ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Tuesday November 17, 2015 sports | page 15 Cask Trio grab five karaTe medals Success at Vancouver tournament High of 89 Low of 78 Moderate with wave heights 3 to 5 feet. editorial | page 4 fraNCe’s TesT of Courage aNd CharaCTer 178210_PRINT-Compass-6colx1*5.pdPage 1 12/8/14 11:20:19 AM brac airport, Cal to add 21 jobs Charles duNCaN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The airport expansion on Cayman Brac, along with a new plane and more flights in and out of Charles Kirkconnell International Airport, means 21 new jobs for the island, Tourism Minister and Sister Islands MLA Moses Kirkconnell said. The minister, speaking at a ceremony at the airport named after his uncle, said the air- port has hired more firefighters and immigra- tion and customs officers. Mr. Kirkconnell said Cayman Airways has added nine jobs for its call center and to work on the airport ramp. He said the effort “is an investment in our future.” The minister said he hopes the up- graded airport and better service to the Brac on the new Cayman Airways plane will mean more tourists visiting the island, leading to more jobs and improvement to the economy. Brac air arrivals up 20 percent Premier Alden McLaughlin, who was on the Brac Friday to welcome the new Cayman Airways prop plane, said arrivals on the Brac are up 20 percent as the airline has added ca- pacity to its Sister Islands flights. The new Saab 340B+ will be able to carry 34 passengers, up from 30 in the current Embraer plane, and double the capacity for cargo to the Brac. Cayman Airways officials say the plane will be phased into active ser- vice through the end of November. The airline also plans to buy a second Saab to boost service and to act as a backup during maintenance work. Mr. Kirkconnell said the airport “is the starting point … to trigger more jobs.” He pointed to a project to add more rooms to the Reef Resort on the Brac and construction at the site of the future Le Soleil d’Or luxury hotel as an example of how the Brac economy can grow with better facilities for visitors. Of the 21 new jobs, four are with the Brac fire service, five with the Cayman Airports Authority, three with District Administration Marriott international buying Westin operator starWood Three major Cayman hotels now owned by same company kelsey Jukam kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com U.S.-based hotelier Marriott International announced Monday that it has agreed to buy Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. for $12.2 billion in cash and stock. The acquisition will create the world’s largest hotel company, which will include three Cayman Islands hotels: the Marriott Grand Cayman Beach Resort, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman and the Westin Grand Cayman. When the acquisition is finalized, nearly 1,400 people will be employed by Marriott International hotels in the Cayman Islands. That amounts to almost one-third of the total number of people employed by the hotel and restaurant industry in the country – 4,300, ac- cording to the spring 2015 Cayman Islands Labour Force Survey Report. The Westin Grand Cayman, presently op- erated by Starwood, has 279 employees, while The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman employs around 800 people, and the Marriott Grand Cayman Beach Resort employs 320. Marriott International currently oper- ates and franchises 19 hotel and resort brands in 85 countries, including The Ritz- Carlton and Marriott hotels. Combined with Starwood, the company will have 1.1 million rooms in more than 5,500 hotels and 30 hotel brands worldwide. “This is an opportunity to create value by combining the distribution and strengths of Marriott and Starwood, enhancing our Brac crash kills doctor, construction company owner breNT fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two American citizens died Sunday following a one-vehicle rollover crash in Cayman Brac and a third man was seri- ously injured in the late afternoon accident. One of the deceased, a 54-year-old op- tometrist from Kansas, was not found until three-and-a-half hours after the ac- cident was reported. According to initial information from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, a Honda Odyssey van with two men in- side ran off the road on South Side Road East around 5:15 p.m. Sunday. No other vehicles were involved. The crash killed Topeka, Kansas, con- struction company owner Douglas Carney, 50, and left longtime Cayman Brac resident and American citizen Robert “Bob” Barbera, 48, in the Cayman Islands Hospital’s critical care unit where he was transferred over- night. Mr. Barbera was conscious Monday following surgery and appeared to be recu- perating, police said. Officers did not immediately indi- cate who was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash. During their investigation of the crash, RCIPS officers were informed that a third man had been seen with the two crash vic- tims in the van earlier in the day. However, that man – Dr. Mark L. Bettencourt, also from Kansas and visiting the Brac since PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » The Honda Odyssey van overturned along South Side Road East in Cayman Brac, killing two of the three men inside. - photo: ed beaty PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS Tuesday November 17, 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. © y x *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - TUESDAY - $8.00 THE 33 (PG13) 1:00 I 4:20 I 7:20 I 10:10 SPECTRE (PG13) 1:30 I 4:45 I 8:00 I 9:20 I 9:45 GOOSEBUMPS 3D (PG) 1:30 I 2:40 2D I 6:50 I 7:20 2D OUR BRAND IS CRISIS (R) 1:10 I 3:40 I 7:00 I 9:30 PEANUTS 3D (G) 12:20 I 2:35 2D I 4:50 2D I 7:05 HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 3D (PG) 12:25 2D I 4:10 I 5:05 2D I 9:30 New year’s jewelry robbers lose appeals A man arrested fol- lowing a fight outside a George Town home early Friday faces a number of criminal charges, including burglary, assault causing grievous bodily harm and theft. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service re- ported the “disturbance” occurred around 2:15 a.m. Nov. 13 where family members at a home on Rock Hole Road had at- tempted to detain a man on their property. Following a fight at the location, the man, age 46, was arrested nearby on suspicion of burglary. Both the suspect and some of the people he fought with were hospitalized following the incident. The suspect appeared in court Monday, charged with burglary, theft and insulting the modesty of a woman. Grievous bodily harm charges were also filed, police said. Burglary suspect faces numerous charges Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin on Monday issued a statement of support for the people of France following Friday’s deadly terrorist attacks in Paris. Mr. McLaughlin said the Cayman Islands “joins the rest of the world in mourning those who died in France in Friday’s ter- rorism attacks. “We know that the threat of additional ter- rorism attacks remains high, not only in France but throughout the civilized world. This was not just an attack on Paris and France, but an attack on all man- kind,” he said. He also commended the “swift action of po- lice in rounding up and detaining suspects.” The statement con- tinued: “To our residents and visitors from France, you and your nation are in our thoughts and prayers.” premier: paris terror ‘an attack on all mankind’ Premier McLaughlin FIFA hit with fresh bribery scandal (AP) – In yet another case of FIFA election bribery, the president of Nepal’s soccer federation was banned for 10 years on Monday. Ganesh Thapa, who will lose his place on FIFA’s Under-20 World Cup orga- nizing committee, was impli- cated in bribery at elections to choose Asian delegates on the world governing body’s executive committee. The FIFA ethics com- mittee sanction further dam- aged the image of Nepalese soccer one week after five national team players were charged with treason in a match-fixing case. Thapa was a former vice president of the Asian Football Confederation when it was led by now- banned Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar. He re- tained his positions in Asia and at FIFA despite being under suspicion since 2012. Thapa’s misconduct re- lated to elections for Asian seats on the FIFA ruling committee in 2009 and 2011, the FIFA ethics panel said in giving its verdict Monday. Thapa was guilty of the “solicitation and acceptance of cash payments from an- other football official, for both personal and family gain,” the statement said. His ban comes more than three years after a fo- rensic audit of Asian con- federation accounts identi- fied Thapa’s son, Gaurav, for receiving $100,000 in cash from Bin Hammam in July August 2009. Gaurav Thapa was then an AFC staff member, the audit report said. In May 2009, Bin Hammam won a bitterly contested election to re- tain his FIFA executive com- mittee seat against Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the Bahraini royal who is now a FIFA presiden- tial candidate. That 2009 election was marred by allegations of vote-buying by both sides. Another Bin Hammam ally, Vernon Manilal Fernando of Sri Lanka, was later banned for life by FIFA for bribing voters at the election in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Fernando won his own seat to the FIFA ruling panel in a January 2011 elec- tion meeting in Doha, Qatar, where three Asian delegates to FIFA were chosen. On the same day, Bin Hammam was re-elected AFC presi- dent and within weeks chal- lenged Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency. His candi- dacy was ended by a bribery scandal in the Caribbean. The FIFA ruling in Thapa’s case did not specify which FIFA seats in 2011 were tainted by election bribery. The ruling also did not refer to a Nepal gov- ernment inquiry last year into allegations that Thapa embezzled $6 million in two decades leading the soccer federation. As well as the 10-year ban from soccer, Thapa was fined 20,000 Swiss francs (US$19,900). In a related case Monday, the top soccer official from Laos was suspended from soccer for two years by FIFA’s ethics committee. In this March 8, 2012 file photo, then-FIFA President Joseph Blatter, left, and All Nepal Football Association President Ganesh Thapa applaud during the AFC Challenge Cup football tournament in Katmandu, Nepal. - photo: ap CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The appeals against sen- tence of three men who pleaded guilty last year to the 2014 New Year’s Day robbery of Diamonds International jewelry store were dismissed on Monday. Jonathan Mark Ramoon received 15 years, James Herbert McLean received 12 years and Christopher Julian Myles received 10 years. The Court of Appeal noted that this was the “highest value” robbery to take place in the Cayman Islands, with just under $815,000 worth of jewelry stolen from the downtown store. Almost all of it was recovered, apart from three rings valued at $4,000. Attorney Nick Hoffman argued that McLean did not receive enough credit for his relative youth (he was 22 at the time of the robbery) and the fact that he had only two minor convictions (ganja and failing to surrender to custody). The court said the youth argument was meant for teenagers with no pre- vious convictions who make an error; a court will strive to do what it can for them. Sir Alan Moses pointed out that a young age is 15 or 16; “22 is grown up, getting a grown-up sentence.” McLean was acknowledged as the robber with the hammer who smashed showcases. Because the robbery was a joint en- terprise, he was also charged with possession of an unli- censed firearm. Ramoon was the robber who entered first; he had the firearm – a Smith and Wesson .38 handgun loaded with five live rounds – and used it to force a security guard to the floor and then intimidate cus- tomers and staff. Attorney John Meghoo argued that Justice Charles Quin erred in comparing this robbery to a U.K. prece- dent referred to as “Thomas.” In that case a gang robbed a jewelry store of items valued at 40 million pounds and shots were fired. Further, the gang had committed pre- vious robberies. Mr. Meghoo submitted that the Cayman robbery was nowhere near as sophisti- cated as the U.K. robbery, the men in Cayman had not acted together in any other crime and no shots were fired. He accepted that Ramoon had a previous conviction of an unlicensed firearm. The Court of Appeal cited Justice Quin’s references to the use of masks as disguise, the wearing of gloves so as not to leave fingerprints or DNA, and said the robbery was well planned. For Myles, attorney Crister Brady said he should have received a bigger discount for his plea. As the getaway driver, he was brought into the plan only the night be- fore the robbery and did not know a gun would be used. He had delayed his plea until the Crown accepted his role in the robbery and did not charge him with the firearm. The court said all of the three men knew full well what their roles had been in the robbery; they could have pleaded guilty much earlier on whatever basis they chose, instead of waiting six or eight months to enter their pleas. The court referred to Justice Quin’s comment that he was not holding it against them that they did not iden- tify the fourth robber, who got away. However, their failure to do so did dilute their professed remorse. In delivering the court’s decision, Sir Bernard Rix pointed out that the rob- bery could have had a dam- aging effect on Cayman’s tourist industry, since it had taken place around 8 a.m. across from the dock where tourists were coming ashore from cruise ships. In addi- tion, two civilians who as- sisted in holding the robbers were injured. Justice Rix noted that the robbery took less than a minute and a half; the three men in court would prob- ably have made good their escape if not for the quick action and courage of Police Commissioner David Baines, who was driving downtown off duty. He saw the robbers, realized what was happening and drove his car into their getaway car. They ran but were appre- hended. Ramoon was pinned under the commissioner’s ve- hicle and injured; however, this fact was not a part of his grounds of appeal. Court cited Justice Quin’s references to the use of masks as disguise, the wearing of gloves so as not to leave fingerprints or DNA, and said the robbery was well planned.3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday November 17, 2015 Fidelity Pension Plan Fidelity Financial Centre on West Bay Road Thursday, November 19th, 2015 6:00pm - 7:00pm Fidelity Financial Centre, West Bay Road & Esterley Tibbetts Highway Cayman Financial Centre, Dr. Roy’s Drive, George Town info@fidelitycayman.com RSVP: Carolee.Crowley@fidelitycayman.com Phone: 914-2179 Light refreshments 2015 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING [] 179995-Ad-RotaryTreeLighting-3cx1 111/10/15 2:10:00 PM Cayman port puts familiar hand in charge Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A well-known “captain” has been chosen to steer the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands, the group’s board of directors announced Monday. Clement Reid, former deputy director of operations at the port, was named to the acting director’s position fol- lowing the forced departure of former port director Paul Hurlston earlier this year. Mr. Reid has remained in the acting post since that time. Mr. Reid has now been se- lected to the permanent po- sition following what was described as a “highly com- petitive” recruitment process, port chairman Errol Bush said. Mr. Bush said he was gratified to see the “great po- tential” he observed in Mr. Reid when he started at the port in 1999 come to fruition. Mr. Reid officially began his tenure in the post on Nov. 1, Mr. Bush said. The director’s selection sorts out what had been an ongoing leadership issue at the port. Although his govern- ment contract did not ex- pire until May 2015, the former Cayman Islands Port Authority managing director, Mr. Hurlston, was shown the door in February. Mr. Hurlston was put on “gardening leave” – not re- porting to the office, but still being paid – in mid-Feb- ruary until the end of his contract on May 21, 2015 Mr. Bush confirmed. Mr. Bush said a letter in- forming Mr. Hurlston of the board’s decision was deliv- ered to him during a February meeting. “It was contemplated [previously] that we would do this, but we just wanted to wait until after the Christmas break,” Mr. Bush said. The port chairman told the Cayman Compass in December 2014 of the board’s decision not to renew the current managing direc- tor’s six-year contract, which was approved in the waning hours of the former People’s Progressive Movement gov- ernment administration in May 2009. Mr. Hurlston has never re- turned calls or emails from the Compass seeking com- ment about the situation, but wrote a letter to the news- paper after the fact. In addi- tion, the Compass is in pos- session of an unsigned letter sent to the port board in February in which staff mem- bers said they faced “hostility” from members of the board. According to the Feb. 11 staff letter: “It would appear that the board … has already, and perhaps for some length of time, identified substan- tial ‘inefficiencies, risks and weaknesses’ in the current daily operations of the port, and has already determined, prior to the inception of your proposed Deloitte review that these deficiencies exist mainly due to ‘the current organiza- tional structure.’ “There are a number of other departments, au- thorities, etc., amongst the branches of government that arguably and demonstrably are in more need of serious adjustments in the same areas that you have vaguely but per- sistently stated/hinted at in this and previous communi- cations to us and the general public via the press. “We are somewhat per- turbed, puzzled and perplexed by the board’s seemingly guarded hostility towards our establishment … and in par- ticular it seems, towards the sitting management.” Port chairman Mr. Bush told the Compass in December that the authority had hired Deloitte via a tendering pro- cess to perform what he termed an “organizational re- view” at the authority, aimed at “getting us back on better financial footing.” Finances improving That improvement in port authority finances appears to have been achieved, ac- cording to records reviewed by the auditor general’s of- fice. The Cayman Islands Port Authority reported an oper- ating surplus of about $2 mil- lion at the end of its budget year in June 2015. The figure represents a dramatic turnaround in an agency that operated at a nearly $4 million loss during the government’s 2011/12 fi- nancial year. The office of the auditor general has expressed con- cern about the financial per- formance of the port, which had been a profit-making en- tity for the local government. Mr. Reid Brent Fuller AnD CArOl Winker bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com; cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Four men, two Caymanians and two Jamaicans, were charged with attempting to smuggle nearly 150 pounds of ganja into Grand Cayman fol- lowing a brief marine pur- suit Friday. One of the men was also charged with human smuggling. Royal Cayman Islands Police officers said the RCIPS helicopter and the marine patrol vessel Niven D. located a “suspicious” canoe about a half-mile off the coast of North Side dis- trict around 5 p.m. Friday. During a search of the craft, the ganja was discov- ered and the four men were arrested, police said. Two West Bay men, 48-year-old Mitchell Chean Ebanks and 52-year-old Henry Sidney Ebanks, were charged with importation of ganja. Henry Ebanks was also charged with human smuggling related to what the court indicated was an attempt to bring the two Jamaican suspects into Cayman illegally. The two Jamaicans were also charged with im- portation of ganja. They were identified as Ornell Brian Campbell, 30, of Westmoreland parish and Jerome Anthony Buddo, 38, of St. Elizabeth parish. In court Monday, no bail application was made on behalf of the Jamaican men, and the magistrate rejected a bail application on behalf of the two Caymanian men. The case was due to come before the court again on Dec. 1. Four charged in ganja smuggling attempt The vessel pursuit from Friday off the coast of North Side in progress. Still images were taken from the RCIPS helicopter. – Photo: RCIPSThe 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” Tuesday November 17, 2015 • Cayman COmpass In the aftermath of the bestial attacks on innocents on Paris soil last Friday, France is at war. The very soul of the great Gallic nation – its courage and its char- acter – will be severely tested. By framing Friday’s attacks as “an act of war” – not “crime” or simply “terror” – French President Francois Hollande has effectively declared that France’s primary response will be military. If the United States’ actions following the September 2001 terrorist attacks have taught us anything, it is that for France this is a begin- ning, not a conclusion. As a leader, Mr. Hollande faces a formidable chal- lenge: He must inspire his nation to gird for war, and he must do so without the oratorical skills and charis- matic magnetism of, say, former U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Notably, France faces a shape-shifting enemy that lurks in the shadows among his own citizenry. Perhaps more than any nation in Europe, France, with its liberal immigration and social policies, is home to enclaves of a populous Islamic community that has not been assimilated into the fabric of everyday French life. Consequently, France now faces perhaps even existential threats from both inside and outside its own borders. If France is to “win” this war – in the narrow sense of achieving military victory against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria – Mr. Hollande must not delegate its moral authority to “coalitions,” the United Nations, even NATO, and certainly not the Obama- led United States. France was attacked. France must respond, in the air and on the ground – and it has already begun to do so. On Sunday night, French fighter jets flew bomb-dropping sorties over the Syrian city of Raqqa, ISIS’s self-proclaimed “capital,” destroying military targets and a terrorist training camp. In the broader picture, military action may prove insufficient to win the “war on terrorism.” In fact, it is unclear whether this is a war that can be “won” (in the traditional sense) or if violent religious extremism is a disease of human civilization for which there are treat- ments but no cure. The chief animus of the Islamic State and other extremist organizations is the existence of Western Civilization. Their enemies are everyone who are not themselves. Do not forget that most victims of radical Muslim terrorists are other Muslims. The day before the attacks in Paris, a pair of suicide bombers killed 43 people in Beirut, Lebanon. The Russian plane that crashed in Egypt at the end of October, killing all 224 passengers and crew on board, was most likely brought down by a bomb planted by the Islamic State. The “war on terror” is a global struggle, and its implications are global in consequence. Already in Europe and the U.S., the Paris attacks have engen- dered newly heated discussions over immigra- tion, border security, civil liberties and public safety. Here in the Cayman Islands, we should antici- pate possible ramifications to our financial services industry, in the event of stricter regulations on the sector implemented in the name of cracking down on terrorism financing. But those issues, while of significant importance in the long term, must be considered today as being sec- ondary. For now, we and other “citizens of the world” honor the innocent lives that have been lost to this particular strain of hatred, in Paris, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere, and we offer our support and encouragement to everyone who shares the common goal of peace among humanity. France’s test of courage and character What does Islamic State think it’s doing? TobIn HarSHaW If Islamic State was di- rectly responsible for the at- tacks in Paris that have killed more than 130 people, it is a serious change in strategy. “It’s not just about in- spiring any more, but mo- tivating,” Patrick Skinner, a former CIA official now with the consulting firm Soufan Group, told the Financial Times. “They are projecting their terror further and more deliberately.” Indeed, coordinating at least eight terrorists for at- tacks on six locations is a whole different level of so- phistication than urging Canadian Muslims to carry out random hit-and-runs on men in uniform. Coming shortly after at- tacks in Ankara and Beirut for which Islamic State is taking responsibility, as well as its possible bombing of a Russian passenger jet over Egypt, it appears that Islamic State is taking its holy war to new battlegrounds. But if Islamic State was behind these attacks and those in France, the big ques- tion is: Why? Remember one of the keys to Islamic State’s rise after the 2006 death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian street thug who founded its predecessor organization, al- Qaida in Iraq. The group sur- vived and thrived with a la- serlike focus on establishing a caliphate in the Sunni bor- derlands of Iraq and Syria. While other jihadi groups carried on the war against the West, new Islamic State leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri cared only about carving out a political entity. (Zarqawi himself had been fixated on the career of Nur al-Din Zengi, a 12th-century Syrian ruler famous for his ruth- lessness in turning back European Crusaders.) But the goal was more than purely political. Zarqawi and Masri insisted that their Islamic State would pave the way for the return of the Mahdi, the otherworldly redeemer who will bring about the eschato- logical Day of Judgment. Such doomsday cults have been around for millennia, but Masri and his succes- sors adapted the model to to- day’s world through a mix of garbled scriptural interpre- tation and murderous ruth- lessness that left even Osama bin Laden appalled. In par- ticular, Islamic State’s leaders justified the indiscriminate murder of other Muslims, both Shiites (whom they con- sider heretics) and fellow Sunnis who stood in the way of their nation-building goals. This bloodthirst has led to the conventional wisdom that Islamic State is more willing to murder innocents than al- Qaida was. But al-Qaida has always been happy to murder without constraint so long as the targets are in the West: the World Trade Center, the London underground, Madrid transit. It shows discre- tion only when it comes to Muslim societies. In delineating the differ- ence between the two groups, the journalist Graeme Wood described al-Qaida this way: “Bin Laden corporatized terror and franchised it out. He requested specific po- litical concessions, such as the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Saudi Arabia.” Yet now, in taking re- sponsibility for the Paris at- tacks, Islamic State warned that such violence would continue until France gave up leadership of “the convoy of the Crusader campaign.” Looked at this way, the Paris and Metrojet attacks show Islamic State expanding its mission beyond a regional political goal, now also taking on al-Qaida’s mantle of antagonist of the West. It is getting the expected result: French President Francois Hollande has pledged to “lead a war that will be pitiless.” It’s a fair bet that others will join, and that the Obama administration’s efforts to keep U.S. boots off the ground in Iraq and Syria will be sorely tested. Thus, while Islamic State has now proved an unexpected capacity for overseas attacks, the end result will almost cer- tainly be a quicker demise of the original political-messianic project. Why did striking out at foreign powers suddenly be- come a higher priority? I can think of a few pos- sible explanations. For one, the battle to carve out the new homeland has hit some rough patches. The euphoria after the taking of Mosul in June 2014 has faded, and the conquering of Falluja last summer has yielded no real strategic advantage. Indeed, it has begun to unite Islamic State’s fractious enemies: the Iraqi military, Iranian-backed militias and Kurdish forces. Meanwhile, Russia’s mili- tary intervention to prop up Syrian dictator Bashar al- Assad, even if it has been more directed at U.S.-backed Syrian rebels than Islamic State forces, bodes ill for the jihadis, especially if current talks involving Iran, Russia and the U.S. lead to a cease- fire in the civil war. Most im- portant, even as the terrorists were carrying out their spree in Paris, Kurdish peshmerga forces were mopping up after successfully taking the key Iraqi city of Sinjar this week. All these developments may cut deeply into the nar- rative of scriptural inevita- bility that Islamic State uses to attract and keep its fol- lowers. The problem with a doomsday cult is that you have to keep your followers on edge, believing that the Apocalypse is just around the corner even though the sun keeps rising every day. As William McCants of the Brookings Institution put it in his excellent new book “ISIS Apocalypse,” “end-time proph- ecies were an especially in- viting target for fabricators.” And while the group’s current caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is in fact a scholar of Islam, the illiterate Zarqawi was nothing if not a fabricator. In any case, as Islamic State and its supporters con- gratulate themselves, seeing a barbaric victory in Paris, they are forgetting the fate of another extremist Muslim group, one that had actu- ally come much closer to achieving its dream of a lasting fundamentalist polit- ical entity but got mixed up in a spectacular terrorist at- tack against the West. One suspects that, in hindsight, the Taliban rues the day it gave Osama bin Laden sanc- tuary to plan 9/11. Let’s hope that someday soon, as its last adherents die or slink away, Islamic State feels the same way about 11/13. Tobin Harshaw writes editorials on national security, military affairs and education. People stand for a minute of silence Monday outside the Stade de France stadium in Saint Denis, Paris. France is urging its European partners to move swiftly to boost intelligence sharing, fight arms trafficking and terror financing, and strengthen border security in the wake of the Paris attacks. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 Community Calendar ■ Community Calendar is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY, NOV. 17 Waste ManageMent strategy: The Ministry of Health and Culture hosts an open house at the Government Administration Building, 5.30-7.30 p.m. The public is invited to stop by to review the government’s draft national solid waste management strategy and hear from international consultants and local technical staff how it will impact the community. HaZarDOUs WILDLIFe: The Cayman Islands Airports Authority invites the public to the annual meeting of the Hazardous Wildlife Working Group, 2-4 p.m. at the Owen Roberts International Airport, 2nd floor CIAA Conference Room. Current and new measures used to alleviate hazardous wildlife at the airport will be discussed. Attendees will have the opportunity to speak to airport personnel and ask questions about wildlife control measures and deterrent practices. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18 sIster IsLanDs sOLID Waste strategy: The Ministry of Health and Culture hosts an open house at the National Trust House on Little Cayman, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; then on Cayman Brac, at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre, from 5.30-7.30 p.m. The public is invited to stop by to review the government’s draft national solid waste management strategy and hear from international consultants and local technical staff how it will impact the community. raIsIng resILIent CHILDren: Family Resource Centre, 6-8 p.m. Free discussion of skills needed to overcome obstacles. sPeCIaL neeDs FOUnDatIOn: Parent support meeting. 6-7 p.m. at the Discovery Centre, Camana Bay. Contact 321-2957 or email susie@ specialneedsfoundation.ky for further details or look on the website at: www. specialneedsfoundation.ky. FLOetry: 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Books & Books, Camana Bay. All are invited to join poets and performers who share their work during an open mic night of poetry and readings. People in the audience can feel free to share their own work or listen to others. THURSDAY, NOV. 19 tree LIgHtIng: Heroes Square, 6:30 p.m. All are invited to the 50th anniversary Rotary Christmas tree lighting celebration. InternatIOnaL Men’s Day: Kings Sports Centre, 4-8 p.m. Free celebration for men and boys includes bowling, rock climbing, snacks, tips and raffles. sCHOOL PLay: St. Ignatius School Drama Department presents “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” 7 p.m. tonight, Friday, and Saturday. Also a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Tickets on sale at the school office. Phone 949-9250 for further details. PUB QUIZ: Fidel Murphy’s. 7 p.m. $10 per person. Six people maximum per team. Contact 949-5189 or sarah.dyer@gmail. com to reserve a table. Proceeds to Cayman Islands Humane Society. COMMUnIty InItIatIVe: The Cayman Chapter of the Northern Caribbean University Alumni Association will hold a public meeting to solicit input on a community education initiative slated for 2016. All interested members of the public, as well as friends and alumni of NCU, are invited to attend the meeting at Cayman Academy, Walkers Road. Alumni activities from 6:30 p.m. Public should arrive no later than 6:45 p.m. to be seated for 7 p.m. presentation. FRIDAY, NOV. 20 Dress DOWn Day: Annual Meals on Wheels Dress Down Day. Individuals can help by purchasing an orange ribbon for $5 or a T-shirt for $15 and wearing them on Dress Down Day. Companies are encouraged to match employee donations. For more information or to sign up to participate, contact caymanmealsonwheels@ hotmail.com or 949-3905. SATURDAY, NOV. 21 tree LIgHtIng: Ninth annual tree lighting 6-8 p.m. The Crescent at Camana Bay. Musical performances, a special visit from Santa Claus. Christmas lights around the Town Centre will officially be turned on around 7 p.m. HOLIDay CraFt MarKet: Camana Bay, from 4 p.m. An array of artisanal products made in Cayman. From pottery and batiks to woodwork and mosaics. TUESDAY, NOV. 24 Free HOLIDay MOVIe: 7 p.m. “The Nightmare before Christmas” (PG, 1993) Gardenia Court, Camana Bay. Families can gather in the courtyard to enjoy their favorite Christmas films on a giant outdoor screen. Tuesdays through Dec. 22. FRIDAY, NOV. 27 OUtDOOr gOsPeL COnCert: Red Bay Church of God (Holiness) holds Outdoor Gospel Concert featuring the Red Bay Gospel Band. 7:30 p.m. At Airport Park. Free admission. Food and drinks on sale. SATURDAY, NOV. 28 sIngIng CHrIstMas tree: 6:30 p.m. tonight and tomorrow. On the grounds of First Assembly of God. 195 Old Crewe Road. Free admission. FestIVaL OF tHe seas: The Central Caribbean Marine Institute invites everyone to join a night of adventure at The Ritz-Carlton to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Little Cayman Research Centre. For more information about purchasing sponsor tables and tickets contact Brittainy at bslade@reefresearch.org. GENERAL INTEREST 2016 CaLenDars: Sale benefits NCVO and Cayman HospiceCare. Local artwork, recipes and events. Call 949-2124. $15 includes envelope for mailing. 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 at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. LOst DOgs: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. HUMane sOCIety BOOK LOFt: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition always needed. reD CrOss tHrIFt sHOP: Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5–7 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Red Cross headquarters on Thomas Russell Way. Book bargain every Thursday and Friday, a bagful for $5. MUseUM tOUrs: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. nCVO VOLUnteers neeDeD: Volunteers needed for the National Council of Voluntary Organisations’ Children’s Services programs. Contact Alta Solomon at 949-2124 or ncvocoordinator@ ncvo.org.ky. BetHesDa COUnseLLIng Centre: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Center is owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. PerIPHeraL sPaCes: Tuesday to Saturday. Noon to 8 p.m. (closed by 3 p.m. on Saturdays). Market Street across from Bay Market. Pop-up working studio/art gallery with local artists’ works displayed for sale. Art classes Tuesday and Thursday, 6-8 p.m., plus other special events. For more information, email marymccallum@candw.ky. artIsans MarKet: Camana Bay Artisans Market every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale between noon and 8 p.m. near KARoo restaurant. For more information on displaying your work, email info@ visualartcayman.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.compasscayman. com/caycompass/portal/ community-calendar. Cayman Compass • Tuesday November 17, 2015 Cut $250* from your motor premium with BritCay home insurance! Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, Grand Cayman KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky 12 Kirkconnell St. Stake Bay, P.O. Box 254 SPO, Cayman Brac KY2-2101 Tel.948-1760 A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life $250* CERTIFICATE WITH BUILDINGS INSURANCE *Each new buildings insurance policy with BritCay comes with a $250 gift certificate which you can use with BritCay Motor Insurance. *conditions apply The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Call 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky to book a tour. – Photo: StePhen ClarkeTuesday November 17, 2015 • Cayman Compass 6 DISTRICT Days District Days West Bay A walk down memory lane at West Bay Heritage Day A Pirates Week favorite, West Bay Heritage Day offers a cornucopia of ac- tivities for the whole family. This year’s event takes place on Wednesday, with gates opening at 11 a.m., followed by the official opening and ribbon cutting, and admission is free. Event organizers noted West Bay offers many year-round attractions, including Hell, the Cayman Turtle Farm, a light- house, Nurse Leila’s House, the Cayman Motor Museum, two dolphin aquariums and horseback riding, along with sports facilities, restaurants, churches, schools, the Teacher Redley Powery Memorial Library, the Powell Museum, a public beach and true Caymanian hospitality. “We take this opportunity to invite and welcome everyone to our beautiful district, as we take you on a walk down memory lane at our new Heritage Village located next to the Ed Bush Stadium on Birch Tree Hill Road,” said event chair Eziethamae Bodden. This year’s heritage day theme is “Preserving our past, protecting our future.” “West Bayers are proud of our Christian, seafaring, turtling, agricul- tural, music and thatch heritage. We are also proud of the many accomplish- ments of our district,” said organizers in a press release. “We honor our forefathers and the lessons passed on, enabling us to learn the values of one generation to another.” Activities and demonstrations will offer opportunities to remi- nisce on the district’s church-going, turtle ranging, regatta racing, thatch plaiting, backing sand, cultivating and kitchen dancing days. “We also invite all schools to bring their students to experience West Bay Heritage Day,” added Ms. Bodden. While the West Bay float did not make it into the float parade on Saturday because the truck towing it broke down, Ms. Bodden says it will be on display at the Heritage Day. This year’s theme is Cayman music, and the float will also be up and running in time for the “Illumination” night pa- rade on Nov. 21. Along with music from DJ Super C, Earl La Pierre Cayman School for Pan and the Panoramers will be performing at 2 p.m. Of course, no Pirates Week Heritage Day is complete without pirates, who will be paying a visit at 3:30 p.m. Organizers say there will be great food, crafts, games, catboat displays, information booths, heritage displays, conch shell blowing, Cayman thatch work, coconut husking and oil making. A rope-making competition is planned for 4 p.m. For younger visitors, organizers plan for storytelling, children’s treats, old- time games like gig-spinning. The Baby Show for little ones aged 0-36 months will be taking place at 5 p.m., followed by West Bay’s Got Talent for kids ages 5-18 at 5:30 p.m. Along with a Hula Hoop contest, a new attraction for the kids this year is a petting zoo, in recognition of the 2016 Agriculture Heroes celebrations. The evening will feature old-time skits and a church service at 6 p.m. and, last but not least, fireworks to round out the day at 8 p.m. 50 Years ago: Marriages celebrated The Nov. 17, 1965 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a predecessor of the Cayman Compass, was chocka- block full of news from West Bay. Along with news of many arrivals and departures, and the passing of Ellen Borden, aged 87, West Bay correspon- dent Leila Yates wrote: “A shower was held in the home of Mrs. Aubrey Ebanks on Saturday evening for Miss Carlstein Christian who is to be married to Mr. Ransford Reid on the 17th ... She received many useful gifts. Mrs. Ertis Ebanks, with her sense of humour, and refresh- ments being served, kept all the atten- dants in a happy mood. A most enjoy- able evening was spent. “There was a lovely wedding at the Church of God Chapel in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Oct. 30 when Mr. Jadon Ebanks, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elsworth Ebanks of West Bay, took as his bride Miss Ludivene Ebanks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Garland Ebanks of New York. Miss Irene Christian was maid of honor and Mr. Ludiwic Ebanks, brother of the bride, the best man. The bridegroom is employed by the C.B.S. radio station. The bride attends Bay Bridge High School. They are both from West Bay.” eziethamae Bodden is the West Bay Heritage Day chair. - Photo: Norma CoNNolly Don’t miss the chance to try some heavy cake at West Bay Heritage Day. – Photo: Chris Court Checking out a craft stall at West Bay Heritage Day. - Photo: Chris Court Great food, crafts, games, catboat displays, information booths, heritage displays, conch shell blowing, Cayman thatch work, coconut husking and oil making are all planned for the West Bay Heritage Day.Cayman Compass • Tuesday November 17, 2015 7 DISTRICT Days District Days West Bay Miss Izzy’s schoolhouse: gone but not forgotten “Labour for learning before you grow old For learning is better than silver or gold Silver and gold will vanish away But a good education will never decay” Those often repeated lines were the motto of West Bayer Isabel Powell, better known as respected teacher Miss Izzy, whose long career had a lasting impact on education in Cayman. Her story, according to the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, is one that has touched many Caymanians over the course of her 54-year career as a teacher. But, like the silver and gold of her motto, due to an unfor- tunate twist of fate Miss Izzy’s physical legacy lies in a small heap of rubble at the end of a tiny lane in the heart of West Bay. The Trust notes that Miss Izzy was the youngest of 11 children, born in 1910 to Lewis and Virginia Powell. “Her father died when she was only 6 years old and she remembered her mother working hard to support the family and performing chores such as raising chickens and tending cows,” the Trust’s historic programs staff note in an information sheet. As the years passed, Miss Izzy’s life was notable in its hardship, but also for her perse- verance through adversity. The Trust notes that after the death of her father, Miss Izzy’s older brother took on the role as father and provider, taking the family to Honduras by boat. The children missed Cayman however, and Miss Izzy’s brother, Prentice Powell, earned the money to book passages to bring them all home. Somehow Miss Izzy was able to continue her studies, and after completing her education, she began teaching at the government school in West Bay. The Trust’s information on Miss Izzy re- cords that after she began teaching, she was soon approached to consider tutoring a few children after school. She subsequently es- tablished her own private school on Oct. 1, 1929, and began classes with just three children, Rayburn and Miriam Farrington and Miss Izzy’s niece Florence Tatum, at her mother’s home. The children initially paid a weekly fee of three pence, later raised to $1, with an extra charge for baby-sitting services. “By the second week, she had nine students and student registration continued to grow as people began talking about the rapid prog- ress that her students were making,” notes the Trust document. “As her school’s needs outgrew her moth- er’s house, Miss Izzy relocated the school to another structure, and circa 1934, she moved the school yet again to the site at the end of Farrington Lane that is now historically re- ferred to as ‘Miss Izzy’s Schoolhouse.’” Although the date of construction is un- known, the building is believed to have been built circa 1896 as the family home for Henry and Arabella Parsons, who were Miss Izzy’s uncle and aunt. Miss Izzy taught up to 45 students in the schoolhouse with the assis- tance of her niece, Florence Tatum, accepting all ages of students. The largest class she ever taught was 60, in the small 390-square-foot, three-room wattle and daub structure. “Eventually when schools became regulated by the government, children were only allowed to attend to the age of 11,” the Trust notes. The Trust also points out the desks were made using metal frames with a wooden pad used to complete work. A typical day started at 9 a.m. and ended at 2 p.m. and Florence would baby-sit students who stayed beyond that. Children were taught reading, basic mathe- matics and were trained to write on slates using a handwriting technique called pot-hooks. Past students include Rudi Evans, former superintendent of police, Tom Jefferson, former financial secretary, and Loxley Banks, former director of Radio Cayman. “Miss Izzy never married and said she did not think a man would have been too happy with her as she was born sick and struggled with asthma throughout her life,” notes the Trust, adding that she was nonetheless ener- getic and was a devout Christian who enjoyed ministering to people in their homes, as well as a master thatcher. The lives of Miss Izzy and Florence were cut short in 1984 when they were struck and killed by a vehicle. The unused schoolhouse subsequently fell into disrepair, and over time Miss Izzy’s sister Ivy Powell expressed her wish to do- nate the structure and .11 acre property to the National Trust in memory of her sister, which eventually happened on Feb. 2, 1999. “The schoolhouse was an excellent ex- ample of an original wattle and daub, cabin style home with the classic hip roof built in the distinct tradition of Caribbean Georgian folk architecture,” according to the Trust’s historic programs staff, and the roof was originally covered with wooded shingles, later covered by a newer zinc roof. The site is also of environmental interest due to a number of mature indigenous trees including mahogany, Lignum vitae, seagrapes and guinep. Time had taken a heavy toll on the prop- erty, and the weakened building was de- stroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. “All that now remains is wooden de- bris and a mound of metal desks sitting where the foundation would have been,” notes the Trust. “Nevertheless, the site represents an im- portant era in Cayman’s history and the schoolhouse will always be remembered as a place of scholarly learning.” For more information on the National Trust’s historic properties, visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky. The schoolhouse was an excellent example of an original wattle and daub, cabin-style home with the classic hip roof built in the distinct tradition of Caribbean Georgian folk architecture. How to make: Peppermint Candy Primary school students across Cayman learn about Cayman’s many traditions through the weekly Heritage Arts program. This recipe for peppermint candy was recently tested out by the students at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School in West Bay. You will need: A hook or a nail on a wall Flour Juice of a lime 2 lbs sugar Peppermint oil Yield: 300 candies Directions Bring the sugar to boil for 30 min- utes in 1/4 cup of water. Pour the mixture into a second greased pot in a container of cool water. Add lime juice while stirring with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes until doughy. Vigorously throw the candy dough over the hook and pull. Repeat for 30 minutes, and now and again drip a few drops of peppermint oil on it. Keep on throwing and pulling until the color of the dough turns from honey- gold to white satin. Set the dough on a floured surface to prevent sticking. Pull and stretch out the dough into a rope about an inch thick. With scissors, cut the dough into 1/2 inch size pieces. Bag the candies into lots of 10. Source: Cayman Traditional Arts Miss Izzy’s schoolhouse is no longer standing; Hurricane Ivan destroyed this notable landmark of Cayman’s education system.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Tuesday November 17, 2015 • Cayman Compass and nine at the Cayman Airways reservation office. New Brac routes Along with the new plane and recent airport upgrades, Cayman Airways is adding new Saturday flights to and from Miami and Cuba. Direct flights to Miami will begin this weekend, with one flight to and from the city each Saturday. Flights from the Brac to Holguin, a city in eastern Cuba, will begin at the end of the month, with service every Saturday. Cayman Airways CEO Fabian Whorms, speaking last month, said the route to Cuba’s east will give the air- line access to some of Cuba’s most populous cities. “Many of the airline’s ex- isting Havana passengers, many of whom are from Cuba’s eastern towns, will be able to utilize this direct ser- vice and avoid lengthy travel between the capital city and their hometowns,” Mr. Whorms said. The one-hour flight will leave the Brac at 1:30 p.m., stop in Cuba for an hour and return to the Brac by 4:30 p.m., airline officials said. Brac airport, CAL to add 21 jobs Cayman Airways added nine jobs on the Brac and government added another 12 on the island. - Photo: Charles DunCan Friday – was not found at the crash scene late Sunday af- ternoon. “Officers then made further checks of the area while the fire department assisted with the lifting of the vehicle … which was overturned,” a police state- ment on the crash indicated. “At around 8:45 p.m., the body of the 54-year-old male was discovered underneath the vehicle.” He was pronounced dead at the crash scene. Dr. Bettencourt worked in Wamego, Kansas, as one of two optometrists at Vision Source. He had been practicing in the Wamego area since 1994 after receiving his de- gree from the University of Houston in 1986. He is survived by a wife, three daughters and a son. Mr. Carney was the owner of Doug Carney Construction Inc. in Topeka, a home construction firm. The business was estab- lished in 2001, according to publicly available records. Mr. Carney owned a con- dominium in Cayman Brac, where he resided. Fatal crashes The last time two people died in a single-car crash in Cayman Brac was in July 2007. That accident occurred when the vehicle in which a man and a woman, both 45, were traveling smashed head-on into a tree. Both were Cayman Brac residents. However, 2015 has been a particularly deadly year on the roads for the small island, which has a popu- lation of around 2,000. Two men died in separate acci- dents there in January. Cayman Brac vehicle crashes have accounted for four of the nine fatalities as a result of vehicle accidents in the three Cayman Islands during 2015. Brac crash kills doctor, construction company owner competitiveness in a quickly evolving marketplace,” Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson said in a press release. “This greater scale should offer a wider choice of brands to con- sumers, improve economics to owners and franchisees, increase unit growth and enhance long-term value to shareholders.” Under the terms of the deal, Starwood shareholders will receive 0.92 shares of Marriott International, Inc., and $2 in cash for each share of Starwood stock. Starwood shareholders will also receive an addi- tional $7.80 a share from the separate merger of Starwood’s timeshare business with Interval Leisure Group. According to The New York Times, Starwood in- terim CEO Adam Aron said in April that the company was working on strategies, including a sale, as its stock was trading behind other hotel groups. “Our board concluded that a combination with Marriott provides the greatest long-term value for our shareholders and the strongest and most cer- tain path forward for our company,” Bruce Duncan, chairman of Starwood’s board of directors, said in a press release. Mr. Aron said in the press release that guests and customers will “benefit from so many more options across 30 hotel brands.” “We are also delighted that our associates will have expanded opportuni- ties as part of a larger orga- nization that is consistently recognized as one of the best companies to work for in the world.” Westin Grand Cayman General Manager Morty Valldejuli said there are “no changes at all at this time” to the hotel’s operations. The transaction, sub- ject to shareholder approval, completion of Starwood’s planned disposition of its timeshare business, regu- latory approvals and other customary closing con- ditions, is expected to close in mid-2016. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Dr. Bettencourt Marriott International buying Westin operator Starwood CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Earthquake and rain hit Cayman Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The U.S. Geologic Survey recorded a magnitude 5.8 earthquake underwater 103 miles off George Town on Sunday night. Sunday night also brought about 3 inches of rain to Grand Cayman as part of a late-season tropical disturbance forming south of the Cayman Islands. Most people on Grand Cayman did not notice the earthquake, which occurred at 7:39 p.m. amid Sunday’s thunderstorms. However, monitoring sites picked up weak tremors from the deep-sea quake, and at least one person on the U.S. earth- quake monitoring site re- ported feeling the movement. According to Cayman Islands National Weather Service forecaster Avalon Porter, Sunday’s rain came from a tropical system close to Panama. The National Hurricane Center in the U.S. gives the tropical disturbance a 10 percent to 20 percent chance of turning into a more organized cyclone in the next few days as it stays stationary, or possibly drifts westward. Mr. Porter said he expects the cloudy weather here to clear up for Tuesday. He said almost 3 inches of rain fell at the Grand Cayman air- port overnight as thunder- storms moved across the is- lands. The Weather Service forecast calls for 10- to 15- knot winds and moderate waves of 3 to 5 feet. The earthquake, an es- timated 5.6 miles deep on the fault running south of the Cayman Islands, caused no damage and appeared to pass almost unnoticed by residents on Grand Cayman. Costa Rica, Nicaragua squabble over migrants SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) – More than 1,000 Cuban mi- grants heading north to the United States tried to cross the border from Costa Rica into Nicaragua, causing ten- sions to soar between the neighbors as security forces sought to turn them back. Following the thaw in re- lations between Washington and Havana, some Cubans have been making their way to Central America in hopes of then heading through Mexico and into the United States. On Friday, Costa Rica said it would issue special seven-day transit visas to more than 1,700 Cuban mi- grants who had been de- tained in recent days after crossing into the country from Panama. Nicaragua’s govern- ment responded furiously on Sunday with a state- ment saying that Costa Rica “had deliberately and irre- sponsibly thrown, and con- tinues to throw” the Cuban migrants into its territory, violating its national sover- eignty. Nicaragua’s Sandinista government, led by Daniel Ortega, is an ally of Cuba. Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister Manuel Gonzalez, in turn, lashed out at Nicaragua for using secu- rity forces to detain about 1,100 Cuban migrants who tried to cross the border on Sunday. He said the mi- grants claim they were met by gunshots and tear gas. He accused Ortega’s gov- ernment of “sending the army and throwing them onto a migrant population.” Costa Rican officials said they were preparing ref- uges and shelters for the re- buffed Cubans. Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister Manuel Gonzalez lashed out at Nicaragua for using security forces to detain about 1,100 Cuban migrants who tried to cross the border on Sunday. The Marriott Grand Cayman Beach Resort. - Photo: ChrIs Court The minister said the effort “is an investment in our future.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Tuesday November 17, 2015 5 killed overnight in Burundi Three grenades exploded Monday in different parts of Burundi’s capital following a night of violence in which five people, including a policeman, were killed, witnesses and the police said Monday. Obama: Paris attacks ‘terrible’ setback in Islamic State campaign ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) – President Barack Obama on Monday conceded that the Paris terror attacks were a “terrible and sickening set- back” in the fight against the Islamic State, but forcefully dismissed critics who have called for the U.S. to change or expand its military cam- paign against the extremists. “The strategy that we are putting forward is the strategy that ultimately is going to work,” Obama said during a news conference at the close of two days of talks with world leaders. “It’s going to take time.” The president grew irri- tated amid repeated ques- tions about whether he had underestimated the strength of the Islamic State, which now appears to be focusing on targets outside its base in Syria and Iraq. In addition to the terror spree in Paris, the group has claimed responsi- bility for attacks in Lebanon and Turkey, as well as the downing of a Russian airline in Egypt. The president said most of his critics are simply “talking as if they’re tough” and of- fering no real ideas. And he brushed aside those who call for sending U.S. ground troops into the region, saying that “would be a mistake” and wouldn’t work unless the U.S. was committed to being a permanent occupying force in the region. “This is not an abstrac- tion,” Obama said. “When we send troops in, those troops get injured. They get killed.” While Obama did not single out his critics by name, some Republican presidential candidates, in- cluding former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, have called for sending U.S. forces into Syria. Bush has also suggested that any U.S. assistance to refu- gees fleeing the Middle East should be primarily focused on Christians, another idea that rankled Obama. “That’s shameful,” Obama declared. “That’s not American. That’s not who we are.” Republicans and also some Democrats have chal- lenged Obama’s approach to the Islamic State, saying he lacks a clear strategy. The president’s approach cen- ters largely on airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, as well as programs to train and equip moderate opposition forces. He has also sent more than 3,000 troops to Iraq to as- sist that country’s secu- rity forces and recently an- nounced plans to send up to 50 Americans into Syria. Obama said he envisioned escalating that strategy, not overhauling it. And he called on other nations to step up their involvement in the fight against the extremists. France has already ramped up its response following the attacks that killed at least 129 people and injured hundreds. In its heaviest strikes yet, French military bombarded Raqqa, the Islamic State’s stronghold in Syria, in hopes of killing Islamic State orga- nizers and trainees Obama announced a new effort to share intelligence with France following the co- ordinated terror spree across Paris that killed at least 129 people and injured hundreds. Officials said the U.S. was al- ready using intelligence to help France identify targets for the airstrikes. The Islamic State’s in- creasing focus on targets out- side the military has raised questions about whether Obama underestimated the group. He once referred to the extremists as a “JV [ju- nior varsity] team” and said shortly before the Paris attack that their capacity in Iraq and Syria had been contained. The president conceded there were challenges in de- feating the Islamic State given that its fighters have a “willingness to die.” “If you have a handful of people who don’t mind dying, they can kill a lot of people,” he said. While officials say the U.S. had been aware of the Islamic State’s desire to strike targets outside the Middle East, Obama said he had not been briefed on any intelligence that indicated an attack in Paris was likely. “I’m not aware of anything that was specific,” he said. Obama’s comments fol- lowed a two-day meeting with leaders from the Group of 20 rich and developing countries. The meeting in the sea- side city of Antalya, just a few hundred miles from the Syrian border, was planned before the Paris attacks, but the carnage there ratcheted up the urgency in the talks. The discussions about the Islamic State came amid a glimmer of progress in ef- forts to end the Syrian civil war, which created the chaos that allowed the extremist group to thrive. A foreign ministers’ meeting in Vienna over the weekend resulted in a new diplomatic plan that envisions negotiations between Syrian President Bashar Assad’s govern- ment and opposition groups starting by Jan. 1. Still, sharp differences over Assad’s future and dis- agreements about what mil- itant groups in Syria should be considered terrorists have dampened hopes for a breakthrough. Obama voiced optimism about the plan, saying he had “some degree of hope” that the plan would pro- vide a path forward. But he added, “We are very clear eyed about the very, very dif- ficult road ahead.” U.S. President Barack Obama, speaking at a news conference Monday in Antalya, Turkey, said, ‘The strategy that we are putting forward is the strategy that ultimately is going to work.’ - Photo: AP New Islamic State video threatens Paris-style attack on Washington A video released by an Islamic State sub-group ap- pears to show militants in Iraq praising the Paris shoot- ings and warning that a sim- ilar attack could take place in Washington. The message, which was distributed by Islamic State- related social network ac- counts on Monday, was pur- portedly made by Wilayat Kirkuk, a group based in Salahuddin province, north of Baghdad. Its authenticity could not immediately be con- firmed. While the video does closely resemble others re- leased by the Islamic State, it lacked the theatrics and high- quality editing that other videos have had. The 11-minute video be- gins with a selection of news clips showing the aftermath of the attacks, with French President François Hollande condemning them. Later in the video, a man identified as “Al Karar the Iraqi” speaks to the camera, threatening the “crusader” nations in the coalition against the Islamic State. The U.S. capital is specifically sin- gled out. “We say to the states that take part in the crusader campaign that, by God, you will have a day, God willing, like France’s and by God, as we struck France in the center of its abode in Paris, then we swear that we will strike America at its center in Washington,” the man says, according to a translation from Reuters. A different man, iden- tified as “Al Ghareeb the Algerian,” also said that European nations should ex- pect similar attacks. “I say to the European countries that we are coming – coming with booby traps and explosives, coming with explosive belts and [gun] silencers and you will be unable to stop us because today we are much stronger than be- fore,” he said. © 2015, The Washington Post After PAris, Anti-migrAnt mood deePens in CentrAl euroPe WARSAW, Poland (AP) – Even before the Paris attacks, the mood in Central Europe was decidedly anti-mi- grant, with fences going up on borders, a Syrian beaten on a Polish street last week and the rhetoric sharp across the region. Now the bloodshed unleashed by Islamic extremists is deep- ening fears of Muslims and threatening to create an at- mosphere even less wel- coming for those fleeing war in the Middle East. On the Slovenian- Austrian border over the weekend, the armies of both nations strip-searched migrants on their west- ward march amid height- ened security, causing large numbers to build up at a refugee camp. The shifting mood could threaten European efforts to find unity on the migra- tion crisis. A new anti-mi- grant government in Poland already is casting doubt on whether it will take all 7,000 refugees the previous gov- ernment agreed to accept. Poland, Hungary and other countries across the region – many of them multicultural lands in the past – have been largely mono-ethnic Christian societies since the mass kill- ings and expulsions of World War II, and resistance there has been especially stiff to- ward Muslims, who are largely seen as threats to na- tional identity. The shifting mood could threaten European efforts to find unity on the migration crisis. A man identified in the subtitles as Al Karar the Iraqi, center, gestures as he speaks at an undisclosed location in this image taken from undated video footage released by Islamic State. - Photo: soCiAl mediA website viA reuters tv viA the wAshington PostNext >