ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Tuesday sepTember 8, 2015 SPORTS | Page 16 ameline’s inpuT worTh every second New bike’s modifications earned victory High of 90 Low of 81 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. ediTORial | Page 4 congraTulaTions To cayman’s young scholars 178210_PRINT-Compass-6colx1*5.pdPage 1 12/8/14 11:20:19 AM Premier: Gov’t taking PR ruling ‘seriously’ brenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government will pro- vide a full response, making changes if and where necessary to its immigration regime in the wake of a recently released court ruling that was critical of several aspects of the per- manent residence system, the premier said. Premier Alden McLaughlin said Monday that government leaders were taking legal advice on what has become a complex issue, and he expects to make announcements in re- sponse to the ruling in the next few weeks. “We are taking this issue very seri- ously,” Mr. McLaughlin said, declining to discuss specifics. The issues identified in an Aug. 28 court judgment dealt with two major areas: First, the actions of the Immigration Appeals Tribunal in judging two cases where non-Cay- manians had applied for permanent residence – the right to remain in the territory for the rest of their lives – in which the tribunal’s ac- tions were determined to be a “miscarriage of justice.” Those applications were made under a former version of the Immigration Law. The Immigration Appeals Tribunal was ordered to rehear the applications of the two workers, one of whom had applied for residency status in 2006. The second matter involved the current permanent residence system and how points toward status are awarded to applicants. Cayman Islands Chief Justice Anthony Smellie concluded in the judgment that there were “immediate and obvious concerns” about the current two-tiered system for awarding permanent residence applicants a total of Cayman donates Cash, volunteers planes for dominiCa reCovery brenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government has do- nated US$500,000 toward the recovery effort in Dominica, the small eastern Caribbean is- land devastated by Tropical Storm Erika late last month. In addition, Premier Alden McLaughlin noted that a Cayman Airways plane would be made available if needed to carry foodstuffs and other supplies to the nearest available point to Dominica. The small island’s only air- port was shuttered as a result of damage from the storm and remained closed on Monday. The Aug. 27 storm killed at least 31 people, and dozens of other island residents remain Court: Webb alloWed to return to GeorGia brenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Indicted former FIFA Vice President Jeffrey Webb has been allowed to return to his home in Loganville, Georgia, following an applica- tion made to the U.S. federal court last month by his attorneys. Lawyers for Webb, 50, last month requested a variance of the Cayman Islands resident’s bail conditions, which required him to live within 20 miles of the Brooklyn, New York courthouse where the case against him and eight other in- dicted FIFA defendants is being heard. Police priorities: Burglars, not speeders No plans to revive traffic unit James whiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Tackling a rising number of burglaries and dealing with vi- olent crime rather than handing out speeding tickets are the key priorities for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, according to the country’s top police officer. Police Commissioner David Baines said he had no plans to re-establish a dedicated traffic unit, despite a recommendation in a criminal justice adviser’s report that police should con- sider reviving the department in some form. Mr. Baines said it is a matter of priorities. “How many times have I been told, ‘The only thing you’re good for is pulling people up for speeding but you can’t do anything about the people who are murdering and killing each other and the people breaking in my house?’ “I get it. That’s not to justify it [traffic offenses], but I have to put my resources where the pri- orities are. airport construction deal signed Cayman Islands government and private sector leaders were on hand Monday to witness the signing of a $3.6 million construction contract that will begin what is expected to be a two-and-a-half-year redevelopment of the Owen Roberts International Airport. The first phase of the construction contract was awarded to RS&H of Jacksonville, Florida, and its local partner Chalmers Gibbs Architects. In attendance for the signing, seated from left: Premier Alden McLaughlin; Airports Authority CEO Albert Anderson; Arch & Godfrey Chairman Heber Arch; and Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell. Standing, from left: Ministry of Tourism Chief Officer Stran Bodden; Chalmers Gibbs Managing Director Wil Steward; Arch & Godfrey Projects Manager Andrew McBean; Senior Airports Project Manager Denise Stabler; and Public Works Department manager Max Jones. For more on this story, see page 8. - photo: brent fuller PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Tuesday sepTember 8, 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. - TUESDAY - $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 Woman gets into character to promote reading program Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com One woman has taken to the street to make a point – there is a need to teach Caymanian children to read. On Monday, Vinnette Mae Glidden, creator of a lo- cally designed reading pro- gram “I Read for Life,” took to the Kings roundabout with a team of dressed-up book characters and gymnastics performers Flo-Motion to bring awareness to reading in Cayman. Ms. Glidden, who organized the event along with husband Charles, explained that “I Read for Life” is something she cre- ated and used for two years to help children achieve their reading levels. The reading program uses a method that goes be- yond learning ABC’s, said Ms. Glidden. It is not just about learning phonics, she said, and it’s aimed for the chil- dren of the Cayman Islands. “It is about giving in- dividuals the fundamental tools they need to decode words and become confident readers for the rest of their lives.” Tiny Tots Academy preschool just adopted the reading program, she said. Mr. Glidden, who has been helping his wife edit the “I Read For Life” work- books and manuals, said he has found himself using her method of reading when he encounters unfamiliar words. The program is different from most other reading pro- grams, he said. Ms. Glidden is a graduate of Florida State University’s College of Communication, with a master’s degree in audiology and speech– language pathology. While working as a speech and language pathologist at various public schools in the Cayman Islands, she saw a relationship between audi- tory and visual perception and the ability to be an ex- cellent reader. During this time, she began to develop the methodology that is the foundation of her “I Read For Life” program. The method, she said, is a new and unique way of teaching phonetics, which is the key to learning to read. In January 2012, Ms. Glidden was awarded an Education Pioneer Certificate in recognition of “out- standing contribution to the advancement of educa- tion in the Cayman Islands” as part of the National Heroes Day ceremony. Ms. Glidden runs the I Read For Life Center, based in the Barnett Building on Huldah Ave in George Town, which offers tutoring for children. Public helPs track down stolen cars Four of five vehicles stolen over a 10-day period last month have been re- covered, police said. Police last week is- sued a public appeal to help track down the stolen vehicles. Four Honda CR-Vs and a Mercedes-Benz had been stolen. Police recovered one of the Hondas and the Mercedes-Benz prior to is- suing their public appeal on Sept. 2. Since reports of the stolen vehicles appeared in the media, two more vehi- cles have been found, po- lice said Monday. A silver 2000 Honda CR-V was recovered around 6 p.m. Saturday near George Town Primary School, and a green 1997 CR-V was found on Bodden Road last week following on information from a member of the public. The fifth car, a white 1999 Honda CR-V, registra- tion number 147 807, has still not been located. Anyone with information is asked to call George Town Police Station at 949-4222 or Crime Stoppers at 800-8477(TIPS). Guatemala’s presidential election appears headed to runoff GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – A former television comic was heading for a runoff with ei- ther a wealthy businessman or a former first lady in voting for Guatemala’s next president, days after the Central American nation’s leader resigned over a cor- ruption scandal. With about 79 percent of polling stations reporting early Monday, comedian Jimmy Morales, who has never held elective office, was leading with 26 percent of the vote. He was followed by busi- nessman and longtime pol- itician Manuel Baldizon, with 18.5 percent, and ex- first lady Sandra Torres, with 17.7 percent. Assuming no candidate in the field of 14 gets a majority, the top two finishers advance to a runoff to be held Oct. 25. “The people are showing that they do not want a group like that for the fu- ture,” Morales said, referring to Baldizon’s LIDER party. Rudy Marlon Pineda, president of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, said final results would be available Monday around midday. Electoral officials es- timated a nearly 80 percent turnout. The candidates in Sunday’s election faced an uncomfortable challenge: trying to win votes in a na- tion where former President Otto Perez Molina remains in court custody awaiting a de- cision on whether he will be tried on graft charges. Most of the candidates were old-guard figures picked to run before ener- gized prosecutors backed by a mass anti-corruption move- ment toppled Perez Molina’s administration. Many voters were so skeptical that they campaigned for the election itself to be postponed to give them a new crop of choices. Baldizon had led most polls with roughly 30 percent backing. His running mate is accused by prosecutors of in- fluence trafficking, but as a candidate enjoys immunity from prosecution. Analyst Christians Castillo said Morales’ sur- prising performance was a sign of voter discontent, “a vote of punishment” against more traditional candidates. Guatemalans were also voting for vice president, members of Congress and the Central American Parliament, and local authorities for mu- nicipalities nationwide. A key question was the level of protest vote in the face of the customs corrup- tion scandal, which also forced Perez Molina’s pre- vious vice president, Roxana Baldetti, to resign. She, too, is accused in the scheme. Activists had urged voters to go to the polls wearing black clothes of mourning, abstain or cast null ballots. On the streets, it was hard to find a campaign poster that had not been covered with in- sults. Tens of thousands had joined demonstrations asking for the vote to be postponed. About 8.5 percent of votes were blank or spoiled. Baldizon, who finished second in the last presi- dential race, initially cam- paigned on the slogan “It’s his turn” – a reference to the fact that the last four elec- tions have been won by the previous runner-up. It struck many critics as a display of what’s wrong with the coun- try’s politics. At protests, demonstrators have chanted: “It’s not your turn.” BMW driver bailed after road death James whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 35-year-old Bodden Town man has been re- leased on bail after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in the aftermath of a fatal road collision on Saturday. Young father Matthew Owens was killed after he was knocked from his motorcycle in a colli- sion that also involved a Toyota Mark II and a BMW on the Linford Pierson Highway around 1 a.m. On Monday, the driver of the Toyota remained in hospital, where his condi- tion was described as stable. The driver of the BMW was treated for minor injuries and released from hospital. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI and bailed to return to the police station on Tuesday. Mr. Owens, 31, who worked at the Atlantic clothing store in George Town and had a baby son, was the eighth person to die on Cayman’s roads this year. Television comedian and presidential candidate for the National Front of Convergence party Jimmy Morales, who is likely to be in a runoff, prepares for a press conference Sunday in Guatemala City. - Photo: aP Vinnette Mae Glidden, far left, and her husband Charles Glidden, in pirate costume, along with gymnasts from Flo-Motion and supporters at the Kings roundabout on Monday morning. - Photo: Jewel leVYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Tuesday sepTember 8, 2015 NEW JOBS FOR CAYMANIANS BENEFITS OF BUILDING A PIER NOW COSTSOFNOT BUILDING A PIER NOW 491 CONSTRUCTION JOBS 999 FULL TIME UPGRADED CARGO DOCK SECURE GOVERNMENT REVENUE OF $347 MILLION OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS LOSS OF OVER 1MILLION CRUISE PASSENGERS PER YEAR PAY TENDER BOAT MONOPOLY MORE THAN $100 MILLION OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS (Money we will never be able to invest in new infrastructure) DECLINE IN JOBS FOR CAYMANIANS Let’s vote to protect our future. Make your voice heard today at CaymansFuture.com OVER $1 BILLION LOSS IN ECONOMIC BENEFITS OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS 21 CAYMANIANSCAYMANIANSCAYMANIANSThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Let us take a bit of a break from examining the various hubbubs and controversies that typically capti- vate the attention of this Editorial Board – and instead devote a moment to recognizing excellence among the young people of the Cayman Islands. In Friday’s print edition of the Compass, there appeared on Page 5 a full-page advertisement from Cayman Prep and High School, honoring the achieve- ments of the school’s secondary students on their end- of-year exams. According to the school’s advertisement, “Our Year 11 students gained a record number of 81 A* passes (up 20 on last year!), with 95% of students gaining 5 or more A* – C passes and 65% of them gaining 10 or more A* – C awards. Well done, Year 11!” Very well done, indeed. We were particularly impressed by the results posted by students Haley Willkom (9 A* and 2 A passes) and Drew Milgate (8 A* and 3 A passes) and thus single them out for recognition, but we regard each of the 35 students appearing in Friday’s adver- tisement as being exceptional, and deserving of con- gratulations and recognition. Another piece of good news we picked up from Cayman Prep’s announcement was the future academic plans of the school’s Year 13 graduates. We wish those students the best of luck as they go off to attend universities in the U.K. and elsewhere, to study subjects such as medicine, mathematics, engineering, neuroscience, economics, accounting, computing and games development, law, philosophy, earth and environmental sciences, biological sciences, history, business and sociology. We hope that their success will inspire younger students, their peers and even members of older generations. They are certainly an inspiration to us. Now, we have elected in this column to highlight achievements at this particular school but, of course, Cayman Prep is not the only place where our young people are performing well. We note, for example, that a perfect 100 percent of Year 11 students at St. Ignatius Catholic School achieved 5 or more A*-C passes on their exams. Remarkable! Regular readers of the Compass may have noticed our continuing series of profiles of recipients of the government’s “Proud of Them” award. (The profiles, incidentally, are written by now-former Compass intern Ashani Francis-Collins, a young Caymanian, remark- able in her own right, who is completing her studies at the University of Toronto.) Today’s profile is on Janell Taylor, a Year 13 student at Cayman Prep and High School who is studying to take her A-Levels and hopes to go on to medical school. We have previously published profiles on Abijith Anu, a Year 11 student at Cayman Brac’s Layman E. Scott Sr. High School; Melanie Ebanks, a George Town native and professional actor who recently graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, London; and Kristiann Powell, a George Towner who is now studying at the University of Southampton in the U.K. For profiles of the other “Proud of Them” honorees and news in general about the accomplishments of our high-achieving young people, look to future issues of the Compass. Good news, frankly, is our favorite kind of news! Congratulations to Cayman’s young scholars Tuesday sepTember 8, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Why Clinton remains, yes, inevitable WASHINGTON – Unless she’s indicted, Hillary Clinton will win the Democratic nomination. That kind of sentence is rarely written about a major presidential candidate. But I do not see a realistic third al- ternative (except for one long- shot, below). Clinton is now hostage to the various investiga- tions – the FBI, Congress, the courts – of her emails. The issue has already dam- aged her seriously by high- lighting once again her congenital inability to speak truthfully. When the scandal broke in March, she said unequivocally that she “did not email any classified material to anyone.” That’s now been shown to be un- equivocally false. After all, the inspector general of the intelligence community re- ferred her emails to the Justice Department pre- cisely because they contain classified material. The fallback – every Clinton defense has a fallback – is that she did not mishandle any material “marked” classified. But that’s absurd. Who could even have been in a position to mark classified something she composed and sent on her own private email system? Moreover, what’s prohib- ited is mishandling clas- sified information not just documents. For example, any information learned from confidential conversa- tions with foreign leaders is automatically classified. Everyone in national secu- rity knows that. Reuters has already found 17 emails sent by Clinton containing such “born classified” in- formation. And the State Department has already identified 188 emails on her server that contain classi- fied information. The truth-shaving never stops. Take a minor matter: her communications with Sidney Blumenthal. She orig- inally insisted that these were just “unsolicited” emails from an old friend. Last Monday’s document re- lease showed that they were very much solicited (“Keep ‘em coming when you can”) and in large volume – 306 emails, according to The New York Times’ Peter Baker, more than with any other person, apparently, outside the State Department. The parallel scandal looming over Clinton is pos- sible corruption involving contributions to the Clinton Foundation while she was secretary of state. There are relatively few references to the foundation in the emails she has released. Remember, she erased 32,000 emails she deemed not “work-re- lated.” Clinton needs to be asked a straightforward question: “In sorting your private from public emails, were those related to the Clinton Foundation consid- ered work-related or were they considered private and thus deleted?” We are unlikely to get a straight answer from Clinton. In fact, we may never get the real answer. So Clinton marches on regardless. Who is to stop her? Yes, Bernie Sanders has risen impressively. But it is inconceivable that he would be nominated. For one thing, he’d be the oldest president by far – on Inauguration Day older than Ronald Reagan, our oldest president, was at his second inaugural. And there is the matter of Sanders being a self-pro- claimed socialist in a country more allergic to socialism than any in the Western world. Which is why the party is turning its lonely eyes to joltin’ Joe Biden. Biden, who at 72 shares the Democrats’ gerontocracy problem, is riding a wave of deserved sympathy. But that melts away quickly when a campaign starts. Even now, his support stands at only 18 percent in the latest Quinnipiac poll. For him to win, one has to assume that Sanders disappears and Biden automatically inherits Sanders’ constituency. That’s a fantasy, mod- eled on 1968 when Bobby Kennedy picked up Eugene McCarthy’s anti-Lyndon Johnson constituency. But Joe Biden is no Bobby Kennedy. And in a recent Iowa poll, Biden’s support comes roughly equally from Clinton and Sanders. Rather than inheriting the anti- Clintonite constituency, he could instead be splitting it. There is one long-shot possibility that might upend Clinton: Biden pledges to serve one term only and chooses Elizabeth Warren as his running mate – now. One-term pledges address the age problem but they are political poison, giving the impression of imperma- nence and mere transition. Warren cures that, offering the Democratic base – and the Sanders constituency – the vision of a 12-year lib- eral ascendancy. When asked on Wednesday whether she had discussed such a ticket with Biden, Warren answered “it was a long conversation,” a knowing wink in the form of a provocative nondenial. I doubt a Biden-Warren ticket will happen, but it remains the only threat to Clinton outside of some Justice Department pros- ecutor showing the same zeal in going after Hillary Clinton as the adminis- tration did in going after David Petraeus. Otherwise the Democrats remain lashed to Clinton. Their only hope is that the Republicans self-destruct in a blaze of intraparty warfare. Something for which they are showing an impressive talent. Charles Krauthammer’s email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com. © 2015, Washington Post Writers Group There is one long-shot possibility that might upend Clinton: Biden pledges to serve one term only and chooses Elizabeth Warren as his running mate – now. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks Sunday during a campaign stop at Uncle Nancy’s Coffee House in Newton, Iowa. – Photo: AP Charles Krauthammer5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday sepTember 8, 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 Gov’t working on pay inequity After pay raise for teachers, will police be next? James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Civil service leaders insist they are still seeking to ad- dress concerns over pay in- equality across government. Acting Deputy Governor Eric Bush said the pay raise for long-serving teachers, an- nounced last month, does not mean the issue will not be addressed in other areas. James Watler, head of the Civil Service Association, said so far there has been no movement on the pay stagna- tion issue for other govern- ment workers. He said he did not expect it to be dealt with in the current budget year. Police Commissioner David Baines said he was happy to see the issue being dealt with in the education profession and he hopes po- lice would be next. He said a proposal has been drawn up and submitted for approval by Cabinet and he is hopeful of a decision this year. Education Minister Tara Rivers announced last month that Cabinet had ap- proved an immediate pay in- crease for teachers whose salary had been stagnant for several years. Pay inequity, a source of frustration across the public sector, appears to be an un- intended consequence of austerity measures intro- duced in the wake of the financial crisis. While the pay of long- term employees was pay frozen, new arrivals have still been able to negotiate salaries in line with their previous earnings. Mr. Bush said govern- ment acknowledged the issue and was working to address it. He told the Cayman Compass, “Cabinet decided that the teaching profes- sion was the first area they wanted to address. As and when government’s financial position improves, it will be addressed in other areas.” In an administrative cir- cular to all civil servants, Mr. Bush described the raise for teachers as a “very impor- tant development.” He wrote, “It is under- standable that the govern- ment has fast tracked relief for teachers who shape the lives of our future leaders. “I also want to confirm that this announcement does not mean that pay stagnation across the en- tire civil service isn’t also being reviewed … “We value all our em- ployees but at the same time we must be mindful to pursue sustainable remedies which do not jeopardize the progress that we have collec- tively made in recent years to improve government’s fi- nancial position.” Earlier this year, Mr. Watler warned that the issue of pay stagnation was un- dermining the concept of equal pay for equal work in the civil service. Asked for further com- ment last week, he said, “The association and the member- ship leave it in the very ca- pable hands of the Deputy Governor to action.” Commissioner Baines said a review of pay in the police service has been completed and his under- standing is that recommen- dations are going to Cabinet in the coming months. He said, “We have to be able to recognize and reward the development of people, some of whom are on the same pay as they were 10 years ago.” He said prison officers currently earn more than police officers and changes need to be made to prevent a “skill drain” and ensure the service can attract and re- tain the right people. “That is not to denigrate what prison officers do, but we need to level the playing field so officers are paid a suitable wage for the com- plexity of the job that they do,” he added. Domestic violence court sees support from Crisis Centre James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre has backed calls for a specialist court to fast-track domestic violence cases. A report from a U.K. lawyer on Cayman’s crim- inal justice system also rec- ommended the admission of hearsay evidence to help cases proceed when victims are unwilling to testify. The recommendations, from adviser Claire Wetton, also called for separate waiting areas for victims and defen- dants when cases go to court. The board of the Cayman Crisis Centre endorsed those viewpoints this week, sug- gesting they would help cases from falling through when victims retracted their statements. “In this report, Ms. Wetton correctly identifies gaps in the current system that se- verely impact victims of do- mestic violence and their rights to justice,” said Denise Gower, chairwoman of the Crisis Centre board. “We support the sugges- tion for the legislative and operational changes Ms. Wetton has suggested in order to ensure that domestic violence victims are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.” Ms. Gower said research shows that women and men stayed in abusive relation- ships for a variety of reasons, including fear, embarrass- ment, low self-esteem and even love. “These are strong moti- vators for anyone, but when they are compounded by hearing dates that are many months ahead, it robs the victim of a sense of hope for the future: the sense that the judicial system cares about her and her children.” Ms. Wetton’s report sug- gested multiple adjourn- ments in domestic violence cases often lead to the col- lapse of prosecution. “A dedicated domestic vi- olence court where cases can be fast-tracked, with the cases being listed within 24 hours of the complaint would reduce the number of retractions and delay in the process,” the report noted. Ms. Gower said the re- port’s recommendation that victims and defen- dants be kept in sepa- rate waiting areas at court is also important. “When you think that people who live in abusive re- lationships are coerced and bullied constantly, it is rea- sonable to understand that the brave woman who goes to the courthouse on the sched- uled day determined to give her testimony might be con- vinced otherwise when faced with her abuser and his sup- porters in the waiting room.” The Crisis Centre has a 24-hour confidential emergency hotline at 943-2422. Mr. Bush Acting Deputy Governor Eric Bush said the pay raise for long-serving teachers, announced last month, does not mean the issue will not be addressed in other areas. Ms. Wetton’s report suggested multiple adjournments in domestic violence cases often lead to the collapse of prosecution.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community Calendar ■ Community Calendar is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. Tuesday sepTember 8, 2015 • Cayman Compass Newhaven Quay Canal front home. Great value. 5 bed/4 bath, 2 car garage. US$1,799,000 CIREBA MLS 404390 www.capitalrealty.com.ky CELEBRATING 10 YEARS WITH 10 GREAT AGENTS! Alvin Sluchinski 525.8850 alvin@capitalrealtycayman.com TUESDAY, SEPT. 8 PROSPECT CERT: The location for the meeting to establish a Community Emergency Response Team in the Prospect community has changed and will now take place at the Prospect Primary School Hall. 6:30 p.m. All area residents are invited. Refreshments will be served. 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 Bob Thompson. All are welcome. 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 dRAMA SOCIETY: Cayman Drama Society presents the musical “Rent,” opening tonight with special happy hour from 6:30 p.m. Show runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. Due to adult content, strictly PG 13 with parental supervision. Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for students. 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. MONDAY, SEPT. 14 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. 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. THURSDAY, SEPT. 17 PUB QUIZ: Humane Society pub quiz at Fidel Murphy’s, 7 p.m. $10 per person, maximum of six people per team. All proceeds towards transferring dogs to new homes in U.S. Call 949-5189 to reserve a table or contact sarah.dyer.81@gmail.com CAnCER SOCIETY: Continuing Medical Education for all allied medical professionals. Marriott Beach Resort 5–9 p.m. Three credit hours will be awarded. Contact victoria@cics.ky for more information. FRIDAY, SEPT. 18 MEnTORInG PROGRAM: Volunteer adult mentors are sought for the John Gray High School “Aim Higher” initiative for Year 11 students who have agreed that they want to participate in the program at the school to help them realize their potential. Stage 1 training is this evening, 5:50-8:30 p.m. Stage 2 training is Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Contact Laura Hatfield on 328-0300. 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, 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.-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.-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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Tuesday sepTember 8, 2015 We offer a career opportunity to ‘Be Your Best With the Best.’ Join Pinnacle Media’s sales TeaM Open the dOOr tO an amazing career Long-term career Opportunity Financially rewarding complete Benefits package dynamic Work environment Your chance to excel! Email hr@pinnaclemedialtd.com with Sales Rep in subject line. Base salary is CI$26,000 - 36,000 per year, plus unlimited commission. Applicants must have a minimum of 3 years outside sales experience. 15 points for their occupa- tion and another 15 points if their job is considered a “pri- ority occupation” according to regulations attached to the Immigration Law. “It is difficult to imagine a policy that could be more opaque, uncertain and prone to arbitrariness than one by which points are to be allocated to occupations based upon merely subjec- tive assessments of their importance in the context of the local economy,” the chief justice wrote in his 40-page judgment. If the government decides that changes are warranted to the current permanent res- idence points system, there could be further delays for the more than 350 residency applications now in the pipe- line, some of which have been pending since late 2013. The difficulty with the current evaluation of points is partly due to the fact that the system requires periodic re-evaluation of demand for workers in a particular occu- pation, according to the chief justice’s ruling. “[There is no] explanation as to who would be respon- sible for those exercises and what measures would be put in place to ensure that they are reasonably and objec- tively carried out. It is to be expected therefore, that the periodical review and adjust- ments [to the point value of a particular occupation] will be carried out in a manner capable of withstanding the kind of heightened scrutiny now required of the court,” Justice Smellie’s ruling stated. That “heightened scru- tiny” referred to by the chief justice is partly owing to requirements under the Cayman Islands Constitution Order (2009) Bill of Rights. Section 19 of the governing document requires all deci- sions of the government to be legal, rational, proportionate and procedurally fair. Essentially, the court judgment involving the two non-Caymanian workers stated that the decision by the Immigration Appeals Tribunal to deny their per- manent residence applica- tions was “irrational” be- cause the tribunal could not properly explain or identify the criteria it used to rule on the applications. Justice Smellie ruled that in both cases the Immigration Appeals Tribunal “impeded the course of justice” by using materials to judge the per- manent residence applica- tions without allowing ei- ther applicant to speak to that material. The tribunal also failed to show the applicants, or even the court, how it had used those materials in judging the applications, so the court could not deter- mine the legal “reasonable- ness” of the appointed body’s decision-making. Premier: Gov’t taking PR ruling ‘seriously’ “I’ve got to address the challenges I’ve got at the minute around burglaries. “People don’t want to come home and find their homes violated. They cer- tainly don’t want to get pulled over for a minor traffic infraction, to find out we have put all our energies in traffic enforcement at the expense of not being able to protect their property or, more importantly, them.” He said the expertise still existed within the po- lice force to handle all kinds of traffic crime and trained accident investigators were directed to deal with major collisions. Police statistics show a significant drop over the past few years in the number of recorded traffic offenses, including speeding and drunk driving. In 2007, when more than 5,700 speeding tickets were issued, police officers were averaging 475 tickets per month. Last year the average per month was 55 tickets. The criminal justice re- port, produced by U.K. lawyer Claire Wetton, sug- gested the quality of evi- dence files handed over to prosecutors had also dipped. “Traffic prosecutions are a significant proportion of cases heard in the sum- mary court and the quality of the files continue to be a reason for adjournments,” she wrote. Mr. Baines said the traffic administration de- partment remains in place and the process for vali- dating evidence files is the same as it has always been. He is seeking clarification on what the specific issues have been with traffic files. He said he would seek to address any issues with the quality and completeness of files handed to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions with more training for officers and a standardized process, based on the U.K. model. He said the dedicated traffic unit was disbanded after a spike in violence in 2011, combined with a squeeze on hiring, forced him to dedicate resources to more critical areas. Traffic officers were put on regular shifts to allow more flexibility in deploying resources where they were most needed, he added. “We had traffic officers who paraded separately, patrolled separately and were almost a police service within a police service. “They are now on the same radio system, they deploy with their regular colleagues as response of- ficers, and if there is a se- rious accident the people who are trained in traffic investigation are sent to deal with it.” Police priorities: Burglars, not speeders “We are taking this issue very seriously.” Premier Alden mclAughlin “How many times have I been told, ‘The only thing you’re good for is pulling people up for speeding but you can’t do anything about the people who are murdering and killing each other and the people breaking in my house?’” dAvid BAines, police commissioner CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 RCIPS Commissioner David Baines Premier McLaughlin CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Tuesday sepTember 8, 2015 • Cayman Compass missing. Erika also de- stroyed 371 houses on the is- land, which is home to about 72,000 people. Noting Grand Cayman’s experiences with Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Cayman Brac’s devastation during Hurricane Paloma in 2008, Premier McLaughlin said the damage and destruction facing Dominica was “much worse than we could even contemplate here,” due to the geography of the small island nation. “It is a very mountainous country with lots of rivers and bridges,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “Thirteen bridges were taken out … and entire sections of the island have been cut off. Thirty-one people are dead. They are all our Caribbean brothers and sisters. We think [donating money and sup- plies] is the only right and Christian thing to do.” The premier asked the Cayman Islands private sector to consider making additional donations to as- sist Dominica with its re- covery. Cable & Wireless Communications, which owns LIME in Cayman, has started a text message do- nation campaign where cus- tomers can donate $1 per text message by sending the word “HELP” to the number 4357. The local Dominican com- munity in Cayman has also sought to organize dry food donations and other sup- plies through a Windsor Park church and its min- ister Martin Royer, Mr. McLaughlin said. The Cayman Islands Red Cross has opened a special bank account for Dominica do- nations from the Cayman com- munity. The agency noted that the local Dominican commu- nity will be organizing fund- raising events and any funds raised may be directed through Butterfield account number 840035054-0072. Donations will be made in U.S. dollars. Supply deliveries are being made difficult by the fact that Dominica’s airport is closed due to damage from the storm. “If there are suf- ficient goods, dry food items … other necessities available in Cayman, we will make Cayman Airways available to fly to the nearest country,” Mr. McLaughlin said. Webb argued that the cost of living in New York City, with around-the-clock security, was proving to be unaffordable as well as impossible in terms of logistics. “This financial burden is worsened by the fact that nearly the entirety of Mr. and Mrs. Webb’s cash sav- ings is maintained in bank accounts that are encum- bered as a result of the in- dictment and forfeiture al- legations in this case,” the application stated. U.S. District Court Judge Raymond Dearie ordered last week that Webb be allowed to reside in his Georgia home, assuming he can make it to court in New York for the relevant dates and adhere to other release conditions. Those condi- tions include electronic monitoring, home deten- tion, a 24/7 security detail and two additional sureties to the government. The additional sureties to be provided to govern- ment were not identified in U.S. court documents. Webb’s house in Loganville has been the subject of some prosecu- torial and media scru- tiny since his arrest in Switzerland on May 27. U.S. court records have alleged that part of the money Webb received in bribe payments via inter- mediaries from sports mar- keting companies seeking commercial rights to certain FIFA football tournaments was used to pay for a pool at the Loganville address. In addition to the U.S. court indictments, the Cayman Compass revealed in June that Webb and Canover Watson, another top-level Cayman Islands football official, face sep- arate criminal investiga- tions, and they both bought houses on the same street in Loganville within the past five years. One of the homes, a three-story mansion at 2116 Adel Drive in Loganville, is valued at US$931,000. The 9,851-square-foot home, which is listed as having six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, is owned by Webb and his wife, Atlanta- area physician Kendra Gamble-Webb, according to Rockdale County, Georgia, tax records. It is one of sev- eral properties Webb owns in the state of Georgia that are now potentially subject to asset forfeiture proceed- ings, according to federal court indictments issued last week. Just down from the Webb home, at 2128 Adel Drive, is a US$550,000 two-story, 7,694-square- foot home on three acres owned by suspended FIFA audit committee member and Cayman Islands busi- nessman Watson. Watson, who is not charged in connection with the FIFA bribery scandal, faces a crim- inal trial in Cayman re- lated to allegations that he used his former posi- tion as a member of the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority Board to enrich himself through the award of two public hospital contracts. Cayman donates cash, volunteers planes for Dominica recovery Court: Webb allowed to return to Georgia Tropical Storm Erika caused major damage in Dominica, including sinkholes in this road next to the capital Roseau’s main market. - PHOTO: AP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Airport upgrade to break ground this week Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Construction of the new terminal building at Grand Cayman’s Owen Roberts International Airport is scheduled to break ground Thursday and will begin in earnest next week, government leaders an- nounced Monday. The contract for the first part of what is expected to be a $55 million airport ex- pansion and redevelopment was awarded to Jacksonville, Florida company RS&H and local partner Chalmers Gibbs Architects, airport of- ficials said. The $3.6 million deal for the “enabling package” to start the airport redevelop- ment was signed by Cayman Islands Airports Authority CEO Albert Anderson and Arch & Godfrey Chairman Heber Arch Monday morning at the airport. The first phase of the airport redevelopment was competitively bid among seven companies earlier this year following govern- ment’s request for proposals on the construction of a two-story baggage area, bag screening room and a me- chanical room. Tourism Minister and Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell said Monday that the new 29,000-square- foot structure will be built to the west of the current airport property. He said the airport plans to add an- other baggage conveyor in the area and relocate the existing machine as well. The work hopefully will be completed by March 2016, he said. The $40 million second phase is about “80 percent designed” at the moment, officials said. Phase two will restruc- ture the entire departure and arrival area, starting with the departure lounge, Mr. Anderson said. “There will be some im- pact [to airport travelers]. We’re trying to minimize that as much as possible,” he said. Mr. Kirkconnell said he expects the entire project to be finished in about two- and-a-half years. The entire expansion project includes more than doubling the size of the air- port terminal, repaving the tarmac and runway and, in the longer term and if finan- cially feasible, putting in an airplane taxiway parallel to the runway. Minister Kirkconnell said decisions to rede- velop the airport at its cur- rent location were largely driven by the urgent need to comfortably accommo- date more passengers in the often-overwhelmed Grand Cayman airport terminal. PRouD of ThEm Janell Taylor recognized for academic achievement AshAni FrAncis-collins afrancis-collins@pinnaclemedialtd.com Janell Taylor, 17, from Bodden Town received the Proud of Them award for her academic achievements. “I was really surprised when I received the news. It’s quite an honor and a blessing to be one of this year’s recipi- ents,” she said. Janell said she believes she received the award in part because of her strong work ethic. “I believe it was be- cause of hard work, perse- verance and prayer, which led to my accomplishments thus far, and ultimately this award,” she said. Janell, a Year 13 stu- dent at Cayman Prep and High School, is studying to take her A-Levels in math- ematics, chemistry, biology and English. Then, Janell said, she hopes to begin med- ical school either in Jamaica or the United Kingdom. Janell was awarded Student of the Year at her previous school, Cayman Academy, in 2014. She graduated in 2015 as an honors student. At Cayman Academy, Janell achieved 11 CXC passes, 10 1s and one 2. The CXC grades on a scale of 1-6, with 1 being the highest. She also received four AS Level passes, three of which were A grades. Janell said she still loves to kick back and relax in her downtime. “Like regular teenagers, I love to listen to music and watch movies,” she said. “With God’s help, all things are possible.” The Proud of Them ini- tiative recognizes the pos- itive achievements of young people ages 10 to 25. Through a public nomina- tion process, individuals are honored in the categories of academics, careers, business, sports, culture or community service. Each young person selected is featured for six months at a time on bill- boards across the Cayman Islands, and receives a certif- icate and $500. Janell Taylor A federal court is allowing Jeffrey Webb to reside at his home in Loganville, Georgia, while he is on bail on u.S. federal racketeering and bribery charges. – PHOTO: Kevin D. LiLes/KevinDLiLes.cOm fOr THe cAymAn cOmPAssThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Tuesday sepTember 8, 2015 Stonehenge discovery Researchers have discovered evidence of standing stones believed to be the remnants of a major stone monument, built around 4,500 years ago, near the Stonehenge ruins and buried beneath 3 feet of earth. 158915_PRINT-CFA-qtrpg-cc.pdf 9/4/15 12:46:16 PM Merkel demands EU partners share in burden of human tide U.K. to re-settle up to 20,000 refugees BERLIN (AP) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel, re- flecting on “a moving, in some parts breathtaking weekend behind us,” said Monday that all EU countries could help to accommodate the human tide from the Middle East and Africa. French President Francois Hollande announced that his country would welcome 24,000 refugees, and that he and Merkel had agreed on a mechanism to spread the mi- grant load across Europe. British Prime Minister David Cameron said the U.K. will re-settle up to 20,000 Syrian refugees from camps in Turkey, Jordan and Syria over the next five years. The figure represents a vast expansion of Britain’s refugee program, a change signaled by Cameron last week. He told Parliament on Monday that Britain has a moral responsibility to act, citing shocking images in re- cent days. Cameron said vul- nerable children and orphans will be given priority. New arrivals will be given five-year “humanitarian pro- tection” visas upon arrival in Britain. But Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, said he wasn’t prepared to pitch in and questioned how any EU quota system for mi- grants could work. Even as calm returned Monday to the main border point between Austria and Hungary after more than 14,000 people used it over the weekend to enter Austria, Hungary’s leader hit back at EU counterparts who blamed his country for the chaos. Merkel told reporters in Berlin that Germany will en- sure that those who need protection receive it, but that those who stand no chance of getting asylum will have to return to their homes swiftly. Germany is preparing to receive by far the largest number of immigrants, but Merkel called for help from EU partners. “Germany is a country willing to take people in, but refugees can be received in all countries of the European Union in such a way that they can find refuge from civil war and from persecu- tion,” she said. Hungary mocks EU efforts Orban mocked the European Union’s efforts to distribute migrants through a quota system and com- pared Hungary to a “black sheep” representing a voice of reason in the EU flock of countries. Any EU migrant quota among the bloc’s 28 countries, makes no sense in a system where the free movement of people would make it impossible to en- force, he said. “We represent the posi- tion of what the Americans call ‘first things first,’” Orban told Hungarian ambassadors meeting in Budapest. “As long as we are unable to defend Europe’s external borders, it makes no sense to talk about the fate of the immigrants.” Austria’s Chancellor Werner and other EU leaders have blamed Orban for the chaos they say left Austria and Germany no choice but to essentially open their bor- ders for thousands of mi- grants and refugees who complained of neglect and human rights violations in Hungary. Most of those crossing into Austria over the weekend proceeded by train to Germany. Austrian officials said only about 90 people asked for asylum in Austria. Tensions in Macedonia Further south ten- sions were high Monday in Macedonia at the border with Greece, where scuffles broke out between police and thou- sands of people attempting to head north toward the European Union. About 2,000 people had gathered at the Greek border near the village of Idomeni just after dawn, attempting to cross into Macedonia. But Macedonian authorities were allowing only small groups to cross every half hour, leading to tension. The situation later calmed after more were al- lowed to cross, with about 1,000 having passed the border by mid-day. Greek police said about 5,000 people had crossed the border heading north in the 24 hours from Sunday morning to Monday morning. Germany pledges $6.6 billion In a late night meeting that lasted until early Monday in Berlin, the German govern- ment agreed to spend 6 bil- lion euros (US$6.6 billion) next year to support the hun- dreds of thousands of new arrivals. At the same time, it also agreed to introduce legal measures making it easier to deport-asylum seekers from countries considered “se- cure states” like Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania. Asylum- seekers will also get less cash in the future and more non- cash benefits. German officials recently predicted that up to 800,000 migrants will arrive by the end of the year, many of them refugees fleeing war and per- secution in Syria, Iraq and Eritrea. The government’s aid package will include im- proved housing, more federal police and language classes. Merkel’s deputy, Sigmar Gabriel, said integrating the migrants into German society would require confronting the fears of the country’s na- tive population. “I say this quite openly, there will be conflicts,” the economy minister told re- porters. “The more openly we talk about the fact that people are worried, that there’s fear in the country and that there may be con- flicts, will I think help us deal with this realistically and confront reality.” Five asylum seekers were injured in a fire early Monday in Rottenburg in southwest Germany, the German news agency dpa reported. Three of them were injured when they jumped out of the burning building, while two others had to be treated for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. Austrian police spokesman Helmut Marban said that no migrants had arrived at the Nickelsdorf border point since before midnight, when 260 people crossed into Austria and left shortly afterward by train to Vienna. Beyond the Red Cross tent set up near the crossing and the stores of food, empty cots set up in a parking lot, hygiene articles and other goods stacked up for any new arrivals, there was little to in- dicate Monday morning that the border had served over the weekend for the dramatic influx of Syrians, Iraqis, Afghans and others. Red Cross workers on Monday prepare aid for migrants at the border between Hungary and Austria, in Nickelsdorf, Austria. Chancellor Angela Merkel leaves a press conference in Berlin on Monday about refugees in Europe. - Photo: APNext >