SPORTS | PAGE 11 WEEKEND WARRIORS Primed for epic series of races High of 91 Low of 81 Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 LANDFILL FIRES: A REMINDER FROM ANTIGUA ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY AUGUST 27, 2015 Road User If luck isn’t on your side, BritCay is. Extra benefits come without having to pay more premium if you insure your car with BritCay. BritCay also has a great reputation for settling claims fast. Ask for a quote. 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 FREE $10 Million ASSET PROT ECTIO N! with motor cover* *private motor insurance cgigrp SPECIAL REPORT ON LABOR REFORM 11 SPECIAL REPORT: LABOR REFORM IN CAYMAN CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 27, 2015 S P E C I A L R E P O R T LABOR REFORM IN CAYMAN HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE AT WORK Half of residence test takers get 75 percent or higher Kimpton hotel aims for November 2016 opening BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than half of the 240 people who sat the Immigration Department’s permanent resi- dence exam between May and July answered at least 75 percent of the questions correctly, ac- cording to open records data re- viewed by the Cayman Compass. However, none of the accepted permanent residence applica- tions filed under the Immigration Law (2013 Revision) have been de- cided by the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board. Only the applications with technical flaws, such as those being filed too late, have been ruled out at this stage, im- migration personnel confirmed. The exam, which earns a cer- tain number of points toward non- Caymanians’ applications to remain here for the rest of their lives, has 40 multiple choice questions. Every cor- rect response is worth half a point toward a maximum of 20 points. Successful permanent residence KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Project managers at the Kimpton hotel on Seven Mile Beach say building work is on schedule and the hotel is poised to open on Nov. 1, 2016. In July, the 10-story hotel building was topped out with its final level, and site managers say that work on placing the in- terior finishings could begin in April. Representatives of Dart Realty’s con- struction management company DECCO said, to date, the project has employed 2,000 workers, with 500 currently working on the project. Of the total who have worked on the construction, 57 percent are Caymanians or permanent residents, they said. Among some recent visitors to the site was Cayman Islands Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush, who took a tour of the hotel on Tuesday, his first visit since construction began in February 2014. Government mem- bers, including Premier Alden McLaughlin and Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell, toured the facility earlier this year. An impressed Mr. Bush said Tuesday, “The idea of another first-class resort was what I wanted as minister of tourism and, of course, as premier of the country. My vision is nothing in comparison to what they have done and the plans that they have done.” The hotel, which is being built on the site of the former Courtyard Marriott, School inspections highlight flaws JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Inspection reports on all government schools show that standards are “simply not good enough” for the long term, Education Minister Tara Rivers said Wednesday. Despite year-on-year improvement in exam re- sults across the school system, Ms. Rivers said the inspections show Cayman’s schools are falling short internationally. Student standards in mathematics, English and science are “significantly below” international standards and generally at least “one year” below U.K. norms, Ms. Rivers said. She said the reports, carried out at all 16 gov- ernment schools by a team of inspectors during the last academic year, also highlighted shortcom- ings in the recruitment and retention of teachers and management of underperforming staff. The minister, speaking to Cayman’s teaching body at an event to mark the start of the new school year, said policies are being introduced im- mediately to address the main issues. These include a national teaching and learning strategy, setting a target of all students reading on grade level when they finish Year 2, typically at age 7, by 2020. Ms. Rivers said, “There is still a lot of work to be done and while it is important to recog- nize year-on-year improvement, it is also impor- tant to recognize that it [the improvement] is to a standard that is simply not good enough in the long run.” The inspection reports have yet to be released to the public. Ms. Rivers said they highlighted PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » The Cayman Compass has produced an in-depth special report, “Labor Reform in Cayman,” to shed light on what is being proposed in the draft Labour Relations Bill, 2015. This report, which appears on pages A1 through A12, includes arguments for and against the bill; a history of Caymanian labor legislation; and articles to put the bill into perspective if it is passed into law. Kathy Jackson, Christine Maltman, McKeeva Bush, Lee Hudson and Ken Hydes survey the Kimpton hotel site. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY INSIDE TODAY2 LOCAL&REGIONAL AlAn MArkoff amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com Tropical Storm Erika is not expected to come near the Cayman Islands, but it could interrupt air travel for those heading to Miami or to London through the Bahamas. As of Wednesday morning, Erika was about 285 miles east-southeast of Antigua and moving west at 17 miles per hour. Its maximum sus- tained winds were 45 mph. The Cape Verde-type storm, which organized after coming off Africa as a tropical wave, is forecast to turn to the northwest and head toward the Bahamas, passing close to Nassau on Sunday morning and then making landfall in South Florida close to Fort Lauderdale early Monday. Although Erika is not ex- pected to strengthen much over the next two or three days because of moderate upper-level wind shear, the storm is forecast to start in- tensifying Sunday, moving through the Bahamas as a strong tropical storm and making landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane. The National Hurricane Center in Miami noted that while there was good gen- eral track agreement among major forecasting models, the track errors over the past five years have been about 180 miles four days out, and about 240 miles five days out. It therefore reminded the public not to focus on the exact forecast track when looking long range. However, Erika is a fairly large storm with tropical force winds extending out 105 miles from center, which means it could significantly affect the weather of places a good distance from the center of the cyclone. Eastern Caribbean The tropical storm is al- ready threatening air travel in the Eastern Caribbean. Erika is forecast to pass very close to Puerto Rico on Thursday and the eastern part of Dominican Republic on Friday. Seaborne Airlines issued a statement on Tuesday about its storm policy for all tick- eted passengers flying to or from 12 airports in the re- gion, including San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Tortola. It stated that anyone traveling to or from any of the po- tentially impacted areas be- tween Wednesday and Friday could travel instead be- tween Thursday, Aug. 27, and Thursday, Sept. 3. Thursday augusT 27, 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. *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - THURSDAY - $8.00 NO ESCAPE (R) 1:30 | 4:30 | 7:15 | 10:10 THE GIFT (R) 1:15 | 3:45 | 7:30 | 10:00 MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E (PG13) 6:45 I 9:50 HITMAN: AGENT 47 (R) 1:00 | 3:30 | 7:00 | 9:55 MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (PG13) 12:55 | 3:50 | 6:50 | 9:45 FANTASTIC FOUR (PG13) 12:50 | 4:00 www.tonymosleylifeinsurance.com Cops, EMTs refuse to give up on stricken man Man unresponsive more than 20 minutes Emergency responders with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and Emergency Medical Services are credited with saving a man’s life after he collapsed in his bathroom. RCIPS Constables Zachary McLaughlin and Carlyle Nation were called to a home in North Side where a 41-year-old man was found curled up on the bathroom floor by a couple with whom he lives. The man apparently collapsed around 10 a.m. Monday and was found unresponsive and not breathing. Officers McLaughlin and Nation began CPR on the man at 10:05 a.m. When EMTs arrived at 10:26 a.m., he still had no pulse. The po- lice officers continued CPR while the ambulance per- sonnel administered medi- cation and put the man into their vehicle. At 10:50 a.m., medical per- sonnel told officers the man’s pulse was strong and that he had resumed breathing. The man was placed in the intensive care unit of the Cayman Islands Hospital. Both police officers in- volved in the incidents had CPR training provided by the RCIPS. “The RCIPS is proud of the skill and persis- tence they demonstrated on Monday to help save the life of this man, despite the fact that he was unresponsive for an extended period of time,” a police statement on the in- cident read. MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mexican environmental au- thorities loaded eight lions, two lynxes, a puma and a coyote aboard two mili- tary planes for a trip to a Colorado wildlife sanctuary on Wednesday, after the animals were found mis- treated or abandoned. The flight aboard two Mexican Navy transport aircraft was the second in- stallment in an airlift that will eventually take about two dozen animals to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado. Biologist Ignacio Millan said it was the first time Mexico’s Navy had participated in the animal relocation effort. Millan said the lions, lynxes and puma had been taken from pri- vate homes, zoos or cir- cuses where they were often mistreated. The coyote had been used in witchcraft ceremonies. Millan said that nine tigers still remain to be transferred to the 720-acre sanctuary, where animals can roam relatively freely. Mexico’s recently en- acted ban on exotic an- imal performances in circuses is expected to increase the number of animals that are either abandoned or left in bad conditions, because many circus owners say they cannot afford to maintain non-performing animals. A pathologist will examine the bodies of two men found Tuesday on a small boat off the southwestern coast of Little Cayman to determine what caused their death. The two men, believed to be in their 20s, have not been identified, and police have given no indication as to how the men ended up adrift in the 28-foot boat. The watercraft was taken to Cayman Brac on Tuesday afternoon by the Marine Unit patrol boat Cayman Defender. Both men were pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor from Faith Hospital. The boat and the bodies were examined and pho- tographed and the bodies were fingerprinted by Royal Cayman Islands Police scenes of crime of- ficers. The bodies were then transported to the hospital morgue. Tropical Storm Erika a travel threat Mexico airlifts big cats, coyote to Us wildlife sanctUary Post-MorteM for Men foUnd on boat The National Hurricane Center in Miami’s official forecast track for Tropical Storm Erika as of Wednesday morning. – iMage: noaa Mexican Navy sailors place a rescued lion aboard a plane which will fly her and others to a wildlife sanctuary in Colorado. - PHoto: aP fifa and conMebol to aUdit bolivia football federation ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) – CONMEBOL and FIFA will audit the finances of the Bolivian Football Federation, whose leader was jailed for alleged corruption, the pres- ident of South America’s soccer confederation said on Wednesday. Juan Angel Napout said the audit will be carried out through a private company. He spoke to The Associated Press from the Paraguayan capital that is home to CONMEBOL headquarters. In July, Bolivia’s Football Federation head Carlos Chavez was jailed at Bolivia’s notorious Palmasola Prison in the eastern city of Santa Cruz on charges he diverted funds from a charity match. Napout said Chavez will be tempo- rarily replaced by Argentine Football Association President Luis Segura. Napout also said CONMEBOL’s executive com- mittee will meet in Asuncion Oct. 10 to examine a prelimi- nary report by a U.S. law firm reviewing CONMEBOL’s con- tracts with companies ac- cused in the U.S. as part of a corruption investigation at FIFA, soccer’s international governing body. “We plan to make big re- forms to CONMEBOL, but we need to know the opinion of these lawyers first,” Napout said, adding that the contracts were signed before he took over as president last year. The U.S. Justice Department has indicted 14 soccer officials and busi- nessmen on charges of bribery, racketeering, and money laun- dering. Among them are two former CONMEBOL presi- dents, who are fighting extra- dition to the U.S.3 LOCAL NEWS Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The head of Cayman’s prison system wants to of- ficially notify the police and probation departments every time an extremely vi- olent or “prolific” offender is due to be released. Details of the proposal to create what is being called a Multi-Agency Supervision Team, or MAST, are still being drafted. However, Prisons Director Neil Lavis said Cayman is hampered by the lack of a formal release noti- fication process in two ways: It does not consistently in- form the police about violent offenders’ release, and it does not consistently inform pro- bation officers about repeat offenders whom the depart- ment may be able to assist. Mr. Lavis emphasized that he is not seeking to create a public notification system, similar to what exists in the U.S., for released prisoners. The notification would be more for internal use by gov- ernment agencies. “We’re trying to … iden- tify, prior to release from prison, those who may present a danger to the public, or prolific offenders, those who may come out and commit multiple bur- glaries,” Mr. Lavis said. “I don’t know how productive a big notice about ‘this per- son’s coming out’ would be.” The MAST committee consists of Mr. Lavis, Deputy Police Commissioner Stephen Brougham and Department of Community Rehabilitation Director Teresa Echenique-Bowen. From a police perspective, Mr. Lavis said, notification about the release of “a rela- tively small group” of violent offenders such as rapists and armed robbers, is essential so officers can “keep track … and target limited resources at these people” if they are de- termined to remain a threat to the community following their release from prison. On the other side, the Department of Community Rehabilitation requires no- tification prior to prisoners’ release so it can identify community services and po- tential employment for of- fenders of lesser crimes looking to get their lives back on track. “We’re going to iden- tify them and say ‘what is causing this person to of- fend?’ and try to support this person who is being re- leased,” Mr. Lavis said. Preventing even one pro- lific burglar from committing dozens of break-ins following release can have a significant impact on crime, the prisons director said. That impact can be far greater than anything local police can achieve by locking someone up for six to 12 months, Royal Cayman Islands Police Chief Superintendent Kurt Walton said. “This is a society problem and other agencies need to be involved,” Mr. Walton said. “There has to be a holistic approach to it.” This year, police have made more than 100 arrests in connection with burglaries that have occurred since January. However, crime sta- tistics as of June 30 indicate that it is likely the Cayman Islands may see more than 600 break-ins again this year, judging by the more than 320 break-ins reported between January and June. Generally, Mr. Lavis said, the idea is to create good, for- malized information-sharing between the police, prisons and probation units of the government. “We do already have joint intelligence … this just formalizes it a bit more.” The three-person group expects to meet again next month to work out the details of the plan that will be pre- sented to the Ministry of Home Affairs for consideration. The prisons director has sought to address the islands’ recidivism rates through partnerships with local busi- nesses to try and place of- fenders directly into jobs upon their release. A release under a temporary license program was introduced last year to assist inmates coming to the end of their sentences in getting involved in volun- tary or paid work. Recidivism rates at Northward Prison are aver- aging around 70 percent for all offenders. Cayman Compass • Thursday augusT 27, 2015 www.uwc.org facebook.com/UWCCaymanIslands THANK YOU Thanks to our generous sponsors, many participants received full scholarships to attend the course and 100% of net revenue, which totaled CI$30,3401.14, will go toward our scholarship programme for Caymanians attending UWC colleges around the world. The United World Colleges (UWC) Cayman Islands National Committee hosted its first ‘short programme’ from 6th to 9th August in Grand Cayman, seeking to engage young people on sustainability issues. We believe it is important to promote discussion and educate, equip and empower young people to become agents of change in our community. EVEN T BR ONZE SILV ER GO LD PL A TINU M www.uwc.org facebook.com/UWCCaymanIslands THANK YOU Thanks to our generous sponsors, many participants received full scholarships to attend the course and 100% of net revenue, which totaled CI$30,3401.14, will go toward our scholarship programme for Caymanians attending UWC colleges around the world. The United World Colleges (UWC) Cayman Islands National Committee hosted its first ‘short programme’ from 6th to 9th August in Grand Cayman, seeking to engage young people on sustainability issues. We believe it is important to promote discussion and educate, equip and empower young people to become agents of change in our community. EVEN T BR ONZE SILV ER GO LD PL A TINU M Prisons seek earlier inmate release warning Mr. Lavis Northward Prison Magistrate orders victim impact statement Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An accounts manager pleaded guilty in Summary Court on Tuesday to the theft of $448,447.54 from her employer, Progressive Distributors Ltd. Coleen Renee Holness, 42, was accused of dishonestly appropriating the money be- tween July 3, 2008 and Sept. 4, 2014, while employed as man- ager of accounts receivable, with intent to permanently de- prive Progressive of the money. The defendant, a resident of George Town, was repre- sented by attorney Laurence Aiolfi. The matter first came to court on April 28. She has been on bail since then, and bail was extended until Oct. 29, when it was set for men- tion for sentence. Meanwhile, Magistrate Valdis Foldats ordered a so- cial inquiry report on the de- fendant’s background and a victim impact statement that will set out the perspective of the complainant. Employee guilty of stealing nearly $450,000The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Island residents are questioning the manage- ment of their country’s landfill, following a blaze that ignited amid a colossal mound of millions of used tires, emitting plumes of noxious black smoke and sparking fears of environmental contamination from the oil and chemicals produced by burning synthetic rubber. News reports indicate the millions of used tires have been accumulating at the landfill site for years, despite assurances from government authorities as far back as 2011 that they were “on the brink of finalizing a deal to have them removed.” To our readers in Grand Cayman, who surely remember the massive tire fire that occurred here in late December 2013 (and subsequent blazes over the next year and a half) — don’t worry, it remains safe, for now, to keep your windows open and let the fresh breezes waft softly in. The incident to which we refer did not occur at the George Town landfill (or the dumps in Cayman Brac or Little Cayman, either), but at the Cooks landfill on the northwest coast of Antigua. Antigua, like Cayman, is plagued with an overabun- dance of used tires, which in addition to constituting a ready supply of fuel for an impromptu inferno, also exist more passively as an incubator of mosquitoes and sanctum for vermin. However, unlike Cayman, and this is to Antigua’s credit, the Cooks landfill is a properly lined and relatively new facility — in this way it is far superior to Cayman’s landfills, which in layman’s terms are heaps of garbage sitting in direct contact with the bare ground. (In a stroke of irony, reports indicate that near the opening of the Cooks landfill in spring 2005, an out- of-control brush fire spread to the new landfill, causing significant damage to the high-density polyethylene landfill liner, which, according to the government, “proved highly flammable and difficult to extinguish.”) We highlight our Caribbean neighbor’s problems with landfill fires not for the purpose of reveling in schadenfreude about what has happened over there, but as a reminder — or a warning — of what could very well happen over here … again … at any moment. The George Town landfill last caught fire in March of this year. In mid-June, Cayman Islands government con- sultants released a preliminary report saying that the George Town landfill should be capped and remediated, that the tires and scrap metal should be removed, and that residents should have to pay for waste disposal. The consultants also suggested exploring waste-to- energy technology, but warned that would not eliminate entirely the need to landfill materials. All of those points are valid, but none of them are new. We’ve heard nothing more from government since then, while the clock continues to tick — taking us further from the May 2013 elections, after which the newly installed Progressives-led government offi- cially spurned the Dart Group’s $60 million offer to fix the George Town landfill once and for all, and closer to the May 2017 elections, when the Progressives will be held accountable by voters for their accomplishments (or lack thereof). It’s much more pleasant to spend time contemplating new ports, airports and other attractive projects, but, lest we forget, our festering landfill remains Cayman’s most- pressing — and most threatening — infrastructural and environmental issue. Landfill fires: A reminder from Antigua Thursday augusT 27, 2015 • Cayman COmpass A global trust deficit Why has the stock market been so volatile? In part, it can be explained by the global trust deficit. Few trust the economic numbers coming out of China or the statements of the Chinese leaders. The state- ments coming from the U.S. Federal Reserve have been vague and ambiguous, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to trust that its leaders know what they are doing. The Obama admin- istration has an incoherent fiscal policy, which has un- dermined trust in its eco- nomic management. Bernard Sanders and Hillary Rodham Clinton have talked about in- creasing taxes on the suc- cessful and more govern- ment spending, leaving a trust deficit as to what their economic policies would do. Donald Trump says we need to increase tariffs, seemingly oblivious to the fact that a tariff is a tax on consumers and would make Americans worse off rather than better off. Despite Mr. Trump’s other successes, such statements raise questions as to whether we can trust him when it comes to fiscal policy. President Obama says we should trust the Iranians to do self-inspections and not to cheat on the nuclear deal. Hillary Clinton says we should trust her when she tells us that she had only de- leted personal emails from her private server and did not send or receive any clas- sified emails. If we are ex- pected to trust those in gov- ernment, should not those in government trust us in the private sector? I cannot think of anyone I know (who is not in govern- ment) that I would trust less than Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton. The reason I trust people in the private sector more than I trust people in government is that most often those in the private sector who lie, cheat and steal, or just make honest mis- takes, can be held account- able, while those in the public sector who do the same often can get away with a simple, lame “I am sorry” at best. When the folks at BP were involved in an unintentional oil spill, the company was fined US$54 billion, and the top executive, Tony Hayward, as well as many others in the company were, in essence, fired. When the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) was involved in an un- intentional spill, heavily pol- luting a river in Colorado with dangerous heavy metals a couple of weeks back, Gina McCarthy, EPA administrator, had nothing to say but “sorry.” Ms. McCarthy also tells us to trust her that she is doing the right thing – by shut- ting down the coal industry, throwing tens of thousands of miners out of work and increasing electricity prices for most Americans in order to reduce global warming by three hundredths of a degree a century from now – as if that could even be measured with certainty. Ms. McCarthy and the EPA abuse their trust when they fail to do proper cost-benefit analysis of their regulations, allow windmill operators to kill bald eagles but try to jail others who may accidentally kill an eagle, or unintention- ally fill in a small wetland area. I would trust the EPA more if it had one-tenth of its current budget, with the re- quirement that it focus on the few real problems and stop writing unnecessary and de- structive rules and harassing the American people. I trust food and drug com- panies to provide products that will not harm me be- cause I understand that the companies know it is not good business to kill or hurt their customers. They also know that customers will sue them if they sell dan- gerous products. I do not trust the Food and Drug Administration because it often keeps needed and life- saving drugs off the market for many years in order to cover its bureaucratic behind. The folks at the Internal Revenue Service tell us we can trust them with our sen- sitive financial information and that they will treat all of us with respect and without political favoritism. But the IRS has forfeited that trust – because it has both de- liberately and carelessly re- vealed sensitive information on hundreds of thousands of taxpayers, and punished its critics. The IRS has also forfeited its trust by coming up with rules and regula- tions that are not even close to being justified on a cost- benefit basis. For instance, the new Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act has made it impossible for many Americans living abroad to get bank accounts, has driven hundreds of billions of dol- lars of foreign investment out of the country, and violates the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution – all in the name of collecting a few tax dollars from people who have unde- clared foreign accounts. The politicians and the bureaucrats want us to trust them to spend our money more wisely than we will ourselves. Yet waste, fraud, theft, mismanagement, mis- allocation and bureaucratic abuse continue unabated. Polls show that the American people have record-low trust in their government. As we enter the political season, it will be interesting to see who in the political class provides concrete proposals for re-es- tablishing trust rather than the typical verbal snake oil. 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 politicians and the bureaucrats want us to trust them to spend our money more wisely than we will ourselves. Yet waste, fraud, theft, mismanagement, misallocation and bureaucratic abuse continue unabated. FRom CAymAnCompAss.Com “Government to pull football funding amid election row,” Aug. 26 I support Minister Osbourne Bodden on this de- cision, and unless he is pos- itive that eyeballs can stop rolling from left to right, don’t take any chances. There are other areas where that money can be more useful now, and I don’t have to tell Ozzie, he will find it. Twyla Vargas Perhaps redirect the funds to properly structured after- school programs that have soccer as a component. George Ebanks On what basis does the Cayman government give money to CIFA in the first place? If it is to promote local football as has been sug- gested, then would the with- drawal of those funds not have a negative impact on the local game and the children that participate in the sport? If the withdrawal of funds will not have a negative im- pact on the local game, then the government might actually find a better use for the money by giving it to the Cayman Islands Cancer Society or some other similar organization. mack Boland “Private Equity: The use of independent directors,” Cayman Financial Review, 4Q 2015 Great article, Sabrina [Foster]. I have over 35 years of experience as an inde- pendent director for private, public and not for profit or- ganizations. My expertise is in board governance and commercial banking. I’ve spent much of my time on the boards devel- oping governance processes and have created board gov- ernance committees where previously, none existed. Over time I have found that the need for independent direc- tors to be necessary regard- less of the nature or business goals of the company. Having a non-executive independent director that employs best practices at all times is critical to investors and ultimately to the goals of management as well. Not to mention the positive reception by the regulators. As more “expert” indepen- dent directors are recruited, I believe we’ll see the value proposition as you described. The key is to be proactive and do so before it becomes a mandate. paul Jones “Cultural market opens at East End Blow Holes,” Aug. 25 Much needed. I think there used to be something there before Ivan. Good luck with their new endeavor. norman Linton This is wonderful news! All the best to the new cultural market! Jeremy smith “Obituary: David Bronson Catron, 1958-2015,” Aug. 21 I had the pleasure of working with David for three years at Her Majesty’s Prison Northward. He was a gentleman who worked hard and was re- spected by staff and in- mates. I offer my condo- lences to his family. steve Blair5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday augusT 27, 2015 Honda HR-V starting at $25,900 Call 949-0440 for more information. Car City, Durham Dr. Industrial Park, PO Box 10440 APO, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands Including 3 years licensing, 3 years warranty and 3 years free oil changes. YOU TALKED, VACATION CANCELLED WE LISTENED. IS STAYING OPEN! WILL BE CLOSING From August 31st Reopening October 9th Kelsey JuKam kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com The YMCA of the Cayman Islands has won a compet- itive tendering bid to run the Ministry of Education’s Extended After School Care Programme, which serves 1,500 children. The ministry this week announced its partnership with the YMCA on the project, which had previously been implemented and managed by the nonprofit Cayman Outreach Association. “The YMCA is very excited to have this opportunity to help meet the needs of the com- munity,” said Gregory Smith, chief executive officer of the YMCA of the Cayman Islands. “Building up the potential of young people has long been the core focus of the YMCA, and this program provides an ideal setting to do just that.” The after-school program is designed to provide a safe, fun and productive environment for students until their parents finish work. It started in 2011 with the aim of keeping stu- dents out of trouble. Students can partici- pate in a range of activities, including sports, arts and crafts and performing arts. Homework help and tutoring are also offered. Mr. Smith said the YMCA will continue to provide many of the same activities that have been successful in the past, and will also offer new curriculum components. The primary school pro- gram will include five main components: arts, STEM (sci- ence, technology, engineering and mathematics), FitKids (health and physical activity), and clubs (hobby activities such as photography, cooking and sewing). The new high school pro- gram will continue to offer many of the same club activi- ties as well, with additional ac- tivities focusing on youth lead- ership and vocational interests. The program is open to all students in the govern- ment education system and operates at seven government schools in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Mr. Smith said the YMCA has received “tremendous community support” since its establishment in Cayman in 2012, noting that the or- ganization’s all-day summer camp program had 90 enroll- ments a week over a seven- week period. He said parents and children have been “pro- viding great feedback that shows the value of having the Y on the island, and we are extremely grateful for their support.” Mr. Smith said volunteers who launched the YMCA here initially conducted a community needs survey which, along with other feedback, showed a strong community interest in high- quality activities and op- portunities for young people during after-school hours. He said the full-time YMCA staff includes Carl Morgan, who has two years’ experience working with the government’s Extended After School Care Programme. In its announcement, the ministry said it “looks for- ward to the continued suc- cess and growth of the EASP as it benefits our students and the wider community of the Cayman Islands. The ministry thanked the Cayman Outreach Association for “the important contribu- tion” it had made in previ- ously managing the EASP and in helping to develop the program since its inception. YMCA to run government after-school program Kelsey JuKam kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Ministry of the Environment will begin seeking public input next month on proposals for an enhanced system of marine parks. The Department of the Environment will hold public meetings in each district in September as part of the public consultation process, which will end on Dec. 4, the ministry announced Wednesday. Since protected marine parks were established in Cayman in 1986, threats to marine life have increased due to population growth, coastal development, tourism, over- fishing, climate change and in- vasive species such as lionfish. The parks are areas of the sea and coastline where wildlife is protected from destruction caused by human activities like water sports and fishing. “We need to do more,” Environment Minister Wayne Panton said during a press conference Wednesday. “We’ve slowed the decline of our en- vironment, but we need to get to a point where it is more sustainable. We’ve done a fan- tastic job of protecting the en- vironment, but we have to do more yet to ensure that it is there for future generations.” According to Gina Ebanks-Petrie, director of the Department of Environment, the marine parks proposal is essentially the same as what was taken to the public in 2012. Slight changes reflect the public input that was re- ceived at that time. The ini- tiative was sidelined until now to reflect the National Conservation Law, which was passed in Dec. 2013. Included in the proposal is a plan to increase “no-take zones,” where all fishing is banned, including at shore and at the drop-off. Ms. Ebanks-Petrie said that while the perception might be that the department is taking something away from fish- ermen in establishing “no-take zones,” such zones “actually benefit fisherman by ensuring that there are viable popula- tions of fish that can spill over into open areas.” She said if they do not put the no-take zones in place, there will not be enough fish, coral reefs will suffer, and as a result, the diving industry would also suffer. She said the zones would also make legislation against illegal fishing easier to en- force, as it will be more ob- vious when someone is breaking the law. To view maps of the proposed marine parks, visit www.doe.ky/ marine/marine-parks-review. Public invited to consult on marine parks proposal Mr. Smith6 LOCAL NEWS Thursday augusT 27, 2015 • Cayman Compass www.capitalrealty.com.ky CELEBRATING 10 YEARS WITH 10 GREAT AGENTS! Heidi Kiss, Broker/Owner 525.1126 OPEN HOUSE Saturday 29th from 10 to Noon Cheese and Wine will be served. #307 South Shores Penthouse 2bed/2bath, 1300 sq ft, kitchen with granite, TV cable, furnished, Oceanfront pool, Pets possible, Reduced for Quick sale! CI$209,000 CIREBA MLS 404525 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 Goodbye summer, hello school North Side Pirates Week Committee hosts Community Fun Day CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Dozens of North Side stu- dents, parents and siblings enjoyed a final summer fling on Saturday when the Pirates Week Committee hosted the Back to School Community Fun Day at Kaibo Public Beach. Organizers provided all of the anticipated ingredients, from snow cones and cotton candy to face painting and a bouncy castle. Deejay Oscar Pomare played upbeat music at a volume that did not interfere with conversations as adults kept watchful eyes on children playing along the shoreline. Keswick “Junior” McKenzie and Patrick Whittaker manned the grill, ensuring that hot dogs and hamburgers helped replenish youthful energies along with cupcakes, chips and sodas. The highlight of the af- ternoon was the distribu- tion of free school supplies. Committee members handed out colorful bags of mate- rials. Students formed or- derly lines according to age and gender, in a fitting pre- cursor to the school routine just ahead. Committee Chairman Marilyn Hines thanked ev- eryone for the cooperation that made the event possible. Members behind the scenes and on the beach in- cluded Felisiana Ebanks, Chelena Simmonds, Alex Johnson, Jay Ebanks, Junior McKenzie and Jeff Ebanks. 5K walk/run fundraiser to benefit halfway house Walkers and runners invited to Sept. 27 event CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Recreational runners, ath- letes in training and sup- porters of a good cause are invited to take part in the Hope Foundation’s Walk/Run for Recovery on Sept. 27. The last such event raised around $2,000 for the foun- dation’s halfway home for those recovering from alcohol and or substance addictions. Operations manager Brent Hydes said he would like to double that amount this year. He pointed out that the cost of running the halfway house program is $100,000 per year, with the majority of that going to rent and utilities. By comparison, Northward Prison’s annual budget is $17.2 million, which averages out to $69,000 per inmate, ac- cording to the legislature’s budget discussions in June. Residents at the halfway house do their own cooking and cleaning. Those with jobs are expected to take some re- sponsibility for their food and personal items. All have re- sponsibilities for the mainte- nance of the house and yard. In 2014, 16 people com- pleted their term of resi- dence. “They are continuing to do well, continuing with a 12-step recovery program,” Mr. Hydes said. With accommodation for a maximum of 10 people, the halfway house currently has seven residents. The Hope Foundation’s budget comes from busi- nesses and individuals in the community. Mr. Hydes identified an- other reason for the Sunday event – to raise awareness of the foundations’s work ac- cording to its motto, “helping people help themselves.” His hope is that the event will be of interest not only to the physically active who com- plete the course, but to anyone attracted by raffle prizes that include a weekend for two at the Westin, a LIME smart- phone, and lunches and din- ners at popular restaurants. The event starts at the Public Beach on Seven Mile Beach at 6 a.m. and follows the same route as last year – to Morgan’s Harbour in West Bay and back. Participation in the 5k walk/run is free, and trophies will be awarded in both male and female categories. The fundraising comes from raffle tickets, which cost $25. To register for the run, call 928-9099 or 326-6783. More information about the halfway house program can be obtained at www.caymanhopefoundation.com. Supporters and organizers of a previous Hope Foundation 5K include, from left, Rachel Smith, John Furniss, Lisa Malice, Monica Anglin, Minister Tara Rivers and Brent Hydes. Students line up to receive bags of school supplies put together and distributed by committee members, from right, Alex Johnson, Felisiana Ebanks, Marilyn Hines and Jay Ebanks. - PHOTOS: CAROL WINKER A new generation enjoys the traditional game. Chelena Simmonds retrieves bags of school supplies for older students as Marilyn Hines double-checks the contents.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 was part of a redevelop- ment project facilitated by the National Roads Authority Agreement, which included the closure of a section of West Bay Road. Mr. Bush said that despite criticism of the project, it is exactly the kind of invest- ment that Cayman needs. Once the hotel is com- pleted, visitors and guests will have expansive views of the sea. The lobby is situated more than 24 feet above sea level and features tall glass windows front and back for an unencumbered view. A swimming pool and poolside bar will be behind the lobby but below the lobby’s level in what DECCO project man- ager Lee Hudson describes as a “valley of awesome.” The hotel will feature a spa, coffee bar, poolside bar, beach bar, two restaurants, two pools and unfettered beach access. DECCO Executive Manager Gary Gibbs said the public will be encouraged to visit the beach and use the biking and walking path. “We encourage the public to traverse the beach, to uti- lize the facilities, to uti- lize the restaurants and the beach bars, and by design it’s very inclusive,” he said. The hotel will have 266 rooms, including three de- tached bungalows which can be used as nine separate hotel rooms or booked individually for larger groups or families. The property will also feature 62 condominiums. The design of the hotel will allow each of the rooms to have a sea view from glass-enclosed balconies. The average room will be 530 square feet, including the balcony, project man- agers said. They noted that the hotel rooms have been designed to be especially sound- proof so that guests will not be bothered by sounds of doors closing or people in the hallways. The interior design will be contemporary but will also reflect Cayman’s culture and environment, incorpo- rating motifs from local veg- etation, sea life and such el- ements as thatch rope and even a catboat. Following his visit, Mr. Bush said he was pleased with the efforts to incorpo- rate Cayman into the design plan, but he was also keen to ensure that the hotel would be partnering with local busi- nesses to offer various activi- ties, and thinks it should not be tied to any one particular water sports company. To date, the project has generated more than CI$90 million in construc- tion and purchase orders to Caymanian businesses, ac- cording to Dart represen- tatives. They said the com- pany has spent more than US$100 million on develop- ment and construction costs for the Kimpton resort, with an investment total esti- mated at US$309 million by its November 2016 opening. Cayman Compass • Thursday augusT 27, 2015 www.CaymanLuxuryProperty.com | 945.6000 | 7 Mile Beach & Cayman Kai Offices | Buying & Selling Real Estate, Contact Us. Personalised, not franchised. M ember of CIREBA Kimpton hotel aims for November 2016 opening DECCO Project Manager Lee Hudson explains features of the new Kimpton hotel to MLA McKeeva Bush. Visitors tour the construction site on Wednesday. – Photos: taneos Ramsay CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Saudi arrested in 1996 bombing that killed 19 Americans DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – A man described as the mastermind of the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing that killed 19 American ser- vicemen in Saudi Arabia has been captured, a U.S. and a Saudi official said Wednesday, ending a nearly two-decade manhunt for one of the FBI’s most-wanted terrorists. Ahmed al-Mughassil was arrested in Beirut and trans- ferred to Riyadh, the Saudi capital, according to the Saudi newspaper Asharq Alawsat. The Saudi Interior Ministry and Lebanese au- thorities had no immediate comment on the capture. The 48-year-old suspect was described by the FBI in 2001 as the head of the armed wing of the once-active but shadowy Saudi Hezbollah group. The FBI had offered a $5 million reward for infor- mation leading to his arrest. The June 25, 1996, truck bombing at the Khobar Towers, an eight-story dormi- tory in eastern Saudi Arabia for U.S. Air Force personnel assigned to the Gulf, killed 19 Americans and wounded 372 more. It was the dead- liest such attack targeting U.S. forces since the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marines’ barracks in Beirut that killed 241 American servicemen. Al-Mughassil, also known as Abu Omran, is one of 14 people named in a 2001 indict- ment in Alexandria, Virginia, in connection with the bombing. Charges include murder of fed- eral employees and bombing resulting in death. The U.S. indictment said that elements of the Iranian government inspired, sup- ported and supervised mem- bers of the Saudi Hezbollah group in the Khobar Towers attack, but it stopped short of naming any Iranian officials. The Asharq Alawsat newspaper said al-Mughassil was arrested after Saudi au- thorities identified his where- abouts in Lebanon. A Saudi official told The Associated Press that al-Mu- ghassil was detained two weeks ago after arriving in Beirut from Iran. He alleg- edly tried to seek cover in a southern Beirut neighbor- hood that is a stronghold of Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The se- curity official said Saudi in- telligence believes that four others wanted in the bombing are living in Iran. The Saudi and U.S. offi- cials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. Saudi Arabia has never di- rectly blamed Iran – its re- gional rival – for the attack, and Iran has repeatedly de- nied being involved. In 2006, U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled the Iranian government financed the bombing, ordering it to pay $254 million to the at- tack’s victims. U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby declined to comment on the capture but said: “The United States con- tinues to stand with the vic- tims and families harmed by this attack, and we’re going to continue working with Saudi Arabia and the international community to bring to justice all the perpetrators of it.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Thursday augusT 27, 2015 • Cayman Compass Second Anniversary in Heaven An astute youngster hailed across the water Becoming sibling, wife, mother & daughter Courage and principles belied her slight frame Gifted yet humble, just the same A lady of integrity, so judicious Career elevation steep, yet prodigious An inspiration; so kindly we speak First woman to crown this Cayman peak. A beautiful wife and focused mother Perfect complement to significant other A legacy strong; a woman resolute A loving & caring mom, none would refute Clearly endeared to overseas clan They couldn’t imagine it would be God’s plan Such tragedy Ivan did not portend To this tacit victim, a cruel storm did send Memoirs deflect in this premature corollary Earth’s trials complete; a curtailed life story Sadly denied the treasures of God’s creation Her Angels were foremost until she became one. In our thoughts and prayers -Gordon & Ebanks families Her Angels were foremost until she became one.Her Angels were foremost until she became one. Earth’s trials complete; a curtailed life storyEarth’s trials complete; a curtailed life story Sadly denied the treasures of God’s creationSadly denied the treasures of God’s creation Her Angels were foremost until she became one.Her Angels were foremost until she became one. Earth’s trials complete; a curtailed life storyEarth’s trials complete; a curtailed life story Sadly denied the treasures of God’s creationSadly denied the treasures of God’s creation Her Angels were foremost until she became one.Her Angels were foremost until she became one. Student standards in mathematics, English and science are “significantly below” international standards and generally at least “one year” below U.K. norms, Ms. Rivers said. Of the 240 test takers, 14 received a perfect score. School inspections highlight flaws Half of residence test takers get 75 percent or higher applicants must receive a total of at least 110 points based on a number of catego- ries on which they are judged, including employment, in- vestment in the islands, com- munity involvement, edu- cation, age, nationality and financial status. The tests were administered on 12 dates at the University College of the Cayman Islands between May 22 and July 17. The following results were reported by the Immigration Department: ■■ 135 people (56.3 per- cent) scored 15 points or higher, with between 30 and 40 correct answers ■■ 56 people (23.3 per- cent) scored between 10 points and 14.5 points, with between 20 and 29 correct answers ■■ 42 people (17.5 per- cent) scored between 5.5 points and 9.5 points, with between 11 and 19 correct answers ■■ 7 people (2.9 percent) scored between zero points and 5 points, with between zero and 10 correct answers. According to immi- gration statistics, no one scored zero on the test. The lowest reported score among those 240 people seeking permanent resi- dence status was 2 points by someone who had only four correct answers out of the 40 questions. However, if an applicant did not ar- rive on their appointed day to take the exam, they would get a zero score. Of the 240 test takers, 14 received a perfect score. The new permanent resi- dence scheme, made law as of Oct. 26, 2013, presents a much more difficult and ex- pensive path to citizenship than previously existed in the Cayman Islands. A test course held at UCCI was developed after some test-takers under the old per- manent residence scheme complained that the ques- tions were too difficult or were irrelevant to the issue of prospective citizenship. Professors teaching the course have said the test questions are now more di- rectly tailored to the his- tory, culture and civics of the Cayman Islands. The immigration test sta- tistics provided did not delin- eate test-takers who had en- rolled in the UCCI course and those who had not. Since the advent of the new permanent residence system, there have been far fewer applicants for perma- nent residence. Immigration Department records indicate that more than 350 people have ap- plied for permanent resi- dence status since the law was changed, but hundreds of permanent residence and key employee status appli- cations were approved each quarter prior to the change in the law. shortcomings in the system, including: ■■ Human resources is- sues related to the re- cruitment and reten- tion of good teachers ■■ Need for better per- formance manage- ment for underper- forming teaching staff ■■ Need to increase, re- structure and improve training and support for behavior management ■■ Need to deploy teaching assistants more effectively ■■ Need for better col- lection and use of as- sessment data. She said the reports show that Cayman’s schools have a long way to go, de- spite recent improvements. And she told teachers, this year “cannot be business as usual,” promising sup- port from the ministry for improvement throughout the system. The inspections were carried out by the U.K.- based Independent Schools Inspectorate Consultancy in tandem with a wider review of the structure of Cayman’s education system carried out by KPMG. Christen Suckoo, acting chief officer in the Ministry of Education, said the reports are informing operational changes in the schools. Principals will be given more power over the day-to- day running of their schools, but will have to make more regular reports to officials on performance targets. He said school leaders would be required each term to provide feedback regarding teacher perfor- mance, behavior reports and student academic progress. Mr. Suckoo said the coming school year will be a pivotal one that marks the “commencement of a new era of public education in the Cayman Islands.” He told teachers the re- ports demonstrated that “while progress has indeed been made in our education system, we are still short in delivering outcomes that are in line with international re- sults and best practice.” He said the inspection reports need to be used to drive improvement, adding, “These reviews will not be in vain.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Norway accused of unfairly taking away immigrant children STAVANGER, Norway (AP) – One August day, Airida Pettersen received the news many im- migrant mothers have come to dread: School represen- tatives told the Lithuanian that child welfare officials re- moved her two children from the classroom and placed them in a foster home. She pleaded to know why – but she said nobody would give her a straight answer. Pettersen, who moved to Norway in 2008 after marrying a Norwegian, is one of hundreds of immi- grant parents whose chil- dren were taken away by Norway’s Child Protection Service, or Barnevernet, os- tensibly to protect them from mistreatment. After a series of highly charged custody disputes, the oil-rich Scandinavian country now faces accusa- tions of cultural insensitivity at best and child theft at worst, as increasing num- bers of immigrant children are being seized by offi- cials and handed over to Norwegian foster families. Of 6,737 children taken in 2012 – the latest available data – some 1,049 were im- migrants or born to immi- grant parents. That com- pares to 744 children of immigrants taken away, of a total of 5,846, in 2009. The authorities insist they’re acting in the best in- terests of the children. But their perceived heavy-hand- edness has stirred diplo- matic disputes with several eastern European countries. All Western European countries assert the right to place children, both of na- tionals and foreigners, in foster care when there is ev- idence of abuse. And com- plaints of unfair seizures, allegedly for cultural rea- sons, are known to arise. But Norway is the only country where it has become a major issue due to the scale of the phenomenon and the fierce criticism of the government. A relative managed to spirit Pettersen’s children away from their foster family while they were at school and reunite them with their mother in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. The child welfare agency insists children would never be removed from their fami- lies unless they were consid- ered to be in danger. Statistics show that chil- dren born abroad are more than three times as likely to be removed from their homes as native Norwegians, with nearly 3 percent of foreign- born children in foster care. In May, hundreds of people marched in the cap- ital Oslo to protest alleged human rights abuses by child welfare officials. The dem- onstration was organized by Norwegian human rights campaigner Marius Reikeras, who has denounced his coun- try’s child protection agency in television interviews in the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Turkey. In March, a Turkish mother says she narrowly avoided having her small children removed from home after a tip-off. Instead of showing up at a meeting with officials, Sedef Mustafaoglu made a dash through Denmark to Germany with her two youngest children, ages 6 and 8, and boarded a plane to Turkey. “Having a child in Norway is like being in a scary movie,” she said. Her husband Feridun Mustafaoglu, who stayed behind in Stavanger, said their problems started in 2011 when their son started having severe epileptic fits, which he believes officials mistook for signs that the parents weren’t caring for the child. In this photo taken in May, Feridun Mustafaoglu holds pictures of his children in his one-room rental in Stavanger, Norway. Mustafaoglu helped his wife and two sons flee to Turkey after a tip-off that Norwegian child protection services were about to take custody of the children. – Photo: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL Cayman Compass • Thursday augusT 27, 2015 Drop-in evening on Wednesday 2 September Anytime between 5pm and 7pm at UCCI - above the library Masters in Human Resource Management Coming to the Cayman Islands in October 2015 for HR Professionals and Senior Managers The University of Portsmouth is offering a 5th Masters in HRM delivered by University of Portsmouth Faculty at UCCI. Two academic years of classes are fully taught on island in a series of 3 day workshops, plus a supervised research based project This programme is perfect for HR professionals and senior managers who wish to to develop HR skills and knowledge, gain a respected Masters Qualification and benefit from CIPD Membership For Class Schedule, Fees and Payment Plans and Frequently Asked Questions: www.port.ac.uk/cayman/hrm If you are interested please contact: stephen.pilbeam@port.ac.uk Or Just come to the informal drop-in evening to talk to Stephen Pilbeam Enhance your career prospects, gain a Masters and gain CIPD membership! Reporter, cameraman killed on air; gunman shoots himself MONETA, Va. (AP) – A TV re- porter and cameraman were shot to death during a live television interview Wednesday by a gunman who recorded himself car- rying out the killings and posted the video on social media after fleeing the scene. Authorities identified the suspect as a journalist who had been fired from the sta- tion earlier this year. Hours later and hundreds of miles away, he ran off the road and a trooper found him with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He died at a hospital later Wednesday. The shots rang out on-air as reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were presenting a local tourism story at an outdoor shopping mall. Viewers saw her scream and run, and she could be heard saying “Oh my God,” as she fell. Ward fell, too, and the camera he had been holding on his shoulder cap- tured a fleeting image of the suspect holding a handgun. WDBJ quickly switched back to the anchor at the sta- tion, her eyes large and jaw dropping as she said, “OK, not sure what happened there.” The station later went live again, reporting on their own station and staff as the story developed. Parker and Ward were killed as the gunman fired about 15 shots. Their inter- view subject, Vicki Gardner, was in stable condition later Wednesday after surgery for her wounds. The gunman was Vester Lee Flanagan II, 41, of Roanoke, who appeared on WDBJ as Bryce Williams, au- thorities said. Jeffrey Marks, WDBJ’s president and general man- ager, said Flanagan had to be escorted out of the station by police when he was fired. Marks described him as “an unhappy man” and “difficult to work with,” always “looking out for people to say things he could take offense to.” “Eventually after many in- cidents of his anger coming to the fore, we dismissed him. He did not take that well,” Marks explained. Video posted hours after the shooting on Bryce Williams’s Twitter account and Facebook page showed an outstretched arm holding the handgun and firing re- peatedly at Parker as she tried to run away. The shooter appeared to walk up to the victims and stand a few feet away from them while holding the weapon. The three, in the midst of a live TV interview, do not seem to notice the gunman, who doesn’t start shooting until Ward points the camera at Parker. Ward was engaged to a producer at the station, Melissa Ott, who was cele- brating her last day on the job and was in the control room, watching it live, as the shooting unfolded, Marks said. Tweets posted on Williams’s Twitter account Wednesday described work- place conflicts with both vic- tims. They say Williams filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Parker, and that Ward had reported Williams to human resources. Marks said Williams al- leged that other employees made racially tinged com- ments to him, but said his EEOC claim was dismissed and none of his allegations could be corroborated. “We think they were fabri- cated,” Marks said. ABC News reported on its website that the net- work received a 23-page fax from someone claiming to be Williams. The network said the fax was turned over to authorities, and did not elab- orate on its contents. “This gentleman was dis- turbed at the way things had turned out at some point in his life. Things were spiraling out of control,” Franklin County Sheriff W.Q. “Bill” Overton Jr. said at a news conference. The shooting hap- pened around 6:45 a.m. at Bridgewater Plaza in Franklin County, as Parker interviewed Gardner about the upcoming 50th anniversary festivities for Smith Mountain Lake, a local tourism destination. Ward, 27, was a graduate of Virginia Tech. “Adam was our go-to guy. He pretty much was avail- able to do anything that we asked,” Morgan said. “He did live shots during our morning show for several years.” Parker had just turned 24 and had joined the sta- tion as an intern after at- tending James Madison University, where she was the editor of the school’s news- paper, The Breeze. According to her Facebook page, Parker spent most of her life out- side Martinsville, Virginia. She was an avid kayaker and attended community theater events in her spare time. (AP) – U.S. stocks surged in afternoon trading, put- ting the stock market on track for its biggest gain in close to four years. Stocks are rebounding from a six-day slump that was prompted by wor- ries about the health of the Chinese economy. The three major U.S. in- dexes dropped six days in a row heading into Wednesday. That’s the lon- gest market slide in more than three years. The Dow had fallen about 1,900 points over that period, while the slump wiped more than $2 trillion off the value of S&P 500 companies. A strong rebound on Tuesday evaporated in the final minutes of trading and the Dow ended more than 200 points lower. On Wednesday, instead of sag- ging, the market surged in the final hour of trading. The Dow Jones in- dustrial average rose 536 points, or 3.4 percent, to 16,201 as of 3:41 p.m. Eastern time. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index gained 63 points, or 3.4 percent, to 1,931, put- ting the index on track for its best day since November 2011. The Nasdaq com- posite gained 178 points, or 4 percent, to 4,684. Markets have been vola- tile since China decided to weaken its currency earlier this month. Investors in- terpreted the move as an attempt to bolster a sag- ging economy. Traders are also jittery about the outlook for in- terest rates. US stocks surge in afternoon trading Reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were fatally shot during an on-air interview on Wednesday by a former colleague who was fired earlier this year. - PHOTO: WDBJ-TV Via aPNext >