ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Thursday sepTember 24, 2015 sports | page 17 cayman duo enjoyed world champs Ebanks and Plenkiewicz competed in Chicago High of 91 Low of 81 Smooth to slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. editorial | page 4 ‘e-GovernmenT,’ efficiencies, and esTonia Business Insurance Pay less for more service and benefits with BritCay! insurance, health, pensions, life Employee benefits plans with Britcay are rich in benefits and deliver accurate, comprehensive reports quickly and on time. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp id cards ‘key’ to e-government charles duncan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A national identification card could be a key part of a new e-government initia- tive, according to Cayman’s e-Government director, Ian Tibbetts. In an interview during an e-Governance Academy conference this week, Mr. Tibbetts said he thinks a national ID should be part of the eventual e-government system, giving people access to government and private sector services. A nonprofit group from Estonia, often cited as having the most technologically advanced government in the world, is in Cayman this week to host the conference with government and the private sector, aimed at helping to move more services online. The Estonian foundation has worked with small countries to help boost online govern- ment services to make things easier and more accessible for civil servants and the public. “You have to have unique IDs to support all the different users,” said Estonian trainer Annela Kiirats, pointing to the millions of people who have Estonian ID cards that serve as their key to accessing government and pri- vate sector services online. The card, which in- cludes a photograph and a chip with a per- sonal ID number, serves as the primary way people in Estonia access bank accounts and government services, such as tax payments. The national ID card in Estonia is manda- tory for anyone over 15 and has details like those found on a driver’s license, as well as a chip containing a personal ID number. That card, along with the ID number and personal online login information, is the key to all gov- ernment services, bank accounts and other private sector services that require an ID. Estonian trainer Mari Pedak told the group that the physical card offers another degree of online security. Each person receives a card reader that plugs into a computer to confirm their identity. Banks, for example, will allow people to log in for online services with a user name and password, but customers have to plug the card into the computer for transac- tions over 200 euros (about $184). “You have to have strong identification Top spoTs remain empTy in waTchdog posTs brenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com When Cayman Islands Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick leaves the jurisdiction next week, all three independent government “watchdog” offices created under Cayman leg- islation will have no permanent leaders. The situation with Mr. Swarbrick’s posi- tion, which is expected to be temporarily filled by Deputy Auditor General Garnet Harrison, is separate from the issues affecting the in- formation commissioner and complaints com- missioner’s offices. According to Governor Helen Kilpatrick’s office, a standard recruitment process will be carried out for Mr. Swarbrick’s successor and the position will be advertised shortly. For the information and complaints com- missioners, the situations are different. In a statement Tuesday, the governor’s of- fice said: “One of the Project Future initia- tives is the development of an outline busi- ness case for Cabinet’s consideration to explore the scope to develop an office and post of ombudsman to deal with areas including freedom of information appeals, maladmin- istration complaints and police public com- plaints. It is anticipated that a final decision will be taken within the coming three months. “Once the consultations of the current pro- posals have concluded, the future configura- tion of the offices can be confirmed.” For now, Acting Information Commissioner Jan Liebaers and Acting Complaints Commissioner Bridgette von Gerhardt are filling Brac developments in the works james whiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Expansions to two hotels and a new government-funded swimming pool are in the works for Cayman Brac. The Brac Reef Beach Resort is midway through renovations including a new pool and multi-level bar, while Le Soleil D’Or has added a spa, fitness center and restaurants and is planning to add accommodations early next year. Director of Tourism Rosa Harris said the addition of new villas and condos has helped the island keep its room stock steady despite the closure of the Alexander Hotel last year. She believes the expansion at Le Soleil D’Or and other potential developments could help it grow beyond its current ca- pacity of 237 rooms. “We lost 30 rooms with the Alexander Hotel, but we have had some growth through private homes, villas and guest houses. I am hoping we will go over the 250 room mark, which would be a first for the Brac,” she said. Le Soleil D’Or is in the midst of an ex- pansion that will include the addition of a small boutique hotel to its luxury cottages. A spokesman for the business said, “Le Soleil d’Or has expanded from two hand- appointed accommodations to a full-ser- vice destination that includes a beach club with powder-white sand and a beach PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Renovation work in progress at the Brac Reef Beach Resort. – phoTo: ed BeaTy PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Thursday sepTember 24, 2015 • Cayman Compass www. REGmovies.com SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - THURSDAY - $8.00 BLACK MASS (R) 1:10 I 4:00 I 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 Contempt sentence appeal dismissed Defendant must serve an extra 44 days for disturbing the court Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who received sen- tences totaling 44 days for contempt of court lost his ap- peal this week and will have to serve the time after he finishes a sentence handed down by another judge. Sven Brett Connor, 34, re- ceived sentences of 14 days and 30 days’ imprison- ment from Magistrate Valdis Foldats for disrupting the Summary Court on Aug. 5. He appealed to the Grand Court on Monday. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright told Justice Charles Quin that Connor re- ceived the 14 day sentence, and then another 30 days for carrying on after being warned, using expletives against the judge. Defense attorney Amelia Fosuhene said Connor wrote a heartfelt letter of apology, which she handed up for Justice Quin to read. She agreed that court pro- ceedings should not be dis- rupted. In this case, she said, Connor was banging on the cell bars below the court- room to get the attention of custody officers because he had a toothache and was in pain and distress. She asked the court to consider whether 30 days was exces- sive, noting that Connor was not necessarily the most dip- lomatic person but now had had time to reflect on what he had done. Mr. Wainwright observed that if it were accepted that expletives were used, the sen- tence was not excessive. He pointed out that the Penal Code provides for a max- imum sentence of four years. Justice Quin said Connor’s behavior had interfered with the administration of jus- tice. Such offending had to be dealt with because people in court have a right to hear what is going on in a digni- fied manner. In delivering his decision, he commented on various kinds of disrespect. “When a defendant, having been warned, says ‘f––– the judge,’ that’s a whole different ball game. I can’t see myself in- terfering with what the judge did,” he said. He commended Connor for the letter he wrote, saying it was impressive. Connor asked if he could apologize to the magistrate. “I didn’t curse him to his face,” he pointed out. The judge said there could be no harm in the magis- trate receiving the letter and an apology. At the time of his con- tempt, Connor was in Summary Court on a charge of causing fear or provocation of violence. That matter was adjourned to another date. The sentence for contempt is to be served after Connor completes a term imposed by the Grand Court for using cellphone texting to abuse, threaten and harass. Caribbean braces for worsening drought as dry season nears SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – The most severe drought to hit the Caribbean in recent years is expected to worsen despite rains from tropical storms that have replenished some reservoirs. Forecasters say the El Nino phenomenon is gath- ering strength and will con- tinue to warm the tropical Pacific until early next year, which translates into sparse rainfall for this largely parched region as the dry season approaches. “The real concern will come late in the year,” said Adrian Trotman, a fore- caster with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology. “We are definitely in a period of relief, but it’s quite likely the relief will not be as long-lived as we would like it to be.” El Nino has produced a quiet hurricane season, which begins in June and ends in November. Only two of nine named storms have dumped significant rainfall over parts of the Caribbean. The institute issued a re- port this month saying that many islands in the eastern Caribbean remain in drought, and officials warned that the current wet season will likely end before the traditional date of Nov. 30. Both Barbados and Grenada had their third lowest rainfalls in recent his- tory for August, while Haiti saw up to a 50 percent loss in crops in the hardest-hit areas, according to a re- port from the International Monetary Fund. The neighboring Dominican Republic saw its agricultural production drop nearly 11 percent as a re- sult of drought, and dairy in- dustry officials have warned that production could drop 30 percent by year’s end. Jamaica also has struggled with crop losses, especially in the island’s eastern region. “They are suffering ter- ribly,” said Leslie Simpson, a specialist with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute. “It’s re- ally going to be more serious as we go into the dry season, not only for agriculture but for domestic consumption.” Some islands, including the Bahamas and Cuba, have had some relief in recent months, and more rain is forecast for them than any- where else in the Caribbean in the coming months. Severe drought also has ebbed somewhat in Puerto Rico, where officials this week eased austere water ra- tioning measures. However, 19 percent of the island re- mains under an extreme drought and 45 percent more is under a severe one. The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute is encouraging farmers to find new irrigation methods and better manage existing resources. “They are predicting more frequent droughts,” Simpson said. “This is just the beginning.” EmployEr plEads guilty to pEnsion offEnsEs Twenty-three employees affected at three businesses Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The owner of three businesses pleaded guilty in Summary Court on Tuesday to 28 offenses against the National Pensions Law, including failure to have a pen- sion plan or make pen- sion contributions for 23 employees. Barrington Oliver, who did not have legal repre- sentation, was charged trading as D and B Building Contractors, BJ’s Electronics SuperStore and Serenity Day Spa. The longest period for which there was no pension plan or no pen- sion contributions was four years. The shortest period was around three months. Three employees at the contracting business were affected; 10 em- ployees at BJ’s; and an- other 10 at the spa. Oliver also pleaded guilty to failing to provide in- formation requested by the Superintendent of Pensions and sev- eral charges of failing to comply with directives to pay pension arrears. Magistrate Valdis Foldats set Oct. 19 for sentencing. tropical storm ida poorly organizEd MIAMI (AP) – The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Ida re- mains poorly organized as it meanders over the cen- tral tropical Atlantic. The storm’s max- imum sustained winds Wednesday are 40 mph with little change in strength forecast through Thursday night. The storm is centered about 1,055 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands and is moving south at 5 mph. The hurricane center, in Miami, says the storm’s eastward drift is likely to continue today, with a gradual turn to the north predicted to begin Thursday. The storm poses no cur- rent major threats to land. ZURICH (AP) – FIFA has been urged by Switzerland’s at- torney general to hand over emails used by Jerome Valcke, its secretary general who was suspended last week. Valcke was implicated by a FIFA ticketing partner in using his FIFA and Google email accounts to discuss a 2014 World Cup black market tickets deal. The office of Swiss federal prosecutor Michael Lauber has now stepped up pressure FIFA to unblock access to Valcke’s correspondence. Lauber’s spokesman Andre Marty told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the prosecutor has filed a request directly to FIFA lawyers. “I can confirm that we now want to have access to these sealed email accounts,” Marty said. “The OAG [of- fice of the attorney general] asked FIFA to deliver all in- formation coming from Mr. Valcke’s multiple email ac- counts,” he said, adding that so far, “FIFA didn’t deliver this email information.” In a statement, FIFA said: “We are committed to cooper- ating with the authorities and this is an ongoing process.” Valcke denies a ticket agent’s claims that he sought cash from sales of top-cat- egory tickets for matches in Brazil he knew were being offered at several times face value. Lauber is investigating possible criminal mismanage- ment and money laundering in FIFA’s business. The case is widening to examine all aspects of FIFA’s affairs after it was launched by FIFA’s own criminal com- plaint last year about pos- sible wrongdoing linked to the 2018-2022 World Cup bid- ding contests. FIFA released Valcke from his job last Thursday hours after the allegations were made, and requested a formal investigation by the FIFA Ethics Committee. Valcke likely faces sanc- tions even if financial corrup- tion is not proven. The FIFA code of ethics allows for charges of breach of confidentiality and loy- alty, which could be lev- eled simply for doing offi- cial business through private emailaccounts. swiss prosEcutor asks fifa to hand ovEr valckE’s Emails 3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday sepTember 24, 2015 Health City Expands to Neurosurgery 1 (345) 945-4040 | 1 (345) 640-4040 healthcitycaymanislands.com Health City Cayman Islands is expanding its services to include Neuro-Spinal Surgery. Overseen by a team of certified Neuro-Spinal surgeons, the services will include the treatment of various conditions of the brain usually presenting with headaches and epilepsy, as well as spinal conditions like low back ache, neck pain, disc prolapse and other degenerative conditions. The Neurosurgery unit is equipped with a state-of-the-art Operating Microscope for brain tumours and complex skull base surgeries. This minimally invasive approach for spinal conditions ensures early recovery. The service is now open at Health City, offering patients even more specialist healthcare services at an affordable price. Contact us today to learn more about the Neurosurgery and Spinal Surgery services. Welcome to world-class, destination healthcare. Bill seeks move to two-year budgets Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com If legislative proposals made public Wednesday are adopted, the current gov- ernment budget will be Cayman’s last one-year public sector budget cycle. Amendments to the government’s Public Management and Finance Law seek to change, as of Jan. 1, 2018, Cayman’s an- nual budgeting period to a two-year process, starting January 2018. In order to get to that point, when the current budget year ends on June 30, 2016, the next government budget cycle would run from July 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2017, a period of 18 months. After that, the two-year budgeting process would begin. The proposed changes will also change Cayman’s current July-June budget to a calendar year January- December process. Each government financial year would end on Dec. 31, but the “budget period” considered by the elected government would span two years. The amendments were discussed at the start of the Progressives govern- ment administration around mid-2013 and initially were planned to begin in January 2016, but that was delayed. Premier Alden McLaughlin and Finance Minister Marco Archer support the proposal, which they believe could ad- dress a number of issues facing the annual spending plan process. First, moving the budget process from January to December takes budget plan- ning away from the elections process. Typically, Cayman’s general elections are held every four years, in May. In the current budgeting pro- cess, a new government has only five weeks or so after the election to come up with a spending plan for the whole year. In addition, multiyear budgeting could eliminate the need for government to spend eight or nine months out of 12 in the financial planning process, as Mr. McLaughlin said happens now. “It also makes a tremen- dous amount of sense from the government’s financial position,” Mr. McLaughlin said during a debate in the Legislative Assembly on the issue. “Financial ser- vices-related revenue ac- counts for nearly 40 percent of the government’s total an- nual revenue. “As most of these rev- enues are received in the January to March time frame, it means that, with the budget year starting on the first of July, the gov- ernment can be as much as nine months down the track before it realizes that revenue is not tracking the way that it hoped and by then it is almost impossible to change course, at least in a way that materially affects expenditure.” Also, while government presents its economic infor- mation on a July-through- June basis, the government Economics and Statistics Office presents that informa- tion for each calendar year, making it difficult to recon- cile the various figures. Cayman Islands Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick, due to depart the islands at the end of this month, in- dicated his office would be taking a look at govern- ment’s two-year budget plans once they are formalized. Mr. Swarbrick noted that the Public Management and Finance Law currently re- quires government to report its accounts annually. Premier McLaughlin Hundreds of books donated to charities KelSeY JuKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Charities and government organizations are receiving hundreds of books this week, thanks to a donation from Books & Books. The Bonaventure Boys Home, Frances Bodden Girls Home, the Department of Children and Family Services, the government library, Cayman Islands Hospital and Northward Prison will each re- ceive between 50 to 500 books. “We hope that our books widen the imagination and can help people broaden their view on life,” said Sioux Lees, general manager of Books & Books, which is owned by Dart Enterprises. To create space for new stock, the Camana Bay book- store has been holding a big book sale in recent weeks to clear out its inventory. “An estimated 6,000 books were put on sale and … around 2,000 remain,” said Ms. Lees, whose donation plan will go into effect this week. Books & Books general manager Sioux Lees says the store will be donating up to 2,000 books to local causes. – PHOTO: KELSEY JUKaMThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. Thursday sepTember 24, 2015 • Cayman COmpass ‘e-Government,’ efficiencies, and Estonia Oftentimes — usually around the second hour of waiting in line to conduct a transaction that will take approximately 10 minutes — we find our minds casting about for solutions that will lead the Cayman Islands government out of the proverbial Stone Age. This week at The Westin resort, scores of civil servants are being given a taste of a more efficient, more customer-friendly, future … We’ll call it the “Estonia Age.” For more information about the presentation from the Estonian e-Governance Academy, read our stories published in the Compass today and Thursday. Also on Wednesday, coincidentally, we included in our Opinion & Letters section a column from economist and Cayman Financial Review editorial board member Richard W. Rahn filed from Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, on the subject of the “small” (population 1.3 million) country’s achievements over the past 25 years. The column begins, “Estonia is arguably the most advanced country in the world when it comes to the use of the Internet and related technologies. Estonia is a most improbable success, in that a mere quarter of a century ago it was still under domination of the Soviet Union as a very poor backwater on the Baltic Sea. Now it is a developed country and a member of both the EU and NATO.” After it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the leaders of Estonia adopted a number of initiatives in order to shed the mantle of Soviet- style communism and its accompanying bureaucratic ills. One of these was a simplified tax system, and the other was an all-out embracing of technology in government. (Imagine being able to establish a new business in as few as 18 minutes.) In June, American presidential contender (and former Florida Governor) Jeb Bush raised some eyebrows when he made the claim that, “You can fill out your tax return in Estonia online in five minutes.” Journalistic fact checkers from PolitiFact, at the Tampa Bay Times, decided to vet Mr. Bush’s asser- tion. They ultimately deemed Mr. Bush’s statement as “True” — with the following caveat: “If anything, Estonian tax filers tell us, it takes even less than that.” This is an example of Estonia’s leveraging of e-gov- ernment, by providing taxpayers with tax forms that are pre-filled with their information. All taxpayers have to do is check the information for accuracy, append any additional information, and click a button to send. In Cayman, of course, it doesn’t even take five minutes, or four, or one, to file our income tax returns — because, thankfully, there isn’t any income tax. But that may be the only area of government where we have the Estonians beat for efficiency. In addition to the existence of an income tax, Estonia also differs from Cayman in more fundamental ways. Historical and social factors in Estonia, for instance, have made it acceptable to have a national identification card that links individuals to both the public and private sectors. We don’t know if the culture in Cayman will ever be amenable to such an initiative. But that is an extreme example. For now, it is obvious that Estonians have much to teach Cayman about e-government reforms, with a very small part of that involving software and systems. Cayman’s director of e-government, Ian Tibbetts, was correct when he said, “Technology, that’s easy. You can get what you can afford. The people and process side is where the challenges are.” Estonian e-government expert Mari Pedak agreed, “The technical part is always the easiest part. Tech- nology allows you to do everything.” She said the challenges are “how to protect data, how to build trust, how to build awareness. Without trust, nothing works.” In Cayman — where many government employees interpret “increased efficiency” as “fewer jobs,” where many citizens doubt the stated intentions of public officials, and where some lawmakers keep top civil servants at arm’s length from decision-making — we may, yet, have a long way to go. Yogi Berra, an American story WASHINGTON – The 18-year- old U.S. Navy enlistee, thinking it sounded less boring than the dull training he was doing in 1944, volun- teered for service on what he thought an officer had called “rocket ships.” Actually, they were small, slow, vulner- able boats used as launching pads for rockets to give close-in support for troops assaulting beaches. The service on those boats certainly was not boring. At dawn on June 6, 1944, that sailor was a few hun- dred yards off Omaha Beach. Lawrence Peter Berra, who died Tuesday at 90, had a knack for being where the ac- tion was. Because he stood – when he stood; as a catcher, he spent a lot of time crouching at baseball’s most physically and mentally demanding po- sition – 5 feet 7 inches, he confirmed the axiom that the beauty of baseball is that a player does not need to be 7 feet tall or 7 feet wide. The shortstop during Yogi’s first Yankee years was an even smaller Italian-American, 150- pound Phil Rizzuto, listed at a generous 5 feet 6. Yogi had, sportswriter Allen Barra says (in “Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee”), “the winningest career in the his- tory of American sports.” He played on Yankee teams that went to the World Series 14 times in 17 years. He won 10 World Series rings; no other player has more than nine. He won three MVP awards; only Barry Bonds has more, with seven, but four of them probably tainted by perfor- mance-enhancing drugs. In seven consecutive seasons (1950-56) Yogi finished in the top four in MVP voting. Only Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics (11 NBA champi- onships, five MVP awards) and Henri Richard (11 NHL championships) have records of winning that exceed Yogi’s. He grew up in what he and others called the Dago Hill section of St. Louis, when the Italian-Americans who lived there did not take offense at the name. They had bigger problems. Allen Barra notes that an 1895 advertisement seeking labor to build a New York reservoir said whites would be paid $1.30 to $1.50 a day, “colored” workers $1.25 to $1.40, and Italians $1.15 to $1.25. The term “wop” may have begun as an acronym for “without papers,” as many Italians were when they ar- rived at Ellis Island. American sports and eth- nicity have been interest- ingly entangled. The nick- name “Fighting Irish” was originally a disparagement by opponents of Notre Dame, which for many years had problems filling its football schedule because of anti- Catholic bigotry. But sports also have been solvents of a sense of apartness felt by ethnic groups. In 1923, the Sporting News, which for many de- cades was described as “the Bible of baseball” (ex- cept by baseball fans, who described the Bible as “the Sporting News of religion”), called the national pastime the essence of the nation: “In a democratic, catholic, real American game like base- ball, there has been no dis- tinction raised except tacit understanding that a player of Ethiopian descent is in- eligible. … The Mick, the Sheeny, the Wop, the Dutch and the Chink, the Cuban, the Indian, the Jap or the so- called Anglo-Saxon – his ‘na- tionality’ is never a matter of moment if he can pitch, hit or field.” Ah, diversity. In 1908, the Sporting News said this about a Giants rookie, Charley “Buck” Herzog: “The long-nosed rooters are crazy whenever young Herzog does anything note- worthy. Cries of ‘Herzog! Herzog! Goot poy, Herzog!’ go up regularly, and there would be no let-up even if a million ham sandwiches suddenly fell among these believers in percentages and bargains.” David Maraniss, in his biography of the Pirates’ Roberto Clemente, the first Puerto Rican baseball su- perstar, notes that as late as 1971, Clemente’s 17th season, one sportswriter still quoted him in phonetic English: “Eef I have my good arm thee ball gets there a leetle quicker.” In 1962, Alvin Dark, man- ager of the San Francisco Giants, banned the speaking of Spanish in the clubhouse. Today, with three of the most common surnames in baseball being Martinez, Rodriguez and Gonzalez, some managers speak Spanish. Yogi’s great contempo- rary, Dodgers’ catcher Roy Campanella (another three- time MVP), was the son of an African-American mother and Italian-American father. Today, with two Italian-Americans on the Supreme Court, it is diffi- cult to imagine how delighted Italian-Americans were with their first national celebrity – the elegant center fielder on baseball’s most glamorous team, Joe DiMaggio, the son of a San Francisco fisherman. DiMaggio was “Big Dago” to his teammates. Yogi was “Little Dago” and became the nation’s most beloved sports figure. As Yogi said when Catholic Dublin elected a Jewish mayor, “Only in America.” George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2015, Washington Post Writers Group In this Aug. 3, 1974, file photo, New York Yankees greats, from left, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Joe DiMaggio and Casey Stengel gather on the steps of Shea Stadium before an Old Timer’s game. - Photo: AP Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” “Culture shift necessary for e-government system to succeed,” Sept. 23 The country needs to push ahead and make this a reality as soon as possible. I made a call to a govern- ment department two weeks ago in an attempt to conduct some business. The individual I called did not answer the phone so I left a message with my contact details, and details to explain why I needed their assistance. A week later and no response; so I sent a follow- up e-mail to the individual and included another senior staff member within the depart- ment on my correspondence. Another week has passed and I have still received no response from anyone. If I could get my business done using a private com- pany, I would, but unfortu- nately the government is the only entity that can do what needs to be done. If the government wants to downsize they simply need to terminate all of these people that refuse to do their jobs and respond to cus- tomers in a timely manner. mack Boland “Pioneer developer Rex Crighton passes away,” Sept. 16 As a Florida cousin of Rex, I will greatly miss him. He has always been one of the highlights on my occa- sional visits to Cayman, and I can never forget his warmth, generosity and feeling of comradeship he would al- ways share with me. My love extends to Cecile, Dale, Thora and Tammy, who have had to suffer through the hardship of his illness. James Burns Creighton FrOM CAYMANCOMPASS.COM GEORGE F. WILL5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday sepTember 24, 2015 OCTOBER , The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman www.breastcancerfoundation.ky info@breastcancerfoundation.ky PRINT MEDIA SPONSOR BRONZE SPONSORS to our Thank ou Joan Lunen Featuring Celebrity Keynote Speaker and Breast Cancer Survivor Heart Fund to open World Heart Day gates to all Cayman Heart Fund hosts ‘Healthy Heart Choices for Everyone, Everywhere’ event TaD SToner tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Heart Fund has canceled ticket sales to its upcoming celebration of World Heart Day, throwing open to everyone, gratis, the gates to the event Saturday at Camana Bay. With a dozen booths, each priced at $1,200; an $8,200 donation from the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman; and a handful of big-hearted sponsors, the Heart Fund, according to project coor- dinator Caroline Rodrigues, “decided not to charge people for the event. It’s free now.” Ms. Rodrigues said the first 300 guests through those gates will still receive a $10 coupon for the Craft Food & Beverage Company. Tickets had been priced at $25 for adults, $10 for children, for the event, the first Cayman Heart Fund Expo marking the World Heart Federation’s World Heart Day. The 200-member federa- tion – a Genera-based non- government organization – created World Heart Day in 2000, marking it annually in late September, to inform nearly 2 billion people in more than 120 countries that heart disease and stroke are the world’s leading causes of premature death, claiming 17.1 million lives each year. According to the federa- tion, between 80 percent and 85 percent of those deaths could be prevented if the main risk factors – smoking, diet and physical inactivity – were controlled. According to its website, the World Heart Federation is “dedicated to leading the global fight against cardio- vascular disease – including heart disease and stroke – with a focus on low- and middle-income countries, via a united community.” The federation brings to- gether heart foundations from more than 100 coun- tries. Its members address cardiovascular health at the policy level, and promote the exchange of ideas in a number of areas, including best practices and advances in scientific knowledge. The Camana Bay event, titled “Healthy Heart Choices for Everyone, Everywhere,” is scheduled from 2-8 p.m. on the Crescent, and will feature a dozen booths from exhibitors such as the Heart Healthy Centre, Helix Health Care, Smiles Dental Clinic, the Cayman Islands Diabetes Association, Health City Cayman Islands and the Food Revolution Program. Purple Dragon Martial Arts will offer a karate dem- onstration, and interactive games, crafts, the James Geary Band, health screen- ings and good food will be offered throughout the day, accompanied by chil- dren’s events – a poster com- petition, cooking classes, bouncy castle, crafts and face painting – and prizes, dance, fitness classes, a photo booth and a dedicated effort to in- form people about main- taining heart health. Ms. Rodrigues said the Food Revolution Program, for example, will offer cooking classes for children, “teaching them to prepare their own healthy snacks, showing them that it can be fun, sociable and delicious.” She said, “Statistics show that heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the Cayman Islands, pointing to problems with diet and exercise, “so we are trying to reduce that and trying to raise awareness.” Among the exhibitors, the Harmonic Health Group’s Heart Health Centre will fea- ture its new full-time cardi- ologist, Robert Piotrowski, affiliated with the group’s St. Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute partner in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. Piotrowski, who started full time at the center in July, will address the Ministry of Health’s sixth annual healthcare con- ference at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman next month, speaking on “Your Heart Health is in Jeopardy: What is Your Wager?” “We will have a two-fold booth,” said Lauren Robinson, in charge of marketing and communications for the Harmonic Group. “We have tried to align ourselves with the World Heart Federation. We’ll have a photo booth for kids, with a lot of props, and they can post the pictures to social media. “Dr. Piotrowski will be there with a nurse to ex- plain prevention of cardio- vascular diseases and talk about how it relates specifi- cally to Cayman and what people can do.” Ms. Rodrigues said the doctor would also demon- strate the Health Centre’s new “Walk the Walk,” a modest-sized device which “counts the steps you take during the day and tracks how active you are.” Elsewhere at the expo, she said, the Diabetes Association will offer free screening and a discussion of personal healthcare, and Smiles Dental Clinic will demonstrate the connec- tion between oral health and heart health. New ambulance Among the immediate goals of the Heart Fund health fair is to boost fun- draising for a new ambu- lance at the Cayman Islands Hospital, replacing one of the institution’s decade-old emergency vehicles. Efforts started on May 18 with a Discovery Day 5K run that raised $16,000 toward the $150,000 cost of a new U.S.-built ambulance. Already, said Ms. Rodrigues, corporate spon- sors for World Health Day have boosted Heart Fund coffers by $25,000 – with earnings from Saturday’s event still to come. Still, she said, the fund anticipates seeking as much as another $108,000 during the next year before gaining the full amount. “We have our Red Dress Gala in February 2016,” she said, “and a couple of other events along the way as well. We hope to buy the am- bulance by this time next year – at least that’s what I am thinking.” The Camana Bay event, titled “Healthy Heart Choices for Everyone, Everywhere,” is scheduled from 2-8 p.m. on the Crescent. Cayman Heart Fund volunteers Michael Wingrave, Katalin Radvanyi and Jamie Nelson, with project coordinator Caroline Rodrigues and Cayman Heart Fund chairman David Dinner get in the spirit of World Heart Day.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. THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, SEPT. 24 ART LECTURE: At the National Gallery with “tIDal Shift” exhibition curator Natalie Urquhart. 12:30-1:30 p.m. Event includes behind- the-scenes tour. Tour is free of charge, donations welcome. Lunch and refreshments available for purchase in the Art Café. GARDEN PICNIC: Lunch in the National Gallery gardens. A set menu including soup and sandwiches will be served noon-5 p.m. Lunch packs will also be available for those on the go. Stop by the exhibition halls. For menu details, email events@ nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945-8111. Reservations recommended for groups of four or more. AWAKENING: Dennis Wilson Ministries. West Bay Assembly of God, 100 Finch Drive, off Stadium Road, West Bay. Tonight and tomorrow, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. MARINE PARKS: Public consultation meeting on the proposed Enhanced Marine Parks System takes place in North Side at the Civic Centre, 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.doe.ky/marine/ marine-parks-review. To submit an opinion, email conservationcouncil@gov. ky. General queries can be directed to doe@gov.ky. BRAC COURT: Summary Court held in the Aston Rutty Civic Centre, from 10 a.m. today and tomorrow. 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. FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 WALK FOR THE CURE: The walk is on Oct. 4, but registration closes today. To register contact Shadden McLaughlin, walk manager, at 815- 2405/2407 or shadden. mclaughlin@cibcfcib.com The walk is from Seven Mile Public Beach, 7 a.m. Runners welcome. Fee is $10 for ages 12 and up; $5 for ages 3-11; under age 3, free. Refreshments and prizes post walk. Adult T-shirts free, or personalized for $25 pledge. Proceeds benefit the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. TRADE AND BUSINESS LICENSING LAW BOOTHS: The Department of Commerce and Investment will have a booth on the new Trade and Business Licensing Law from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the Strand and Airport locations of Foster’s Food Fair. There will be giveaways and hand- outs related to the new law. For more information, visit www.dci.gov.ky or email info@dci.gov.ky. SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 BAKE SALE: In front of Book Nook, Galleria Plaza, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. West Bay Community After-school Program. All proceeds go toward playground improvement. For info, contact Lucy at 916-4494 or wbcafterschool@outlook. com. BARGAIN STORE: At St. George’s Anglican Church off Eastern Avenue behind Cox Lumber. Big sale. 7-11 a.m. All are welcome. 949-5583. WRITE IT NOW: Writers symposium presented by Avodah Productions, 10 a.m. Admission is free, but registration is required. Presenters are Michel Powery, Catherine Tyson, Jermaine Gordon and Karen Chin. kyliteraryaward@ candw.ky. SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 CATBOATS: Everyone is invited to attend the Cayman Catboat Club – Premiere Cup Race. 9 a.m. at Garvin Park, Morgan’s Harbour. 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. MONDAY, SEPT. 28 CHAMBER COURSE: Workshop on Creating a Service Mentality Internally and Externally. Presented by Catherine Tyson. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Governors Square. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. Chamber members, $150. Future members, $225. TUESDAY, SEPT. 29 PAINTING, DRAWING CLASSES: At Watler House Studio on the grounds of Pedro Castle every Tuesday through 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. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30 CHAMBER COURSE: Workshop on the Exceptional Presenter. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. at Governors Square. Presented by Julie McLaughlin, deputy chairman, Cayman Islands Association of Mediators and Arbitrators. Register online at www. caymanchamber.ky. Chamber members, $150. Future Members, $225. 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. SATURDAY, OCT. 3 BRAC QUEEN: Miss Cayman Brac Festival Queen 2015. 7 p.m. Aston Rutty Civic Centre. Contact bracpiratesweek@gmail.com. MUSEUM ANNIVERSARY: Cayman National Museum’s 25th anniversary fundraiser. 7 p.m. at the Cayman Turtle Farm. $50 per person includes dinner with dessert and soda or iced tea. Cash bar available. Music, silent auction. Call Eziethamae at 916-1559 for tickets or visit museum gift shop. FRIDAY, OCT. 9 VOICES FOR HOSPICES: An Evening on Broadway with champagne gala opening. Prospect Theatre. 7:30 p.m. $75. Tomorrow, 6:45 p.m., tickets $50 or $25 for under-12s. Contact 945-7447 or chc@candw.ky for tickets. GENERAL INTEREST DRAMA SOCIETY: Cayman Drama Society presents the musical “Rent.” 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. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed as training resumes. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for Track/Field, Football and Bocce. No experience necessary, just a smile and patience. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15-11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30 – 7 p.m. Saturdays, volunteers needed for Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30-10:30 a.m. Deck support and in-water swimming assistance needed. For more information, contact Penny McDowall 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. 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 and Primary School Hall on Smith Road. For more information, contact 923-6915 or info@ caymanchoir.com. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: Open Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Red Cross headquarters on Thomas Russell Way. Book bargain every Thursday and Friday, a bagful for $5. READING TREE: The book swap is open from Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-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. 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. 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. 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. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. For more information, call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail. com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-Step Recovery Group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at CI Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Mondays, 7 p.m. For details, contact Virginia Castillo at 946- 2422, or visit www. overcomersoutreach.org. GRAND CAYMAN TOASTMASTERS CLUB: meets at George Town Public Library 6-7:15 p.m. every Thursday. This is a chapter of Toastmaster’s International, geared toward development of public speaking and leadership skills. Contact George R. Ebanks, 916- 0687/ 322-9369 or georger. ebanks@gmail.com for more information. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar.7 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday sepTember 24, 2015 SEP 25 & 26 INTE RACTIVE TRADE SHO W SEE OUR CIRCULAR IN THE FRI, SEP 25, EDITION OF THE CAYMAN COMPASS AND AT ALTHOMPSON.COM Donors of Caribbean descent sought for bone marrow registry KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com For many patients suf- fering from blood cancers and other blood diseases, a bone marrow transplant is the only cure. But for patients of Caribbean descent, that cure is often out of reach. The Caribbean region ranks among the lowest in the world in success rates of finding bone marrow donor matches outside of the family, according to the Caribbean Bone Marrow Registry. In an effort to make the life-saving treatment more widely available to individ- uals of Caribbean descent, the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, in collaboration with the Caribbean Bone Marrow Registry, is encouraging people to register to become bone marrow donors. “The more people from our population that are reg- istered, [the] greater chance that a patient from the re- gion will receive a match,” said Arthur Dunk, director of the Caribbean Bone Marrow Registry. So far, 400 people have joined Caribbean Bone Marrow Registry, which was established in 2013. Mr. Dunk hopes to get that number up to 100,000. “What we’re doing now will be felt in five, 10 and 15 years, the effect will be felt by our children and grand- children,” he said. Finding a match Before a person receives a bone marrow transplant, also called a stem-cell trans- plant, a donor must be found who has identical or nearly identical HLA (human leuko- cyte antigen)-matched bone marrow. HLA tissue types are inherited, so a person has a better chance of finding a bone marrow match from someone of the same racial or ethnic background. Parents are not usually matches; siblings are often the best match, but only 30 percent of transplant pa- tients find a match within their immediate family. Bone marrow registries help con- nect patients with unrelated HLA-matched donors. Although the National Marrow Donor Program in the U.S. has more than 10 million registered donors, certain ethnic populations are underrepresented. Caucasians of European descent have the highest probability – 75 percent – of finding an optimal unre- lated bone marrow donor, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. Black people in the Caribbean, on the other hand, have a 19 percent chance of finding an op- timal bone marrow donor. Only black people of South or Central American descent have a lower chance – 16 per- cent – of finding an optimal donor. People of Hispanic Caribbean origin have a 40 percent chance of finding an optimal bone marrow donor, and people of native Caribbean descent have a 32 percent chance. The registry is dedicated to helping individuals from the Caribbean, Latin America, and beyond who suffer from leu- kemia, sickle-cell anemia and other blood diseases, and who are in need of a bone marrow transplant or other support. Natasha Macfadyen has become something of an ex- pert on bone marrow dona- tions since she was diag- nosed with a rare disease of the bone marrow in 2012. Although she did not end up receiving a transplant, she has become an advo- cate for bone marrow donor registration, and began speaking with the Cayman Islands Cancer Society two years ago about creating a register here. Only one in 300 people who register to become a donor is matched with a patient, according to Ms. Macfadyen. If a donor is matched, nine out of 10 do- nors will donate their stem cells in what Ms. Macfadyen says is a “quick and easy pro- cess similar to giving blood.” Registration to become a bone marrow donor involves a cheek swab. No blood is taken. The cheek swab sample is then sent to a facility to be type-tested. There is typically a $75 fee to register, which covers the cost of the test. At the Sept. 19, the Cayman Islands Cancer Society’s “Conquering Cancer” health fair, which coincided with the first International BoneMarrow Day, 186 donors regis- tered. Kits provided by the Caribbean Bone Marrow Registry, and a $10,000 dona- tion from Maples and Calder covered the testing fee. Cayman Islands Cancer Society Operations Manager Jennifer Weber said, “Incredibly, there were people lined up all day long to be- come donors.” Potential donors can come to the Cancer Society office to register. Those who can af- ford it will be asked to pay the $75 fee, but Ms. Weber said no one will be turned away because they can’t pay. Third FIFA official ordered extradited to US The likelihoods of bone marrow HLA matches by ethnic background in the U.S. Bone Marrow Registry. – Graphic: The New eNGlaNd JourNal of MediciNe ©2014 Nurse practitioner Joanna Dunk promotes the Caribbean Bone Marrow Registry at the Cayman Islands Cancer Society’s Conquering Cancer health fair on Saturday. BrEnt FULLEr bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The third of seven FIFA officials arrested in May during a U.S. law enforce- ment raid at a Zurich hotel has been ordered to be extra- dited to America. The former presi- dent of the Venezuelan Football Federation, Rafael Esquivel, has been in cus- tody pending extradition proceedings. He has 30 days to appeal the Swiss Federal Office of Justice’s ruling on the extradition. Esquivel is charged in connection with the alleged receipt of bribes worth mil- lions of dollars for the sale of marketing rights to the Copa América football tour- naments in 2007, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2023. Esquivel, 68, joins co-de- fendant Eugenio Figueredo, 83, who has also been or- dered extradited to the U.S. by the Swiss Federal Office of Justice. Figueredo, who has citi- zenship in both the U.S. and Uruguay, is accused of re- ceiving bribes worth millions of dollars from a Uruguayan sports marketing company in connection with the sale of marketing rights to certain South American football tour- naments. Swiss authorities said Figueredo is also accused of fraudulently obtaining U.S. citizenship by submitting forged medical reports. Cayman Islands resi- dent Jeffrey Webb was the first FIFA defendant to be re- turned from Switzerland ear- lier this year after he chose not to contest extradition proceedings. Webb is under house arrest at his home in suburban Atlanta, awaiting an October court date. FIFA President Joseph ‘Sepp’ Blatter, left, shakes hands in November 2004 with Rafael Esquivel, in Caracas, Venezuela. Esquivel has been ordered to be extradited to the U.S. – phoTo: apThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Thursday sepTember 24, 2015 • Cayman Compass systems,” she said, ex- plaining the need for na- tional ID in Estonia. The unified e-govern- ment system in Estonia connects all of the various ministries with their dif- ferent databases so the public can access health re- cords, police files, tax bills and other standard gov- ernment services. The on- line system also builds in transparency so the public can see who has viewed their personal information. When it comes to pro- tecting privacy, Ms. Pedak told the group, “No mistake is allowed in those areas.” “We have very strong data protection laws, es- pecially with the private sector,” she added. “Data protection laws are imminent,” Mr. Tibbetts said. “The pressures are building for data protec- tion, not only in the pri- vate sector but also the public sector.” “We need to make sure the rest of the world can trust their data in this ju- risdiction,” he said. Cayman’s acting infor- mation commissioner, Jan Liebaers, a proponent of pending data protection legislation, said there are “serious privacy concerns” with the e-government proposal and government needs to get the privacy protections in place. ID cards ‘key’ to e-government studio accommodation, two farm-to-table restaurants, a full service spa, fitness fa- cility and early next year, we will be adding additional accommodations.” Renovations continue at the Brac Reef Beach Resort, and the hotel is expected to reopen in December with the new name of Cayman Brac Beach Resort. “Enhancements will in- clude a new multi-level bar, free-form resort pool, up- graded accommodations, and resort-wide renovations,” ac- cording to a press release on the resort’s website. Ms. Harris said the two expansions are helping to diversify the Brac tourism product. “The Brac Reef expan- sion will help leisure and dive tourism, and the Soleil D’Or allows us to talk about luxury,” she said. Meanwhile, govern- ment has its own devel- opment plans on the Brac and is moving ahead with plans for a new 25-meter swimming pool at the Brac sports center and has al- ready put out bids for ar- chitectural services. Tourism Minister and Sister Islands legislator Moses Kirkconnell said $600,000 has been allocated in the budget for the project this year. “It is all part of the im- provements to the sports complex up there on the Bluff. We are hoping to start the project this year and finish it in the next budget year. “There is a good swim program in the Brac, and they are currently using a small pool. This obviously [will] give the community access to better facilities and would put us in a sit- uation where we can host visiting teams.” Brac developments in the works in at those posts. The com- plaints commissioner has had neither a full-time leader nor a deputy commissioner since Nicola Williams departed the islands in early 2014. Mr. Liebaers has served as acting information com- missioner since former com- missioner Jennifer Dilbert re- tired from the civil service in December 2013. His contract, which would normally be ex- tended for a five-year period, was extended for only two earlier this year. If the “super ombudsman” office is formed, there may be two additional key responsi- bilities added to complaints commissioner and informa- tion commissioner staff. “The current proposal which is being assessed, in- cludes all of the aforemen- tioned functions, with the eventual addition of data pro- tection when such legislation is in place,” the governor’s statement read. “Addressing police complaints is a high priority which is contem- plated in the current pro- posal. Regardless of the out- come of the current proposal, this function will [be] de- livered in some form as a matter of urgency.” The initial idea was to place data protection func- tions with the information commissioner and place ci- vilian complaints against police officers under the purview of the complaints commissioner, who currently cannot investigate non-ad- ministrative police matters. Mrs. Dilbert, the former information commissioner, has warned that the inde- pendent offices were already being “starved” of resources by government and that a plan to merge that office with other government oversight agencies under one “super ombudsman” would make things worse. “I don’t see it being work- able, I don’t see it effecting any savings,” Mrs. Dilbert said ear- lier this year. “We’ve seen [the] immediate effect of talking about the merger [of the in- formation commissioner and complaints commissioner’s offices]. [Former Complaints Commissioner] Nicola Williams is gone, [Acting Information Commissioner] Jan [Liebaers] is at loose ends. You’re already undermining the office just by talking about it.” Mr. Liebaers said in June that the Project Future rec- ommendations about the in- dependent offices would be put in a “frightening light” if the government sud- denly decided not to sup- port open records and other ombudsman functions. Governor Kilpatrick’s of- fice denied that was the in- tent of the proposed merger. “These offices continue to meet their mandate to pro- vide service to the people of the Cayman Islands,” the statement read. “Regardless of the nomenclature and ad- ministrative arrangements of the agencies, the func- tions served by the offices dealing with freedom of in- formation and maladminis- tration, are, and will continue to be duly met.” A sample ID card from the Estonian government. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Top spots remain empty in watchdog posts Governor Kilpatrick CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Construction work is under way at the Brac Reef Beach Resort. – PHOTO: ED BEATY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Colombia’s president travels to Cuba to promote peace HAVANA (AP) – Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos arrived in Cuba on Wednesday for a surprise meeting with guerrilla commanders that could remove the last sig- nificant obstacle to a deal ending Latin America’s oldest armed conflict. “Peace is near” Santos said on Twitter Wednesday be- fore embarking on a trip to Havana, where he and nego- tiators for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia are expected to announce an agreement on the thorny issue of how to punish rebel commanders for human rights abuses. It’s also possible they will announce a bilateral cease- fire and set a deadline to sign a definitive accord, two people close to the talks told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The apparent breakthrough comes after Pope Francis, in a visit to the communist-led is- land this week, warned the two sides that they didn’t have the right to fail in their best chance at peace in decades. As part of talks in Cuba stretching over more than two years, both sides had al- ready agreed on plans for land reform, political partici- pation for guerrillas who lay down their weapons and how to jointly combat drug traf- ficking. Further cementing ex- pectations of a deal, the rebel movement known as the FARC declared a unilateral cease-fire in July and has been working with Colombia’s military on a program to remove tens of thousands of rebel-planted land mines. But amid the slow, but steady progress, one issue seemed almost insurmount- able: How to compensate vic- tims and punish FARC com- manders for human rights abuses in light of international conventions Colombia has signed and almost unanimous public rejection of the rebels. The FARC, whose troops have thinned to an estimated 6,400 from a peak of 21,000 in 2002, have long insisted they haven’t committed any crimes and aren’t abandoning the bat- tlefield only to end up in jail. CHinA DissiDEnT’s wifE rEjECTs sTATE DEPArTmEnT inviTE WASHINGTON (AP) – Relatives of Chinese dis- sidents were set to meet Wednesday with the No. 2 U.S. diplomat as the Obama administration sought to demonstrate it won’t gloss over human rights during this week’s state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping. But the message was in danger of backfiring after the wife of one prominent dissident, Gao Zhisheng, who says he was tor- tured with an electric baton during years of soli- tary confinement, refused the invitation. “They haven’t talked to us in five years, for all the time we’ve been here, so why should we attend a meeting now?” Geng He told The Associated Press from her home in Cupertino, California. Gao himself vows to never leave China despite the hardships and having to live apart from his family. The United States has warned that the toughest crackdown in years on Chinese activists threatens to cloud the high-profile visit by Xi, who arrives in Washington on Thursday and will meet with President Barack Obama. Yet the issue of human rights is unlikely to dom- inate the agenda at their Oval Office meeting Friday, which is followed by a state dinner. As China emerges as an economic and military rival that Washington both com- petes and cooperates with, other issues tend to get top billing at the summit table. Prime U.S. concerns are cybercrime, China’s is- land-building in the dis- puted South China Sea and building momentum for a global deal to combat cli- mate change. Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters that human rights would get attention. National Security Adviser Susan Rice met Tuesday with representatives of civil society organizations to dis- cuss draft legislation in China that could hamper the work of international and Chinese groups. “We believe that people should have the right to speak freely. We believe that journalists and NGOs [nongovernment organi- zations] should be able to operate freely, and we are going to be very clear about that not just with China but with any country in the world,” Rhodes said. Foreign governments have, for the most part, become less willing to speak out over rights abuses as China’s eco- nomic heft has grown. 9 WORLD&REGIONAL Cayman Compass • Thursday sepTember 24, 2015 In Loving Memory of Coburn Walt Miller A limb has fallen from the family tree. I hear a voice that says, ‘’Grieve not for me’’. Remember the best times, the laughter, and the song. You le us without warning, not even a good- bye, And I can’t seem to stop asking the question, why? I didn’t see this coming; it hit us by surprise, And when you le for heaven, a small part of me died. Your smile could brighten anyone’s day, No matter what they were going through, And every day for the rest of my life, I will be missing you. Missing you dearly, Your wife Diomaris Miller Your Children, Stepson and Grandchildren. Feb. 7, 1938 - Sept. 24, 2013 Av Ganer Sith May 4, 1964 – September 24, 2013 Today, it’s been two years and we are still grieving your passing. Words cannot express the loss of you. We know you’re in heaven because of your strong faith in Jesus. You will always be in our thoughts. You’re gone Ava, but will never be forgotten. Deeply missed and forever cherished by your Mother, Children, Sisters, Brother, family and friends. Rest in Peace my Sweets Washington crowds cheer pope; he calls for climate action Pope also calls for protection of religious liberties WASHINGTON (AP) – Plunging headlong into the issues of the day, Pope Francis opened his visit to the United States with a strong call for action to combat climate change, calling it a problem that “can no longer be left to a future generation.” President Barack Obama, in turn, hailed the pontiff as a moral force who is “shaking us out of our complacency” with re- minders to care for the poor and the planet. The White House mus- tered all the pageantry it had to offer as the pope arrived Wednesday before adoring crowds of thousands and a nation that seemingly cannot get enough of the humble pontiff who is rejuvenating American Catholicism while giving heartburn to some of its conservatives. Cheering crowds, with some people holding out ba- bies for blessings, jammed a parade route along Constitution Avenue as Francis later made a leisurely loop around the streets near the White House in his open-sided popemobile – a white Jeep – for his first di- rect encounter with the American public. Along the heavily guarded parade route, bodyguards ferried several babies from behind police barricades to the Jeep for pontifical kisses. And at one point, a young girl in pigtails and tennis shoes tried to approach the popemobile. When secu- rity guards tried to shoo her back, Francis motioned her over and bestowed a papal kiss and blessing. Speaking in a soft voice and halting English at the White House, Francis deliv- ered a firm message against those who doubt the science of climate change, saying that the warming planet “de- mands on our part a se- rious and responsible rec- ognition” of what awaits today’s children. It was a message sure to please the Obama White House, and liberals in gen- eral. But the pope had some- thing for conservatives, too, with a pointed call to pro- tect religious liberties – “one of America’s most precious possessions.” “All are called to be vig- ilant,’ he said, “to preserve and defend that freedom from everything that would threaten or compromise it.” It was a welcome message to many U.S. bishops and conservatives who have ob- jected to the Obama admin- istration’s healthcare man- date and the recent Supreme Court legalization of same- sex marriage. With flags snapping, color guard at attention and a mil- itary band’s brassy marches, Francis stepped from his modest Fiat onto the South Lawn on a crisp fall morning that felt as optimistic as his own persona. Pope and presi- dent stood on a red-carpeted platform bedecked with red, white and blue bunting, standing at attention for the national anthems of the Hole See and the United States. After their opening re- marks on the lawn, Obama and Francis pulled up two armchairs by the fireplace in the Oval Office for a one- on-one meeting where they hoped to find common cause on issues they hold dear – and respectful disagreement where they differ sharply, on subjects such as abortion and same-sex marriage. Just before the pope ar- rived, Obama had tweeted to the Holy Father: “Welcome to the White House, @Pontifex! Your messages of love, hope, and peace have in- spired us all.” Obama, joking that his backyard is not typically so crowded, told the pope during the welcoming cer- emony that the excitement surrounding his visit was a reflection of Francis’s “hu- mility, your embrace of sim- plicity, the gentleness of your words and the generosity of your spirit.” The president singled out the pope’s call for focusing on the poor and the margin- alized, including refugees fleeing war and immigrants in search of a better life. As bishops have found themselves increasingly on the losing side in the na- tional struggle over mar- riage and abortion, they have made religious freedom a rallying cry, with a largely domestic focus. Francis’s remarks that re- ligious freedom is “one of America’s most precious pos- sessions” could well give them encouragement to keep up the fight. Obama, sensitive to con- servative attacks against his administration, made a point in his remarks of saying “we cherish religious liberty.” From the instant the white-robed and grin- ning Francis landed in the U.S. on Tuesday, doffed his skullcap in the breeze and clambered into his charcoal- gray Fiat, his visit has elec- trified wonky Washington, which can be jaded about the comings and goings of world figures. Washington was the first stop on the pope’s six- day, three-city visit to the United States. President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and Pope Francis wave to the crowd on the South Lawn from the Truman Balcony of the White House. - Photos: AP The pope holds the head of a small child as he leans from the popemobile in one of his many personal moments with children along the parade route. A child is escorted back to the sidelines before Pope Francis called for her to be brought to him, during a parade in Washington on Wednesday.Next >