ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Thursday sepTember 3, 2015 sports | page 17 ebanks has power To geT medal Hopkin is at Youth Commonwealth Games High of 91 Low of 81 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. editorial | page 4 speed of Cayman: no ‘fasT lane’ in a TraffiC jam Premier Health BritCay has one word to describe policy holders. People. People, not policy holders BritCay prioritises the needs of patients with efficient access to benefits. That’s why we settled 209,003 health insurance claims in 2014, 96% in 5 working days. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES 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 Gay couple challenge Immigration decision james whiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A gay law professor and his husband are at the center of a possible test case, challenging the “unequal” treatment of homosexual cou- ples in the Cayman Islands. Leonardo Raznovich, who helped students at the Truman Bodden Law School organize a series of public lectures on human rights, in- cluding rights for homosexuals, was told in June that his contract with the college was not being renewed. His British partner of 16 years has sub- mitted an application to have Mr. Raznovich listed as a dependent on his work permit. The Immigration Board indicated it did not have the power to accommodate the request, routinely approved for married couples of a different sex. Now the lecturer faces the pros- pect of being deported. Mr. Raznovich and his partner, who were married in his home country of Argentina in 2012, plan to appeal the decision on the grounds that the differing treatment of same- sex couples is discriminatory. Mr. Raznovich said he hoped government would “do the right thing” and move to ad- dress the situation without it going to court. “If they go to court, what are they going to say? We want to discriminate against gay guys? “The decent thing to do would be to remedy what the Immigration Board has highlighted, that there is no statutory framework to deal with these kind of applications.” He said the European Court of Human Rights has already established that ho- mosexual couples must be treated the same, in terms of their legal rights, as other married couples. The court’s decisions extend to Cayman be- cause of its territorial relationship with the U.K., meaning any appeal through the courts would likely be successful. He has written to Attorney General Samuel Bulgin, urging him to address the situation and rectify Cayman’s laws to comply with the convention. As a lecturer at the law school, Mr. Raznovich was a government employee and part of the Attorney General’s Chambers. The Immigration Board in its decision South Sound buildS on development boom james whiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com South Sound is undergoing a new develop- ment boom with at least five projects in var- ious stages of completion. Davenport Development is building the first phase of Vela, a 168-unit condo complex around an Olympic-size swimming pool. Similar in scope to the developer’s earlier San Sebastian complex, the development’s foundations have been laid and the first phase is sold out. The NCB Group has begun advance sales on a multimillion-dollar energy-efficient beachfront project, Tides, farther along South Sound. The project includes 24 oceanside condos in the million-dollar-plus price range. Realtors say that while Seven Mile Beach is the most popular area for tourists buying second homes, South Sound remains the in- demand area for people living on island. Other projects in the pipeline for the area include the Shore Club, a six-residence “up- scale” project from Baraud Development Ltd. Chinese company Datang Investments is in the planning stages of another South Sound development, though few details have been released publicly. Meanwhile, developer Rene Hislop has been granted permission to excavate a lake, envis- aged as the centerpiece of a future housing development. Paul Pearson of Davenport said the devel- oper was responding to demand for more con- dominiums in the area. He said the first phase of 56 units is under construction and has been sold out, largely from a waiting list of cli- ents who missed out on the neighboring San Sebastian project. Smith Road congestion to extend to late October Tad sToner tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com The $1.8 million road-widening project on Smith Road that started in July will not be finished until late October. When complete, the project will add a turn lane to the present two-lane blacktop and feature sidewalks spanning the en- tire 3,000 feet of Smith Road – from the intersection of Crewe and Smith roads, Huldah Avenue and Bobby Thompson Way, to the four-way stop outside the Cayman Islands Hospital. “What we’re doing is widening the road, putting sidewalks along the left side as you head toward the four-way stop,” said National Roads Authority Senior Engineer Edison Jackson. The project is scheduled to be carried out in three 1,000-foot phases. The first phase extends from the stoplight at the Crewe Road intersection to Hope Drive, adjacent to the Hymie Building. The second section is from Hope Drive to Anthony Drive, the en- trance to Windsor Park at Pasadora Place. The final segment runs from Anthony Drive to the four-way stop at Hospital Road and the new Tomlinson Building. “The first phase is done,” Mr. Jackson said. “Today or tomorrow [Tuesday or Wednesday], though, things should get PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » The road-widening project on Smith Road is causing headaches for motorists. - photo: tAneoS RAmSAY2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Thursday sepTember 3, 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 AMERICAN ULTRA (R) 1:10 | 4:10 | 7:00 | 9:20 HITMAN: AGENT 47 (R) 1:00 | 3:30 | 7:10 | 9:55 FANTASTIC FOUR (PG13) 4:00 | 9:50 NO ESCAPE (R) 1:30 | 4:30 | 7:15 | 10:10 DRAGONBALL Z 3D (NR) 1:20 I 3:40 I 7:20 I 10:00 MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E (PG13) 12:50 I 6:45 MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (PG13) 12:55 | 3:50 | 6:50 | 9:45 Burglars break into primary schools Savannah and George Town primaries targeted Thieves broke into two primary schools this week, just as the school year was beginning. Teachers and staff at Savannah Primary School discovered the break-in at their school on Sunday morning. Police said a laptop and phone were stolen in the break-in that occurred over- night. A uniform sale had been held at the school the day before. On Tuesday, at around 8 a.m., police responded to a report of another burglary, this time at George Town Primary. Burglars broke in to the school’s administrative office and made off with a fax ma- chine valued at $250, as well as other items. Police said scenes of crime officers and the criminal in- vestigation department are investigating the burglaries. Statistics from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service indicate the number of burglaries increased by 16 percent in the first half of this year, compared to the same period last year. More than 300 burglaries were committed between January and the end of June this year. Anyone with information on the burglaries at the school is asked to call George Town CID at 949-4222 or Crime Stoppers at 800-8477(TIPS). Prison officer charged with common assault Officer accused of throwing water on inmate Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Prison officer Cohen St. Hugh Daley appeared in Summary Court on Tuesday charged with assaulting a prison inmate by throwing water on him. Daley stood in the dock in his prison guard uniform. The charge is based on an alleged incident at Northward Prison on March 3. Asked if he would be getting an attorney, Daley told Chief Magistrate Nova Hall, “I’m going to seek legal advice on the basis that this was dealt with internally at the prison.” He was given pa- pers that summarize the case against him, plus a case management form. The form, which came into use on Sept. 1, is meant to be filled out by both the Crown and defense with informa- tion that will help a case progress efficiently. The magistrate directed Daley to return to court on Sept. 17. Employer faces holiday, overtime charges Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An employer who has three businesses faces 47 charges for allegedly failing to pay overtime or public holiday remuneration, in- cluding amounts allegedly owed to employees ranging between $30 and $1,182.50, mostly in 2014. Lincoln Robinson, 46, was charged trading as H&A Maintenance and Construction, H&A Janitorial, and Housekeepers of Cayman. He appeared in Summary Court on Tuesday. In general, overtime pay is at least one-and-one-half times an employee’s basic hourly wage. Public holiday pay is generally double the normal rate of pay. Defense attorney Richard Barton asked for time to study the papers. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran said, “If there is a legal ar- gument to be raised, that should be flagged before the next hearing.” He was referring to a timetable in the new prac- tice direction issued by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie for criminal case management in the Summary Court. The direc- tion, which came into ef- fect on Sept. 1, is meant to reduce delays and im- prove efficiency. Chief Magistrate Nova Hall set the next hearing for Sept. 17. arson charged after car fire Case sent to Grand Court Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man accused of set- ting fire to a car on the East- West Arterial is to appear in Grand Court next week on a charge of arson. Michael Mark Dawkins, 41, of Savannah is charged with setting fire to a blue Mercedes- Benz so situated that it was likely to endanger other drivers on the road. The alleged arson oc- curred on Feb. 14. Dawkins was in Summary Court on Tuesday, when he was directed by Chief Magistrate Nova Hall to appear in Grand Court on Sept. 11, since arson charges can only be heard in Grand Court. Dawkins was repre- sented by attorney Paul Keeble, who was holding for Graham Hampson. Troubled Puerto Rico power company in deal with bondholders SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – The troubled state-owned Puerto Rico power company announced a restructuring plan Wednesday with some of its creditors that would provide breathing room for an island staggering under the weight of its public debt. A group of bondholders holding about a third of the power company’s $9 billion debt, agreed to reduce the principal owed by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority in exchange for new securi- ties worth 85 percent of their existing bonds, the utility said in a statement. The deal, if approved by bondholders outside the group, would reduce the prin- cipal by $670 million and would save $700 million in interest payments and prin- cipal over the next five years. It is part of a broader plan to restructure debt and over- haul operations at the utility known as PREPA. “We will continue to work with the other cred- itor groups toward a compre- hensive agreement that will benefit the people and busi- nesses of Puerto Rico, and provide a clear path to im- plement PREPA’s transforma- tion,” Harry Rodriguez, the chairman of the board of di- rectors, said in a statement. Puerto Rico economist Gustavo Velez said the agree- ment brings some relief to the power company, but he noted that it is only a partial financial restructuring and does not address more fun- damental problems. “It doesn’t address the company’s business model or how it will produce more en- ergy,” he said, calling the cur- rent model an obsolete public monopoly. “Until that is ad- dressed, it will not solve the issue with creditors or the economic problems.” PREPA’s debt, as well as its oil-dependent and trou- bled-plagued power grid, has been a significant con- tributing factor in the bleak economic outlook for Puerto Rico. The cost of electricity on the island is two times to three times the average on the U.S. mainland, a major complaint for both busi- nesses and consumers. Manufacturing, the back- bone of the Puerto Rican economy, has been in de- cline for a decade, plunging the island into recession and driving up unemploy- ment, now at 12 percent, and prompting the largest ex- odus to the mainland in de- cades. Overall public debt, much of it incurred to paper over budget deficits in recent years, has reached $72 billion, which Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla has said is unpayable and must be restructured. Puerto Rican officials have been lobbying Congress to change U.S. law to allow the public debt of its municipali- ties and public utilities to be restructured through bank- ruptcy, which is prohibited be- cause the island is a territory not a state. In the meantime, PREPA and other Puerto Rican entities have been trying to work out agreements like the one announced Wednesday. The deal was reached after roughly a year of negoti- ations with the group, which holds about 35 percent of the power company’s bonds and represents hedge funds and municipal bond investors. “Today’s announce- ment represents a signifi- cant positive step for all stakeholders involved,” said Stephen Spencer with the Los Angeles-based investment bank Houlihan Lokey, an ad- viser to bondholders. “We be- lieve it provides PREPA with a fresh start and financial flexibility, with bondholders providing meaningful sacri- fices to make that happen.” PREPA said it is still in talks with other creditors, in- cluding bond insurers and revolving fuel line lenders. The company also an- nounced it had obtained an extension on its debt pay- ment until Sept. 18, with all creditors in agreement except the National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation. U.S. and Puerto Rico flags hang outside the governor’s mansion in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico’s power company has reached an agreement with a group of bondholders to restructure the troubled agency, providing some relief to investors who believed it soon would go bankrupt. - Photo: aPThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Thursday sepTember 3, 2015 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Thursday sepTember 3, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Just to keep up with the accelerating pace of the wider world, the Cayman Islands as a country needs to increase its velocity, and get things done more quickly. But instead of moving faster, all too often we find our- selves stuck — in traffic. Case in point: The construction on Smith Road, which has clogged a vital artery to and from the con- centration of schools in George Town, resulting in enig- matic detours, frustrated motorists and queues of cars that are even longer than usual. The purpose of this editorial is not to complain about traffic congestion, or the inevitable, though irri- tating, consequences of major roadwork. The widening of Smith Road is long overdue and sorely needed. When finished, it will be a boon to commuters and parents, and will also facilitate the valiant efforts of Grand Cayman’s ambulance crews as they race to and from the nearby Cayman Islands Hospital. No, our issue is not with the work being done on Smith Road, but with its timing. Obstructing a crucial corridor linking schools and town is one thing — doing that during the beginning of the school year is another. And the Smith Road project is expected to continue through September and October … though hope- fully officials are correct in their expectations that problems will lessen as the work moves to the west. While roads officials may protest about land acqui- sitions, utility relocations and other unforeseen circum- stances setting back schedules, from our view in the bleachers, we observe a situation that is the result of an absence of urgency. Back in mid-March, nearly six months ago, the Compass reported on the National Roads Authority’s plans to widen, first, Godfrey Nixon Way and, then, Smith Road. At the time, NRA director Paul Parch- ment said work on Godfrey Nixon Way would begin the week of March 23, and work on Smith Road would start in early April. The widening of Godfrey Nixon Way didn’t start until the week of April 6, three weeks after Mr. Parch- ment’s initial prediction. Heavy precipitation and a col- lapsed manhole delayed completion of the Godfrey Nixon Way widening (another much-needed project that, by the way, is now functioning quite well) until late May. The roadwork on Smith Road, then, didn’t begin in earnest until early July. If it had begun in early April as originally intended, then a four-month time line would have meant the widening would have been completed sometime in August, before the start of the school year. And instead of mornings of moaning about wasted fuel, squandered time and an accu- mulation of tardy slips, people in Cayman would be offering praise and applause about a job well done, and well-timed. The government’s lackadaisical approach to road construction is indicative of Cayman’s approach to many things, in too many instances — in the private sector as well as the public sector. Don’t get us wrong, we here at the Compass love being on “island time” as much as the next person. That phrase, however, connotes leisure and freedom from stress; being too slow in the conduct of business, execution of projects and provision of services has the opposite effects. Think about that the next time you are delayed by someone else’s inertia. Where would you rather be spending those moments: ensconced in your car, waiting in line, on hold on the phone — or lying in a hammock? Speed of Cayman: No ‘fast lane’ in a traffic jam The resurrection of discredited ideas Would you call yourself a “socialist?” Webster’s dic- tionary defines socialism as “a theory or system of social organization which advocates the vesting of ownership and control of the means of pro- duction, capital, land, etc. in the community as a whole.” Modern-style socialism was born during the French Revolution – with the Conspiracy of Equals. In his classic work “Heaven on Earth” about the rise and fall of socialism, Joshua Muravchik, wrote: “Once em- powered, socialism refused to yield its promised re- wards. The more dogged the effort to achieve it, the more the outcome mocked the hu- mane ideals it proclaimed. Yet for a century and a half, no amount of failure dampened socialism’s appeal. Then sud- denly like a rocket crashing to earth, it all collapsed. Within a couple of decades, socialism was officially repealed in half the places where it had tri- umphed. In the other half, it continued in name only.” It was an ideology that claimed well over 100 million innocent lives in the 20th cen- tury. It denied people basic economic and personal free- doms, including the right to own property, and the ability to respond to incentives to better their own lives. Even in theory it could not work, as Ludwig von Mises and F.A. Hayek so clearly explained – that without market-deter- mined prices, there was no way to know the relative value of anything, so productive re- sources would be misallocated. There was also no room for in- novation. The best that could be hoped for was increasing economic stagnation, a loss of individual liberty, and political repression – which is exactly what happened in practice. Yet, Sen. Bernie Sanders proudly calls himself a socialist and is welcomed in the Democratic Party presidential primary. He appears to have perhaps more than a million supporters. It is hard to conclude anything other than these people are ignorant of history and are incapable of clear thinking. North Korea and Cuba are the best-known remnants of classic socialism. Only the willfully blind think these places are anything other than economic and moral disasters. Members of the press have no problem attacking far more minor policy idiocies from other candidates – so why is Mr. Sanders given a free pass on the core of his beliefs? For more than two cen- turies, people who are eco- nomically literate have un- derstood the benefits of free trade, which is based on two indisputable propositions. The first is the greater the extent of the market, the less expen- sive goods and services tend to be – because of economies of scale. The second is each country or state has compara- tive advantages. Florida sells oranges to Vermont, Vermont sells maple syrup to Florida, and both states benefit from the lower costs of trading rather than trying to produce both goods on their own. In the same way, Malaysia sells rubber to the United States and buys U.S. airplanes. As a result, the people in both countries benefit. Donald Trump has advo- cated putting tariffs (a con- sumption tax) on Chinese im- ports, which would raise the cost of all of those goods to American consumers, par- ticularly hurting low-in- come people. Many foreign nationals buy units in Mr. Trump’s buildings. I expect he would be less keen about the Chinese and other gov- ernments making their citi- zens pay a tax on the units they buy from Mr. Trump. The Apple iPad is assem- bled in China, and when it is exported to the United States, its cost is listed as a Chinese sale to the U.S. But, according to the National Science Board, China only earns about 3 per- cent of the money from the iPad because the parts are sourced in many countries (13 percent in South Korea, 3 percent in Taiwan, 3 per- cent in Japan, etc.). Most of the value (60 percent) accrues to the U.S., where the bulk of the design and marketing is done. Trade theory and prac- tice is taught at the Wharton School, where Mr. Trump got his degree, but it appears he might have missed that class. Mr. Sanders, Ms. Clinton and others seem to have dif- ficulty understanding the dif- ference between tax rates and tax revenue. Mr. Sanders has mentioned putting tax rates in excess of 90 percent on the rich. The experiment of very high tax rates has been tried in many places over the de- cades, and it always results in the same outcome – the prom- ised tax revenues fail to ap- pear, and economic growth is undermined, thus reducing in- comes and employment – and the governments end up re- ducing the rates. Ms. Clinton wants to increase some cap- ital gains tax rates, failing to understand that even U.S. Treasury studies show that the long-run revenue-max- imizing rate for the capital gains tax is less than 15 per- cent. When Ms. Clinton’s hus- band was president, the cap- ital gains tax rate was cut – in part enabling the high growth and budget surpluses at the end of his administration. It is a mystery why Ms. Clinton thinks doing the opposite of what her husband did about capital gains taxes should not make things worse rather than better. The tax rate in- creasers running for president seem to have forgotten that people do not work, save and invest to pay taxes. Then again, despite all of the evidence, some people still believe the earth is flat. 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 Members of the press have no problem attacking far more minor policy idiocies from other candidates – so why is Mr. Sanders given a free pass on the core of his beliefs? Presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders addresses the Democratic National Committee in Minneapolis on Friday. - Photo: AP RichaRd W. Rahn Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday sepTember 3, 2015 OCTOBER , The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman www.breastcancerfoundation.ky info@breastcancerfoundation.ky PRINT MEDIA SPONSOR PLATINUM SPONSOR to our Thank ou Joan Lunen Featuring Celebrity Keynote Speaker and Breast Cancer Survivor Agricultural pioneers sought for Heroes Day recognition Kelsey JuKAm kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Premier Alden McLaughlin and Agriculture Minister Kurt Tibbetts will oversee nominations of Caymanian farmers who will be recognized as pi- oneers of agriculture in the 2016 National Heroes Day celebrations. Mr. Tibbetts, speaking at a press conference Tuesday to announce the launch of the nomination period, praised the strides made by farmers, saying Caymanians are “marching out into areas of agriculture here in the Cayman Islands that we never thought of before” and noting an increase in cattle farming and farmers growing herbs and spices. Next year’s National Heroes Day, on Jan. 25, will honor Caymanians who have played important roles in Cayman’s farming industry. The nomination period began on Tuesday and will continue until Sept. 30. Mr. Tibbetts said that in addition to National Heroes Day, which will recognize farmers, he is looking for- ward to the opening of the farmers market near the Cricket grounds (slated for October) and the annual agriculture show (sched- uled for Feb. 10.) He also noted that Cayman will host the an- nual Caribbean Week of Agriculture in October next year, which will be the first time an overseas territory has hosted the event. “The task of agriculture is hard work,” said Ministry of Health and Culture Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn, who along with Premier McLaughlin and Minister Tibbetts will be on the committee overseeing the nomination process. “It’s a commitment, it’s a pas- sion, and these awards are really an opportunity for us to recognize those who have made the sacrifices and continue to put the ef- fort in and have made the contributions that have got us to where we are in the Cayman Islands.” Councilor for the Ministry of Health and Culture Roy McTaggart, speaking on behalf of Premier McLaughlin at the press conference, said, “We’re asking the public to nomi- nate people or persons they believe have played a very pivotal role in growing crops, raising animals for food or working the areas of science and research in agriculture.” “There are many, many men and women in the agri- culture sector who deserve to be honored,” he added. “Please help us to make sure they get the credit that they so rightfully deserve.” The government offi- cials encouraged the public to nominate individuals, even if they assume that others might nominate the same individuals. Nominations can be made in five categories: Early Pioneer, Pioneer, Emerging Pioneer, Memorial Scroll and Long Service Award. Nomination forms for the 2016 National Heroes Day awards are available at at post offices and at the reception desk of the Government Administration Building. They are also online at www.ministryofhealth.gov.ky. Teenage sisters sentenced for shoplifting Court orders community service and compensation CAROl WINKeR cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two sisters, ages 18 and 19, were sentenced this week after pleading guilty to theft from Foster’s Food Fair of goods valued at $58.88. Magistrate Valdis Foldats ordered each defendant to pay $100 compensation and perform 20 hours of commu- nity service. He said paying compen- sation is important because it is a recognition of the cost of shoplifting. Stores have to pay for cameras and se- curity guards, and the costs have to be passed on to the consumers. “When you shoplift, you hurt everybody,” he pointed out. Crown counsel Eleanor Forgin said the offense oc- curred on Feb. 7. A secu- rity officer saw one of the sisters take items from the shelf and place them in her handbag. She paid for some items at the check-out point, but then left the store without paying for the items in her handbag. The second defendant did not steal anything, she but accompanied her sister and knew what she was doing. She also made a few pur- chases, the court heard. Stolen items included body wash and hair accessories. When the sisters were stopped, they immediately admitted the wrongdoing. They said they were sorry, but they had no money to pay for the items. The magistrate thanked both young women for their early guilty pleas, which, he said, showed they were taking responsibility for their actions. Mr. Foldats said the 18-year-old had made a foolish mistake but had then cooperated and showed re- morse. He said he would not record a conviction in her case because she was very young, but he did require her to sign a bond to be of good behavior for one year. For the older sister, the magistrate noted that the au- thor of her social inquiry re- port had expressed concern that she was not working and not going to school, but needed to do something. He followed the recommendation that she be placed on proba- tion for one year in order to receive supervision. A condition of her pro- bation is that she actively seek employment and at- tend any programs as di- rected by her probation of- ficer. If the probation period is completed successfully, she will not have a convic- tion on her record. Ministry Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn, Agriculture Minister Kurt Tibbetts and Ministry Councilor Roy McTaggart. - Photo: Kelsey JuKamThe 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 sepTember 3, 2015 • Cayman Compass THURSDAY, SEPT. 3 Grand Cayman ToasTmasTers Club: Meets at 3rd floor, George Town Public Library, 6-7:15 p.m. Contact George Ebanks at georger.ebanks@gmail.com. SUNDAY, SEPT. 6 CeramIC oPen sTudIo: Visual Arts Society offers ceramics this session to adults who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Watler House Studio, Pedro Castle. $15 member/$25 non-member. Clay, materials, glazes and firing facilities are available. More information at visualartcayman@ yahoo.com. MONDAY, SEPT. 7 youTH reVIVal: Red Bay Church of God (Holiness) holds a Youth Revival 7:30 p.m. nightly through Friday and 6 p.m. on Sunday. Guest speaker is former pastor Bro. Bob Thompson. All are welcome. Cayman naTIonal CHoIr: The choir is looking for new members. All are welcome to come and sing with the country’s national choir. No audition required. Every Monday from 7:30-9 p.m. at Cayman Prep Primary School Hall on Smith Road. For more information, contact 923-6915 or info@ caymanchoir.com. GIrls brIGade: An invitation is extended to girls between the ages of 5 and 19. West Bay company resumes at John Gray Memorial Church Hall, 5:30-6:45 p.m. North Side company resumes at William Pouchie Memorial Church Hall, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Contact 916-8617. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 9 bookends Club: Book club, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Books & Books, Camana Bay. All are welcome. GIrls brIGade: An invitation is extended to girls between the ages of 5 and 19. George Town company resumes at Elmslie Memorial Church Hall, 5:15-7 p.m. Savannah company, Savannah United Church Hall, 6-7 p.m. Bodden Town company, Webster Memorial Church Hall, 6-7 p.m. For more information about the program, contact 916-8617. THURSDAY, SEPT. 10 book launCH: “Awoken” by Danielle Roberts. 6 p.m. Books & Books, Camana Bay. SATURDAY, SEPT. 12 nCu alumnI: Friends and alumni of Northern Caribbean University are invited to participate in a formal initiation ceremony as a member of the Cayman Chapter of the NCU Alumni Association, at Kings Church, Walkers Road. For registration and details, visit www.NCUCaymanAlumni. com or call 938-2209. Deadline for ceremony registration is Wednesday, Sept. 9. kIds arT Club: Visual Art Society offers this opportunity on Saturdays through Nov. 21, from 9-11 a.m. Drop-in fee $35 per session per child; $115 for 4 sessions, paid in advance. Venue is Pedro Castle at the Watler House Art Studio. For more information, email visualartcayman@yahoo.com. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16 sPeCIal needs FoundaTIon: Community meeting 6-7 p.m. at Hope Academy in Grand Harbour. There will be a presentation on the new Special Educational Needs/Disabilities Strategy Policy. Foundation members and those wishing to join are welcome to attend this free event. For further information contact Susie Bodden at susie@ specialneedsfoundation.ky or check www. specialneedsfoundation.ky. FloeTry: Anyone who enjoys poetry is invited. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Books & Books, Camana Bay. THURSDAY, SEPT. 17 CanCer soCIeTy: Continuing Medical Education for all allied medical professionals. Marriott Beach Resort 5–9 p.m. 3 Credit hours will be awarded. Contact victoria@cics.ky for more information. SATURDAY, SEPT. 19 PublIC HealTH FaIr: Marriott Beach Resort, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Free admission. Organized by Cancer Society. TUESDAY, SEPT. 22 PaInTInG, draWInG Classes: At Watler House Studio on the grounds of Pedro Castle every Tuesday, Sept. 22 to Nov. 24. Location painting and drawing, 9–11 a.m.; life drawing, 7-9 p.m. This is an opportunity for artists of all levels to have instruction and guidance from a qualified art instructor. $25 per session/$35 non-members, or 10 sessions $200 or $280 non-members. Contact visualartcayman@yahoo. com or 546-9422. THURSDAY, SEPT. 24 naTIonal TrusT aGm: The Annual General Meeting of the members of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands takes place, 6 p.m. upstairs at the George Town Yacht Club, the Barcadere Marina at 606 North Sound Road. SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 5k Walk/run: Starts 6 a.m. from Seven Mile Beach Public Beach. The Hope Foundation organizes this event to raise funds for and awareness about its halfway house for recovering addicts. To register, call Brent Hydes at 928-9099 or Christopher Burke at 326-6783. Entry is free; trophies for top finishers in different categories. Raffle tickets available for $25. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30 labour and PensIons bIlls: Today is the final date to comment on the Labour Relations Bill and the National Pensions (Amendment) Bill. They can both be accessed at www.education.gov.ky/ labourpensions. Feedback can be provided by emailing lpl@gov.ky. GENERAL INTEREST readInG Tree: The book swap is open from Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. until the end of September in Cassia Court at Camana Bay. Everyone is invited to come by, take their pick and replace it with one of their books. With a back-to- school theme, books include children’s storybooks, fiction, and motivational and career-focused books for older students. VolunTeers needed: The National Drug Council is preparing to conduct the fourth cycle of Her Majesty’s Prison Survey from 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. nCVo sCHool year: Miss Nadine’s Preschool and Jack and Jill Nursery are open for the new school year. 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. 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 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. The 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.” beTHesda CounsellInG CenTre: 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. PerIPHeral sPaCes: Open Tuesday to Saturday. Noon to 8 p.m. (closed by 3 p.m. on Saturdays). Market Street across from Bay Market. Pop up working studio/art gallery with local artist works displayed for sale. Art classes Tuesday and Thursday, 6-8 p.m., plus other special events. For more information, email marymccallum@candw.ky. 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. demenTIa/alZHeImer’s suPPorT GrouP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at the Catboat Club clubhouse, North Church Street. All are invited to attend. For more information, call 924-4170 or email info@adacayman.com. sPeCIal olymPICs: Volunteers are needed on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:45 p.m. to assist with training athletes in track and field, bocce and football. Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Contact Penny McDowall, 516-2578, soci@candw.ky or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. museum Tours: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@ museum.ky. PInk ladIes: Coffee Shop at Cayman Islands Hospital is open Monday- Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, drinks, snacks. Takeout orders welcome, call 244-2661. Funds are donated back to the community. Contact pinkladiescayman@ gmail.com. Humane soCIeTy book loFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also, Thursday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition always needed. oPen CanVas: Wednesdays from 7 p.m. at KARoo restaurant in Camana Bay. No fee, easels provided. Artists of all levels invited. KARoo offers two complimentary tickets for wine or beer. Contact visualartcayman@yahoo. com or jr@cib.ky or 546- 9422 for more information. losT doGs: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. red Cross THrIFT sHoP: Open Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Red Cross headquarters on Thomas Russell Way. Book bargain every Thursday and Friday, a bagful for $5. WaITInG For JosePHIne: This is an ongoing appeal for secondhand magazines for the waiting rooms at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Please take magazine donations to Books & Books at Camana Bay or deposit them in the big bin outside the Cancer Society on Maple Road (opposite the hospital). For more information, contact Carol Hay at 526-6932. sPeCIal needs FoundaTIon oF Cayman: For anyone who is a parent, relative, friend or carer of a special needs child. Also for professionals interested in special needs. SNFC is a nonprofit organization providing information, resources, education and support with meetings, social events and newsletters. Contact www. specialneedsfoundation.ky. PaWs THrIFT sHoP: Bodden Town Shopping Plaza, opposite Bodden Town Post Office. Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Tuesdays. Please do not leave donations outside shop. Call Sharon, 324-9760; or Susanna, 916-3957 for more information. All proceeds for animal welfare. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Thursday sepTember 3, 2015 better because we’ll be out of the ‘heavy’ section between Huldah and Hope Drive,” com- pleting excavation and most of the rebuilding on the most crowded sections of the road. He said the project had not started earlier in the year – to avoid construction during the busy school year – chiefly because of two issues: per- mission to use private land, and utilities. “We were planning to start earlier, but we had problems with getting utili- ties relocated and land acqui- sition at the four-way end. “We realized about the school days and the work, but we wanted to get some- thing done.” Foul weather did not pose too great an obstacle, de- laying only two or three days, Mr. Jackson said. “We had no major setbacks and managed to get it all sorted before the rain started.” Efforts to relieve conges- tion in the first section of Smith Road have involved re-routing traffic bound for “Little” Prep, the primary school unit of Cayman Prep and High School. Access to the parking lot at the front of the school – and the drop-off point at the rear – can now be gained from Bobby Thompson Way, turning west onto John Greer Boulevard, previously designed solely to feed apartment blocks behind Halfway Pond. Mr. Jackson said school commuters can exploit a new spur connecting the bou- levard to the Cayman Prep sports field. He played down worries about mixing residential and school traffic during morning rush hours. “At 8 a.m., not many residents are returning home and at 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m.,” he said, drivers will ex- perience little congestion. The project is the start of a larger scheme that involves linking Humber Road – across Elgin Avenue from the Government Administration Building and offering ac- cess to parking behind the Immigration Department – to Smith Road. However, lanners have hit delays in efforts to extend Humber Road from its dead- end at a small wooded area. “We are waiting for Lands and Survey to settle com- pensation claims with three landowners,” said Edward Howard, deputy director at the NRA. He was unable to predict a time frame. “It depends on the landowners. They will submit their claims to the government, and government will have its claims based on market value.” The Humber Road link will run parallel with Hospital Road, meeting Smith Road approximately where Anthony Drive emerges. “It’s always so much sim- pler to build a new road,” Mr. Howard said, lamenting lengthy legal and bureaucratic processes. “Lane-widening is a whole lot more.” Smith Road congestion to extend to late October Traffic maneuvers through the roadwork on Smith Road, which is scheduled to continue until the end of October. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 POlicE SEEk Public’S HElP ON STOlEN vEHiclES Five cars have been stolen on Grand Cayman over the past 10 days, according to police, who are appealing for help from the public to locate the vehicles. Four Honda CR-Vs were stolen, as well as a Mercedes-Benz. Two of the vehicles, a CR-V and the Mercedes-Benz, have been recovered, but police are asking for help in recov- ering the others. Police are looking for a white 1999 Honda CR-V, reg- istration number 147 807, which was stolen on Aug. 26 from West Bay Road in George Town; a green 1997 Honda CR-V, registration number 110 754, stolen on Aug. 30 from South Church Street in George Town; and a silver 2000 Honda CR-V, registration number 139 474, stolen on Aug. 31 from South Church Street. Police are asking anyone with information to call George Town Police Station at 949-4222, or to report the information to any district police station. They can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-8477(TIPS). A Honda CR-V, similiar to vehicles stolen in George Town recently. “We were planning to start earlier, but had problems with getting utilities relocated and land acquisition.” Edison Jackson, senior engineer, National Roads AuthorityThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Thursday sepTember 3, 2015 • Cayman Compass He said Vela would have a more contemporary feel, with similar size units, in the $240,000 to $600,000 price range. He said much of the demand is coming from professionals, particu- larly people in the financial services industry, living and working in Cayman. “A lot of people coming up for residency are considering buying to help with perma- nent residency applications,” he added. The Tides develop- ment is being marketed as a more luxury offering. Matthew Wight, managing director of NCB Homes, said prices would range from US $1 million to $1.9 mil- lion for the larger units and would be pitched to a mix of local residents and overseas investors. He said it would be com- parable in quality to what is on offer on Seven Mile Beach, but without the in- flated prices. Stefan Baraud, whose six-condo Shore Club is ex- pected to begin construction later this year, said much of the developable land has now been snapped up on South Sound. “When I was looking around a year ago, there was quite a bit avail- able, but it has all gone, almost overnight.” Mr. Baraud said the con- temporary three-bed condos would be ready around September next year. Stephen Hislop, one of the developers of the Adagio de- velopment, said the plan is to build cottage-style units around a lake. He said the developer is currently fo- cusing on excavating the lake and does not expect to firm up plans for the wider development or go to market for some time. Kim Lund, of real estate agency Re/Max, said the de- velopment boom reflects sus- tained interest in South Sound as the place to be for profes- sionals and their families. “It is definitely the de- sirable neighborhood, and the prices remain attrac- tive. There is tremendous de- mand for that area, particu- larly from people working in George Town,” he said. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Stefan Baraud said his six-unit Shore Club will have a contemporary feel. - IMAGES: ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS Vela will be a 160-unit development built around an Olympic-size pool. South Sound builds on development boom on the application from Mr. Raznovich’s partner, dated Aug. 26 and posted on a sec- tion of its website acces- sible to the applicant’s em- ployer, wrote: “Due to the existing statutory frame- work, there is no specific provision(s) that would en- able the CIO/Board to accommodate this request.” Mr. Raznovich said the couple were waiting for the Immigration Board to con- firm, in writing, that its ap- parent inability to deal with his application amounted to a de-facto rejection of the request, before formally launching an appeal. In a significant deci- sion in July, the European court ruled that Italy was in breach of its obliga- tions under the European Convention of Human Rights because it did not have a statutory framework ensuring equal treatment for same-sex couples. Commenting on that de- cision, James Austin-Smith, chairman of the Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission, said govern- ment needs to amend its laws or risk a successful legal challenge. He said government has an obligation to “provide same-sex couples in stable relationships with the op- portunity to access the same rights and obligations which married couples enjoy.” The Human Rights Commission has recom- mended legal recognition of same-sex unions, though not necessarily gay marriage. This would serve to protect a number of rights and ob- ligations that married cou- ples have, including laws re- garding financial support, child maintenance payments, inheritance and immigration. The situation Mr. Raznovich is now facing was first brought to public atten- tion in the public lecture se- ries he helped to organize. Visiting Professor Robert Wintemute of King’s College London, speaking at the lecture series in January, said several of Cayman’s laws and policies were out of step with the European Convention. One such right, already established under the con- vention and therefore guar- anteed to Cayman residents and citizens, is the right for same-sex partners to be treated the same as a mar- ried couple for immigra- tion purposes, he told the Cayman Compass at the time. He said the Cayman Islands needs to change its Immigration Law to reflect this. Mr. Raznovich, in his letter to the attorney gen- eral, raises the same point and highlights the Italian case as evidence that case law on the issue is already established. “Without prejudice to any challenge to the legality of the Immigration Board’s de- cision in the particular cir- cumstances in question, I hereby formally bring to your attention that the lack of legislation, as declared by the Immigration Authority, needs to be urgently re- dressed in order to prevent the Cayman Islands from continuing to breach the rule of law. “If this situation is not rectified, when challenged in the courts, the applicant will ultimately be successful.” Mr. Raznovich said his situation related to just one aspect of Cayman Islands law, where homosexual cou- ples were treated differently. “As it stands, if I am dying in hospital and a de- cision has to be taken on whether to turn off the ma- chine, they will call my mother in Argentina, not my husband and partner of 16 years.” Mr. Wintemute, in his lecture, said Cayman needs to either address the issues with a package of reforms or risk having it done for them by the U.K. or through a se- ries of court decisions. He said, “It is difficult, if no one brings a case to the court, so there is no pressure from the courts and the political parties don’t see it as a pri- ority, so nothing happens in the legislature.” Neither Attorney General Bulgin nor Premier Alden McLaughlin responded to requests for comment by press time on Wednesday. Gay couple challenge Immigration decision Leonardo Raznovich, pictured at his home on Tuesday, helped organize a lecture series on human rights, that also addressed rights for homosexuals, earlier this year. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER HUNT WIDENS fOR 3 SUSPECTS IN ILLINOIS OffICER’S DEATH FOX LAKE, Ill. (AP) – Law en- forcement officials broad- ened the hunt Wednesday for three suspects in the fatal shooting of a pop- ular veteran police officer in a small northern Illinois community after a method- ical house-to-house search turned up nothing. Hundreds of officers, aided by dozens of dogs and numerous helicop- ters, were involved in the exhaustive search in Fox Lake after the killing of Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz on Tuesday morning. That initial manhunt focused on a 2-square-mile area near the scene of the shooting and ended around 10 p.m. Tuesday. Then, officers switched to “saturation pa- trols” over a broader area to search for the suspects, investigate any suspicious activity and reassure res- idents, said Lake County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli. Meanwhile, the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force has taken over the main investigation and is following leads, he said. “We’re not searching in an enclosed perimeter area anymore,” Covelli said. “But we are saturating the area. I would describe it as nu- merous police officers, sher- iff’s deputies and state troopers in the area con- tinuing to look for the of- fenders, continuing to in- vestigate suspicious activity and being available for res- idents.” Authorities from across the state and region joined the manhunt Tuesday in the village about 60 miles north of Chicago. Some wore tactical gear and toted high-powered ri- fles. Officers took up posi- tions on rooftops and along railroad tracks, scanning the terrain with rifle scopes and binoculars. Others leaned out of helicopters with weapons at the ready. Federal agencies, SWAT teams and 48 police dogs assisted in the manhunt, Covelli said. Residents of the usually sleepy village were urged to stay indoors, and schools that went on lockdown the day of the shooting re- mained closed a day later. Gliniewicz radioed in Tuesday morning to tell dispatchers he was chasing three men on foot, Covelli said. Communication with him was lost soon after. Covelli said backup of- ficers found him injured with a gunshot wound and that he died soon after. An emotional Fox Lake Mayor Donny Schmit described the slain officer as a per- sonal friend, a three-decade member of the department and a father of four sons. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Thursday sepTember 3, 2015 China monkeys help with parade To minimize the chances of birds striking engines during the many airplane flyovers in a major Beijing parade, the military has used falcons to chase away birds and a team of trained macaque monkeys to flush nests out of trees around the pilots’ training grounds. Hungary blocks migrants from trains; 11 drown off Turkey BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) – Hundreds of migrants chanted defiant slogans out- side Budapest’s main in- ternational train station Wednesday as Hungarian police blocked them for a second day from seeking asylum in Germany and other wealthy European Union countries. “What we want? Peace! What we need? Peace!” the migrants shouted outside the cavernous Keleti train sta- tion, the latest focal point for European tensions over the unrelenting flow of mi- grants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa fleeing war and poverty. Hungary’s prime min- ister, Viktor Orban, will take a “clear and obvious message” to his meeting Thursday with EU chiefs in Brussels about migrants, a government spokesman said. “We have to reinstate law and order at the bor- ders of the European Union, including the border with Serbia,” Zoltan Kovacs said. “Without re-establishing law and order, it will be impos- sible to handle the influx of migrants.” The 28-nation bloc has been at odds with itself for months on how to deal with the influx that has seen more than 332,000 migrants enter so far this year. Frontline na- tions like Greece, Italy and Hungary have pleaded for more help, while powerhouse Germany, which is expecting to take in 800,000 migrants this year, the most in the EU, has demanded that other na- tions step up and take in more asylum-seekers. At other pressure points Wednesday in the route into Europe, Turkish media re- ported that 11 migrants drowned as they tried to cross the sea to Greece. French authorities said cross- Channel Eurostar trains were returning to normal Wednesday after serious overnight disruptions trig- gered by reports of migrants running on the undersea tunnel tracks and trying to climb atop trains. On a beach in Turkey, people pulled the bodies of migrants out of the water, in- cluding one of a little child, and clothes from migrants washed up on the sand. Six other migrants were rescued and five remained missing when two boats carrying them from Bodrum to the nearby Greek island of Kos capsized Wednesday. The pri- vate Dogan agency said the dead included a mother and three children. The Greek coast guard also recovered the body of a man south of the tiny island of Kalolimnos. It was unclear if he was connected to the Bodrum deaths. Hungary’s police said they intend to reinforce their po- sitions outside the Keleti ter- minal as the volume of mi- grants arriving from Serbia grows by the hour, with an estimated 3,000 already encamped near the sta- tion. Officers working with colleagues from Austria, Germany and Slovakia, were searching for migrants trav- eling on Hungarian trains. The Hungarian govern- ment did not explain why hundreds of migrants were allowed to leave Budapest by train on Monday but not Tuesday or Wednesday. It in- sisted it was complying with EU rules on migration. “[Migrants] are not enti- tled to move freely within the European Union even after entering Hungary,” Kovacs told The Associated Press. “If the migrants don’t comply with the very basic rules that are in place in the European Union, there is no solution to this problem.” Kovacs also defended Hungary’s 13-foot fence being built on the border with Serbia and the tougher mi- gration laws it expects to enact in a couple of weeks. Those new laws allow au- thorities to fast-track deci- sions on asylum requests and make it illegal to cut through the fence or cross the border except at designated areas. “We’re going to thwart any effort to come to Hungary by illegal means,” Kovacs said. The clampdown has had an immediate effect in the migrants’ primary target country, Germany. German police reported Wednesday that only about 50 migrants arrived on the morning trains to Munich, compared to 2,400 on Tuesday. The Greek coast guard, meanwhile, said it had res- cued 1,058 people in 28 Aegean Sea locations over the past 24 hours. More than 200,000 migrants have reached Greece this year, chiefly from neighboring Turkey, where more than 1 million live in refugee camps fueled by warfare in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Greek police also arrested six suspected smugglers in northern Greece after finding 103 migrants, including 19 children, hidden in a truck. Obama gets Iran deal win as Senate Democrats amass enough votes WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama se- cured a landmark foreign policy victory Wednesday as Senate Democrats amassed enough votes to ensure the Iran nuclear deal sur- vives in Congress, despite ferocious opposition from Republicans and the govern- ment of Israel. Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland be- came the crucial 34th vote in favor of the agreement. “No deal is perfect, espe- cially one negotiated with the Iranian regime,” Mikulski said in a statement. She called the accord “the best option available to block Iran from having a nuclear bomb. For these reasons, I will vote in favor of this deal.” The backing from Mikulski, who is retiring next year, gives supporters the margin they need to uphold an Obama veto of a congressional res- olution of disapproval if Republicans pass such a mea- sure later this month. And it spells failure for opponents of the interna- tional agreement who sought to foil it by turning Congress against it. Leading that ef- fort were Israel and its allies in the U.S., who failed to get traction after spending mil- lions of dollars trying. The agreement signed by Iran, the U.S. and five other world powers limits Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for hundreds of billions of dollars in relief from interna- tional sanctions. Republicans and Israeli officials contend that concessions made to Iran could enable the country to wreak havoc throughout the Middle East. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had per- sonally lobbied U.S. law- makers to block the nuclear pact, will continue fighting the agreement, an Israeli official said. Marshall Wittmann, spokesman for the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, said his group also would continue rallying opposi- tion to the nuclear agreement. In a letter delivered to Congress Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry called Israel’s security “sac- rosanct,” recounting the bil- lions of dollars the U.S. has provided the Jewish state for missile defense and other se- curity assistance. The letter was sent as Kerry defended the Iran deal in Philadelphia. His speech was carried live in Iran, an unusual occurrence. With opposition to the agreement failing to take hold on the Democratic side, sup- porters may even be able to muster the 41 votes needed to block the disapproval resolu- tion from passing in the first place, sparing Obama from having to use his veto pen. That would require seven of the 10 remaining undeclared senators to decide in favor of the deal. Only two Democratic sen- ators have come out against – Chuck Schumer of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey – while in recent weeks undeclared Democratic sena- tors, even from Republican- leaning states, have broken in favor one after another. Even if Congress passes the disapproval resolution, it can’t stop the deal reached by Iran, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China. It might help congressionally man- dated sanctions remain in place. But the U.N. Security Council endorsed the nuclear deal unanimously in July and outlined how it would lift in- ternational sanctions on Iran. Cory Fritz, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, said, “the White House may have convinced just enough Democrats to back an agreement that le- gitimizes Iran’s nuclear program.” But the re- sult, he said, “is no win for President Obama.” The backing from Mikulski, who is retiring next year, gives supporters the margin they need to uphold an Obama veto of a congressional resolution of disapproval if Republicans pass such a measure later this month. Migrants hold up their train tickets outside the Keleti Railway Station in Budapest, Hungary on Wednesday. The station continues to be closed to migrants, but other passengers are allowed to enter. - Photo: APNext >