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FINANCING AVAILABLE Sales: 925-6686 170A Seymoure Dr, Industrial ParkParts & Repairs 929-7172 info@centerlanemoto rs.ky www.centerlanemotors.ky Zongshen Z-One S $2,450 Daelim Roadwin R 125cc $3,950 Vespa S $3,750 Zongshen Prance 125cc $2,450 Dirt Bikes For Kids FROM $650 $1,250 FaceOff Heist 250cc $4,950 $2,750 Piaggio Fly cayman weekender Birding takes off Editorial | pagE 4 Anti-Corruption Commission: pArty of one eSTaBLISHed 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – fridAy August 14, 2015 premier says conspiracy evidence fabricated, signatures forged Brent fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Evidence intended to be used to disprove Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin’s case during the course of an upcoming civil trial is fabricated and, in some cases, contains forged signatures, the premier alleged Thursday during a meeting of the Legislative Assembly. Mr. McLaughlin also said that there was a police investigation under way into the “fab- ricated” records, one of which Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush attempted to read in the House Thursday morning. Mr. Bush was seeking to support his ongoing claims that high-ranking government officials – in- cluding Mr. McLaughlin, former Cayman Islands Governor Duncan Taylor and Police Commissioner David Baines – conspired to re- move Mr. Bush as premier during 2011-2012. Mr. McLaughlin has sued Mr. Bush for def- amation over these conspiracy allegations, which surfaced earlier in the year when the opposition leader filed a private members’ motion claiming that the coordinated con- spiracy had “toppled” the lawfully elected United Democratic Party government and re- moved Mr. Bush as premier. Royal Cayman Islands Police Commissioner David Baines confirmed the existence of an in- vestigation into the documents late Thursday. “I can confirm that an investigation is under way into the origin and authenticity of a number of documents as described by Premier Alden McLaughlin [at Thursday’s] Legislative Assembly,” Mr. Baines said. “The matter was reported to me by Premier McLaughlin. After initially receiving his report, I handed over the oversight and investigation into the matter to Deputy Commissioner of Police Steven Brougham and recused myself, as being the alleged author of some of the correspondence presents a conflict of interest. “In the interest of transparency, it is im- portant the investigation is conducted without my oversight or involvement. I am unable to comment further.” The evidence issue arose as Mr. Bush was de- bating another private members’ motion he had filed, seeking to change the membership of the local Anti-Corruption Commission. Mr. Bush said ‘Heroes for Hannah’ research grant awarded AshAni frAnCis-Collins afrancis-collins@pinnaclemedialtd.com The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a charity dedicated to raising money for child- hood cancer research, has awarded a re- search grant in honor of Hannah Meeson of Grand Cayman. Hannah was diagnosed with anaplastic medulloblastoma, a form of brain cancer, in 2012 at age 4. The Cayman community put their support behind Hannah over the last two years, taking part in mass head- shaving charity events to raise funds for child cancer research. The “Heroes for Hannah St. Baldrick’s Research Grant” was awarded to Dr. Erwin Van Meir at Emory University, according to a press release from the charity. “Dr. Van Meir and his team are investi- gating a new tumor suppressor (BAL1) in medulloblastoma. He hopes that the re- search will help devise new therapeutic ap- proaches to block the growth of medullo- blastoma and help kids like Hannah who have had to fight this horrible disease,” the A St. Baldrick’s Foundation research grant has been awarded in honor of Hannah Meeson of Grand Cayman, pictured here with her grandmother June Brereton. RepoRt: NeaRly 4,000 Receive meNtal health seRvices Brent fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The first report of Cayman’s newly formed Mental Health Commission states that nearly 4,000 people – 9 percent of whom are age 17 or younger – received some form of mental health-related services at public, private or overseas hospitals in 2013. Premier Alden McLaughlin, who is also the Cayman Islands health minister, said Wednesday that he believes there is an ade- quate number of healthcare professionals on Grand Cayman to meet patient needs. However, the lack of a long-term mental health patient-care facility in the Cayman Islands and a dearth of mental health prac- titioners on Cayman Brac continue to be daunting problems for the islands, the pre- mier said. “In 2013, almost 4,000 patients were treated in the government and some outpatient pri- vate facilities, of which 9 percent were chil- dren and adults 17 years of age or younger,” Mr. McLaughlin said Wednesday during his discussion of the Mental Health Commission’s 2014 report in the Legislative Assembly. “While there is an adequate number of mental health practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses, occupa- tional therapists, etc., employed in [the] public PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY AUGUST 14, 2015 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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 Eugenio Leon Harpist Extraordinaire, serenades tableside tonight and every Friday night! Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday TOMORROW Saturday, August 15th 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 Tarpon Fish Feeding 7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly Tonight! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm with FREE Hors d’oeuvres + Drink Specials BEER $3.50 MIXED WELL $4.75 GLASS. WINE $6.75 Come for Happy Hour and stay and enjoy the Beautiful Sunset!! PALM TREE PARADISE 3 bed + D, 3 bath, 2000s/f Ocean front in Frank Sound More than 180 degree views Fabulous island home l l l l REDUCED! US$595,000 Member CIREBA MLS#403986 345-945-4411 info@cirealty.ky caymanislandsrealty.com Shabbat Candle Lighting time on Friday, August 14 6:36pm Chabad Jewish Center of the Cayman Islands jewishcayman.com-345.516.4474 Threats made against school aide facing child sex assault charges CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A former teacher’s aide accused of indecently as- saulting female pri- mary school students has been the target of serious threats online, according to his attorney. Defense attorney Karin Thompson told Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez on Thursday that the threats to her client and members of his family were the re- sult of published remarks on social media, including Facebook. These published remarks would impact her client’s ability to have a fair trial, she said. Ms. Thompson empha- sized that she was not refer- ring to the local press. “The local media have been re- sponsible,” she said. The magistrate agreed that what was happening on- line was a separate issue and one of the “unfortunate as- pects of this modern age.” Ms. Thompson indicated that she was making an ap- plication in another court re- garding publicity. The defendant, 19, faces 10 charges of indecent as- sault on females. The charges relate to seven girls at a gov- ernment primary school between September and November 2014. He resigned on Dec. 1. Ms. Thompson noted she had been told at the defen- dant’s last court appear- ance that he should be en- tering pleas to the charges or else electing whether to be tried in Summary Court or Grand Court. Instead, she was asking the court to order psychiatric and psycholog- ical assessments for him be- cause one of her concerns was his fitness to plead and she wanted a clear under- standing of his state of mind. Magistrate Hernandez made the orders for the as- sessments and asked that they be given priority so that the matter could pro- ceed. She set Sept. 10 for the next mention. Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin advised that the Crown would object to any application for bail to be varied for the de- fendant to be allowed to leave the jurisdiction. The Cayman Compass is not naming the defen- dant because doing so could lead to the identity of the alleged victims. Police warn against donation scams BY KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Police are advising the public to exercise caution if approached on the street and asked to make a chari- table donation. Police said they learned two weeks ago that chil- dren along the George Town waterfront may have solicited donations under false pretenses. The children carried documentation claiming the name of the organiza- tion they were seeking do- nations for was “Children of the Future.” A sign-up sheet included the contact name “Rosita Webb” and a phone number that is not in service. Witnesses also reported seeing an adult woman standing on the other side of the road, believed to be working with the children. The children were also seen asking for dona- tions outside a hardware store last month in George Town and again at the West Shore Centre about a week ago. If approached and asked to donate to a school fun- draiser, the RCIPS advise asking for the name of the school, the name of the stu- dent and parent, and to call the school to confirm whether a child by that name is a student. Check before giving If approached to do- nate to a charity, po- lice advise the public to obtain the name of the charity and confirm that it is listed on the Cayman Islands Registry. Charities are categorized as busi- nesses on the registry. RCIPS public rela- tions officer Jacqueline Carpenter said the police service is not discouraging people from donating to charities or fundraisers, but reminding them to exercise caution in these situations. Ms. Carpenter said anyone who comes across a solicitation for donations that appears to be illegiti- mate should report the in- cident to the police. The RCIPS Financial Crime Unit can be reached at 649-8797. The Cayman Islands Registry can be searched at www.ciregistry.gov.ky. FIDEL CASTRO TURNS 89, SAYS US HAS HEFTY DEBT TO CUBA HAVANA (AP) – Fidel Castro marked his 89th birthday with a newspaper column repeating assertions that the U.S. owes socialist Cuba “nu- merous millions of dollars” for damages caused by its decades-long embargo. The brief essay came a day before an historic mo- ment in U.S.-Cuba rela- tions: Secretary of State John Kerry is to raise the Stars and Stripes over a re- stored American Embassy in Havana, though the eco- nomic embargo legally re- mains in effect. The rapprochement after 54 years of formal diplo- matic estrangement was en- gineered by Fidel’s brother Raul, who took over Cuba’s presidency after the elder Castro suffered a health crisis in 2006. Fidel Castro did not di- rectly mention the restored relations, though he made several critical references to the U.S. He said Washington owes Cuba indemnifications “that rise to numerous mil- lions of dollars” for damage caused by the embargo. He also repeated his criticism of the U.S. deci- sion to stop swapping dol- lars for gold in 1971, a stand shared with some conserva- tive economists. Castro has said in the past that such a move left the dollar alone as the world’s measure of value for currencies. Castro came to power in 1959 following a revolution. Relations with the United States were broken in 1961 as Castro led Cuba rapidly into a socialist model allied with the Soviet Union. ONE TEEN DEAD, FIVE INJURED IN FLORIDA BOAT CRASH FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – A small boat carrying six teen- agers on a late-night river trip crashed into a bridge early Thursday, killing one and in- juring the others onboard. Investigators were working to learn the cause of the one- vessel crash and to determine whether someone had loaned the teens the boat. The 13- foot Boston Whaler was not owned by anyone directly re- lated to them, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Liz Barraco said. She identified the teen who died as John M. Baker, 17. Classmate Prince Hassan described him as “a good fisherman” and “the nicest kid ever.” He said they were about to begin their senior year in high school. “We’re all kids, we’re all going to party, we’re all going to have fun,” Hassan said. “It could have happened to me last night. I could have been on that boat, but I decided not to go.” The teens had apparently set out on the Middle River in Fort Lauderdale around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, offi- cials said. Early Thursday, the craft crashed into pilings under a bridge on the south fork of the river, which runs through a residential neigh- borhood in Fort Lauderdale. Michael Cooper, who lives near the crash site, said he was getting ready for bed when he heard a “tremendous smack” outside. “I feel so bad for them and the family. I’m thinking about them. I hope they are OK,” Cooper said. Three teens were in crit- ical condition, and two had minor injuries, Barraco said. Their names haven’t been re- leased. Investigators worked through the night to process the scene. By daylight, the boat had been taken away and the scene cleared.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Friday august 14, 2015 4963 LIME - SUMMER Roaming - Full Page Ad - CMYK - 10.33 x 15.97 - 22 July 2015 ROAMING 50% OFF UPGRADE TO ROAMING THIS SUMMER LIME Terms & Conditions Apply All summer long, get 50% off any roaming plan from LIME. Visit lime.com/roaming to activate now. POSTPAID FROM $ 999MONTHLY $ 450 PREPAID FROMThe 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. Friday augusT 14, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush’s problem with the Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Commission, he says, is that it has the wrong people on it. We don’t disagree, but our primary concern is more funda- mental: The Anti-Corruption Commission doesn’t have enough people on it. Now that Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick has tendered his resignation, Police Commissioner David Baines stands alone as the sole remaining member of the five-person body. Cabinet-appointed private sector members Sir Peter Allen and Leonard Ebanks concluded their terms on Feb. 28, while Nicola Williams left her post as com- plaints commissioner at the beginning of the year. About a month ago, Mr. Swarbrick acknowledged that, “The oversight body is not fully functioning at this stage” — though he emphasized that the staff side of the entity, the anti-corruption unit, was still actively engaged in its investigatory work. If the commission (which hasn’t met since February) decides to convene again, that doesn’t mean Mr. Baines will be sitting at a table alone, talking to himself. Mr. Swarbrick’s resignation doesn’t take effect until October, and, as acting complaints commissioner, Bridgette Lazzari-von Gerhardt can step in as a voting member of the Anti-Corruption Commission. As Mr. Swarbrick said, “We can technically get a quorum.” However, when we are dealing with as serious a subject as corruption, “technically,” in our opinion, isn’t nearly good enough. Rooting out misbehavior in the public sector should be an essential focus of Cayman’s government administration, and a national pastime among the population. It is that important. Part of the problem with the Anti-Corruption Com- mission, as Mr. Bush and others have pointed out over the years, is that the ex officio members already have full-time jobs — the police commissioner, auditor general and complaints commissioner. In other words, they’re particularly busy people. Also valid are concerns over the independence of the Anti-Corruption Commission, as constituted, with three members who are hired by the governor (an extension of the U.K. Foreign & Commonwealth Office), and two members appointed by Cabinet, i.e. the ruling political party of the day. Perhaps there should be, for example, one fewer ex officio member, to be replaced by an individual selected by the Opposition Party, the local business community, or the financial services sector, etc. In any event, we believe that appointed boards and commissions have their place in government oversight, but when it all boils down, the onus of enforcing anti- corruption statutes (and any criminal laws) falls to the police, in concert with the Director of Public Prosecu- tions. No criminal investigation, particularly into sus- pected high-level corruption, should be impeded by, unduly influenced by or contingent upon the decisions of any intermediary. If the police see evidence of corruption (for instance, in an auditor general’s report on unauthor- ized government spending), they should be fully empowered to confront it head on, independent of any “official” filing of a specific form with any commission. With scant natural resources and limited landmass, our country’s singular economic virtue is our reputation. In the First Quarter 2015 edition of Cayman Finan- cial Review, also published by Pinnacle Media, the magazine’s Editorial Board – comprising local leaders and world-renowned economists — stated the fol- lowing: “Corruption hurts everyone who depends on the integrity of people in a position of authority, whether in public or private sector. That is: everyone. A reputation of corruption, or tolerance for corruption, can erode competitive advantage and deter investors.” And that’s something Cayman, as a country, cannot afford. Anti-Corruption Commission: Party of one 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” Regulations squeeze financial industry What is the purpose of fi- nancial regulation? Advocates of more and more financial regulation say it is neces- sary to protect the consumer against greedy bankers and other financial professionals and institutions. But what if excessive financial regula- tion is actually reducing con- sumer choice and increasing the cost of banking, saving and investing well beyond the point of any benefits? Most people understand that competition is good in that it results in better prod- ucts at lower cost and more choice. Yet the government has been destroying financial market competition, increasing consumer cost and reducing choice. In 1921, the United States had 31,000 commercial banks, and now we have only 5,500 for three times the pop- ulation. Part of the reason for the decline in the number of banks is due to natural market forces, such as mergers, to gain the benefits of economies of scale and to allow banks to have nationwide branch banking, both of which ben- efit consumers. But another major reason for the reduction in the number of banks, par- ticularly in recent years, has been the cost of bank regu- lation, which puts small and community banks at a severe competitive disadvantage. In fact, no new banks have been chartered since the beginning of the Obama administration. The massive increase in reg- ulatory costs has resulted in fewer and more costly bank services for the consumer. Regulations on banking and the rest of the financial in- dustry are developed and en- forced by the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service, the Justice Department, and now even the Department of Labor. Officials in the Obama administration at the Department of Labor are attempting a power grab with the claim that financial ad- visers may be ripping off their customers by putting them in investment funds controlled by their own companies and charging them commissions on the purchase and sales of funds and other products. Most investors need in- vestment advice. Professional financial advisers need con- siderable schooling given the complexity of financial mar- kets, products and regula- tions. And, like other profes- sionals, they need to be paid for their services. Under the proposed Department of Labor rule, many small investors will be unable to get investment advice and education for their Individual Retirement Accounts since the compa- nies would no longer be able to cover the cost by charging commissions on many of the transactions. Small investors would be forced into index funds or pay a negotiated fee for investment advice, which is likely to increase the overall cost for the small investor, causing some of them to go without needed guidance. Yes, a few investment ad- visers may not be fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility to their clients, but there are already plenty of laws on the books to take care of this problem. Yet every day, govern- ment fails in its fiduciary re- sponsibility to spend taxpayer money wisely. It is as if a guy from the mafia comes and tells you that for a big fee, he is going to protect you from the car wash overcharging you. If the administration is so concerned about the cost of fi- nancial services to consumers, why has it persisted for more than two years in forcing a global regulation (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA) on banks and other financial institutions, which has had the effect of making it almost impossible for millions of Americans living abroad to obtain bank accounts without prohibitive cost? As in the proposed Department of Labor regulation, the ad- ministration has failed to do a cost-benefit analysis of the FATCA regulation, even though it will likely cost mil- lions of jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars in needed foreign investment. This is a real failure in fiduciary – and moral – responsibility. Richard W. Rahn, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. © 2015, The Washington Times RichaRd W. Rahn The number of banks in the U.S. has dwindled over the decades.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 14, 2015 Turtle farm breeding up, finances down More than 8,000 turtles at farm BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Although a far cry from the 20,000 turtles the tourism and research fa- cility once boasted, the total number of turtles housed at the Cayman Turtle Farm has increased significantly over a four-year period. In mid-2010, the turtle farm’s managing director, Tim Adam, reported to the Legislative Assembly that fewer than 7,000 turtles were kept at the farm. An annual report re- leased this week for the gov- ernment’s 2013/14 budget year indicated that the farm maintained more than 8,000 turtles at its West Bay compound. “Over the past couple of years, there have been very encouraging results in this area,” the 2013/14 annual re- port stated. During the 2014 turtle nesting season (which runs roughly from March through November) more than 26,000 turtle eggs were collected from breeding turtles. This was a slightly lower number of eggs produced than the year before, largely because the farm took its less suc- cessful breeders out of the pond. Officials also did not count baby turtles born be- fore March 1, although some turtle eggs had been laid on the farm’s artificial beach in February of that year. Encouraging hatch rate The report also noted what farm officials de- scribed as “very encour- aging” results in the turtle egg-hatching rate. “Of the eggs that were incubated to full term, the percentage of eggs that hatched increased from 10.8 percent in 2013 to 15.6 per- cent in 2014,” the annual re- port noted. Turtle Farm managers were hopeful the breeding improvements would help keep up with local demand for turtle meat, which in- creased some 45 percent be- tween 2013 and 2014. During the government’s 2013/14 budget year, more than 51,500 pounds of turtle meat and related prod- ucts were sold, compared to more than 35,000 pounds in 2012/13. The boost in turtle meat sales was one of several fac- tors, including increased admission revenues to the Turtle Farm park, that boosted farm revenues by nearly 12 percent during the 2013/14 budget year. Financial shortfall The increased turtle meat production and visitor ar- rivals, however, did not come close to addressing the Turtle Farm’s annual operating shortfall for the 2013/14 year. Government auditors re- ported that an additional $10.5 million was given to the facility just to keep it open and solvent. Of that $10.5 million sub- sidy, nearly $6 million went to pay off the Turtle Farm’s debts from a 2004/05 park expansion, a debt which will not be fully retired until 2019, according to Mr. Adam. Meanwhile, another $3.5 million was needed to cover the park’s operating shortfall. The same operating shortfall in the 2012/13 year, when the turtle farm received $10.7 million from the government, was $3.6 million. In the annual report, Turtle Farm managers opine, as they have in the past, that visitor numbers to the park will likely not in- crease significantly unless a new cruise ship pier is built in George Town, bringing in a much larger number of cruise tourists. Government auditors noted “significant” opera- tions losses have plagued the farm since the 2005/06 budget year, and that without continued funding from the public purse, the Turtle Farm would fail financially. NEW CAL PLANE FOR BRAC FLIGHTS ARRIVES FRIDAY Cayman Airways takes possession of a new Saab 340 aircraft on Friday that will service the route be- tween Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. The plane replaces the Embraer 120 aircraft, which was leased by the airline for an interim period while the pur- chase of the Saab was finalized. The new plane will touch down at Owen Roberts International Airport at 12:30 p.m. Government and air- line officials will be in at- tendance at the airport for the arrival of the aircraft and invited guests will tour the new plane. The leased 30-seater Embraer has been in opera- tion between Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac since October last year. The population of the turtle farm has increased to more than 8,000 turtles from under 7,000 five years ago. - PHOTO: CHRIS COURT6 LOCAL NEWS Friday august 14, 2015 • Cayman Compass Lions Club of Tropical Gardens Brenda Tibbetts-Lund Memorial 5K Walk/Run in North Side at 6am on Saturday October 3, 2015 SAVE THE DATE 10K & 5K Walk/Run on Sunday October 11, 2015 Crighton Drive in the vicinity of Holiday Inn Resort at 6am. Government rescued by FirstCaribbean on debt deal Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment has guaranteed the refinancing of nearly US$37 million in debt amassed by the Cayman Islands Development Bank. The Legislative Assembly voted unanimously Wednesday in favor of the debt refinancing plan, in which the government agreed to back a 10-year loan facility at a vari- able interest rate of 1.425 percent by FirstCaribbean International Bank. Finance Minister Marco Archer said principal repay- ments on the refinanced debt would not have to be made for the first three years of the loan. Mr. Archer also said the renegotiated deal would save Cayman more than CI$360,000 in annual interest costs. “This reflects excellent terms for refinancing some of the outstanding debt,” said Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton, who has over- sight responsibility for the de- velopment bank. The refinancing deal con- solidates 11 loans, all at varying interest rates, that cost taxpayers more than CI$800,000 a year in interest. Mr. Archer said the pre- vious loans, known as bullet or balloon payment loans, all came due on June 30, so the refinancing arrangement was necessary unless the govern- ment wished to make a full payment of more than CI$30 million all at once. A competitive bidding pro- cess for the refinancing re- sulted in three bids submitted from local banks, he said. Legally required approval of the government-guaran- teed refinancing was not brought to the Legislative Assembly prior to June 30, the date the loans came due. However, Mr. Archer said FirstCaribbean allowed the drawdown of US$36.8 million to pay off the existing loans on that date based on assur- ances that lawmakers would approve the guarantee of the refinancing later. They did so on Wednesday. Mr. Panton said earlier this year that he intended to get the development bank back into the business of offering start-up loans to local firms. However, he said it would be “a few years” before the gov- ernment could consider using the bank as a tool to stimulate business growth. “At this point, small busi- ness loans are not possible,” he said at a small business conference in April. A consultant’s report de- livered to the government last year recommended closing the loss-making development bank if the “political will” did not exist to carry it forward. According to Mr. Archer, the Progressives-led government has such a will. “Mistakes were made in the past which led the Cayman Islands Development Bank to the brink of bankruptcy,” he said. “This government has taken a more measured ap- proach. Where a business shows true potential, the [development bank] will be placed in a position to pro- vide further credit facilities.” LA approval clears way for two developments Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Legislative Assembly Wednesday approved two changes to the 1997 Development Plan, clearing the way for the Gran Palazzo condo project on North Sound and a new commer- cial development on the Linford Pierson Highway. The Gran Palazzo pro- posal, planned for the Crystal Harbour area of West Bay, in- cludes more than 120 luxury condos on the North Sound shore. The $200-million project covers roughly 4 and a half acres, but about an acre and a half needed to be reclassified from low-density residential to zoning for hotel and tourism. Developer Lewis Ebanks said the final vote on the new zoning was a formality, since it was a small parcel zoned for residential surrounded by land designated hotel and tourism. He said he hopes to break ground on the develop- ment in November. The current plan includes 10 six-story condo buildings and several pools adjacent to the North Sound Golf Club. The Central Planning Authority approved the new zoning in May and forwarded the case to Cabinet to consider changing the Development Plan. Cabinet approved and now the Legislative Assembly gave final approval with a unanimous vote. Legislators also voted unanimously Wednesday to change the zoning in the Development Plan for a new commercial center on Linford Pierson Highway. Almost 45 acres of uninhabited bush on the eastern end of the highway, just before it ends on Crewe Road, has been converted from residential to neighborhood commercial. Most of the property is on the southern side of the road. The site can now be used for a shopping center or sim- ilar large retail and com- mercial development. Exeter Development requested the zoning change, which the Central Planning Authority ap- proved in July. Exeter is part of the Phoenix Group, which built the Barcadere Yacht Club, the National Gallery and a number of other recogniz- able buildings in Cayman.7 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Friday august 14, 2015 Officer: ‘Bryan was protecting me’ CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A female police officer told a court Wednesday that Kenneth Bryan, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of disorderly conduct and assaulting police, was pro- tecting her from her ex-boy- friend prior to his arrest. Officer Karen McQuade, the fifth and last witness to give evidence in Bryan’s trial Wednesday, told Magistrate Philippa McFarlane she did not see interaction between Bryan and police on the night of the incident out- side Dream Night Club on Oct. 11, 2014. Instead, she told of an in- cident that occurred earlier that night when Bryan tried to stop her ex-boyfriend from attacking her. The Crown’s case is that Bryan’s alleged offenses are separate and distinct from this incident. Officers gave evidence that two men – identified as Jermaine and TC – had been fighting. Bryan became involved, asking why his cousin TC was being ar- rested and using profane lan- guage that led to the disor- derly conduct charge. The assault charge is based on the arresting of- ficer’s evidence that Bryan got in the officer’s personal space and stuck a finger in his face. At the time of his ar- rest, Bryan worked as po- litical assistant to Premier Alden McLaughlin. He was also a candidate in the 2013 general elections. Officer McQuade told the court she was at the club that night and that her ex-partner physically assaulted her, was verbally abusive and made several physical threats. She said she encountered Bryan outside the club. When her ex-partner pulled her to one side, she got away from him, approached Bryan and got into his car. She was with Bryan for seven to 10 min- utes and he was trying to stop her ex-partner from at- tacking her, she said. She referred to her ex- partner as Jeremy, while wit- nesses to the second incident referred to him as Jermaine. She said TC then came to assist Bryan. When she left, Bryan was involved in a scuffle. Questioned by defense attorney Karin Thompson, she said, “I don’t know why Kenny was arrested. I wasn’t there, but Jeremy was trying to assault me and Kenny was protecting me.” Asked by Ms. Thompson if she had seen an email between the Office of the Premier and the Office of the Commissioner of Police about the incident, Ms. McQuade replied “No.” She said she had written an email to an attorney con- cerning what had happened; the attorney had forwarded her email to Bryan. That email was leaked to the press with her name and Jeremy’s name deleted. She said nei- ther she nor her attorney leaked the email and she did not know who did. Ms. Thompson asked about a second email be- tween the Office of the Premier and the police com- missioner, in which the com- missioner was notified by the premier or premier’s of- fice that one of his offi- cers had been assaulted and Bryan had to intervene. Ms. McQuade said she had not seen such an email. She said she had been made aware of the commu- nication and told Bryan. She did not remember who made her aware of it. “I don’t think it was a secret,” she added. Ms. Thompson asked what the interaction was now between Bryan and Ms. McQuade. “We haven’t spoken in a while, but we are friends for three years,” she re- plied. “I was instructed not to have further contact with him while this is going on, but overall Kenny and I were friends.” Asked her attitude about the incident, Ms. McQuade said, “I would say Kenneth Bryan did his very best to as- sist another human being – regardless of who, whether we were friends or not. He did the right thing.” The trial is set to continue on Nov. 11. Four arrested in Bodden town district ChARLEs DuNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Four people were arrested over 24 hours in the Bodden Town district on charges re- lated to three separate inci- dents, police said. According to a state- ment released by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service on Thursday, officers went to arrest a 44-year-old Bodden Town man on a war- rant on Wednesday after he had defaulted on fines con- nected to possession of ganja and illegal gambling for selling lottery tickets. When police arrested him, he alleg- edly had ganja, cash and lot- tery tickets. Police spokeswoman Jacqueline Carpenter said the man was then arrested on suspicion for ganja pos- session and illegal gambling. Police said they also arrested a 39-year-old Jamaican man Wednesday evening for overstaying. Ms. Carpenter said the matter is being handled by the Immigration Department. Two other two arrests were made Thursday morning in Midland Acres in Bodden Town related to a motor ve- hicle accident on July 15 when a driver hit a tree in the vicinity of Beach Bay Road. Police arrested a 24-year-old Bodden Town man on suspi- cion of leaving the scene of an accident, theft of a motor- bike, handling stolen goods, possession of ganja and other traffic offenses. The man, Ms. Carpenter said, allegedly “was on a stolen motorcycle that crashed fairly spectac- ularly a couple weeks ago, broke the bike in half, and then somehow walked away before police got there.” A 30-year-old woman, also of Bodden Town, was with the man when he was ar- rested. Police said she was arrested on suspicion of ganja possession. All four were in police custody as of Thursday after- noon, police said. The assault charge is based on the arresting officer’s evidence that Bryan got in the officer’s personal space and stuck a finger in his face.8 LOCAL&REGIONAL Friday august 14, 2015 • Cayman Compass We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Joseph Ellsworth Ebanks affectionately known as "Junior" who passed away on Saturday, August 8th, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2015 at Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, West Bay at 3:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00 -2:45p.m. Interment to follow at the Boatswain Bay Cemetery In lieu of owers donations can be made at the Service, in aid of Cayman Hospice Care. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Saturday, August 15, 2015 at Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, West Bay at 3:00 p.m. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Joseph Ellsworth Ebanks affectionately known as "Junior" who passed away on Saturday, August 8th, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, August 15, 2015 at Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, West Bay at 3:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00 -2:45p.m. Interment to follow at the Boatswain Bay Cemetery In lieu of owers donations can be made at the Service, in aid of Cayman Hospice Care. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Saturday, August 15, 2015 at Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, West Bay at 3:00 p.m. affectionately known as "Junior" Saturday, August 15, 2015 at Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, West Bay at 3:00 p.m. and private sectors, the dis- tribution of human resources among the three islands is disproportionate as there is no psychiatrist, psychologist or occupational therapist lo- cated on the Sister Islands,” Mr. McLaughlin said. The nearly 4,000 patients represent individuals, not the number of patient visits re- corded for the year. However, it should not be interpreted to mean that there are nearly 4,000 people in the Cayman Islands with serious, recur- ring mental illness, said the health ministry’s chief officer, Jennifer Ahearn. The number represents anyone who has sought some form of mental health service, including short-term treatment with psycholo- gists or counseling visits in times of grief or tragedy, for example. According to the govern- ment’s records of registered healthcare practitioners, there are six mental health professionals, 13 psycholo- gists, seven registered mental health nurses and four psy- chiatrists in the islands. “These numbers, though not ideal, put the Cayman Islands in a better posi- tion for human resources in mental health than many other countries in the region,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “Our re- sources should now focus on improving community mental health services, as well as in- creasing the outpatient ser- vices in our hospitals.” The premier said govern- ment would issue a request for proposals in September or October seeking a con- sultant to establish an out- line business case for a new long-term residential clinic for mental health patients. Government apportioned about $1 million for the de- velopment of the new clinic in the 2015/16 budget. Now, people who need long-term psychiatric care must leave Cayman for an overseas residential care program. The health min- istry has reported that 10 to 20 Cayman Islands pa- tients require overseas treat- ment for mental illness each year, and another 10 to 20 patients cannot go off is- land for care because of criminal convictions. There are eight beds for mental health patients at the Cayman Islands Hospital, but that is not a long-term fa- cility, and patients released from hospital often end up back on the streets or in jail. Court case One particular case working through the local court system earlier this year revealed unsuccessful efforts to treat a robbery defendant for bipolar dis- order and served to high- light Cayman’s mental healthcare deficiencies. During an April court ap- pearance in the case, Grand Court Justice Charles Quin described the increasing number of court cases in- volving defendants with mental health issues as a “chronic problem” that had to be dealt with as a matter of urgency. In the specific case, the defendant’s lawyer also pointed out what she described as failures on the part of the police and health services to help her client. On March 23, the defen- dant, who is not identified by the Cayman Compass, was brought to court for a curfew violation. Defense at- torney Fiona Robertson said police had seen her client in an area where she should not have been, but rather than arresting her or taking her home, they simply told her to go home. Justice Quin said it was shocking that the woman continued to interact with drug dealers. The defendant’s supervising officer said the woman did not have the strength to fight the influence of the drug dealers who came to her home. The defendant asked the court for “one more last chance.” Justice Quin re- leased her with the provision that she wear an electronic monitor and return to court for a review in two weeks. The defendant was back in court three days later. Ms. Robertson said the police had seen the defen- dant out in violation of her house arrest conditions, but did not keep her in cus- tody as they were required to do. As Ms. Robertson un- derstood it, there were no cells available, so the de- fendant was simply re- leased again. The defendant, after re- maining at home for some time, recognized that she was in crisis and went to the hospital, but she was not admitted to the mental health unit. release states. Gaylene Meeson, Hannah’s mother, said in the re- lease, “This grant named in Hannah’s honor is a testa- ment to the humbling support of the Cayman community, their commitment to fund life- changing research and to join us in the fight against child- hood cancer. “The selfless efforts made by those around us are leading to incredible breakthroughs in the under- standing and treatment of this devastating disease.” After many methods of treatment and medications, Hannah’s first clean scan was in April 2014, when she was pronounced as having “no ev- idence of disease.” “We scan every three to four months and we will scan indefinitely,” Ms. Meeson told the Cayman Compass. “She’s happy. She’s as healthy as she could be. She loves life, we home-school her and we have a lot of fun. She doesn’t remember life before cancer, which is the only blessing of being diagnosed so young. She is our inspiration.” Ms. Meeson said that the family is still determined to raise awareness of the lack of funding allocated to child- hood cancer research, be- cause a risk of relapse is al- ways present. “In the U.S. they allo- cate 96 percent of funding to adult cancer research. That leaves only 4 percent being allocated to childhood cancer research,” she said. “The pharmaceutical industry has only developed three cancer fighting drugs for children in the last 40 years.” In 2013, Heroes for Hannah held its first head-shaving event, where 50 people from the community had their hair shorn and more than US$50,000 was donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Last September, nearly 1,000 people gathered in support of Hannah and more than 100 people had their heads shaved in solidarity with all kids af- fected by cancer. The event raised nearly US$300,000. The next head-shaving fundraiser is scheduled for next month. Ms. Meeson en- courages the community to sign up to shave, donate, or just come out to cheer on those getting shaved. “It’s not just those with fancy cars and fancy money. It’s everybody. Kids selling lemonade and bringing their money or kids coming up to me and donating $1.50, baking cupcakes and do- nating money that way,” she said. “This year we set our goal at $250,000, and we’re hoping to exceed that.” All money from the event will go toward St. Baldrick’s childhood cancer research grants. “The event is put on without a single expense,” Ms. Meeson said. “It’s run by vol- unteers, and we’re very proud of that fact. The DJ donates his time, the six barbers do- nate their time, the emcee donates his time. There are nearly 100 prizes and they’ve all been donated. “Every dollar raised goes to St. Baldrick’s – the money does not go to Hannah. We chose to raise money for all cancers despite the fact that Hannah has brain cancer. … We wanted to involve all of the children in Cayman fighting cancer.” She added, “I will shave my head until all kids fighting cancer have a better chance of a future.” This year’s Heroes for Hannah head- shaving fundraiser will be held from 5-9 p.m. on Sept. 11 at The Wicket Bar in Cricket Square. There is no entry fee. Visit www.stbaldricks. org/events/heroesforhannah or email heroesforhannah@gmail. com for more information. Report: Nearly 4,000 receive mental health services CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ‘Heroes for Hannah’ research grant awarded Hannah Meeson CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Deadline looms for cash transfer firms Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Money transfer compa- nies, used to send cash re- mittances overseas, face an Aug. 25 deadline to find a new bank or face closure, ac- cording to a board member with Jamaican National Money Transfer. Cash transfer services could close by the end of the month since Cayman National Bank decided it no longer wanted to provide banking services for money transfer companies here. Cash transfer businesses face multiple layers of regu- lation, mainly from author- ities in the United States, to address concerns about cash-based services being used to fund terrorism and launder money. Western Union closed suddenly in July when Fidelity Bank decided to no longer be involved in the highly regulated money transfer business. Since then, Cayman National has been the only bank in the country to offer what is called correspon- dent banking, the actual money wiring service. The decision impacts all cash transfer companies in the Cayman Islands. Robert Hamaty, president of Tortuga Rum Company and board member of Jamaican National Money Transfer, said executives from Jamaican National will be in Cayman on Friday to meet with Cayman National to try to extend the deadline and see if they can come up with a new deal to continue the banking services. Many people rely on ser- vices like Western Union or Jamaican National to send cash home to support their families, he said, adding, “You can’t have the popula- tion here in Cayman without a way to send money back.” Mr. Hamaty said Jamaican National has not been able to find a new bank to handle the local cash transfers, and even if the company did find a new bank, it would take two months to get the services up and running. “It’s of paramount im- portance that we find a so- lution,” Mr. Hamaty said. If no bank steps up, he said, they would “have to go back to the old days” by hiring a charter plane to carry cash to Jamaica. People in Cayman sent almost $180 million over- seas in 2014 through cash transfers, with more than $110,000 going to Jamaica, according to Cayman Islands Monetary Authority data. Jamaican National’s cash transfer business has branches here, the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The company also has more than 100 agents working in Ghana and more than 8,500 in the Philippines. The company has sev- eral more agents spread around the Caribbean. Cayman National has declined to comment on dropping the money transfer businesses. Fidelity Bank (Cayman) CEO Brett Hill said his bank’s board of directors decided the cash transfer business was getting too expensive to comply with regulations, while in- come from the service has been dropping with increased competition. “It’s getting harder and harder to bank this busi- ness,” Mr. Hill said just after the Western Union closure, noting, “Banks are trying to de-risk.” “Banks don’t like to deal with cash,” Mr. Hamaty said. He said Jamaica National of- fered to increase the fees it pays to Cayman National if the increasing cost of com- plying with new rules is part of the decision, but he said the bank did not take that offer. Earlier this month a Western Union representa- tive in the United States said the company is working to reopen its money transfer counters in the Cayman Islands, calling the July 17 closure a “temporary ser- vice disruption.” A company spokeswoman would not say if they had found a new bank to handle the transactions.9 LOCAL&REGIONAL Cayman Compass • Friday august 14, 2015 the membership of the com- mission, including the police commissioner as chairman and the auditor general as a member, was “biased” and had created the evidence against him that its own members then investigated and helped to prosecute. During the debate, Mr. Bush read one email – already made public during the course of his criminal trial – in which former Governor Taylor and a U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office official discussed how to get members of the former UDP government to “finally ask [Mr. Bush] to step aside.” It was the next email Mr. Bush attempted to read that caused a parliamentary uproar. “Madam Speaker, the next [document] that I want to lay on the table is one to the gov- ernor from the commissioner of police,” Mr. Bush said during the debate. “This is the 10th of December, 2012.” Mr. Bush went on to read the email: “I have concluded the discussion with the Hon. Alden McLaughlin, he is in full agreement ….” At this point Mr. Bush was cut off by both Speaker of the House Juliana O’Connor- Connolly and Mr. McLaughlin. “Hon. Leader of the Opposition, you are aware as much as all honorable mem- bers are aware, that there is a [civil court case] ensuing between the Hon. Premier and yourself,” Ms. O’Connor- Connolly said. “There is a cur- rent motion which has not gone through the business committee yet [referring to Mr. Bush’s conspiracy motion]. So, any reference to the Hon. Premier insofar as it relates to those proceedings, please re- frain from making.” Mr. McLaughlin then opined that Mr. Bush had al- ready gone beyond the pale by trying to read the document into the House records. “The Leader of the Opposition knows that in re- sponse to the writ and state- ment of claim which I have had filed against him for defamation, he filed a defense on the 19th of June, in which he claims, among other things, that he is in pos- session of documentation which tends to show my involvement in the conspiracy which he has alleged,“ Mr. McLaughlin said. “My lawyers served on his law- yers a notice to produce this evidence. They have produced four documents, the one just re- ferred to which purports to be from the commissioner of police to the governor of 10th of Dec, [2012] the day before Mr. Bush was arrested … is one of those such documents. “The Leader of the Opposition knows full well that my lawyers have asked his lawyers repeatedly to explain the provenance of those docu- ments,“ Mr. McLaughlin con- tinued. “There is a police inves- tigation under way because the documents are fabricated, they are fraudulent. The document which [Mr. Bush] is proposing to read is a document that has been made up and the question for him, which he must answer … is where did it come from, who fabricated it and how did it come into his possession? “What we now have is a sit- uation where allegations about me are being based on what … we now know to be fabricated documents. Fabricated docu- ments in the possession of the Leader of the Opposition. Tell the country where those doc- uments came from. They were not disclosed in the context of the criminal trial against him, they have been disclosed in the context of the civil trial and no one on his side is prepared to say to my lawyers where they got them from. Perhaps he and others will tell the police how they came to have fabricated documents with forged signa- tures on them.” Mr. Bush did not comment on the premier’s allegations re- garding fabricated evidence. “The courts will have to de- cide who and what is right and wrong,” Mr. Bush said. At that point, the Speaker of the House said she did not ex- pect to hear any further debate on the matter. The ‘conspiracy’ Mr. Bush was acquitted of corruption charges last year following his arrest in December 2012. Prosecutors alleged that he had spent some $50,000 from govern- ment credit cards to gamble at casinos in the Bahamas and south Florida. However, Mr. Bush has said the damage to him and his former party has already been done. “What happened to me should serve to remind all of them that those people are not respectful of any of us in this House,” Mr. Bush said. Mr. Bush, during his debate on the motion to change the Anti-Corruption Commission membership, said that the body should be independent from the investigations it directs. Instead, it has morphed, he said, into what U.S. President James Madison once de- scribed as “the very definition of tyranny.” “[The commission members] end up as complainants, they end up as the investigators and are even involved in the pros- ecutions,” Mr. Bush said. “They are a law unto themselves.” Mr. McLaughlin said his government, advised by the attorney general, was in the process of reviewing the com- mission membership and was generally minded to in- crease its overall membership and include fewer civil ser- vants on the panel. Right now, the commission is only made up of the police commissioner, auditor general and complaints commissioner. Two civilian appointees to the commission have seen their appointments expire and they have not been replaced. Premier says conspiracy evidence fabricated, signatures forged CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Suspected money laundering foiled A suspected $500 mil- lion money laundering plot was foiled by finance police this week. Three British nationals and two Americans were questioned by officers from the Financial Crime Unit after officials at a Grand Cayman branch of an international bank raised the alarm. Bank staff became sus- picious after the group, four men and one woman, came into the branch on Tuesday to discuss “US$500 mil- lion in foreign exchange transactions,” according to Jacqueline Carpenter, spokes- woman for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. She said the Financial Crime Unit had alerted all banks to the “suspicious activity.” One of the suspects was arrested at a different bank later the same day on suspi- cion of money laundering. Two of the group were ar- rested at their hotel room, which officers searched, and two others were questioned after being found at an un- disclosed location. Ms. Carpenter added, “All members of the group were released on Wednesday and have now left the country, as evidence was not sufficient to sustain eventual charges. However, authorities in the U.K. and the U.S. have been alerted of their activities while here.”Next >