ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Thursday OcTOber 8, 2015 sports | page 16 aThleTic Only have cOnnOlly briefly Top striker is off to college in the new year High of 91 Low of 80 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. editorial | page 4 head Of The class: chief Officer chrisTen suckOO Premier Health BritCay has one word to describe policy holders. People. People, not policy holders BritCay prioritises the needs of patients with efficient access to benefits. That’s why we settled 209,003 health insurance claims in 2014, 96% in 5 working days. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp key government posts in limbo brenT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The future of a number of key leadership positions in the Cayman Islands government remains uncertain, most notably in key public safety positions, financial services, education and oversight roles. The problem was highlighted by East End MLA Arden McLean in June: “It looks like we got Hollywood right here … everybody’s acting.” Since then, a few senior posts have been filled full-time by Caymanians, but other posts still have acting chiefs, often for more than a year at a time. Cayman Islands London office The search for a replacement for Lord Blencathra has been ongoing at the London office since Blencathra, formerly David Maclean of Scotland, ended his contract with the Cayman Islands in March 2014. The London office is a key post, particu- larly for the financial services industry, in es- tablishing diplomatic relations with Whitehall in the U.K. and other European powers. During his often rocky tenure, Lord Blencathra served as both office administrator and as Cayman’s chief lobbyist in the U.K. while remaining as a member of the House of Lords. The arrange- ment did not sit well with the Lords ethics committee, which led to Lord Blencathra’s eventual apology before the Lords. A candidate who was recruited in late 2014 for the post backed out, citing personal reasons. It was revealed in June 2015 that three Caymanian finalists were being interviewed for the position. However, no one has been se- lected as the next leader of the office. Fire service The Cayman Islands Fire Service’s last full- time chief fire officer retired in April 2013. Since then, there have been a series of tem- porary “acting” chiefs appointed for limited- term contracts. One acting fire chief, Rosworth Emails rEvEal tEndEr plan for mEga-ships James WhiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines were in ad- vanced negotiations with government and Port Authority officials in early 2012 over up- grades to the Royal Watler dock that would have allowed the Genesis class mega-ships to visit Grand Cayman. Emails between senior officials, released under the Freedom of Information Law, sug- gest a tentative agreement had been reached, in principle, to tender the 6,000-passenger ships. The argument that mega-ships do not use tenders has been cited to advance the case for cruise piers in George Town harbor. The documents indicate that, at least in 2012, Royal Caribbean was open to negotiation on the issue. A draft schedule had been worked out for the Allure of the Seas ship to make weekly calls between June and October 2012, provided the Port Authority made upgrades to allow for security screening of passengers at the port. Emails from Shomari Scott, director of tourism at the time, indicate the upgrades could lead to the ship making 11 calls to Grand Cayman during that period, bringing a total of just over 60,000 passengers. The messages do not indicate why the plan fell through. Mr. Scott told the Cayman Compass on Thursday that government had been keen to push ahead, but Royal Caribbean had cooled on the plan in the aftermath of the sinking of the Costa Concordia cruise ship in Italy, which created huge public relations concerns around Lions help out on World Sight Day JeWel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Lions Club of Grand Cayman is among those globally participating in Lions World Sight Day and raising awareness about sight-related issues. “Vision is perhaps one of the club’s greatest strengths and programs, such as the annual sight screening within the schools,” said Ewan Jacques, presi- dent of the Lions Club of Grand Cayman. “This allows the club to help our children reach their full potential.” The Worldwide Week of Service in Sight, Oct. 4-10, focuses on Lions helping friends and neighbors with visual impairments in their communities. Since Sept. 8, the Lions have been con- ducting sight screening on all three Cayman islands for Year 1 and Year 7 students and providing assistance and support to those who have been identified as having issues with their vision. If parents are not able to afford the exam and glasses, the Lions Club of Grand Cayman picks up the cost. Last year the Lions Club of Grand Cayman screened 1,391 students from all government and private schools on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Of those, 187 students were referred for further testing. A number of students were found with some impairment, according to a Lions press release. During school checks, Lions look for eye issues that can be caught at a young age and corrected before the eye is fully During Lions World Sight Day, students Rudy Clark and Jessica Dawson of Cayman Prep and High School get their eyes checked by Cordella Chollette, front right, and Janelle Tibbetts. In the background, Tyanna Jan gets the names of students Charlie Davis and Cassidy Coles. At school checks, Lions look for eye issues that can be caught at a young age. - photo: JEwEl lEvy PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Thursday OcTOber 8, 2015 • Cayman Compass www. REGmovies.com SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - THURSDAY - $8.00 * UPCOMING RUGBY MATCHES AT THE CINEMA * VISIT WWW.BIGSCREEN.KY FOR MORE INFORMATION. 18 YEARS & OVER THE INTERN (PG13) 1:05 I 4:00 I 6:55 I 9:50 WAR ROOM (PG) 1:10 I 7:10 I 9:55 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 3D (PG) 1:00 I 3:45 2D I 7:00 EVEREST 3D (PG13) 12:45 I 3:35 I 6:45 2D I 9:50 THE MARTIAN 3D (PG13) 12:20 I 3:25 2D I 6:30 I 9:35 2D THE PERFECT GUY (PG13) 3:45 I 10:00 SICARIO (R) 4:15 I 9:50 MAZE RUNNER 2 (PG13) 12:50 I 7:05 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. - FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY - $8.00 THE INTERN (PG13) 6:55 I 9:50 SUN: 4:00 I 6:55 I 9:50 WAR ROOM (PG) 1:10 I 7:10 I 9:55 SUN: 3:00 I 7:10 I 9:55 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 3D (PG) 1:00 I 7:00 I 10:00 2D SUN: 3:45 2D I 7:00 I 10:00 2D EVEREST 3D (PG13) 3:35 I 6:45 2D I 9:50 SUN: 3:35 I 6:45 2D I 9:50 THE MARTIAN 3D (PG13) 12:20 I 3:25 2D I 6:30 I 9:35 2D SUN: 3:25 2D I 6:30 I 9:35 2D THE PERFECT GUY (PG13) 3:45 I 10:00 SUN: 7:00 SICARIO (R) 4:15 MAZE RUNNER 2 (PG13) 12:50 I 7:05 SUN: 3:40 I 9:40 * UPCOMING RUGBY MATCHES AT THE CINEMA – SAT, SUN & THURS * VISIT WWW.BIGSCREEN.KY FOR MORE INFORMATION. 18 YEARS & OVER FRIDAY NEW ZEALAND V GEORGIA: 2:00 SATURDAY SOUTH AFRICA V SCOTLAND: 10:45 ENGLAND V AUSTRALIA: 2:00 SUNDAY IRELAND V ITALY: 10:45 RUGBY CINEMA AT THE ThefT, false accounTing charges go To grand courT Set for mention on Oct. 23 Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A woman accused of stealing more than $58,000 elected on Tuesday to have the matter heard in Grand Court. Magistrate Grace Donalds sent charges against Verryll Shavaun Seymour to the higher court after a preliminary inquiry. Seymour, 45, is charged with dishonestly appro- priating $58,935.97 from Flowers Bottled Water Ltd. between Oct. 1, 2010, and Nov. 1, 2012, with intent to permanently deprive the company of the money. She is further charged with false accounting. Details of the charge al- lege that between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2012 she dis- honestly destroyed, con- cealed or falsified Flowers Bottled Water documents, records or accounts for ac- counting purposes, with in- tent to cause gain for her- self or another or cause loss for another. The defendant was di- rected to appear in Grand Court on Oct. 23. Lack of disclosure leads to dismissal of assault charge Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The case of a woman charged with assault was dismissed on Tuesday after defense attorney Richard Barton advised the court that after two months he still had not received any disclosure papers from the Crown. Disclosure is information a defendant needs in order to answer the charge. It typ- ically includes a copy of the charge, a summary of alleged facts, the defendant’s inter- view with police and copies of witness statements. Mr. Barton’s client, 23, was accused of assaulting another female and causing her actual bodily harm at the Jacques Scott parking lot on Feb. 28. The court file showed that the matter was in the Summary Court on Aug. 4, at which time the Crown had no file. The matter came be- fore the court again on Sept. 1 and Sept. 15 and on both oc- casions the Crown had no file. On Sept. 15, Magistrate Valdis Foldats was presiding and noted it was the third time the matter was listed. “I’m going to give directions,” he said. “Disclosure must be made or there may be con- sequences.” He directed that disclosure be made by Sept. 25. On Oct. 6, Mr. Barton told Magistrate Grace Donalds that the disclosure “had not been forthcoming.” Moreover, the Crown counsel in court this week did not have a file for the matter. Informal notes kept by the Cayman Compass show that various Crown coun- sels had been in court on the previous dates. With no comment from the Crown, the magis- trate gave her ruling: “The charge is dismissed for want of prosecution.” Woman pleads guilty to Brac burglary Defendant seeks help for drug addiction Carol Winker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A woman with a drug problem pleaded guilty on Tuesday to burglary last month at a liquor-licensed premises in Cayman Brac. Susie Diane McKinley, 51, admitted entering the Barracuda Bar in West End on Sept. 18 as a trespasser and stealing three bottles of alcohol, coins, a cash register and battery charger. Defense attorney Nicholas Dixey pointed out that the burglary was not domestic and that the cash register had been recovered. He said McKinley did not wish to apply for bail at this time because she acknowl- edged she had a problem with drugs and needed help. He wondered whether, as a resident of Cayman Brac, McKinley would be eligible for the Drug Rehabilitation Court, which meets every Thursday afternoon in Grand Cayman. Mr. Dixey asked for the case to be mentioned in an- other two weeks so that in- quiries could be made as to how McKinley could begin to better herself. Proposals in- cluded counseling, random testing and supervision. Magistrate Grace Donalds set the case for mention again on Oct. 20. She con- tinued McKinley’s remand in custody until then. Investigators hope to find ship’s recorder JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Federal investigators looking into the ill-fated voyage of a 790-foot freighter believed to have sunk in the Atlantic during Hurricane Joaquin say they still hope to recover a data recorder from the ship as search crews continue looking for any survivors. The National Trans- portation Safety Board sent a team to Jacksonville on Tuesday to begin the agen- cy’s inquiry, which will help determine why the captain, crew and owners of El Faro decided to risk sailing in stormy waters. “We will be looking at everything. So, we leave no stone unturned in our inves- tigation and our analysis. We want to find every bit of in- formation that we possibly can,” Bella Dinh-Zarr, NTSB vice chairman, said. In addition to the voyage data recorder – which begins pinging when it gets wet and has a 30-day battery life – the board will focus on commu- nications between the cap- tain and the vessel’s owner. Another question is whether the five workers whose job was to prepare the engine room for a retrofit- ting had any role in the boat’s loss of power, which set the vessel adrift in the stormy seas. Officials from Tote Inc., the vessel’s owner, say they do not believe so. But the ques- tion – along with the captain’s decision to plot a course near the storm – will help inves- tigators figure out why the boat apparently sank near the Bahamas, possibly claiming the lives of all 33 aboard. The ship is believed to have gone down in 15,000 feet of water after reporting its last known position last Thursday. One unidentified body has been found. “It’s just a tragic, tragic situation,” Dinh-Zarr said. The 41-year-old El Faro was scheduled to be retired from Caribbean duty and ret- rofitted in the coming months for service between the West Coast and Alaska, said Tote executive Phil Greene. The El Faro and its equally aged sister vessel were being replaced on the Jacksonville- to-Puerto Rico run by two brand-new ships capable of carrying much more cargo and emitting less pollution. When the El Faro left Jacksonville on Sept. 29, five workers from Poland came along with 28 U.S. crew mem- bers to do some preparatory work in the engine room, ac- cording to Greene. He gave no details on the nature of their work. “I don’t believe based on the work they were doing that they would have had anything to do with what affected the propulsion,” said Greene, a re- tired Navy admiral. The El Faro had no his- tory of engine failure, Greene said, and the company said the vessel was modernized in 1992 and 2006. Company re- cords show it underwent its last annual Coast Guard in- spection in March. “We don’t have all the an- swers. I’m sorry for that. I wish we did,” said Anthony Chiarello, Tote Inc.’s presi- dent and CEO. “But we will find out what happened.” The American Bureau of Shipping, a nonprofit or- ganization that sets safety and other standards for ships, did full hull and ma- chinery inspections in February with no red flags, the company said. Maine Maritime Academy students take part in a candlelight vigil for the missing crew members of the U.S. container ship El Faro on Tuesday evening in Castine, Maine. Four graduates of the academy are missing. – PhoTo: aP Bill would exPand law To include marijuana Terminally ill patients could use experimental drugs TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Two Republican law- makers will seek to ex- pand a law that allows ter- minally ill patients to use experimental drugs to in- clude non-smokeable mar- ijuana of all strengths and doses. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Fort Walton Beach announced Wednesday that he filed the bill. Sen. Rob Bradley of Fleming Island is ex- pected to sponsor a similar bill in the Senate. Gaetz says other states have had problems im- plementing medical mari- juana laws and he wants to make sure patients benefit ahead of people seeking to profit off its use. The Right to Try Act allows terminal patients to try any medicine that has passed phase one of a FDA clinical trial. Last year lawmakers rejected proposals to include mari- juana in the law.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Thursday OcTOber 8, 2015 Thank You The Breast Cancer Foundation is sincerely grateful to all the sponsors, donors and volunteers who contributed to the huge success of the 2015 Breast Cancer Gala Fundraiser! PLATINUM SPONSORS GALA PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS We apologize for any omissions AirVu Amy Strzalko Anytime Fitness Atlantis Submarine Bay Market Bliss Yoga Blue Dragon Tattoo Bon Vivant Brac Reef Resort Budget Car Hire C3 Cabana Calypso Grill Camana Bay Carey’s Karma Closet Caribbean Optical Cayman Luxury Charters Comfort Suites Copper Falls Steakhouse CrossFit Cayman Danny Ray Mac Delta Airlines Design Studio Domino’s Pizza Ellen Cuylaerts Every Bloomin’Thing FGXPRESS Foster’s Food Fair George Town Yacht Club Grand Limo Graham’s Place Grand Old House Guy Harvey Hannah Cook Her Excellency Governor Kilpatrick Island Company Janelle Van Niekerk Janet Jarchow La Prairie Spa Le Bistro Le Soleil D’or Le Visage Life Design Life Extension LIME Lobster Pot Logic Luca Marriott Resort and Spa Melissa Wolfe Motions Gymnastics The Muse Hotel, New York Music Box Musicians.ky NBC Today Show North Sound Golf Club NKY Pappagallo Restaurant Pasquale Picture This Pirates Den Ragazzi Red Sail Sports Roland Talanow Saucha Silhouette Sky Blue Aquatics Smile Dental Southern Cross Club, Little Cayman Spa to Go Stephanie Ford Stuart Weitzman / Soles Sunshine Suites Tea Time in Cayman Ted Green Fragrances Touch of Thai Tips and Toes Utopia Vy’s Closet The Westin Resort and Spa Wyndham Reef Resort BRONZE SPONSORS PINK RIBBON SPONSORS Rose Smith Ray Swarts Angela Swarts Kass Coleman Renee Knight Sophia Barnes Nikki Gibbons Kerri Kanuga and her team SPONSORS & DONORS Brigitte Green Holly Wellon Janet Jarchow Kathrin Mayr Kimberley Conolly Marina Rogers Stacey Mathis Tatum Jose OUR FABULOUS VOLUNTEERS Many thanks to Bonafide for entertaining us and thank you to Better Angle for the beautiful photos. We are grateful to Rene Dixon, Pamela Kelly and Ashleigh Lund for participating. Special thanks to Michael Muirhead, our technical director, Janet Jarchow and Karl Nyyssonen, videographers extraordinaire, to the amazing VICKI WHEATON, our MC and Auctioneer. THE DONATION OF YOUR TIME AND TALENT IS PRICELESSThe 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 OCTOber 8, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Head of the class: Chief Officer Christen Suckoo Mr. Suckoo, it’s your turn to present. Following what the government described as an “open recruitment process,” Christen Suckoo has been appointed chief officer in the Ministry of Educa- tion, Employment and Gender Affairs. That makes Mr. Suckoo the highest-ranking civil servant overseeing critical areas such as schools, pensions and workforce development in the Cayman Islands. We offer our congratulations to Mr. Suckoo (whose brother Alva, by the way, is an elected member for Bodden Town) on this professional accomplishment, which poses considerable challenges and tremendous opportunities. Of this Mr. Suckoo is already well aware, as he has been “acting” chief officer for the better part of a year, since the departure of Mary Rodrigues. We’d also like to recognize Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and the private sector members of the selection panel, Dart’s Chris Duggan and Maples’s Wanda Ebanks, for their role in the hiring process. Any time that an “acting” leader within government can be succeeded by a permanent leader — whether that means a change in the individual or a change in job title — is a positive development. Whether it’s in the public or private sector, in large organizations or small, it is not ideal for someone to be invested “temporarily” with significant responsibili- ties, in the absence of the requisite authority endowed by a “permanent” appointment. Throughout Cayman’s civil service, that is currently far too often the case. Apart from general management principles, Mr. Suckoo’s performance as acting chief officer gives us reason for optimism, specifically on the subject of edu- cation, which in our view is the single most important public policy topic in this country. In regard to revamping, reordering and re-ener- gizing our government schools, during Mr. Suckoo’s watch, we have seen the publication of reports by independent inspectors and consultants that, in our opinion, unflinchingly portray Cayman’s public educa- tion system “as is” and, more importantly, propose innovative solutions. The stance of this newspaper remains that we do not particularly care who runs Cayman’s schools, so long as they are run well. We believe the keys to academic success — defined by student performance — are high standards and accountability for all (adminis- trators, faculty, parents and students). The new model of governance proposed by KPMG, “Cayman Partner- ship Schools,” similar to U.K.-style academies and U.S. charter schools, promises to provide the disruptive discontinuity that Cayman’s education system sorely requires. We continue to encourage Mr. Suckoo, Edu- cation Minister Tara Rivers and lawmakers to consider seriously KPMG’s proposal. While what occurs inside the classroom is of far greater importance than what the classroom is con- structed of, it is no secret that the physical facilities of John Gray High School are, to be kind, sub-optimal. Because of the government’s squandering of its capital projects budget (and then some) on the $110 million Clifton Hunter High School campus, the new John Gray campus remains half-finished, despite more than $54 million being sunk into the structures (as of March 2012). At the time, then-Education Minister Rolston Anglin estimated the project would require another $43 million to complete. Mr. Suckoo, meanwhile, has embraced this prover- bial albatross. Acting as the head of the steering com- mittee for the project, he said the new John Gray will be tackled in three phases over the next several years. Mr. Suckoo pledged to avoid the sort of boondoggles that plagued the previous schools project and said the new John Gray project will be pursued according to new regulations for capital projects. So far, Mr. Suckoo is saying all the right things. Our hope is that he now goes on to oversee the progress he says can be delivered. To Mr. Suckoo, we applaud your appointment as chief officer in the Ministry of Education. We, and your country, wish you the greatest success. House should impeach the director of the IRS WASHINGTON – “Look,” wrote Lois Lerner, echoing Horace Greeley, “my view is that Lincoln was our worst president not our best. He should [have] let the [S]outh go. We really do seem to have 2 totally different mindsets.” Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, was referring to Southern secessionist states when he urged President- elect Lincoln to “let the erring sisters go in peace.” Greeley favored sepa- rating the nation from certain mindsets; Lerner favors sup- pressing certain mindsets. At the IRS, she participated in delaying for up to five years – effectively denying – tax ex- empt status for, and hence restricting political activity by, groups with conservative mindsets. She retired after refusing to testify to congres- sional committees, invoking Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination. As the IRS cover-up of its and her malfeasance con- tinues, the Republicans’ new House leaders should ex- ercise this constitutional power: “The House ... shall have the sole power of im- peachment.” The current IRS director, John Koskinen, has earned this attention. The Constitution’s Framers, knowing that executive offi- cers might not monitor them- selves, provided the impeach- ment recourse to bolster the separation of powers. Federal officials can be impeached for dereliction of duty (as in Koskinen’s failure to disclose the disappearance of emails germane to a congressional investigation); for failure to comply (as in Koskinen’s non- compliance with a preserva- tion order pertaining to an in- vestigation); and for breach of trust (as in Koskinen’s refusal to testify accurately and keep promises made to Congress). Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, says the IRS has “lied to Congress,” and “destroyed documents under subpoena.” He accuses Koskinen of “lies, obfuscation and deceit”: “He assured us he would comply with a congres- sional subpoena seeking Lois Lerner’s emails. Not only did he fail to keep that promise, we later learned he did not look in earnest for the information.” After Koskinen com- plained about the high cost in time and money involved in the search, employees at a West Virginia data center told a Treasury Department official that no one asked for backup tapes of Lerner’s emails. Subpoenaed docu- ments, including 422 tapes potentially containing 24,000 Lerner emails, were de- stroyed. For four months, Koskinen kept from Congress information about Lerner’s elusive emails. He testified under oath that he had “con- firmed” that none of the tapes could be recovered. Lerner conducted govern- ment business using private email, and when she was told that the IRS’s instant mes- saging system was not ar- chived, she replied: “Perfect.” Koskinen’s obfuscating testi- monies have impeded investi- gation of unsavory practices, including the IRS’ sharing, potentially in violation of tax privacy laws, up to 1.25 mil- lion pages of confidential tax documents. Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch, which has forced the IRS to disgorge documents, says some “prove that the agency used donor lists to audit supporters of organizations engaged in First Amendment–protected lawful political speech.” In July testimony, Koskinen consistently mischaracterized the Government Accountability Office report on IRS practices pertaining to IRS audits of tax exempt status to groups. He wrongly testified that the report found “no examples of anyone who was improp- erly selected for an audit.” He mischaracterized the report’s criticism of IRS procedures for selecting exempt organi- zations for audits. Contrary to his testimony, the report did not find that “individuals” were “automat- ically” selected for audit. The report did not investigate au- dits of individual taxpayers; it reviewed selection prac- tices for audits of exempt or- ganizations. The report noted, and Koskinen neglected to mention, that the IRS tracks information about high-net- worth individuals. Congress should investigate whether that tracking includes con- tributions to political com- mittees and issue groups and whether the IRS then initi- ates audits of donors. Koskinen has testified that “there’s no evidence that any- body outside the IRS had ... any conversations with [Lerner] about [targeting con- servative groups] or that she even had directives internally.” How could he assert the absence of evidence that he had not sought? He had testi- fied that he had conducted no investigation of the targeting. Even if he, as Koskinen says, did not intentionally mislead Congress, he did not subsequently do his legal duty to correct the record in a timely manner. Even if he has not committed a crime such as perjury, he has a duty higher than merely avoiding criminality. If the House votes to im- peach, the Senate trial will not produce a two-thirds ma- jority needed for conviction: Democrats are not ingrates. Impeachment would, however, test the mainstream media’s ability to continue ignoring this five-year-old scandal, and would demonstrate to dissat- isfied Republican voters that control of Congress can have gratifying consequences. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2015, Washington Post Writers Group Lois Lerner IRS Commissioner John Koskinen testifies before Congress in July 2014. - PhotoS: AP GEORGE F. WILL Lerner conducted government business using private email, and when she was told that the IRS’s instant messaging system was not archived, she replied: “Perfect.” 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”5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Thursday OcTOber 8, 2015 Don’t miss the chance to join over 200 delegates and learn from international and local industry experts about the convergence of the marketing industry’s latest innovations and emerging trends. The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa Register today at www.cimpa.ky SPONSORS GOLD BRONZE EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS 3rd Annual Marketing Conference Brought to you by Innovation The Art of October 13, 2015 Cayman_CIMPA_3rdConf2015_Cayman Compass_HP_10.333x7.8975.pdf 1 9/30/15 12:15 PM Manager turnover plagues Turtle Farm Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com In 2014, the Cayman Turtle Farm had three different people in the post of food and beverage manager, two man- agers for the farm and two people in charge of retail oper- ations over the year, according to minutes from the govern- ment-owned company’s board of directors. Turtle Farm managing di- rector Tim Adam said in an in- terview the Turtle Farm loses 12 to 14 employees per year, on average, through resigna- tions and terminations. That amounts to more than 10 per- cent of the organization’s 90 employees leaving each year. Last year, seven people in senior management positions resigned from the Turtle Farm. “Really competent people who don’t need a work permit are in high demand,” Mr. Adam said, adding, “They get poached.” Mr. Adam said that as of now, only four of the compa- ny’s 90 full-time employees are on work permits. The food and beverage manager job, responsible for the tourism attraction’s restau- rant, had three people in the post in 2014. The first resigned in January. A second was hired in March and started at the end of the month only to re- sign seven months later. The October meeting minutes, re- leased through a Freedom of Information request and sub- sequent appeal, note, “F&B Manager had resigned as he had received an offer at a sig- nificantly higher salary.” The board of directors de- bated outsourcing the position but then hired a third manager in December – though she left the post the following May. The farm manager job, re- sponsible for the meat pro- duction side of the opera- tion, was vacant through 2014 until the beginning of June when a new employee came to Cayman on a work permit. But, the minutes note, the new manager resigned after just a couple of days. The meeting minutes state: “Unfortunately he decided for various rea- sons that the job was not the best fit for him.” June 2014 was when the farm was in the midst of an infection that eventually killed almost 1,300 turtles over four months. That same month, the retail manager also resigned after about three months on the job. The Cayman Compass tried to contact several former managers but had not received any responses as of press time. Argument caught on video One internal staffing issue at the farm came to light this week in a video posted on social media. The video shows a loud argument be- tween Mr. Adam and life- guard manager Christopher Willenborg during a per- sonnel meeting at the begin- ning of the month. The video and docu- ments posted online by Mr. Willenborg point to infighting among managers. Mr. Willenborg declined to comment and instead re- ferred to his online postings to get his version of events on the record. He explained the context of the video in a recent post: “I stood up for an employee being wronged. Instead upper management tried to discipline me for standing up for an abused staff member.” In the video, Mr. Adam re- peatedly tells Mr. Willenborg to “shut up” and to leave the premises after Mr. Willenborg makes accusations about the managing director. Mr. Adam declined to comment on the argument directly, calling it “abuse of the media” for, in his words, a “disgruntled employee” to leak a secret recording from an internal meeting. In a brief phone interview, Mr. Willenborg said he does not plan to return to his job at the Turtle Farm. The Tourism Ministry said in a statement that it is re- viewing the matter. Mr. Adam Bush Backs afghan sEZs Cayman Islands Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush recently promoted the transition of military bases in Afghanistan to Special Economic Zones during a late September trip to Dubai. The one-day confer- ence on Sept. 30, attended by more than 170 delegates, was a step toward stabiliza- tion in war-torn Afghanistan. Mr. Bush met with se- nior U.S. military officials and the special adviser to Afghanistan’s presi- dent during the confer- ence in which he spoke about the economic impact of SEZs on the Cayman Islands’ economy. “I found myself inspired by the conference and its attendees,” Mr. Bush said. “There is a willingness for change and a strong desire for peace.” He added, “To have been invited to attempt to make a contribution, and to offer our experience in the coming times to that coun- try’s economic redevelop- ment is a noble initiative and one that shows that we could have a significant role to play with the interna- tional community because of our specific knowledge.” Mr. Bush said he had met with government and private sector officials, in Europe and the United Arab Emirates, to promote Cayman as an investment and tourism destination. Gulf News reported in late September that the Afghan government signed a memorandum of under- standing with the Chord Group to establish Special Economic Zones as part of the Afghanistan’s eco- nomic development plan. Chairman of the Chord Group, Jason Blick, helped Cayman set up its initial Special Economic Zone, Cayman Enterprise City. U.S. Army Major Gen. Todd Semonite, left, a commanding general of the Afghanistan transition, in Dubai with Cayman’s Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush.THURSDAY, OCT. 8 SALSA FIESTA: George Town Yacht Club. 7 p.m. till late. Adults only. Evening starts with a lesson courtesy of KRI and a dance performance. Tickets are $25 per person and include a raffle ticket with dozens of prizes. Fundraiser for Business and Professional Women’s Club projects. Tickets available from Yacht Club or BPW members. For more information, contact info@BPWGCM.org. CHAMBER COURSE: “Giving Feedback Skills” by Xenia Goddard. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members, $250. Future members, $300. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. 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. SATURDAY, OCT. 10 CUC 800M SWIM: The Cayman Islands Amateur Swimming Association hosts the 27th annual CUC 800- meter Sea Swim. Registration and markings take place at Governors Beach from 3-3:45 p.m. CIASA member cost is $10 for children, $15 for adults. Non-members, children $15, adults $20. The race starts at Governors Beach (not Public Beach). Online registration is available through caymanactive.com. PILATES FOR PINK: 9–11 a.m. at ARC, Camana Bay. Workout from 10 a.m. Registration $25, includes tank top and exercise band. All proceeds to Cayman Islands Cancer Society. 946-6006 or info@energycayman.com. MONDAY, OCT. 12 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: The National Workforce Development agency will have a representative at the North Side Library to assist with job registration. Customer Service workshop offered. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information call 945-3114. CHAMBER COURSE: Basic Grammar and Writing Skills Part 1. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members, $150. Future members, $225. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. LEADERSHIP CAYMAN: Orientation Session 1. 5:30- 6:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Free. Applications for Leadership Cayman accepted until Oct. 30. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. TUESDAY, OCT. 13 BRAC SENIORS: An Island Tour takes place 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. GEO-TOURISM LECTURE: 6 p.m. St. Matthew’s University, Regatta Office Park, first floor lecture hall. Geologist Brian Jones from the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Alberta will explain some of the geological features readily apparent on Grand Cayman. Views from old postcards will be used as a guide. To register, contact education@ nationaltrust.org.ky or 749-1121. Organized by National Trust and Water Authority Cayman. CHAMBER COURSE: “Communicating Effectively” by Terry Carson. Today and tomorrow, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members, $225. Future members, $300. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 14 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: The National Workforce Development Agency will have a representative at the West Bay Library to assist with job registration. Communication Skills workshop offered. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information call 945-3114. LEADERSHIP CAYMAN: Orientation Session 2. 5:30- 6:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Free. Applications for Leadership Cayman accepted until Oct. 30. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. BOOKENDS CLUB: 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Books & Books. Club members meet to review their latest pick, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. All are invited to share insights and impressions in an open discussion. THURSDAY, OCT. 15 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: 5-8 p.m. Seniors will be special guests at the opening of a National Museum exhibition, “60+ and Shining.” SATURDAY, OCT. 17 CULL LIONFISH: Tournament today and tomorrow. The Cayman United Lionfish League (CULL) is calling all cullers. Help solve the lionfish invasion and win cash prizes for most lionfish, biggest lionfish, most overall weight and smallest lionfish. Great Lionfish Cook-off hosted by KARoo. Afterward, at 7 p.m., tournament winners will officially be announced. Registrations can be made on Thursday Oct. 15 at KARoo. For more details and pricing, contact Mark Orr at mark.orr@gov.ky. MONDAY, OCT. 19 SILENT WITNESS MARCH: Business and Professional Women’s Club Grand Cayman hosts the 15th annual Silent Witness March 5:30 p.m. to remember and honor those who have suffered as a result of domestic violence and bullying. Start at the Government Administration Building, along Elgin Avenue toward town, proceed to Edward Street and finish at Celebration Park behind the courthouse. A short ceremony will follow. TUESDAY, OCT. 20 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Eastern District Day takes place at the Bodden Town Civic Centre 5:30-8:30 p.m. BOOK SIGNING: 6 p.m. at Books & Books. Ellen Kanner will sign her book, “Feeding the Hungry Ghost.” This free event includes a presentation and group discussion. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21 FLOETRY: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Books & Books. Join some of Cayman’s poets and performers who share their work during an open mic night of poetry and readings. Share your own work, gain creative inspiration or simply enjoy the show. Free and open to the public. THURSDAY, OCT. 22 POP CONCERT: Triple C School Music Department presents a POP Concert featuring Erica Assai and Yung Fusion. The public is invited. Triple C School Multi-Purpose Hall, 6:30 p.m. Free admission. Refreshments on sale. For more information, contact the school office, 949-6022. BINGO & MINGLE: At Craft F&B. Tickets $15 each. Includes welcome drink and complimentary raffle ticket. Tickets available at Craft or through BPW members. Adults only. Bingo cards sold separately, $5 per card, 5-pack for $20, 15-pack $50. Prizes from Cayman’s best restaurants, hotels, and more. For more information, email info@bpwgcm.org. SATURDAY, OCT. 24 NCVO RADIO/TELETHON: Fundraiser for National Council of Voluntary Organisations, 7 p.m. till midnight at Prospect Playhouse. Live entertainment. Come by or call in to make a donation. To donate, prior to the event contact Janice Wilson at ncvo@ncvo.org.ky or 949-2124. BRAC FESTIVAL: Miss Cayman Brac Festival Queen, 7 p.m., Aston Rutty Civic Centre, Contact bracpiratesweek@gmail.com. SUNDAY, OCT. 25 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: On Little Cayman a church service and luncheon takes place at the Little Cayman Baptist Church at 11 a.m. TUESDAY, OCT. 27 BRAC SENIORS: An Island Tour takes place 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28 BRAC SENIORS: Celebrating Older Persons Month, a social for Brac seniors will be at the Aston Rutty Civic Center 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. THURSDAY, OCT. 29 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: The Seniors Bash takes place at the Westin Casuarina Resort 6:30-10 p.m. FRIDAY, OCT. 30 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Cayman National Cultural Foundation invites seniors to a special performance 8 p.m. at the Harquail Theatre. Limited spaces available. For more information, contact 949-0290. GENERAL INTEREST BUSINESS LICENSING: The Department of Commerce and Investment has extended its Business Licensing Counter hours in Grand Cayman from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays to Fridays, for people to submit trade and business, liquor, tobacco, and Special Economic Zone license applications. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar. 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 OcTOber 8, 2015 • Cayman Compass Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation Announces 2015 Grant Awardee Today, the Board and Members of the Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation remember Estella Scott-Roberts on what would have been her 40th birthday and pause to give God thanks for her life. In continuing Estella’s legacy, as a leader in the area of women and children’s issues and rights in the Cayman Islands. The Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation is pleased to announce this year’s grant awardee, the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre’s Primary Prevention/Education Programme. We congratulate them and applaud their initiative to build awareness of all forms of abuse, and the confidence to take a stand against it, especially amongst our youth. The Estella Scott-Roberts Foundation was established on October 31st, 2008 as a non-profit organization and we are committed to continue the work of our beloved Estella and strive to achieve her dream of gender equality and a life free of violence for all. The main function of the ESRF is to provide funds, in the form of grants, to organizations that work towards achieving its vision. Estella lived a life of service to others, gave of herself freely, and was passionate about her community. Let us all make a personal effort, as she did, to play our part in eradicating gender violence in our community. Visit www.esrfoundation.org.ky for updates on our grant programme and fundraising activities. Let us continue to support Estella’s vision. The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Thursday OcTOber 8, 2015 Honda City $23,900 Call 949-0440 for more information. Car City, Durham Dr. Industrial Park, PO Box 10440 APO, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands Including 3 years licensing, 3 years warranty and 3 years free oil changes. Anti-dredging protest planned JAmes WhittAker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A public demonstration is being planned to protest gov- ernment’s decision to move forward with plans for cruise piers in George Town harbor. Jessica Lopez, one of the organizers, said the aim is to show the level of public op- position to the project. The rally is planned for 3 p.m. on Oct. 17 on the waterfront by Hog Sty Bay. She said protesters will bring placards and signs campaigning against dredging the harbor. “We want to catch govern- ment’s attention and change their mind. We are hoping to get a large turnout. If we could get 1,000 people, that would be great.” Ms. Lopez, a property manager at Grand View Condos, said the idea for the protest came from dis- cussions between concerned citizens, the Save Cayman anti-port group and the Sustainable Cayman group. “After the premier’s an- nouncement, we realized we really need to step our game up and get out there and show them just how many people object to this,” she said. “I think a lot of people are talking about it, but we felt we needed to take action.” She said the protest is being advertised through word of mouth and social media. Just after 1 p.m. Wednesday, 281 people had responded to a Facebook event invite, posted Tuesday night, indicating they would attend. Keith Sahm of Sunset House and Save Cayman said police clearance has been ob- tained for the event. He said the protesters believe a port can be built in a respon- sible way without requiring any dredging. Mr. Sahm added, “Since the premier made his an- nouncement last week, … a lot of people [have] come out of the woodwork that hadn’t really spoken up before be- cause they really didn’t think this was going to happen.” developed, at around age 8. Eye issues caught early can also help kids with reading. Around age 10-12, myopia (nearsightedness) can become more common, making it difficult for chil- dren to read the board in their classrooms, so that is checked too. Lions suggest that reg- ular eye exams are crucial for maintaining good eye- sight and eye health. In addition to ad- dressing needs in the com- munity, the Worldwide Week of Service in Sight project is also an oppor- tunity for the Lions Club of Grand Cayman to sup- port the Lions Clubs International goal of helping 100 million people by its 100th anniver- sary in 2017. Lions Clubs International is the largest service club organization in the world, with 1.4 mil- lion members in 46,000 clubs globally. To learn more about sight, the Lions Club of Grand Cayman or its ser- vice projects, contact pres- ident@lionsclubgcm.ky. The club meets on the first and third Thursdays of each month at the Lions Community Centre. safety of mega-ships and for the industry in general. Prior to that incident, Mr. Scott believes an agree- ment had been reached for what would have been a pilot program for tendering those ships. He said, “They were willing at a time to test it out.” He said it would have been a temporary measure, but some officials believed that if the test was suc- cessful, the cruise line could have been persuaded to tender on an ongoing basis. The emails indicate that Royal Caribbean had given government a wish list, in- cluding premium anchor positions and reductions in tender fees, to help make the agreement happen. A government presen- tation indicates a price tag of just under $700,000 for a new shore-side security building and modifications to the landing area to allow for two-level unloading. Opponents of the dock argue that the pro- posal demonstrates that building new piers is not the only option available to allow mega-ships to come to Cayman. Save Cayman, a group opposing construction of a cruise ship berthing dock in George Town obtained the emails through an open re- cords request. The group says the correspondence provides evidence that ten- dering is logistically pos- sible and that cruise lines could be open to negotiation. Supporters of a new cruise facility say the fact that the plan did not materi- alize and that no cruise ship of that size has ever visited Grand Cayman is powerful proof that Royal Caribbean will not tender the larger vessels – even if it is techni- cally possible. Attracting the mega- ships to Cayman has been put forward as one of the benefits of having cruise piers in George Town harbor. Keith Sahm, general manager of Sunset House and spokesman for Save Cayman, said the negotia- tions showed it was fea- sible to tender the mega- ships, despite claims to the contrary. “What it shows to me,” he said, “is that the ships could have been tendered and coming into Grand Cayman from as far back as 2012. “Obviously this arrange- ment fell through, but it shows that it is possible. I believe if government would stand their ground and protect our island and our crystal-clear waters, an agreement could be reached to tender these ships.” Robert Hamaty, owner of Tortuga Rum Company and a member of the pro-cruise ship dock organization Cayman’s Port, Cayman’s Future, said he was aware that former Premier Bush had been trying to get an agreement to tender the larger ships in 2011 and 2012. “Cruise visits were down and everybody was closing up shop,” Mr. Hamaty said. “It was something that the country really needed, and I understand Mr. Bush was doing whatever he could to encourage those ships to tender here. I don’t know how far it got, but we do know that Royal Caribbean has said tendering these cruise ships is not pas- senger friendly. “They have made their decision. I don’t know of any port where these ships have tendered.” McLaughlin, ended up suing the department. Another, John Bodden, was arrested and charged in connection with a January 2015 hit-and- run accident on the crosswalk of Savannah Primary School. In between those inci- dents, a damning review of the fire service by U.K. con- sultants found, among many other issues, that various firefighting expertise and training opportunities did not exist in the fire service. An effort to recruit a full- time fire chief last year was not successful. According to Ministry of Home Affairs Chief Officer Eric Bush, a shortlist of can- didates has been drawn up in the latest recruitment pro- cess, but interviews have not yet been conducted. Premier Alden McLaughlin is on record as stating he will “not support” the recruit- ment of a non-Caymanian fire chief, despite the fact that government ministers osten- sibly have nothing to do with civil service hiring decisions. Immigration Chief Immigration Officer Linda Evans was suspended with pay in December 2014 in connection with an in- ternal administrative inves- tigation into a number of her activities and decisions during her tenure. Since then, Deputy Chief Immigration Officer Bruce Smith has served as acting head of the department. The Cayman Compass has confirmed from mul- tiple government sources that the suspension is in connec- tion with an investigation into an award of Caymanian status and other administra- tive matters that have been determined not to be crim- inal in nature. Allegations against Ms. Evans have never been made public, and she has declined to discuss the case with the Cayman Compass. The government has not initiated a recruitment pro- cess to replace the suspended chief officer. Education The Department of Education and Ministry of Education until last week had both a chief education officer and ministry chief officer appointed on an acting basis. As of Oct. 1, Christen Suckoo was appointed to the full-time chief officer’s post. Lyneth Monteith was named acting chief education officer in February after the departure of longtime chief educator Shirley Wahler. Independent oversight All three independent gov- ernment “watchdog” offices created under Cayman Islands legislation currently have no permanent leaders. Alastair Swarbrick, the former auditor general, left the islands last week for a job in Paris. A standard recruit- ment process for his position is under way. Both the com- plaints commissioner’s office and the information commis- sioner’s office have had acting leaders since January 2014 and December 2013, respectively. Vague government plans to combine both offices under one “ombudsman” post have delayed the appointment of permanent leadership, the government’s office said last month. Lions help out on World Sight Day CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Key government posts in limbo CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Emails reveal tender plan for mega-ships CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Thursday OcTOber 8, 2015 • Cayman Compass 2 killed in drive-by shooting in Somalia Islamic extremist rebels killed two men, including the president’s nephew, in a drive-by shooting in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, a Somali official said Wednesday. Omega Bay Home – Jump Link Wonderful large family home 4bed/3.5 bath, 4,000 sq ft, you cannot build this house for this price! Huge open oor plan, fenced yard and mature gardens, large patio. CI$477,000 CIREBA MLS 404389 Michael Mighty 329.3532 michael@capitalrealtycayman.com CELEBRATING 10 YEARS WITH 10 GREAT AGENTS! www.capitalrealty.com.ky Nuclear smugglers in Moldova sought extremist buyers Sting operation between FBI and Moldovan investigators foils plot CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) – Over the pulsating beat at an exclu- sive nightclub, the arms smug- gler made his pitch to a client: 2.5 million euros for enough radioactive cesium to contami- nate several city blocks. It was earlier this year, and the two men were plot- ting their deal at an unlikely spot: the terrace of Cocos Prive, a dance club and sushi bar in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. “You can make a dirty bomb, which would be per- fect for the Islamic State,” the smuggler said. “If you have a connection with them, the business will go smoothly.” But the smuggler, Valentin Grossu, was not sure the client was for real – and he was right to worry. The client was an informant, and it took some 20 meet- ings to persuade Grossu that he was an authentic Islamic State representative. Eventually, the two men ex- changed cash for a sample in a sting operation that landed Grossu in jail. Operations to halt smuggling The previously unpubli- cized case is one of at least four attempts in five years in which criminal networks with suspected Russian ties sought to sell radioactive ma- terial to extremists through Moldova, an investigation by The Associated Press has found. One investigation un- covered an attempt to sell bomb-grade uranium to a real buyer from the Middle East, the first known case of its kind. In that operation, wiretaps and interviews with investi- gators show, a middleman for the gang repeatedly ranted with hatred for America as he focused on smuggling the essential material for an atomic bomb and blueprints for a dirty bomb to a Middle Eastern buyer. In wiretaps, videotaped arrests, photographs of bomb-grade material, doc- uments and interviews, AP found that smugglers are ex- plicitly targeting buyers who are enemies of the West. The developments represent the fulfillment of a long-feared scenario in which organized crime gangs are trying to link up with groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaida – both of which have made clear their am- bition to use weapons of mass destruction. The sting operations in- volved a partnership be- tween the FBI and a small group of Moldovan investi- gators, who over five years went from near total igno- rance of the black market to wrapping up four sting oper- ations. Informants and police posing as connected gang- sters penetrated the smug- gling networks, using old- fashioned undercover tactics as well as high-tech gear from radiation detectors to clothing threaded with recording devices. But their successes were undercut by striking short- comings: Kingpins got away, and those arrested evaded long prison sentences, some- times quickly returning to nuclear smuggling, AP found. For strategic reasons, in most of the operations ar- rests were made after sam- ples of nuclear material had been obtained rather than the larger quantities. That means that if smugglers did have access to the bulk of material they offered, it re- mains in criminal hands. Thriving nuclear black market The repeated attempts to peddle radioactive mate- rials signal that a thriving nuclear black market has emerged in an impoverished corner of Eastern Europe on the fringes of the former Soviet Union. “We can expect more of these cases,” said Constantin Malic, one of the Moldovan investigators. “As long as the smugglers think they can make big money without get- ting caught, they will keep doing it.” The FBI and the White House declined to comment. Plutonium for free In 2011, a former KGB informant, Teodor Chetrus, called Malic’s source, a Moldovan businessman. Chetrus told him he had ura- nium to sell, but was looking for a Middle Eastern buyer. Unlike Malic’s first case, this one involved highly en- riched uranium, the type that can be used to make a nu- clear bomb. Smarter and more cau- tious than the members of the previous gang, Chetrus was a bit of a paradox to the investigators. He was educated and well dressed, yet still lived in his dilapi- dated childhood farmhouse in a tiny village on Moldova’s border with Ukraine. In many of the smuggling cases, the ringleaders insu- lated themselves through a complex network of mid- dlemen who negotiated with buyers. In this case, Chetrus was the go-between. But he had his own agenda. Chetrus clung to a Soviet-era hatred of the West, Malic said, repeat- edly ranting about how the Americans should be annihi- lated because of problems he thought they created in the Middle East. “He said multiple times that this substance must have a real buyer from the Islamic states to make a dirty bomb,” Malic said. Chetrus and the infor- mant hammered out a deal to sell bomb-grade uranium to a “buyer in the Middle East” over months of wiretapped phone calls and meetings at Chetrus’s house. The informant would show up with a recording device hidden in a different piece of clothing each time. On the other side of the road would be Malic, disguised as a migrant selling fruit and grains from a van – watching the house for signs of trouble. In one early phone call, the informant pressed Chetrus to find out whether he had ac- cess to plutonium as well as uranium. But Chetrus was suspicious, and insisted that before big quantities of ei- ther substance could be dis- cussed, the buyer had to prove that he was for real and not an undercover agent. Chetrus’s boss decided to sell the uranium in in- stallments, starting with a sample. If the buyers were plants, he reasoned, the po- lice would strike before the bulk of the uranium changed hands – an acceptable risk. “I have to tell you one thing,” Chetrus told the infor- mant in a wiretapped phone call. “Intelligence services never let go of the money.” Eventually they worked out the terms of a deal: Chetrus would sell a 10-gram sample of the uranium for 320,000 euros (US$360,000). The buyer could test it and if he liked what he saw, they could do a kilogram a week at the same rate – an aston- ishing 32 million euros every time until the buyer had the quantity he wanted. Ten ki- lograms of uranium was dis- cussed – about a fifth of what was used over Hiroshima. The two later met in the dirt courtyard of Chetrus’s house to discuss plutonium. The informant had a video camera hidden in his base- ball cap. “For the plutonium,” Chetrus said, “if they prove they are serious people, we will provide the sample for free. You can use a small amount to make a dirty bomb.” “I was afraid to imagine what would happen if one of these scenarios happened one day,” said Malic, who found the video chilling. In this June 27, 2011 photo, Teodor Chetrus is detained by a police officer in Chisinau, Moldova during a uranium-235 sting operation. - Photo: Moldova Police via aP9 WORLD&REGIONAL Cayman Compass • Thursday OcTOber 8, 2015 Cameron lays out vision for five years of reform, growth MANCHESTER, England – Prime Minister David Cameron set out his vi- sion for the next five years as his Conservative Party celebrated winning May’s general election. In a speech to his par- ty’s annual conference in Manchester, northwest England, on Wednesday, Cameron said the Tories need to “tackle some deep social problems” and detailed plans for housing, prisons and edu- cation as he seized on policy areas usually dominated by the opposition Labour Party. While he will not run for pre- mier again in 2020, Cameron has ambitions to change the country, he said. “I am not going to fight an- other election as your leader, so I don’t have the luxury of unlimited time,” Cameron told delegates. “Wages are rising, hope is returning, we’re moving into the light. But we’re not there yet, we’re only halfway through.” The Conservatives are on a mission to create a country of aspiration, security and opportunity, Cameron told delegates after they greeted him with a standing ovation. The prime minister is in a position of political strength having gained an unexpected parliamentary majority in May’s general election and with the opposition Labour Party divided after the elec- tion of hardline socialist Jeremy Corbyn as its leader. “There are plenty of Labour members of Parliament who are not con- vinced of Corbyn’s polit- ical positioning who will be very worried about the prime minister appearing to grab their territory,” Philip Cowley, professor of politics at Nottingham University, said in a telephone interview. The prime minister de- fended his position, unpop- ular with many in his party, of wanting to stay in the European Union when a ref- erendum on membership is held before the end of 2017. He remained vague on his de- mands for the renegotiation of Britain’s terms of mem- bership, now offering just a single red line: the removal of the EU’s commitment to “ever closer union,” at least as far as Britain is concerned. “I have no romantic at- tachment to the European Union and its institutions,” Cameron said. “I’m only in- terested in two things: Britain’s prosperity and Britain’s influence. That’s why I’m going to fight hard in this renegotiation, so we can get a better deal and the best of both worlds.” Cameron singled out housing as an area where he has so far failed to de- liver, with people under 40 struggling to buy homes. By changing requirements for house-builders, he is aiming for 200,000 “starter homes” to be constructed by 2020. “When a generation of hardworking men and women in their 20s and 30s are waking up each morning in their childhood bedrooms, that should be a wake-up call for us,” Cameron said. “We need a national crusade to get homes built. That means banks lending, government releasing land and planning being reformed.” Praising his “iron chan- cellor,” George Osborne, who is the favorite among book- makers to succeed him as prime minister, Cameron warned that the spending re- view due next month would have to deliver further cuts to government budgets. “If anyone thinks the battle on the economy is won, they need to think again,” he told delegates. “The battle has only just begun. We still need to find savings and pro- duce more; still need to be- come more competitive; still need to make the most of our entire country.” The prime minister launched a broadside against Corbyn, which brought the biggest ovation of the speech. “Thousands of words have been written about the new Labour leader, but you only really need to know one thing: he thinks the death of Osama bin Laden was a tragedy,” Cameron said. “We cannot let that man inflict his security- threatening, terrorist-sympa- thizing, Britain-hating ide- ology on the country we love.” Cameron said he wants his party’s time in office be- tween 2010 and 2020 to be “the turnaround decade – one which people will look back on and say: ‘that’s when the tide turned, when people no longer felt the current going against them, but working with them.” © 2015, Bloomberg News Prime Minister David Cameron delivers his speech on Wednesday, the closing day of the Conservative Party’s annual conference in Manchester, England. - Photo: BloomBerg News/simoN DawsoN taiwaN ruliNg Party coNsiDers DumPiNg PresiDeNtial caNDiDate TAIPEI – Taiwan’s ruling party may take the un- precedented step of re- placing its presidential nominee three months be- fore election day as it tries to reverse a 25 percentage point lead by the main op- position candidate. The Kuomintang party will hold an extraordinary congress to “strengthen the party’s consensus,” it said Wednesday in an emailed statement, without being more specific. The meeting will determine whether lawmaker Hung Hsiu-chu should be replaced as the nominee by party Chairman Eric Chu, the Taipei-based Apple Daily reported. Hung’s popularity has been damaged by per- ceptions she supports closer ties with main- land China than most people in Taiwan. If Chu replaces Hung, he may struggle to close the gap given lingering dissat- isfaction with outgoing President Ma Ying- jeou’s administration. “Everyone is quite shocked by this event,” said Joanna Lei, chief exec- utive of the Chunghua 21st Century Think Tank and an adviser to the Kuomintang presidential candidates in 2004 and 2008. “Lots of people believe that while there may be practical con- siderations, the act itself shows chaotic party poli- tics and will be a disap- pointment to the public.” The special congress is likely to be held either Oct. 17 or 24, Apple Daily re- ported, citing unidentified KMT officials. Some 21 percent of 1,130 respondents to a TVBS poll conducted this month supported Hung, compared with 46 per- cent for her main rival, Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party, the cable network said Tuesday. KMT legis- lators up for election have been concerned with the impact of Hung’s candi- dacy on their own races, Chu said in comments carried on Sanlih E- Television Wednesday. © 2015, Bloomberg News Afghanistan says troops hold Kunduz square, calm returning KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – Afghan troops have regained control of the main square in Kunduz, a strategic northern city briefly seized by Taliban insurgents last week that has been the scene of in- tense fighting, officials said Wednesday. During the fight to re- take the city, a U.S. airstrike destroyed a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders on Saturday, killing at least 22 people. The international charity on Wednesday called for a fact-finding mission to de- termine whether the strike vio- lated the Geneva Conventions. A spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani said some “scattered elements of the enemy” remain in resi- dential areas of Kunduz as operations continue to clear the Taliban from the city. “Afghan forces have con- trol of Kunduz city, however some scattered elements of the enemy are still hiding in the residential areas in- side people’s houses,” deputy spokesman Zafar Hashemi said. “This could at times slow down the speed of our military operations as we put the utmost effort into not harming civilians.” He added that Ghani has ordered the continuation of operations to “fully clean the city, province and the en- tire northeastern region of terrorist groups.” Taliban fighters seized control of Kunduz city, capital of the province of the same name, for three days last week. After sealing the city and mining roads, they looted and burned government buildings and businesses, and harassed journalists and human rights workers. The government launched its counter-offensive on Thursday, and troops have since fought intermittent run- ning battles with insurgents, who have launched attacks on security forces from the rural outskirts of the city, officials and residents have said. Sarwar Hussaini, the spokesman for the Kunduz provincial police chief, said Wednesday the government had regained control of the main square, which had traded hands several times, with each side tearing down the other’s flag and hoisting its own. “The national flag is flying over the main square, shops have re-opened and life is returning to normal,” he said, adding that main roads running east and south have opened and traffic is starting to flow. Qamirudin Sediqi, an ad- viser to the Public Health Minister, said medicines were being shipped into the air- port aboard military flights. “There is great coordination between the public health and defense ministries in sending medical equipment, doctors and medicine to Kunduz,” he said. Emergency relief supplies of food and medicines had not been able to reach the city until Wednesday, leading to dire shortages, residents and medical officials said. Authorities Wednesday had no precise casualty fig- ures, though the number of dead and wounded is believed to be in the hundreds. Sediqi said local hospitals had re- ceived around 60 bodies so far, with about 800 wounded since the fighting began with the Taliban assault of Sept. 28. The security situation re- mains fluid, with fighting on the outskirts of the city in recent days. Residents said militants have regrouped in the Chahar Dara district to the west, where they have been present for months. Bilal Ahmad, a grocer, said he hesitated to open his shop because of the tenuous sit- uation. He said tanks have moved into the main square. Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, meanwhile called for the first-ever fact-finding mission to be launched under the Geneva Conventions. MSF’s international presi- dent, Joanne Liu, told reporters in Geneva that the strike “was not just an attack on our hos- pital, it was an attack on the Geneva Conventions. This cannot be tolerated.” Liu said MSF is “working on the assumption of a pos- sible war crime,” but said the group’s real goal is to estab- lish facts about the incident and the chain of command, and clear up the rules of op- eration for all humanitarian organizations that work in conflict zones. The president’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John F. Campbell, said Tuesday that the strike was a mistake, and investigations are under way.Next >