that it would be an in- sult to link the Iran deal to Pollard’s future. “After 30 years, Pollard has to be released. That is the maximum period,” Shai said. “No other prisoner has served in a U.S. prison for such a long period for a sim- ilar crime. “They did not treat him well and they took it up to the worst point, so to say that this is a gesture from the American side to soften the Iran deal is an insult, and that is the least I can say,” he said. This past year, more than 100 of the 120 Knesset members signed a letter to President Barack Obama asking for Pollard to be re- leased a year before the end of his sentence. On Sunday, Israel’s three leading newspapers all ran front-page articles on Pollard’s possible release, with headlines reflecting Israeli sentiment such as “On His Way Home,” “Crossing Fingers” and “Pollard: Because It’s About Time.” Columnist Ronen Bergman in the Israeli news- paper Yedioth Ahronoth wrote that it was hard to see the timing of Pollard’s release “as a mere coincidence.” He called Pollard “a consolation prize” for the Iran deal. Bergman and other Israeli political commentators noted that U.S. and Israeli diplo- mats discussed releasing Pollard as a way to bring Israel back to the negotiating table after talks with the Palestinians collapsed this past year. What will happen to Pollard if he is released in November is another matter of concern to the Israelis, who want Pollard to come to Israel and not be required to remain in the United States under supervision. “We are not responding to reports over the weekend in the media; we are waiting for an official announcement before we comment,” said Effi Lahav, head of the Free Pollard Campaign. © 2015, The Washington Post Problems pile up for Greek boat-builders as taxes bite ATHENS, Greece (AP) – At its height eight years ago, George Kranitis’ family-owned ship- yard in Patra, Greece’s third- largest city, employed some 35 people and sold around 340 boats annually. But after years of biting recession, Kranitis has had to fire almost everyone at the 10,000-square-foot yard. And if that wasn’t enough, things just got a whole lot more taxing – literally. In order to get its third fi- nancial bailout in five years, Greece’s government has had to introduce a series of eco- nomic reforms and austerity measures – just to get discus- sions started. One involves the exten- sion of an annual luxury tax to all recreational boats over 16.4 feet, so it’s not just your average catamaran that’s a feature across countless har- bours in the Aegean Sea. Another has been in- creasing that tax to 13 per- cent from 10 percent. The combination, ac- cording to Kranitis, could prove to be the final death knell for an industry that’s already seen boat registra- tions shrink from a high of 11,112 in 2007 to just over 2,500 last year. “We’re being destroyed,” said Kranitis who also heads the Greek Boat Builders’ Association. “I can’t under- stand what these people in government are thinking.” With a coastline that’s 10,720 miles in length, which according to the Greek Boat Builders’ Association is equal to two-thirds of Africa’s, Greece is one of the world’s great maritime jewels with its hundreds of islands, picture-perfect bays and seaside tavernas. So the fate of the boating industry resonates far and wide in Greece. “Greece is a yachting paradise, a place where ev- eryone likes to have a small boat,” said Greek Tourism Federation chief George Vernicos who also heads his own yacht business. Anyone thinking of raising some cash to make ends meet by selling a boat will struggle as the sales tax has also been increased by a whopping 10 percentage points to 23 per- cent – that’s unlikely to en- courage buyers. Opting to hold on doesn’t come cheap. The owner of a 33-foot speedboat valued at 16,000 euros (US$17,600) would have to pay 2,080 euros annually. For a 33-foot sail- boat or yacht valued at 28,500 euros that comes with ac- commodation space for pas- sengers, the amount jumps to 3,700 euros each year. There are some reliefs. For instance, if a boat is declared to be out of use for certain months of the year, say over winter, the tax is reduced accordingly. The vessel’s age can also be taken into account and so can the owner’s – pen- sioners get a big discount. There’s also a discount for boats made in Greece ex- clusively out of wood and fashioned according to traditional methods. The biggest gainers are foreign-owned boats or ves- sels used for work like those of fishermen – they are ex- empted from the tax. For many, it’s a case of finding the money or running up arrears and facing a fine with interest on top. Officials say they don’t have exact figures on how many boat owners would be affected by the tax. And there are doubts the moves will achieve what is hoped for – getting some easy cash back into state coffers. “I don’t believe they will have any income from this because even if someone would like to buy something, he would prefer to go to Italy or to another country to buy it,” said Vernicos. George Riginos, a partner in the family-owned Riginos Yachts located in the well-to- do Athens suburb of Glyfada, said chasing buyers away with higher taxes can only be damaging by putting a whole host of people along the chain out of work – from builders at shipyards to crew members and cleaners. The Greek government’s message of going after the “rich, capitalist yacht owners” just doesn’t ring true, ac- cording to Riginos. “It’s a pity,” he said. “Last year was the best year in sales in a long time and now that looks to be reversed.” In any case, Vernicos says the rich will work out a way of avoiding taxes. “When you put taxes, you attack the more poor people, if I can say, rather than the very rich,” he said. Jonathan Pollard A superyacht passes Faliro, southern Athens. One of Greece’s economic reforms involves the extension of an annual luxury tax to all recreational boats over 16.4 feet. - Photo: AP Israeli leaders stressed that Pollard’s freedom would not derail their plans to vigorously oppose the Iran nuclear deal. The industry has already seen boat registrations shrink from a high of 11,112 in 2007 to just over 2,500 last year.Next >