ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2016 SPORTS | PAGE 14 HARRY’S TOPS BOCA IN DHL SUNDAY LEAGUE High of 84 Low of 75 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 5 to 7 feet. Small craft warning is in effect. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 MINISTER ARCHER ON TARGET WITH PUBLIC FINANCES HomeOptions Shop around and pay less for more insurance! $250 gift certificate can be used to purchase BritCay motor insurance Home Insurance with BritCay offers convenient, interest-free monthly payments, flexible cover, fast claims, competitive premiums and deductibles. Ask for a quote. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky $250* CERTIFICATE WITH BUILDINGS INSURANCE *applies to new buildings policies cgigrp FIFA CORRUPTION CASE Bribe linked to Webb, local attorney BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A heretofore unidentified player in the international FIFA corruption probe has revealed specific football bribe payments that he told U.S. fed- eral investigators were intended for Jeffrey Webb. One of those payments, he said, was sent to the Florida bank account of a “Caymanian attorney.” Miguel Trujillo, originally from Colombia, pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court Tuesday in connec- tion with charges in relation to the FIFA probe. According to court re- cords, Trujillo had been licensed by FIFA to arrange football matches between certain members of FIFA’s Central and North American and Caribbean region (CONCACAF), mostly involving “friendly” matches in the region. Miguel Trujillo is a different individual from Hector Trujillo of Guatemala, who was named in the FIFA indictment re- leased Dec. 3, 2015. Miguel Trujillo is alleged to have arranged a number of bribe pay- ments through “sham” companies he owned, all at the behest of sports marketing executives who federal prosecutors said were paying off ranking FIFA members – including Webb, the former CONCACAF pres- ident and FIFA vice president – in exchange for receiving the commer- cial rights to football tournaments. One deal involving Webb and the Caribbean Football Union was related to union members’ rights to 2018 and 2022 World Cup qual- ifying matches in the Caribbean, which were sold to Traffic USA, a sports marketing firm. The indictment against Trujillo, made public after his guilty plea Tuesday, alleges that at the be- hest of sports marketing company UK MINISTER WARNS OF LOOMING US$312M DEBT BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com While congratulating Cayman’s govern- ment on the accumulation of big cash reserves by December 2015, Britain’s overseas terri- tories minister has warned Cayman of an- other massive financial commitment looming within what will be the next administra- tion’s term in office. The Cayman Islands owes US$312 million [CI$261 million] on what’s known as a “bullet loan” or “balloon payment” loan with the full amount coming due in November 2019. “I look forward to hearing how you plan to manage the refinancing of [the] Cayman Islands government’s remaining debt in- struments, including the 2019-dated bond,” said U.K. MP James Duddridge in correspon- dence with Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin last month. The terms of a bullet loan require it to be paid all at once. Typically, the payments are held in abeyance until the due date, in this case Nov. 19, 2019. The loan derives from a 2009 public bond offering by the former United Democratic Party administration. Then-Premier McKeeva Bush has often said he was forced to engage in borrowing at that time simply to pay re- curring expenditures of the former People’s Progressive Movement government that had accumulated an operating deficit of CI$81 mil- lion the year prior (2008/09). Cayman’s total central government debt, which once reached more than CI$600 mil- lion, was a major factor in the U.K. taking Burglars target missing boater’s home Criminals exploit tragedy as search continues JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com As police and volunteers on Wednesday searched for two boys and three men missing at sea, it emerged that burglars had exploited the tragedy by targeting the home of one of the missing boaters. Police responded to reports of a bur- glary at the residence of one of the men, un- derstood to be Gary Mullings, in Prospect on Tuesday morning. Mr. Mullings, along with his nephews Nicholas Watler, Kamron Brown, 11, and Kanyi Brown, 9, and his friend Edsell Haylock were reported missing late Sunday after they did not return from a fishing trip to 12 Mile Bank. Their upturned vessel was located 20 miles offshore Monday. Police confirmed, in response to ques- tions from the Cayman Compass, that bur- glars had struck at the Prospect home of one of the men missing at sea. Two vehicles at the residence were also broken into. Assistant Commissioner Anthony Ennis said, “It is unfortunate that in a time of tragedy someone would go and burglarize the residence of one of the victims. It is just very sad and has added another layer to the family’s grief.” The burglary took place sometime be- tween 10 a.m. Monday and 9 a.m. Tuesday, police believe. The news emerged as family members and community volunteers joined police in PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Police officers search a Bodden Town beach as a shoreline search for signs for the missing boaters got under way on Wednesday morning. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY MARCH 10, 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. - THURSDAY - ZOOTOPIA 3D (PG13) 12:30 I 1:00 2D I 3:00 I 3:30 2D I 5:30 7:15 2D I 8:00 I 9:45 2D DEADPOOL (R) 1:10 I 4:00 I 7:10 I 9:40 RISEN (PG13) 1:30 I 4:15 I 7:00 I 9:30 EDDIE THE EAGLE (PG13) 1:20 GODS OF EGYPT 3D (PG13) 12:40 I 3:30 2D I 6:50 I 9:50 2D Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) Red Bay students dig Seed-to-Plate project Keen to get creative with dirt, 17 students from Red Bay Primary School took part in the Seed-to-Plate gar- dening project on March 7, at the school’s greenhouse and the Mary Miller Hall. The after-school pilot pro- gram is hosted by the Cayman Food Revolution in partner- ship with YMCA Cayman and Slow Food South Sound, a farm-to-table group, to pro- mote teamwork and nutrition. Guided by Food Revolution Cayman’s Maureen Cubbon, students had the opportu- nity to familiarize themselves with the greenhouse and use garden forks and trowels. They also worked together to plant a variety of seeds, including chilli, parsley, bell peppers and pumpkin. In the coming weeks, the students will continue to learn about growing vegeta- bles and herbs in the garden, food preparation skills, cooking basics and creating recipe books using local in- gredients. Students will also meet with chefs and farmers and find out more about agriculture. Seed-to-Plate will run one hour a week, every Monday for 10 weeks. Food initiatives Food Revolution is a global campaign to engage children in food education and leading healthier lives. The campaign was started by British food advocate and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, whose movement has in- spired Cayman to start its own Food Revolution. Highlighting where food comes from and the impor- tance of local agriculture is what Food Revolution Cayman aspires to achieve through the hands-on experi- ence and activities offered by the Seed-to-Plate initiative.Food Revolution ambassador Maureen Cubbon demonstrates how to prepare the school garden plots for planting. Rochelle Moore’s gloves show she has really been working in the garden.Students fill a pot tray with capsicum seeds. – PHOTOS: ALMA CHOLLETTE Ruling raises doubts over same-sex marriages in Puerto Rico SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – An unexpected ruling from a federal judge in Puerto Rico is raising doubts and creating confusion about the future of same-sex cou- ples seeking to get married on the island. Judge Juan Perez- Gimenez ruled that a U.S. Supreme Court deci- sion that allows gay cou- ples to marry anywhere in the United States does not apply on the island because it is a U.S. territory and not a state. The ruling also rejects a motion filed by Lambda Legal and Puerto Rico’s government to stop enforcement of the island’s ban on same-sex marriage. Lambda Legal at- torney Omar Gonzalez said Wednesday the group is seeking to have the ruling vacated as soon as possible. “We believe this order is erroneous,” Gonzalez said in a phone interview. “It’s something that we cannot let stand.” It is unclear if Puerto Rico’s government will stop issuing marriage licenses because of Tuesday’s ruling by the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico. The island’s Justice Department referred all questions to the gover- nor’s office, and a spokes- woman for Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla did not im- mediately return a message seeking comment. Garcia authorized gay marriage through an exec- utive order shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in June 2015. However, legislators did not amend Puerto Rico’s civil code to allow for same-sex marriages, and activists on Wednesday called on them to do so. “It was a shame that same-sex marriage was im- posed by the U.S. Supreme Court and not authorized by Puerto Rico’s legisla- ture,” said rights activist Pedro Julio Serrano. It is unclear if legisla- tors will take up that pe- tition. A spokeswoman for Senate President Eduardo Bhatia did not return a message seeking comment. Bhatia had earlier con- demned the ruling. “It is unbelievable that the federal court it- self ignores that rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution apply in Puerto Rico,” he said. Gonzalez said the ruling does not invalidate the dozens of same-sex mar- riages that have taken place on the island. The U.S. territory re- cently extended other rights to same-sex couples, in December ruling that they can adopt children. Judge Juan Perez-Gimenez ruled that a U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows gay couples to marry anywhere in the United States does not apply on the island because it is a U.S. territory and not a state.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2016 PremierHealth BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES 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 British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Ltd. acts solely as an agent on behalf of various insurers; it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. You said you needed the flexibility of overseas Rx. You got overseas Rx first with BritCay. In the 20 years since we introduced overseas network benefits, BritCay recognised that people were travelling more for work, college and vacation, so we delivered benefits to meet these needs. That’s why BritCay was first with overseas Rx and direct billing pharmacy benefits for Cayman residents. It means your health plan is as convenient to use overseas as it is at home. CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky cgigrp In 1984, BritCay joined Colonial Group International (CGI). In 1995, BritCay was the first company to offer Cayman residents an overseas network option with world class facilities. It was the first of many changes to come.notable firsts! Father tells of wife’s paranoia in daughter’s murder trial CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Testifying on the first day of the trial of Tamara Butler, who is accused of killing her 6-year-old daughter Bethany, husband and fa- ther Lenford Butler told the court that his daughter asked not to be left alone with her mother the night of the murder. Mr. Butler, a sergeant with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, told of his wife’s descent into in- creasingly erratic behavior and paranoia. Police found Bethany’s body in the front seat of the family car, cov- ered by blankets, on a dirt road leading to the beach off Queen’s Highway in East End in the early hours of Oct. 27, 2014. They found her mother on the beach nearby, wet and sandy, with blood still on her clothes. Mr. Butler told the court that on the night of Oct. 26, his wife, normally taking great pride in her hair, had shaved off her hair and eye- brows. He found her sit- ting on the bed, staring into a mirror. “Why?” he said he asked her. He said she re- plied, “I don’t know.” As he was in the shower getting ready for the mid- night to 7 a.m. shift at the George Town Police Station, he heard his young daughter scream and yell “no!” He fin- ished his shower, and by the time he got out he found Bethany hiding from her mother in the closet in the master bedroom. He said, quoting his daughter, “She says, ‘Mommy cut her hair off her head and I know she wants to cut mine.’” Mr. Butler stood before the court in the witness box, dressed in his full police uniform with three red bars on the shoulder. He kept his gaze on the attorneys and the judge, glancing only oc- casionally at his wife, who was sitting in the dock. He said he told his wife not to cut their daugh- ter’s hair. “Beth has to go to school and face her friends.” The defendant, wearing a black dress with a white pattern, stared at the floor for much of the testimony, occasionally looking at her hands or the ceiling. As he readied for work, he said he talked to his daughter. This is the only time in the testimony that Mr. Butler had to sit down and take a few minutes be- fore he could get the words out. “Beth said, ‘Can you take me to work with you?’” he told the court. But he said no. Instead, he gave his daughter his cellphone and put 911 on the speed dial. He told her, “Press the green button and it will go straight to 911.” He then let his daughter lock herself into the master bedroom. Then he left for work shortly before midnight. When he returned home almost five hours later, prompted to leave work early and check on his family after he told the story to a co-worker, the door to the bedroom had been broken in and there were pools of blood by the bed. The car was gone, along with his wife and daughter. He did not see his daughter again for four days, until he went to the Cayman Islands Hospital to iden- tify her body. She had been stabbed dozens of times to the head, neck, chest and back. Changing behavior Mr. Butler said his wife’s behavior started to change in 2011 after she lost her job working the front desk as a civilian at the George Town Police Station, a job she had held since 2003. The couple married in 2002 and moved from Turks and Caicos in 2003 when Mr. Butler received a job offer from the RCIPS. He told the court they had a good relationship, and his wife worked for many years with the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bodden Town in various roles. Bethany was born Jan. 12, 2008. The defendant did not tell her husband that the police service was not going to renew her contract in 2011, keeping it a secret from him for three months until someone else in the RCIPS asked him what his wife planned to do when her contract ended. “She got isolated,” he said. She stopped talking to people in church. She would get angry when people touched her. “If you ask her if she is all right, she’d say every- thing was OK,” Mr. Butler said, but “you can see ev- erything was not.” He said his wife accused him of infidelity and sent emails with the accusations to their mutual friends. She moved out, living with Bethany at Lantern Point. She became concerned that people were hacking into her emails and lis- tening to her conversations, he said. Mr. Butler called his wife’s mother and she came to the Cayman Islands to bring her daughter and granddaughter back to Turks and Caicos. They came back 14 months later and moved back into the family home in Savannah. But after some time back in Cayman, Mr. Butler said, his wife stopped attending church and once again thought people were spying on her emails and conversations. The day of the killing, Tamara Butler had once again decided to pack up her and Bethany’s things. Bags were packed and piled by the front door when Mr. Butler went to work that night. Police cordon off the beachside road along the Queen’s Highway on the morning of Oct. 27, 2014, near where 6-year-old Bethany Butler’s body was found inside a car. Her mother Tamara Butler, who was found on the beach nearby, is on trial for the murder of her daughter. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYThe 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. The presidential candi- dates have been decrying the real stagnation in income over the last seven years. People are unhappy but are not rioting in the streets. Why aren’t they? Despite wage stagnation, most people are living much better. How can that be? It is be- cause those reviled capitalists all over the world are creating more and better goods and services at lower cost, and in doing so improving everyone’s real standard of living, well- being and happiness. There are now 2.6 billion smart phones in the world – a product that is less than 20 years old. The Apple iPhone is only 10 years old, but it has changed the world. Some economists have calculated that 20 years ago, if one had to buy all of the devices that do what iPhone apps can do, it would have cost much more than US$3 million (that does not include those features that could not have been bought at any price two decades ago be- cause the technology did not exist). Just for a moment, vi- sualize the camera you would have needed to take pic- tures at only a fraction of the quality of what one can take with an iPhone. One needed a music player, a computer for email, maps and directions, and a TV with thousands of DVDs for all of the movies that one can get now get on demand with an iPhone or iPad. One needed a separate alarm clock, Rolodex, cal- endar, bulky photo albums, a video camera, voice recorder, flashlight and stacks of newspapers and magazines. Thanks to Google, people now carry almost all of the world’s information and knowledge in their pockets without even thinking about it. In many places in the world, smart phones have re- placed physical banks and coin and paper currency – so that poor people now have access to banking services and do not have to worry about their paper currency being stolen. With Google Earth people can see the homes they live in, the office or factory they work in, and every place they have gone or plan to go on vacation – right down to the beach umbrella. There are increased num- bers of apps to monitor med- ical conditions, saving tens of thousands of lives. If you add up all of the benefits from the products that Google, Apple, Samsung and all the rest of these greedy capitalist companies have produced, it would run into many trillions of dollars, yet most of these devices we can buy for a few hundred dollars or even less. The last century was the best century humans ever had, despite the fact that well over 200 mil- lion were killed by their own governments (almost all of them socialist or communist). Average life span increased by more than 60 percent in developed countries and much more in poorer coun- tries in large part owing to private companies developing antibiotics and other drugs and devices. With the inventions of the automobile and the airplane, people gained real mobility for the first time. The world was electrified, taking away the terror and uselessness of dark nights, as well as liberating both housewives and industrial workers from much physical toil. These ad- vances depended primarily on the availability of cheap oil and gas, which are far more benign than using wood, hay and manure for power and warmth. Almost all of the great in- novations came from those in the private sector who cre- ated them out of the desire for more wealth or just intel- lectual curiosity. The socialist countries have produced al- most nothing – except for bread lines, coercive and de- structive taxation and regu- lation, and gulags. Yet pol- iticians all over the world proudly proclaim themselves to be socialists and attack the capitalist wealth creators and innovators – as if the real world had never existed. The global ruling polit- ical elite (using organizations like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) are pushing for higher corporate and other business taxes. Who do you trust more to spend corpo- rate profits in a way that will better your life – the officers of Apple, Google and even “evil” big Pharma, or those in government? As Thomas Malthus did 200 years ago, the Club of Rome and other doomsayers told us a few decades ago that the world was going to run out of food and raw ma- terials because of overpopula- tion. In real terms, almost all foods and raw materials are becoming both less expensive and more abundant (in terms of man’s economic ability to grow or obtain them). Each year, the United States and other developed countries grow more food, and now with even less fertilizer per pound, on less land. If you have flown over the Northeast United States, you may have noticed that it is now largely woodland where even a half- century ago it was largely cropland. As the woods have come back, so have the ani- mals – with even a densely populated state like New Jersey having a problem with a growing bear population. Because of ever-increasing government spending, regu- lation and debt, the world is going to undergo a major fi- nancial crisis. However, this need not be the end of real increases in standards of living, provided that entre- preneurs and businesspeople are still allowed to give us many more US$3 million gifts by producing and creating all of those products that better our lives. Richard W. Rahn, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. © 2016, The Washington Times Because of Finance Minister Marco Archer’s attempts to guide the Cayman Islands government out of debt, local taxpayers have accumulated a new kind of debt — of gratitude. U.K. Minister James Duddridge, who has responsi- bility for overseas territories, wrote a letter congratu- lating Premier Alden McLaughlin and his government for improvements to the financial performance of Cayman’s public sector, notably the growth in available operating cash, exceeding a requirement of the U.K.’s Framework for Fiscal Responsibility. Minister Duddridge said, “This is a welcome achievement and a credit to the hard work and profes- sionalism of your government and the civil service. “A resilient fiscal outlook is a fundamental building block for the continued prosperity of the Cayman Islands.” Hear, hear. To Minister Duddridge’s applause, we add our own. Government’s financial statements contain clear evidence — in black and white, as opposed to red — that in terms of its bottom-line budget, the public sector appears to be on the right path and traveling in the proper direction (forward). As Minister Duddridge said, these are the results of a group effort, and credit should be spread among Premier McLaughlin, his gov- ernment and the civil service. But we’d like to bestow singular praise upon Minister Archer, who through his actions rather than words, and diligence rather than bombast, is creating for himself a reputation as a formidable and responsible public servant, in the truest sense of the phrase. Prior to being elected to office, Minister Archer had been an attorney for a local law firm and before that a member of the civil service. He has applied his experience in the public and private sectors to his duties as government minister, and his performance has been exceptional. Minister Archer may not be a flashy politician who utilizes populist rhetoric to whip a crowd into a frenzy — his usual tool of the trade is a ballpoint, rather than a bullhorn — but that doesn’t mean his achievements are going unnoticed in the community. In particular, Minister Archer is highly regarded in the financial services sector. (It’s a good sign when the country’s accountants number among the fans of the govern- ment’s chief budget maestro.) In the few short years he has held office, Minister Archer has managed to undo a lot of financial damage that was done to the public treasury by previous administrations, including the first People’s Pro- gressive Movement government, which racked up enormous debts that were left on the laps of the fol- lowing United Democratic Party government. Despite the outstanding progress that has been made, Minister Archer (and whoever his future suc- cessor may be) still faces considerable challenges. First — and this was alluded to in Minister Duddridge’s letter — there is the matter of the repayment of a $261 million “bullet loan” that is due in November 2019. (The loan stems from 2009 borrowing by the UDP, which, according to then-Premier McKeeva Bush, occurred in order to pay off recurring expenditures left by the PPM, which had accumulated a one-year oper- ating deficit of $81 million.) The bullet loan payment is squarely in Minister Archer’s sights. More than $18 million has been set aside for that purpose, and Minister Archer says he hopes that most, if not all, of that debt can be paid off in 2019. (If you think Minister Archer has been steeped in praise in this column, just wait and see what is written if that near-miraculous event happens.) The elephant in the budget writers’ room remains, of course, how to make up for the estimated $1.2 billion in unfunded liabilities to deliver public health- care services over the next 20 years. Time will tell, but that may be a task too tall for even Minister Archer to tackle at the present moment. After all, Minister Archer may be a wizard with public finance, but, unlike Rumpelstiltskin, he can’t create gold out of straw. Minister Archer on target with public finances THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The $3 million gift Economists say that 20 years ago, buying all the devices to perform the functions of one iPhone would cost more than US$3 million. – PHOTO: AP RICHARD W. RAHN The $3 million gift RICHARD W. RAHN 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 • THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2016 Women’s rights treaty ratified for Cayman ALAN MARKOFF amarkoff@pinnaclemedialtd.com After more than a decade of working toward the goal, the Cayman Islands govern- ment announced Tuesday that the United Nations would extend the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women – often re- ferred to as CEDAW – to the Cayman Islands. The request is a formality that will be accepted on March 16 when it is “depos- ited” with the secretary-gen- eral of the United Nations. Premier Alden McLaughlin said the convention would commit the current and fu- ture governments to under- take a series of measures to end all forms of discrimina- tion against women. “While women in Cayman do not face many of the sig- nificant discriminatory chal- lenges as women in other parts of the world, we rec- ognize that problems still remain and must be ad- dressed,” he said. Minister of Gender Affairs Tara Rivers said CEDAW, which was ad- opted in 1979 by the United Nations, has been described as “an international Bill of Rights for women.” “As an administration, we are committed to addressing the most pressing barriers for women, issues such as in- creasing investment in gender equality, reaching parity for women at all levels of deci- sion-making and disavowing and changing social norms that perpetuate discrimination and violence against women.” She said the news of the decision, which was an- nounced on International Women’s Day, was the culmi- nation of a 12-year quest to have the treaty extended to the Cayman Islands and fol- lowed an application made under the current govern- ment through Governor Helen Kilpatrick in December 2013. Ms. Rivers said the pas- sage of the Gender Equality Law in 2011 was a major step toward meeting the U.K.’s re- quirements for requesting the convention be extended to the Cayman Islands be- cause, among other things, it prohibits discrimination in employment and “serves as the local enabling legisla- tion that upholds the princi- ples of CEDAW.” The Cayman Islands now joins the British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands as British Overseas Territories over which CEDAW has been extended. Countries that have rat- ified the treaty are legally obligated to work toward the implementations of its provisions. Minister Rivers said the extension of the conven- tion also means the Cayman Islands government has to submit information to be included in the U.K.’s country reports to the United Nations’s CEDAW committee “to document our progress in achieving the aspirational goals set out in the treaty.” “Thereafter, at least every four years, the government will be provided with an op- portunity to report on the legislative, judicial, admin- istrative or other measures which we have adopted to give effect to the provisions of the present Convention and on progress made in respect to the priority areas of concern.” CEDAW contains 16 core articles that provide a practical blueprint to pro- mote basic human rights to women and girls and to over- come barriers of discrimi- nation. Among other things, the articles call on countries to eliminate discriminatory laws, policies and practices; uphold women’s equality in the political, social, economic, and cultural fields; modify or eliminate practices based on assumptions about the infe- riority or superiority of ei- ther sex; and take steps to suppress the exploitation of prostitution and trafficking in women. CEDAW also affirms the equal rights of women to vote, hold public office, and participate in civil society; to work at the international level without discrimination; to acquire, change, or retain their nationality and that of their children; to have equal rights in education; to have equal rights in employment, including without discrimi- nation on the basis of mar- ital status or maternity; to have equal rights to afford- able healthcare services; to have equal rights to family benefits, financial credit, and participation in recreational activities; to have equality before the law, including the legal right to enter contracts, own property, and choose their place of residence; and to have equal rights with men in matters related to mar- riage and family relations. Premier McLaughlin said that although the current ef- fort to have CEDAW extended to the Cayman Islands dates back 12 years, legislative ef- forts to provide women with equal rights here began back in 1995, when former George Town MLA Berna Thompson and former North Side MLA and Speaker of the House the late Edna Moyle brought a private members’ motion to the Legislative Assembly to give consideration to the es- tablishment of an office for women’s affairs, rights and issues to form part of a gov- ernment ministry. Minister Rivers noted that she had strong female role models in her family heritage and said she was proud to be the Cabinet minister at the time CEDAW was extended to the Cayman Islands be- cause it is a very big step for the country. “The issue of gender equality affects us all,” she said. “If you’re a father to a daughter, you should be con- cerned about gender equality. If you’re a brother to a sister, you should be concerned about gender equality. If you’re an uncle to an niece, you should be concerned about gender equality.” Jury returns unlawful wounding verdict in throat-cutting case CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A jury of three men and four women found David Andrew Bodden, 39, guilty of unlawful wounding, re- turning a series of verdicts on Wednesday afternoon. They found him not guilty of the more serious charges of attempted murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Justice Charles Quin con- tinued Bodden’s bail with a 24-hour curfew and electronic monitor until sentencing on May 4. The judge reviewed the evidence in the case on Wednesday morning. Bodden was charged with attempting to murder Blake Barrell around midday on June 16, 2015, on Fort Street in down- town George Town. There was no disagree- ment that Mr. Barrell’s in- jury was serious, the judge pointed out. He had sus- tained a laceration across his throat and down his chest. The judge said he thought it was accepted by both sides that Mr. Barrell would have died from loss of blood and inability to breathe if it had not been for the quick action of a police officer who drove him to hospital and the sur- gery that followed. The prosecution’s case, conducted by senior Crown counsel Elisabeth Lees, was that Bodden intended to cut Mr. Barrell’s throat. The defense, conducted by attorney Amelia Fosuhene, contended that the injury oc- curred accidentally – that Bodden wanted only to hold Mr. Barrell until police ar- rived. She accepted that Bodden had a scalpel blade in his right hand when he chased Mr. Barrell and the two men then grappled. But Bodden is left-handed; if he had wanted to kill he would have put the scalpel in his left hand, she submitted. Justice Quin said that when considering Bodden’s state of mind at the time, ju- rors should take into account incidents that occurred on June 8 and June 10. Bodden gave evidence that he had been told Mr. Barrell and another man had gone to Cruz Lane in George Town looking for him on the night of June 8 and three shots were fired. He called 911 anony- mously that night to report the incident. The next day he went to the area, found spent shells, and called police. He said he told police who the men were and he wanted them arrested. A defense witness named Mr. Barrell and the other man as responsible for the firearm discharge. On June 10, the same two men and others came to Bodden’s workplace and threatened him. A de- fense witness told the court he was there and witnesses what happened. Before the jury retired to deliberate, the judge set out for the jurors the different verdicts they could reach. The first charge was at- tempted murder. If the jury was satisfied the Crown had proved beyond all reasonable doubt that Bodden intended to kill Mr. Barrell, they would find him guilty. If they were not sure, they would find him not guilty and go on to consider the second charge, wounding with in- tent to cause grievous bodily harm. Jurors had to be sure that Bodden intended to cause serious harm. Otherwise, they would find him not guilty. There was a lesser charge of unlawful wounding, the judge continued. It was the Crown’s case that Bodden had the scalpel blade in his hand and ran after Mr. Barrell; he knew he had the blade and foresaw that injury could occur, but he was reckless and carried on regardless. The of- fense of unlawful wounding does not require specific in- tent, jurors were told.THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 6 DISTRICT DAYS District Days Bodden Town 50 YEARS AGO: Impressive accomplishments In the March 9, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Compass, the paper reported: “News has been received that Clive Bodden, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eliott Bodden of Bodden Town, has recently passed the G.C.E. examina- tion in two subjects – technical and geometrical drawing. These are very difficult subjects entailing working of measurements on the basis of ge- ometry and Clive is only 15 years of age. “Prior to taking the G.C.E. exams, Clive passed three subjects in the Royal Society of Arts examination, gaining a credit in technical drawing. “Clive has been at school in England for six years and is living with Mrs. Bodden’s sister and brother- in-law. They were all in Cayman at Christmas time for a visit. “Congratulations Clive.” Jack the donkey: A Pedro institution BASIA MCGUIRE bmcguire@pinnaclemedialtd.com Visitors to Savannah land- mark Pedro St. James looking to take in some of Cayman’s history and culture have a special ally in their quest. Jack the donkey, now a Pedro institution, made his debut at the site in 2006. Particularly partial to carrots and ears of corn, Jack’s best friend is Pedro tour guide Stacy Eden Hurlston, who he likes to follow around the grounds. Mr. Eden Hurlston is the sev- enth great-grandson of William Eden, the original owner of Pedro St. James, and brings a personal touch to the tours at the site. “There were lots of donkeys back in the day at Pedro St. James, when it was a 335-acre plantation,” he said. “The plantation exported a lot of cotton. It also grew thatch and produce for local residents.” Mr. Eden Hurlston gives Jack a lot of well-deserved love, care and attention each day, and ensures Jack gets regular treats of goat- grass and Guinea grass. “Jack loves people – he likes to walk around and meet with the visitors,” said Mr. Eden Hurlston. “He walks over to them because he knows they like to take pic- tures with him and he likes to get hugs.” CEO of the Tourism Attraction Board, Gilbert Connolly, purchased Jack for Pedro St. James in late 2006. Mr. Eden Hurslton noted Jack was brought from North Carolina to the Cayman Islands in 1985 by the late Edna Moyle as a Taco Bell mascot. Jack was subsequently sold to Billy Ray Martinez, who then sold Jack to Mr. Connolly in late 2006. “The reason for purchasing Jack for Pedro St. James was to en- hance the experience for children visiting the National Historic Site, and to make it more interactive for them,” explained Mr. Connolly. “Donkeys played a very impor- tant role in Cayman’s history and for many years they were the main mode of transport for residents on the islands.” Mr. Connolly remembers a time when nearly every household in Cayman had a donkey or two to carry heavy loads. “We had to go inland, to the farms or the bush, to cut Cayman thatch palm to make rope. We had to twist enough thatch to create a 25 fathom rope, for which we got about 25 shillings. “We would go early, around 4 a.m. and it would still be dark,” he recalled. “So we had to use lanterns which we attached to the donkey, to light the way. We would then mount the foods and goods, such as cassava and thatch palm, onto the donkey to carry them back home.” Because the donkey was used to carry the load, the children had to walk across the high bluff by foot and Mr. Connolly remembers getting plenty of “buck toe” from the rugged rock. “To solve this problem they would make ‘wompers’ – shoes made out of car tires – to protect their toes,” he said. “They would put their foot in the car tire and cut a shoe around it, leaving ample space at the top of the foot to pro- tect their toes. “They used rope to strap the ‘wompers’ onto their feet and used them to walk across the cliffs.” Estimated to be about 35, Jack is getting on in years, even for a donkey, but he’s going strong. Mr. Eden Hurlston noted Jack’s original name was Percy. “I renamed him Jack Eden be- cause I wanted him to become part of the Eden Family who first built Pedro Castle,” he said. “I want him to become known as ‘Ancestor Jack.’” He noted that these days, Jack usually gets tired around 4:30 p.m., and goes to his pen to lie down and rest. Jack was recently diagnosed with arthritis and went through a tough stage in his life. He is now recovering, thanks to the constant help and care of the vets Kanyuira Gikonyo and Samantha Dorman and welfare officer Ronald Green at the Department of Agriculture, said Mr. Eden Hurlston, who makes sure Jack takes his arthritis tablets twice every day. Jack’s two animal companions at Pedro St. James include an or- ange cat named Ginger and a black and grey cat named Lilly. Estimated to be about 35, Jack is getting on in years, even for a donkey, but he’s going strong. Jack the donkey is a Pedro St. James fixture. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Bodden TownCAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days Bodden Town Making math fun at Savannah Primary Savannah Primary held a school-wide Numeracy Day recently to support math skills. This year’s theme was “Math Masquerade.” “As teachers, we wanted to help our students learn and adapt to new math skills,” said principal Carol Nyack. “Numeracy Day was an opportunity for Savannah Primary to join in promoting excellence in mathematics, teamwork, achieving goals, and school spirit.” Students and teachers in- corporated practical everyday math into games and var- ious fun activities when the school held the event on Feb. 19. Ms. Nyack said that the students succeeded in devel- oping their enthusiasm and appreciation for math. “The intention was to show that math is all around us, and to build the skills as- sociated with what is known as subitizing or ‘instantly seeing how many,’ defined as the ability to quickly iden- tify the number of items in a small set without counting,” she said. With a strong relationship between subitizing skill and math achievement, building this ability in young learners is key. “We were trying to show the students the im- portance and usefulness of math, that a number is not just a number but that it represents a certain quan- tity, and through a variety of indoor and outdoor ac- tivities help them build the skills that would allow them to guesstimate amounts and quantities,” Ms. Nyack said. Students and teachers incorporated practical math into games and various fun activities. This cup tower proved to be great fun for the Year 2 students.Jessica Eden, Gillian Dasent and Mark Scotland were on hand as the board and door display judges. GEORGE NOWAK The old seaside path that has been a tran- quil spot for residents to walk their dogs or observe wildlife had recently become a dumping ground. Garbage, old furniture, scrap building ma- terial and car parts dumped along the road were also attracting rats and cockroaches. In addition to the garbage problem, illegal excavating is suspected to have taken place throughout, with signs that beach sand is being hauled away. At night, the area has be- come a popular spot to race motorbikes and play loud music. Bodden Town MLA and Minister for Community Affairs, Youth and Sports Osbourne Bodden, who was contacted by local residents about the problem, noted that the land is privately owned and the National Roads Authority is looking into the matter. In the meantime, the Department of Environmental Health took action to clean up the site, with dramatic results. The road on Wednesday, Feb. 17. - PHOTOS: GEORGE NOWAK The road as it appeared on Sunday, Feb. 28. Before and after: Breakers cleanup Tying the knot before 150 of their closest friends and family in a traditional wed- ding were Shellen McDonald, 19, originally from Puerto Cabeza, Nicaragua, and Oshane Hunt, 24, originally from Kingston, Jamaica. The nuptials took place on Feb. 7 at the Savannah Seventh-day Adventist Church on Shamrock Road, Bodden Town. The bride was given away by her father, Nathaniel McDonald, and serving her duties as maid of honor was Kayla Stewart in the ceremony officiated by Pastor Wesley Nyack, and planned by Rita Ebanks. The couple first met a church camp years ago. Just last year, Mr. Hunt was prompted to bend the knee at their home and ask for Shellen’s hand in marriage. Mrs. Hunt’s favorite as- pect of the wedding was the moment Pastor Nyack pro- nounced the couple hus- band and wife, whereas Mr. Hunt’s was seeing the fu- ture Mrs. Hunt show up to the church. Following the ceremony, a reception was held at the Bodden Town Civic Centre. Also in attendance was the couple’s 7-month old son, Oshane Jr. Church wedding for the Hunts Shellen and Oshane HuntTHURSDAY, MARCH 10 ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY: The next meeting will be at Pedro Castle at 7 p.m. If more than 50 percent cloudy, the meeting will be canceled. Phone (not text) 925-7657 around 6:45 p.m. for an update if there is any uncertainty. Non-members are asked to park outside and walk in, due to limited space on the Castle grounds. CHAMBER COURSE: “Essentials of Supervision” presented by Julie McLaughlin. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $150. Future Members $225. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, MARCH 11 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS INVITED: The Butterfield Young Professionals Circle invites everyone 18-35 to a late night viewing of the exhibition “EN MAS’ – Carnival and Performance Art of the Caribbean” at the National Gallery. 6-10 p.m. Free guided tours every half- hour. Admission is free and refreshments will be available for purchase. For details, email info@nationalgallery. org.ky or call 945-8111. GARAGE SALE: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church garage sale, from 5 p.m., organized by Women in the Church. SATURDAY, MARCH 12 COLOR ME PURPLE WALK/ RUN KAIBO: The public is invited to join the Family Resource Centre, Sol and the Department of Sports for the annual Honoring Women’s Month 5K walk/ run from Kaibo in North Side. Start is 6:30 a.m. for walkers, 7 a.m. for runners. Register online at www.caymanactive.com. Prizes available for winning walkers and runners, including the “most purple” participant. SPRING INTO GLAZING: Class with 3 Girls and a Kiln, 1:30–4:30 p.m. at the Susan A. Olde Art Studio, National Gallery Education Centre. Cost is $80, materials included. Limited to 15 students. Learn how to apply watercolor pooling, zentangle patterns, stenciling and silk screening methods of glazing using a spring palette. Ideal for beginners. To register, email education@nationalgallery. org.ky or call 945-8111. SUNDAY, MARCH 13 CHURCH SERVICE: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church has as its theme Purple Sunday for morning worship at 11 a.m. in honor of Women’s Month. COLOR ME PURPLE WALK/ RUN SMITH COVE: The public is invited to join the Family Resource Centre, Sol and the Department of Sports for the annual Honoring Women’s Month Colour Me Purple 5K Walk/Run starting at Smith Cove, 6:30 a.m. for walkers, 7 a.m. for runners. Register online at www. caymanactive.com. Prizes available for winning walkers and runners, including the “most purple” participant. CARE K9 5K: Fun run and dog jog. Registration 6:30 a.m. Start 7 a.m. Nexus Way, Camana Bay. Dog lovers are invited to show off their pets’ sporting talent or take a Humane Society shelter dog for a jog. The 5K route follows a scenic double loop through Camana Bay’s Town Centre. Registration is $25 and includes an event T-shirt, finish-line snacks and doggie biscuits, as well as entry into a random prize draw. The event raises funds for CARE’s community spay and neuter programs. MONDAY, MARCH 14 WORKFORCE DISTRICT VISIT: A National Workforce Development Agency representative will be at the Bodden Town Library 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to assist the public with Job-Link Program registration, the national training program, Passport2Success, internship opportunities, assistance with preparing resumes and for interviews. Call 945-3114 or email nwda.training@gov.ky for more information. TUESDAY, MARCH 15 SICKLE CELL SUPPORT: The Public Health Department hosts a Sickle Cell Support Group meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Cayman Islands Hospital’s Public Health Waiting Room. All are invited to the session where Health Services Authority General Practice Coordinator Dr. Anna Matthews will lead the discussion. For further information, contact Genetics Coordinator Joy Merren at 244-2630 or email joy.merren@hsa.ky. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 WOMEN’S SELF CARE: The public is invited to join the Family Resource Centre for an evening of learning about self care. The free session, supported by Rotary Central, is a part of Honoring Women’s Month activities. The session starts 6 p.m. at the Family Resource Centre at the Compass Centre, George Town. To register, contact Family Resource Centre on frc@gov.ky, or www.facebook. com/FamilyResourceCentre or 949-0006. WORKFORCE DISTRICT VISIT: A National Workforce Development Agency representative will be at the West Bay Library 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to assist the public with Job-Link Program registration, the national training program, Passport2Success, internship opportunities, assistance with preparing resumes and for interviews. Call 945-3114 or email nwda.training@gov.ky for more information. FLOETRY: Meets 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Books & Books. Join Cayman’s poets and performers as they share their work during an open mic night of poetry and readings. Attendees are free to share their own work or listen to others. THURSDAY, MARCH 17 5K IRISH JOG: St. Patrick’s Day event starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Britannia Golf Course, hosted by Butterfield and the Grand Cayman Beach Suites. Fee is $10 per person and all proceeds will be donated to the Cayman Islands Cadets Corps. Visit www.caymanactive.com or ButterfieldGroup.com for registration forms. CHAMBER COURSE: “How to Run a Successful Business” by Derek Jones, 2:30– 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $175. Future members $225. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: “The Exceptional Presenter” by Julie McLaughlin, 9 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $150. Future members $225. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. SATURDAY, MARCH 19 EARTH HOUR: The National Trust invites the public to participate in this global movement by pledging to turn off non-essential lighting for Earth Hour, 8:30-9:30 p.m. Earth Hour was created by the World Wildlife Fund in 2007 to raise awareness for the planet. Also, the Trust encourages unplugging electronic devices that are not needed. EARTH HOUR PICNIC: As a part of the National Trust’s Families in the Wild program, the Earth Hour Picnic in the Dark is set for 6-9:30 p.m. at the amphitheater at Dart Family Park, South Church Street. Stories, acoustic performances, screening of “The Lorax” and presentation to explain how climate change affects Cayman. All are encouraged to bring blankets, pillows, snacks, flashlights and insect repellent. Light refreshments will be available. The Astronomical Society will assist stargazers. SPRING INTO GLAZING: Class for intermediate students and students who have previously taken a ceramic art course with 3 Girls and a Kiln; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Susan A. Olde Art Studio, National Gallery Education Centre. Cost is $80, materials included. To register, email education@ nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945-8111. LITTLE CAYMAN AGRICULTURE SHOW: Blossom Village Park. Contact Debbi Truchan 925-6442 or debit@candw.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Trust Company Ltd., Nagoya JAPAN - Satisfying customers since 1988 get an instant quote on our website: +81-52-219-9024 sales@japanesevehicles.com facebook.com/JapaneseVehicles f BMW 1 SERIES 2009 6,200 US$ S/N 174886 HONDA FIT 2003 800 US$ S/N 174921 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 2012 8,300 US$ S/N 174267 SUBARU SAMBAR 2009 1,700 US$ S/N 172450 HONDA ACCORD 2009 7,800 US$ S/N 174659 MAZDA DEMIO 2005 750 US$ S/N 174839 AUDI A8 2005 6,600 US$ S/N 174902 MERCEDES B-CLASS 2006 4,200 US$ S/N 171843 MERCEDES C-CLASS 2010 11,900 US$ S/N 171261 Get a FREE 30 Day Guarantee with your vehicle purchased from Trust Company Ltd.! 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Risk Free 30 da ys Tr us t Mechanical G ua ran tee Star gazing: The next meeting of the Astronomical Society will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at Pedro Castle.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2016 Media World executive Roger Huguet, Trujillo made a series of wire transfer payments that he “understood were likely bribe payments for the benefit of Jeffrey Webb.” Using a Panamanian bank account attached to a company he owned, prosecu- tors said Trujillo doctored an invoice that was submitted to a production company that was also involved in the FIFA bribery scam. After re- ceiving about US$500,000 from the unidentified pro- duction company based on the bogus invoices, a number of payments were made. According to the indict- ment against Trujillo, wire transfer payments from the US$500,000 to his company included US$80,000 that ended up in a Citibank ac- count in Miami, Florida, held in the name of a Caymanian attorney “whose identity is known to the United States [district] attorney.” Officials with the Eastern District Court in Brooklyn, New York, have declined to provide the Caymanian at- torney’s identity. As far as the Cayman Compass is aware, the individual has not been charged in the FIFA indict- ment. In addition, another US$170,000 wire transfer from the bribe funds acquired by Trujillo was routed through a series of transfers to a bank in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The account that received the money there was held in the name of Kosson Ventures, a company prose- cutors allege was controlled by Costas Takkas, a former Cayman Islands resident. It is alleged in the FIFA indictment that payments from Media World were ul- timately received by Takkas, Webb’s attache. Prosecutors have alleged in a number of cases that Takkas passed those payments to Webb. Webb has pleaded guilty to seven counts in the indict- ment against him, including racketeering, money laun- dering conspiracy and wire transfer conspiracy. He faces sentencing in June. Takkas is still believed to be in custody of Swiss officials following his May 27, 2015 arrest just prior to FIFA’s annual general meeting in Zurich. away direct control of budget proposals from local legislators during the UDP government’s term and implementing strict fi- nancial controls now en- shrined in local law and known as the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility. “I am sure you will agree that robust debt manage- ment strategy is an integral part of good financial plan- ning,” Mr. Duddridge wrote to the premier. According to government’s 2015/16 budget documents, the vast majority of the cen- tral government’s debts – more than CI$350 million – will come due within the next two to five years, the term of the next elected government. Finance Minister Marco Archer’s Progressives-led coalition will face a gen- eral election in May 2017, or perhaps before then, de- pending on whether Premier McLaughlin seeks to call a snap election this year. Although he acknowledges dealing with the bullet bond debt from 2009 will be a problem for the next gov- ernment, Mr. Archer said Tuesday that he would like to put the new administration on “sound footing” with re- gard to the debt, whether or not he is reelected and/or re- turned as minister. Mr. Archer said the Progressives administration established, during its first year in office, what’s known as a “sinking fund” to help retire the 2009 bond debt. According to budget records for this year, more than CI$18 million has been placed in that fund. The finance minister said he hoped a large portion of the 2009 bullet loan could be retired – if not all of it – on the due date. Whatever cannot be paid off would likely have to be refinanced as Mr. Duddridge suggested. The government refi- nanced other bullet bonds owed between 2015 and 2016, mainly from loans given by the Cayman Islands Development Bank, giving the public sector more time to pay. Mr. Archer also confirmed that government had no plans to borrow any more money during the upcoming 2016/17 fiscal year which is expected to run through December 2017, a period of 18 months, as the govern- ment switches to a multiyear budget process. FIFA CORRUPTION CASE Bribe linked to Webb, local attorney UK minister warns of looming US$312M debt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Student excluded over school assault Confusion over car vandalism JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Clifton Hunter High School student alleged to have assaulted a teacher has been excluded from the school while police continue to in- vestigate the incident. The student was seen in a video repeatedly shoving the teacher on the school grounds before a security guard intervenes. Police confirmed they were investigating the incident, which took place last Tuesday, and said they were also looking into a separate alle- gation that the same teacher’s car had been vandalized. However, a photograph of a car with its tires slashed and daubed with the graf- fiti “Go home,” that circulated this week on the Internet and initially linked to the inci- dent, does not belong to the teacher in question. The car’s owner, Paul Lewis, a 22-year-old Caymanian, said he was mystified as to why anyone would target his ve- hicle. He said he assumed it was a case of mistaken identity. Mr. Lewis, who works in a bank, said he woke at 5 a.m. Monday to find the windows smashed, the tires slashed and the strange graffiti scrawled across the white Toyota. “The first thing I thought is, they must have mixed me up for somebody else. I was born in Cayman and I lived here my whole life. I don’t know where they want me to go, but I am home right now,” he said. Mr. Lewis said his in- surance does not cover the damage and he is having to borrow a vehicle to get to work. He said he had no idea why his car was targeted, but after seeing the reports about the teacher, he believes it is possible his vehicle was mis- taken for the teacher’s. Police confirmed they had received a report of a car being vandalized from the same individual assaulted at school but could not confirm details by press time. Education officials said they had responded promptly to the reports of a staff member being assaulted. In a statement late Tuesday, the Ministry of Education indicated the stu- dent had been excluded from school following the collection of statements from both par- ties as well as witnesses. The boy’s guardians were informed, as well as the Department of Child and Family Services, and school assemblies were conducted to reinforce expectations among students. Staff were also briefed to reassure them of the ministry’s response, the statement added. “At this time the matter is now in the hands of the RCIPS who will address the relevant issues,” the ministry said in the statement. “The Ministry of Education and Department of Education Services are always concerned when a student or staff member is subjected to threat- ening or violent behavior, and view such incidents very seri- ously,” the statement added. The ministry said the inci- dent was “isolated” and it was working with students and staff to prevent such occur- rences in future. It said recent measures taken included introduction of a Behavior Support Service in 2015 and designing a new framework for behavior inter- vention and support. The statement continued, “The Ministry of Education/ DES has also developed a training package focussing on risk assessment, de-escalation and the management of se- rious incidents. Over the past two years, an extensive pilot training has been carried out with a number of schools and all school staff are anticipated to receive this training.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 US$80,000 … ended up in a Citibank account in Miami, Florida held in the name of a Caymanian attorney “whose identity is known to the United States [district] attorney.” US captures top ISIS chemical arms engineer BAGHDAD (AP) – U.S. special forces captured the head of the Islamic State group’s unit trying to develop chemical weapons in a raid last month in northern Iraq, two senior Iraqi intelligence officials told the Associated Press, the first known major success of Washington’s more aggres- sive policy of pursuing the ji- hadis on the ground. The New York Times re- ported that the Islamic State detainee in American cus- tody at a temporary deten- tion facility in Iraq is a spe- cialist in chemical weapons whom American military of- ficials are questioning about the militant group’s plans to use the banned substances in Iraq and Syria, officials said. The Obama adminis- tration launched the new strategy in December, de- ploying a commando force to Iraq that it said would be dedicated to capturing and killing Islamic State leaders in clandestine operations, as well as generating intelli- gence leading to more raids. U.S. officials said last week that the expeditionary team had captured an Islamic State leader but had refused to identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned. The two Iraqi offi- cials identified the man as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Hussein’s now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority where he special- ized in chemical and bio- logical weapons. They said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads the Islamic State group’s recently es- tablished branch for the re- search and development of chemical weapons. He was captured in a raid near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, the officials said. They would not give further details. The officials, who both have firsthand knowledge of the individual and of the IS chemical program, spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to brief the media. No confir- mation was available from U.S. officials. A U.S. official said Wednesday that one or more follow-up airstrikes were conducted against suspected IS chemical facilities in northern Iraq in recent days. Mistaken identity? Caymanian Paul Lewis’s car was vandalized and the phrase ‘go home’ written across it.Next >