sports | page 20 Run in the DaRk Raises $1,600 Cayman runners join global event High of 89 Low of 79 Moderate with wave heights 3 to 5 feet. editorial | page 4 Cayman ChRistmas: ’tis (neaRly) the holiDay season ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WeDnesDay novembeR 18, 2015 Cuban detention Center Guards paid $1m in overtime Jury selection in corruption trial set for friday bRent FulleR bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Jury selection in the corruption trial of Cayman Islands businessman Canover Watson and his former personal assistant Miriam Rodriguez has been pushed back a few days, but was expected to get under way by Friday, according to attorneys involved in the case. That leaves the start date of the criminal trial potentially at Monday, depending on how quickly a jury is picked. Watson, 45, faces about a dozen charges in con- nection with the awarding of two contracts to the Cayman Islands public hospital system in 2010 and 2011. Rodriguez also faces several charges in connection with the alleged scheme. Crown prosecutors have said they expect the trial to last several weeks. Money laundering alleged Watson faces 10 charges that were filed in 2014 following his arrest. Those charges, brought under the Proceeds of Crime Law, include six for alleged money laundering, relating to US$169,000, covering the period from Dec. 30, 2010 to June 2012. He is also charged with failing to disclose a pecuniary interest, breach of trust, fraud on the government, and conflict of interest. Rodriguez faces one fraud-related charge in the investigation under section 11 of the Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Law and two charges of money laundering. The money laundering al- legations relate to separate amounts, totaling US$30,000 and US$25,000, that Rodriguez is bRent FulleR bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands government spent nearly $1 million on overtime during the last budget year for guards to monitor Cuban mi- grants temporarily housed in George Town. The overtime spending, listed as part of the prisons service budget in the Ministry of Home Affairs 2014/15 annual report, was also noted as putting “even greater strains” on a prison staff already stretched thin. “The government had to fund in excess of $960,000 in overtime to cover this facility,” states the prisons service report for the 2014/15 budget year. Prior to 2014, the Immigration Department kept minimal security staff at the deten- tion facility, which is not considered a real prison. The center is used to detain migrants who land illegally on Cayman’s shores until their repatriation can be arranged. The pro- cess often takes months. During 2013 and early 2014, a number of escapes from the low-security center were reported. Most of the escapees were rounded up, but at least one man who escaped in late 2013 was not located, according to the Immigration Department. Deputy Chief im- migration Officer Gary Wong warned at the time that some escaped Cubans could pose a danger to the community since often little is known about them prior to their arrival. The escapes prompted the Ministry of Home Affairs to shift either prisons officers or private security company guards to monitor the facility around the clock. Premier Alden McLaughlin announced in June that the de- tention center would be turned into “a prison” with prison officers guarding the Cuban mi- grants in the same way they guard inmates at Northward or Fairbanks prisons. Few Cuban prisoner escapes were re- ported after mid-2014, but it came with a cost far beyond any seen by government in the past decade. According to figures previously provided Craig noble in action during his record-breaking 100,000 meters indoor row. – pHoto: ron sHillinGford Ron shillinGFoRD rshillingford@pinnaclemedialtd.com A fitness trainer has broken a British indoor rowing re- cord for 100,000 meters and raised more than $20,000 for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and Children’s Tumor Foundation. Craig Noble recorded 7 hours, 6 minutes at Anytime Fitness in Camana Bay on Saturday to beat the 40/50 age group record by five minutes. The Children’s Tumor Foundation raises aware- ness and funding to find a cure for the millions world- wide living with neurofibro- matosis, which affects one in every 3,000 people. Mr. Noble, the master trainer at Anytime Fitness, is a former British Army soldier and Great Britain triathlon team member for 15 years. He is also a former European sprint triathlon champion and won the Cayman Islands Marathon in 2005. He completed 18 Ironman events, his last one in Nice, France, 12 years ago before retiring from such grueling sporting challenges. The rowing “marathon” was his first serious sporting challenge since then. Mr. Noble, 45, wanted to create an indoor event which included audience partici- pation. With four additional rowers on either side of him, noble’s row raises $20,000 PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Wednesday november 18, 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. - WEDNESDAY - $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 www.tonymosleylifeinsurance.com ICCI students explore how technology impacts business Nine students at the International College of the Cayman Islands returned re- cently from a week in South Florida examining how tech- nology impacts business and society as part of their aca- demic seminar on technology and society. This year the course fo- cused on Miami, according to ICCI, because of its poten- tial to become the next big regional tech hub, since the city has already attracted millions in venture capital and numerous technology- related startups. Chief Information Officer and Director of the Information Technology Department of Miami-Dade County Angel Petisco hosted one of the student visits. Mr. Petisco briefed students on how Miami-Dade uses data analytics and cloud com- puting to improve overall ser- vices, reduce operational and capital costs while increasing service delivery to the coun- ty’s 2.5 million residents. Students also visited Venture Hive, an entrepre- neurial education company and Microsoft Innovation Center, home to 31 compa- nies from 18 countries. Serial entrepreneur Dr. Susan Amat, who founded the company, conducted a mentoring ses- sion with students. In a press release from ICCI, business student Naresa Peart-Robinson said, “The thing that stuck out most for me is that Dr. Amat said as students we have to decide if we are going to be people who start busi- nesses or people who work for others who have started businesses. I never looked at the world this way before. “Especially as a woman, it was good to see her example. It made me think that maybe I may have the next big idea that could change the world.” Finance student Shaun Morgan noted that students are often pushed into ca- reers in financial services and tourism. “I think teachers in Cayman should also be pushing careers in technology and letting us know that we can also become entrepre- neurs instead of looking to others to provide us jobs.” Students also visited the offices of Cisco Miami, hosted by account manager Mark Herman. Cisco pre- sented the company’s latest business collaboration tools. In addition, Miami Herald entrepreneurship and tech writer Nancy Dahlberg spoke to the students during the trip and gave a presentation on how technology and business impact economic growth. “Getting off the island and seeing firsthand what it takes to be globally competi- tive in business really opened my eyes and let me know what I need to do to be suc- cessful,” said business stu- dent Opal Ruiz. “I see so many ways how we can apply geographic in- formation systems to reduce crime, improve traffic flow, manage natural resources like coral reefs and so many other aspects to make the quality of life in Cayman better. This exposure is just amazing,” said business stu- dent Shenek Conolly. ICCI President David Marshall, who led the sem- inar, said, “We are very proud of the way these students represented themselves, the college and the country. Our goal is always to provide students with world-class teaching and learning expe- riences. We are ecstatic that these students have come back to the island enriched and motivated.” Each student at ICCI has to complete two interna- tional seminars as a con- dition of graduation. The seminar topics include tech- nology, business, religion, organizational behavior and Cayman Islands history, among a host of other aca- demic topics. Miami Dade County Chief Information Officer Angel Petisco with ICCI students. Lawmakers may let terminally ill use marijuana TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Florida legislators may change the law to allow ter- minally ill patients to use medical marijuana. A House panel on Tuesday approved a bill that would change the state’s recently enacted “Right to Try Act.” That law allows patients with less than a year to live to take experimental drugs. Supporters of the measure (called HB 307) say terminally ill patients should have access to marijuana so they do not have to rely on drugs such as morphine to relieve their pain. Patients would not be allowed to smoke or inject marijuana. If approved, HB 307 will require two doctors to deter- mine if a patient is terminal before they would be eligible for the high-THC marijuana. The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee has approved the bill, but several Republican legislators voted no. Rep. Gayle Harrell argued marijuana is not a “life-saving medication.” Rep. Charles Van Zant, whose mother recently died, disagreed with Harrell. A similar bill is also moving in the Senate.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 Cayman Compass • Wednesday november 18, 2015 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” Cayman Christmas: ’Tis (nearly) the holiday season In case you couldn’t tell from the elves, lights and artificial snow, here in the Cayman Islands it’s begin- ning to look a lot like … well, you know the rest. (Sooner than later, we promise you’ll be hearing the complete phrase on the radio, over and over again.) The Christmas holiday season in Cayman officially kicks off Thursday evening, when the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman holds its annual Christmas tree lighting celebration at Heroes Square downtown. On Saturday, Camana Bay hosts its annual tree lighting event, featuring a special visit from the man himself — Old Saint Nick. Out on Shamrock Road near Spotts, the Crightons’ home is currently in the process of decoration, as the family continues the Christmas tradition started by their patriarch Rex Crighton, who passed on in Sep- tember at the age of 81. The pioneering land developer may be gone, but his holiday spirit lives on. Grand Cayman’s “rival” spectacular Christmas light display, at the Boddens’ home on South Church Street, is also being assembled. We see decorations going up on the island’s round- abouts, which during these hectic weeks provide us with infusions of holiday cheer at the precise moments when we need them most — that is, of course, during rush hour. Churches and schools are making preparations for Christmas pageants and plays, and local stores are featuring displays of holiday-themed goods. (To their credit, most retailers resisted striking at the lure of winter holiday promotions until after Halloween. For that, we are grateful.) In the United States, the annual Christmas tradition of arguing over the existence of a “war on Christmas” is already well under way. This year’s target – or aggressor, depending on your perspective – is the Starbucks Coffee Company, whose ubiquitous stores engendered a furious tempest among some groups of ultra-conscientious Americans by — and, yes, we’re being serious — serving beverages in red cups. For those of us who may be inclined toward “Grin- chiness,” and who may be protesting, “Too soon! Too soon!” — we advise you to take a peek at the closest calendar. The holiday is just five weeks away. True, American Thanksgiving hasn’t yet occurred, but it’s next Thursday. And Canadian Thanksgiving transpired more than a month ago. The still-fledging tradition of Cayman Thanksgiving takes place Dec. 6. This year, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah begins at sunset Dec. 6 and concludes Dec. 14. Many Muslims will mark Mawlid, “Birth of the Prophet,” on Dec. 24. Yes, it’s beginning to look like the winter holiday season in Cayman. The only entity that seems not to be going along with it is Mother Nature. However, looking at extended weather forecasts, temperatures may begin dropping in a couple of weeks or so. And when those beloved cool Christmas breezes begin blowing in, that should serve better than mugs of hot cider to warm the hearts of the stoniest Scrooges in Cayman, and cause them to abandon their “Bah, humbug!” for a genuine “Happy Christmas to all!” Wednesday november 18, 2015 • Cayman COmpass Hillary Clinton and the ‘Wall Street question’ Paula DWyer The criticism poured in from friend and foe alike when Hillary Clinton in- voked 9/11 on Saturday night to justify Wall Street’s generosity to her presiden- tial campaign. Yes, it was a weird mo- ment in the Democratic de- bate. But her real mistake wasn’t in clumsily trying to turn the attention to her role as a senator in rebuilding downtown New York after Sept. 11, 2001. It was in not using the op- portunity to make a stronger case for her proposals to up- date the 2010 Dodd-Frank fi- nancial-reform law. With one exception, her reforms go to the heart of what more needs to be done to keep the finan- cial system safe. But, first, let’s look at how the financial sector spends its money on politicians. Wall Street’s contributions, which are by far the largest source of funding for candidates in both parties, have histori- cally swung between favoring Democrats and Republicans. In 2008, the industry gave more to Barack Obama than to John McCain, even though bankers knew that the finan- cial crisis would end with tough new regulations and that McCain would be more likely to go easy on them. Obama angered Wall Street when he wiped out bankrupt automakers’ debts to bondholders. Obama also backed the Volcker rule, which forced banks to stop trading securities with their own money. On “60 Minutes,” he said he didn’t run for president to help “a bunch of fat-cat bankers on Wall Street.” They cut him off after that remark and, in 2012, over- whelmingly supported Mitt Romney, who, as a founder of private-equity firm Bain & Co, was one of them. This election cycle, the financial sector again seems to favor the GOP. As of mid- October, Jeb Bush had re- ceived five times more money (including super-PAC donations) than Clinton – US$30 million versus US$6 million. An analysis by campaign-finance trackers at the Center for Responsive Politics shows her take is only slightly bigger than Chris Christie’s US$5.2 million, and half that of Ted Cruz’s US$12.5 million (though this is largely from a single donor, hedge-fund manager Robert Mercer, to a super-PAC). In any case, it’s way too simple to say the industry’s largesse is all due to an ex- pectation of favors in re- turn. Financiers tend to be centrists, or lean toward the liberal side on many is- sues. Broadly speaking, the sector’s leaders support spending increases for ed- ucation, public works and social safety-net improve- ments. Deficit spending leads to the creation of Treasury securities, which Wall Street banks trade and profit from. Top finan- ciers also tend to favor im- migration reform, Planned Parenthood, gun control, same-sex marriage and en- vironmental causes. Former Morgan Stanley head John Mack and Lloyd Blankfein, the Goldman Sachs CEO, supported Clinton in 2008. Blankfein held fundraisers for her. Of course, Wall Street isn’t monolithic. Rarely do do- nors fall right in line behind the candidates to whom they write checks. Paul Singer, the billionaire founder of Elliott Management, a hedge fund, is backing Marco Rubio, yet, unlike Rubio, he supports same-sex marriage. What may be driving some donors this time is making sure someone like Cruz isn’t elected. The Texas senator would rather shut down the government and see the U.S. default on its debt than in- crease federal spending. To many Wall Street denizens, even talk of that harms the economy – and ultimately their businesses and bo- nuses, which depend on high levels of consumer and in- vestor confidence. So can Clinton take Wall Street’s money and not do its bidding? The best clue to the answer may lie in her fi- nancial proposal, which fills several holes in the Dodd- Frank law. She proposes, for example, a bank surtax, or risk fee, that would grow along with a bank’s size, thus discour- aging borrowing to finance risky activities. She would make it easier for prosecu- tors to “claw back” the pay of bankers who fail to oversee lending or trading desks. She would give law enforcers more time to investigate po- tential crimes. Yes, it would be simpler if her plan just required banks to have more equity capital. By not doing so, her proposal tries to do too much. But that isn’t to say it’s weak tea. Another way to judge Clinton’s independence is to look at who is advising her. Her regulatory gurus include Gary Gensler, the former Goldman Sachs banker who ran the Commodity Futures Trading Commission from 2009 through 2013. Not only did he help write Dodd-Frank; he also cham- pioned derivatives-trading rules that cut into the in- dustry’s profits. Why then does Wall Street give to Clinton if it doesn’t expect something in return? Maybe it wants to help make sure she wins the Democratic nomina- tion. After all, her chief rival, Bernie Sanders, favors breaking up the big banks, calls the industry’s business model “a fraud” and blames it for causing inequality. Clinton’s position is far more nuanced by comparison. Truth be told, she takes financial leaders’ donations because campaigns are expensive (through no fault of her own), and she needs the funds. “It’s where the money is,” Alan Patricof, a venture capitalist and longtime supporter of liberal causes, told Max Abelson, my Bloomberg colleague. “Wall Streeters contribute to political parties.” Paula Dwyer writes editorials on economics, finance and politics. © 2015, Bloomberg View5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Wednesday november 18, 2015 HP HORIZ Government sets plans for 18-month budget Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment will enter uncharted financial waters Wednesday as the planning document for the upcoming 18-month budget is released in the Legislative Assembly. The discussion of the strategic policy statement for the 2016/17 fiscal year marks the first step in the process of multiyear budgeting for Cayman, shifting away from the current one-year budgets. Here’s how the change is anticipated to work: As of Jan. 1, 2018, Cayman’s an- nual budgeting will switch to a two-year process, run- ning from January 2018 to December 2019, and every two-year period thereafter. In order to get to that point, when this year’s budget cycle ends on June 30, 2016, the next government budget cycle will run from July 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2017, a period of 18 months. After that, the two-year budgeting process will begin. The proposed changes will also take Cayman’s cur- rent July through-June budget to a January-through- December process. Both Premier Alden McLaughlin and Finance Minister Marco Archer have said they believe the change could address a number of is- sues currently facing the an- nual spending plan process. First, moving the budget process from January to December takes budget plan- ning away from the general election. Typically, Cayman’s general elections are held in May every four years. In the current budgeting process, a new government has only five weeks or so after its election to office to come up with a spending plan for the entire year. In addition, multiyear budgeting could eliminate the need for government to spend eight or nine months out of 12 in the financial planning process, as Mr. McLaughlin said it does now. However, both Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush and independent North Side MLA Ezzard Miller ob- ject to the change, stating it does not allow for proper scrutiny of government accounts until it is “too late.” Mr. Miller said in September that the proposed 18-month “interim budget,” between July 1, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2017, would allow the cur- rent government to effectively “skip” finance committee and strategic policy reporting re- quirements during its last 12 months in office prior to the May 2017 general election. “This provides some op- portunities for government to spend money in that period leading to the election that is not going to be scrutinized until long after the next elec- tion takes place,” he said. Mr. Archer has denied that would be the case under the Progressives-led government. He explained that while the budget plan would be ex- tended, first for 18 months and then to two years, an- nual audits and reviews of government spending would still take place as prescribed by the law. However, Opposition Leader Bush pointed out that those audits have often lagged years behind the ac- tual expenditure and that legislature members are not allowed to question those reports at the time they are made public, due to Legislative Assembly rules. “That is a long period of time when there is no scru- tiny,” Mr. Bush said. Mr. Archer said the fi- nance committee review of the 2016/17 budget would take place as normal next spring. The only change ini- tially will be that the out- going Progressives-led ad- ministration will not be required to produce another strategic policy statement in November 2016 – a few months before the election. Mr. Archer Carnival donates $75K for reef Conservation Cruise line’s donation to go toward Little Cayman marine research facility The philanthropic wing of Carnival Cruise Lines has donated $75,000 for the Central Caribbean Marine Institute’s coral reef con- servation and education programs on Little Cayman. The funding from the Carnival Foundation will go toward research on endan- gered coral species and to develop a program for local schools on reef conserva- tion. Carnival is one of the cruise lines pushing for a new cruise pier, hotly de- bated because of potential damage to the reef off the George Town waterfront. Central Caribbean Marine Institute presi- dent Carrie Manfrino, in a press release, said, “CCMI’s overarching goal is to in- crease the sustainability of critically endangered coral species, and Carnival Foundation’s grant will en- able us to target and im- prove the restoration of corals – including those recently impacted by the ‘bleaching effects’ of warm water in the Caribbean – and through our develop- ment of coral nurseries and other restoration work.” Carnival Foundation Director Linda Coll, in a press statement, said, “Carnival Foundation is honored to support an or- ganization that is focused on conservation through the education of local chil- dren, both of which are areas that we are very pas- sionate about. “We strive to be good global citizens, and working with CCMI en- ables us to help preserve and restore the beautiful environmentally vital coral reefs that characterize the Cayman Islands.” Ms. Manfrino explained that the research will be part of the Cayman Ocean Science Academy at the Little Cayman Research Centre to develop a science curriculum called Raise a Reef. The program aims to work with 200 students with activities around conserving Cayman’s coral reefs. The program will give teachers access to an online game, activity guide and a field guide to help students learn about local endan- gered coral species, she said.Wednesday november 18, 2015 • Cayman Compass 6 DISTRICT Days District Days Sister Islands A wealth of heritage on display on the Brac Cayman Brac Heritage Day took place on Saturday, Nov. 7 and the event was jam packed with fasci- nating displays, delicious food and even a fashion show. The Heritage Day kicked off with an old-time breakfast by the seashore provided by Aunt Sha’s Kitchen. Attractions featured all- day hot food and baked goods ven- dors, craft kiosks, a bouncy castle, a heritage maze with a theme of “Preserving our past, protecting our future,” and a kids’ corner. The official opening featured a performance by the Primary School Choir, conch blowing and a dance number by Koalition. With music from the Ole Time Kitchen Band, the day was packed with activities and demonstra- tions. Old-time games, plaiting and thatching, caboose cooking and pep- permint cand making were all on display, as were coconut oil making, catboat sailing, model coconut cat- boat making and rope making. “One little girl, Catrise Connor, got so excited about the rope laying, she joined in to help Keino Daley turn the three wrench,” noted Heritage Day Committee Secretary Simone Scott. Adding to the old-time feel, the Heritage Market craft stalls were set up in the old Creek post office, which is currently being renovated on the Heritage Grounds. “The building is very historic as it was not only a post office but also a jail, with the jail bars still on the window, and a library,” said Ms. Scott. “Aunt Cora’s Cottage from Watering Place is also being ren- ovated on the Heritage House grounds, and for Heritage Day 2015 it was fixed up with artifacts repre- senting an old Caymanian cottage, complete with plantain trash bed and a conch-lined sand yard.” Inside Heritage House, there was an exhibit by local art- ists showcasing Brac history and beauty up to the modern day. Artists included Monte Lee Thornton and Theingi Tin Oung, who capture the island’s beauty, Conroy Ebanks’s interpretation of heritage, Simone Scott’s iPad tech art and Dakota La Ness’s manga art, representing the modern day and beyond. The fashion show, which con- trasted old and new styles with a “Past welcomes future” theme, was followed by an elegant tea party hosted by Speaker of the House and Sister Islands MLA Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, who undertook the impressive task of making all the sweets and teas herself. The evening’s entertainment kicked off with a gospel con- cert hosted by the Hillside Chapel and Cotton Tree Bay Church of God (Chapel). After an impressive fireworks extravaganza and a bonfire, fes- tivities continued at the Ole Time Brac Saturday Night, featuring the “The Cayman Cowboy” Andy Martin and other local talent, as well as a teen disco with DJ Slim for the younger Brackers. All in all, it was a well at- tended event, said Ms. Scott, thanking the numerous volun- teers and exhibitors for their excellent contributions. 50 years ago: Brac news tidbits In the Nov. 17, 1965 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a predecessor of the Cayman Compass, Cayman Brac corre- spondent Lilian Ritch wrote: “Welcome home to Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Briggs of Homer, N.Y., come for their winter stay. Mr. Briggs has a poem about it ‘What do you do down there?’ which will be published next week. “Kent Green of the Bight away in Barbados on the Cable & Wireless (W.I.) Ltd. training course writes, ‘I am getting along fine and doing well. The School work is very interesting. Here in Barbados the people are very kind and sociable, the at- mosphere is cool and balmy. “Two Cuban refugees arrived on Mon. the 8th from Santa Cruz del Sur. They made the crossing in one night by sail and motor, they were fishing on the cays. They arrived without a compass, left their nets, and lightened the boat by throwing away 15 turtle (they brought 2 here). “The motor boat ‘Sandria’ has been doing some fishing at Little Cayman catching king fish (wahoo), jacks and bar- racudas. Sportsmen Dr. and Mrs. Leighton Clarke, keen fishermen, enjoyed the trips thoroughly. “It was also fun for them to be at the launching of the yacht ‘Cabin’ at White Bay as she came off dry dock. “We now learn that the H.M.S. ‘Rothesay’ and not the ‘Relentless’ will be visiting Cayman Brac on the 27th. Mr. Dalton Murray, the British High Commissioner in Jamaica, will be trav- eling on the warship for just a brief call at the Brac. He will leave for Montego Bay by C.B.A. about 10:30 a.m.” aunt Cora’s cottage was decorated as an old-time home, complete with authentic touches like a plantain trash bed. – Photo: EugEnio MylEs Liz Walton, Brac Festival Queen Haylie Tibbetts, hostess Juliana o’Connor-Connolly and Melanie scott enjoy a tea party. – Photo: siMonE scottCayman Compass • Wednesday november 18, 2015 7 LOCAL NEWS District Days Sister Islands The Sister Islands Cook-off winners and judges. Chefs vie for glory at the Sister Islands Cook-off BaSIa MCGuIre bmcguire@pinnaclemedialtd.com Little Cayman’s usually tranquil Southern Cross Club was a hotbed of cooking action last weekend with stoves all fired up for the 18th annual Sister Islands Cookoff. The island welcomed a wide range of chefs and foodies to what organizers describe as a very suc- cessful event. The annual fundraiser for the Sister Islands Tourism Association continues to draw talented chefs seeking to contest their culinary skills. “With about 150 people in attendance, we had 54 entries. We had a very good outcome in terms of funds raised for the Association, which uses proceeds of the event for their var- ious projects and initiatives,” said Southern Cross Club General Manager and Cookoff committee member Jennifer Mills. “These include the Association’s oper- ating costs, marketing, and having a presence at important industry trade shows like the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association [DEMA] show.” The event’s primary sponsor Jacques Scott sponsored the unique trophies from high-end kitchenware and culinary design firm Nambe, along with prize money. “We also had a raffle with over 20 prizes including a two-night stay at the Caribbean Club, a $250 Camana Bay voucher, a case of Flor de Cana Rum donated by Tortuga Liquors, a case of Tattinger Champagne do- nated by Jacques Scott, plus a snorkel and mask set from Scubapro,” said Ms. Mills. Music from Grand Cayman’s Wild Knights kept the place hopping, and Judges Chef Vidyadhara Shetty, Chef Keith Griffin and Chef Tanya Foster had the difficult task of choosing from a myriad of delicious dishes to deter- mine the winners. Soup and Salad category winner was Chef Dianne Fite of Pirates Point for her Caribbean Roasted Corn Crab Chowder, with second place going to the Hungry Iguana’s Lionfish Chowder. In the appetizer category, winners Team Southern Cross Club presented Cilantro and Coconut Chutney stuffed Tiger Shrimp on Green Papaya Salad and Sweet Chili Garlic Sauce, and Chef Dianne once again showed her mettle with her second place entry of Conch Samosas with Wasabi Island Tartar Sauce and Sweet Chili Harissa Dipping Sauce. In the Entrée category, first place went to Team Southern Cross Club for their Potato Crusted Lamb Fillet with Root Vegetable Puree. The team also snagged second place with their Lavender Scented Little Cayman Silk Snapper. The highly anticipated Dessert category found Chef Dianne ruling the roost with her Little Cayman Turtle Trifle with Salted Caramel, and second place was awarded to Chef Yvonne Waldo of the Little Cayman Beach Resort for her Coconut Macaroons. The hotly contested local category was won by Southern Cross Club’s Judith Jackson for her pumpkin flan, with Patti Edwards run- ning a close second for her Cayman Style Land Crab. Ms. Mills noted two Awards of Recognition were given by the Cayman Islands Culinary society. The first went to Team Southern Cross Club for their Tender Coconut Jelly “No-Bake” Cheesecake in White Chocolate Shell topped with Nutella Soil and Berries. The second went to Little Cayman Beach Resort for the Sugar Drop Jumbo Scallops. Overall, Team Southern Cross Club was awarded the Grand Champion Award for their winning appetizer which was voted the best dish of the night out of 54 dishes. It scored 39 points out of a possible 45 to have the highest number of points. It was the third consecu- tive Grand Champion Award for the Southern Cross Club. Judges Chef Vidyadhara Shetty, Chef Keith Griffin and Chef Tanya Foster had the difficult task of having to choose from myriad delicious dishes to determine the winners. The hotly contested local category was won by Southern Cross Club’s Judith Jackson, for her pumpkin flan. Ms. Jackson is shown here with the judges, from left, Vidyadhara Shetty, Keith Griffin and Tanya Foster.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Wednesday november 18, 2015 • Cayman Compass We Buy Gold!We Buy Gold! Cash For Gold Silver, Coins and Broken Jewelry Cash Paid on the Spot! Call 927-8565 Cash For Gold • Shedden Road Court of Appeal upholds conviction CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former police officer Elvis Kelsey Ebanks began a sentence of three years imprisonment on Monday after his appeal against conviction on bribery charges was dismissed. Ebanks, an officer for 12 years, was found guilty in May 2014 of two counts of soliciting a bribe and two counts of breach of trust. He was granted bail pending appeal. Attorney Laurence Aiolfi argued against the convic- tions, one ground being that the trial judge should have warned the jury that the Crown’s main witness had powerful motives to lie. Mr. Aiolfi did not argue against the sentence. There is no provision for sentence to be delayed after the Court of Appeal delivers its ruling. Ebanks had a few minutes with his attorney and a family member before being taken into custody. The charges arose from incidents in November 2012, when a recently arrived Filipino national was ac- cused of stealing a cellphone from a car at a business premises. He was assisting a relative there, working without the knowledge of the owner. He used the cell- phone, which enabled the owner to trace it and report the matter to police. Ebanks was the officer who responded. The phone’s owner did not want to press charges. The business owner wanted the Filipino man re- moved from the premises and Ebanks drove him home. Ebanks’s testified that he had lectured the man about being dishonest and that he could have ended up in jail. The conversation turned to money, Ebanks said, and the man offered the officer a loan of $500. Ebanks said he foolishly accepted and intended to pay it back. He denied taking CI$115 and US$31 from the man that day. He received $500 several days later, after the man had informed police that Ebanks had asked him for money. Police intercepted Ebanks with the $500 in marked bills, which the po- lice had supplied to the man. Mr. Aiolfi said the Filipino man had powerful reasons to lie – he had stolen a phone and had been found working without a permit. He argued it was incumbent on Justice Charles Quin as trial judge to tell the jury to treat this witness with caution. The appeal court did not agree. Sir Alan Moses gave the court’s decision, saying there was no basis for saying there should have been any special warning. Justice Quin had told the jury that the issue was – who was telling the truth? If jurors believed Ebanks, they must find him not guilty. If they believed the witness, they would find Ebanks guilty. “It is commonplace and perfectly correct for a judge to remind the jury, where there is a conflict or clash of evidence, where inevitably the jury are going to have to make up their mind as to who is telling the truth and who is not. In presenting that factual issue of cred- ibility to the jury in that way, the judge was not in any way undermining the principle … that they had to be sure that the witness was telling the truth before they could convict,” Justice Moses said. The proposition that an impoverished, recently ar- rived immigrant would offer an officer $500 needed only to be stated to see how fan- ciful it was, he concluded, and the court was “not one whit surprised” that the jury had rejected it. Ex-policeman jailed for soliciting bribe accused of handling on be- half of Watson, who was managing director at Admiral Administration. Both Watson and Rodriguez have pleaded not guilty to all charges. Watson and another Cayman Islands busi- nessman were also charged in July with various offenses connected to the December 2010 award of the CarePay swipe-card contract by the Health Services Authority to Advanced Integrated Systems (AIS) Cayman Ltd. Additional allegations are made in the charges regarding the 2011 award of a computerized pharmaceutical tracking system for the Health Services Authority, also to AIS Cayman Ltd. Watson served as chairman of the Health Services Authority board of directors at the time both contracts were awarded to the company, which Crown prosecutors allege he con- trolled. In all previous state- ments to the press, Watson has denied all allegations of corrupt acts. The Cuban migrant holding facility in Fairbanks. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Cayman spent $1,576,000 in calendar year 2014 on migrant-related costs, including detention, feeding, housing, medical care, and transportation back to Cuba. In 2010 and 2009, there was no cost to government since no Cuban immigrants had arrived in Cayman. The costs listed are for the calendar year, January through December. They vary somewhat from those in the Cayman Islands an- nual budget, which runs from July 1 to June 30. More than double the number of migrants landed in the Cayman Islands in 2014 compared to the pre- vious year. According to the ministry, 143 Cuban migrants arrived in Cayman during 2014. Sixty-seven migrants arrived here in 2013, and 69 were reported in 2012. More Cuban migrants ar- rived in Cayman last year than in any year since 2006, when the government recorded 148 migrants landing here. In the past decade, gov- ernment officials said 745 Cuban migrants, including 21 children, landed illegally in Cayman. Jury selection in corruption trial set for Friday Noble’s row raises $20K he invited community sup- port for all the rowers throughout the attempt. For 18 weeks, he com- pleted an average of 120,000 meters of rowing per week in preparation for the record at- tempt. Mr. Noble said it was the support of many Anytime Fitness members who joined him for training sessions that inspired him to keep going. “It was a joint effort on the day, to be honest,” he said. “The love and support that surrounded me was so inspirational and allowed me to hang on in those last three hours of darkness. Very ugly, but records are never pretty. “All in all, I feel we achieved what I set out to do and created a huge amount of awareness for the two chari- ties, so it was a win-win for everyone involved. Thank you.” Christine Connor, owner of Anytime Fitness, said, “It was such an emotional day – especially the last hour. There were definitely tears. “We had an amazing turnout and were blown away by the community gen- erosity and support for Craig and all his hard work. He truly is one of a kind. “Thank you to everyone in- volved in the event, especially our corporate sponsors, Z99, the supporting rowers, our amazing members, the Red Cross, family and friends and our Anytime Fitness team.” Donations are welcome until Nov. 30 at Anytime Fitness, Camana Bay. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cuban detention center: Guards paid $1M in overtime CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Stadium evacuated following threat HANNOVER, Germany (AP) – The friendly soccer game between Germany and the Netherlands was canceled at short notice due to the serious threat of an attack at the stadium on Tuesday. “We had concrete ev- idence that someone wanted to set off an ex- plosive device in the sta- dium,” Hannover police chief Volker Kluwe told German TV. Referring to another bomb threat about an hour beforehand that turned out to be a false alarm, Kluwe said, “After the first object turned out to be harmless, we got a tip that had to be taken seriously that an at- tack was being planned.” Evacuation orders Spectators had only just started entering the Hannover stadium when the evacuation order was given, which af- fected mainly stadium staff, match workers, VIP guests, and media. Members of the German government including Chancellor Angela Merkel had not arrived, but were sched- uled to attend the match to send a signal that Germany would not bow to terrorism in the wake of the deadly Paris attacks on Friday. At the time, Germany was playing France in a soccer friendly in the Stade de France, outside of which three suicide bombers blew themselves up, killing one by- stander. The bombers sought unsuccessfully to enter the stadium. At least 129 people were killed in the coordinated attacks in the city. Announcements at the stadium in northern Germany advised people to go home in a calm manner, and that there was no danger to fear. Most fans were still waiting out- side when the order to evac- uate came about an hour and a half before kickoff. No panic There were no signs of panic, with most fans seem- ingly accepting the decision with resignation. Police be- came more forceful with members of the media who attempted to stay beside the stadium. Germany press officer Jens Grittner said the team bus was redirected to a “safe place,” and that was all he could say for the moment. Security at the stadium was very tight, with police armed with machine guns and maintaining a very ob- vious presence in the city. Reporters arriving for the game were searched, while a sniffer dog was deployed to check their bags. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere was meeting with local counterpart Boris Pistorius late Tuesday when more background de- tails were to be given at a news conference. Tuesday’s friendly be- tween Belgium and Spain was called off late Monday following a Belgian govern- ment recommendation. The Belgian Football Association said it was “in the context of a new elevated terrorist alert and the current pur- suit of a suspect.” GERMANY-NETHERlANdS SOccER MATcH AT GERMAN STAdiuM cAllEd Off AMid SEcuRiTY cONcERNSThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Wednesday november 18, 2015 Yellow Pages Advertisementhttp://caymanyp.com/sys/pageserver.dll?b=55020&f=pw440 1 of 111/17/2014 4:40 PM www.facebook.com/napacaymanwww.napacayman.comE-mail: info@kirkmotors.kyFax: 949-8532 The Culinary Studio, part of the fifth floor meeting rooms space at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, officially opened this week. The Culinary Studio will offer seven culinary experiences presented by var- ious chefs at The Ritz-Carlton restau- rants, as well as customized events. The space was created as part of an extensive redesign of the hotel after its acquisition by Five Mile Capital Partners LLC in November 2012. The space was completed in January of this year, but until now was used only sporadically for events. General Manager Marc Langevin said the hotel had been experi- menting with the space over the past 10 months to determine how it could best be used. “I think it’s time to share it with others and let them know what we can do here,” he said. Court of Appeal says judge failed to mention basis of plea CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The prison sentence for Delroy James, a teacher who pleaded guilty to in- decently assaulting three male students, was reduced on Tuesday from three years to two years. James has been in custody since June 2014 and that time counts against his sentence. The Court of Appeal agreed with Crown counsel Toyin Salako that three years is not excessive, considering the totality of the offending. However, the court also agreed with attorney Nicholas Dixey that when Justice Charles Quin passed sen- tence, he failed to mention the basis of James’s pleas to three counts of indecent assault, one count of gross indecency and one count of having an indecent image of one of the boys on his cellphone. A basis of plea is not binding on a judge, Sir Bernard Rix pointed out in delivering the court’s de- cision. However, a judge is under a duty to make it clear if he is not prepared to ac- cept that basis. In this case, the judge set out as the relevant facts what Ms. Salako had said in her opening statement to the court. Earlier, Ms. Salako ex- plained that James had admitted five of the 11 charges against him and had signed a statement ex- plaining the basis on which he was admitting them. Ms. Salako said she showed the basis of plea to the victims, all age 15, and their families. None of the boys agreed with James’s versions of what had hap- pened, and the Crown did not accept James’s basis of plea. James then submitted a second basis of plea. Ms. Salako said the Crown still did not agree with all of it, but accepted it because the boys were embarrassed and did not want to come to court to give evidence. The appeal court noted that indecent assault in- volves touching, while gross indecency does not involved touching. Justice Quin had said three years was appro- priate for indecent assault and gave a one-third discount for the guilty pleas, resulting in three two-year sentences which he ran concurrently. He said he had taken all the circumstances into account in arriving at this sentence. When he went on to con- sider the sentence for gross in- decency, he started with a term of four-and-a-half years and reduced that to three years be- cause of the guilty plea. Ms. Salako argued that three years was appro- priate because it was part of the ongoing series of of- fending and involved one of the boys who had been in- decently assaulted. The appeal court said the sentencing judge made no reference to the accumula- tion of these matters. The ap- peal was successful in that the sentence of three years for gross indecency was re- duced to two years and all sentences were concurrent. Ritz-Carlton opens culinary studio Teacher’s sentence for indecent assault reduced on appeal Ritz-Carlton chefs, from left, Sven Wunram, Lucas Julien-Vauzelle and Frederic Morineau as they prepare canapes in the Culinary Studio. – Photo: AlAn MArkoff Third Brac crash victim released from hospital BRENT FuLLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Brac resident injured in a Sunday afternoon crash that killed two other men was released from hos- pital Tuesday. Bob Barbera, 48, was discharged around noon from the Cayman Islands Hospital on Grand Cayman and was expected to return to the Brac. Royal Cayman Islands Police officers were still investigating the acci- dent and could not con- firm who was operating the Honda Odyssey van when it overturned along South Side Road East around 5:15 p.m. Sunday. Two American citizens died following the one- vehicle rollover crash in Cayman Brac. One of those killed. 54-year-old optometrist Mark L. Bettencourt from Kansas, was not found until three- and-a-half-hours after the accident was reported. His body was discovered trapped under the van at around 8:45 p.m. Sunday. The other man killed in the crash was identified as Douglas Carney, 50, originally from Topeka, Kansas.Next >