ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Wednesday september 23, 2015 sports | page 24 morris Wants a revamp Cricket scene is in disarray High of 90 Low of 81 Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 2 feet. editorial | page 4 remittances: Have casH, Will travel Haines runs for Special Needs next ron sHillingford rshillingford@pinnaclemedialtd.com Derek Haines, the cele- brated athlete who raised more than $1 million for a new Cayman HospiceCare facility by running six mar- athons last year, has found a new recipient for his next 26.2-mile run. With the support of the Special Needs Foundation of Cayman and the Rotary Clubs of Grand Cayman and Grand Cayman Central, Mr. Haines will run the Cayman Islands Marathon on Dec. 6 to raise $50,000 toward four projects for the Special Needs Foundation. The challenge is called “50/50” as he hopes to re- cruit 50 runners in support. Mr. Haines, 66, said, “It is not necessary for the runners to raise any money, just to take part in the marathon, half-marathon or the relay on the day. “Youngsters in the chil- dren’s race can also join in. Obviously, it will be great if they can raise funds, but raising awareness is very important too.” As in previous years, Rotary Club treasurer Chris Johnson is opening a dedicated bank account to accommodate donations for the appeal. “As always, every dollar that is donated will go to the charity,” Mr. Johnson said. “There will be no ad- ministrative costs or other Jessie Perry dies in hosPital in Jamaica James WHittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The family of Jessie Perry has been left devastated after the 21-year-old burn victim passed away Monday night in Jamaica. Ms. Perry, the mother of a 3-year-old son, succumbed to her extensive injuries at the University of the West Indies Hospital where she was being treated for severe burns from a car crash in Grand Cayman a week earlier. Close family, including her mother, were at her bed- side when she died. Her uncle, Junior Sinclair, said the news hit hard for her family and friends in Cayman. Mr. Sinclair, who is 23 and was close friends with his niece, said, “I was looking at the pictures this morning and it brought tears to my eyes. She was only 21. She didn’t get to live her life.” Jessie’s aunt, Jacqueline Ebanks, said she received a call from her brother in Jamaica with the bad news on Monday night. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Coral relocation possible, consultant says James WHittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Just under a third of the corals in the pro- posed construction site for a new cruise berthing facility in George Town harbor could be relocated, according to a marine consultant’s survey. The survey, involving scientific divers and sonar imaging of the sea floor, was commissioned to get a more precise estimate of the number of corals that would be impacted by the project. The report concludes that around 391,000 hard corals and 61,000 soft corals will be affected over 11 acres. The consultant, Continental Shelf Associates, also delved into the issue of potential mitigation measures, estimating that just under a third of the corals would be candidates for relocation. They gave no estimate of the likely cost. The government caucus, meantime, was pre- sented with the findings of the completed Outline Business Case on Monday. Consultants PwC have been working on an update to their initial report, expected to include refined estimates of the cost of building the dock, the likely funding method and the positive and negative economic impacts of the project. Environment Minister Wayne Panton said the caucus has not yet made a decision. “It was discussed, but there was no vote. We have only just been presented with the up-to- date documentation, so there was no opportu- nity to read, absorb and understand what has been put forward.” It is not clear whether the final business case will be released to the public before a decision is made. The Benthic Habitat Survey report was completed some time ago but was An aerial image of the George Town harbor where the proposed cruise ship dock would be built. - Photo: lands and sUrVey dePartment, circa 1999 PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Ms. Perry2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Wednesday september 23, 2015 • Cayman Compass Boost your TV & Internet experience by signing up for any Logic Fibre Bundle starting at $99 and get one month free service including the HBO premium pack. Contact a Customer Care Representative today or visit logic.ky for promotion details. 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. - WEDNESDAY - $8.00 BLACK MASS (R) 6:50 I 9:45 THE PERFECT GUY (PG13) 1:20 I 3:45 I 7:00 I 9:35 THE VISIT (PG13) 1:10 I 3:30 I 7:10 I 10:00 MAZE RUNNER 2 3D (PG13) 12:40 I 3:40 2D I 6:40 I 9:40 2D MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (PG13) 6:45 I 9:50 THE TRANSPORTER (PG13) 1:00 I 4:15 I 7:30 I 10:05 SHAUN THE SHEEP (PG) 12:45 I 3:00 FIFA to brief executive committee on US, Swiss probes ZURICH (AP) – FIFA’s ex- ecutive committee will be updated this week on the American and Swiss corrup- tion investigations which in- volve some of its own mem- bers, football’s governing body said on Tuesday. The two-day session starting Thursday will be chaired by President Sepp Blatter, who is an expected target of both federal cases. On Friday, Blatter is scheduled for his first news conference at FIFA since being showered with dollar bills by a British comedian who gained access to a July 20 announcement of a presi- dential election date and re- form plans promised amid the corruption crisis. Nine current executive members, including Blatter, took part in the votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups which are the focus of a Swiss investigation of pos- sible money laundering and criminal mismanagement of FIFA assets. In the U.S. case, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said last week in Zurich she ex- pects more charges in an expanding investigation of racketeering and bribery worth “well over $150 mil- lion” that has already in- dicted 14 men and secured guilty pleas from four others. Blatter’s reluctance to visit countries which have an extradition treaty with the United States appears to have affected FIFA’s busi- ness schedule. FIFA said the executive committee will decide Friday on the date and place of its next meeting. That had previously been scheduled to take place on Dec. 17-18 in Japan, which hosts the Club World Cup and where Blatter could risk arrest. One option could be to create a rare five-month gap between executive sessions and to hold the meeting in Zurich days ahead of the ex- traordinary congress on Feb. 26 when Blatter’s successor will be elected. Blatter’s executive panel will approve an agenda for the congress this week, FIFA said. FIFA’s agenda was signed by acting secretary general Markus Kattner, who was promoted last Thursday after his boss Jerome Valcke was sus- pended from duty following allegations about a pro- posed black market deal for 2014 World Cup tickets. Valcke denies wrongdoing. The agenda said that Brazilian delegate Marco Polo Del Nero will present an update later this week on the work of the organizing com- mittee for the Olympic foot- ball tournament next year in Rio de Janeiro. Del Nero chairs that committee, which reportedly met on Monday without him. Del Nero left Switzerland suddenly in May, hours after two FIFA vice presidents and other officials were ar- rested in dawn hotel raids in Zurich on the eve of Blatter’s re-election. Del Nero did not attend Brazil matches at the Copa America in Chile in June and skipped a FIFA ex- ecutive committee meeting in Zurich in July. Blatter has denied any wrongdoing and blamed indi- viduals from football’s conti- nental confederations for im- plicating FIFA in corruption. Still, Swiss legal experts said this month that Blatter should be investigated by Switzerland’s state pros- ecutors for selling World Cup television rights for the Caribbean to former FIFA vice president Jack Warner at well below market rates. Warner is among the 14 indicted by the U.S. and is fighting extradition from Trinidad. Trinidad AG paves way for Warner extradition proceedings PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) – Trinidad and Tobago’s attorney general has signed documents allowing authorities to poten- tially go ahead with a U.S. ef- fort to extradite former FIFA Vice President Jack Warner to face charges in a corruption case that has shaken interna- tional soccer, officials said in court Monday. Attorney General Faris Al Rawi signed “authority to pro- ceed” documents in the high- profile extradition case against the indicted Warner, said Queen’s Counsel James Lewis, who represents the state. He made the comments Monday at the Port-of-Spain magis- trate’s court. Al Rawi would not comment on specifics Monday, saying only that “the process is still unfolding.” The case against the former FIFA powerbroker was adjourned until Friday while Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington reviews the matter. Warner is resisting extradi- tion on U.S. charges of racke- teering, wire fraud and money laundering in the FIFA corrup- tion case. He is required to re- port twice weekly to a police station near his home and his passport has been seized. U.S. prosecutors allege South Africa funneled $10 mil- lion in 2008 to Warner and two other FIFA executives as pay- ment for them supporting its successful bid to host the 2010 World Cup. Officials also allege that Warner and others, including former FIFA executive com- mittee member Chuck Blazer of the United States, got rich off accounts they con- trolled through CONCACAF, which oversees soccer in the Caribbean and North and Central America. Blazer has cooperated with authorities. Warner left FIFA in 2011 after being implicated in an earlier bribery scandal. He has denied wrongdoing. Some Trinidad legal ex- perts, including former Attorney General Ramesh Maharaj, have said the extra- dition request against Warner could take three to five years to resolve in the twin-island Caribbean republic off the coast of Venezuela. In general elections earlier this month, Warner lost a re- election bid for a Parliament seat by a wide margin. In this June 3, 2015, file photo, former FIFA vice president Jack Warner holds a copy of a check at a political rally in Marabella, Trinidad and Tobago. - PHOTO: AP Nine current executive members, including Blatter, took part in the votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups which are the focus of a Swiss investigation of possible money laundering and criminal mismanagement of FIFA assets.3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Wednesday september 23, 2015 LIM ITE D-T IM E OFF ER! LOSE SOME RATE off your loan and dollars off your new ride with RBC Royal Bank, GT Motors and Cayman First Insurance. 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Culture shift necessary for e-government system to succeed Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A renewed push by govern- ment to move more of its busi- ness online will require an in- ternal shift in the civil service, as well as with the private sector and the public. That was one of the major messages on the first day of a training academy for gov- ernment with an organiza- tion from Estonia, which has one of the most technologi- cally advanced governments in the world. Cayman’s government has made several attempts at e- government reforms, with the goal of making public services more accessible and convenient. The Estonian e-Gover- nance Academy, brought to the country by Cayman’s new director of e-government, Ian Tibbetts, has worked around the world to help small and developing nations improve online services. “Technology, that’s easy. You can get what you can af- ford,” Mr. Tibbetts told the more than 50 civil servants assembled Tuesday morning. “The people and process side is where the challenges are.” Online services in Cayman government have grown in fits and starts. Mr. Tibbetts pointed to the online tools in the Lands and Survey Department, the General Registry and others that offer services online. He called these services a “well- kept secret.” “We’ve never really pro- moted them to the public,” he said. “We build them, we put them in place, and there’s lim- ited exposure.” “The technical part is al- ways the easiest part,” said Estonian e-government expert Mari Pedak. “Technology al- lows you to do everything.” The challenges, she said, are “how to protect data, how to build trust, how to build awareness. Without trust, nothing works.” Annela Kiirats, the head of training for the Estonian orga- nization, said, “Citizens have to feel the need.” Ms. Kiirats said the pri- vate sector in Estonia was essential in preparing the public for a fully integrated e-governance system with training and incentives such as charging fees for in-person business in banks but not for online transactions. She described the three main parties as a circle, with government, the private sector and the public all having to work together to have an ef- fective e-government system. “You have to pay attention to all three partners,” she said. Change ahead for civil service Mr. Tibbetts said the pieces are coming into place to make e-government services a suc- cess in Cayman. “The political will is there,” he said. The efforts from his team are moving from the infor- mation-collecting stage into developing strategy, with an eye to begin implementing major reforms online in the coming years. Premier Alden McLaughlin, kicking off the three-day training, said the e-government effort is a pri- ority, but he acknowledged the potential problems: “These are challenging and changing times for the civil service.” One of the big concerns Mr. Tibbetts said he expected when he assumed the role of e-government director late last year was people wor- rying about their jobs being replaced by technology. However, he said he has not run into as much resistance as he expected, which he at- tributes to the training oppor- tunities available to civil ser- vants so they can transfer to a different role in government. Additionally, Mr. Tibbetts said, the existing online ser- vices have given civil servants in other departments exam- ples where e-government ser- vices have helped government business without causing mass layoffs. “We have those people who can say, ‘Guys, don’t be afraid,’” he said. “If we don’t have people worried about losing their jobs tomorrow, that makes this work much easier,” he said. Tasha Ebanks Garcia, with the deputy governor’s office, said she has found that the “civil service is ex- cited about the potential for more efficiencies.” “The civil service is poised for change,” she said. Mr. Tibbetts said a number of new online government services are in the pipeline, including tax undertaking certificates, immigration ap- peals and electronic vehicle registration. Three big ser- vices in the works as a joint project – a jobs portal, online police clearance certificates and work permit applica- tions – would change the en- tire work permit process, the e-government director said. “Just that would be a huge impact to the country,” he said. Estonian e-Governance Academy trainers, from left, Margus Freudenthal, Annela Kiirats and Mari Pedak, are working with Cayman civil servants this week on e-government initiatives. - PHOTO: CHARLES DUNCANThe 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” Wednesday sepTember 23, 2015 • Cayman COmpass The continuing drama of remittance services in the Cayman Islands illustrates the sensitivity of our juris- diction’s position in the financial marketplace. In brief, U.S. regulations on money transfer providers have made the old way of doing business nonviable because of increased compliance costs and risks associ- ated with money laundering and terrorism funding. The global issue hit home this summer when Fidelity Bank and Cayman National Bank stopped offering those services, leaving companies such as Western Union, MoneyGram and JN Money Services scrambling for alternatives. The situation is this: How does someone get money from Point A (Cayman Islands) to Point C (Jamaica, Philippines, etc.) if Point B (the bank) can no longer act as an intermediary? The market, as it tends to do, has discovered a solution, temporary though it may be. For the time being, the money transfer companies are accepting only U.S. dollars, which they then bundle up and put on airplanes to deposit directly in banks in the U.S. At first, the problem was largely confined to the clientele of the money transfer companies — mainly expatriates on work permits who regularly send cash back home to their dependents, primarily in Jamaica and the Philippines. It may sound callous — however, as callous as it is in utterance, it is far more so in practice — but it was easy, perhaps, to overlook the tribulations of this sector of society because of their relative lack of wealth and status. What does it matter, really, to the resident professional if his housekeeper or gardener is asking to be paid in U.S. dollars instead of Cayman dollars? If they are being charged higher fees for currency conversion? Or if their options for cash transfer services are being limited? Just add cash transfers to the litany of obsta- cles facing Cayman’s “imported labor,” such as work permits, rollover periods, lack of access to public edu- cation, denial of other social services, etc. What we have here is not an equitable system, but it is, nonetheless, a system. The money transfer companies’ workaround has worked well in the sense that it has allowed people to continue to send money out of Cayman. It has worked maybe a little bit too well in the sense that it has resulted in a shortage of U.S. dollars in Cayman. The immediate effects of this, noticeable to everyone, have been ATM machines empty of U.S. dollars and restrictions from local banks on who can obtain U.S. cash, and how much such services will cost them. In the medium term, it is possible that a persistent shortage of U.S. dollars in Cayman could lead to a limited devaluation of Cayman’s currency on the street. We don’t know how likely that is, but if it does occur, we imagine our American tourists, patronizing local retailers and res- taurants, would welcome such a development. In the longer run, the money transfer compa- nies will have to adapt, or they will go out of business. Perhaps newer alternatives will emerge that leverage the Internet and mobile phone networks, such as PayPal and M-Pesa (in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe). Either way, we doubt that the money transfer companies’ current ad hoc fix will be the permanent solution to the U.S. correspondent banking problem. For the time being, however, we can note the fol- lowing irony: Our modern economy was built (so the stories go) on suitcases stuffed with U.S. cash and flown on airplanes into Grand Cayman. Today, the U.S. cash is still flowing — but in the opposite direction. Call it a round-trip itinerary ... or economic equilibrium. Remittances: Have cash, will travel Estonia: A country for the future TALLINN, Estonia – Estonia is arguably the most advanced country in the world when it comes to use of the Internet and related technologies. Estonia is a most improbable success, in that a mere quarter of a cen- tury ago it was still under dom- ination of the Soviet Union as a very poor backwater on the Baltic Sea. Now it is a devel- oped country and a member of both the EU and NATO. Estonia was part of the German-led Hanseatic League, and was ruled by Denmark, then Sweden, and then Russia beginning in 1721. In 1918, it received its independence, only to be invaded by the Soviet Union in 1940. The Germans kicked out the Soviets in 1941, but then the Soviets reoccupied Estonia in 1944 until it again achieved its independence in 1991 after the “singing revolu- tion.” Tallinn is only 43 miles from Helsinki, Finland, to which it is connected by a high-speed hydrofoil and other ships. Estonia has been the most successful of the former com- munist-controlled countries, in part because of excellent polit- ical leadership since indepen- dence, including the remarkable Mart Laar – the father of the economic reform, who served as prime minister from 1992- 1994, and again from 1999- 2002. Mr. Laar, a historian by training, was only 33 years old when he was first elected prime minister. Up to that time, the only economics book he had read was Milton Friedman’s “Free to Choose.” He said that it sounded good to him, “so we went ahead and did it.” The Estonians now have the rule of law, the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the EU, a balanced budget, free trade, and a flat-rate in- come tax – all of which have led to their high economic growth and prosperity. The Estonians now rank glob- ally number 22 out of 152 countries on the Human Freedom Index, number 8 out of 186 economies on the Index of Economic Freedom, and are in the number 1 category in the Freedom in the World report. All of the former commu- nist countries were plagued by the corruption of the Soviet system. To radically reduce corruption, the Estonians moved to e-government, whereby citizens could do most of their necessary busi- ness with government over the Internet, thus greatly reducing personal interaction between the assorted bad apples in government and the people – eliminating most bribery. Estonians have taken their initial success with e- government and moved to what they call e-Estonia. As of January 2012, 90 percent of the Estonians chose to ac- quire an electronic ID card, which they use for almost all on-line services. The card contains a chip “which holds not only information about the card’s owner, but two cer- tificates, one of which is used to authenticate identity and the second to render a digital signature.” It has a number of security features, including pin codes. The card is an identity and travel document for use within the EU. Estonia has also been a leader in Internet voting, tax- paying, banking, ticket ser- vices, drug prescriptions, schooling at all levels, etc. Using only their PC and ID card, Estonians can now do all of the necessary work to establish a new business in as few as 18 minutes. The Estonians are also using e-government to both open and streamline govern- ment information and deci- sion making. For instance, the public can now get access to “every piece of draft law that has been submitted since February 2003.” In late 2014, Estonia be- came the first country in the world to offer digital res- idency to non-Estonians living anywhere in the world. Non-residents can obtain an Estonian smart ID card which enables them to have access to many electronic services avail- able to Estonian citizens, in- cluding the ability to create and operate an Estonian com- pany. The non-citizen e-card, however, does not give the right of non-Estonians to enter the country or to use it as a travel document. What is even more remark- able is that the Estonians have managed to do all of the above in a small geographic area with a population of 1.3 million, only slightly larger than that of Fairfax County in Virginia. And oh, by the way, Skype was created by Estonians, and much of the technical work for it is still done in Estonia. Estonia does, however, face major challenges. About a quarter of its population is made up of ethnic Russians, many of whom have not as- similated, including learning the Estonian language (which is closely related to Finnish). Many of the Estonian Russians still have considerable loyalty to Russia, and even to Russian President Putin. Given Mr. Putin’s expansionary tenden- cies, there is considerable con- cern in Estonia about poten- tial Russian incursions into their country (which is prob- ably justified because of the historical record). But all in all, Estonia is a remarkable and improbable success. Here in their glorious and fully and beautifully re- stored “old town” which goes back to the Middle Ages, one can access the most compre- hensive set of Internet services on the planet. Richard W. Rahn, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. © 2015, The Washington Times To radically reduce corruption, the Estonians moved to e-government, whereby citizens could do most of their necessary business with government over the Internet[.] RichaRd W. Rahn5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Wednesday september 23, 2015 National Trust introduces carbon-offset program Charles DuNCaN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The National Trust, in part- nership with GreenTech Ltd., has launched a voluntary carbon-offset scheme, giving companies the opportunity to invest in solar panels to be in- stalled on schools. The idea for a voluntary carbon offset program, in which companies can invest in renewable energy to offset carbon emissions, has been in the works for years. Carbon offsets, like the mandatory European cap-and- trade system or the voluntary scheme in the United States, give companies in Cayman a way to make up for re- leasing carbon emissions from their daily operations, like using electricity. “The atmosphere doesn’t care where the emissions come from,” said Catherine Childs of the National Trust. In 2011, Ms. Childs ap- plied for nonprofit status to build a new organization to run the program. The non- profit status never came through, she said, and the ap- plication is still pending. But when she was hired as an en- vironmental programs assis- tant for the National Trust, she had a route to build the new offset program. National Trust Executive Director Christina Pineda, in launching the program Monday evening, said, “Small islands don’t contribute much to climate change but face most of the impacts” of rising sea levels and potential weather changes. Companies that sign up for the program will give the National Trust money to in- stall solar panels on school buildings. The schools will then save money on their elec- tricity bills and donate a por- tion of the funds back to the Trust so that the organization can buy land to be preserved. Schools will also be able to use the solar arrays to teach students about renewable en- ergy and climate change, ac- cording to Lisa Hurlston- McKenzie of GreenTech, which will do the energy audits and install the solar panels. The National Trust has signed up one company so far – Saxon – to offset its emissions, and four schools have signed up – Grace Christian Academy, Triple C, Montessori Del Sol and Montessori by the Sea. Not all of those schools will be able to handle a big solar panel system, she said, but they will still get a free energy audit and advice on how to cut their electricity bills. Those recommendations include re- placing light bulbs and even air-conditioning systems. “It’s going to be an inter- esting journey to see how many schools sign up,” Ms. Hurlston-McKenzie said. “We are starting from scratch and designing a new system.” The systems are limited to 100 kilowatt hours be- cause of Caribbean Utility Company’s agreement with government, she said. A 100kwh system accounts for about $5,000 on a CUC bill, said GreenTech’s Carlos Ramirez. He said that system would cover roughly 5,300 square feet on a rooftop. ‘Loan shark’ jaiLed for no business License CarOl WINKer cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who ran an unli- censed money lending business was sentenced to three months imprisonment on Tuesday for operating a business without a trade and business license. Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez referred to Leroy Armstrong Henry’s money lending as “a loan shark busi- ness.” She called it a scourge on any society, especially in Cayman, which has strict laws governing financial transactions. She acknowledged the usual starting point in fixing sentence would be a financial penalty. While the charge itself might not seem serious, the circum- stances of the offending and the defendant’s record were serious, she emphasized. “The court has to send a clear mes- sage that criminal activity, even under the Trade and Business Law, will not be encouraged,” she said. Henry, 38, pleaded guilty to operating his business in September-October 2013 and January-April 2014. He made loans of between $400 and $1,000 and charged between 18 and 34 percent interest, keeping the borrowers’ pass- ports as security. Ironically, the magistrate noted, authorities became aware of his “business” after he filed a complaint about an at- tempted robbery. Investigations showed that he was using in- timidating tactics in collecting on loans that were not paid back on time. In addition to the circum- stances of this case, the mag- istrate said she had to look at Henry’s record of offending. His 2013 loan business was con- ducted while he was on court bail for other offenses not re- lated to the current case; he re- ceived several suspended sen- tences and terms of probation in January, 2014. He continued his loan business. A social inquiry report showed him to be a good family man, but his attitude toward his offending behavior was a high-risk factor in assessing the likelihood of re-offending. The magistrate pointed out that Henry’s guilty pleas came very late. She found no mitigating circumstances and said community service was not appropriate. Defense at- torney John Furniss had asked for a suspended sen- tence, but the magistrate said Henry had exhausted any non- custodial approach. Ordering a three-month sentence for each period of of- fending, she noted that she was running them concur- rently and not activating any of the previously imposed sus- pended sentences. Six charges of unlawful pos- session of other persons’ pass- ports were left on file, meaning they could be brought back if circumstances changed. Henry had been ordered in April to re- turn the passports to the court.6 LOCAL NEWS Wednesday september 23, 2015 • Cayman Compass Want To Save On Your Energy Costs? Save up to 60% Off your CUC bill with Cayman Islands Spray Foam. Save energy and enjoy the comfort of a home protected with a complete spray foam barrier. Spray Foam Advantages Include • Greatest Energy Efficiency • Improves Indoor Air Quality • Highest R-Value/Inch • Improves Structural Integrity • Mold & Mildew Resistant What Is Spray Foam Insulation? Why would someone choose traditional insulation with the endless advantages and superiority of Spray Foam? That's simple, you don’t. Spray Foam Insulation not only provides thermal comfort with its high R-Value insulating properties, but it also creates a weather tight, air-sealed protective barrier. Call now (345) 326-6767 Schedule a free consultation SPECIAL OFFER - GET A FREE CONSULTATION Save 60% off your CUC Bill Third generation lawyer joins family firm Travis Ritch’s admission moved by his father, David Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Travis Alan Ritch was called to the Bar of the Cayman Islands on Sept. 17 in a ceremony similar to one held 39 years earlier. In 1976, David Ritch was called to the Bar, with his ad- mission moved by his stepfa- ther, the late Warren Conolly, who presented documen- tation to show that the as- piring attorney had success- fully completed the studies and articles that qualified him to practice law in this jurisdiction. Last week, David Ritch stood where his stepfather had stood while his son Travis sat nearby, awaiting his call. It came from Justice Charles Quin, who congrat- ulated him after hearing of his academic record, saying it augured well for the future. Told that Travis will be an associate in the firm started by his father and step-grand- father, the judge joked that he should stay on the right side of the office manager, who is “the real boss.” The audience for the ad- mission ceremony included Premier Alden McLaughlin, who is an attorney and a former president of the Caymanian Bar Association; Truman Bodden, attorney and former legislator for whom the local law school is named; and MLA Arden McLean, a successor to Warren Conolly as represen- tative for East End. After Travis signed the roll book, his father helped him put on his wig and could not resist giving him an extra pat on the head before the new attorney gave his maiden speech. He thanked Justice Quin for accepting the application for his admission and ex- pressed his gratitude to ev- eryone attending his Bar call “to see this special moment in my life and in my family history.” “Ritch and Conolly has been many things to me over the years,” he said. “Though it is less of a family firm now than it was 20 years ago, at var- ious times, my father, step- grandfather, grandmother, three grand aunts, aunt, and mother worked or continue to work at the firm. I can still re- member how large the office furniture seemed, and how imposing the filing system appeared to be, walking around as a young boy. I also knew where the client biscuits were,” he added. The law firm provided his first formal work experience, as well as a place to meet relatives and friends, some who had known him all of his life, he noted. “Now, as a fully qualified attorney, Ritch and Conolly will be the place where I begin to make my mark as a professional.” He thanked his father and firm partner Cherry Bridges for their confidence in him, pledging to work hard to make good on it. He also thanked the partners of Harney Westwood and Riegels for choosing him as the first ar- ticled clerk in their Cayman Islands office. “I enjoyed my time training in their liti- gation department where I learned both how to play a bad hand, and how to press the advantage when one has it,” he said. He spent part of his ar- ticleship with Mourant Ozannes, where the part- ners had put him through his paces in the corporate con- text. “Although I intend to practise primarily litigation, I am sure that my experience of funds, corporate and fi- nance practice will serve me well in the future,” he said. He dedicated the day to his parents as an acknowl- edgement of their uncondi- tional love and support. He thanked the mentors, col- leagues and friends, without whom “I would not have made it this far.” In closing, he said he looks forward to a bright fu- ture and a successful career in law. “I am conscious of how fortunate I am to be in the po- sition to do this for a living, and I will strive to remember that every day. … I promise to do the profession proud.” The academic record Justice Quin referred to in- cluded Travis Ritch’s comple- tion of his primary and sec- ondary education in Cayman, the U.S. and Canada, with his success in the ‘A’ level pro- gram at St. Ignatius High School qualifying him for university admission. Thereafter, he read law at King’s College, London, com- pleting his bachelor of laws degree with honors, followed by the postgraduate voca- tional qualification known as the Bar Professional Training Course at City Law School, formerly the Inns of Court School of Law. His grades were classi- fied as “outstanding” in such areas as civil litigation, evi- dence and remedies, crim- inal litigation, evidence and sentencing, resolution of dis- putes out of court, and com- pany law. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales by the Honorable Society of the Inner Temple on July 28, 2011. Following his return to Cayman, he spent sev- eral months as a paralegal at Ritch and Conolly before completing the period of ar- ticles required for admission to practice generally in the Cayman Islands. Attorney Travis Ritch, center, with his father, David Ritch, left, and Justice Charles Quin. - Photo: Carol Winker7 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Wednesday september 23, 2015 179949-Ad-MerchSrs-Compass-4x12.1 19/21/15 2:01:35 PM Lions help fill food pantry The Lions Club of Grand Cayman’s food pantry drive on Saturday was the first in a long-term initiative the club is fostering to address com- munity needs. “We are extremely pleased and grateful for the posi- tive response to the launch of the Food Pantry program,” said Letitia Lawrence, chair- woman of the club’s Social Service Committee. “The items collected will be used to provide benefit to the community, in particular to the needs of the youth and the elderly. ”Donations for the food drive ranged from one can of food to entire bags of items to a supermarket ware- house contribution,” said Ms. Lawrence. “The important message here is that every one of us can make a differ- ence to eliminate hunger in our community.” Collection barrels for the drive were donated by Cayman Water Company, and many of Cayman’s gro- cery and household stores helped out, including Kirk Market, Hurley’s Supermarket, Priced Right and Foster’s Food Fair. The long-term program will collect and store food and household products for free distribution to people who have been identified and assessed by local churches, schools and government agencies and are deemed to be in genuine need, the orga- nization said in a statement. The Lions said they will conduct quarterly food pantry drives, in addition to collecting contributions from vendors. For more information on the program, email cilionsfoodpantry@gmail.com. Lions Club Services Committee Chairwoman Letitia Lawrence stocks the Lions Club of Grand Cayman’s food pantry. Bullet interrupts honeymoon travel Honeymooner passed through two airports to get to Cayman CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A visitor in Cayman on his honeymoon appeared in Summary Court on Tuesday, a day after he and his wife had planned to leave Cayman at the end of their weeklong stay. Charged with pos- session of an unlicensed firearm, he pleaded guilty to having a single .40 round of ammunition in his hand luggage at Owen Roberts International Airport on Monday, Sept. 21. Senior Crown counsel Tanya Lobban said the couple had arrived on is- land on Sept. 14. They were in the process of departing when the round was dis- covered as the bag was being screened. Interviewed after his arrest, the man said he had several guns in his home state and had licenses for all of them. In court, he told Magistrate Valdis Foldats that he was an avid hunter and, “In my area, every- body has guns.” He said he used the bag for different purposes and thought he had cleaned it out before his trip to Cayman. The magistrate asked how many airports he had passed through on his way here. The defendant replied that he had come through San Francisco and Georgia. “We have this happen frequently,” he told the de- fendant. “It’s surprising how frequently ammuni- tion is found by our officers, [yet] on almost every occa- sion the person has come through other airports.” He pointed out that every country has different laws and Cayman’s laws regarding firearms are very strict. The magistrate asked if the defendant’s wife was with him. Told yes, he commented on the extra expense and inconvenience of flight delay and staying on island another night. “I’m sure it was an unusual start to your marriage and an unusual end to your honeymoon,” he added. In all the circum- stances, he concluded that he could follow recent precedents by giving the defendant an absolute dis- charge, but impose costs of $1,000 or 90 days in lieu of payment. He ordered the forfei- ture and destruction of the ammunition. The magistrate asked how many airports he had passed through on his way here. The defendant replied that he had come through San Francisco and Georgia.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Wednesday september 23, 2015 • Cayman Compass not released publicly until Tuesday. The report was com- missioned amid concern from pro-port advocates that the original environmental im- pact assessment had overes- timated the amount of coral habitat in the harbor. “This survey is both neces- sary and timely, particularly in light of the differing views and opinions about precisely what exists within the area of impact and how it could potentially be affected if the project proceeded,” Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said in a press-release ac- companying the report. The original environ- mental impact assessment es- timated that approximately 15 acres of coral reef habitat would be directly impacted by the project. The new consultants had a remit to collect more precise data, said Mr. Kirkconnell, describing their research as “like looking at the area through a magni- fying glass.” The report indicates that 391,001 hard corals and 61,291 soft corals are esti- mated to be at risk from the dredging and land reclama- tion activities. Of these, more than 116,800 hard corals and more than 17,000 soft corals could be relocated, the report states. The rest were deemed to be too small to move. “Coral translocation would probably be the pri- mary mitigation option for … reducing [the] impacts as- sociated with the berthing project,” the consultants wrote. “Coral translocation, if done properly, can signifi- cantly reduce the loss of coral tissue and the ecological ser- vices provided by corals.” The consultants indicated that they were involved in previously successful coral relocation projects, though on a smaller scale. The report makes no men- tion of the potential reloca- tion of the Balboa shipwreck or where the corals would be relocated. The original EIA consultants estimated the cost of relocating coral at a minimum of $13 million. Mr. Kirkconnell said the Benthic Habitat Survey re- port provided more valu- able objective data for government to review in making a decision. “This is the largest project ever being considered for our islands and government has a responsibility and duty of care to ensure that our col- lective decision is based on sound scientific evidence, not speculation or impassioned pleas, however well intended those might be. “When Cabinet convenes to make its decision on the cruise piers, it must be able to do so with full confidence that all of the relevant facts and infor- mation have been sourced and objectively presented for con- sideration,” he said. expenses paid from it, and I think this is very important for donors to understand.” Susie Bodden, executive leader of the Special Needs Foundation, said, “We are delighted that Derek has agreed to lead the charge. The funds will be used for our respite care program, equine therapy, family sup- port and a sports and lei- sure club.” She added that the foundation is a not- for-profit organization dedicated to supporting children with a range of special needs across the Cayman Islands. Mr. Haines, whose mara- thon appeals in the past five years have raised almost $2 million for local chari- ties, said, “Folks and com- panies have been very gen- erous with their support over the years, and I am very grateful to all of them. “By working together and supporting this chal- lenge, we can make life so much better for those in need.” “We knew she was very ill; we knew she was se- verely burned and it was going to take a miracle, but we still hoped she would pull through. I guess it was just her time. “Our faith helps us through. We know that God is good and that he has a plan. All we can do is pray. It is all up to him.” She said her niece, known as Julups, was kindhearted and very popular. She had a 3-year- old son, Leon. “She is going to be re- ally missed in Cayman and back home in Jamaica. She didn’t die from lack of love,” she said. Mr. Sinclair said Jessie’s accident, one day after her 21st birthday, was a shock to everyone who knew her. He said she would be sorely missed. “She was really fun to be around and very kind. We used to go out together all the time. We would laugh because people al- ways thought she was my girlfriend, I would say ‘no, that’s my niece.’” Ms. Perry was employed as a domestic worker in Cayman and lived in Windsor Park, George Town. The accident sparked a community-wide effort to raise money to pay for her medical treatment. Ms. Perry suffered burns over 80 percent of her body when the car she was traveling in hit a curb at a bend in the road near Public Beach on Sept. 14. The car flipped over and the fuel line ruptured, ig- niting the vehicle, police said at the time. The driver, who suffered burns over 20 percent of his body and remains in hospital, was re-arrested on suspi- cion of causing death by dan- gerous driving on Tuesday. He was initially arrested on sus- picion of dangerous driving and is on police bail. Jessie Perry dies in hospital in Jamaica CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Haines runs for Special Needs next “She is going to be really missed in Cayman and back home in Jamaica. She didn’t die from lack of love.” Jacqueline ebanks, Jessie’s aunt Derek Haines aims to raise $50,000 at the Cayman Islands Marathon in December. - PHOTO: RON SHILLINGFORD Coral relocation possible, consultant says An image from the consultant’s report shows coral reef habitat in the harbor. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 This image from the report shows the hard sandy bottom in the George Town harbor. – PHOTOS: CSA OCEAN SICENCES REPORT Free press advocate warns media freedom on decline in Europe WARSAW, Poland (AP) – A leading advocate for media freedom warned Tuesday that the climate for journalists in Europe is deteriorating as governments react to polit- ical crises with restrictions that include physical ha- rassment, bans on freedom of movement and limits on freedom of expression. Dunja Mijatovic, media freedom representative for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, cited attempts by Ukraine and the Baltic states to keep out jour- nalists with strong pro-Rus- sian views, and anti-terror laws in Western Europe that she said limit freedom of ex- pression. She also denounced Hungarian police for threat- ening reporters covering the refugee crisis. “In the name of security, governments are adopting laws that can definitely have a negative effect on media freedom and freedom of ex- pression, even in established democracies,” Mijatovic told The Associated Press on the sidelines of an OSCE confer- ence in Warsaw. Ukraine has come under criticism in recent days for blacklisting more than 40 journalists and blog- gers as it expanded sanc- tions against Russia over its involvement in the con- flict in eastern Ukraine. Three of those banned were em- ployees of the BBC’s Moscow office. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko removed their names from the list a day later after the list sparked an outcry. Mijatovic said the Baltic states, which are EU mem- bers, have also banned or de- ported Russian journalists fearing they could be tools of state propaganda. “I think it’s the wrong way. That’s not the way de- mocracies should be dealing with these things,” Mijatovic said . “Ensuring security in the country is not some- thing that will happen by banning journalists.” Last week Mijatovic de- manded that Hungary stop threatening journalists after Hungarian police beat and harassed reporters covering Europe’s migration crisis. She cited four cases, including the case of an Associated Press cameraman who was briefly detained and told to delete footage that included im- ages of a police dog knocking down a refugee. The Hungarian govern- ment has denied that it ever beat or harassed reporters, but Mijatovic said she stands by her accusations, which have all also been confirmed by the affected media outlets. “To say that this did not happen is quite cynical,” she said. “Beating journalists, de- taining them, asking them to delete footage, smashing their equipment is defi- nitely not something I would want to see in any state, but talking about the EU and de- mocracies, it’s totally unac- ceptable,” she said. As other examples of the erosion of media freedoms, Mijatovic noted that France passed anti-terror legislation last November which allows authorities to block websites, without adequate judicial oversight, and that Spain has also adopted laws that “rep- resent a clear set-back in the protection of free speech.” Last week Mijatovic demanded that Hungary stop threatening journalists after Hungarian police beat and harassed reporters covering Europe’s migration crisis. The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Wednesday september 23, 2015 Texas woman detained in China The husband of an American businesswoman who has been detained by Chinese authorities for six months says his wife is accused of spying and stealing state secrets. He wants the State Department to help seek her release. In Loving Memory Of Naomi Laurie Chisholm Greene Mummie lived her life for love of friends and family, Neither asking for nor wanting a return. Her days became a sunlit homily, With others’ joy her joy and main concern. Of our oil lamp she was the wick, Drawing her bright ame from our need. She lives on in the sparkle in our eyes: Laughing, quiet, gentle, loving, wise. Ten years ago you suddenly le us But those we love don’t go away, ey walk beside us every day, Unseen, unheard, but always near, Still loved, still missed and very dear. Lovingly, your children, Lynne, McCurley, Brent, Kelsey, Laurel and their families. 28th Oct, 1930 - 23rd Sept, 2005 EU votes to distribute 120,000 asylum-seekers across Europe BRUSSELS – Amid profound disagreements about how to handle Europe’s escalating refugee crisis, European Union leaders forced through a plan Tuesday to distribute asylum seekers across the continent despite dissent from Central European nations. The difficulty of the negoti- ations was illustrated by a de- cision to hold a highly unusual majority vote on the issue. The consensus-driven 28-nation bloc rarely adopts controver- sial policies without unani- mous approval. Now Europe will face the prospect of sending thousands of asylum seekers to nations that have explicitly rejected them, raising powerful questions about the future of the fractious eco- nomic and political alliance. All but five EU interior ministers who gathered at a Brussels conclave voted in favor of the plan to spread 120,000 asylum seekers across Europe. Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania all voted against it, according to Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec. Finland abstained, he said on Twitter. “Very soon we will see that the emperor has no clothes,” Chovanec said. “Common sense lost today.” Plight of refugees in recent weeks spurred action The EU was spurred to act by the plight of the men, women and children who have been shunted from one European nation to another in recent weeks, a grim pro- cession of human need in one of the richest regions in the world. But with crowds of people flooding wealthy Germany on Tuesday, the country’s ambition to be Europe’s haven of last resort appeared to be ebbing. “We are doing this out of solidarity and responsibility, but also out of our own in- terest,” German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière said after the meeting. He said the agreement would “prevent more people who are currently in Greece from coming to Germany.” Germany alone expects up to 1 million asylum seekers this year. Tuesday’s decision will allow EU leaders who are meeting Wednesday to focus on broader strategic issues to combat the crisis, such as bolstering their borders so that fewer migrants could slip in undetected and in- creasing support for strug- gling refugee camps in the nations surrounding Syria. Split between rich, poor nations The effort to ease one of Europe’s worst human- itarian crises in decades has split the continent be- tween rich nations such as Germany and Sweden, which have wanted binding com- mitments to take in refu- gees, and poorer Eastern European ones, which reject any requirements. Under the terms of the plan approved Tuesday, 23 E.U. nations would pledge to take a certain number of asylum seekers in the coming months. For now, they would be distributed from the front- line nations of Italy and Greece. Of the 120,000 people to be resettled under the plan, 66,000 slots were allo- cated immediately, and the additional 54,000 will be de- cided later on. The plan calls for Germany, France and Spain to take the most asylum seekers. Some will be sent to countries with leaders who are actively hostile to refu- gees, such as Hungary, which will have to take 1,294 people under the plan. Leaders there rejected an earlier EU pro- posal to be included along- side Italy and Greece among the countries that would dis- tribute the asylum seekers across Europe. The reasoning, they said, was that they were not a frontline nation. Germany’s national railway company on Tuesday announced that it was sus- pending rail service to Austria because its trains have been overwhelmed with refugees. It was just the latest example of national in- frastructure apparently un- able to meet the challenge. The EU interior ministers met Tuesday for the second time in eight days, after their previous meeting broke up in acrimony. Many poorer na- tions say that they do not want to take in the refugees – and that any refugees as- signed to them would quickly move across Europe’s border- less frontiers to the richer nations anyway. Some 6,000 refugees arrive in Europe daily Amid the bitter negotia- tions, 6,000 people continue to arrive in Europe every day, according to the U.N. refugee agency, up from 4,200 a day in August. That means the talks essentially are devoted to addressing the impact of just 20 days of arrivals. “This is a crisis of po- litical will combined with lack of European unity that is resulting in manage- ment mayhem,” U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said in a statement. Hungary and its Central European neighbors have said that the EU plan would only spur an additional flow of refugees from the Middle East. They have instead ad- vocated bolstering Europe’s borders. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has taken a particularly hard- line stance, denouncing mi- grants who he said are “besieging Europe.” “Immigrants are now not just pounding on our doors, but are breaking them down on top of us,” he told Hungary’s parliament on Monday before it approved measures to deploy troops to the Hungarian border. Journalists on the Hungarian frontier on Tuesday described seeing gun-mounted Humvees fan- ning out along the border. The country is extending a razor-wire border fence to in- clude Croatia and Romania. A 108-mile stretch along the Serbian border was com- pleted last week. There were major chal- lenges to the workability of the EU plan approved Tuesday, including few guar- antees that asylum seekers would actually stay in the country assigned to them. In a borderless Europe, there are no checks between na- tions. Migrants face losing benefits if they leave one country for another, and they would not be able to ob- tain them in another nation. But, for example, few people want to stay in Poland when Germany’s high wages lure them next door. The agreement also par- cels out just a fraction of the people streaming into Europe. According to the U.N. refugee agency, more than 477,000 people have ar- rived in Europe so far this year via often-dangerous Mediterranean crossings. That number increases every day. In addition to the 120,000 people subject to Tuesday’s accord, an additional 40,000 slots were agreed to earlier in the summer. Despite Europe’s divi- sions, some refugee advo- cates said policymakers slowly seem to be coming to terms with the crisis. “What is widely acknowl- edged now is that the condi- tions in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan are going to become untenable for a large number of people,” said Madeline Garlick, a guest researcher at the Center for Migration Law at Radboud University in the Netherlands. “We are further than were some time ago.” © 2015, The Washington Post A refugee gets pushed back by Croatian police officers on Tuesday. Scuffles have broken out between Croatian police and asylum-seekers after they were barred from entering a newly opened reception center meant to register those seeking sanctuary in Europe. - Photo: AP A long queue of vehicles waits near the border between Serbia and Croatia on Tuesday. Serbia’s prime minister Aleksandar Vucic said that Croatia’s closure of the main border crossing for cargo trucks early Monday is ‘a scandal of international proportions.’ - Photo: AP The difficulty of the negotiations was illustrated by a decision to hold a highly unusual majority vote on the issue.Next >