ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – Tuesday February 9, 2016 High of 80 Low of 70 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open waters. 11 SPECIALFEATURE CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2016 SpEcIAL fEATurE Valentine’s Day 2016 Editorial | pagE 4 On TacT and TacTics: The premier’s lessOn FOr minisTer rivers 180913_PRINT-Ad-Strip-BOTY-6colxPage 1 11/30/15 12:30:30 PM Cayman CONCACAF offices shuttered brenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands CONCACAF president’s offices in George Town closed down on Feb. 1, the Cayman Compass learned this week. Furniture was being moved out, and the remaining staffer said Monday that she was trying to arrange the sale of some of it. Operations at the office, on the second and third floors of the George Town Financial Centre (formerly the Admiral Financial Centre), had been slowly scaled back since the May 2015 arrest of then-CON- CACAF president Jeffrey Webb in connection with the FIFA racketeering and bribery in- vestigation in the U.S. It is be- lieved that CONCACAF has a lease agreement at the building through December 2017. CONCACAF representa- tives in Miami were contacted Monday for comment. They con- firmed that the former presi- dent’s office had been closed, but said a “small presence” would be maintained in Cayman. “CONCACAF’s operations in the Cayman Islands have been restructured as a result of the closure of the former President’s office,” read the statement from CONCACAF Deputy General Secretary Jurgen Mainka. “However, the confederation still maintains a small presence fo- cusing on specific pan-regional functions, such as broadcasting, tournament execution, member services, and press operations.” CONCACAF, FIFA’s re- gional governing body for the Caribbean, North and Central America, has seen its last three Cubans crowd overflow detention centers James WhiTTaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Community centers across the eastern districts are being used as overspill fa- cilities to house Cuban migrants be- cause of the sheer numbers arriving on Cayman’s shores. There are currently at least 125 de- tainees on island and the Immigration Detention Center, which has a capacity of around 60, has been full for several weeks. With makeshift boats arriving al- most every week, the situation has be- come increasingly difficult for au- thorities to manage. Detainees are being shuffled between community centers in East End, Bodden Town and North Side, with private firms called in to manage security. Seven people escaped from the facility in East End on Friday and were still at large at press time Monday, prompting immi- gration authorities to shift some of the de- tainees from that center to the North Side Civic Center. At midday on Monday, 64 people were being held at the Immigration Detention Center, 31 in East End and 24 in North Side. A mother and child are being detained sep- arately for health reasons. Bodden Town community center was also being used to house some detainees until last week. The Red Cross and charity organization Football Firm linked to FiFa probe, Watson court case brenT Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Pakistan-based football products man- ufacturing company has been linked in legal documents to the ongoing FIFA corruption and bribery probe in the United States. The company may also be linked to local businessman and convicted fraudster Canover Watson, based on statements in a recently ended criminal trial. According to a December lawsuit filed against California travel broker Cartan Tours and its principals by FIFA subsidiary CONCACAF, a company named Forward Sports has been implicated in U.S. District Court in connection with the FIFA racketeering in- dictment issued May 2015 against Cayman’s Jeffrey Webb and others. Criminal charges in the U.S. indictment, which Webb pleaded guilty to in November 2015, allege that a number of officials from world football’s governing body, FIFA, ac- cepted millions in bribes in exchange for the award of football tournament commercial rights to sports marketing companies. Statements in a Cayman Islands criminal court case against Watson, which ended last week in his conviction for fraud, noted that a company named Forward Sports International was registered in Cayman with an address at Watson’s former place of business, Admiral The CONCACAF offices on the second and third floors of the George Town Financial Centre building were closed on Feb. 1, according to a remaining staffer. More than 30 Cuban migrants are being held at the William Allen McLaughlin Civic Centre in East End because of overcrowding at the Immigration detention facility in George Town. - pHoto: matt lamers PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL NEWS Tuesday February 9, 2016 • Cayman Compass SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. © y x *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - TUESDAY - Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) THE BIG SHORT (R) 1:10 I 4:05 I 7:00 I 9:55 JANE GOT A GUN (R) 1:30 I 4:10 I 6:50 I 9:15 KUNG FU PANDA 3 3D (PG) 12:20 I 2:40 2D I 5:00 I 7:20 2D I 9:40 THE BOY (PG) 1:20 I 4:30 I 7:15 I 9:35 RIDE ALONG 2 (PG13) 1:00 I 3:30 I 7:10 I 9:40 THE 5TH WAVE (PG13) 1:10 I 4:00 I 7:30 I 10:10 ‘I was prepared to die’: Rower in cross-Atlantic race MAtt LAMeRs mlamers@pinnaclemedialtd.com As Julia Immonen tells the story, she’s just “an ordi- nary girl from an ordinary town.” But on Jan. 21, 2012, her five-woman rowing team set two world records during a race across the Atlantic Ocean, unaided. A pretty incredible feat for someone so ordinary. The feat – 3,000 miles from the Canary Islands to Barbados – has been accom- plished by fewer people than have climbed Mount Everest. Ms. Immonen was at Books & Books in Camana Bay on Saturday to share her story, sign copies of her book, “Row For Freedom: Crossing an ocean in search of hope,” and talk about her anti- human trafficking initiatives. “The book really shares that it was the most stretching time of my life,” she told the crowd. “There are two stories, the wind and the waves and the rowing and the pain, but there’s the real personal story.” Ms. Immonen is the founder of Sport for Freedom, a charity based in London that raises awareness of and fights human trafficking. She wants people to take action. “I hope it inspires others to dream it and do it and push the boundaries,” she said. “The big thing I learned was that I just did it afraid. It was scary, but I just did it. It was the most thrilling and life-changing experience.” Seventeen boats started the race, but only 11 made it. Ms. Immonen said her crew did not see another boat the whole way across. Part of that was by design: While the other racers took a more southerly route, her team stayed as far north as pos- sible in an attempt to break the world record. “It’s a scary thing, but I was willing to put my life on the line. We made it.” On her passion “Human trafficking will be my passion and purpose. I want to see the abolition of slavery. I don’t know if it will ever be eradicated, but we can sure do a lot to change it. It comes down to consumers and investors. I think this is going to be the thing I fight for to my dying days. It’s amazing to have such pas- sion and purpose to wake up to every day.” On adventure “Adventure was abso- lutely born in me. I just love what adventure does to us. I feel like there’s such a big world out there to explore. When I see people now, as I used to, just watching TV in the evening not really doing much, I just think ‘there’s a world to live out there’; just dream it and live it and do it. There’s so much to ex- plore and so much to see. It’s going to be hard, but if you get to the other side, or to the top of a mountain, it’s worth it. Few see it because they’re not willing to push their boundaries. The Julia I found at the other end is a way better Julia than the one who started.” On journaling “I’ve always been a bit of a journaler. It just gets ev- erything out. The emotions and the feelings fade. They do. As much as I remember, I forget the pain. So when you read it, it just comes flooding back. So I am so thankful I did my journal.” Students raise $3,389 for Cancer Society Cayman Academy stu- dents raised $3,389 through contributions by friends and family for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society in their annual Cancer Walk. On Friday, at the end of the walk, students presented a check to Cancer Society Operations Manager Jennifer Weber, who was moved to tears by the gesture. She explained to the stu- dents how every dollar do- nated to the charity helps someone who is in need. The check presenta- tion was the culmination of the school’s annual Cancer Awareness and Health Week, which coincided with World Cancer Day on Feb. 4. Led by the Gideon Marching Band of the Savannah Seventh-day Adventist Church, students and teachers, many dressed in pink, walked from the school on Walkers Road to the Cancer Society, next to the Cayman Islands Hospital. Walk organizer Sophia Hamilton, a pre-kindergarten teacher at the academy, said the fundraiser is one of the ways the school teaches stu- dents about the importance of empathy and caring for their neighbors. The school has organized the fundraiser for the past five years and has raised more than $7,000 for the Cancer Society. The Gideon Marching Band of the Savannah Seventh-day Adventist Church and students of Cayman Academy take part in the school’s annual Cancer Walk on Friday morning. - PHOTO: AliciA cAsTillO Ben Brado meets ‘Row For Freedom’ author Julia Immonen. Julia Immonen talks about the discipline it took her and four other women to row unaided 3,000 miles across the Atlantic, breaking a world record. – PHOTOs: MATT lAMers3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday February 9, 2016 Businessman steps up to help foreclosure family Elite Marble and Granite boss pays year’s rent for family James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A kind-hearted busi- nessman has donated more than $20,000 to pay a year’s worth of rent for retired post office worker Emily Seymour, who lost her home to foreclosure. Mike Laurenson, who owns Elite Marble and Granite, read Ms. Seymour’s story in the Cayman Compass last week and im- mediately decided to help. “You shouldn’t have to worry about being home- less at that age after you’ve worked all your life. You should be looking forward to relaxing on the front porch with your feet up,” he said. Ms. Seymour, who worked for the post office and at the Wholesome Bakery, could no longer afford to pay the mortgage and the cost of re- pairs on her Bodden Town home, which was dam- aged and flooded during Hurricane Ivan. The home, only partially repaired after the storm, was ridden with mold and had become a health hazard for the 67-year-old and her extended family, including three grandchildren. The bank has foreclosed on the property and Ms. Seymour and her family had until the end of February to find somewhere else to live. Now, with Mr. Laurenson’s help, they can move into a new place in East End. “I read the story and I de- cided to help out. It’s quite a heart rending story, for her to lose her home at that age. They didn’t seem to have much income coming in, so we have said we will pay the deposit and the rent from now till February next year. “Hopefully, with what they save, they can put food on the table and put enough aside so they can find a place they can afford in the long term.” Ms. Seymour said Tara Nielsen from the charity Acts of Random Kindness had called to tell her the good news on Friday. “I feel so happy, like a different person. After Tara called me and said, ‘I have some good news. I have someone to sponsor you,’ all I could do was cry. I am so grateful,” she said. Ms. Nielsen, of ARK, which had appealed for help on behalf of Ms. Seymour, said she was impressed by the generosity. “We hoped we might get something, but for him to cover the full amount is just amazing,” she said. “I am walking on air, it is like win- ning the lottery for them. It will make such a difference to their lives.” Part of ARK’s remit is to help find private sector do- nors to assist the least for- tunate in society. Not every hard luck story has a happy ending, but Ms. Nielson says one donation can make a huge impact. “It just takes one person to feel touched by a story,” she said. “Everyone has the freedom of choice to decide how and where they want to help in the community. I think Mike read the story and realized he could make a real difference in the lives of this family.” Bail withheld in rape case CarOL WiNker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A magistrate denied bail Monday to a man charged with rape. After hearing details of the rape, alleged to have oc- curred last month, Magistrate Valdis Foldats withheld bail and ordered the defendant to appear in Grand Court on March 11. In Summary Court on Monday afternoon, Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson objected to bail, noting that the defendant, 35, was cur- rently on bail for another matter and was also on pro- bation for a previous offense. The rape charge against him related to an incident in the early hours of Jan. 23. Mr. Ferguson said the de- fendant was known to the complainant. She told offi- cers that she and the man were talking and he offered to take her to get something to eat. Instead, he turned off on a dirt road, where the incident occurred. Afterward, he left her and drove off. The woman had to walk more than a mile, until she saw a garbage truck and asked the driver for help. He called police and the woman was taken to hospital for examination. Police subsequently iden- tified the place of the incident as a remote area off Sparkys Drive in George Town. They later went to the scene with the woman and found var- ious items. The defendant is also charged with assault and causing intentional ha- rassment, alarm or distress, in relation to the incident. Mr. Ferguson said a gov- ernment camera had caught a car in the area and traced it to the defendant. Defense attorney Alice Carver said the charge was strenuously denied. Her client had advised that what occurred was consensual. She suggested a strict curfew and electronic monitoring, but the magistrate said she could apply for bail in the Grand Court. ConstruCtion materials stolen from unfinished high sChool The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is investigating the theft of construction mate- rials, including copper wire, from a storage area on the John Gray High School construction site. Police officers re- sponded Saturday af- ternoon when security guards noticed three men near the construc- tion site storage area at the back of the building off Walkers Road in George Town. The three men ran when the security guards approached and left the scene in a white car, po- lice said. No arrests have been made in the case. The new high school, which began construc- tion works in 2008, has not been completed due to numerous difficulties with cost overruns and project delays. Ministry of Education officials said in November that govern- ment is going back to the drawing board on budgeting and planning for the school prior to any new construction work resuming. An emotional Emily Seymour thanks Mike Laurenson for donating more than $20,000 to pay for a year’s worth of rent. – Photo: matt lamers “You shouldn’t have to worry about being homeless at that age after you’ve worked all your life. You should be looking forward to relaxing on the front porch with your feet up.” Mike Laurenson Shots fired, fake gun arrest Royal Cayman Islands Police officers found three spent shell casings following an early morning call in cen- tral George Town Monday. Police responding to a re- port of shots fired in the area of School House Road located the shell casings. No one was injured in the shooting. In a separate and unre- lated incident Friday, po- lice arrested a 23-year-old West Bay man who they said was involved in a Jan. 29 assault where an imitation firearm was used. The man was charged with possession of an imi- tation firearm and threat- ening to kill the victim in the Jan. 29 incident. He was scheduled to appear in court Monday.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. Mac Margolis People are scrambling as the scary, mosquito-borne virus Zika winds its way through 26 (and counting) countries and territories in the Americas. The commotion is understandable: The virus may be linked to an alarming spike in microcephaly, a birth defect, in Brazil, and a neu- rological disorder elsewhere, and there’s nothing like the prospect of a generation maimed to trigger panic. But amid alarm over the public-health emergency is a quieter menace – economic loss and hardship. There’s an important, albeit still crude, question underlying Zika’s spread: How much will the virus cost? It’s too soon to calculate. Until last year Zika, which is transmitted through the Aedes mosquito, was known for only scattered outbreaks and mainly mild symptoms. But some idea of the poten- tial financial havoc the dis- ease might wreak can be gleaned by looking at another sickness spread via the Aedes mosquito: dengue. Putting a dollar figure on a global scourge is no simple matter, given the spotty reporting from coun- tries with precarious health care. But Donald Shepard, a health economist at Brandeis University, ran the num- bers and concluded that in 2013 dengue cost the global economy US$8.9 billion. That figure represents the price of caring for the 58.4 million dengue victims worldwide that year, plus the cost of lost time and pro- ductivity. Unsurprisingly, the burden was heavy on de- veloping countries: The 10 countries (nine of them de- veloping) with the highest aggregate cost from dengue bore 82 percent of the global cost in 2013. The disease was most expensive in Indonesia at US$2.2 billion. Brazil came in third at US$728 million, but add in the cost of preven- tion and the estimate rises to US$1.2 billion. True, the comparison with Zika is not perfect. Dengue has a greater global reach; Shepard’s research looked at 141 countries and territories where there were signs of transmission. There are various strains of dengue virus, which can lead to the severe, and potentially fatal, dengue hemorrhagic fever. According to Shepard’s calculations, dengue took 13,586 lives in 2013; that’s a relatively small share of the total number of victims, but those deaths represented 11.9 percent of the disease’s global economic burden. Then there’s the price to pay as worry over a new, little known scourge spreads. As devastating as Shepard’s findings are, they do not include the toll on tourism. Health officials in Australia, Denmark, the U.K. and the U.S. have already reported Zika infections in people returning from Latin America and the Caribbean. “When outbreaks occur, people stay away,” said Duane Gubler, an infectious- disease expert at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School in Singapore, who used to write travel advisories for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The fallout from other scourges can offer some in- sight. Tourist arrivals in Hong Kong were down 68 percent two months after the World Health Organization issued a warning about the SARS epi- demic in 2003, and 54 percent in South Korea two months after the 2015 alert about the MERS outbreak, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. With Zika, stocks of travel companies have already slumped “after U.S. health officials warned pregnant women and those planning pregnancies against visiting affected areas such as Brazil, Puerto Rico and Barbados,” according to Bloomberg Intelligence. That’s bad news for recession-ridden Brazil, currently hosting its for- eigner-friendly Carnival fes- tivities and expecting as many as half a million tour- ists for the Olympic Games in August, during the cooler, drier, less mosquito-friendly tropical winter. One modicum of financial hope within all of this may be for the travel-insurance industry: Reuters reported that RoamRight, a leading U.S. travel-insurance pro- vider, has seen orders for pol- icies covering trips to areas hit by Zika climb almost 10 percent since December. But that’s not much to celebrate. Mac Margolis is a Bloomberg View contributor based in Rio de Janeiro. © 2016, Bloomberg View Tuesday February 9, 2016 • Cayman COmpass The counterattack by Employment Minister Tara Rivers against the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce has revealed the existence of an informa- tion rift, not only between herself and the business group, but also, apparently, between herself and Premier Alden McLaughlin. We make this observation holding two issues of the Cayman Compass in hand: Monday’s newspaper, carrying the harsh response from Minister Rivers to former Chamber President Barry Bodden, who in late January criticized the government for failing to keep up its end of a dialogue on topics such as the Labour Relations Bill and the Ready2Work KY employment ini- tiative — and last Friday’s newspaper, which contained details of a new partnership, forged by the premier, between the government and the Chamber on the Ready2Work project. Minister Rivers said she is “surprised and deeply disappointed” that Mr. Bodden would complain about deficiencies in communication from the government on issues that are vital to Cayman’s private sector, public sector and economy as a whole. We would express similar sentiments about Minister River’s statement, whose content and tone are diametrically opposed to Premier McLaughlin’s solutions-oriented approach to the same situation. Consider this from Minister Rivers: “It is now time for the Chamber to deliver on its stated desire for and commitment to a true partnership with the govern- ment in order to assist in addressing the employment concerns in a way that will benefit both employers and employees. However, if the organization is unable or ill-equipped to fulfill its promises, then it is incumbent upon the leadership to make this known so that the ministry and the government can continue to press ahead and make successful inroads and partnerships directly with key industry representatives as we have been doing since taking office.” And contrast it with the following from Premier McLaughlin: “I am pleased that a new president and Executive Committee of the Chamber has provided the opportunity of a renewed partnership between government and the Chamber of Commerce. I look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship which serves the interest of both the business community and the people of the Cayman Islands.” Whose strategy do you think would be more effec- tive — Minister River’s combativeness, or Premier McLaughlin’s rapprochement? Let’s compare results. The statement from Minister Rivers (which, by the way, used the time-honored political tactic of manip- ulating facts in order to accuse the opponent of being untruthful) has, if anything, deepened divisions between herself and the Chamber, which she made clear she regards as an adversary. Meanwhile, Premier McLaughlin’s alliance with the Chamber resulted in some of the country’s biggest employers — including Foster’s Food Fair Managing Director Woody Foster and Dart CEO Mark VanDevelde — pledging to work hand-in-hand with the premier in steering the Ready2Work project, and to help hundreds of unemployed Caymanians secure paid posi- tions in the private sector. New Chamber President Paul Pearson said, “It only makes sense for the Chamber as the most representa- tive voice of the business community to be working in partnership with government to support and propose policies and initiatives that improve the business and labor environment. “We may have differences of opinion and positions on some issues, but it is more important that we keep the channels of communication open.” Now that’s encouraging. Perusing the names of members of the Ready- 2Work task force, we see that Minister Rivers is included on the list. We suggest she take advantage of the group’s meetings to establish a working rela- tionship that would prove beneficial to her goals as Minister of Employment. Once she’s shaken hands and swapped business cards with the leader of her own government, perhaps Premier McLaughlin can then help her make some progress with the business community. On tact and tactics: The premier’s lesson for Minister Rivers The price of Zika A worker fumigates a home for mosquitoes in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador. - Photo: the Washington Post Printed and Published by: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town send us yOur VieWs Or neWs: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com adVertise With us: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS daVid r. legge and Vicki l. legge EdITOR-In-CHIEf daVid r. legge A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” Putting a dollar figure on a global scourge is no simple matter, given the spotty reporting from countries with precarious health care.5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday February 9, 2016 High winds and seas in store for the week 25-knot winds possible by Thursday Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Boaters are being cau- tioned about rough seas and high winds this week, and the National Weather Service expects to issue a small craft advisory by Thursday as winds are forecast to pick up to 25 knots over the coming days. Cruise ships were sent to Spotts on the south side of Grand Cayman on Monday as waves pounded the George Town waterfront and Seven Mile Beach. Several waterfront businesses were closed as the swells crested over outdoor dining areas, sending spray over build- ings and water roiling across the ironshore. Weather service chief meteorologist Kerry Powery said a stationary cold front is sitting over most of the northwest Caribbean, bringing the cooler, windier weather. “The front is expected to weaken over the next day or so,” Mr. Powery said, but then it will pick up again on Wednesday, pos- sibly bringing in 5- to 7-foot waves with northeast winds from 20 to 25 knots. “We don’t expect much rainfall,” Mr. Powery added, but between the wind and steady cloud cover, he said he expects the tempera- tures to stay cool, between the low 70s and low 80s for the week. A series of nor’westers have pounded the Cayman Islands in recent weeks, disrupting the port, water sports operators and some waterfront businesses. According to the Port Authority, 19 cruise ships are scheduled to arrive in Grand Cayman this week, including seven ships on Wednesday with more than 21,000 passengers. Mr. Powery said he ex- pects the rough weather to taper off over the weekend. Cruise ships were sent to Spotts on the south side of Grand Cayman on Monday as waves pounded the George Town waterfront and Seven Mile Beach. Waves battered the George Town waterfront Monday. – Photo: Charles DunCan Three men held for drug trafficking 197 pounds of ganja seized CarOl WInKer cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two Caymanians and a Jamaican national ap- peared in Summary Court on Monday, charged with traf- ficking ganja after a Joint Marine Unit found them in a vessel with 197 pounds of the illegal drug. The defendants are Leon St. Michael Hydes, 34, of a Bodden Town address; Clebeland Swaby Powery, 31, of a West Bay address; and Marlon Crowe, 33, of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. No details were given in court. The charge itself re- fers to ganja “in a ship at sea that was not registered in any country or territory” on Feb. 4. The defendants are ac- cused of knowing or having reasonable grounds to sus- pect that the ganja was in- tended to be imported into the Cayman Islands. A press release from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service on Monday stated: “The Joint Marine Unit vessel Guardian, while at sea, came upon a vessel drifting ap- proximately twenty miles off East End. JMU officers discovered three men on board and a large amount of ganja. The men were ar- rested on suspicion of im- portation, and they and the vessel were taken to Grand Cayman. A firearm and 64 rounds of ammunition were also recovered.” The court file indi- cates that Hydes is further charged with possession of utensils used in the prepa- ration of drugs – scales and a grinder. He is also charged with conspiracy to import ganja, in that he allegedly conspired with others to im- port ganja. Defense attorney Crister Brady represented Crowe and said attorney John Furniss would appear for the other two men. He asked for the matter to come back to court on Feb. 16, noting that he had not yet received any disclo- sure. No bail application was made at this stage. Two in custody for conspiracy to defraud Charges involve cloned credit cards CarOl WInKer cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two Canadian nationals were remanded in cus- tody after appearing in Summary Court on Monday for the charge of conspiracy to defraud. Adam Mokdad, 21, first appeared in court on Thursday. He returned on Monday and was fol- lowed by Hakim Benamara, 25. Both men have Montreal addresses. They are charged with conspiring with others un- known to defraud local re- tail banks by agreeing to use cloned credit cards to dis- honestly withdraw cash. The offense allegedly occurred between Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. A press release from the police indicated that the Financial Crime Unit had re- ceived a report on Feb. 1, from a local bank regarding suspicious cards that had been retained by one of its Automatic Teller Machines. “Officers immediately initi- ated an operation which led to the arrests of two men at a local hotel where they were staying. A quantity of Starbucks gift cards and debit cards and a card reader were also recovered,” the re- lease stated. In court, defense at- torney John Furniss repre- sented Mokdad, but he told Magistrate Valdis Foldats that there might be a conflict in representing Benamara as well. The magistrate asked him to assist the second defen- dant in filling out an applica- tion form for legal aid. The magistrate also in- quired whether the charge was a “Category A,” which would require an immediate transmittal to Grand Court. No clear answer was avail- able, so both defendants were remanded in custody to return to Summary Court on Feb. 16. The two men are charged with conspiring with others unknown to defraud local retail banks by agreeing to use cloned credit cards to dishonestly withdraw cash.Tuesday February 9, 2016 • Cayman Compass 6 DISTRICT DAYS District Days West Bay Thousands attend Family Fun Day at Turtle Farm The Cayman Turtle Farm’s recent Family Fun Day was such a success, the venue is planning on holding regular family events in the coming months. The farm’s India Narcisse-Elliot says there were more than 3,000 local visi- tors to the park on the Family Fun Day on Monday, Jan. 25, the National Heroes Day holiday. Prior to the event, the farm’s Tina Trumbach, noted the intent was to showcase the whole park to the local community. “There is so much to experience here that many residents may still not know about. The Cayman Turtle Farm is the number-one land-based attraction with visitors to the Cayman Islands, and we want residents to see and experience all that we have to offer,” she said. “It was basically all local residents, along with a few stay-over visitors, making for really an overwhelming at- tendance,” added Ms. Narcisse-Elliot. The Turtle Farm’s Cayman Street was full of action, with artisans making crafts, rope making and top spinning demonstrations, along with snow cones and cotton candy for the kids. Ms. Narcisse-Elliot says plans are for future events to be held on the last Saturday of every month, under the “Coming Home Family Style” theme. She said that the events will be similar to the January family fun day, minus a few of the animal feeding dem- onstrations, which are generally not held on weekends. “Other than that, expect a similar event, and we look forward to having everyone out on Saturday, Feb. 27,” said Ms. Narcisse-Elliot. Discounted resident rates and free admission for kids under 4 provided access to the entire park, including the Turtle Twister waterslide, the wading pool and touch tanks, the saltwater turtle snorkel lagoon, the Caribbean free-flight aviary, feeding shows at Predator Reef and Smiley’s Saltwater Lagoon, home to the farm’s 9-foot hy- brid crocodile. The Turtle Farm opened in 1968 as a commercial venture to domesticate green sea turtles, and has slowly grown into a major attraction. More than 3,000 local visitors packed the Cayman Turtle Farm on Family Fun Day. In the Feb. 9, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Compass, West Bay correspondent Leila Yates wrote: “Mrs. Ronnie Ebanks left on the 6th for Miami after a two week visit with her aged mother and other members of her family. Capt. Ronnie will meet her in Miami and they will return to their home in Belize where they have lived for 24 years. Her husband is captain of the m/v ‘Santa Patricia.’ “Returning home after an ab- sence of 10 years was Mr. Orett Banker. His visit is to see his aged father. Mr. Banker is mar- ried to an American and lives in Philadelphia. He has two chil- dren and works for the Merchant Marine as a seaman. He is here for two weeks and is having a very enjoyable time with relatives and friends. “There was a good crowd, chiefly school children, at the Town Hall to see the Agricultural film. The behaviour was excellent and with the interest shown we hope they have gained something from it. “Mr. Nathan Parsons arrived home on the 2nd from Japan via Panama. He was there 5 months working on the S.S. Ore Venus for N.B.C. “Nurse Icely Smith is on 12 weeks leave from the hospital. She left on the 3rd to accompany a patient to Jamaica for medical aid and returned on the 5th. “The sixth child and second daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Dallas Ebanks on the 6th – weight 8 lbs. “The Beechcraft plane from Swan Island arrived on the 4th bringing Mr. and Mrs. Robbie Glidden, Messrs. Dobson Ebanks, Norman Smith, Johnny Jefferson, Harry Bush and an American as passengers. She left on the 6th.” 50 years ago: A good youthful turnout for agriculture film The water slide was a big draw at the event.Excited kids flocked to the pool on Family Fun Day. Rosemay Ebanks was on hand making fritters.Cayman Compass • Tuesday February 9, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days West Bay With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, love is in the air. And when it comes to weddings, Francine Jackson and her hus- band Vernon have made a name for themselves. And being married in 1951, the West Bay couple certainly offer an example of an enduring marriage partnership, in love and in work. At 87, Mrs. Jackson performed her 3,382nd wedding this past Saturday at her Botlins Avenue home in West Bay. “It’s really a word of mouth business at this point. I only do local weddings, and people come from all over Cayman, East End, North Side, all over to get married here,” said Mrs. Jackson. Originally a teacher, then later working in insurance under- writing, she started accompanying her husband who was a marriage officer for overseas couples getting married in Cayman. Mr. Jackson, himself a distin- guished civil servant, was a ini- tially a teacher and very active in sports and in his church before en- tering the wedding business. When her husband was starting out, Mrs. Jackson noticed that brides needed help with dresses and flowers, and all the small things that make a wedding special. “We needed more than just a marriage officer to help these cou- ples with their weddings,” she said. Becoming the first Civil Registrar of Marriages for the Cayman Islands, which gave her the ability to conduct weddings as well, Mrs. Jackson opened an office in West Bay in the mid- 1980s. Cayman Weddings was launched, and the rest, as they say, is history. “I was lucky all my grandchil- dren helped out with the busi- ness for a time when they finished school, which was wonderful,” said Mrs. Jackson. “I was also able to deputize my daughter Joy [Basdeo] to do wed- dings, and from that she ended up specializing in cruise ship wed- dings, opening up an office in George Town, as it was far for the couples to travel all the way to West Bay for their ceremony.” Ms. Basdeo’s own wedding business, Simply Weddings, took off as well; she just performed her 3,206th wedding. She estimates her parents have officiated close to 7,500 weddings between them. A few weeks ago, in a very spe- cial turn of events they acted as joint officiants at the wedding of their grandson, Joy’s son Jesse. When she’s not doing weddings, Mrs. Jackson says she spends time with her husband, who is ill, and they share their hours together quietly at home. She has no plans to stop working any time soon. “What I’m doing now is so simple, it’s so easy, and I do not have any motivation to quit,” said Mrs. Jackson, noting that she has a number of weddings coming up. “I had a lot of queries for Valentine’s day, but I said I couldn’t do it, because it falls on a Sunday,” she said. “On Sundays, I go to church in the morning, and every afternoon I have a family tea. As many family members as can come will come, so sometimes we have a few, some- times we have a whole house full,” she said. Francine and Vernon Jackson celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in 2011. A West Bay wedding innovator The Jackson family from left, Francine, Jennifer, Joy, Vernon and Andre. West Bay updates: Cobalt Coast West Bay’s Cobalt Coast Resort and Suites was officially acquired by JEM Holdings Ltd. on Dec. 1, 2015 from owner Arie Barendrecht, who opened the resort in 2000. Dive opera- tions are now managed by Reef Divers. JEM Holdings Ltd. is the owner and op- erator of Reef Divers valet diving, Little Cayman Beach Resort, and Cayman Brac Beach Resort. Little Cayman Beach Resort was recently recognized as the best dive re- sort in the Caribbean by the Caribbean Journal, while the Cayman Brac Beach Resort just reopened after major renovations. “We are very excited about the chance to be represented in all three islands, and we certainly look forward to bringing Reef Divers’ valet diving services to our guests here at Cobalt Coast,” said JEM Holdings general manager Jason Belport. “We are all about the level of service, and we are really looking forward to building on the level of service that Cobalt Coast is known for.” Mr. Belport noted the acquisition will also bring opportunities for visitors fa- miliar with the company’s other resorts, who may not have had a chance to dive at well-known Grand Cayman spots like the Kittiwake wreck and Stingray City. “At the moment, we are just settling in and going day by day to determine any future plans, to ensure we will continue be able to offer an excellent experience at Cobalt Coast,” he added. Reef Divers recently took over operation of the diving facilities at Cobalt Coast.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 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 February 9, 2016 • Cayman Compass TUESDAY, FEB. 9 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: HospiceCare needs volunteers for two-hour shifts on Friday, Feb. 26, and Saturday, Feb. 27, the annual Flag Day weekend. If interested, contact chc@candw.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: “Basic Grammar and Writing Skills, Part 1.” By Catherine Tyson. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $150. Future members $225. www.caymanchamber.ky. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10 VOTER REGISTRATION: Anyone eligible to register as a voter may do so at the Agricultural Show, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For Caymanian born and Caymanian parent/s or grandparent/s, documents needed are birth certificate of applicant, birth certificate of a parent or grandparent who was born in the Cayman Islands, photo ID (passport or driver’s license). For Caymanian status holder, original documents needed are birth certificate, Caymanian status certificate, photo ID (passport or driver’s license). For queries, call the Elections Office at 949-8047 or email electionsoffice@candw.ky. FISH DINNER, DESSERT CONTEST: Cayman Islands Sailing Club hosts an open house, 1-5 p.m. Serving grilled fish dinners, $12 adults, $6 child. Enjoy relaxing on deck and PICO sailing rides. Cash bar available. Dessert fundraising contest to benefit clubhouse. Dessert wins by most votes, with taster servings starting price $1 and $4 per serving. No limit to purchase price for desserts for sweet fundraising. More information on Cayman Islands Sailing Club Facebook or contact admin@sailing.ky. ST. ALBAN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Service of Imposition Of Ashes And Holy Communion takes place 9:30 a.m. following Mattins at 9 a.m. in the church at 461 Shedden Road, George Town (opposite Bodden Place). ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES: St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Walkers Road, Mass at 8 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. Christ the Redeemer, West Bay, 10 a.m. Ashes will not be available for self-imposition. BEAUTIFUL BABY CONTEST: To be held at the 49th Agricultural Show on Ash Wednesday, at the Stacy Watler Pavilion, Lower Valley at 11 a.m. Open to boys and girls, ages infants to 48 months. Contact Eziethamae “Zeta” Bodden, 916-1559. BOOKENDS CLUB: All are invited to join members when they meet to review their latest pick, “The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco. 6:30- 7:30 p.m., Books & Books. The Bookends Club gathers on the second Wednesday of every month and new members are always welcome. THURSDAY, FEB. 11 STAR WATCH: The Astronomical Society’s meeting will be at Pedro St. James starting at 7 p.m. If more than 50 percent cloudy then the meeting will be canceled. Interested persons may phone (not text) – 925-7657 around 6:45 p.m. if there is any uncertainty. Non- members are asked to park outside and walk in. CINE CLUB: Film screening of “Black Orpheus,” set during Carnival in Rio. 7:30- 9:30 p.m. National Gallery. See www.nationalgallery.org. ky or call 945-8111. MOONLIGHT AND MOVIES: Valentine’s Day Series tonight through Saturday, 7 p.m. Gardenia Court, Camana Bay. Moviegoers can cuddle up and enjoy a romantic comedy on a giant outdoor screen under the stars. “Stardust” tonight, “Footloose” on Friday, and “Beauty and the Beast” on Saturday. Visit camanabay.com/valentines. FRIDAY, FEB. 12 FISH FRY: St. Ignatius School canteen. Fridays during Lent. Serving from 5-8 p.m. Dine in or carry out. Menu includes mahi- mahi for $10 or snapper, $12, with all the trimmings. CHAMBER COURSE: “Basic Grammar and Writing Skills, Part 2” by Catherine Tyson. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $150. Future members $225. www.caymanchamber.ky. SATURDAY, FEB. 13 EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING: The Cayman Islands Early Childhood Association holds its monthly meeting today, 9-11 a.m. There will also be a workshop on “Social and Emotional Development. For more information, call 939-7426 or 322-3556. STORY AND CRAFT TIME: 10:30 a.m. at Books & Books, Camana Bay. Every Saturday, young readers and their parents can join the storytellers for new tales and crafts that inspire imagination and creativity. SUNDAY, FEB. 14 RUN FOR LOVE: 5K run/ walk. 4 p.m. Start and finish at Bayshore Mall. All proceeds benefit children at the National Council of Voluntary Organisations’ foster home. Registration fee is $15 adults, $5 for those under 18. Children’s race is free. Trophies, medals for top finishers, plus automatic entry for raffle. Register online at www.caymanactive. com/valentines or from 2:30 p.m. on day of race. For more information, contact 949-2124 or ncvocoordinator@ncvo.org.ky. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17 FLOETRY: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Books & Books. Join Cayman’s poets and performers as they share their work during an open mic night of poetry and readings. This event is open to the public. All are invited to share their own work or listen to others. THURSDAY, FEB. 18 A WALK IN HER SHOES: Fundraiser for the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, where sponsored males will strut in high heels to raise money and awareness of this charity, which aids victims of domestic abuse. 5:30 p.m. on Market Street, Camana Bay. For more details and how to participate, contact Michelle at 925-6347. GARDEN LUNCH AND LECTURE: At the National Gallery. Lunch and lecture of En Mas’– Carnival and Performance Art of the Caribbean. Lunch inspired by the exhibition and its New Orleans roots. The complimentary lecture begins at 12 noon and lunch is served until 2 p.m. CHAMBER COURSE: “Employment, the Hiring Process.” Presented by Huw Moses. 9–11 a.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $175. Future members $225. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: “Basics of Budgeting.” Presented by Terry Carson. Today and tomorrow 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $225. Future members $300. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24 MUSIC AT NATIONAL GALLERY: The Cayman Arts Festival makes its way to the National Gallery at 6 p.m. Celebrate the sounds of African and Caribbean music. Admission is free. CHAMBER COURSE: “Situational Leadership.” Presented by Xenia Goddard. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $350. Future members $400. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. THURSDAY, FEB. 25 BRAC COURT: Summary Court will be held today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. in the Aston Rutty Civic Centre. CHAMBER COURSE: “Immigration – Permanent Residence, Work Permits and Status.” Presented by Nick Joseph. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $350. Future members $400. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. WORKSHOP: “Enhancing the Value of Micro and Small Businesses,” by James Andrews of Integra Realty Resources. 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Free. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, FEB. 26 BRAC PAGEANT: The Creek and Spot Bay Primary PTA Committee presents The Most Amazing Parents Pageant. 6:30 p.m. Aston Rutty Centre. Entry fee is $25. For more information, contact Sharissa Ritch at 924-1861. CAREERS, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING EXPO: From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in UCCI’s Multipurpose Hall. Free admission. Businesses interested in exhibiting should contact Nicola Burke at 743-9129 or email membership@ caymanchamber.ky. SATURDAY, FEB. 27 RED SKY AT NIGHT: In celebration of the Cayman National Cultural Foundation’s Red Sky at Night, the National Gallery will be open to the public for a late night viewing of the exhibition EN MAS’ – Carnival and Performance Art of the Caribbean. 4 – 10 p.m. Admission is free. PRINCESS TEA PARTY: Girls’ Brigade National Council annual fundraising event. Venue is Audrey Whittaker’s residence, 1237 Frank Sound, North Side. 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 and available now from any Girls’ Brigade officer. BRAC AGRICULTURE: The annual Cayman Brac Agriculture Show takes place at the Agriculture Grounds on The Bluff. Contact Chevala Burke or Marcia Rankin, 948-2222. BRAC CRUISE SHIP: The cruise ship MV Serenissima will visit Cayman Brac 2-10 p.m. GENERAL INTEREST REEF RESTORATION: Certified divers are invited to work on the Cayman Magic Reef restoration in George Town. A schedule of work dates and times is posted on Facebook under Cayman Magic Reef Recovery. Dates and times are listed under Events, for volunteers to check and sign up. ADULT ART COURSES: New art courses at the National Gallery include drawing and painting, followed by batik and hatting. See www.nationalgallery.org.ky/ news/ngci2016adultcourses. CONSUMER PROTECTION: The Law Reform Commission invites comment on the discussion paper, “Consumer Protection – Entrenching Consumer Supremacy in Cayman Islands Legislation.” The paper can be viewed on www.lrc.gov. ky. Submissions should be emailed to cilrc@gov.ky or sent by post or hand to the Director of the Law Reform Commission, 4th Floor, Government Administration Building, Portfolio of Legal Affairs, 133 Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman, P.O. Box 136, Grand Cayman, KY1-9000. Deadline is April 29. EXHIBITION: The National Gallery is the venue for the exhibition of “Carnival and Performance Art of the Caribbean.” This traveling exhibition explores the influences of Carnival on contemporary performance and practices internationally. 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.caymancompass.com/events. Eligible voters can register at the Agricultural Show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Ash Wednesday.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Tuesday February 9, 2016 Blowout Valentine Specials on ALL Massage, Facial, Hair and Nail Services From Tuesday to Thursday for the Month of February Come and pamper yourself at Latoya’s Day Spa Located at Rankin’s Plaza Shop #2 943-6131 / 927-1591 latoyamdilbert@gmail.com Blowout Valentine SpecialsBlowout Valentine SpecialsBlowout Valentine SpecialsBlowout Valentine SpecialsBlowout Valentine Specials toa’s D Spatoa’s D Spa Nail Technician/Braidist Owner / Nail Technician Hairstylist Massage Therapist presidents – Webb, Jack Warner of Trinidad and Alfredo Hawit of Honduras – arrested and charged in connection with the FIFA probe. Webb pleaded guilty in November to seven counts in the U.S. indict- ment, including racketeering, money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy. Hawit was extradited to the U.S. and was recently released on bond. Warner is fighting ex- tradition from Trinidad. The agency said late last year, following Hawit’s Dec. 3 arrest in Switzerland, that it would leave the president’s post vacant for the time being and await new internal elections in May 2016 prior to selecting anyone to run the agency. Following dozens of ar- rests and criminal charges in the probe of world foot- ball’s governing organization, CONCACAF appears to have lost significant funding from FIFA, which announced in early February it put funding for two of its confederations in the Americas – CONCACAF and CONMEBOL – on hold “until further notice.” CONMEBOL President Juan Angel Napout was also arrested with Hawit in Switzerland on Dec. 3. In ad- dition, CONMEBOL’s past two presidents were also charged in the U.S. investiga- tion of FIFA. Reuters news service re- ported at the time that CONCACAF sources indicated the agency had not received US$10 million in FIFA pay- ments, some of which was re- lated to FIFA’s financial assis- tance program. Some funds from the global financial assistance program are received by Caribbean na- tional football organizations, including the Cayman Islands. It was not known whether the Cayman Islands Football Association would be directly affected by the funding cut. Acts of Random Kindness have assisted authori- ties in providing clothing and other basic necessities for the detainees. The Red Cross also donated 28 cots for the migrants. Raquel Solomon, spokes- person for the prison ser- vice, which manages the Immigration Detention Center, said authorities were doing their best to manage an increasingly difficult situation. She said the detainees were being repatriated as fast as Cuban authorities would process the paperwork. Last week, 17 people were sent back to their home country on commercial flights and four more were scheduled to fly out Monday afternoon. But the numbers in Cayman remain high. “It has been extremely busy for the past couple of months. We have a limit of about 60 at the detention center, so they have opened up the community centers to house some of the lower risk detainees,” Ms. Solomon said. Denise Miller, disaster manager at the Cayman Islands Red Cross, said it is part of the international organization’s remit to as- sist vulnerable people of all nationalities anywhere in the world. She said the Red Cross provides support when needed, including at times, such as now, when the number of migrants in Cayman is especially high. As fast as the migrants are repatriated to Cuba, new boats arrive. Two boats carrying 64 mi- grants stopped in Cayman over the last weekend in January. Of those, 15 were rescued at sea, and four ab- sconded after their vessel landed in Beach Bay. “There are a lot of boats out there at the moment,” said Ms. Solomon. The end of hurricane season appears to have fueled a new wave of Cuban boats passing through Cayman’s waters in an attempt to reach Central America and ulti- mately the U.S. Cayman officials believe the potential for the U.S. to change its “wet-foot, dry-foot” policy on Cuban immigra- tion is fueling the increase. Currently, any Cuban na- tional who makes it to shore in the U.S. gets a chance to remain there and seek per- manent residency, while those intercepted at sea are sent home. The thawing of diplo- matic relations between the two countries has led to speculation that the policy, which gives Cubans spe- cial rights not typically af- forded to other migrants at- tempting to enter the U.S., will be discontinued. That belief combined with the uncertainty of a pending election could be fu- eling the latest wave of boats passing through Cayman, Ms. Solomon said. Only a fraction of the boats that pass through Cayman waters end up coming to shore here, usu- ally when their boats break down or supplies of food and water run out. The Red Cross, which provides detainees with basic necessities as well as access to advice on human rights issues, do- nated clothing from its thrift shop for the migrants. Acts of Random Kindness also donated a $250 voucher to buy underclothes. Wesley Howell, deputy chief officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs, said last week that he was concerned about the increased number of migrants showing up in Cayman. “The migrant vessels are typically more densely loaded with persons, and the northwesters this time of year [make] the seas very treacherous, all of which makes the sea crossing more dangerous,” he said. “While we note the pub- lic’s desire to aid the onward journey of the migrants by sea for humanitarian rea- sons, we urge the public not to assist these dangerous journeys and to be mindful that the migrants face the risk of horrible death at sea because of the state of their vessels and lack of safety equipment.” In 2014, he said, the U.N. listed 73 migrants as casual- ties or missing at sea in the Caribbean area. Administration. Prosecutors did not expressly state during the trial whether the Cayman- registered company was the same entity as Forward Sports. The Cayman Compass contacted representatives of Forward Sports in Germany in January, but received no re- sponse to questions regarding the FIFA indictment or the California lawsuit. Questions sent to Watson’s attorneys re- garding the Cartan lawsuit and the FIFA indictment in December and again last week went unanswered. The California lawsuit al- leges that Forward Sports is implicated in the May 2015 U.S. criminal indictment and a superseding indictment re- leased on Dec. 3, 2015 as “pos- sessing Panamanian bank ac- counts used to effectuate several bribe payments re- ceived by Webb.” The FIFA indictment al- leged that, in attempting to conceal a US$1.1 million bribe for the award of CONCACAF’s 2012 Gold Cup/Champions League marketing contracts to a U.S. company, Webb used an overseas company that manufactured soccer uni- forms and soccer balls – iden- tified only as “Soccer Uniform Company A” in the indictment. Soccer Uniform Company A has a bank account in Panama City, Panama, according to the indictment. Forward Sports is the man- ufacturer of the “Brazuca” foot- ball used in the 2014 World Cup matches. The FIFA indictment fur- ther makes reference to “Co- conspirator #24” – a close as- sociate of Webb’s – who “had a connection to Soccer Uniform Company A.” Co-conspirator #24 is identified in the indict- ment as a high-ranking offi- cial of one of FIFA’s national member associations, also an official with FIFA and the Caribbean Football Union and a “businessman.” It was revealed during Watson’s trial that a com- pany named Forward Sports International was registered in the Cayman Islands and maintained an address at the former Admiral Administration building in downtown George Town. Watson is the former managing director of Admiral, which rebranded and changed its name last year. The registered director of Forward Sports International was Caymanian Joscelyn Morgan, according to Crown prosecutors. Mr. Morgan left the Cayman Islands in 2014 and has not returned. He is wanted for questioning by police in connection with an investigation into an- other Cayman company – Advanced Integrated Systems Cayman Ltd. – which pros- ecutors allege was a front for Watson and Webb’s in- terests in a Cayman Islands public healthcare contract. Watson and Webb were ac- cused of jointly siphoning millions of dollars from that agreement, known as the CarePay contract. In the CarePay case, it was alleged that Mr. Morgan and another close Webb associate, Eldon Rankin, were used as “sham” frontmen to cover up the involvement of Webb and Watson in AIS Cayman. Prosecutors noted that other companies, including Forward Sports International, were reg- istered at the former Admiral building under Mr. Morgan’s name as the director. Compass journalist Michael Klein contributed to this story. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Football firm linked to FIFA probe, Watson court case Staff scuba gear stolen from Eden Rock Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com An estimated $3,400 worth of scuba equip- ment belonging to two employees was stolen Friday afternoon from the Eden Rock Dive Center in George Town. “These are the tools of our trade,” said guide Andrew Barnes, whose new BCD and other equipment were stolen. Mr. Barnes said one of the company’s instructors left a storeroom unlocked between 1 and 3 p.m. and someone entered and stole two BCDs, regulators and other equipment. “As an instructor, you need the best equipment,” he said, “and you need to know it inside and out.” He said he and Joe Morris, whose equipment was also stolen, will still be able to dive with gear from the shop. “I’ve been here nine years and never had any- thing stolen,” Mr. Barnes said. “Cayman is changing.” He said a police officer came to the store and took a report but had not filed it yet. In the meantime, they are alerting dive shops and other places where the thief might try to sell the gear. Mr. Barnes said it could take him a year to save up for another new BCD. Cayman CONCACAF offices shuttered CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cubans crowd overflow detention centers Joe Morris, left, and Andrew Barnes had their dive kits stolen from the Eden Rock Dive Center Friday. – Photo: Charles DunCan “I’ve been here nine years and never had anything stolen. Cayman is changing.” Andrew BArnes, Eden Rock Dive Center CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >