ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2016 SPORT | PAGE 18 RUNNING VALENTINE’S MILE Showcasing Cayman’s passion for running High of 83 Low of 73 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 GOVERNMENT STAYS UNDERWATER ON ALLEN’S REEF PROPOSAL 180913_PRINT-Ad-Strip-BOTY-6colxPage 1 11/30/15 12:30:30 PM Early election up to governor/premier ‘No requirement’ to consult legislature BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Although Premier Alden McLaughlin has not officially called for early elections, the Cayman Islands governor’s office has con- firmed that it will give “great weight” to such a request if the premier resolves to take such a step. The governor’s office also confirmed the next election in the islands will be held under single-member constituencies – regardless of when it might occur. Deputy Governor Franz Manderson told the Cayman Compass last week that he had responded, as part of his duties as acting gov- ernor while Governor Helen Kilpatrick was off island, to a group of five independent law- makers who expressed concern about the prospect of an early vote. The five independent MLAs – North Side’s Ezzard Miller, East End’s Arden McLean, Bodden Town’s Anthony Eden and Alva Suckoo and George Town’s Winston Connolly – signed a letter dated Jan. 28 requesting Governor Kilpatrick provide “an explanation of the mea- sures you propose to take if the possibility of an early general election arises.” The independent members noted that there appeared to be no reason for an early vote at this stage, since Premier McLaughlin’s Progressives-led coalition main- tains a 10-member majority in the Legislative Assembly. The members said it appeared the Cayman Islands Constitution only grants the power to call early elections to the governor DISNEY SHIP PICKS UP 12 CUBANS AT SEA 134 Cuban nationals now awaiting deportation CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Disney Wonder cruise ship picked up 12 Cuban migrants while sailing from Miami to Grand Cayman Saturday night. According to Assistant Chief Immigration Gary Wong, Cayman’s immigration authori- ties took charge of the eight men and four women when the ship stopped in George Town on Sunday. The new arrivals bring the total number of Cuban nationals in Cayman awaiting repatria- tion to Cuba to 134, Mr. Wong said, in one of the biggest waves of Cuban migrants to land in the Cayman Islands in recent years. A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman told CNN that the migrants were in a “rustic” boat when they were taken on board the Disney cruise ship. Mr. Wong said Cayman immigration au- thorities will take the migrants if Grand Cayman is the next scheduled port of call. He said ships will contact the Immigration Department before arriving and “keep them in safe holding.” It’s unclear where the ship picked up the Cuban migrants. Many people from Cuba have been leaving this year for the United States fearing an end to the “wet-foot, dry-foot” policy as relations between the two coun- tries improve. The long-standing policy gives special treatment to Cuban migrants who make it to U.S. soil. Migrants from Cuba frequently pass through Cayman waters on a southern route to Honduras and then make their way by land through Mexico to the U.S. Two years ago, the Carnival Paradise, on its way to Law says paroled convicts should register for jobs with NWDA BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Convicted prisoners released on license after serving 60 percent of their sentence generally will be required to register with Cayman’s National Workforce Development Agency if they are not already employed upon their parole date. The regulations to the Conditional Release Law, which took effect Monday, state that license conditions shall include “that the prisoner engage in gainful em- ployment and, if not employed, register with the National Workforce Development Agency or engage in community service work, as approved by the prisoner’s super- vising officer.” Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor, Peter Gough, said the require- ment to work, or to actively search for em- ployment, would be made for every person released on parole under the new law. “They just can’t sit at home and do nothing,” Mr. Gough said. According to probation supervision rules, no employment will be undertaken by prisoners on licensed release until it is ap- proved by the office overseeing the prison- er’s parole. NWDA Director Brian Holland said Monday that a requirement to register all PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Prisoners released on parole from Northward, above, or Fairbanks prisons will be required to register with the National Workforce Development Agency. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL&REGIONAL Tuesday February 16, 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) DEADPOOL (R) 1:00 I 3:30 I 7:00 I 9:30 THE CHOICE (PG13) 12:50 I 3:40 I 7:30 I 10:05 KUNG FU PANDA 3 3D (PG) 12:20 I 2:40 2D I 5:00 I 7:20 2D I 9:40 HOW TO BE SINGLE (R) 1:10 I 3:50 I 7:10 I 10:00 RIDE ALONG 2 (PG13) 3:30 I 7:10 I 9:40 THE BOY (PG) 1:20 I 4:30 I 7:15 I 9:35 US government approves first factory in Cuba since revolution HAVANA (AP) – The Obama administration has approved the first U.S. factory in Cuba in more than half a cen- tury, allowing a two-man company from Alabama to build a plant assembling as many as 1,000 small trac- tors a year for sale to private farmers in Cuba. The Treasury Department last week notified partners Horace Clemmons and Saul Berenthal that they can le- gally build tractors and other heavy equipment in a special economic zone started by the Cuban government to attract foreign investment. Cuban officials already have publicly and enthusias- tically endorsed the project. The partners said they ex- pect to be building tractors in Cuba by the first quarter of 2017. “Everybody wants to go to Cuba to sell something and that’s not what we’re trying to do. We’re looking at the problem and how do we help Cuba solve the prob- lems that they consider are the most important problems for them to solve,” Clemmons said. “It’s our belief that in the long run we both win if we do things that are benefi- cial to both countries.” The $5 million to $10 mil- lion plant would be the first significant U.S. business in- vestment on Cuban soil since Fidel Castro took power in 1959 and nationalized bil- lions of dollars of U.S. cor- porate and private property. That confiscation provoked a U.S. embargo on Cuba that prohibited virtually all forms of commerce and fined non- U.S. companies millions of dollars for doing business with the island. Letting an American tractor company operate in- side a Cuban government fa- cility would have been un- imaginable before Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro declared on Dec. 17, 2014, that they would re- store diplomatic relations and move to normalize trade, travel and other aspects of the long-broken bilat- eral relationship. Since then, Obama has been carving exceptions into the embargo through a se- ries of executive actions, and his administration now says they allow U.S. manufac- turing at the Mariel port and special economic zone about 30 miles west of Havana. One exception allows U.S. com- panies to export products that benefit private and co- operative farmers in Cuba. Berenthal and Clemmons say they will sell only to the pri- vate sector. The Obama administra- tion says it is eager to make the opening with Cuba irre- versible by any future admin- istration. Since the start of the year, U.S. and Cuba have made a series of announce- ments that appear designed partly to create a sense of unstoppable momentum in their new relationship. Cuba announced late last month that it would more than double the number of public Wi-Fi access spots to more than 100 across the country this year and bring broadband Internet to a small number of Cuban homes, where it is cur- rently illegal. Obama said in 2014 that Castro had prom- ised to increase Cubans’ access to the Internet as part of detente. On Saturday, Cuba an- nounced that it had re- turned a U.S. Hellfire missile that it said was mistakenly shipped to Havana from Paris in 2014. On Tuesday, Cuba’s Transport Minister and the U.S. Secretary of Transportation will sign a deal authorizing the first reg- ularly scheduled commercial flights between the U.S. and Cuba since shortly after the 1959 revolution. The Oggun tractor plant, named after a god in Cuba’s syncretic Santeria religion, will assemble commercially available components into a durable and easy-to-main- tain 25-horsepower tractor selling for less than $10,000, Clemmons and Berenthal said. The men believe they can sell hundreds of the trac- tors a year to Cuban farmers with financing from rela- tives outside the country and to non-government or- ganizations seeking to help improve Cuban agriculture, which suffers from low pro- ductivity due mostly to ex- cessive control of both basic supplies and prices by an in- efficient, centrally planned state bureaucracy. “I have two countries that for 60 years have been in the worst of terms, anything I can do to bring to the two countries and the two people together is tremendously satisfying,” said Berenthal, a Cuban-born semi-retired software engineer who left the country at age 16. He met Clemmons, who is from Paint Rock, Alabama, when they worked at IBM in the 1970s. They left to form a successful cash-register soft- ware company that grew to earn $30 million a year be- fore they sold it in 1995 for a sum that Clemmons says was “enough that I don’t have to work.” Between their own cap- ital and commitments from private investors they say they have enough cash in hand to build the Oggun fac- tory as soon as Cuba lets them proceed. Two American former software engineers have been given approval by the U.S. government to build a plant assembling up to 1,000 small tractors a year in Cuba. Tractor company partner Saul Berenthal poses for a portrait in his office in Raleigh, North Carolina. Berenthal and his partner expect to be building tractors in Cuba by the first quarter of 2017 at the latest. – PHOTOs: AP Groups upset with Florida legislators over land conservation TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Environmental groups con- tend that the Republican- controlled Florida Legislature is again snubbing voters who want the state to purchase conservation land. They contend the budget proposals the Legislature is now developing violate Amendment 1, passed over- whelmingly in 2014, directing that a third of the revenue from documentary stamp taxes on real estate transac- tions go to buy land. “They’re basically ig- noring what the public has clearly indicated it wants, not just the spirit but the clear words,” said former Gov. Bob Graham, who campaigned for Amendment 1. “The people didn’t get what they thought they voted for.” The Florida Wildlife Federation and other groups are already suing the state in circuit court in Tallahassee over the same issue in the current state budget passed a year ago. They contend it spends less than 10 percent of the available $596 million for land purchases, and mis- appropriates $237 million for purposes ranging from salaries and equipment to liability insurance. Conservationists do not deny that management costs are legitimate, but say the Legislature is using the money for routine expenses and not for protecting natural areas. “The Legislature is taking things they’ve been spending money on for years and paying for them out of Amendment 1,” instead of increasing spending for land purchases, said Aliki Moncrief, executive director of Florida Conservation Voters. This year, bills moving through the Legislature could add construction of sewer and water supply systems to the list of items labelled land conservation spending. Opponents say the addi- tional water infrastructure could encourage new develop- ment – defeating the purpose of the amendment. The real estate stamp tax is expected to yield $652 million in the coming year. However, an analysis by the Audubon Society says the Senate budget proposal includes only $52 million in Amendment 1 money for Florida Forever, the state’s main conservation land-buying program. The House has proposed $80 million, but nearly all is for water resource projects or conservation easements – agreements by landowners not to develop their land – rather than outright purchases. Legislators respond that the amendment did not say the money could go only for land purchases, and includes land management and resto- ration. Buying pickup trucks, helping farmers implement anti-pollution techniques, paying firefighters and cov- ering administrative overhead are legitimate land manage- ment expenses, they say. “There is a whole lot more to being a conserva- tionist than acquiring prop- erty,” said Sen. Alan Hays, R- Umatilla, who opposes what he calls state hoarding of land for conservation. The amend- ment “recognizes the broader responsibilities involved in protecting and improving the state’s natural resources,” said Hays, chairman of the Senate general government appropri- ations subcommittee.3 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday February 16, 2016 RoadUser BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, Cayman Brac Tel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life If luck isn’t on your side, BritCay is. You have a 1 in 10 chance of a road vehicle accident and BritCay is the only company offering CI$10 million asset protection at no extra cost with car insurance. Seven claims have exceeded CI$1 million, one being CI$7 million. Ask BritCay for a quote. New car replacement (new cars only, 12 months max.)* US$40,000 damage to overseas rental cars at no extra charge* Fast-track repairs! Authorised Repairer programme *Policy conditions apply- ask for details CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky cgigrp Time short for Watson appeal Brent Fuller bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The deadline for Cayman Islands businessman Canover Watson to appeal his Grand Court convic- tion on five fraud and cor- ruption-related charges is Friday. According to the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal Law, a person convicted in the Grand Court is given 14 cal- endar days from the “date of conviction” in the relevant case to file an appeal. The date of conviction is defined in law as the sentencing date, which for Watson was Feb. 5. Watson’s attorney was uncertain Monday as to whether an appeal of his client’s conviction on sepa- rate charges of conspiracy to defraud, fraud on the gov- ernment, conflict of interest under the Anti-Corruption Law and breach of trust by a public official under the Anti-Corruption Law would be filed. The Court of Appeal is allowed to hear chal- lenges to Grand Court con- victions that involve ques- tions of law, questions of law and fact (with leave of the court) or appeals that in- volve an attempt to reduce the offenders’ sentence of imprisonment. Watson began serving his seven-year term in Northward Prison earlier this month after a seven- person jury unanimously found him guilty on five of six charges against him. He was found not guilty on a sixth charge, that al- leged money laundering in connection with a scheme that prosecutors said si- phoned hundreds of thou- sands of dollars away from the CarePay public hospital swipe-card contract. Watson, it was alleged, di- rected the scheme from his former position as chairman of the Health Services Authority’s board of directors. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service Anti- Corruption Unit also ob- tained criminal charges against Watson’s business partner, Jeffrey Webb, in the scheme to defraud the hos- pital system. Webb, who is facing sentencing in June in connection with a sep- arate criminal investiga- tion into FIFA racketeering and bribery in the U.S., was not available to attend trial in Cayman. The police are con- tinuing to investigate var- ious aspects of the CarePay case, but had not made any further arrests by press time Monday. In pronouncing his sen- tence, Grand Court Judge Michael Mettyear, while ac- knowledging that Watson was not the only person in- volved in the conspiracy to defraud the government, said that Watson had played his part to the full extent. Justice Mettyear even ac- cepted that Webb may have been the leader of the con- spiracy to skim profits from the public health system swipe-card contract, but he said that did not ex- cuse Watson’s key role in the scheme. “I’m satisfied, of the two, you are the clev- erer,” the judge said, refer- ring to Watson. Mr. Mettyear spoke di- rectly to Watson while pro- nouncing his sentence: “The evidence against you was overwhelming. You con- spired with Jeff Webb to steal money from the Cayman Islands govern- ment. You were able to suc- ceed because of your po- sition of power and trust as chairman of the Health Services Authority.” Watson was sentenced to a concurrent seven years on each of the first two counts of the indictment, which al- leged conspiracy to defraud. The additional three charges carried another three-year sentence, but all of the terms were ordered to run concur- rently, which means Watson will spend a maximum of seven years in prison based on the court’s ruling. Watson began serving his seven-year term in Northward Prison earlier this month after a seven-person jury unanimously found him guilty on five of six charges against him. Canover Watson Email scammers steal from local bank Charles DunCan cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A scammer recently gained access to a local bank account, according to the police’s Financial Crime Unit, and stole money from a woman in the United Kingdom using an email scam. The scam, called a “phishing” attack, emulates an email from the bank and directs the reader to clink on a link. Email phishing is one of the most common forms of hacking, and many banks in Cayman have been subject to attempted email scams. Police said in a state- ment that the woman “re- ceived an email purportedly from the local bank stating that the client’s account had been logged into from an unusual location outside the Cayman Islands. Instructions were given and a link provided for the client to log in to secure the account.” CIBC FirstCaribbean managing director Mark McIntyre, who also serves as president of the Cayman Islands Bankers Association, said in a statement last year. “Cybercriminals can be very persistent and we have seen some quite creative efforts in developing all sorts of different schemes to trick recipients into be- lieving their email is from a legitimate source.” According to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, about 90 per- cent of hacker attacks come through email. “These days it really does pay to be cautious when on the Internet and to ‘think before you click,’ to protect yourself from phishing attacks. That’s what I think the commu- nity really needs to under- stand,” Mr. McIntyre said. Netflix scam Last week, researchers with the U.S. cybersecurity firm Symantec found a new scam involving emails pur- porting to offer cheaper ac- cess to Netflix. Targets are enticed into downloading a fake version of the Netflix software, and meanwhile the site secretly installs software designed to steal banking information. A separate version asks people to create a Netflix ac- count and asks for their per- sonal information and credit card details. Phishing on the rise Late last year, the Financial Crime Unit warned up an increase of phishing emails directed at clients of Cayman banks. “The public should be suspicious of any banking instructions received over email purporting to be from banking institutions. The FCU has seen an increase in wire transfers and other banking activity as of late initiated on the basis of fraudulent in- structions,” the police said in a December advisory. The Financial Crime Unit said people should always call their bank to verify emails, and should never send personal financial in- formation by email. According to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, about 90 percent of hacker attacks come through email. student drug survey volunteers sought The National Drug Council is seeking volun- teers to help administer the Cayman Islands Student Drug Use Survey. The survey is an on- going study of the behav- iors, attitudes and values of high school students. It gathers information about the extent and patterns of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use among students in grades 7 to 12/13. The National Drug Council says the study helps researchers gain a better understanding of current and changing rates of alcohol, to- bacco and other drug use in the territory. The drug council needs 80 volunteers to work as fieldwork assistants to ad- minister the survey at schools across Cayman between Feb. 29 and March 17. The council cur- rently has 39 registered volunteers. National Drug Council research information of- ficer Luisa McLaughlin said the survey is an essen- tial window into the drug situation in Cayman. “It’s something that concerns the whole com- munity and people should volunteer because stu- dents are part of our com- munity and we really need to know what’s going on,” she said. Volunteers will be re- quired to work approxi- mately one-and-a-half- hours and can volunteer to work additional hours. They will be required to go into classrooms and pass out question- naires to students who will have 40 minutes to fill out the surveys. All volunteers must at- tend one training ses- sion. Training sessions will be held Monday, Feb. 22 through Friday, Feb. 26, beginning at 5 p.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. at the drug council’s office in Caymanian Village on North Sound Way. The National Drug Council can also conduct the training at volunteers’ workplaces. The drug council has conducted the student drug use survey every two years for the past 16 years. For more information about the drug survey and to register to volunteer, contact the National Drug Council at info@ndc.ky or call 949-9000.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. Tuesday February 16, 2016 • Cayman COmpass Who will speak for our reefs, if not the Cayman Islands Ministry of Environment? It has been a week since Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen announced he had presented Cayman’s government with a plan to remediate coral allegedly damaged by his 300-foot mega-yacht Tatoosh. Yet, on the substance of the proposal, all our officials have provided is “no comment.” According to statements from his representatives, Mr. Allen understands the “biological” clock is ticking on the viability of the broken reef: “Mr. Allen and [his company] Vulcan asked the Department to consider the plan on an expedited basis … “[T]he most important action now is a rapid review of the remediation plan by local officials and the res- toration of the reef. Time is of the essence, and we stand ready to begin playing our part in quickly imple- menting that plan … “We supported swift action to help mitigate the impact and restore the reef as quickly as possible.” On the part of the statutory stewards of Cayman’s reef, however, there has been no corresponding sense of urgency — at least not publicly. Spooked, perhaps, by the global media attention the incident has received, the Department of Envi- ronment referred questions to Ministry of Environ- ment spokeswoman Angela Piercy, who served up a warmed-over dish of bureaucratese: “Because the matter is under investigation, DoE will not make further statements until the time is more appropriate.” What, we ask, is there to investigate — or, more specifically, what is there to investigate that would prevent officials from commenting on the matter of Mr. Allen’s proposal? If Mr. Allen is offering to repair the reef out of his own pocket, then, doesn’t that achieve the goal of the investigation, while avoiding reams of extra- neous paperwork and purposeless finger pointing? (Remember that no one has disputed the asser- tion from Mr. Allen’s representatives that the Tatoosh captain moored the vessel in a location directed by Port Authority officials — who have also maintained their wonted silence in the wake of coral destruction for which they may bear at least partial responsibility.) On the other hand, if Mr. Allen’s proposal is not adequate, shouldn’t our local environmental experts have been able to recognize that almost immediately, and respond accordingly? If it’s not as simple as that, surely the govern- ment could have at least acknowledged receipt of the proposal, outlined some key points of the plan, and said it’s under consideration. On the contrary, it appears our officials are insis- tent on keeping their heads underwater, on the pretense of studying coral fragments. While Mr. Allen is taking reputational licks from the international press, Cayman’s government is doing little that is visible or audible to ensure the situation is resolved, quickly, for the benefit of all parties. Lately, the relationship between Cayman’s envi- ronment and visiting billionaires seems to be one of animus. If it’s not Mr. Allen’s yacht encountering coral, it’s Sir Richard Branson being swarmed by voracious stingrays. Although Sir Richard reacted to his stingray “bite” with characteristic good humor, we presume that Mr. Allen is less accommodating about any unnec- essary damage to his preciously purchased image as an ocean conservationist. We are not finding fault with the Department of Environment’s referral of press inquiries to the min- isterial level. In fact, we think that’s entirely appro- priate given the seriousness of the situation, the brightness of the lights, and what’s at stake for Mr. Allen and Cayman. On this topic, the microphone deserves to be in the hand of Environmental Minister Wayne Panton. Rather than issuing dueling statements and non-statements, Minister Panton would ideally be sharing a stage with Mr. Allen (or a high-ranking representative) to make a joint announcement that, thanks to Mr. Allen’s consci- entiousness, they have struck an agreement to realize a commonly shared goal. That is, to save Cayman’s coral. Government stays underwater on Allen’s reef proposal Antonin Scalia: A jurist of colossal consequence WASHINGTON – Antonin Scalia, who combined a zest for intellectual combat with a vast talent for friendship, was a Roman candle of sparkling jurisprudential theories leav- ened by acerbic witticisms. The serrated edges of his most passionate dissents sometimes strained the court’s comity and occasionally limited his ability to proclaim what the late Justice William Brennan called the most important word in the court’s lexicon: “Five.” Scalia was, however, one of the most formidable thinkers among the 112 jus- tices who have served on the court, and he often dissented in the hope of shaping a future replete with majorities steeped in principles he honed while in the minority. Those principles include textualism and originalism: A justice’s job is to construe the text of the Constitution or of statutes by discerning and accepting the original meaning the words had to those who ratified or wrote them. These principles of ju- dicial modesty were em- braced by a generation of conservatives who recoiled from what they considered the unprincipled creation of rights by results-oriented Supreme Court justices and other jurists pursuing their preferred policy outcomes. Today, however, America’s most interesting and poten- tially consequential argu- ment about governance is not between conservatives and progressives but among con- servatives. It concerns the proper scope of the judicial supervision of democracy. Scalia worried more than some other conservatives do about the “counter-majori- tarian dilemma” supposedly posed by judicial review – the power of appointed jus- tices to overturn the work of elected legislators. Many Scalia-style conservatives distill their admiration into a familiar phrase of praise: “ju- dicial restraint.” Increasing numbers of conservatives, however, reason as follows: Democracy’s drama de- rives from the tension be- tween the natural rights of individuals and the con- structed right of the ma- jority to have its way. Natural rights are affirmed by the Declaration of Independence; majority rule, circumscribed and modulated, is constructed by the Constitution. But as the Goldwater Institute’s Timothy Sandefur argues, the Declaration is logically as well as chronologically prior to the Constitution. The latter enables majority rule. It is, however, the judiciary’s duty to prevent majorities from abridging natural rights. After all, it is for the securing of such rights, the Declaration declares, that “governments are instituted among men.” Scalia’s death will en- kindle a debate missing from this year’s presidential cam- paign, a debate discomfiting for some conservatives: Do they want a passive court that is deferential to legisla- tive majorities and to pres- idents who claim untram- meled powers deriving from national majorities? Or do they want a court actively en- gaged in defending liberty’s borders against unjustified encroachments by majorities? This is an overdue argu- ment that conservatism is now prepared for because of Scalia’s elegant mind. He was crucial to the creation of an alternative intellec- tual infrastructure for con- servative law students. The Federalist Society, founded in 1982, has leavened the often monochrome liberalism of law schools, and Scalia has been the jurisprudential lode- star for tens of thousands of students in society chapters coast to coast. Students of the court un- derstand that, given Harry Reid’s demonstrated disdain for Senate rules, if Republicans had not won Senate control in the 2014 elections, he as ma- jority leader would very likely now extend the institutional vandalism he committed in 2013. Then he changed Senate rules, by a simple majority vote and in the middle of a session, to prevent filibus- ters of judicial nominees other than Supreme Court nomi- nees. This enabled Obama to pack the nation’s second-most important court, that of the U.S. Circuit for the District of Columbia. Were Reid still majority leader, the Senate’s only rule would be the whim of the majority of the mo- ment, and his caucus would promptly proscribe filibusters of Supreme Court nominees. One consequence would be this: America today is one Supreme Court vote away from a radical truncation of the First Amendment’s pro- tection of freedom of speech. A Democratic president in 2017 will nominate to re- place Scalia someone pledged to construe the amendment as permitting Congress to regulate political campaign speech, which would put First Amendment jurispru- dence on a slippery slope to regarding all speech as eli- gible for regulation by the administrative state. Scalia lived 27 years after the person who nominated him left office, thereby ex- tending the reach of Ronald Reagan’s presidency and re- minding voters of the long- lasting ripples that radiate from their presidential choices. A teacher, wrote Henry Adams, attains a kind of immortality because one never knows where a teacher’s influence ends. Scalia, always a teacher, will live on in the law and in the lives of unnumbered gen- erations who will write, teach and construe it. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2016, Washington Post Writers Group A makeshift memorial for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia outside the Supreme Court on Sunday. - Photo: Matt Mcclain/Washington Post GEORGE F. WILL colossal consequence GEORGE 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”5 LOCAL NEWS Cayman Compass • Tuesday February 16, 2016 Regulators get tough on Internet speeds ICTA concerned over speed and quality of service James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Internet companies that fail to provide customers with the speed of service they are paying for could be investi- gated by regulators. The Information Communications and Technology Authority high- lighted dealing with issues around speed and quality of Internet service among its top priorities for the coming year. Managing director Alee Fa’amoe said the authority had a responsibility to ensure customers got what they were paying for. His comments follow widespread complaints, which reached the Legislative Assembly late last year, that consumers were frequently finding they were not getting the Internet speeds they had signed up for. Several con- sumers, who complained to MLAs or to the ICTA, said they had paid for up to 10MB and were, at times, only getting 1 MB. The connection speed im- pacts what services both busi- ness and residential customers can access, from downloading and streaming movies, to run- ning conference calls with overseas clients. Mr. Fa’amoe said, “The cur- rent thinking is that, as a rule of thumb, any broadband ser- vice which falls below 80 per- cent of what the provider has contracted with the cus- tomer to provide is grounds for a complaint to the licensee and the ICTA, possibly fol- lowed up with an investiga- tion, depending on what steps are taken by the provider to fix the problem.” He did not mention what action the ICTA could take, though legislators have previ- ously suggested a system of fines could be introduced. Mr. Fa’amoe said ICTA would also bring in an over- seas company to measure broadband connectivity around the island and would publish the findings of those tests on its website. The authority is also con- cerned about a lack of choice in the eastern districts and on the sister islands when it comes to high-speed Internet. Competing companies may be required to collaborate through a “universal service” to ensure fiber optic cables – the fastest and most reliable tele- communications infrastruc- ture – is available across all three islands. Currently every company licensed by ICTA has an obli- gation to provide high-speed Internet across the territory. Mr. Fa’amoe said this ap- proach was not working well. “The truth is there isn’t too much choice across the islands at present, especially for customers in the eastern districts of Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands,” stated Fa’amoe. “Where the telecoms providers cannot meet the ob- ligations they have under the terms of their licenses to take service to the outer districts and the Sister Islands, the ICTA has to consider other options that will finally de- liver the promise of a liberal- ized telecommunications mar- ketplace and give customers more choices.” He said Universal Service, which in the U.S. involves a centralized fund to ensure ac- cess to telecommunications in- frastructure in rural areas, was being considered for Cayman. “What we are considering instead of individual license rollout obligations is the con- cept of a Universal Service which would provide citi- zens with potentially a menu of services, from any and all providers, no matter where they live in the country,” Mr. Fa’amoe said. 911 system Upgrading the 911 system is another priority for the ICTA, according to Mr. Fa’amoe. On several occasions in the past two years, connection failures have prevented 911 calls from getting through. Mr. Fa’amoe, who has pre- viously expressed concern about a lack of redundancy in the system for emergency calls, said the ICTA was now going out to tender on a “major overhaul” of the entire 911 structure. He said, “The existing 911 setup consists of a database and a telephone system but the telephone system compo- nent is obsolete. “Spare parts are hard to source and we can’t easily re- pair it if it should ever fail. We also can’t upgrade it to accom- modate newer technologies. “Once the project is com- pleted, the 911 system will be more reliable first and foremost, and much more user-friendly for first re- sponders, 911 employees and 911 callers alike.” Mr. Fa’amoe CCMI: Reefs face bigger threats than Allen’s yacht Overfishing and pollution major threats to reef James Whittaker jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Damage caused to a Cayman Islands coral reef by Paul Allen’s mega-yacht is troubling and ironic, but it is far from the greatest threat facing the fragile eco- system, according to the head of Little Cayman’s Central Caribbean Marine Institute. An area of around 13,000 square feet – roughly the size of an Olympic swim- ming pool – was impacted by anchor damage from Mr. Allen’s yacht Tatoosh, with 80 percent of the coral in that area destroyed, according to a survey by Department of Environment divers. The incident has grabbed world headlines and put the welfare of Cayman’s reefs in the global spotlight. Carrie Manfrino, a coral ecologist who founded the Little Cayman research center, said it was terrible for a reef to be physically damaged. She believes the incident should be investigated and better practices put in place to prevent something similar from happening again. But she warns that damage from boat anchors is only one small part of the wider threat facing reefs in the Cayman Islands. “I believe that our biggest issue in the Cayman Islands will be the impact of over- fishing if it is not our biggest issue already,” she said. Ms. Manfrino also high- lights warming seas and ocean acidification, the loss of big fish in the open ocean and the “huge amount of pol- lution” that runs off into the near shore as signifi- cant issues that don’t get enough attention. “These are all big is- sues that we can and should be making a very big deal over,” she said. “We can stop overfishing and we can reduce pollution. “Controlling the types of fish we are allowed to re- move from coral reefs could be the difference in coral reefs surviving other threats facing the ocean.” Mr. Allen, a billion- aire businessman who co- founded Microsoft, has not sought to deny that his yacht was responsible for dam- aging the reef on Jan. 14. His company Vulcan Inc. released a statement saying the boat had moored in a po- sition explicitly directed by the Port Authority. When the yacht’s crew were alerted by a diver that the anchor chain may have impacted coral in the area, they say they immediately relocated their position. Vulcan Inc. has proposed a reef recovery scheme which is currently with the Department of Environment for review. The company said in a statement last week, “As a global philanthropist and conservationist, Mr. Allen has developed programs and invested in solutions that protect and regenerate de- clining coral reefs, created the largest comprehensive data-collection and analysis of the world’s populations of reef sharks and rays, and is working to raise aware- ness and inspire action to address climate change and illegal fishing. “Because of that com- mitment, the damage to the reef resonates particu- larly deeply with us and is why we supported swift ac- tion to help mitigate the im- pact and restore the reef as quickly as possible.” Ms. Manfrino said it was clear that Mr. Allen sup- ported an incredible amount of work that promised inno- vative solutions to some of the biggest problems in the world, including the decline of coral reefs. “When I examine the re- search Paul Allen is sup- porting, it is clear to me that he is looking for solutions to the issue of declining reefs. The incident and his funding for research are not related and I doubt any would think that his funding mitigates this incident,” she said. Ultimately, Ms. Manfrino believes a fair solution will be found to deal with the incident. But she believes concern for the welfare of Cayman’s corals needs more concerted long-term focus. She said the significance of other threats, such as over- fishing, was not always as clear because they occurred slowly over time, gradu- ally degrading reefs over generations. “My friends who are fish- ermen on Little Cayman tell me about the decline of fish on the island,” she said. “When they were young, they could throw a line in the water and catch a fish any- where along the north shore of the island. This is no longer true. We forget, or we are too young to know what the reefs and waters around Cayman were like 40 or 50 years ago.” In the Cayman Islands, CCMI charted a slow but dra- matic loss of corals between 1998 and 2009, followed by three years of recovery. “We have not reached a tipping point in the Cayman Islands yet, where the reefs don’t have fish or corals,” Ms. Manfrino said. “But, many of the reefs around the Caribbean are entirely de- graded, corals are covered with algae. I don’t think this is fully appreciated.” CarOL WiNker cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who has been coming to Cayman for 30 years had no conviction recorded against him after pleading guilty to importing a single round of .38 ammunition. Chief Magistrate Nova Hall accepted the mitigation put forward on Monday by de- fense attorney John Furniss on behalf of the defendant, Don Sheldon Peterson, 69, of Springfield, Missouri. Mr. Furniss noted that the defendant holds a valid li- cense for carrying a concealed firearm and owns numerous firearms. He was not aware that the bullet was in his lug- gage, but accepted responsi- bility for it immediately. Crown counsel Greg Walcolm said the bullet was detected when the defendant was departing Owen Roberts International Airport on Friday, Feb. 12. Airport security checked his hand luggage and found a .38 round in the lining. Mr. Furniss pointed out that the luggage had been checked at the defendant’s home airport, but nothing had been detected. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson had spent nearly a month here and were on their way home when this inci- dent occurred, he said. The de- fendant has been using fire- arms for the past 57 years, Mr. Furniss added, and had no previous convictions here or in the U.S. Serving as amicus (unpaid friend of the court), the attorney suggested that the magistrate might see fit to record no conviction so that the defendant could return to Cayman. Instead of a fine, the matter could be dealt with by way of costs. He said the defendant had never wished to find himself in this position and apologized to the court. He had posted a bond of $1,000, which is the amount that has “tended to be the precedent sentence,” Mr. Furniss said. The magistrate ordered that $1,000 costs be paid that day and said no conviction would be recorded. Long-time visitor brought bullet with him Coral reefs are at risk from a variety of threats, including overfishing and pollution. – PHOTO: FILETuesday February 16, 2016 • Cayman Compass DISTRICT DAYS 6 Jewel levy jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Increasing competition and tighter supply is making it harder to make a living selling conch shells on the roadside, says West Bay fisherman Isen Powery, 61. Mr. Powery took up selling shells in 1984 after he had a stroke and could no longer work for Cable & Wireless. Mr. Powery says some days he makes no sales at all, and a good day entails selling 10 shells. When he first started, he was pulling in more than $200 a day. “I don’t make much of a profit, but of all the souvenirs the island has to offer, the conch shell tops the list,” he said. Abraham Oakley makes a living by selling shells and coconuts at West Bay Public Beach. He says he supplements his shell income by selling coconuts. Both men need to lay out a bit of their profits to cover buying their shells from fishermen. Mr. Powery, who also claims to be a farmer and philosopher, says he was one of the first people in the district to come up with the idea of selling “konk” to visi- tors in 1984. “I was returning home from a day of fishing and diving with about 10 conch in a bucket when a group of tourists pulled up and asked if they could buy the shells from me,” he said. “I told them ‘no problem, just give me a few days to get them cleaned up.’ When the visitors returned to collect the shells, I was paid $100.” Mr. Powery told his wife they could make a business from selling conch shells. The next day he erected a table with an umbrella by the roadside and started selling them. A dwindling treasure Anyone who loves the taste of the shell- fish will confirm that each new season brings in a smaller supply. Conch season opens in the Cayman Islands on Nov. 1, with a current quota set at five shells per person, or 10 per boat, whichever is fewer. The Department of Environment notes Cayman’s conch, the Queen conch, Strombus gigas, is protected under the Marine Conservation Law (2007 Revision), and subject to a bag limit and closed season. In the past, the strikingly shaped gas- tropod mollusks were found in abundance near almost any dock, and could be bought from numerous vendors island-wide. Despite the Department of Environment rules, conch overfishing and poaching is leading to depleted stocks in Cayman’s wa- ters. The reason can be blamed at least in part on its popularity, as conch has had many uses. The meat of conch is eaten raw in salads, or cooked in chowders, soups and in frit- ters. While all parts of the conch meat are edible, some locals, however, find only the white meat appetizing. The shells have been used to decorate local homes and yards. Conch shells can also be used as a wind instrument. A hole is cut in the spire of the shell near the apex, and a loud, haunting sound is produced by blowing into the shell as if it were a trumpet. The cleaning To get his shells cleaned and looking pretty, Mr. Oakley says he washes off the dirt, then he fills a bucket with bleach and soap water and leaves the shells in for a couple of hours to soak. Then he takes a scrubbing brush to re- move the algae and slimy coating attached to the shell. He then places the shells in the sun to dry and get the shine back. He does not leave them too long in the sun or they will lose their luster, he said. A family history Mr. Powery still likes to spend time on the water. “I love fishing, it’s the most relaxing and best thing I do in my life,” he said. “I come from a long line of fishermen and I am proud of my culture and heritage, and even prouder that I can share this with visitors [who] pass by my shell stall.” Indeed, part of operating a successful business is providing something special for customers. Chatting to visitors at his stall, Mr. Powery tells proudly of the heroic ac- tions of his grandfather Andrew Powery. “My grandfather swam 20 miles in shark-infested waters to seek help after his boat capsized during a hurricane near the Mosquito Keys, off Nicaragua,” said Mr. Powery. “They were shipwrecked during a fishing trip from Grand Cayman. Some of the fishermen managed to make it to one of the keys but my grandfather had to swim 20 miles to find help. “He managed to make it to the other key but soon passed out. When some fishermen found him he was barely alive. They put a broken glass to his nose to check if he was still alive.” He added, “Remarkably, four hours later, he asked for a shirt, paddle and boat to rescue his friends.” Due to rising demand and shorter supply, it’s gatting harder to make a living selling conch, says at least one West Byer. Abraham Oakley demonstrates his conch blowing skills. Uncle Bob’s Local Souvenirs shop, owned by Isen Powery. Mr. Powery says some days he makes no sales at all, while a good day entails selling 10 shells. When he first started, he was making more than $200 a day. – Photos: Jewel levy Isen Powery at his shell stall. District Days West Bay Changing times for conch businessCayman Compass • Tuesday February 16, 2016 DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days West Bay In the Feb. 16, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Compass, news from West Bay included: “West Bay members of the Cayman Preparatory School PTA are holding a dance at the Hub Theatre, West Bay, on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 1966, commencing at 8 p.m. “All are asked to support this effort and wend their way to the Hub Theatre for an enjoy- able evening to the music of the Mashyiannes Band. “Arriving home recently were Messrs. Ezra Powery and Wesley Orrett, both employees for N.B.C. on the S.S. Ore Venus. Also Mr. Bert Ebanks who worked as boatswain on the S.S. Ore Transport. “Miss Joyce Ebanks is home on vacation from U.C.H. where she is training as a nurse. She is taking a three-year course which she hopes to complete in October. We wish her success. “Mr. and Mrs. Baxter Rivers arrived on the 11th from U.S. They have made Port Arthur their home since 1952. Baxter has spent most of his days there. In 1952 he married Idene Henning. He is here for one month vaca- tion and they are happy to be home with relatives and friends. “News has been received recently that Leith Ebanks, Hoyt Bazaar, Reno Rivers and Gladstone Hydes, who were in- jured in a motor car accident, are all recovering satisfactorily. Three have left the hospital and attend the outpatient dept. Hoyt is still in hospital as he received fractured ribs and other major injuries. The doctors hope to re- lease him in 2 weeks time. “On Feb. 10, the Woman’s Guild sponsored a pre-Valen- tine’s dinner in aid of the United Church fund at the church hall. Beef, chicken, seafood, spaghetti and meat balls, salads and rolls comprised the menu. Coffee was also served. There was a good at- tendance comprising Canadians and Americans. A very enjoyable evening was spent.” 50 years ago: Fundraisers, homecomings and a close call Vivo menu not just for vegans A recently opened West Bay res- taurant is attracting diners from around the island, even though it primarily serves only vegetarian and vegan food. “We find people are really cu- rious to try the food,” said co- owner and manager Michele Zama. “We are seeing more and more lo- cals coming in from both West Bay and farther out.” In addition to Mr. Zama, the res- taurant is co-owned by Chef Gilbert Cavallaro, who is also the executive chef at the nearby Cracked Conch restaurant. Both Mr. Zama and Mr. Cavallaro are vegans. Located at eco-friendly Lighthouse Point on North West Point Road, Vivo gets many of its customers from the resort’s guests and divers who frequent the Divetech dive shop next door. But increasingly, it’s seeing other tour- ists and Grand Cayman residents make their way to the restaurant. “It’s definitely a ripple effect as we have customers who came to check out the food before, bringing their friends, who recommend us to their friends, and so on,” Mr. Zama said, noting that Vivo has repeat customers coming from as far away as Rum Point. The one exception With the exception of items fea- turing lionfish, an invasive species that is threatening Cayman’s native reef species, the menu is strictly vegetarian or vegan. Many of the lionfish served at the restaurant are caught on the reefs off West Bay by local divers, who, upon returning to shore, supply Vivo’s kitchen with the fish. Lionfish are the only marine crea- ture divers are allowed to cull from local waters. Many of the other ingredients on the restaurant’s menu are lo- cally produced. “This allows us to keep it dy- namic, especially since we work with whatever is fresh, and what- ever is in season,” said Mr. Zama. With the exception of items featuring lionfish, an invasive species that is threatening Cayman’s native reef species, the menu is strictly vegetarian or vegan. Vivo Cafe & Restaurant’s Michele Zama, left, and Gilbert Cavallaro. Vivo’s outdoor setting at the Lighthouse Point resort offers scenic views.Vivo’s vegan Indian curry.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 16, 2016 • Cayman Compass WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17 HELP KIDS COPE: Helping children cope with depression and anxiety is the focus of discussions at the Family Resource Centre. 6-8 p.m. Free skill-building session for the whole family. Light dinner provided. FRC is located in the Compass Centre, facing North Sound Road. 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. FRIDAY, FEB. 19 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. Proceeds are for religious education and youth ministry. SATURDAY, FEB. 20 TEEN MAZE: Navigate through rewards and consequences of daily choices teens make. A life-size board game, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Family Resource Centre. Not suitable for under 12 years of age. Contact the Family Resource Centre for registration form. 949-0006 or frc@gov.ky or facebook. com/familyresourcecentre. CAYMAN OUTREACH ASSOCIATION: Dinner meeting, 7:15 p.m. at Triple C School Auditorium. Guest Speaker is Bishop Richard McKenzie. Admission is $15. For details call Raphael Bodden at 925-7798. SUNDAY, FEB. 21 OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: 50K ultramarathon and relay. 6 a.m. Start at intersection of Pinehurst Road and Esterley Tibbetts Highway. Solo runners, US$100; teams, US$300. Register at www.offthebeatentrack. ky. Registration will also be accepted at the Governors Square Boardroom on Friday, Feb. 19, 4 – 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 20, 9 a.m. – 12 noon. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24 CONSERvATION COUNCIL MEETING: The National Conservation Council will hold a general meeting 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the ground floor meeting room (1038) of the Government Administration Building (Grand Cayman). This meeting is open to observers from the public. The agenda of the meeting will be available at the DoE website (www.DoE.ky). 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 vOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The National Festival of the Arts needs volunteers for all kinds of jobs, from setting up to selling tickets to modeling costumes and more. Shifts are 3-4 hours (between 7 a.m. and 12 a.m.) Volunteers receive free entry to the festival, complimentary refreshments and an opportunity to give back to the community. Contact www.artscayman.org or admincncf@candw.ky or 949-5477. 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. SATURDAY, MARCH 5 PAWS IN THE SAND: Dinner at Rum Point Restaurant to raise funds for Protection of Animal Welfare Society. Tickets are $125 per person, with free ferry service leaving SafeHaven Dock at 5 p.m. for cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. Includes Broadway show, silent and live auctions. Tickets from Lighthouse Restaurant or contact 916- 1731 or 916-3957. GENERAL INTEREST 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. 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. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for track/field, football and bocce. No experience necessary, just a smile and patience. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15–11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30–7 p.m. Saturdays, volunteers needed for Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30–10:30 a.m. Deck support and in-water swimming assistance needed. For more information, contact Penny McDowall at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5–7 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Red Cross headquarters. Book bargain every Thursday and Friday, a bagful for $5. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Men will be donning high heels in Camana Bay on Thursday, Feb. 18, to take part in ‘A Walk In Her Shoes,’ a fundraiser for the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Cayman Compass • Tuesday February 16, 2016 Dr. Neeraj Prasad Consultant Cardiologist To book an appointment, please phone: 949-4309 or 623-4309 Will be at Grand Harbour Medical Center on February 29th, 2016 to March 4th, 2016. offenders released under license would be new to the agency. Mr. Holland said the NWDA currently serves a number of individuals in the Cayman Islands who are seeking work that have prior criminal records, but said there was no cur- rent requirement prior to Monday for all unemployed parolees to register. Jobless registration is just one of several general conditions set for prisoners released on license under the new law. Others include requirements that the pris- oner live in approved prem- ises, that they shall not leave the Cayman Islands, barring “exceptional cir- cumstances,” and that they must regularly report to the Department of Community Rehabilitation. The Conditional Release Law, passed unanimously by legislators in October 2014, introduces a system that sets general guide- lines for the release of pris- oners on license conditions. It applies to all inmates, including juveniles, and to those already serving a life sentence without the possi- bility of parole. In criminal cases, the sentencing guide- lines – called tariffs – are largely left to the court’s discretion. The only exception stated in the law is for murder offenses, which require a sentence of 30 years prior to any consider- ation of release on license. Even then, in cases where there are aggravated or ex- tenuating circumstances surrounding the killing, the prison term can be set higher or lower by a judge. All other criminal of- fenses that carry more than a one-year sentence require the offender, under the Conditional Release Law, to serve at least 60 percent of that sentence in prison. If the prisoner is deemed no longer to be a threat to the community, he or she will serve the remainder of the sentence under super- vised release. Sentences of a year or less require release after 60 percent of the jail term is served, barring exceptional circumstances. Last spring, the gov- ernment reported that, although nearly 1,600 Caymanians remained un- employed – according to statistical data – fewer than 600 had registered with the NWDA. In recent months, the registrations have in- creased somewhat, but they have never reached any- where close to the number of unemployed individuals believed to exist within the Cayman Islands. The 600 figure repre- sents only the unemployed. A number of other “under- employed” workers – those working part time – less than 37.5 hours per week – and those who are em- ployed full-time, but are seeking new jobs are not included in those numbers. The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce has suggested that all un- employed citizens who are seeking work in the Cayman Islands be re- quired to register with the agency so that local com- panies will know precisely the “real” jobless numbers. Premier Alden McLaughlin said in January that the 8.3 per- cent unemployment rate for Caymanians reported in 2015 remained “unaccept- ably high” and that gov- ernment needed the pri- vate sector’s help to bring those numbers down. Mr. McLaughlin also pointed out that there were more than 22,000 work permit holders registered as being on island presently. “While we must ac- knowledge that there are significant issues that stand in the way of employ- ment for some Caymanians, this is simply not the case for most Caymanians,” Mr. McLaughlin said. herself, and said that power is only to be used if no single political party or like-minded group can form a majority. According to the gover- nor’s office response, sent to the independents on Feb. 5: “Apart from defections of members from the govern- ment side that may cause a premier to speak to the governor about potential early elections, there may very well be other reasons why, even with a clear ma- jority, he may wish to seek early elections if, in his opinion, it has become im- possible for his government to properly function. “In such circumstances there may be a compelling constitutional imperative to consider dissolving the Legislative Assembly to pave the way for early or fresh elections. Good administra- tion would require that the governor gives great weight to such a request and that barring compelling counter reasons, may be minded to agree to it.” The letter clarified that any such decision ultimately rests with the governor. “[Independent lawmakers] have asserted that the gov- ernor has an obligation to consult all member of the Legislative Assembly before agreeing to call an early elec- tion,” the governor’s office letter read. “The constitution has no such requirement.” Independent MLA Mr. Suckoo confirmed that, while noting the premier had not called for an early vote at this stage, Mr. Manderson’s letter also indicated that any general election held would have to be done under the “one man, one vote” system legislators approved last year. “That was a key point for us,” Mr. Suckoo said. In January, following the departure of Messrs. Eden, Suckoo and Connolly from his Progressives party-led government backbench, Mr. McLaughlin noted he was considering calling for a 2016 general election, pos- sibly as early as April or May this year. Those elec- tions, if they were held that early, were thought to be too soon to allow the Elections Office enough time to hold a vote under the new single- member constituent system. Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell, in his first election on the job, has said that holding an election under a new voting system is much more complicated and time-consuming than using the former multimember voting district system. Legislators late last year approved a change in the territorial voting maps, di- viding Cayman’s six multi- member voting districts into 19 separate single-member constituencies. Mr. Howell said that the legislative order, agreed by Governor Kilpatrick, is the law of the land. However, he indicated time require- ments to properly hold such a public vote under the new system would not be met if the elections are held in the coming months. “The new single-member constituencies and revised boundaries will require sig- nificant public awareness and education so that voters are clear on where they will be voting and how to vote in the polls,” Mr. Howell said. “Historically, general elec- tions have taken upwards of 12-15 months to plan and execute.” Extra time will be needed to train returning officers who manage the elections process and to verify voters addresses and other such routine details. “I fully expect a new single-member constituency election will take longer to implement than the current multimember constituency election,” he said. Early election up to governor/premier Grand Cayman, rescued 23 men and women from a boat that appeared to be sinking south of Cuba. Detentions, deportations continue Mr. Wong said, as of Monday, 134 people from Cuba are currently in the Cayman Islands awaiting re- patriation to Cuba. The Immigration Department’s main deten- tion facility in George Town has been full for weeks and, Mr. Wong said, migrants are being held at community centers in Bodden Town and East End. Caring for the more than 100 migrants in recent weeks, Mr. Wong said, “takes up about all of our time.” He said his officers have had to work extra hours doing the “quite te- dious” work of caring for and guarding the mi- grants, in addition to their regular duties. So far this fiscal year, ac- cording to the department, government has spent al- most $900,000 on caring for the steady flow of migrants. The Cuban migrants are reg- ularly repatriated but more continue to arrive, keeping the detention centers full. Most have arrived on makeshift boats since the be- ginning of the year, landing in Cayman Brac or Grand Cayman to take shelter from rough weather, or with boats in need of repair. Cuban migrants are al- lowed to pass through Cayman waters but they are taken into custody and sent back to Cuba if they come on land. At the end of January, two boats, carrying 64 people between them, stopped at Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman to let people off the wooden vessels. The boats were in need of re- pair and had been battered by a nor’wester. Only one of the boats continued from Grand Cayman, but within a day, the 15 remaining mi- grants had to be rescued by the Joint Marine Unit as the boat sank about 4 miles off South West Point. The migrants told people in East End that they were headed to Honduras. Jobless registration is just one of several general conditions set for prisoners released on license under the new law. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Law says paroled convicts should register for jobs with NWDA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Disney ship picks up 12 Cubans at sea CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The new arrivals bring the total number of Cuban nationals in Cayman awaiting repatriation to Cuba to 134. Overcrowding at the Immigration Department’s detention facility has led to civic centers in Bodden Town and East End being used to house Cuban migrants. On Monday, these Cubans at the Bodden Town site received donations of clothing, but said they were also in need of shoes. - Photo: Jewel levyNext >