Premier McLaughlin, Publisher Legge issue joint statement Government advertising in the Cayman Compass and other Pinnacle Media affi liates will resume immediately. Joint Statement Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin and Cayman Compass Publisher David R. Legge are pleased to announce they have come to an ac- commodation regarding the recent diffi culties between the government and the newspaper. For background, the Compass on June 3, 2015, published an edi- torial entitled “Corruption: An in- sidious, creeping crime.” Many Cay- manians, including Mr. McLaughlin, took offense to the editorial, sug- gesting it accused “all Caymanians” of being corrupt. On June 5, 2015, Mr. McLaughlin addressed the full house in the Legis- lative Assembly, condemning the edi- torial and labeling it a “treasonous act” of the newspaper. Subsequently, the House voted to withdraw all ad- vertising from the Compass and other publications owned by the newspaper’s parent company, Pin- nacle Media Ltd. Facilitated by input from Gov- ernor Helen Kilpatrick and Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, both Mr. McLaughlin and Mr. Legge have met and, in fact, have reached agreement on important issues, including: First, that Cayman must continue to adopt a “zero-tolerance” toward corruption, and that the newspaper plays an important role – often times through investigative reporting – in identifying and bringing to the at- tention of its readers corrupt activity wherever it exists. Second, the importance of free speech and a free and responsible press in Cayman is sacrosanct. It is guaranteed by the 2009 Constitution and enshrined in the Bill of Rights. Indeed, the Government reaffi rms its unconditional support for a free and responsible press consistent with the ideals of a democratic society. Mr. Legge wanted to take this op- portunity to share with the Cayman community that it was neither the in- tention, nor the precise language in the editorial, to claim that “all Cayma- nians” were corrupt. Quite the contrary. Mr. Legge and his wife Vicki, who share the duties of co-publishers of the Cayman Com- pass, have resided in the Cayman Is- lands for more than 25 years. They themselves are Caymanian, having received the grant of Caymanian status in 2003. The Legges said jointly, “The Cayman Islands have been our home for much of our lives, and the most wonderful years of our lives have been spent here. The issue has been raised as to whether we consider these is- lands ‘safe and secure.’ Of course we do. Cayman’s greatest asset (in addi- tion to its natural beauty) is that it is one of the safest venues for residents and tourists alike. “The more narrow point – but one that must be taken seriously – is that journalists throughout the world fre- quently receive threats – some more credible than others – and Cayman is not immune from these incidents. How- ever, they do not refl ect on the overall safety and tranquility of these islands nor on the character of its people.” Mr. Legge added, “Certainly the language of the June 3 editorial could have been more sensitive and more precise. While the editorial never stated that ‘all Caymanians were cor- rupt’ – such a statement is statisti- cally impossible and patently absurd – I have no reluctance to disassociate myself from either that thought or those words.” Mr. McLaughlin agreed the time had come to “lower the temperature” and put this matter to rest. He ac- knowledged that he and Mr. Legge had met several times both before and after the publication of the June 3 ed- itorial with the aim of establishing better communications and relations. “Mr. Legge and I recognize that a free press and a duly elected govern- ment have very different – but very necessary – roles to play in a demo- cratic society. Because of those differ- ences, tensions are expected and may at times run high. “Nevertheless, we have agreed to lessen those tensions to the de- gree possible through expanding our communications and holding periodic meetings.” Regarding the cessation of Govern- ment advertising in the Cayman Com- pass, Mr. McLaughlin said, “Having consulted with the Attorney Gen- eral as to the status of the resolution passed by the Legislative Assembly I am confi dent that the issue can be re- solved without further recourse to the Legislative Assembly. “For that reason, and our desire to move forward in a positive way, the resolution adopted by the House on June 8, 2015, which banned such advertising will be considered as no longer effective or applicable. Ac- cordingly the Government confi rms that after consultation with the Deputy Governor all Chief Offi cers have been advised that there should be an immediate and unconditional resumption of the commercial busi- ness relationships that existed with the Cayman Compass and its affi li- ates prior to June 8, 2015, including the resumption of advertising and other commercial activities with gov- ernment ministries, portfolios, de- partments, statutory authorities and government owned companies. “Both Mr. Legge and I wish to thank Governor Helen Kilpatrick and Deputy Governor Franz Manderson for their participation in bringing this matter to a satisfactory resolution.” Premier Alden McLaughlinCo-Publishers David R. Legge and Vicki L. Legge ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER, 20152 LOCAL&REGIONAL Friday OctOber 23, 2015 • Cayman Compass 345-945-4411 info@cirealty.ky caymanislandsrealty.com East End Development Parcel 0.76acre, 220ft of beachfront Zoned Beach Resort / Residential US$499,000 Member CIREBA MLS#402703 BEACHFRONT ! Harpist Extraordinaire Eugenio Leon Serenades Tableside Tonight Friday! Tonight! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm Drink Specials Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm ‘Booooogie Nights’ Last Friday Of The Month Is Almost Here! 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Luis Felipe Puente, Mexico’s civil defense co- ordinator, said schools would be closed Friday in Colima state. “We are calm,” said Gabriel Lopez, a worker at Las Hadas Hotel in Manzanillo. “We don’t know what direction [the storm] will take, but ap- parently it’s headed this way. … If there is an emer- gency we will take care of the people.” The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami warned that prepara- tions should be rushed to completion, saying the storm could cause coastal flooding and flash floods. “This is an extremely dangerous, potentially cata- strophic hurricane,” center meteorologist Dennis Feltgen said. Luz Adriana Limon Rojas of Colima state’s civil defense agency said the area has problems with drainage during storms. “The neighborhood leaders have come for sacks to fill with sand,” she said. The neighboring state of Jalisco activated an emergency protocol, and Mexico’s National Water Commission recommended that small craft avoid the waters of the area. Patricia’s maximum sustained winds had in- creased to 130 mph (215 kph) by midafternoon Thursday and forecasters said it could grow even stronger before slamming into land. The projected track would carry it on- shore between Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta. Police briefs Police officer hurt in collision An off-duty Royal Cayman Islands Police of- ficer was injured following a vehicle collision in Lower Valley Wednesday night. According to police, the officer was on a motor- cycle – his private vehicle – which collided with a car near the intersection of Shamrock Road and Will T. Drive in Bodden Town just before 8 p.m. The officer was hos- pitalized for injuries to his ankles. Courts arrest A man who police said tried to go through security at the George Town courthouse with ganja in his possession was arrested late Wednesday morning. The 21-year-old George Town resident was ar- rested at the courts building on suspicion of possessing and consuming a controlled substance. Police said the man was visiting the courthouse at the time and was arrested in the lobby at the security screening station. He was released on police bail later that day. Food on show Five not-guilty pleas in billionaire bribery case (AP) – A former presi- dent of the U.N. General Assembly, another diplomat and a Chinese billionaire were among five defendants who pleaded not guilty Thursday in a bribery case that has in- vited scrutiny of the world body’s operations. The pleas in Manhattan federal court came as each de- fendant stood in a jury box, their hands handcuffed in front of them. Afterward, a judge re- fused the government’s attempt to revoke $50 million bail for Ng Lap Seng, the wealthy man whose money is at the center of the bribery scandal. Prosecutors say Ng fun- neled over $1 million in bribes to John Ashe, 61, a former U.N. ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda who served as presi- dent of the General Assembly for one year until a year ago. They say Ng was seeking to influence Ashe, who faces tax charges, to pressure other diplomats into supporting a major U.N. conference center in Macau, where Ng lives. Bribery and money laun- dering charges have been lodged against Ng and Francis Lorenzo, a suspended ambas- sador to the United Nations from the Dominican Republic. Lawyers for the men have promised a vigorous defense. After the pleas were entered Thursday, U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick rejected Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Richenthal’s request to revoke bail for Ng that had been set by a magistrate judge last week. Broderick did, however, toughen conditions under which Ng can remain in a Manhattan apartment under guard. He’s limiting who Ng sees, how he communi- cates by phone and computer and is requiring him to pro- vide information to the U.S. government about his fleet of private aircraft. The annual island supply food show took place Wednesday and Thursday at the Westin resort. Products including food, spices, wine, spirits, small appliances, dishware and other industry items were on display, with plenty of free samples. Pictured here at the freshpoint booth, which had a variety of cheeses, fruits and mushrooms, are, from left, Antonio de Pedro-love and stefan byles. – PHoto: alan MarkoffThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Friday OctOber 23, 2015 5024 | FLOW | CAYSHOP | FULL PG AD | CMYK | 10.33 x 15.97 | 22ND OCT 2015 say hello to Flow TV at CayShop discoverflow.ky This is how we Flow The Arc at Camana Bay 12:00pm - 6:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm Friday October 30th Saturday October 31st We’re giving you the chance to be among the first to experience Flow TV. Catch our team for exclusive demos, and turn-on to the Flow TV experience when you visit the Flow booth at CayShop.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. 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” Friday OCTOber 23, 2015 • Cayman COmpass The Cayman Turtle Farm — government’s hybrid livestock/tourist facility on Northwest Point Road — presents a complex issue that raises disparate ques- tions concerning Caymanian culture, public spending, employment, environmental conservation and animal cruelty. The answer, however, is simple: Shut it down. The latest report on the Turtle Farm, produced by researchers in collaboration with various groups and environmental officials from Cayman and the U.K., provides interesting details on local attitudes and behaviors surrounding the consumption of turtle meat in Cayman. Unsurprisingly, the more “local” a person is, the more likely he or she is to have eaten turtle in the past year — for example, 30 percent of residents, 53 percent of registered voters, and 62 percent of people with a Caymanian grandparent. Also unsurprisingly, researchers found that a relative handful of people persist in purchasing “wild” (i.e. “illegally poached”) turtle meat despite the Turtle Farm’s output, and a lot more people say they would purchase more “wild” turtle if the Turtle Farm were shuttered. Turtle is, of course, Cayman’s “national dish.” It harkens back to our country’s past, and for many resi- dents, turtle forms an integral part of family gather- ings on special occasions. In other words, Caymanians don’t just like turtle meat … They love it. Don’t misunderstand us: We believe that eating turtle is a Caymanian right, bequeathed by heritage, and we have little patience for condemnatory preaching by self-styled conservationists and outside interest groups. That being said, if sufficient demand for turtle meat exists, that demand should be met by the private sector, not the public sector. As far as poaching is con- cerned, it is government’s responsibility to enforce its laws — or change them. Our reasons for shuttering the Turtle Farm are not primarily environmental — though we do cringe at the thought of the thousands of tourists who congregate at the facility to witness the turtles’ crowded condi- tions of captivity — but economic. The government should not be running businesses in general, and particularly not an entity that requires a subsidy of more than $10 million per year, and whose primary product is a local comfort food, with a healthy side order of international outrage. We should take a moment to share a good word about a good man, Tim Adam, who serves as managing director of the facility. No one can fault Mr. Adam for the ongoing woes of the facility. After a dis- tinguished career heading up Cable and Wireless, Mr. Adam took on what has turned out to be an impos- sible assignment at the Turtle Farm. No one — not even Mr. Adam — can fix this financial mess. Closing the facility would not only save millions of dollars per year, but also free up Mr. Adam for a more meaningful assignment in government, if he were willing to continue to serve. As some have suggested, splitting the tourism and farm operations might have merit, but those ideas are best pursued by the private sector, not the taxpaying public. Given the reputational damage the Turtle Farm is engendering and Cayman’s scarcity of public resources for even the most essential services, the Turtle Farm is an indulgence that the country simply can no longer afford. Turtle Farm: Time to end the shell game Finding our place in the vast universe BALTIMORE – Twinkling stars are pretty but, for as- tronomers, problematic. Twinkles are caused by the interference of Earth’s atmo- sphere with light radiating throughout the breathtak- ingly beautiful and unimag- inably violent universe. In 1990, however, the Hubble telescope went into orbit 370 miles above Earth, be- yond the atmospheric filter, peering perhaps 12 billion years into the past, almost to the Big Bang of 13.7 billion years ago. It has seen interesting things, including HD 189733b, a planet about 63 light-years (370 trillion miles) away, where winds exceed 4,000 mph and it rains molten glass. As Hubble nears the end of its life, its much more capable successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, named after a former NASA admin- istrator, is being developed at Johns Hopkins University. The campus has several history departments. Some study humanity’s achieve- ments during its existence, which has been barely a blink in cosmic time. Other histo- rians – the scientists and en- gineers of the Space Telescope Science Institute – study the origins of everything in order to understand humanity’s or- igins. In 2018, Webb will be situated 940,000 miles from Earth, orbiting the sun in tandem with Earth, to con- tinue investigating our place in the universe. Our wee solar system is an infinitesimally small smudge among uncount- able billions of galaxies, each with uncountable billions of stars. Our Milky Way galaxy, where we live, probably has 40 billion planets approxi- mately Earth’s size. Looking at the sky through a drinking straw, the spot you see con- tains 10,000 galaxies. Yet the cosmos is not crowded: If there were just three bees in America, the air would be more congested with bees than space is with stars. Matter, however, is not all that matters. America’s manned moon expeditions ended in 1972, but modern cosmology began with the 1965 discovery that the universe is permeated with background radiation. This, like everything else, is a residue of the Big Bang that, in a hundredth of a bil- lionth of a trillionth of a tril- lionth of a second, set stuff – some of it now congealed into galaxies – flying apart. The recipe for our biophilic (friendly to life) planet was cooked in the universe’s first one-hundredth of a second, at a temperature of a hun- dred-thousand-million de- grees centigrade. Einstein’s theory that space is curved by gravity requires a non- static universe, expanding or contracting. With a light- gathering mirror seven times larger than Hubble’s, and operating in tempera- tures of minus 388 degrees Fahrenheit, Webb will gather extraordinarily faint light that has been traveling for billions of years since the Big Bang. With Webb looking back in time to a few hun- dred million years after the explosion, scientists will an- alyze light for clues con- cerning the earliest forma- tion of stars, planets, galaxies and us. Hubble, which is the size of a school bus, supplies data for more than one-fifth of all scholarly astronomy papers. Webb, which will be the size of a tennis court, will ad- vance knowledge about this stupendous improbability: How did material complexity, then single-cell life, then an- imals and consciousness emerge from chaos? Webb will not shed light on two interesting questions: How many universes are there? Is everything the re- sult of a meaningless cosmic sneeze, or of an intentional First Cause? Webb will, how- ever, express our species’ dig- nity as curious creatures. Since Copernicus’s great impertinence – displacing Earth and its passengers from the center of the universe – we have learned that “center” is senseless in an expanding universe that has no edge and where space and time are warped. Our solar system is not even the center of our galaxy. We know neither the conditions when, 4 billion years ago, Earth became home for life, nor the processes that ignited life. But half of the 200 billion stars just in our Milky Way have planetary systems, so a basic question of religion – Where did we come from? – leads to another: Are we – carbon- and water-based, oxygen- breathing creatures – alone? Earth revolves around our expiring sun, which is scheduled to burn out in just 5 billion years. At about that time, our Milky Way will collide with the neigh- boring Andromeda galaxy. This is not apt to end well. Meanwhile, however, the sci- entist-historians here will try to tickle from the cosmos in- formation for its own sake. Space exploration began from Cold War imperatives, producing rocketry, intelli- gence satellites and national prestige. Webb, which only America could make happen, does not contribute to the nation’s defense, but, as its creators say with justifiable pride, it makes the nation all the more worth defending. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2015, Washington Post Writers Group Webb will not shed light on two interesting questions: How many universes are there? Is everything the result of a meaningless cosmic sneeze, or of an intentional First Cause? Webb will, however, express our species’ dignity as curious creatures. GEORGE F. WILLThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Cayman Compass • Friday OctOber 23, 2015 6 LOCAL NEWS Friday OctOber 23, 2015 • Cayman Compass Liquor license holders get extended ‘grace period’ Brent FuLLer bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands liquor license holders who do not currently own or operate a liquor-related busi- ness will now get up to five years to retain those licenses, during which time they can apply for a business license. Long-discussed amendments to the Liquor Licensing Law that require all liquor license holders to obtain a trade and business li- cense or to return their liquor li- censes to government were ap- proved Wednesday by Legislative Assembly members. However, the previous “grace period” prior to the return of those non-op- erational liquor licenses in the amendment bill had been set until Sept. 30, 2016. Last-minute changes approved Wednesday pushed that date back to Sept. 30, 2020. That means the 60 or so non-operational li- quor licenses currently held in the Cayman Islands will not have to be turned in to government for up to another five years if the licenses are not used in connection with an operational business. Commerce Minister Wayne Panton, who has often decried the situation in Cayman where unused liquor licenses are sold or rented out on an unregulated “black market,” said the five-year “grace period” was set so as not to disad- vantage local liquor license holders who may need some time to set up their own businesses, if it is their intention to do so. Premier Alden McLaughlin said he was contacted in recent days by local liquor license holders who were worried that the legal changes might devalue their investments in their liquor licenses. “The concern … expressed by at least three individuals is that the law will continue to impose a mor- atorium,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “If they lose their license and the mor- atorium is re-imposed, they will be at a disadvantage.” East End MLA Arden McLean wondered why government would impose a moratorium on liquor li- censes under the new regime the amendment law will create. “If you don’t have the morato- rium and they don’t get their busi- ness in order, they can always go back when they apply for their business license,” Mr. McLean said. Rather than continuing a mor- atorium on liquor licenses that is then lifted at various times for spe- cific periods, the new law removes the requirement to lift the morato- rium in order to grant new licenses. Any liquor license moratorium that is put in place must be approved by Cabinet and will be fixed for a spe- cific period. After any such period the moratorium would be automat- ically lifted. In addition, under the revamped legislation, if someone sells liquor without having a valid trade and business license, they can be fined up to $10,000 upon conviction. Mr. Panton said the legisla- tion should assist any legitimate Caymanian business ventures that heretofore have been prevented from opening a liquor licensed business because they could not get a license or could not afford to buy one on the black market. Liquor board The amendments will change the makeup of the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman, and to a lesser extent, the board of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. If the legislation is approved, the Grand Cayman board will have 10 members instead of five. Seven of the 10 members, in- cluding the chairman and deputy chairman, will come from the pri- vate sector. The remaining mem- bers will be representatives from the Department of Commerce and Investment, the Department of Planning and the Director of Environmental Health. Requirements that the chair of the liquor board be either a magis- trate or a justice of the peace have been removed from the law. The Cayman Brac–Little Cayman board will go from five to eight members, adding three government representatives. Board meetings will remain open to the public, but the amend- ment bill also makes it possible for board members to attend via teleconference. Opening hours Another significant change in the amendment bill ends the require- ment for liquor licensed premises to stay open for the entirety of their li- censed operating hours. Now, if a local bar or liquor store is having a “slow night” and wants to close early, it must stay open until the closing time prescribed by its license. The revised legislation allows the premises to be open “at any time during the permitted hours.” The 60 or so non- operational liquor licenses currently held in the Cayman Islands will not have to be turned in to government for up to another five years if the licenses are not used in connection with an operational business. Mr. PantonThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Cayman Compass • Friday OctOber 23, 2015 179516_PRINT-6colx16-RWC-Winner.Page 1 10/21/15 3:03:55 PM8 LOCAL NEWS Friday OctOber 23, 2015 • Cayman Compass Fines for non- compliance set at $250,000 Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands law- makers Wednesday unan- imously approved a bill that seeks to force fuel im- porters to reveal their pricing structure for gasoline and diesel fuel shipped to the is- lands, massively increasing fines for noncompliance in the process. The changes to laws gov- erning the handling and storage of dangerous sub- stances, including fuel, re- quire all importers to provide detailed information upon re- quest to the Cayman Islands Petroleum Inspectorate. Fines for noncompli- ance initially had been set at $20,000 per in- stance. In amendments to the Dangerous Substances Handling and Storage (Amendment) Bill, 2015, the fines were increased to $250,000 per instance of noncompliance. Planning Minister Kurt Tibbetts warned last week that the Cayman Islands’ two large fuel importers, Sol Petroleum and Rubis, would not be the only en- tities caught up in the pricing regulation. “Once we know what it’s costing [the importers], … then we’ll know [the retailers’ mark-up] and if it comes to that point, we will be in a po- sition to say to the retailers ‘hold on a minute, you’re making too much now,’” Mr. Tibbetts said. “If [the im- porters] so choose to up and leave all the infrastructure that they have here … go. They have alluded to that by way of a sideways threat. “I had meetings with them until I was sick of having meetings with them. I spoke to the then-country man- agers and whoever else they brought down, all kinds of foreign language people dressed in suits. Every single time, some of them couldn’t even talk English good enough to say the word pro- prietary … but you knew what they meant.” Historically, fuel com- panies Esso and Chevron- Texaco, and more recently operators Sol Petroleum and Rubis, have refused to re- lease the kind of data that would be required by pro- posed amendments to the Dangerous Substances Handling and Storage Bill, saying it is proprietary com- mercial information. Changes to the legislation were approved Wednesday in a 15-0 vote of the Legislative Assembly. Two mem- bers were absent. According to the Dangerous Substances Handling and Storage (Amendment) Bill, 2015: “The chief petroleum in- spector shall … collect from importers, and compile, ana- lyze and abstract, informa- tion on fuel prices and pricing methods and provide such in- formation to the minister.” The minister in question would be the elected official in charge of the petroleum inspectorate. Currently that is Mr. Tibbetts. At the request of the pe- troleum inspector, the im- porter is required to provide information on the price of all fuel imported and sold and the “pricing methods” used by the importer in the sale of fuel to retail operators and consumers. Those costs can include: initial costs, cost of freight, insurance and bro- kerage fees, customs duties, estimates of fuel in stock, and the amount and type of fuel to be imported in the next shipment. In addition to the fine, the bill would allow government to sue the importers to force them to provide the informa- tion required. The legislation does not require that the in- formation be made available to the general public. Mr. Tibbetts said in August that government reg- ulators must have a clear idea of what the companies are charging local retailers for fuel before they can make any assumptions about “fair” prices at the pump. In addi- tion, Mr. Tibbetts said regu- lators must have that data to determine whether Cayman’s two petroleum distributors are actually in competition with one another. “If it is determined that the market is not competi- tive, as I suspect it will be, then the government will promote and ensure effective competition,” Mr. Tibbetts said. “If these measures fail to ignite price competition amongst the participants … then the government’s next step will be outright market price regulation.” Price control legisla- tion for retail gasoline and diesel fuel is something pe- troleum distributors have long warned the government against, stating that it could lead to fuel shortages in the local market. In January, Alan Neesome of Sol Petroleum urged the government to re- consider taking such a step. “In a regulated market, the regulator [government] must guarantee a reason- able return to the regu- lated industry,” Mr. Neesome said. “Sol shares the govern- ment’s objective of making fuels available at competitive prices, and the current free market in Grand Cayman is undoubtedly accomplishing this objective. Pump pricing here overall [has] decreased substantially, in line with in- ternational pricing, whereas prices in other jurisdictions in our region, especially those with regulations, are in many cases higher when compared to the equivalent price per imperial gallon for the same product.” Fuel safety The amended law also creates a new government body and specific rules for incident reporting when a fuel spill or other hazardous chemicals incident occurs. Mr. Tibbetts said these amendments were largely driven by two fuel spills over the weekend on Grand Cayman that apparently were not initially reported to authorities. The amendments to the dangerous substances bill approved Wednesday would levy fines of up to $10,000 and potential jail terms for those guilty of not reporting a petroleum spill or other chemical product. “[This is] to ensure that everybody understands their responsibility to report these incidents,” Mr. Tibbetts said. The amendments also create a five-member Fuel Standards Committee to carry out the new man- dates created under the law. The committee, to be chaired by the chief pe- troleum inspector, will in- clude directors of the Department of Environment, the Department of Environmental Health and the Water Authority-Cayman. An officer in the Ministry of Planning will be appointed as committee secretary. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Derrick Neville Campbell, affectionately known as “Elder Campbell” of George Town, who passed away on Sunday October 11, 2015 A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at the George Town Wesleyan Holiness Church, 174 Anthony Drive, Windsor Park on Saturday October 24, 2015 at 1:00pm. Viewing from 11:00am until 12:45pm. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Derrick Neville Campbell, affectionately known as “Elder Campbell” of George Town, who passed away on Sunday October 11, 2015 A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at the George Town Wesleyan Holiness Church, 174 Anthony Drive, Windsor Park on Saturday October 24, 2015 at 1:00pm. Viewing from 11:00am until 12:45pm. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at Condolences can be registered at Cchurchillsfuneralhome.com Town Wesleyan Holiness Church, 174 Anthony Drive, Windsor Park on Saturday October 24, 2015 at 1:00pm. Town Wesleyan Holiness Church, 174 Anthony Drive, Windsor Park on Saturday October 24, 2015 at 1:00pm. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Dennis Aguirre Javier who passed away on Saturday, October 17, 2015 Mr. Javier will be repatriated to the Philippines. A viewing will be held on Monday, October 26, 2015 at Churchill’s Funeral Home, Eastern Ave. from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Condolences can be registered at www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Dennis Aguirre Javier who passed away on Saturday, October 17, 2015 Mr. Javier will be repatriated to the Philippines. A viewing will be held on Monday, October 26, 2015 at Churchill’s Funeral Home, Eastern Ave. from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Condolences can be registered at www.churchillsfuneralhome.comCondolences can be registered at www.churchillsfuneralhome.comCondolences can be registered at at Churchill’s Funeral Home, Eastern Ave. from We have been asked to announce the passing of A viewing will be held on Monday, October 26, 2015 at Churchill’s Funeral Home, Eastern Ave. from We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Phebe M. Ebanks who passed away on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at Wesleyan Holiness Church, West Bay at 3:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Interment to follow at Boatswain Bay Cemetery In lieu of owers donations can be made to C.I HospiceCare Condolences can be registered at www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Phebe M. Ebanks who passed away on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at Wesleyan Holiness Church, West Bay at 3:00 p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Interment to follow at Boatswain Bay Cemetery In lieu of owers donations can be made to C.I HospiceCare Condolences can be registered at www.churchillsfuneralhome.com Condolences can be registered at We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Edward Winston Myles affectionately known as “The Peppermint Man ” on Saturday October 17th, 2015. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Edward Winston Myles affectionately known as “The Peppermint Man ” on Saturday October 17th, 2015. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Eric Keith Burke affectionately known as “Peter” who passed away on Friday, October 9, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, October 25, at Kings Seventh Day Adventist Church, Walkers Rd., G.T. (behind Cayman Academy School) at 2:00p.m. Viewing from 1:00 to 1:45p.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. In lieu of owers, donations can be made at the church service to C.I. Hospice Care. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Eric Keith Burke affectionately known as “Peter” who passed away on Friday, October 9, 2015. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, October 25, at Kings Seventh Day Adventist Church, Walkers Rd., G.T. (behind Cayman Academy School) at 2:00p.m. Viewing from 1:00 to 1:45p.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. In lieu of owers, donations can be made at the church service to C.I. Hospice Care. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com Condolences can be registered at We have been asked to announce the passing of October 25, at Kings Seventh Day Adventist Church, Walkers Rd., G.T. (behind Cayman Academy School) donations can be made at the church service to C.I. Hospice Care. We have been asked to announce the passing of A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, October 25, at Kings Seventh Day Adventist Church, Walkers Rd., G.T. (behind Cayman Academy School) We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Dawn Laurel Lena Mellad affectionately known as “Dawn”, A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, November 1, 2015 at Savannah Seventh Day Adventist Church (next to Savannah Primary School) at 3:00 p.m Viewing will be from 2:00 to 2:45 p.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. Transportation will be provided for residents in George Town. If you require transportation, please call Sonia 927-8299 by Wednesday, Oct. 28 Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com Condolences can be registered boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. We regret to announce the passing of Marjorie Louise Hurlstone Who departed this life on Monday 19th October 2015. A funeral service will be held at Bodden Funeral Service, 117 Walkers Road, George Town Saturday 24th October 2015 at 10:00 am. Interment will follow in Watler Family Cemetery, Old Prospect Point Rd. lawmakers vote for mandatory fuel import price reveal Under new legislation, fuel suppliers in Cayman will now face large fines if they do not reveal the price structure of the fuels they import. - Photo: taneos RamsayThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Friday OctOber 23, 2015 QUICKBOOKS BOOKKEEPING Teachus and UFS have teamed up to help you with all your Quickbooks and general bookkeeping needs. Do you know how well your business is doing? Frustrated with your nancial statements, setting up budgets or even worse, you don’t even have an accounting system in place? We o er a complete bookkeeping service from setting up Quickbooks to putting nancial procedures in place, as well as doing your postings, paying invoices, payroll, job costings, monthly reconciliations and producing nancial statements - all at a fraction of the cost of an employee. Onsite or o site, choose the time and day you want us and how often - once a week, once a month, it’s up to you. Want to do it yourself, let us come in and train you. Call us on 926 4850 or email teachus@candw.ky. Police chief denies Bush conspiracy James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Commissioner of Police David Baines has denied being involved in any con- spiracy to unseat former Premier Mckeeva Bush as the elected leader of the Cayman Islands. Responding to news that Mr. Bush had filed a law- suit alleging the criminal in- vestigation and charges laid against him were politi- cally motivated, Mr. Baines said he had acted lawfully at all times. The commissioner is named, along with former Governor Duncan Taylor and Attorney General Sam Bulgin, as a defendant in the lawsuit. He said, “I can confirm that I have received the writ by Mr. McKeeva Bush’s law- yers. The matter is now in the hands of the lawyers repre- senting myself and others in the matter. “I am limited as to what I can say professionally about this case, due to the legal ac- tion; other than, my actions were lawful at all times and I have engaged in no such con- spiracy as that suggested. “I welcome the opportu- nity to respond fully to the misrepresentations made by Mr. Bush in his Court Writ and the legal process it has initiated.” A spokesman for the Governor’s Office said they would not be able to pro- vide any comment on behalf of Mr. Taylor, now British Ambassador to Mexico. Lawyers acting for Mr. Bush filed a writ of sum- mons Wednesday in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, claiming he had suf- fered financial and reputa- tional damage as a result of the investigation, which they claim was designed to de- stroy him politically. Mr. Bush was ousted as premier days after his ar- rest in December 2012, fol- lowing a vote of no con- fidence in the Legislative Assembly. His party went on to lose the general election the following May. He was eventually found not guilty on six counts of misconduct in public office and five counts of breach of trust by a Member of the Legislative Assembly, con- nected to claims he with- drew almost $50,000 on his government credit card to gamble on casino slot ma- chines in Florida, Las Vegas and the Bahamas. Four who robbed Blackbeard’s to be sentenced next week James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Four men who robbed a Blackbeard’s liquor store were “amateurish and inept” and almost “bound to be caught,” according to their own lawyers. Pleading for leniency at a sentencing hearing on Thursday, Bernard Tetlow QC for Andrew Lopez, who used his mother’s car as the getaway vehicle, said the December 2014 robbery was not carefully planned. He said Lopez, 22, was wearing an electronic moni- toring tag at the time of the raid that enabled police to track his movements. He said Lopez and his accomplices, Bron Webb, Randy Connor and Devon Wright, had been caught within a few minutes of the robbery at the liquor store in Grand Harbour. Mr. Tetlow said the plan did not have the hallmarks of a sophisticated, professional robbery and was at the lower end of the scale for offenses of that type. Lopez, Webb and Connor were found guilty of armed robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm after a trial in August. Wright pleaded guilty to the same of- fences several months before the trial. Lawyers acting for the other three men adopted Mr. Tetlow’s arguments. They ar- gued that the men should get no more than the mandatory minimum sentence for a fire- arms offense – 10 years for Lopez, Webb and Connor and seven years for Wright be- cause of his guilty plea. Cheryll Richards, director of public prosecutions, read victim impact statements from staff at the store. One worker said she was still suf- fering nightmares. Justice Francis Belle, who is based in St. Lucia and ap- peared by video link at Thursday’s hearing, adjourned sentence to next week. Mr. Baines James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Raffles held by com- munity organizations and church groups have been le- galized under changes to the Gambling Law. Nonprofit organizations, like Rotary and Lions clubs, as well as sports teams, have technically been breaking the law by raising cash through raffles, the Legislative Assembly heard this week. There has been little or no enforcement, however. Commerce Minister Wayne Panton, introducing amendments to the Gambling Law, said, “It has been rec- ognized for a long time that these types of events and functions were raising funds for good legitimate purposes, but the Gambling Law tech- nically applied.” The amendment was in- troduced by the government as an add-on to changes to the same law, designed to allow cruise ships with on- board casinos to be regis- tered in the Cayman Islands. “We have taken on board the comment that while we are making this change to the Gambling Law, we should take the opportunity to effec- tively legalize the holding of raffles by church organiza- tions, services and other vol- untary organizations, who do this to raise funds for pro- grams that they utilize for civic purposes or contribu- tion to society.” Legislators unanimously approved the changes, which Mr. Panton, said, “reflect the fact that these are not for profit agencies which apply the proceeds for charitable ends.” Other forms of gam- bling, including the ever- popular “numbers game,” remain illegal. The principal changes to the law were to exempt ships on international voy- ages, outside Cayman’s wa- ters, from being subject to Cayman’s gambling ban. Mr. Panton said this switch was designed solely to allow the Shipping Registry to market its services to cruise ships. Church raffles legalized in Gambling Law change Other forms of gambling, including the ever-popular “numbers game,” remain illegal. Mr. Tetlow said the plan did not have the hallmarks of a sophisticated, professional robbery and was at the lower end of the scale for offenses of that type.Next >