SportS | page 15 Forbes and Hyman aiming HigH Cayman duo at world championships High of 92 Low of 81 Slight to moderate with wave heights 2 to 4 feet. editorial | page 4 mr. eden’s regrettable remarks on tHe Floor oF tHe House ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – tHursday august 20, 2015 Business Insurance Pay less for more service and benefits with BritCay! insurance, health, pensions, life Employee benefits plans with Britcay are rich in benefits and deliver accurate, comprehensive reports quickly and on time. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp lengthy suspensions with pay for government employees Demand notices sent on dozens of properties Overall crime drOps; sharp rise in burglaries CHarles dunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Accusations of criminal conduct against government employees can lead to lengthy paid suspensions, in some cases for years, ac- cording to a series of information requests to various government departments. A Cayman Compass analysis found that government employees received almost 9,000 days of full pay while on suspension since the beginning of 2010. At least 50 people on the government payroll had been on some kind of sus- pension since January 2010. The length of these paid suspensions varied from 10 days to five years. Suspension with full pay is required when employees face criminal charges re- lated to their work, and unless the employee quits or retires, he or she can stay on full pay until the charges are resolved. Senior Customs Officer Lisa Kelly, responding to email questions earlier this year, wrote, “If a staff member is believed to be involved in criminal activity in the workplace or outside the work place, suspension with pay brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Since the beginning of the year, demand notices have been issued by Cayman Islands financial institutions on 39 properties that hold a total of $8.45 million in loans. The properties, whether businesses, homes or vacant land, are held in the names of 51 people. At the time the de- mand notices were issued, they were $839,970.91 in arrears. Of the properties where loans were in arrears, 17 were in George Town, 12 were in Bodden Town, eight were in West Bay and two were in North Side. The total of 41 loans for the 39 properties in arrears repre- sents a much larger number than the completed foreclo- sures reported by Cayman Islands government officials earlier in the year. However, the government’s numbers were based on a dif- ferent situation. In the first three months of this year, the government reported that 17 home and business foreclosures had been “completed,” whereas in the cases of the 39 proper- ties, most would not be consid- ered completed foreclosures. Completed foreclosures include only the cases in Fatal accidents spike in 2015 brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Burglaries and attempted burglaries continue to be the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s primary stumbling block in reducing crime in the islands. Crime statistics released for the first half of 2015 show overall crime reports to police declined by nearly 10 percent compared to the first six months of 2014. Most categories of violent crime showed decreases as well, with the exception of murder and assaults causing grievous bodily harm. However, burglaries went up by 16 percent during the period, and attempted break-ins in- creased by more than 70 percent. More than 300 burglaries were committed during the first half of 2015, leading to a 14 percent rise in what local po- lice record as “serious” crime. RCIPS Chief Superintendent Kurt Walton said police responded to the increase in break-ins with a “steady pace of arrests.” “During the first six months, we arrested 76 people, up 12 percent from arrests during the same period last year,” Mr. Walton said. In one case investigated by police, the person arrested was believed to have been responsible for 10 burglaries alone. It’s a common theme police have reported over the years: a spike in crimes fol- lowing the release of “career” burglars from prison. In recent days, RCIPS officers responded to four burglaries in George Town during the pre- dawn hours when the power had been cut to the businesses involved. Three companies on PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Stay-Focused founder and president Roger Muller, left, joins program participant Emily Clarke, intern Janessa Prendergast, board member Trisha Yurochko and Dr. Casey O’Donnell, in the water near Sunset House. Stay-Focused is a charitable organization that brings disabled teenagers to Grand Cayman every year to teach them how to scuba dive. For the second year in a row, the group also included a Caymanian high school student intern. For more, see page 5. - phOtO: Kelsey JuKam Staying focused on the mission2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Thursday augusT 20, 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. MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E (PG13) 1:00 I 4:10 I 7:00 I 9:40 MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (PG13) 12:55 | 3:50 | 6:50 | 9:45 FANTASTIC FOUR (PG13) 1:15 | 3:45 | 7:30 | 10:00 STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON (R) 12:50 I 4:00 I 7:15 I 9:10 ANT-MAN 3D (PG13) 12:45 | 3:40 2D | 6:45 | 9:30 2D MINIONS 3D (PG) 12:30 | 3:15 2D | 6:40 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - THURSDAY - $8.00 US Virgin Islands ex-governor held on embezzlement charges KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) – A former governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands and an ex-fi- nance director in the U.S. Caribbean territory were ar- rested on charges of embez- zling public money, authori- ties said Tuesday. Acting Attorney General Claude Walker announced the arrests of former Gov. John deJongh and Julito Francis, once a director of the public finance authority for the three-island territory. Walker alleged they used $490,000 of taxpayer money to pay for improvements to deJongh’s private residence “without authority of law.” The alleged embezzlement was between April 2007 and January 2009, when de- Jongh was governor. “These funds were ear- marked by the legislature to re- pair public roads,” Walker said. Neither deJongh nor Francis made any immediate comment on their arrest. It’s been known for years that deJongh used money earmarked for highway up- grades to pay for a perim- eter fence and other secu- rity improvements at his private residence when he was governor. When he took office in 2007, he chose to live in his own house rather than the mansion that has served as the official governor’s resi- dence. He asserted that ren- ovating the mansion to ac- commodate his family and pay for other expenses would have cost $2.1 million of public money so staying at his upgraded home resulted in savings for islanders. But in 2010, the U.S. Interior Department’s Office of the Inspector General found that use of the public purse to upgrade deJongh’s private residence circumvented the authority of the legislature. Earlier this year, deJongh announced he paid back just over $200,000 to the terri- tory for the upgrades. He said he came to that figure by assessing the current value of the security instal- lations at his home and sub- tracting the cost of a guard- house no longer in use now that he is out of office. Lawmakers passed a res- olution demanding full re- payment, saying he really owed more than double what he repaid. A conviction on embezzle- ment of public money is pun- ishable by a maximum prison term of 10 years and a fine of $10,000, Walker said. Francis also faces charges of bribery, extortion and conspiracy in a separate case of alleged public corruption involving construction contracts. DeJongh used money earmarked for highway upgrades to pay for a perimeter fence and other security improvements at his private residence when he was governor. John deJongh SEFFNER, Fla. (AP) – Another sinkhole opened Wednesday in the exact location where one swal- lowed a man as he slept in his bed more than two years ago, Florida emer- gency responders said. The hole opened up again in Seffner, east of Tampa, and is about 20 feet in di- ameter, according to Ronnie Rivera of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. In March 2013, Jeffrey Bush was asleep in his bedroom on the property when the floor collapsed and he fell in. His body was never recovered. His brother, Jeremy Bush, was in the house and tried to rescue him, even jumping into the hole. He was res- cued by authorities as the ground crumbled around him. Jeremy Bush was seen at the site Wednesday. After the tragedy, offi- cials razed the Bush home and two adjacent homes. Wednesday’s sinkhole is on a vacant lot that is now surrounded by a metal fence. No one has been injured from the new sinkhole, and no nearby homes have been evacuated, Rivera said. Sinkholes are so common in Florida that state law requires home in- surers to provide coverage against the danger. While some cars, homes and other buildings have been de- voured, it’s rare for them to swallow a person. Florida is highly prone to sinkholes because there are caverns below ground of limestone, a porous rock that easily dissolves in water. Sinkholes are so common in Florida that state law requires home insurers to provide coverage against the danger. New hole opens up at site of fatal Florida sinkhole CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuelan authorities have arrested two men on charges related to the murder of an American expatriate lawyer at his Caracas home. State prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz said Tuesday that two men in their 20s had been arrested in con- nection with the death of 70-year-old John Ralston Pate. Pate was found stabbed to death in his apartment in an upscale part of the city on Aug. 9. His companion Sally Elizabeth Evans was found wounded. Pate’s son said the at- tack looked like a robbery gone wrong. Following the murder, the U.S. Embassy in Caracas issued a statement re- minding Americans that the city continues to be a dan- gerous place. Pate moved to Venezuela in the 1970s and helped build a once-strong expat community. 2 arrested in slaying of Us lawyer in CaraCas Grand Court jurors who are in the July 1 to Oct. 6 session are asked to report to the court on Thursday, Aug. 20, instead of on Aug. 31. Call the Jury Information Line at 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information. Jury date changed Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Webster Memorial United Church in Bodden Town is hosting a special harvest service and sale on Sunday to give thanks for the food people enjoy year round. “The harvest celebra- tion is just another way of giving back to the church and giving thanks to God,” said Edith Webb, a member of the Bodden Town church. Ms. Webb said the harvest service has been held for years. “The custom long ago, and still is today, was to dress the church with flowers, fruits and ‘breadkind,’ and the pastor would bless it and the farmers,” she said. The day of singing, praying and decorating the church takes place on at 11 a.m. Food will be sold the fol- lowing day to raise money for the church. Giving thanks in Cayman Harvest celebrations to give thanks for food grown on the land and for fish take place in many churches and schools in Cayman. Children make harvest displays at school and participate in church services on Sundays. In the 1950s, Cayman chil- dren, encouraged by their parents, would construct and decorate little harvest boxes. They would search the land for wild fruits and ask for produce from farmers to fill the baskets. Cayman was considerably less developed back then, so neighbors traded what they could. Fish would be traded for “breadkind” and cakes for beef. On Sundays, children with the best-dressed bas- kets earned bragging rights as they walked down the aisle to place them at the altar. Not all churches and schools on island celebrate a harvest festival in August; some celebrate the day of thanksgiving in September or October. Service scheduled to celebrate harvest Youngsters and adults bring their baskets during last year’s harvest festival. - Photo: Jewel levy3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday augusT 20, 2015 40% OFF SELECT SUNGLASS BRANDS!!! The Island Plaza 345-946-2507 Camana Bay 345-640-5339 With the right sunglasses all selfies look good 40% OFF SELECT SUNGLASS BRANDS!!! The Island Plaza 345-946-2507 Camana Bay 345-640-5339 With the right sunglasses all selfies look good 40% OFF SELECT SUNGLASS BRANDS!!! The Island Plaza 345-946-2507 Camana Bay 345-640-5339 With the right sunglasses all selfies look good 40% OFF SELECT SUNGLASS BRANDS!!! West Bay man admits indecent exposure James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 48-year-old man ad- mitted exposing himself to two women as they exer- cised near a school in West Bay this week. Durney Ebanks was re- manded in custody on Tuesday after admitting indecent exposure, com- mitting an indecent act in public and indecently as- saulting one of the women by touching her buttocks. The incidents took place near John A. Cumber Primary School around 5:30 a.m. Monday. Ebanks had been re- leased from prison a week earlier, it emerged in Summary Court on Tuesday. Magistrate Valdis Foldats told him. “This sort of be- havior is dangerous and it frightens people. You have to find a way to control yourself.” Ebanks is due to appear in court again on Sept. 16. Uniform exchange launched to aid parents James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A uniform exchange is being set up to help fami- lies struggling to pay for uniforms ahead of the new school year. Sandra Hill said she came up with the idea in response to several requests on Facebook for assistance in finding uni- forms for youngsters. She is asking anyone with school uniforms that their children have outgrown or no longer need to drop them off at her new RoCay Internet TV store, which is opening at 23 Pasadora Place. Ms. Hill aims to use Facebook to connect parents with the uniforms they need. “I’ve had about five people contact me about this and I just thought it was something I could do to help. New uni- forms are expensive,” she said. Anyone who wants to be involved in the uniform exchange can call Ms. Hill on 324-1612. Crystal Cave attraction to open this year Landowner plans to run tours in North Side James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new cave tourism attrac- tion could be open in North Side before the end of the year. Landowner Christian Sorensen aims to begin run- ning guided nature tours of the cave system and sur- rounding area starting in November. He has applied for planning permission for a toilet block, security center and snack shop at the site, which will be known as Crystal Caves. Mr. Sorensen said the aim is to start with a small-scale nature tourism operation, offering tours of three of the caves. He said there are more than 100 caves in the system, and there is potential to ex- pand the scope of the attrac- tion if it proves successful. “What’s nice about this is we have the land area as well, which is very scenic. There are three caves that are easily accessible, and the surrounding area and cave entrances are quite spectac- ular,” Mr. Sorensen said. One of the caves has a lake inside, and all have sta- lactites and stalagmites. Similar cave attractions in Bermuda and Barbados have proved popular with tourists. Mr. Sorensen intends to charge around US$30 for a guided tour lasting around an hour and 15 minutes. He said the plan has been in the works for nearly 20 years, but it had taken a back seat to other business interests. Mr. Sorensen said, “The idea is for a new tourism at- traction for the island. I think it is something different to do in Grand Cayman, partic- ularly for tourists who are here for a week or two. “There are thousands of plants in the area that you don’t see anywhere else.” Mr. Sorensen faced some opposition when the project was discussed in February 2012, but he believes that was due to a misunder- standing about the nature of his plans following ru- mors that he was opening a nightclub in the caves. He said he has no plans for anything of the sort and believes the project will help protect and preserve the wildlife in and around the caves. He said the security and monitoring of the site would prevent people from running illegal tours through the caves, littering the site and breaking off stalactites. A landowner plans to run guided tours of caves on his property in North Side. - pHoto: courtney platt, provided By cHristian sorensen A collision between an ice-cream truck and a Chevrolet hatchback damaged both vehicles Wednesday afternoon. Police said the crash happened around 2 p.m. on South Church Street, near Denham Thompson Way, in front of Sand Cay Apartments. The collision knocked the front wheel off the ice-cream truck and shattered the front windshield of the smaller car. Police said one person was injured, though not seriously. - pHotos: taneos ramsay Ice-cream van crashes in south soundThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 “It is a tale … full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” –From “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare We refer, of course, not to the tragedy played out on Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in the early 1600s but to the comedy that is played out all too often on the stage of Cayman’s Legislative Assembly. Our orator, in this instance, was not a thespian but a politician, a man ordinarily of few words – but not on Thursday of last week. The Hon. Anthony Eden, nearly an hour after he began his soliloquy, finally (and thank- fully) yielded the floor, leaving all of us in Cayman to ponder the wisdom – or lack thereof – of his message. The quote from Shakespeare cited above is widely believed to be one of his most memorable. We fear that Mr. Eden’s speech likewise will be recalled when future generations reminisce about the legend, lore and leaders of these islands. For those who missed it, the Bodden Town repre- sentative was speaking in support of his own motion which would maintain the definition of marriage in the Cayman Islands as being between a man and a woman. Nothing wrong with that. Then things started getting a little bit, er, odd. Mr. Eden proclaimed his own motion to be “one of the most important motions for this House and the people of the Cayman Islands.” Of course, it was no such thing, since it merely underscored what is already contained in the Cayman Constitution Order 2009, namely that marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman. Mr. Eden’s motion, which passed the House unanimously, added nothing to that enshrined principle. Mr. Eden (apparently) was reacting to a recom- mendation from the Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission that the government enact legislation recognizing civil unions between same-sex couples. These unions would give same-sex couples similar legal rights to those enjoyed by married couples. The Human Rights Commission made the recommendation because of a recent ruling from the European Court of Human Rights that found Italy was in breach of established human rights principles for failing to offer enough legal protection for same-sex unions. Since the Cayman Islands falls within the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights, not enacting legis- lation recognizing same-sex civil unions could lead to successful court challenges. Whether Mr. Eden understands the difference between a marriage and a civil union was unclear (and largely unimportant) judging from the content of his speech. What was clear, however, was his hostility – even loathing – for his homosexual brethren on these islands and elsewhere. His rhetoric was largely Bible-based with Satan playing a starring role in his belief system – not a bad choice for an evangelical preacher, but perhaps less so for an influential and, one would hope, well-reasoned political leader. No one in Cayman stands ahead of the Compass when it comes to defending freedom of speech, but wise people, especially legislators who are perceived to speak not only for these islands but their people, ought to be more careful. The days are long gone when remarks such as Mr. Eden’s are contained to the audience of those who live and visit here. Legislators should keep in mind that “the whole wide world is watching” – always. If the purpose of Mr. Eden’s discriminatory diatribe was to confirm the Cayman Islands’ adherence to Christian values, it failed. Where it succeeded was to put the Cayman Islands back in the international spotlight as an intolerant, homophobic country (remi- niscent of the “gay cruise ship debacle” or the “gay kissers” episode on Seven Mile Beach). And for that, we should all feel truly concerned – and embarrassed. – EDITORIAL – Mr. Eden’s regrettable remarks on the floor of the House 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” Thursday augusT 20, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Christopher Flavelle If promises matter, it’s been a very good stretch for renew- able power. At the end of July, Hillary Clinton said that as president she would aim to get 33 percent of the U.S.’s elec- tricity from renewable sources by 2027 – up from about 13 percent today (half of it from hydro). A week later, the Barack Obama administration said its new power-plant rules would require renewables to make up 28 percent of power capacity by 2030. The political and legal ob- stacles to those goals are ob- vious. But behind them are more interesting questions: Is it even possible for the U.S. to increase so quickly the share of power it gets from renewables – mostly solar and wind, given the public animosity to nuclear power – by the end of the next de- cade? If so, what will it cost? And who would pay? One way to answer the first question is asking whether there’s precedent for so rapid a shift. The answer is yes, but with caveats – and those ca- veats suggest that the pace of change Clinton proposes could come at significant cost. Promising more renew- able power, without consid- ering the costs, only panders to those who already support that goal; it does not advance the debate over how to achieve it, or enhance the consensus needed to carry it out. In 2014, six states got more than 20 percent of their elec- tricity from renewable sources other than hydro power. For many of those states, the ramp-up was very fast. The share of power generated in Kansas from renewables went from 0.9 percent to 22 percent in 10 years; in South Dakota, renewables grew even faster, from 2 percent in 2008 to 25 percent six years later. If the U.S. could generate that rate of growth nation- wide, it could easily meet the targets set out by Clinton, and even surpass them. But there’s a catch: Much of the new renewable capacity was in states with land- scapes ideally suited to large wind farms, built to export clean power to other states. That does not mean the U.S. could not do the same, but without a comparable source of external demand (and fi- nancing), which it will not have, that will not be as easy. A better way to test the viability of the goals Obama and Clinton have set out is to look at the record of other countries. How fast can a na- tion move toward renewable energy when the right polit- ical consensus is in place? Here the data seems en- couraging: A handful of European countries got 25 percent or more of their power from wind and solar last year, and many achieved that with amazing speed. Belgium got 1 percent of its power from wind and solar in 2004, and 26 percent last year. Germany went from 14 percent renewables in 2004 to 42 percent in 2014 – a shift led by solar, which jumped from 1 percent of its gener- ating capacity in 2004 to 21 percent last year. Those countries show that Obama and Clinton’s goals are attainable. But they also show the cost. The burst of renewable power forced util- ities to rely less on their plants fired by fossil fuels. As a result, those utilities “took huge write-offs on their coal and gas plants,” said Monne Depraetere, a European power analyst for Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Pushing harder on re- newables will put similar pressure on U.S. utilities. Between now and 2027, total U.S. generating capacity will increase just 0.25 per- cent, according to projec- tions from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Unless that changes, get- ting to 33 percent renew- ables by 2027 means elimi- nating about 145 gigawatts of power produced from fossil fuels – an amount equal to almost 60 percent of the coal-fired genera- tion the Energy Information Administration projects would otherwise still be op- erating in the absence of Obama’s Clean Power Plan. What’s different is who bears those costs. Unlike in Europe, most states still have regulated electricity markets, where utility com- panies recover the expense of building and upgrading plants by adding those costs to customers’ monthly en- ergy bills. If a plant is forced to close because of envi- ronmental regulations, cus- tomers would probably be forced to keep making those payments all the same, ac- cording to Steve Mitnick, a former energy adviser to the governor of New York and consultant at McKinsey. But the debate over re- newables, as with climate change more broadly, needs to move past whether policy has to change (it does) and to- ward how much we’re willing to pay for it – and who gets the tab. Leaving that discus- sion for later, or pretending it does not need to happen, is the wrong way to turn prom- ises into something real. Christopher Flavelle writes editorials on healthcare, economics and taxation for Bloomberg View. © 2015, Bloomberg View BloomBerg view Venezuela is slipping to- ward a humanitarian crisis. News of its latest economic low point, or of President Nicolas Maduro’s most re- cent political tantrum, tends to eclipse this slow-mo- tion disaster. Yet the danger of a Venezuelan implosion is growing. Perhaps you’re aware that Venezuela has the world’s highest inflation rate, a col- lapsing currency and every prospect of defaulting on its debts next year. You may have read about shortages of con- sumer goods (everything from milk and bread to beer and condoms), and the effort re- quired to obtain hard currency (kidnapping purebred dogs to sell in Brazil is one way). Here are some things you might have missed. In the country with the world’s largest oil reserves, transplant patients have resorted to vet- erinary medicines to stay alive. Coagulants for treating hemophilia are available only for emergencies. Medicines of every kind are getting hard to find outside the cities. Malaria and dengue fever are on the rise; so is malnutri- tion, although the government stopped publishing weekly epidemiological bulletins last November and denies that thousands of doctors are re- signing and emigrating. Every day, Venezuelans form lines at stores that are almost bare. On July 31, a man was killed and sev- eral dozen people arrested in the city of San Felix as angry shoppers looted grocery stores and attacked state-owned ve- hicles. The potential for more frequent and deadlier break- downs in public order is plain, especially now that Maduro has stepped up military raids on “hoarders” who amass “contraband” goods. Venezuelans pinning their hopes on December’s munic- ipal elections will likely be disappointed. Leading oppo- sition politicians have been jailed or disqualified from run- ning. Maduro has promised to exclude election monitors from the European Union or the Organization of American States. He has said he’ll refuse to accept the ruling party’s de- feat. The opposition is ahead in the polls, but it’s divided. Fixing Venezuela’s economy will require mea- sures – ending fuel subsidies and price controls, freeing up exchange rates, cutting public spending – that will be painful because they’ve been delayed so long. Such a program calls for political cooperation, not the widening repression to which Maduro is resorting. Venezuela’s neighbors have a special interest in averting this disaster. Brazil and Colombia are distracted by their own troubles, but they can hardly afford to ignore the turmoil at their borders – especially with Maduro using territorial disputes to whip up nationalist fervor. From outside the region, China has bankrolled Venezuela’s prof- ligacy with more than $50 billion in loans that lock in oil supplies and sweetheart deals; it too should want to keep its debtor from the brink. There’s a limit to what outsiders can do. But big neighbors and creditors have influence and should start exercising it. Last month, the United Nations called Venezuela to account for its use of preventive detention, human rights abuses, censor- ship and retaliation against those bringing complaints to the U.N. The OAS should keep pressing for election moni- tors and should consider as- sessing Venezuela’s political conditions under the Inter- American Democratic Charter. © 2015, Bloomberg News Talk is cheap. Renewable energy typically is not If Venezuela Implodes, wIll Its neIghbors be ready?5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday augusT 20, 2015 High Quality Granite, Quartz, Glass Countertops at Affordable Prices 100’s of full size slabs to choose from Tiles Wall & Floor* Seamless shower enclosures kitchen & Bath Cabinets * Customers own Material fabricated & Installed 947-7767 email: info@stonepros.ky Visit our Showroom 985 Crewe Road (IMP Bldg) before the Cayman Contractors Store Program for disabled teens teaches more than just diving By Kelsey JuKam kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com It’s a sunny Sunday morning in Grand Cayman, and a group of teenagers decked out in scuba gear are in the sea pool at Sunset House, excitedly pointing out colorful fish and a conch shell or two as they wait for instructors to take them through some of the skills they must master in just a few days to earn their dive certification. Watching them in the water, observers would not immedi- ately realize there is something special about this group, until the abandoned wheelchairs, forearm crutches and leg braces the kids have left on the concrete platform are spotted. In the water, they don’t need them. For the past 12 years, an or- ganization called Stay-Focused has been bringing teenagers with disabilities from the United States to Grand Cayman to teach them how to scuba dive. “Stay focused” is also the group’s mantra. “At the end of the day, the program is really about em- powering teens with disabili- ties to challenge themselves to get out of their comfort zone, and to realize … if they stay fo- cused and they’re disciplined that they can achieve what- ever they want to achieve,” said Roger Muller, the organization’s founder and president. “It’s a program of empowerment.” Mr. Muller was inspired to start the program after diving in Grand Cayman with his brother, who is a paraplegic as a result of an injury from when he was in the Marines during the Vietnam War. He saw how much his brother en- joyed being out of his wheel- chair, and he realized that while people with disabili- ties are often excluded from participating in many phys- ical activities, scuba could be an ideal activity for them. Further, Mr. Muller said, since a dive certification is some- thing even most able-bodied teens don’t have, it gives the kids in the program certain “bragging rights.” Mr. Muller decided to launch Stay-Focused in Cayman since he learned to dive here himself, and it ended up being the ideal location for such an endeavor. The water is warm; the currents are calm, which makes it easier for par- ticipants, all of whom rely on the use of their arms, to main- tain stability; and the dive sites are close to shore. (Some of the participants have med- ical conditions which require that they return to their hotel room every four hours.) Each summer, a new group of kids, typically ranging in age from 13 to 17, takes part in the six-day program. They are invited to return the fol- lowing summer for a reunion and to have another opportu- nity to dive. To date, 82 young people have earned their dive certifica- tion through Stay-Focused. Before being invited to par- ticipate in the program, an evaluation is conducted to en- sure they are able to complete both the academic and physical components of the dive course. They are also evaluated to en- sure that they can travel and stay in a hotel room on their own, since parents are not al- lowed to accompany them. Participants stay at the Marriott resort and spend their mornings learning how to dive with instructors from Red Sail. In the afternoons, they tour the island above the water – this year they visited the Turtle Farm and took a helicopter ride. The group’s mentor, 26-year- old Ryan Chalmers, who has been involved with Stay- Focused for more than a de- cade, dived with the group again this year. Mr. Chalmers, who was born with spina bifida and does not have complete use of his legs, competed as a member of Team USA in track and field events at the Paralympic Games in London in 2012. The next year, he propelled his racing wheelchair across America, from Los Angeles to New York City, to raise public awareness for the potential of all people with disabilities and to help create an endowment for Stay-Focused. Mr. Chalmers, who has been helping Mr. Muller run the orga- nization for the past four years, recently decided to take time off from competitive racing to ded- icate even more time to working with Stay-Focused. He said a documentary and a book are in the works. Mr. Chalmers said the orga- nization taught him how to be a leader, and he hopes to help develop and encourage leader- ship skills in the children who go through the program. “When I became a mentor, I saw the change in the kids,” Mr. Chalmers said. “It’s a pretty magical moment when you’re sitting there on the last day and see the smiles on these kids’ faces. Water is get- ting into their mask because they’re smiling so much. And maybe they came in on day one shy, maybe they’ve never been away from a parent before, and you’re able to see them growing up, and it’s only in six days that that happens.” Internship program In an effort to involve more local young people in the orga- nization, Stay-Focused launched its Caymanian internship pro- gram last year. The program gives promising local high school students the opportunity to learn how to dive and to ex- perience what it’s like to work with kids with special needs. Two interns from Clifton Hunter High School, Trent Jackson and Ricardo Martinez, participated in the program last summer and returned this summer to dive again with the reunion trip participants. This year’s intern was Janessa Prendergast, a 15-year-old who will be starting her A-level course work at St. Ignatius this fall. She was thrilled to learn how to dive, and to experience a part of her country that she had never seen before. “I was not aware of the beauty of the ocean. I’d never gone to a reef before,” Janessa said. “It’s like an entirely new world out there, and I think that we really need to protect it. It’s really beautiful.” Janessa, who hopes to be- come a lawyer specializing in children and family law, was also excited to be involved with Stay-Focused. “I like helping people, I like kids,” she said. “If there’s a chance I can make a kid’s life better, helping with a problem, I want to do that.” Mr. Muller, who was im- pressed by Janessa’s maturity, thinks she will be an excellent ambassador for the program. “She’s really outgoing, and we wanted interns who would spread the word about what it’s like to work with kids with disabilities,” he said. Janessa has worked with children at her church’s Vacation Bible School summer program for the last three years, but this was her first ex- perience working with disabled kids. What she discovered this week working with the teens at Stay-Focused was that more often than not, they really did not need much help. “They know what they can do and they’re comfortable in their own skin,” she said. Janessa also learned some- thing about herself. “I’m stronger than I thought I was,” she said. “I’m realizing that I can do so much more. Now that I know about this – I’ve got an able body, as we call it here, so why shouldn’t I put myself in positions to help people? So this has just been like, what can you do for others? And I’m loving it. I’m loving it so much.” Clockwise from top left: Stay-Focused board member Trisha Yurochko, intern Janessa Prendergast, participants Matt Giardino and Dan Suero, Dr. Casey O’Donnell, participants Emily Clarke, Sam Greenburg and Emma Albert and mentor Ryan Chalmers.Stay-Focused intern Janessa Prendergast gives the ‘OK’ sign while diving.THURSDAY, AUG. 20 PUB QUIZ: At Fidel Murphy’s. $10 per person. Six people maximum per team. All proceeds go to the Humane Society program for transferring dogs to new homes in the U.S. Call 949-5189 or email sarah.dyer.81@gmail.com to reserve a table. BRAC COURT: Summary Court convenes in the Aston Rutty Civic Centre today at 10 a.m. and continues tomorrow. GRAnd COURT JURORs: The Grand Court jury report date has been changed. Jurors in the July 1-Oct. 6 session are now to report today at 9:45 a.m. Call the Jury Information Line at 945- 5072 for the most up-to- date information. SATURDAY, AUG. 22 CAymAn OUTReACh AssOCIATIOn: Dinner meeting 7:15 p.m. at Triple C School auditorium. Guest speaker is Professor Samuel Muchangi of Halifax, Canada. Admission is $15. For details call Raphael Bodden, 925-7798. deAls On Wheels: The Red Cross mobile thrift shop will be in East End, close to the Pirates Cove Bar, at 6:10 a.m. Items available include ladies’ bags and accessories, clothing and shoes for men, women and children, toys, books, linens, household items and more. mAnAGInG PeRsOnAl FInAnCes: The program’s second session will be at the Bodden Town PPM office, from 7 p.m. The free program features retired local banking professionals and aims to provide personal financial advice to residents. Refreshments will be served. Contact Heather or Kerry Ann on 943-7652. SUNDAY, AUG. 23 ReGATTA: Everyone is invited to attend the Cayman Catboat Club – David Foster Memorial Regatta, 9 a.m. at Garvin Park, at Morgan’s Harbour. TUESDAY, AUG. 25 BRAC hIGh sChOOl: Layman E. Scott Sr., 9-10:30 a.m. for Year 12 students to collect exam results/initial consulting. mOOnlIGhT & mOVIes: 7 p.m. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (PG). Tonight’s free film is the last of the summer series. 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. mAnAGInG PeRsOnAl FInAnCes: George Town PPM office hosts this round of seminars, 7 p.m. tonight and Aug. 29. The free program features retired local banking professionals and aims to provide personal financial advice to residents. Refreshments will be served. Contact Sharon on 945-1776 or 945-8292. THURSDAY, AUG. 27 PRImARy sChOOl ORIenTATIOn: For new students only; children must be accompanied by their parent/guardian. George Town Primary, 8-10 a.m.; Red Bay Primary, 9 a.m. to noon; Prospect Primary, 9-11:30 a.m.; Edna M. Moyle Primary, 9-10 a.m.; West End Primary, 9-10 a.m. for reception students, and 10:30-11:30 a.m. for new transfer students in Years 1-6; Creek and Spot Bay Primary Schools, 10-11 a.m. hIGh sChOOl ORIenTATIOn: Clifton Hunter, 9:30-11 a.m. for new transfer students in Years 7-11; Layman E. Scott Sr., 9 a.m. to noon for new transfer students in Years 8 and up; Cayman Islands Further Education Centre, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for Year 11 students to collect results and register for classes. nCU AlUmnI: The Cayman chapter of the Alumni Association of Northern Caribbean University has launched its website www.ncucaymanalumni. com. Graduates and friends of NCU may sign up as members. Anyone interested is invited to a general meeting of the alumni chapter on Aug. 27 at Cayman Academy Hall, beginning at 6:30 p.m. A social networking period will include registration and refreshments. FRIDAY, AUG. 28 PRImARy sChOOl ORIenTATIOn: For new students only; children must be accompanied by their parent/guardian. Sir John A. Cumber Primary, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Lighthouse School, 9-10 a.m.; Savannah Primary, 9-10:30 a.m.; Bodden Town Primary, 9-11 a.m.; East End Primary, 9 a.m. to noon. hIGh sChOOl ORIenTATIOn: John Gray, 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. for Year 7, 9:30-11 a.m. for new transfer students in Years 8 and up; Clifton Hunter, 8 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. for Years 7 and 11; CIFEC, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for Year 12 students to collect exam results. ImmIGRATIOn hQ ClOsed: Immigration Headquarters, including Passport and Corporate Services, Visa Office and Front Counter, will be closed to the public for all but essential services. Only work permit and permanent residence applications (including applications for permission to continue to work) that must be submitted prior to Aug. 21 in order to allow continued employment will be accepted. Time- sensitive applications for visitor extensions will also be accepted. The Passport and Corporate Services Office will not accept any applications, but passports and visa waivers may be collected at the Immigration main counter location. Normal operations resume on Monday, Aug. 24. SUNDAY, AUG. 30 GOsPel semInAR: Seventh-day Adventist Church presents “Impact East End” at the William Allen McLaughlin Civic Centre at 7:30 p.m. nightly (except Thursdays and Fridays) through Sept. 19. Sabbath service is 9 a.m. Free marital counseling, youth rap sessions, family life presentations, musical presentations and more. Guest speaker is Pastor Marlon Robinson. Transportation provided throughout the district. MONDAY, AUG. 31 PRImARy sChOOls BeGIn: All government primary schools reopen at 8:30 a.m. hIGh sChOOls BeGIn: Layman E. Scott Years 7-11, John Gray and Clifton Hunter high schools begin at 8 a.m. TUESDAY, SEPT. 1 BRAC hIGh: Layman E. Scott’s class induction for Year 12 will begin at 8:30 a.m. CIFeC: The Further Education Centre begins at 8 a.m. mAnAGInG PeRsOnAl FInAnCes: The John Gray Memorial Church Hall hosts the West Bay meetings tonight and Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. The free program features retired local banking professionals and aims to provide personal financial advice to residents. Refreshments will be served. Contact Sharon on 945-1776 or 945-8292. SUMMER CAMPS RUGBy CAmP: The CRFU hosts a summer rugby camp for children ages 8-14, Aug. 24-28, 8 a.m. to noon. Cost per child is $125 for the week and includes a rugby shirt. Coaching by members of the Cayman national rugby team. For more information or to register, contact Edward Westin, 927-1337 or cme_ westin@hotmail.com. CReATIVe CAmPeRs: In session through Aug. 28, for ages 3-13. Runs 7 a.m.-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. GENERAL INTEREST VOlUnTeeRs needed: The National Drug Council is preparing to conduct the fourth cycle of Her Majesty’s Prison Survey Sept. 7-11 to determine drug and alcohol prevalence. Volunteers are needed 8:30–11:30 a.m. and 1:30– 3:30 p.m. If interested, contact the NDC at 949- 9000 or info@ndc.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. nCVO sChOOl yeAR: Miss Nadine’s Preschool and Jack and Jill Nursery are registering for the new school year, which starts Aug. 31. Both facilities are under the auspices of the National Council of Voluntary Organizations. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact Heather Lopez, director, at 945-1078 or ncvopreschool@ncvo.org. ky. Cost includes breakfast, lunch and one snack daily. nCVO VOlUnTeeRs needed: Volunteers are needed for various activities within the National Council of Voluntary Organizations Children Services programs. Contact Alta Solomon at 949-2124 or ncvocoordinator@ncvo. org.ky. 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.” PUBlIC FeedBACK: The Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs and the Department of Labour and 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 lpl@gov.ky. BeThesdA COUnselInG CenTeR: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Center is owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. 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 restaurant. For more information on displaying your work, email info@visualartcayman.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www. compasscayman.com/caycompass/ portal/community-calendar. 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. Thursday augusT 20, 2015 • Cayman Compass The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Thursday augusT 20, 2015 3 4 3 Ea s t e r n A v e | 9 4 9 . 7 6 0 1 | w w w . u n c l e b i l l s . k y • Scarves • Beach Sarongs • Fashion Sandals • Sunglasses • Hats HOT ITEMS Book Your Company Holiday Party events@grandoldhouse.com closed august 29th - reopening october 5th w w w . gr andoldhouse . c om 5000 SQUARE FOOT WATERFRONT DECK SEATS UP TO 400 2000 SQUARE FOOT TENT ON DECK SEATS UP TO 200 - GREAT RAIN BACKUP 4 AIR CONDITIONED PRIVATE DINING ROOMS Lengthy suspensions with pay for government employees is to take immediate effect.” In more than 20 responses to Freedom of Information Law requests, the Compass found seven government em- ployees who were put on paid leave for a year or more. The data collected is not meant to be a complete re- cord of every government department, but a represen- tative sample of how suspen- sions with pay work in the Cayman Islands government. The government re- sponses revealed at least 8,913 days of full pay for government employees on suspension between January 2010 and this month. The FOI responses also re- vealed another 1,240 days of employee suspensions since 2010, some with pay, others with half pay, and some un- paid, but the Compass could not confirm the payment status of those employees. In the Customs Department, one employee has been on suspension since 2010, a second has been on suspen- sion since 2011, and a third since last year. All remain on full pay while on suspension for alleged criminal miscon- duct. As of Tuesday, those em- ployees represented a total of more than 4,100 days of paid suspension, which works out to more than 11 years. The person suspended in 2010, according to the FOI, earns between $25,000 and $34,000 a year. The person has been on suspen- sion for almost five years, which works out to between $123,000 and $165,000 over that time. The other two Customs employees are both in the same pay grade, earning be- tween $31,000 and $42,000. One has been on suspension for almost four years, while the other has been on suspen- sion for two-and-a-half years. Two post office employees were suspended in 2010 for almost a year each for what is listed as “gross misconduct.” They both later resigned. The Lands and Survey Department put an em- ployee on paid suspension in December 2010. The em- ployee, who faced accusa- tions of fraud and theft, re- mained on leave until March 2014. The employee, ac- cording to the FOI response from the department, was fired “after being found guilty of theft and false accounting.” The Immigration Department has had one em- ployee on suspension since August 2012, and another three who were put on leave in 2014 and 2015 and remain on full pay. Government personnel regulations say that if a staff member is suspected of crim- inal activity on the job, he or she is immediately placed on suspension with full pay until the charges are resolved. If the employee is found guilty, he or she is fired. If the person is found innocent or the charges are dropped, the employee is to be reinstated in a similar position. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The longest individual suspensions Customs Criminal misconduct1,782 daysStill on suspension CustomsCriminal misconduct1,441 daysStill on suspension Lands and SurveyTheft and fraud1,192 daysConvicted, terminated ImmigrationMisconduct1,104 daysStill on suspension CustomsCriminal misconduct939 daysStill on suspension Dept. of Agriculture Misconduct523 daysNot terminated ImmigrationMisconduct413 daysStill on suspension Defendant denies using mother’s car in armed robbery Accused takes stand in Blackbeard’s robbery trial James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man accused of using his mother’s “jeep” in an armed robbery at a Grand Cayman liquor store has de- nied any involvement in the crime, claiming, “I would not be so stupid.” Andrew Lopez, 22, ad- mitted he had used the black Ford Escape, which he re- ferred to in testimony as a “jeep,” earlier in the day, but said he left it in the driveway of his Prospect home with the keys in the ignition and the windows open. Taking the stand in Grand Court this week, he said he was with his girlfriend at the time of the December 2014 robbery at Blackbeard’s in Grand Harbor. “I did not rob the store with my mother’s jeep,” he said. “I wouldn’t be so stupid to take my mum’s jeep, pull up in front of a store where I know there are cameras and rob it. I would not do that. That would be wicked to my mum.” Lopez said he had no knowledge of the spray- painted gold shotgun found at his home. He also claimed he had not seen a tan purse and credit cards taken in the robbery and found at his home, until police showed them to him. Prosecutors say Lopez, along with Bron Webb and Randy Connor, held up the store on Dec. 17 using the Ford Escape as a getaway ve- hicle. All three men were ar- rested at Lopez’s home in Prospect shortly after the raid after armed police located the vehicle in the driveway. Lopez, a former John Gray High School student, claimed he had used his own white Mercedes as well as his mother’s vehicle at var- ious points throughout the day. He told the court he had arrived at his home in Morningside Drive at around 6:30 p.m., leaving the car in the driveway with the key in the ignition. He said he then spent some time alone in his room with his girlfriend before driving her, in the Mercedes, to an- other location where she could get a lift home to West Bay. When he returned to his house in Prospect, he said, he did not see the Ford Escape and believed his mother had taken it to George Town. He spent some time sitting with his brother playing video games before re- turning to his room. When he opened the back door to let the breeze in, he said he saw the Ford Escape outside and noticed his friend Webb smoking a ciga- rette close to the car. He said it was unusual for the vehicle to be parked in that spot, and he climbed into the driver’s seat to move it. At that point the police showed up. “I saw the police officers running towards me with guns. I was scared. I thought it was guys coming to kill me or something.” He said he was aware that Webb, Connor and another man not before the court were also arrested at the scene, but he denied knowing they were on the premises until the mo- ment police arrived. A Cayman Compass analysis found that government employees received at least 6,500 days of full pay while on suspension since the beginning of 2010.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 which banks have sold the property that was foreclosed on. The Cayman Islands has recorded 192 completed foreclosures since 2008, ac- cording to government re- cords. Another 180 “his- torical” foreclosure cases involve properties that have not been sold. In reviewing some of the property demand notices issued by banks in 2015, which are reported every two weeks in the Cayman Islands Gazette, vastly dif- ferent amounts were owed by each property prior to the demand for repayment. For instance, in one loan for a property in West Bay, more than $89,000 in ar- rears was reported on a loan of about $116,500. On another property, also in West Bay, $3,990 was re- ported to be outstanding on a loan of $136,384.41. In two other cases, both in George Town, one loan of $190,832.20 was $4,603 in ar- rears, while another property was nearly $32,000 in arrears on a similar loan amount. Local attorney Kerrie Cox, who has looked into local home foreclosures, said that without knowing each individual story re- garding a property foreclo- sure, it is difficult to make a determination on the var- ious situations that arise. “For some people, their circumstances may change over time – whether it be through ill-health, unemploy- ment, divorce etc – which causes them to have diffi- culties in making the repay- ments due under the terms of their mortgage,” Mr. Cox said in a letter to the Cayman Compass late last month. Finance Minister Marco Archer, who has also studied the matter, said recently that the number one reason given by families who lost their homes in foreclosure was the breakup of the family unit. The second most common cause is loss of the home- owner’s employment. Mr. Cox said the Grand Court has issued practice directions that clearly de- fine procedures to be used in foreclosure proceed- ings and the requirements banks must adhere to in selling the foreclosed prop- erties. However, he said those procedures offer few op- tions to Grand Court judges in cases where there are exceptional circumstances. “Consequently, when there are genuine personal circumstances, already anx- ious homeowners will have the additional worry and concern of losing their homes,” Mr. Cox said. “In practice, the English courts will often gauge a rea- sonable period for payment of arrears over the balance of the mortgage term,” he said. “It is likely that a sim- ilar piece of legislation in Cayman – which would ex- tend the discretion of judges in the Grand Court – would assist those borrowers who have had financial difficul- ties with their mortgages in the past but who could now demonstrate an ability to move forward in paying off their arrears over a reason- able period of time and also discharge their remaining borrowing in a conventional manner. It would not help ev- erybody, but for some, it may provide timely relief.” As it stands now in Cayman, it is up to individual homeowners to negotiate with their lender. The increased number of completed foreclosures early this year and in 2013 – when there were 65 in Cayman – is a major community con- cern. It has sparked the for- mation of a group known as Caymanians Against Economic Injustice, which has held public meetings on the subject of home foreclosures. The group alleges, among other things, that banks are “rushing through” the foreclo- sure process – giving home- owners just three months to resolve the issue prior to de- claring them to be delinquent and seizing the properties. Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton has said government representa- tives would be happy to meet with group members and discuss their concerns, but indicated he did not believe most local banks had been operating in such a “cold- hearted” fashion. Thursday augusT 20, 2015 • Cayman Compass For information on how to apply for internship, please contact hr@pinnaclemedialtd.com or call 949-5111 Welcome back to the team DYLAN JACKSON (Graphic Design Intern) STUDENT AT SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN, SAVANNAH, GA Dylan was born and raised in Grand Cayman. He originally came to Pinnacle Media through the Cayman Prep and High School’s work experience program. Dylan is now in his freshman year at Savannah College of Art & Design in Georgia, and is back at Pinnacle Media as an intern for a second time. “I am very interested in graphic and industrial design. The support, experience and mentorship provided by the graphic design sta at Pinnacle Media has been very valuable to my college work.” Pinnacle Media wishes Dylan the brightest future! The properties, whether businesses, homes or vacant land, are held in the names of 51 people. At the time the demand notices were issued, they were $839,970.91 in arrears – missed mortgage payments. Kingbird Drive, including a bottled water company, a drywall company and a ma- rine company, were burgled on Aug. 18. A car rental office on Owen Roberts Drive was broken into on Aug. 17. “Burglary continues to be a stubborn problem for our society that will require more than just prevention and en- forcement to permanently re- duce,” Mr. Walton said. Most other categories of se- rious crime remained constant or dropped somewhat com- pared to January-June 2014. There was a noticeable decrease in the number of reported wounding and rape cases. Thirteen robberies were re- ported in the first half of 2015, the same number as in 2014. Crimes such as theft, damage to property and threatening violence all de- clined compared to last year. Common assault and do- mestic violence assault re- ports increased marginally. Almost all areas of less serious crimes de- creased, with the exception of common nuisance and cases involving “insulting the modesty of a woman.” Traffic deaths Another area of con- cern for police this year is the number of fatal traffic accidents. Police reported six traffic fatalities between January and June this year, although the Cayman Compass re- ported on seven such cases. The victims included two pedestrians, Marcia Donaldson and Donnie Ray Connor; two men on Cayman Brac, Jose Zelaya and Raoul Scott; Caymanians Kimberly Bush and Rowena Scott; and U.K. national Kate Clayton. It was not known whether Ms. Clayton, who died in the U.K. in February but who received her fatal injuries in Cayman in January, was counted among the total number of traffic-re- lated deaths. There were no fatal acci- dents in the first half of 2014, police said. Overall, the number of traffic accidents declined by 15 percent in the first half of the year. RCIPS officers wrote more tickets for speeding during the period as well. Demand notices sent on dozens of properties CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Overall crime drops; sharp rise in burglaries CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Subway pitchman faces child-porn charges INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Longtime Subway pitchman Jared Fogle agreed Wednesday to plead guilty to allegations that he paid for sex acts with minors and re- ceived child pornography in a case that destroyed his career at the sandwich-shop chain and could send him to prison for more than a decade. Prosecutors allege that Fogle knew the pornography had been secretly produced by the former director of his charitable foundation, which sought to raise awareness about childhood obesity and arranged for Fogle to visit schools and urge children to adopt healthy eating and ex- ercise habits. Authorities reviewed tens of thousands of text mes- sages and emails as part of their investigation into Fogle, who used “wealth, status and secrecy” to exploit chil- dren, U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler said. A tight-lipped Fogle sat in federal court with his hands clasped and quietly answered “no” when the judge asked whether he had any ques- tions about his rights. He is expected to enter the formal plea at a later date to one count each of traveling to engage in illicit sexual con- duct with a minor and dis- tribution and receipt of child pornography. The agreement released by prosecutors said Fogle will pay $1.4 million in restitution to 14 minor victims, who will each receive $100,000. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and undergo treatment for sexual disorders.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Yemen on edge of famine The war in Yemen has pushed the country to the brink of famine, with both commercial food imports and aid deliveries held up by the fighting and millions of hungry women and children facing possible starvation, the United Nations said Wednesday. Cayman Compass • Thursday augusT 20, 2015 UN struck secret deal to let Iran inspect own military site VIENNA (AP) – Iran, in an unusual arrangement, will be allowed to use its own ex- perts to inspect a site it al- legedly used to develop nu- clear arms under a secret agreement with the U.N. agency that normally car- ries out such work, according to a document seen by The Associated Press. The revelation is sure to roil American and Israeli critics of the main Iran deal signed by the U.S., Iran and five world powers in July. Those critics have com- plained that the deal is built on trust of the Iranians, a claim the U.S. has denied. The investigation of the Parchin nuclear site by the International Atomic Energy Agency is linked to a broader probe of allegations that Iran has worked on atomic weapons. That investigation is part of the overarching nu- clear deal. The Parchin deal is a sep- arate, side agreement worked out between the IAEA and Iran. The United States and the five other world powers that signed the Iran nuclear deal were not party to this agreement but were briefed on it by the IAEA and endorsed it as part of the larger package. Without divulging its con- tents, the Obama administra- tion has described the docu- ment as nothing more than a routine technical arrange- ment between Iran and the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency on the partic- ulars of inspecting the site. Any IAEA member country must give the agency some insight into its nuclear program. Some countries are required to do no more than give a yearly accounting of the nuclear material they possess. But nations– like Iran – suspected of pos- sible proliferation are under greater scrutiny that can in- clude stringent inspections. Investigative authority ceded to Iran But the agreement di- verges from normal inspec- tion procedures between the IAEA and a member country by essentially ceding the agency’s investigative au- thority to Iran. It allows Tehran to employ its own ex- perts and equipment in the search for evidence for activ- ities that it has consistently denied – trying to develop nuclear weapons. Evidence of that conces- sion, as outlined in the doc- ument, is sure to increase pressure from U.S. congres- sional opponents as they re- view the July 14 Iran nuclear deal and vote on a resolu- tion of disapproval in early September. If the resolu- tion passed and President Barack Obama vetoed it, op- ponents would need a two- thirds majority to override it. Even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, has suggested opponents will likely lose. White House denies secret side deal The White House has de- nied claims by critics that a secret “side deal” favorable to Tehran exists. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said the Parchin document is like other routine arrangements between the agency and indi- vidual IAEA member nations, while IAEA chief Yukiya Amano told Republican sena- tors last week that he is ob- ligated to keep the document confidential. But Republican critics are bound to harshly criti- cize any document that cedes to Iran the right to look for the very nuclear wrongdoing that it has denied commit- ting. Olli Heinonen, who was in charge of the Iran probe as deputy IAEA director gen- eral from 2005 to 2010,said he can think of no instance where a country being probed was allowed to do its own investigation. Iran has refused access to Parchin for years and has de- nied any interest in – or work on – nuclear weapons. Based on U.S., Israeli and other in- telligence and its own re- search, the IAEA suspects that the Islamic Republic may have experimented with high-explosive detonators for nuclear arms at that military facility and other weapons- related work elsewhere. The IAEA has repeatedly cited evidence, based on sat- ellite images, of possible at- tempts to sanitize the site since the alleged work stopped more than a decade ago. The document seen by the AP is a draft that one offi- cial familiar with its contents said doesn’t differ substan- tially from the final version. He demanded anonymity be- cause he isn’t authorized to discuss the issue. It is labeled “separate ar- rangement II,” indicating there is another confiden- tial agreement between Iran and the IAEA governing the agency’s probe of the nuclear weapons allegations. Monitoring vs. investigating The document suggests that instead of carrying out their own probe, IAEA staff will be reduced to monitoring Iranian personnel as these inspect the Parchin site. Iran will provide agency experts with photos and videos of locations the IAEA says are linked to the alleged weapons work, “taking into account military concerns.” That wording suggests that – beyond being barred from physically visiting the site – the agency won’t even get photo or video informa- tion from areas Iran says are off-limits because they have military significance. IAEA experts would nor- mally take environmental samples for evidence of any weapons development work, but the agreement stipulates that Iranian technicians will do the sampling. The sampling is also lim- ited to only seven samples in- side the building where the experiments allegedly took place. Additional ones will be allowed only outside of the Parchin site, in an area still to be determined. “Activities will be car- ried out using Iran’s authen- ticated equipment consistent with technical specifications provided by the agency,” the agreement says. While the document says that the IAEA “will ensure the technical au- thenticity” of Iran’s inspec- tion, it does not say how. The agreement diverges from normal inspection procedures between the IAEA and a member country by essentially ceding the agency’s investigative authority to Iran. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets in May with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif during negoitations on an Iran nuclear deal. - Photo: AP German approval clears way for Greece to start getting loans BERLIN (AP) – Germany’s parliament overwhelmingly approved a third bailout for Greece on Wednesday, re- moving the last hurdle to providing new loans to the country and keeping it from defaulting on its debts in as little as 24 hours. The vote’s result also dispelled speculation that Chancellor Angela Merkel would have difficulty getting her conservative bloc to sign on. Lawmakers voted 453-113 in favor, with 18 abstentions. Along with an ap- proval from the Dutch par- liament, the German vote means Greece is cleared by European states’ parlia- ments to get the first install- ment of its new 86 billion euro (US$95 billion) three- year package of loans. The country needs the cash to make a debt repay- ment Thursday. The board of the European bailout fund that will disburse the money will hold a teleconference Wednesday night to discuss the matter. The German parliamen- tary approval was never in doubt but in a similar vote last month, 60 mem- bers of Merkel’s conser- vative bloc voted against. Some local media had specu- lated that as many as double that could rebel this time as Germans are increas- ingly skeptical about giving Greece more money, but in the end only 63 from her bloc of 311 voted against. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, a senior member of Merkel’s Christian Democratic Party who has been one of the harshest critics of Greece, may have helped the cause as he lob- bied hard ahead of the vote for the passage of Greek’s third bailout in five years. Schaeuble told lawmakers that while voting in favor of the bailout wasn’t an easy decision for him, approval of the three-year loan package is “in the interest of Greece and the interest of Europe.” He noted that the Greek gov- ernment has taken big steps over the past few weeks to re- store trust with its creditors. Germany is the largest single contributor to the bail- outs and many in Schaeuble’s party remain skeptical. Merkel’s coalition partner, the Social Democrats, and the opposition Greens also backed the deal. In the Netherlands, a ma- jority of lawmakers also gave its backing to the new Greek rescue after a heated de- bate in which Prime Minister Mark Rutte was attacked for reneging on an election pledge to not approve an- other bailout for Greece. Geert Wilders, the anti- Islam lawmaker who is also a staunch opponent of the European Union and finan- cial support for Greece, called Rutte “the Pinocchio of the Low Countries” for breaking his pledge not to approve an- other bailout. Rutte’s coalition govern- ment easily survived a no- confidence vote at the end of Wednesday’s debate. The Dutch parliament did not have to formally give its approval, but Rutte said it would have been politically difficult for him to sign off on the European loans to Athens if a majority of lawmakers had rejected the plan. Under the terms of the deal, Greece has to make fur- ther spending cuts and tax increases and implement big reforms to its economy. Schaeuble laid out his hope that the bailout will help turn the Greek economy around in the longer term. Greece has suffered through an economic depression in the past six years and seen unemployment jump to over 25 percent. “If Greece stands by its obligations and the pro- gram is completely and res- olutely implemented, then the Greek economy can grow again,” Schaeuble said. “The opportunity is there. Whether it will be used, only the Greeks can decide.” Tsipras is mulling whether to call a vote of con- fidence in his government after a big rebellion among his radical left Syriza party over the bailout. There’s also growing talk in Greece that Tsipras may opt for early elections as soon as next month now that the bailout deal is in place. German Chancellor Angela Merkel stands among lawmakers after casting her vote Wednesday on a bailout package for Greece, in the German Bundestag in Berlin. - Photo: APNext >