ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Monday SepteMber 7, 2015 High of 90 Low of 79 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY World Asylum crisis deepens 11 Politics Praying for, and with, a president 4 Innovations Regulators take a back seat 16 5 Myths About pandas 23 BRAIN Finding “rock star” profs and other secrets of the Great Courses PAGE 12 FOOD THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2015 . IN COLLABORATION WITH THE wASHIngTon poST Brain food Editorial | pagE 4 CayMan iSSueS poiSed for ‘priMe tiMe’ SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA ‘Sea-change’ in pr process expected Lawyers say judgment on PR appeals a game-changer alan Markoff amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com Although the Cayman Islands government has yet to say what it might do, if anything, as a result of Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s blistering judgment issued on Aug. 28 con- cerning two Immigration Appeals Tribunal rulings, local attorneys think it will force major changes in how permanent residence applications are handled. Nick Joseph, a partner at HSM Chambers – the firm that brought the action on behalf of the two appellants – said that while the judgment clarified Cayman Islands law in a number of respects, its effect has not been de- termined with any certainty. “But it certainly seems that it will necessi- tate a sea-change in many aspects of the de- termination of matters before boards and tri- bunals in Cayman,” he said. “In particular, the expectations of heightened standards of scru- tiny in considering any matter which might have a human rights element will mean that anything short of full disclosure of all rel- evant materials relied upon by a decision- maker in such a manner as would entitle an applicant to understand the basis on which they are assessed.” Any failure to do so would likely face a successful challenge, he said. The judgment dealt with two decisions made by the Immigration Appeals Tribunal with respect to permanent residence appli- cations that had initially been rejected by the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Young dad killed in road accident JaMeS Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A young father was killed after being knocked from his motorcycle in a collision on the Linford Pierson Highway in the early hours of Saturday. The victim was named locally as Matthew Owens, 31, who worked at Atlantic clothing store in George Town. Hundreds of tributes poured in on Facebook from friends and family of Mr. Owens, who had a baby son. He was described as a happy, fun-loving guy, who always had a smile on his face. He played football for Shellaz FC in the Cayman Islands Sunday League. Police said there were two cars involved in the collision, at around 1 a.m., as well as the motorbike. A male driver of one of the cars was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and the matter is being investi- gated by police. Mr. Owens is the eighth person to die fol- lowing collisions on Cayman’s roads this year. Among the fatalities was Donnie Ray Connor, 59, who was killed on the same stretch of road in April. Baines: Legal aid cap would reduce delays JaMeS Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Reforming legal aid would help reduce delays clogging up the courts, according to Police Commissioner David Baines. Mr. Baines acknowledged that police and prosecutors had to forge a more efficient working relationship to speed up the course of justice. But he said defense attorneys must also take their share of the blame for the delays highlighted in criminal justice adviser Claire Wetton’s report. Ms. Wetton warned there were “far too many unneces- sary adjournments” of cases be- fore the court and proposed a new set of guidelines for police and the Department of Public Prosecutions to speed up the pro- cess. The guidelines set a target of dealing with all cases before the Summary Court within a year. Mr. Baines believes cap- ping legal aid fees to attorneys through a U.K.-style fee schedule based on the complexity of the offense could also be effective in reducing delays in cases, which sometimes span several years and multiple court appearances. A leading criminal defense lawyer refuted suggestions that defence advocates were respon- sible for delay and suggested Camana Bay underpass work may start in october The construction of a vehicular bypass, planned as part of a project to widen and realign the Esterley Tibbetts Highway at Camana Bay, could begin as early as next month, a Dart spokeswoman said. Work on the project began in early August, including the closure of Camana Way, which links Esterley Tibbetts to West Bay Road. For more on this story, see page 5. – PHoto: taneoS raMSaY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Mr. Owens2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Monday SepteMber 7, 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. - MONDAY - $8.00 THE TRANSPORTER (PG13) 1:00 | 4:15 | 7:00 | 9:20 SHAUN THE SHEEP (PG) 12:45 | 3:00 | 5:10 | 7:20 | 9:30 FANTASTIC FOUR (PG13) 4:00 | 9:50 NO ESCAPE (R) 1:30 | 4:30 | 7:15 | 10:00 SINISTER 2 (R) 3:40 | 7:20 | 9:40 DRAGONBALL Z (NR) 1:20 MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E (PG13) 12:50 I 6:45 MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (PG13) 12:55 | 3:50 | 6:50 | 9:45 Cayman Islands Folk Singers looking for new members The Cayman Islands Folk Singers will be holding auditions for new members this week. The group is inviting anyone over 16 who loves singing or playing an instru- ment to show up at audition at the Harquail Theatre on Tuesday evening, 6-8 p.m. Singers are asked to pre- pare a short song of any genre, to be sung a cappella. Organizers say the vocal audition criteria required are: vocal tone and ability to blend with other voices; ability to match pitch; ability to echo rhythms; and expres- sion and enthusiasm. Instrumentalists who wish to audition are asked to bring along their own in- strument and to prepare a short performance to be played without other accom- paniment. Caribbean style is preferred but not man- datory. Instrumental cri- teria will vary depending on instrument, but will in- clude: instrument tone; ability to echo rhythms and keep consistent tempo; and confidence and expres- sion. The organizers said ability to play by ear and/or read music/chord symbols is a plus. The folk singers usually practice together for 90 min- utes and perform once or twice a month. The Cayman Islands Folk Singers was formed in 2009 by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation with the purpose of preserving and celebrating Cayman’s musical traditions. Among its repertoire are several songs by Cayman’s own “Aunt” Julia Hydes, as well as songs from around the Caribbean region. For more information on the auditions, call 949-5477 or 939-7513, email cifolksingers@gmail.com, or visit www.artscayman.org/folk-singers. Jury notice Grand Court jurors in the July-October ses- sion are advised that their report date has been changed. They are now to re- port on Monday, Sept. 14 at 9:45 a.m. call the jury information line at 945-5072 for the most up-to-date information. cayman islands Folk Singers, who regularly perform at public events, are looking for new members. Fire trucks, police vehicles and an ambulance responded to a two-car accident just after sunrise on Friday on Frank Sound road. A police spokesperson said both drivers sustained slight injuries. there were no passengers. the 1996 silver Honda civic and 1995 Mitsubishi Lancer collided not far north of the fire station. Traffic was able to pass on the west verge as directed by officers. - PHOTO: CAROL WINKER Two-car crash on Frank sound Road Guatemala voters choose new president amid fraud scandal GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – An uncomfortable challenge confronted Guatemala’s presidential candidates on Sunday: trying to win the votes of a nation that has put the last elected leader in court custody. Most are old-guard candi- dates picked to run before en- ergized prosecutors backed by a mass anti-corruption move- ment toppled the previous ad- ministration. Many voters are so skeptical that they cam- paigned for the election itself to be postponed to give them a new crop of choices. Leading in most polls with roughly 30 percent backing is Manuel Baldizon, a wealthy 44-year-old busi- nessman and longtime poli- tician. His running mate is accused by prosecutors of in- fluence trafficking, but as a candidate enjoys immunity from prosecution. Baldizon’s most competi- tive rivals are television co- median Jimmy Morales, who has never held elective of- fice, former first lady Sandra Torres and Zulia Rios, the daughter of a former accused of genocide. If none of the 14 candi- dates reaches 50 percent, a runoff will be held Oct. 25. A key question is the level of protest vote in the face of a corruption scandal that has forced President Otto Perez Molina and Vice President Roxana Baldetti to resign. Both are currently in custody, accused of being involved in a customs kickback scheme. Activists are urging voters to go to the polls wearing black clothes of mourning, abstain or cast null ballots. On the streets, it’s hard to find a campaign poster that has not been covered with in- sults. Tens of thousands had joined demonstrations asking for the vote to be postponed. Baldizon, who finished second in the last presiden- tial race, initially campaigned on the slogan “It’s his turn” – a reference to the fact that the last four elections have been won by the previous runner- up. It struck many critics as a display of what’s wrong with the country’s politics. At protests, demonstrators have chanted: “It’s not your turn.” Baldizon has acknowl- edged Guatemalans’ disgust with crime, corruption and impunity. His campaign web- site vows a “modernization of the democratic state” to re- form government and combat poverty and social inequality. But after Baldizon’s campaign blew past the legal ceiling on electoral costs, he ignored orders to stop spending. Morales, 46, boasts of his outsider status and says he is part of the uprising against corruption. He has prom- ised greater transparency, in- cluding media review of gov- ernment contracts. Torres, 59, divorced former President Alvaro Colom ahead of the last presiden- tial race to try to get around rules barring presidential rel- atives from running, but was still ruled ineligible. A busi- nesswoman and longtime political party figure, she is proposing a coalition govern- ment to respond to the con- cerns of outraged citizens. Rios, 47, is the daughter of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt, who faces charges of crimes against humanity for killings by se- curity forces during his 1982-83 regime. She empha- sizes her experience from 16 years in congress, where she promoted laws against dis- crimination and drug and human trafficking. Leading presidential candidate Manuel Baldizon, right, of the Democratic Freedom revival Party, accompanied by mayoral candidate edwin escobar, poses for photos during his closing campaign rally, in Villa nueva, Guatemala, on Friday. - PHOTO: AP FORmER UNIvERsITy OF sOUTH FLORIdA PLAyER dIEs IN sTAbbINg YBOR CITY, Fla. (AP) – Police say a former University of South Florida football player has died in a stabbing out- side a Ybor City nightclub. Elkino Watson, 23, died Sunday morning. The Miami native last played for USF in 2014. Watson was a defensive lineman who played in 44 games during his career at USF. Former teammates and coaches remembered Watson on Sunday as a fun-loving man who loved to dance and worked hard on the football field.3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday SepteMber 7, 2015 www.CaymansFuture.com For over a decade, our island has been debating the construction of a new pier. Today, we have reached a crossroads. We can take the path to prosperity and jobs, or we can do nothing. The path to prosperity will lead us to 999 new full-time jobs and 491 construction jobs. We will open our port to the larger Oasis class cruise ships that will bring us more bigger-spending tourists. And because our tourists won’t be waiting in lines to be tendered ashore, all of them will have more time to spend money on the island. Or, we can choose to ignore the warnings of the cruise industry. But when they reduce operations in the Caymans, there will be grave consequences—a loss of millions of dollars in government revenue and an estimated 18% increase in Caymanian unemployment. It’s a no brainer, right? Let’s vote to protect our future. Let’s build the pier. Today. Make your voice heard now at CaymansFuture.com. OF BUILDING A PIER NOW BENEFITS BUILDING A PIER NOW COSTS of NOT OR “If you stand still in the world you move backwards.” - Acting Overseas Territory Minister Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps MP C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Maples continues CIFA funding, confirms Blake resignation JAMes WhIttAker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Law firm Maples and Calder will continue its spon- sorship of grass roots foot- ball in the Cayman Islands despite recent controversies surrounding the game’s local governing body. Maples confirmed late last week that Bruce Blake, the acting head of the Cayman Islands Football Association, had resigned from his job as an associate in its finance group, after 17 years with the firm. Maples said in a state- ment that Mr. Blake had de- cided to focus his energies on his role with the football as- sociation. Mr. Blake did not respond to calls from the Cayman Compass last week. A spokesman for the firm confirmed that it would maintain its $100,000 annual sponsorship of local football. He said, “As the title sponsor of the CIFA Maples Grassroots Programme, Maples and Calder will con- tinue to promote initiatives that allow the young citi- zens of the Cayman Islands to play football, which fos- ters discipline, teamwork, camaraderie, as well as the ancillary benefit of helping working families with young children manage in the after- school and weekend sessions. “We believe it to be a well- run and successful program and expect to see it develop further over the next year.” Government pulled its $130,000 annual funding to the football association last month, citing concerns about the election process for the leadership of the as- sociation. In a separate de- velopment, CIFA’s accounts were later referred to the Anti-Corruption Commission. The association’s sus- pended president Jeffrey Webb is facing multiple cor- ruption charges in New York, while Webb and former CIFA treasurer Canover Watson have both been charged in a separate local investiga- tion into Health Services Authority contracts. The spokesman for Maples acknowledged the al- legations and investigations concerning CONCACAF had thrown Cayman into the in- ternational media spotlight. He added that Cayman’s reputation as a “stable and robust jurisdiction” remained intact. “We do not think the rep- utation of the whole juris- diction should be questioned simply as a result of allega- tions made in respect of the actions of certain individ- uals,” he said. Maples confirmed that Mr. Blake had stepped down from his role on Aug. 28, the day before he was re-elected unopposed as first vice pres- ident and acting leader of the football association. In a statement to the Compass, the firm said Mr. Blake had indicated he wished to focus his energies on CIFA. “Bruce has been involved with the sport long before he joined our firm in 1998 and has continued to play an integral part in its devel- opment over the years, both locally and internationally. Bruce’s many years of ser- vice and hard work are ap- preciated and, while his de- parture is a loss to the firm, we are supportive of Bruce’s decision and appreciate his desire to focus his energy on developing the sport. We wish him every success in his future endeavours.” Woman admits deception charges CArol WInker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A woman pleaded guilty to nine counts of obtaining more than $20,000 by deception in Grand Court Friday in relation to a case involving applica- tions for permanent residence. Judith Francia Douglas, 53, admitted obtaining prop- erty by deception between Sept. 2009 and June 2010. She pleaded guilty to charges that she, along with others, and with intent to per- manently deprive, obtained sums of money from people by falsely representing that the cash was required for the purpose of submitting legiti- mate applications for perma- nent residence to the Cayman Islands government. The total amount obtained was more than $20,000, with individual sums ranging from $500 to US$3,000. No details of the of- fenses were given. Defense attorney Guy Dilliway-Parry asked Justice Charles Quin to order a social inquiry report for Douglas. Sentencing was set for a date in October. Mr. Blake A spokesman for the firm confirmed that it would maintain its $100,000 annual sponsorship of local football.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. Monday SepTeMber 7, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Thanks to our insular geography, small size and culture of taciturnity, the Cayman Islands has histori- cally been quite effective at keeping our problems “in house.” In other words, our disputes do not typically spill out onto the country’s front lawn for the rest of the world to see. Currently, however, we as a country are grappling with multiple incendiary issues, each of which has the potential to appear on the international scene and cause substantial reputational harm to Cayman’s care- fully crafted image unless handled with care. From the standpoint of sheer numbers, we cannot recall another point in time where Cayman faced so many reputational threats of our own creation. For the purposes of this editorial, we shall focus on three: same-sex marriage, fallout from the FIFA scandal, and the war of words (and documents) between Premier Alden McLaughlin and ex-Premier McKeeva Bush. (Note that these are distinct from largely local issues such as the George Town landfill, as well as the baseline global conversation about Cayman and its status as an international financial center and tax-neu- tral jurisdiction.) Same-sex marriage: Leonardo Raznovich – a gay law professor who married his husband in 2012 in Argentina – appears to be “the perfect storm” to blow away the status quo in Cayman on legal recognition of, at the very least, “civil unions” between two men or between two women. In what may very well become a landmark test case for Cayman, Mr. Raznovich is protesting the Immigration Department’s refusal to list him as a dependent on his husband’s work permit. As legal professionals have warned, Cayman’s laws and policies on homosexuals appear to be at odds with conventions established in Europe – to which, as a territory of the United Kingdom, Cayman ulti- mately is subject. FIFA fallout: The international media are still fol- lowing with interest the legal developments in the case of former local and regional football leader Jeffrey Webb, who faces a litany of charges in U.S. federal court related to allegations of bribery, corruption and money laundering that have engulfed international football body FIFA. In Cayman, Mr. Webb (and associate Canover Watson) face charges locally in connection with the Health Services Authority’s CarePay scandal. Meanwhile, Mr. Webb is still the titular president of the Cayman Islands Football Association, which is drawing scrutiny from the community and government for its financial statements and process of electing officers. McLaughlin v. Bush: The long-simmering feud between Premier McLaughlin and Opposition Leader Bush has reached the boiling point. Mr. McLaughlin and Mr. Bush have begun hashing out their consider- able differences in court, and in public – with Mr. Bush accusing Mr. McLaughlin of being part of a U.K.-driven conspiracy to remove him from his position as premier, and Mr. McLaughlin responding by suing him for defa- mation, and, lately, in connection with that suit, levying sensational allegations in Parliament of the existence of “fabricated documents with forged signatures.” When a feud escalates to the “Premier v. (former) Premier” level, it is likely to draw the attention of the international investment community which values “stability” as a prime consideration when determining where it will conduct business. How we address these volatile situations will reveal much about our country’s approach to funda- mental concepts such as respect for human rights, resistance to corruption and the sanctity of the democratic process. Collectively they comprise a multipart test of the maturity of Cayman’s society. Cayman issues poised for ‘prime time’ 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” Praise for public hospital Please allow me space in your valuable paper to ex- press my thanks and appreci- ation to the government hos- pital for their great care and concern lavished on my wife during her recent stay for a broken hip. Thanks to our doctors and nurses, cooks and cleaners, whose service was fantastic. A special thanks to Dr. Erik Hesla and his staff for their excellent operation and specialist care during her stay. I am aware that we all are human and for dif- ferent reasons we don’t al- ways act the same, but gen- erally speaking we often get as we give. I am not speaking only on behalf of my wife. I’ve been there, too, twice weekly on dialysis, which is a vital part of the insti- tution, and where I receive first-class treatment. I ap- peal to our people, let us be thankful to God for what we have. Let us work together to build with gratitude upon what we have to make a better, kinder world. Rupert Ebanks P.S. Since I started writing this letter, I found myself in the hospital for prostate problems, for which I un- derwent an operation, and praise be to our God, it was very successful under the skillful hands of Dr. Rafal Krupiniewicz and Dr. Sanjib Mohanty, to whom I am eter- nally grateful, as well as to the nurses in the surgery de- partment and to all our hos- pital. May God richly bless you is my prayer. Britain’s war on hard cash Mark Gilbert Last summer, London buses stopped accepting money. To pay your fare, you now have to wave either a prepaid Transport for London Oyster card or a contactless payment bank card at a re- ceiver. For some, not having to dig out a handful of coins is a welcome relief. For others, though, the disappearance of cash rep- resents a dangerous threat to our liberty. But in Britain, at least, physical currency is losing the so-called war. Last year, non-cash pay- ments in Britain’s economy overtook cash for the first time. And the trend shows little sign of slowing. Figures this week from credit-card company Mastercard show spending by contactless pay- ments in Britain soared more than fivefold in the past 12 months, while the number of transactions quadrupled, al- beit from a low initial base. Earlier this year, Citigroup Chief Economist and former Bank of England policy maker Willem Buiter pub- lished a paper in which he advocated abolishing phys- ical currency altogether. His concern was a technical ar- gument about giving central banks more freedom to drive borrowing costs below zero. The existence of cash sets a lower boundary to central bank policy, because you can avoid the penalty of nega- tive interest rates by holding physical currency rather than having money in a bank ac- count. Buiter argued that the benefits of a cashless society outweigh privacy concerns: “Abolishing currency would inevitably be associ- ated with a loss of privacy and create risks of exces- sive intrusion by the govern- ment (and other would-be in- spectors). The well-known monetary economist Charles Goodhart indeed refers to the proposal to abolish currency as “shockingly illiberal”. In our view, the net benefit to so- ciety from giving up the ano- nymity of currency holdings is likely to be positive (in- cluding for tax compliance).” The opponents of the move to digital money see things differently. Here, for example, is a post on the Mises Institute website: “The ostensible reason given by our rulers for sup- pressing cash is to keep so- ciety safe from terrorists, tax evaders, money laun- derers, drug cartels and sundry other villains, real or imagined. But the actual aim of the recent flood of laws rendering cash transactions less convenient or limiting or even prohibiting them is to force the public at large to make payments through the financial system in order to prop up the unstable frac- tional-reserve banks and, more importantly, to expand the ability of governments to spy on and keep track of their citizens’ most private financial dealings.” You don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist, though, to appreciate the benefits of having a stash of cash. Greece’s temporary introduc- tion of capital controls ear- lier this year, for example, re- stricted ATM withdrawals to 60 euros (US$68) per day. And on Friday, a glitch in HSBC’s U.K. banking computers meant 275,000 payments didn’t happen, including end- of-month salary payments worth millions of pounds. It’s good that we’re em- bracing new technology that lets us pay a bar bill or buy a bag of groceries with a wave of a card. But it’s time to call a cease-fire in the cash war. Buiter’s fantasy to the con- trary, there’s no good reason physical currency shouldn’t continue alongside the dig- ital variety. Even if it’s never needed in our more efficient economic future, it can serve as a reminder of a more quaint economic past. © 2015, Bloomberg View5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Monday SepteMber 7, 2015 PremierHealth BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, Grand Cayman KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, P.O. Box 254, Cayman Brac KY2-2101 Tel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Ltd. acts solely as an agent on behalf of various insurers; it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. It didn’t take a crystal ball to create the number one health plan. It took one word. Vision. First for fresh ideas! Premier Health was created as a high utilisation health plan, delivering service and benefits efficiently and at low cost. 50,000 members now trust Premier Health for the best health insurance at the best possible price. CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky Notable firsts by BritCay introduced network care pharmacy direct billing and overseas RX coordinated air ambulance/concierge services disease management electronic claims submissions web portals to aid HR and Accounts review client claims access free local provider access to online services cgigrp Camana Bay underpass work to start in October Tad STOner tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Construction of the long- planned vehicular under- pass on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway at Camana Bay could start as early as next month, according to a Dart spokeswoman. Work on the $40 million roadwork project – moving and expanding the thor- oughfare – coupled with si- multaneous site preparation for the larger $300 million Camana Bay expansion, began Aug. 3, rapidly moving into high gear. The closure of Camana Way – the short spur linking the highway with West Bay Road – has been prelimi- nary to the excavation of 25 acres of vacant ground west of the Town Centre. Workers will spend some weeks “to prepare the site for the wid- ened and realigned Esterley Tibbetts Highway through Camana Bay, and proceeding with utilities infrastruc- ture work,” according to the spokeswoman. The early-stage infrastruc- ture work, she explained, en- tails creating trenches to accommodate pipes large enough to carry a variety of wiring, drainage and other utilities, sufficient to serve the massive westward expan- sion of the community in the next several years, on an ele- vated platform for residential and commercial blocks and a beachfront hotel. Building the under- pass, she said, follows “the National Road Authority’s evaluation of a third-party review of the technical spec- ifications and a building permit being issued by the Central Planning Authority.” Ultimately, the new “dual two” four-lane highway will link the Camana Bay and Galleria roundabouts. Meanwhile, pedestrian and cyclist access between West Bay Road and Town Centre will continue parallel to Camana Way on marked footpaths.Camana Way was closed off last month as work got under way for the underpass. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The closure of Camana Way … has been preliminary to the excavation of 25 acres of vacant ground west of the Town Centre. LIME users in Cayman can now help people in Dominica after the island was devastated by Tropical Storm Erika last month. Cable & Wireless Communications, which owns LIME, has launched a region-wide relief support campaign for the eastern Caribbean island. According to a statement from the com- pany, customers can text the word “HELP” to 4357 to do- nate $1 per text message. The Associated Press re- ported Friday that Dominica’s prime minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, said a preliminary assessment of the effects of the storm on Dominica showed that damage to basic infrastructure alone amounts to nearly half of the country’s $500 million GDP. Repairs to roads and bridges across the eastern Caribbean island would total more than $226 million. Some 371 homes on the island, which has a popu- lation of 72,000, were de- stroyed. The Aug. 27 storm killed at least 31 people and 35 others were still missing, as of Friday. In a letter to Prime Minister Skerrit, John Reid, president of Cable & Wireless Consumer Group, offered the company’s support for the people of Dominica in the re- covery effort. As part of the company’s regional efforts to help out the island, LIME in Cayman sent a supply of polo and T-shirts to residents there. According to the Cable & Wireless statement, tech- nicians have been “working around the clock to expe- dite the restoration of full communications service in- cluding Mobile, Fixed and Internet.” The company also offered $5 free credit to its prepaid customers in Dominica to enable them to contact family and friends. According to Mr. Reid, “We stand as partners in the re- covery process and remain committed to working with the Government of Dominica to restore the island to a state of normalcy within the shortest possible time frame.” TExT HElP AvAilAblE fOR STORM-TORN DOMiNicA The Beran protestant church in Roseau, Dominica, partially collapsed due to Tropical Storm Erika. The storm caused major damage throughout the island and Caribbean neighbors are rallying to help. - PHOTO: AP6 LOCAL NEWS Monday SepteMber 7, 2015 • Cayman Compass The 2015 KPMG Island Infrastructure summit will explore: • strategies for moving projects to market; • emerging trends in the region; • the significance of transportation infrastructure; • economic transformation through infrastructure; • energy reform; • increasing levels of foreign direct investment; • new and traditional sources of financing; and • new partnership models including the risks and benefits of alternative service delivery and ownership models. 2015 KPMG Island Infrastructure Summit October 4-6, 2015 JW Marriott Marquis Miami, Florida www.kpmgislandinfrastructuresummit.com © 2015 KPMG, a Cayman Islands partnership and a member firm. Register now at Five YCLA finalists chosen Tad SToner tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Young Caymanian Leaders Foundation on Friday named three women and two men as finalists for the top spot in 2015’s annual awards contest, choosing among mu- sicians, health professionals and finance experts. The five were chosen from among 38 nominees whose names were submitted to a five-member selection com- mittee, who researched each candidate, culminating in face-to-face and tele- phone interviews. The finalists are: Rebekah Jefferson, 33, a jazz singer and music teacher at West Bay’s Sir John A. Cumber Primary School; Taylor Burrowes, 36, a mental health counselor and therapist at the Wellness Centre; Kellie McGee, 27, a medical re- searcher at Camana Bay’s Ironshore Pharmaceuticals & Development; Stephen Watler, 35, an associate and funds specialist at Maples and Calder; and Robbie Cribb Jr., 25, staff accountant at Deloitte. Rebekah Jefferson Ms. Jefferson, daughter of former West Bay UDP MLA John Jefferson and great niece of former Leader of Government Business and Financial Secretary Thomas Jefferson, was born and raised in West Bay, graduating from Wesleyan Christian Academy in 1999. She gained a 2004 bache- lor’s degree in music educa- tion from Florida Southern University, specializing in voice and opera studies. “I was overwhelmed, hon- ored and, honestly, in shock, when I was chosen,” she told the Cayman Compass. She has been at John A. Cumber for 11 years and says she wants “to continue to in- spire young people, which I try to do on a daily basis. I want to share a message of hope, determination and ex- cellence. I want Caymanians to be known for excellence.” Taylor Burrowes Ms. Burrowes was born in George Town, and at- tended Catholic School – be- fore it was St. Ignatius – fol- lowed by Cayman Middle School – before it was George Hicks, finally grad- uating from Miami County Day School in 1997. She fin- ished Tulane University in 2001 with a triple major, then gained a master’s in coun- seling from nearby Loyola University in 2004. For the next decade, Ms. Burrowes lived, worked and studied for her doc- torate at Barry University in Miami Shores. Today, she is a licensed mental-health counselor, a marriage and family thera- pist with a Ph.D. in marriage and family counseling, spe- cializing in sexual trauma recovery. She is deputy chair of the Mental Health Commission, public rela- tions officer for the Cayman Islands Volleyball Federation and an active member of the Business and Professional Women’s Club. She was thrilled by her se- lection as a finalist: “I have already thanked God for this blessing numerous times. I am very excited about this honor because it will provide a wider platform for my so- cial justice and advocacy ef- forts,” which include pro- moting holistic mental health, community awareness, and prevention and remedia- tion of the prolific nature of sexual trauma, she said. The award, Ms. Burrowes said, offers a platform “to plant seeds of acceptance, hope, and growth in the minds, hearts, and lives of all the youth I encounter. “I want them to under- stand that they are worthy of love and safety and should never think ill of themselves.” Any harm, she said, “is merely a reflection of the failings of those around them and they may create the happy and healthy life experiences they dream of with a little help and a lot of courage.” Kellie McGee A native of Savannah, Ms. McGee graduated from St. Ignatius High School in 2004 while interning at Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital. In 2007, she started at Scotland’s University of Edinburgh, ultimately gaining a bachelor of science (with honors) in medical sci- ences. In 2013, she gained a master of sciences de- gree in international health management at Imperial College London. In 2013, she was selected for an intern- ship at the World Health Organization in Geneva. She greeted her selection as a YCLA finalist “with a ra- diating smile,” she said, de- scribing herself as “deeply humbled and honored.” The award, Ms. McGee said, reminds her that “it wasn’t long ago that I was facing many of the chal- lenges and difficult decisions that youth today face. “I had a fairly strong support system to help me through many of the chal- lenges, but the reality is that many youth don’t,” she said. “The opportu- nity to step back into the[ir] shoes and offer words of encouragement or career and life advice that could have been useful to me 10 years or 15 years ago, would be gratifying.” Stephen Watler Mr. Watler is a native of Lower Valley and lives in George Town. He gradu- ated from John Gray High School in 1997, followed by four years at Toronto’s York University Schulich School of Business. Finishing in 2002, he attended the College of Law at the U.K.’s University of East Anglia, completing his degree in 2004. The following year, he joined Maples and Calder as a trainee, finally quali- fying and gaining admission to the Cayman Islands Bar in 2007. Mr. Watler is a council member of the Caymanian Bar Association, and a member of the Cayman Islands Law Society and the Law Society of England and Wales. He is also a member of the board of governors of the University College of the Cayman Islands. “Honestly, it was unex- pected,” he said of his nom- ination. “I had heard there were something like 40 nomi- nees so I had no expectations. I put it out of my mind.” When the call came late last week, Mr. Watler said, “it was [a] huge surprise.” The award, he said, “plays an important part [in Cayman] and is something I strongly support I am happy to participate and do what- ever I can to help.” If chosen as 2015’s winner, “my big objective is to use that selection to shed light on one of the initia- tives of the Caymanian Bar Association, aimed at young Caymanians interested in a legal career, what they can expect, showing them what it’s like.” Robbie Cribb Jr. Mr. Cribb, from George Town, graduated from St. Ignatius, finishing in 2006, followed by another two years in a Tampa, Florida, college preparatory school. He entered Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, 50 miles north of the state capital at Little Rock, graduating in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in business, and a focus in accounting. He quickly won a grant from Deloitte to pursue a master’s de- gree, and entered Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, gaining a master of science in ac- counting in 2013. “I did my CPA at the same time,” he said, finishing up in December 2013 and starting at Deloitte in January 2014. “I’m in a good place, on the right track,” he said, pre- paring to assume the role of senior accountant in October. “I didn’t really expect anything,” said Mr. Cribb of his nomination. “In fact, I had kind of forgotten about it, and when the call came, it caught me by surprise. It was an honor. There are a lot of people I respect who’ve been in this.” If chosen to top the group,” he said, “I would like to be a role model for the younger generation. There are a lot of people looking for someone to look up to. I’m not sure what opportu- nities the YCLA offers, but I want to reach out to younger kids, get them to believe in themselves.” The 15th annual awards ceremony, advertised as a gala event, will be at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman on Oct. 17. The five were chosen from among 38 nominees whose names were submitted to a five-member selection committee, who researched each candidate, culminating in face-to-face and telephone interviews. Rebekah JeffersonTaylor BurrowesKellie McGee Stephen WatlerRobbie Cribb Jr.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Monday SepteMber 7, 2015 BEACH ACCESS SPACE & STORAGE HEALTHY RETURNS AFFORDABLE LUXURY PET FRIENDLY HOWARD MCLAUGHLIN 326-2600 3BED + DEN, 2400SQFT, PRICES FROM US$885,000 FOR MORE INFO VISIT: WWW.BOGGYSANDS.COM STEFAN PRIOR 924-7758 MLS404731-MLS404737 Member of CIREBA DRIVE THRU OPEN LATE FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS UNTIL 1AM AT SEVEN MILE BEACH Now serving you from 2 locations: Savannah and Seven Mile Beach Board. A key element in both cases was each statutory body, which are made up of appointees of the elected gov- ernment, determined that the applicant did not have enough points under the points system specified in the second schedule of the Immigration Regulations under the Immigration Law. However, in both cases, the Immigration Appeals Tribunal had given more points in some categories, but fewer points for other catego- ries for no apparent reason. In addition, the Immigration Appeals Tribunal in both cases failed to notify the appellants of its intention of reducing points in some categories or to give the applicant the opportunity to respond. For these and other rea- sons, the chief justice found the Immigration Appeals Tribunal breached the prin- ciples of natural justice and was unauthorized to make decisions it did. He there- fore set aside both rulings for “substantial wrong and miscarriage of justice” and ordered the Tribunal to re- hear the permanent resi- dence applications “in ac- cordance with law.” He also ordered costs be awarded to the applicants. The ruling could lead to many more similar cases being filed. Attorney Randall Martin, a partner at Dinner Martin Attorneys who specializes in immigration matters, said he expects additional judi- cial review cases to be filed if the Immigration Appeals Tribunal does not apply the decision to new – “de novo” – hearings where the initial de- termination occurred under the old points system. “Those cases should be successful, based on [Chief Justice Smellie’s] judgment, which does not leave the gov- ernment much room for argu- ment,” he said. “However, the lack of cases in Grand Court has, in my opinion, never been due to the state of the law, but only due to the cost of litigation being beyond the means of those who have been treated badly. Therefore, if the Appeals Tribunal does not move quickly, I would not really expect a “flood” of applicants unless legal aid is made generally avail- able for these cases. That could happen; the chief jus- tice controls legal aid. The hope is that the Appeals Tribunal starts to hear all of the pending appeals quickly and in accordance with the judgment.” Another critical point raised in the judgment concerns whether a “de novo” Immigration Appeals Tribunal hearings should be based on the system put in place in Nov. 2013, or the one when the original ap- plication was submitted, if it was submitted before that time. “We now have a favorable answer on this,” Mr. Martin said. “The second question is, if the de novo hearing is based on the old system, what set of criteria/circum- stances of the applicant will they apply – (a) at the time of their initial application was submitted; (b) the time the initial application was heard by the PR Board; or, (c) the time of their de novo hearing? While the recent judgment did seem to imply that it will hopefully be (a), this issue was not expressly addressed. If they are heard on (b) or (c) I could see more [judicial reviews] filed.” One particular reason for this, Mr. Martin be- lieves, is the length of time it takes for appeals, some of which are now as long as eight years. “Some of these people on appeal … have had their cir- cumstances suffer for var- ious reasons, such as em- ployers not wanting to hire them because of their uncer- tain immigration status or they have spent their savings or even sold their properties to cover legal fees and basic living expenses,” Mr. Martin said. “The delay in itself has been unreasonable.” Furthermore, Mr. Martin believes there could be a “le- gitimate expectation” argu- ment made that an applica- tion for permanent residence should be judged by the cri- teria in effect on the date he or she entered the Cayman Islands, not when the appli- cation is made. “That argument is not an easy one, however,” he said. “The government authorities need to improve at providing reasonable prior notice to the public of the changes to the laws/regulations so that [prospective perma- nent residence applicants] at least have some time to plan accordingly.” Mr. Martin said that if the government does not re- spond to the judgment and change the approach to per- manent residence appeals, “each decision to apply the new system to an old system case at a de novo hearing should lead to a successful application for [judicial re- view] by the applicant with associated costs and, frankly, wasted court time. The issue has been decided.” When asked Friday to comment on what the gov- ernment might do in re- sponse to the judgment, the Premier’s Office referred to public comments made ear- lier last week by Ministry of Home Affairs Chief Officer Eric Bush, who said his office was “evaluating what, if any, recommendations should be made to the government” in response to Chief Justice Smellie’s ruling. The Premier’s Office simply said in an emailed response, “Government will make its position known when it has taken advice and properly considered the matter.” ‘Sea-change’ in PR process expected CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Tropical sTorm Grace picks up speed while Fred expecTed To Fizzle ouT (AP) – Tropical Storm Grace on Sunday was moving west- ward across the far eastern Atlantic where it poses no im- mediate threat to land. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says the storm has maximum sustained winds near 45 mph. On Sunday it was centered about 450 miles west- southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. Grace is moving west at 14 mph and expected to con- tinue in that same general di- rection for the next 48 hours. There were no coastal watches or warnings in ef- fect from the seventh named tropical storm of the Atlantic season. Forecasters say Grace could strengthen in the next day or two. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Fred was downgraded to a tropical depression over the weekend as it moved north- ward in the central Atlantic. By Sunday morning, Fred had maximum sustained winds of 35mph. According to the National Hurricane Center, fur- ther weakening is expected, and the remnant low was fore- cast to dissipate on Sunday. The Immigration Department on Elgin Avenue. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says the storm has maximum sustained winds near 45 mph.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Monday SepteMber 7, 2015 • Cayman Compass A Celebration of Life One year AnniversaryOne year Anniversary Sunrise Sunset October1,1931 September7, 2014 Koreen Elesia Smith- Anderson We Miss You Mom From your children and grandchildren Solomon David Webster September 15, 1989 - September 7, 2014 In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Solomon. Mom: Caroline, Dad: David SR., Brother: David Jr. and Sister: Abigail Love you and miss you deeply. Everyday our hearts ache for you. We know you are in God’s hands and we pray for God to take care of you. such reforms would impact access to justice. Amelia Fosuhene, of Stenning and Associates, said the criminal justice review had focused squarely on po lice and the Department of Public Prosecutions. She said focussing on perceived de fence issues missed the point. “They did not consult with the Criminal Defence Bar, the purpose and man date was to look at improve ments which could be made in the police service, Office of the DPP and the court,” Ms. Fosuhene said. She added that the re port had highlighted clear failings on the part of police to provide full disclosure of evidence in a timely fashion and suggested those issues needed to be addressed with the greatest urgency. Mr. Baines has said the police service is stepping up training for officers and has put in place a standard ized evidence file process based on the U.K. model. He says this has already led to improvements. But he believes the justice system is currently balanced in favor of the defendant, rather than victims of crime. He said in the U.K. system, lawyers knew they were getting a set fee, re gardless of how long a case lasted. He suggested this had contributed to speeding up the process. “In the U.K., if you have legal aid you have a set amount that is given for a certain type of case. If you want to take it over four court appearances you are still only going to get paid the same amount, so guess what? Less adjournments, less justifications for the de fense to drag it out, less in stances where people turn up at court and say ‘I have not had time to be briefed.’” Mr. Baines said he be lieves some of the delays are a deliberate tactic from de fense attorneys. He said a lot of people in Cayman, in cluding witnesses in many cases, were transient and as cases dragged on, work per mits expired or frustrations grew and their willingness to be involved fell away. He has also called for a more level playing field when it comes to disclosure of evidence before trial. Police and prosecutors have to make full disclosure of their case to the defen dant’s attorney, but there is no requirement for the de fense to set out their case in advance, he added. “It’s an uneven playing field,” he said. “Disclosure should not be a club to beat the prosecu tion because then all you get is the law and no justice.” Ms. Fosuhene said it was incorrect to suggest de fense lawyers were spinning out cases. She said lawyers were not paid for “men tion” hearings so there was nothing to gain from mul tiple adjournments. She said defense lawyers from the U.K. would be fa miliar with legislation re quiring them to outline their case prior to trial, as recom mended in the review. But she said this was pe ripheral to the basic issue highlighted in the report of police officers failing to ful fill their current obligation to provide complete evidence to the Office of the DPP who could forward it to the de fense in a timely manner. “It is important to have proper liaison between the RCIPS and the Office of the DPP and it is important that the commissioner ensures the police officers respon sible for providing the Office of the DPP with disclosure are properly trained so that their lack of training, where it exists, does not continue to cause delays for the court, the defendant and ultimately a victim,” she said. Ms. Wetton’s review says the disclosure of unused material – evidence col lected during the investi gation but not used by the prosecution – is not uni formly undertaken. She rec ommended training for po lice officers and possible legislative changes to rein force this requirement. Ms. Fosuhene said this was a crucial issue be cause defendants needed access to the full evidence file, in case anything uncov ered during the investigation could help exonerate a de fendant or persuade them to plead guilty. Mr. Baines says he sup ports the recommenda tions in Ms. Wetton’s report and claims police evidence files are already improving in response. He said police were the “public face” of delays in the justice system and warned that cases sometimes fell apart as they dragged on for several years. “An adjournment six times, 10, even 15 times, is not unusual. The people who are paying for that are the public of the Cayman Islands. The ability to de liver justice is what suf fers. Witnesses drop off and there becomes less confi dence in the entire criminal justice system.” He said delays made vic tims and witnesses frus trated and less likely to co operate in the future. “It is about time we put victims and witnesses at the heart of our criminal justice system,” he added. Students back to school, kitchen facilities closed James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The majority of the ap proximately 100 students and teachers taken ill at Red Bay Primary School last week had returned to class by Friday. Health inspectors were this week continuing to in vestigate the cause of the out break of sickness, which oc curred during the school’s lunch period on Wednesday. Students and several teachers suffered cramps and vomiting. A spokesman for the Cayman Islands Hospital con firmed that several youngsters had been taken to the hos pital. But he said the symp toms, in all cases, were mild and the children were treated and sent home. Mary Miller Hall, where food for students at three pri mary schools including Red Bay is prepared, remains closed as tests continue. The hall, kitchen facilities and classrooms at the school were professionally cleaned after the incident. Fast food franchise Subway was called in to pro vide lunches to children, and education officials say breakfast, lunch and snacks will continue to be provided from outside sources for the time being. Mark Ray, head of busi ness services for the Department of Education, said the cause of the out break remained unclear. “We are not speculating on that. We will wait until we have the results of the tests,” he said. In a press release last week, education officials said the same food served to chil dren at Red Bay Primary was also served to Lighthouse School and George Town Primary School students, but there were no reports of ill ness at those schools. Department of Environ mental Health investigators also discovered a gas leak from an ice machine in the serving area at Mary Miller Hall, and they were working to determine what health impact, if any, this may have had on teachers and students. School sickness outbreak investigation continues Baines: Legal aid cap would reduce delays CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Mr. Baines said he believes some of the delays are a deliberate tactic from defense attorneys. Trinidad PM in elecTion fighT over criMe, corruPTion claiMs PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) – The first female prime min ister of Trinidad and Tobago faces a tough fight for re election Monday amid com plaints about corruption and violent crime in the twinis land Caribbean nation. Polls show a close race for control of Parliament between the coalition led by Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar and the party of opposition leader Keith Rowley. The two rivals have a similar ideology and their support is divided largely along ethnic lines. Each claims he or she will do a better job of tackling vio lent crime and managing the country’s natural gas and oil resources amid falling prices. The two also have traded accusations of corruption, some lobbied by ousted former world soccer offi cial Jack Warner, who is seeking to recapture a seat in Parliament while fighting extradition to the U.S. on corruption charges. Five parties and sev eral independents are con testing the 41 seats in the Parliament. Persad Bissessar, 63, took office in May 2010 at the head of the fourparty People’s Partnership coalition. She has called crime the No. 1 problem in the country and proposes better policing and a zerotol erance approach. “Now is not the time to experiment with any inex perienced party,” she said at a recent rally. “You need to give us another five years to finish our work.” The prime minister has promised a new highway, a children’s hospital, free laptops for primary school students and grants to single mothers. The United National Congress, the largest con tingent in the prime minis ter’s coalition, has its base of support with people of East Indian descent who make up about 35 percent of the pop ulation of 1.2 million. Opposition leader Keith Rowley, leader of the People’s National Movement, has his base among people of African descent, who also make up about 35 percent. Some of his supporters ac cuse the ruling party of taking ethnic politics too far. “I am against this govern ment because of its ethnic agenda in promoting its Indo supporters, giving them the major jobs in the public service over AfroTrinis,” said Karen BartAlexander, a social development planner. PersadBissessar has in cluded officials of African descent in her Cabinet, in cluding Warner, who was national security minister until April 2013. He re signed after an ethics panel of the regional CONCACAF soccer federation released a report accusing him of en riching himself through fraud during his tenure with the organization.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Monday SepteMber 7, 2015 Six killed, 13 injured at Spain car rally Six people are dead and 13 injured after a race car lost control Saturday during a rally in northwestern Spain and crashed into onlookers. Cayman Karate Academy Introduces LOSE WEIGHT FEEL GOOD LEARN SKILLS FAST PACE & FUN 1 Alexander Place, Dorcy Drive, GT Call: 926-5425 caymankarateacademy@gmail.com www.caymankarateacademy.com Burn up to 800 Calories per class!!! Burn up to 800 Burn up to 800 Burn up to 800 Burn up to 800 Merkel to hold crisis talks as migrants stream into Germany BERLIN (AP) – Chancellor Angela Merkel planned to discuss Europe’s migrant crisis with her coalition partners Sunday, as Syrians, Iraqis and others fleeing war and persecution streamed into Germany for the second straight day. The Christian Social Union, the socially-conserva- tive wing of Merkel’s center- right bloc, has criticized the decision to open Germany’s borders to migrants and ref- ugees stuck in Hungary, the dpa news agency reported. Meanwhile, the center-left Social Democrats, the third member of Merkel’s three- party coalition, urged swift humanitarian help for those trekking through Europe in search of a better life. “No decent person can re- main cold and dismissive in the face of such suffering,” said Thomas Oppermann, a senior Social Democrat. He added that refugees should be fairly distributed in Europe, and countries should not avoid their re- sponsibilities. “Whoever re- fuses to do their part calls into question whether they can be part of Europe.” German officials have been particularly angry at Hungary for encouraging mi- grants to keep traveling west- ward, instead of providing them with adequate shelter and the chance to apply for asylum there. Thousands arrived in Germany by way of Austria by train, bus and car on Saturday. Most went to Munich, the Bavarian cap- ital, where authorities said some 7,000 people were reg- istered and over half received a bed for the night. Special trains also took 570 people to the Thuringian town of Saalfeld. More than half of them were taken on- ward to Dresden, where a school for German army offi- cers has been cleared to pro- vide temporary shelter for 350 newcomers. Other trains brought mi- grants to Hamburg in the north and Dortmund in the west of the country, while more than 300 people trav- eled to the capital Berlin on specially chartered buses. At each stop the mi- grants were received with cheers, bags of food and toys for the children. Most Germans have been welcoming of the migrants. But far-right groups have pro- tested their arrival, including in Dortmund overnight. Chancellor Merkel has warned that extremist groups might try to take advantage of the situation to stoke people’s prejudices against refugees. Authorities estimate that up to 800,000 people could apply for asylum in Germany by the end of the year. Germany’s opposition Left Party, meanwhile, said the United States was to blame for the migrant crisis originating in the Middle East because it had indirectly supported ter- rorist groups in the region. “If the German govern- ment had a little bit of courage it would at least ask the United States, as the main cause of the refugee tragedy, to pay some of the costs,” dpa quoted Sahra Wagenknecht, a senior Left Party lawmaker, as saying. The Christian Social Union, the socially- conservative wing of Merkel’s center-right bloc, has criticized the decision to open Germany’s borders to migrants and refugees stuck in Hungary. Vatican will shelter 2 families fleeing war, hunger VATICAN CITY (AP) – The Vatican will shelter two families of refugees who are “fleeing death” from war or hunger, Pope Francis announced Sunday as he called on Catholic par- ishes, convents and monas- teries across Europe to do the same. Francis cited Mother Teresa, the European- born nun who cared for the poorest in India, in making his appeal in remarks to pil- grims and tourists in St. Peter’s Square. “Faced with the tragedy of tens of thousands of refu- gees who are fleeing death by war and by hunger, and who are on a path toward a hope for life, the Gospel calls us to be neighbors to the smallest and most abandoned, to give them concrete hope,” Francis said. It’s not enough to say “Have courage, hang in there,” he added. “May every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every sanctuary in Europe host a family, starting with my diocese of Rome,” Francis said. He also asked bishops throughout Europe to have their dio- ceses take up his call to “express the Gospel in con- crete terms and take in a family of refugees.” The Vatican is a tiny city- state and some of its citi- zens, including families with children, live in apartments inside its ancient walls. It has two parish churches, in- cluding St. Peter’s Basilica. Francis said two of the Vatican’s parishes will wel- come two refugee families, but did not give details. A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini, quoted the pope’s chief alms-giver as saying the Vatican is now de- ciding which families will be hosted. He has chosen mercy as the overarching theme of his papacy. Practicing what he preaches, he has al- ready made free showers at the Vatican available to Rome’s homeless and has barbers available for hair- cuts for the needy, among other initiatives. Thousands of migrants and refugees, many fleeing war and persecution, have streamed into Germany and Austria over the weekend after being stuck in Hungary for days. Hundreds of refugees arrive in a train from Munich to be transported by bus to an accommodation center. - Photos: aP Refugees show the victory sign behind a bus window as they leave Saalfeld train station on Saturday. Hundreds of refugees arrive in Saalfeld by train. A man holds a cardboard panel with a ‘Welcome’ slogan during the arrival of refugees at the train station in Saalfeld, central Germany.Next >