ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY MARCH 31, 2016 SPORTS | PAGE 15 DUTCH STALL ENGLAND’S MOMENTUM High of 87 Low of 76 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 BAINES DEPARTURE: A LOSS FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS 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 Governor says Baines is owed payout BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Outgoing Royal Cayman Islands Police Commissioner David Baines is due his final year’s pay and benefits – including more than $130,000 in salary – following his separation from the police service a year before the end of his contract, according to Governor Helen Kilpatrick’s office. A statement sent to the Cayman Compass on Wednesday clarified that the commissioner and governor’s office had mutually agreed that the veteran U.K. lawman could not continue in his position due to a number of factors. “Commissioner Baines has not resigned,” the statement read. “He will leave his post by mutual consent as the unfair criticism and de- famatory comments [have] undermined his au- thority to the extent that his leadership of the RCIPS is no longer tenable. Given this, the gov- ernor determined that it was in the best inter- ests of the Cayman Islands to honor the terms and conditions of the commissioner’s contract.” Mr. Baines’s departure leaves Cayman with the prospect of hiring a new police commis- sioner within the next 14 months and paying that person a six-figure salary, while at the same time paying Mr. Baines, effectively dou- bling the Cayman government’s normal expenditure for that position. On the other hand, Premier Alden McLaughlin pointed out Tuesday that finding a permanent police commissioner in the cur- rent climate might prove challenging. “Given the reaction of the [political] op- position to Mr. Baines, we may find our- selves in difficulty filling the role quickly,” the premier said. WEBB’S FIFA PLEA DEAL SOUGHT FROM US COURT Details of cooperation agreements between three key defendants in the ongoing FIFA cor- ruption investigation, including a deal struck with Cayman’s Jeffrey Webb, are being sought by a U.S.-based news organization which filed a formal request with the federal court for those records earlier this month. Lawyers for Bloomberg News Service wrote to U.S. District Court Judge Raymond Dearie on March 24 requesting that the court unseal (make public) transcripts from a plea agreement hearing held for Webb, as well as the plea hearings for Webb co-defendants Jose Margulies and Alejandro Burzaco. It is also requested that “any underlying plea and/ or cooperation agreements” be publicly filed. Attorneys argue that the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights pre- sumes access to such court records, including plea hearings and documents filed in connec- tion with those hearings. In this case, “there is no compelling reason for closure [of the plea deal records],” lawyers stated. Webb, Brazilian businessman Margulies and Argentinian sports marketer Burzaco have collectively forfeited US$37.5 million following their respective guilty pleas to racketeering, money laundering and wire fraud in an inter- national scheme that U.S. prosecutors allege paid more than US$200 million in bribes to high-ranking FIFA officials. The bribes were paid in exchange for FIFA officials awarding rights to commercial contracts to certain foot- ball tournaments, including World Cup quali- fying matches, prosecutors have alleged. “Of all the defendants who have pleaded guilty so far in the FIFA prosecutions, only Jose Hawilla [former principal of the Traffic Sports marketing company], who consented to forfeit Lawmakers try again with controversial bills BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A pair of controversial bills governing public integrity stan- dards and employment and op- erating practices for Cayman Islands lawyers are on the Leg- islative Assembly agenda for its next regularly scheduled meeting in late April. As Premier Alden McLaughlin promised, the revamped Stan- dards in Public Life Bill – which was passed in 2014 but never implemented – will come be- fore assembly members for a vote. The bill seeks stricter dis- closure of interest require- ments for legislators and senior public servants, as well as some requirements for appointed members of public boards. Another often attempted legislative change – amend- ments to the territory’s Legal Practitioners’ Law – is also ex- pected to come up during the next meeting. Public standards The specifics of the amended Standards in Public Life Law are unknown, but Premier McLaughlin has said a draft will be made public at least 21 days prior to its being heard during the April 25 meeting. The law was approved in Jan- uary 2014 but was shelved in June of that year amid concerns over the reporting requirements, particularly those for appointed George Town Primary School students Amare Hamilton, 10, Kaciann Wilson, 11, and Rohanah Gonzales, 10, practice their violin skills as part of the RBC Dominion Securities After-School Instrumental Music Programme, run by the Cayman Arts Festival. Organizers are appealing for the donation of stringed instruments to help students develop their musical skills. For more on this story, see page 8. - PHOTO: ALMA CHOLLETTE Music project wants some strings attached PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY MARCH 31, 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 - Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) BATMAN V SUPERMAN DAWN OF JUSTICE 3D (PG13) 12:30 I 1:00 2D I 3:45 I 5:30 2D 7:00 I 9:30 2D ALLEGIANT - THE DIVERGENT SERIES (PG13) 1:10 I 4:10 I 7:10 I 9:55 MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN (PG) 1:30 I 4:15 I 7:10 I 10:00 ZOOTOPIA 3D (PG13) 12:45 I 3:30 2D I 6:45 I 9:20 LONDON HAS FALLEN (R) 1:20 I 4:00 I 7:20 I 9:40 Bring in this AD and receive 10% Off all household items, during the month of April! Don’t forget our Custom Tailoring & Alterations Tel: 949-2833 39 Pasadora Place, Smith Rd. supestch@candw.ky www.superstitch.com.ky customercare@superstitch.com.ky Kittiwake turns into underwater museum To mark the fifth anni- versary of the sinking of the USS Kittiwake, the wreck has been transformed into an un- derwater museum. The exhibition, prepared by the Kittiwake Committee, includes laminated photos from when the Kittiwake was in service mounted on the wreck. Since the sinking of the Kittiwake on Jan. 5, 2011, it has become an attraction for divers and a habitat for marine species. “Wrecks in some situa- tions can serve as artificial reefs because they offer sur- faces for corals to colonize,” Stacie Sybersma, project man- ager at the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, said in a press release. “Once coral and algae start to develop, there is a food source for the larger species such as fish and in- vertebrates, allowing an eco- system to develop. The wreck also provides protection and hiding places making it an ideal home for many species.” Divetech’s Joanna Miku- towicz said the Kittiwake has attracted fish, corals and other marine life that would not be in the area otherwise. “It is nice to see that man- made dive sites can create an entire new reef,” Ms. Mikuto- wicz said in the press release. “It makes me feel excited and optimistic about our coral nursery program starting in Grand Cayman this spring.” Over the past five years, 53,000 divers and 67,800 snorkelers have visited the Kittiwake wreck. “The Kittiwake is defi- nitely meeting and exceeding the expectations we all had for it,” Ms. Mikutowicz said. “Not only is it a popular spot to visit on our standard boat trips, but it has created extra boat trips full of customers that have specifically asked to go to the Kittiwake.” According to Ash McK- night, owner of Go Pro Diving, numerous dive oper- ators schedule daily trips to the wreck, and many resi- dents have licenses for their personal boats. “We are all very pleased that the Kittiwake has been embraced by the local com- munity,” Mr. McKnight said. “It is also very rewarding to see the international recogni- tion the Kittiwake Wreck has received from organizations such as Scuba Diving maga- zine and TripAdvisor.” While everyone is en- couraged to go to the Kit- tiwake and visit the under- water museum, CITA reminds that visits to the site must be made on a Kittiwake- licensed vessel. Those interested in licensing their boats or obtaining a list of licensed operators may contact info@cita.ky or call 949-8522. Bail refused for teen on gun charge CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Bail was refused for a teen- ager who appeared in Sum- mary Court on Wednesday, charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm. Torry Javier Powery-Mon- terroso, 18, was remanded in custody until April 4 after Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn heard a bail application and the Crown’s objections. Crown Counsel Scott Wain- wright advised that the gun was loaded with six rounds of ammunition. Mr. Wainwright said Powery-Monterroso was ar- rested after police received a report of two men with a firearm driving around the School Road/Rock Hole area in a white van, around 2 a.m. on March 25. The prosecutor said of- ficers responding to the call saw the vehicle on Ed- ward Street, heading to- ward Shedden Road. They at- tempted to stop it by means of blue lights and siren, but the vehicle continued. As po- lice drove alongside, the van door opened. One of the offi- cers recognized Powery-Mon- terroso and saw that he was carrying a silver handgun, Mr. Wainwright said. Powery-Monterroso jumped from the vehicle while it was still moving; he landed on the pavement and ran off. The of- ficer lost sight of him for a few seconds, but then found him and arrested him. Mr. Wainwright said Powery-Monterroso did not have the gun on him when he was arrested, but the prosecu- tion’s case will be that he dis- carded it while briefly out of sight of the officers. The area was secured and a silver 9mm handgun was recovered. There were six rounds of ammuni- tion in it. The vehicle was later re- covered in the vicinity of Mc- Field Lane. Registration was checked and the owner was discovered to be a man who is deceased. Police suspected that a relative of the deceased owner was the driver. He was being sought. Meanwhile, fingerprints were taken from the van and the firearm. Mr. Wainwright cited the seriousness of the offense as one reason for objecting to bail. If convicted after trial, Powery-Monterroso faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, so that could make him a flight risk, he said. Further, anyone who had access to a loaded gun is a bail risk and ought not be at large in public, Mr. Wainwright submitted. Defense attorney Alice Carver suggested that bail could be granted with an elec- tronic monitor and an ad- dress away from the George Town area. “He has never been to prison. He has had a brief taste of it over the long weekend,” she told the court. Ms. Carver said her client understood that any misstep would mean going back into custody; he was willing to re- port to police daily or even more often if required. He had been offered a job before this incident and if granted bail, he would pursue the offer. She said Powery-Mon- terroso has the support of his mother and a girlfriend. The magistrate said she was not satisfied at this time that the “bail package” proposed by the defense adequately ad- dressed the concerns Mr. Wain- wright had identified. The mag- istrate noted that the charge could be dealt with in Grand Court or Summary Court. PUBLIC MEETING TO EXPLAIN NEW TRADE AND BUSINESS LICENSE LAW The Ministry of Finan- cial Services is hosting a public meeting Thursday night to explain the re- quirements of the new Trade and Business Law. The legislation went into effect at the beginning of the year with new re- quirements for employers to document that they are following the labor and em- ployment laws, and new sanctions for those that break the rules. Representatives from the National Health Insur- ance Commission, the De- partment of Labour and Pensions, the Chamber of Commerce and the Cayman Islands Small Business As- sociation will be on hand to help people understand the new rules. Among the biggest changes for businesses in- clude new requirements to document health in- surance and pensions for each employee. In a statement released as the new law came into effect, Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton said, “It’s more business friendly, and it also pro- vides the regulatory plat- form that gives both con- sumers and business owners more confidence in our licensing framework.” “The overall intention is to create a culture of business licensing com- pliance in the Cayman Is- lands,” he added. The Legislative As- sembly passed the law in December 2014. Depart- ment of Commerce and In- vestment director Ryan Rajkumarsingh said in an earlier statement that the department has been devel- oping the systems needed so his department can en- force the new law. With the new rules, businesses will have to apply for a renewal license between three months and four weeks before the cur- rent license expires. Com- panies that do not renew in a timely fashion will have to pay a fine for the late filing. That filing will now have to include doc- umentation to show the companies are providing employees with health in- surance and pensions. DCI’s trade officers have more power to en- force the new law now, with the ability to ticket and fine business owners for not following the updated rules. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 31, at the town hall in George Town. Among the biggest changes for businesses include new requirements to document health insurance and pensions for each employee. Divers place photos of the Kittiwake, taken when the submarine rescue vessel was still in operation, on the sunken ship.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 31, 2016 Friday Apr il 1s t 20 16 FREE mouth cancer EXAMINATION at your local dental clinic Friday April 1st 2016 Participating Dental Clinics: Call to make an appointment or walk in Cayman Dental Services Dr Howard Ironstone Unit 1, Mirco Centre, N Sound Rd Tel: 945-4447 The Dental Centre Dr Stephen Blackledge and Dr Keelin Fox 2nd Floor, Fidelity Financial Centre, West Bay Rd Tel: 943-7000 My Island Dentist Dr Lori Graham Governors Square Tel: 324-9500 Smiles Dental Clinic Dr Boban Kostich and Dr Al M. Latif 10 Alexander Place, Dorcy Dr. Tel: 949 7303 7 Mile Clinic Dr Ulrich Ecke Queens Court, West Bay Rd Tel: 949-5600 Please call to make an appointment for April 8th Seven Mile Beach Dental Clinic Dr Scott McFarlane Marquee Place (next to Craft Restaurant o WB Road) Tel: 943-7400 Merren Dental Clinic Dr. Naude Dreyer The Merren Dental Center, 37 Hospital Rd. Tel: 949-2554 Pasadora Family Dental Centre Dr Kathy Fysikoudi Pasadora Place, 94 Smith Road Tel: 943-2222 The HSA District Clinic Dr Andrea Campbell-Maitland Bodden Town Clinic, 9am - noon only Tel: 244-7540 Cayman E.N.T Associates Dr F. R. Glatz 2 Alexander Place, Dorcy Dr. Tel: 945-3822 Please call to make an appointment for April 1st FOR ORAL CANCER SCREENINGS FOR THROAT CANCER SCREENINGS Call for participating times Call for participating times Participating Ear, Nose & roat Clinics: Can’t make it for April 1st or 8th? Call the Cancer Society and ask for a free voucher for another day.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. THURSDAY MARCH 31, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS In a laboratory, there are certain chemicals that, individually, are benign or even beneficial — but, when combined, create nitroglycerine. In the real world, two such substances are politics and policing. Politicians have no business infringing on the duties of police officers. Such encroachment is invariably dangerous. That is precisely why the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is under the auspices of the Office of the Governor, and not the premier, the leader of the opposition or the Legislative Assembly at large. The pair of parliamentary motions seeking indepen- dent reviews of the police — and which have engen- dered the planned early departure of Police Commis- sioner David Baines — are political pandering to the proverbial lowest common denominator. It is disconcerting, at the least, that during a time when high-profile, even cavalier, crime seems to be on the increase — involving violence, drugs and/or guns — voices of prominent public figures are not ringing out against those committing the criminal acts, but are leading a braying chorus against a symbolic figure of criminal justice. Mr. Baines’s departure is a loss for the Cayman Islands — and a victory for inappropriate parochial politics. If lawmakers were serious about addressing issues of crime in this country, their upcoming “emergency” session would be focused on stopping the criminal elements of society and strengthening the police. Instead, they are set to discuss “police methodology of administration,” the desired nationality of the future police commissioner, and the appropriateness of the police response to five missing boaters (which, from all available evidence, appears to have been entirely appropriate). Then there’s the rambling assortment of accu- sations being flung at Mr. Baines by West Bay MLA Bernie Bush, via a formal complaint lodged with local and British authorities. Regardless of our readers’ political orientations or personal opinions about Mr. Baines, how many truly believe that Mr. Baines’s early departure, and the resulting vacuum in leadership, will: a) make Cayman safer; b) improve police performance; or c) make crimi- nals in our country feel less secure? The answer is probably close to zero. According to a statement from Governor Helen Kil- patrick, “The recent barrage of unfair criticism and defamatory comments has undermined the commis- sioner’s authority to the extent that his leadership of the RCIPS is no longer tenable.” It didn’t have to come to this. The truth is this governor and past governors have never fulfilled their duties as overseers of the RCIPS — either behind the scenes or on center stage — in terms of setting the standard for law enforcement in our islands. We remain baffled by how organized crime — the numbers game, the drug trade and the smuggling of weapons — can continue to be hidden “in plain sight” in Cayman, with nary a word from the succession of governors who have allowed this to happen under their watches. At the street level, a “culture of silence” pervades our society, where 50 people can witness the occur- rence of a crime, yet when it comes to talking to police, “nobody’s seen nuthin’.” Effective law enforce- ment is almost impossible under these circumstances. Those problems can’t be solved simply by appointing a Caymanian police commissioner. When we’re seeking out the next person to lead our police, we need to recruit and hire the best person — period. The consequences of doing otherwise are enormous, and explosive. Baines departure: A loss for the Cayman Islands Tracing pathways to success and failure Why is Hong Kong rich, Cuba very poor, and Puerto Rico struggling? Back in 1955, the islands of Puerto Rico, Cuba and Hong Kong had roughly the same real per capita income. They each took very different economic paths. Now, some 60 years later, Hong Kong is even richer than the United States on a per capita income basis. Cuba is an economic di- saster, having gone from the richest Caribbean nation to the poorest, next to Haiti. And Puerto Rico finds itself flirting with bankruptcy, with a per capita income much higher than Cuba’s but only roughly half that of Hong Kong. Incomes have increased approximately 22- fold in Hong Kong, 11-fold in Puerto Rico, and only four- fold at best in Cuba, in a little over a half-century. Cuba became a commu- nist nation, with the So- viet Union-Russia as its economic big brother, from which it received consider- able subsidies. Puerto Rico has had the United States as its big brother – it is a largely self-governing ter- ritory of the U.S. – from which it has received con- siderable economic assis- tance. Hong Kong was a largely self-governing terri- tory of the United Kingdom until 1997, when it be- came again a largely self- governing territory under China. Neither Britain nor China has provided subsi- dies to Hong Kong. Cuba is relatively rich in natural resources, and Puerto Rico has some, but Hong Kong has almost none. The improbable success of Hong Kong and the improb- able failure of Cuba is a di- rect result of the economic policies each followed. Hong Kong is perhaps the best example of what can be achieved under the rule of law, with limited govern- ment and free markets. Cuba is a poster child of how rule by man rather than law, cou- pled with government own- ership of the means of pro- duction and the destruction of the price system, results in no freedom and a great deal of poverty. The Cubans like to brag about their health care system, while ignoring the fact that, when faced with a really serious ill- ness, high-level Cuban of- ficials have been known to go to Spain or other places for medical care. Life ex- pectancy is a good proxy for overall health care; and it is true that among poor coun- tries Cuba ranks high, but Puerto Rico has a slightly higher life expectancy and has made greater gains than Cuba over the last half-cen- tury, and Hong Kong has one of the highest life expectan- cies in the world (84). Puerto Rico, while largely a free-market economy, has been plagued by corruption, destructive unionism and crony capitalism. The result has been a rapid increase in debt, which the government says it can no longer service, and economic stagnation. Many of Puerto Rico’s most productive and educated cit- izens have moved to the U.S. mainland (note: Puerto Ri- cans are U.S. citizens). The Puerto Rican fiscal problem has now reached crisis proportions. The gov- ernment is currently selling assets from pension funds (which may be illegal) to pay money dedicated to one group of creditors to other creditors, as well as to pay for other government ser- vices. The U.S. Congress is now considering creating an oversight board with suf- ficient powers to deal with the debt and the under- lying fiscal problems. The Puerto Rican government does not now have the legal authority to declare bank- ruptcy; and even if did, it would not solve the under- lying problem of excessive spending. Bankruptcy would also be breaking a cove- nant with the existing bond- holders – and would prob- ably result in Puerto Rico no longer having access to the credit markets. The intent is for the over- sight board to work with the various parties to create a restructuring agreement, fair to all parties and which would not endanger the ability of Puerto Rico to re- enter the credit markets once the necessary reforms are put in place. The eco- nomic reforms need to be bold, such as radically re- ducing the size of govern- ment and the powers of the unions, deregulation, and fundamental tax reform re- sulting in a low top rate. Some critics who think in only static terms will claim that tax rates cannot be re- duced given Puerto Rico’s debts. The fact is that Puerto Rico will never be able to service its current or future debt if the economy does not revive and grow rapidly. Other countries have shown that tax rate and regulatory reductions spur growth and actually gen- erate more tax revenue over the long run. Hong Kong not only gets by but pros- pers with a maximum in- dividual tax rate of 15 per- cent, a maximum corporate rate of 16 percent, and a gov- ernment that only spends 18 percent of gross do- mestic product. If Puerto Rico had similar tax rates, hundreds of thousands of skilled Puerto Ricans would pour back into the island and create many new busi- nesses and jobs. Many very rich Americans would also take up residence in Puerto Rico to take advantage of the lower tax rate, and all of their spending would also create many more jobs. Hong Kong has demon- strated what works, and Cuba as demonstrated what fails. Puerto Rico’s current ailments can be quickly cured by a good dose of greater economic freedom. 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. © 2015, The Washington Times 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” RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN The improbable success of Hong Kong and the improbable failure of Cuba is a direct result of the economic policies each followed.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 31, 2016 For further information please contact The Breast Cancer Foundation on 949 3542 FOUNDATION FOUNDATION The The SIXTH ANNUAL BREAST CANCER BEACH WALKBREAST CANCER BEACH WALK SATURDAY APRIL 23 starting at Royal Palms on Seven Mile Beach at 7.00pm breast cancer FAMOUS QUOTES register Now at breastcancerfoundation.ky, or on the night at 6:00pm at Royal Palms CI$25 donation includes one raffl e entry additonal raffl e tickets $5 each fabulous raffl e prizes Royal Palms offer $6 cocktail special (with $1 of it donated to the BCF) and 10% off food items Walk along the beach to The Ritz-Carlton and back, by the light of an (almost) full moon “One important thing to know is you’re still the same person during it. I’m more eager than ever to do what I did. I want to do everything. ” Kylie Minogue, Singer-Songwriter, Actress Cayman Islands RISTORANTE Jury returns open verdict in patient’s death CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A coroner’s jury returned an open verdict on Tuesday after hearing evidence last week concerning the death of Tanya Edith Welcome Joseph. Mrs. Joseph, 31, died on Sept. 25, 2010 at Chrissie Tom- linson Memorial Hospital. Coroner Angelyn Her- nandez reminded jurors of the evidence they had heard over four days and instructed them on the possible verdicts. When the evidence is not sufficient for jurors to reach one of the verdicts provided in the 2015 Coroners Law, their verdict shall be open, she explained. “Open” means they have unanswered questions and cannot definitively state the cause of death, she said. The coroner noted that of the several medical experts who had given evidence, “not one of them could definitively state the cause of death.” The coroner warned jurors not to speculate or come up with their own theories. She reminded them that it was not their function to deter- mine any civil or criminal li- ability. Further, they did not need to be sure of their ver- dict beyond reasonable doubt; the standard was “on the bal- ance of probabilities.” Mrs. Joseph underwent gall bladder surgery, which ended at 10 minutes after midnight. She received pain medication at 1 a.m., was ob- served asleep at 2 a.m., asleep and snoring at 3 a.m., and then found unresponsive at 5:35 a.m. Resuscitation efforts continued until 6:40 a.m., when she was declared dead. Government pathologist Dr. Shravana Jyoti, who con- ducted the autopsy, said the surgery was not the cause of death. Other experts were consulted after the autopsy. Their evidence, via video link, centered largely on the var- ious drugs used before, during and after the surgery, and the frequency of monitoring of Mrs. Joseph after she was transferred back to the ward. The experts included pathol- ogists and toxicologists from the U.S., Jamaica and the U.K. One of the last local wit- nesses to give evidence was the woman’s husband, Robert Douglas Joseph. On Thursday he told jurors he heard his wife complain of stomach pain in late 2009 or early 2010 and he recounted her visits to doctors. In September 2010, a consultant doctor told her she needed to have to matter dealt with immediately and there was a specialist at Chrissie Tomlinson. She was also told it was a routine procedure. Mr. Joseph said his wife was comfortable with going to the hospital and he dropped her off there on Friday morning, Sept. 24. He checked with her throughout the day; when he went to the hospital around 4 p.m., there were still two surgeries scheduled ahead of hers. At 9 p.m., she was still waiting and Mr. Joseph said he told his wife he was coming to get her, partly because it was late, partly because his wife was weak from not having eaten all day and because he thought the doctor would be tired from working all day. The surgeon, Dr. Christo- pher Bromley, assured him he was fine and ready to go. Mr. Joseph said he left the decision to his wife, who told him, “You know the pain I get when I have these episodes. I need to be OK for the baby and for you.” He asked if that was her final decision, and she indicated it was. He said she phoned him at 1 a.m. to say she was out of surgery and in pain; she told him she was going to call the nurse. Some time after 6 a.m. he got a call; the caller told him to come to the hospital. Jurors had already heard that Mrs. Joseph received the pain medication Pethidine at 1 a.m., that she was checked at 3 a.m. and found unrespon- sive at 5:35 a.m. Earlier in the week, Dr. Bromley gave his evidence. He explained Mrs. Joseph’s med- ical history and placed her need for surgery in a high cat- egory. On Sept. 24, he had four surgeries scheduled. The first two ran longer than expected. When they were finished, the hospital still did not have in- surance approval for Mrs. Jo- seph; approval did not come until later that night. Dr. Bromley said he got word that Mrs. Joseph did not want surgery that day. He went to speak to her and she said she had changed her mind on her husband’s ad- vice, but she was keen. When he told her all the elements were in place, the staff was refreshed and ready, Mrs. Jo- seph called her husband and asked him to come back to the hospital. After he came, he was pos- itive he did not want her to undergo surgery but said it was her decision. Mrs. Joseph said she wanted to go ahead. Dr. Bromley said the sur- gery was uneventful; the con- sultants who reviewed his notes agreed. Dr. Stephen Gay, anesthe- tist for the surgery, gave ev- idence about the various drugs administered. Consultant experts said the drugs and doses used were consistent with stan- dard practice. One drug in particular, the pain medication Pethi- dine, was examined because the level of the drug in Mrs. Joseph’s blood was higher than expected. Dr. Jyoti had suggested Pethedine toxicity as the cause of death, with “compli- cation of polydrug toxicity in therapeutic levels” considered a contributing factor. He em- phasized that he was not a toxicologist; that was why he had sent various samples for laboratory testing and had then discussed the results with others. Four doctors consulted after the inquest said the doses administered by injec- tion were appropriate and did not constitute an over- dose. Further, the hospital log for dangerous drugs was checked and the stock of Peth- idine on hand was consistent with what the log showed had been taken out. Mrs. Joseph had been pre- scribed Pethidine in pill form previously, but there was no trace of the pill in her stomach content. One explanation put forward was that if she took the medication for weeks or months, it was stored in her organs and then leached back into her blood after her death. On the issue of post- surgery care, the coroner summed up evidence about how often Mrs. Joseph should have been monitored. She pointed out that Dr. Steve Tomlinson, hospital owner and chief executive officer at the time, had said his concern was not about the number of staff on duty that night, but about the number of patient observations carried out. One pathologist who gave evidence had said there was nothing intrinsically wrong with not being able to say why a person died. Several of the experts agreed that, for as many as one in 20 cases, no cause of death can be determined. Hurricane season begins June 1, but Cayman Islands public officials are already preparing for it. Considering the first hurricane of 2016 was recorded two months ago, when a disturbance in the Atlantic turned into Hur- ricane Alex, early preparation for the season may be espe- cially prudent this year, offi- cials said. As part of the prepara- tion process, a delegation of public officials, including Deputy Governor Franz Man- derson, attended the 2016 National Hurricane Confer- ence in Orlando, Florida, last week. The annual conference provides a forum for ed- ucation and professional training in hurricane and disaster preparedness. The primary goal of the confer- ence is to improve hurricane preparedness, response, re- covery and mitigation ef- forts in order to save lives and property in the United States, and the tropical is- lands of the Caribbean and Pacific. Chief Fire Officer David Hails and Hazard Manage- ment Cayman Islands Deputy Director Lee Madison ac- companied Mr. Manderson. Two representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Chief Financial Officer Vinton Chinsee and Assistant Chief Officer Michael Ebanks, also attended the conference. The conference, held March 21 to 24, provided courses, workshops and networking events to sup- port the exchange of ideas, strategies, and policies with a view to improve emergency management. Disaster events like hur- ricanes require inter-agency collaboration at all levels of government, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs. “As emergency managers and first responders, our aim is to be prepared ahead of a disaster in order to deliver the services required by the community during and after the event,” Mr. Hails said. The Ministry of Home Affairs also stresses that preparation among the gen- eral public is also crucial to mitigating the damaging effects of disasters such as hurricanes. For those who wish to learn more about preparing for disasters, Hazard Management Cayman Islands has published a library of informational resources available online at www.caymanprepared.ky and www.facebook.com/caymanhazard. Officials attend hurricane conferenceTHURSDAY MARCH 31, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 6 DISTRICT DAYS In the March 30, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspondent Haig Bodden wrote: “Mr. William S. Terry, one of Bodden Town’s hard working farmer- fishermen, left the island on the 26th for the U.S. Mr. Terry has been an employee of N.B.C. for many years. “Two young ladies arrived by Thursday’s plane from Jamaica to work in the homes of Mr. Clifton Hunter and Mr. Arthur Hunter, both in the district of Bodden Town. “The Hunters had to go to con- siderable expense and red tape to obtain work permits and get these people past immigration formalities. “A few years ago, no one would have thought it necessary to look abroad for female domestics. Whether this acute shortage is due to higher standards of living, inefficiency or laziness is a question for the philosophers to ponder. “Miss Jenny Wood returned from Jamaica on the 24th. Miss Wood, who had gone to Jamaica for medical treatment, is now considerably improved. “Rev. L. Williams and Elder C.A. Hunter, both of the United Church, left for Jamaica on the 26th to par- ticipate in a business meeting of their church.” 50 YEARS AGO: Need for foreign domestic workers raises questions District Days Bodden Town Culture group goes nuts over almonds JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Ever since he was a little boy, Pedro Watler, 56, has loved to crack almonds. His mother Veleen had trouble keeping enough almonds around to make almond candy because the nuts proved irresistible for her son as he popped one after the other in his mouth. “We didn’t know nothing about the health benefits those days. Be- sides tasting good, getting us out of the house and into the bushes, cracking almonds was a pastime we spent hours enjoying,” Mr. Watler said. While sitting in the park with other childhood friends one af- ternoon, Mr. Watler and his pals deemed it a shame that a district once so full of cultural traditions seemed to be losing them and they came up with the idea to teach people about the rich heritage of Cayman’s native fruits, foods and activities by hosting get-together nights at Harry McCoy Park. Since discussing the idea, the small group has collected thou- sands of almond seeds from around the park. These will be cracked opened, which is pretty easy to do if done the correct way. To open, grasp the almond at the point, turn it to the side that has a “seam” and strike it with a hammer three times until you hear a “plop.” Stop, put down the hammer and pry open the shell to get to the sweet tasting almond kernel. Experiencing a longing for al- monds one recent weekend, I joined the childhood friends under the trees of Harry McCoy Park and went to work cracking almond seeds. I found cracking almonds can be very therapeutic and relaxing, and eating them is delicious. Apart from tasting good, al- monds are good for the body. They are filled with carbohydrates, di- etary fiber, vitamins and essential minerals such as magnesium and potassium. Perhaps the greatest health benefit of almonds is that they contain monounsaturated fat, which helps reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol in the body. The group wants to share this Cayman tradition with others. If you are anywhere within the vi- cinity of Harry McCoy park in Bodden Town, drop by and share with these locals some Cayman traditions, or even your own, for a night of homegrown goodness. According to “Wild Trees of the Cayman Islands” by Fred Burton, almonds are not native to Cayman. The Indian Almond is na- tive to tropical Asia, but has been planted widely in tropical regions around the world. In Cayman, it has taken to the wild, growing particularly suc- cessfully in sandy beach ridges, where it is now a common sight among the native seagrape. It can be found on all three of the Cayman Islands. Although these trees are an in- troduced species in the Cayman Islands, they continue to sup- port and nourish Cayman wildlife. Fruit bats are particularly fond of the fruit and may carry it several miles before consuming the outer flesh and releasing the intact nut. The tree is closely related to our rare Black Mastic. Like the Mastic, it is a favorite food of the Yellow-Belly Sap Sucker, a wood- pecker that creates neat rows of holes in the trunks as it drills for sap. However, almond trees also attract rodents, which collect and store the fruit in the vicinity, and the shedding leaves often create weekly gardening woes for home- owners, according to Burton. In years gone by, some super- stitious Caymanians refused to plant this tree in their yards be- lieving it attracted “duppies” or mischievous spirits that would torment them. Though the almond tree has been widely used as an orna- mental plant because of its tiered pagoda shape, it has numerous other benefits. The large leaves were tradition- ally used to cover baking bread, to prevent burning, and the buds have been used as a component of a tea used to treat high blood pressure (combined with aloe, breadfruit leaf and banana skin). Apart from tasting good, almonds are good for the body. They are filled with carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins and essential minerals such as magnesium and potassium. A hammer is used to crack the almonds, children used a well shaped rock in earlier years. Cracking an almond. Local almonds can be used in many dishes, such as almond candy, smoothies and salads. Pedro WatlerThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 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. CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 31, 2016 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 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 2010 7,100 US$ S/N 175521 SUZUKI WAGON R SOLIO 2004 350 US$ S/N 174416 BMW X1 2011 11,500 US$ S/N 175499 HONDA INSPIRE 2007 3,050 US$ S/N 173042 SUBARU LEGACY 2010 8,990 US$ S/N 173749 HONDA ACCORD 2007 3,780 US$ S/N 175398 HONDA VEZEL 2016 18,500 US$ S/N 174627 MERCEDES E-CLASS 2009 12,500 US$ S/N 174988 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO 2002 4,750 US$ S/N 173145 Get a FREE 30 Day Guarantee with your vehicle purchased from Trust Company Ltd.! High Quality Vehicles · Timely Shipping · Reliable Service · Great Prices Prices listed are FOB. Freight cost and taxes are not included. Trust Company Ltd., Nagoya JAPAN - Satisfying customers since 1988 get an instant quote on our website:get an instant quote on our website: +81-52-219-9024 sales@japanesevehicles.com facebook.com/JapaneseVehicles 7,10011,500 US$ S/N 175499 8,990 US$ S/N 173749 18,500 MERCEDES E-CLASS 2009 12,50012,500 US$ S/N 174988 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO 2002 4,750 US$ S/N 173145 Prices listed are FOB. Freight cost and taxes are not included. Risk Free 30 da ys Tr us t Mechanical G ua ran tee THURSDAY, MARCH 31 PUBLIC MEETING: All are invited to attend a meeting to discuss the Trade and Business Licensing Law requirements at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall in George Town. Representatives from the National Health Insurance Commission and the Department of Labour and Pensions will be present, along with the Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Association. For more information, email info@dci.gov.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: “Debt Collection, How to Avoid and Collect Bad Debt” by Sarah Allison, 9–11 a.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. Members $175. Future members $225. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, APRIL 1 PASSPORT2SUCCESS: Caymanians between the ages of 17 and 23 are invited to apply for the next course in the Passport2Success program, which begins April 25. Today is the deadline to apply. Email nwda.training@gov.ky or call 945-3114 for more information. Visit www. passport2Success.ky to apply. SATURDAY, APRIL 2 EARLY CHILDHOOD MEETING: The annual general meeting of the Cayman Islands Early Childhood Association will be held at 9 a.m. at St. Ignatius School on Walkers Road. GARAGE SALE, CAR BOOT SALE: 6–11 a.m. at St. Ignatius School car park and Loyola Hall. All kinds of items at bargain prices. Breakfast on sale. Anyone wishing to sell can book a spot for $25. Anyone wishing to donate items (in good condition) can drop them off between now and April 1. Phone 949-6797 or email ignatius@candw.ky to book a spot, arrange for collection of larger items, or volunteer to help. All proceeds for the new Adoration Chapel. BAKE/CAKE SALE: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church women hold a bake sale at A. L. Thompson’s store from 7 a.m. PAINTING OPEN STUDIO: Visual Arts Society offers Painting Open Studio 3-6 p.m. for youths/adults who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere at Watler House Studio, Pedro St. James. $10 members/$15 non-members. Materials and instruction not included. Sessions continue Saturdays in April. For more information, contact visualartcayman@yahoo.com. MONDAY, APRIL 4 YOUTH CHOIR: Cayman Youth Choir welcomes youth ages 11-16 to audition from 6-7 p.m. at Cayman Prep School. The Cayman Youth Choir provides the opportunity to experience the challenges, joys and rewards of choral singing. For more information, contact Miss Ems at music_ ems@icloud.com or through Facebook on www.facebook. com/KYyouthchoir. THURSDAY, APRIL 7 ‘JOSEPH … DREAMCOAT’: Cayman Drama Society presents “Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” starting tonight at the Prospect Playhouse. 7:30 p.m. Doors open 6:30 p.m. Adults $30. Students $20. Show continues tomorrow and Saturday, then April 14-17, 21-24. Matinees April 17 and 24, 5 p.m. Email boxoffice@cds.ky. SATURDAY, APRIL 9 GUARDIANS ALIVE: 5/10K Walk and Run. Everyone is invited to take part in this free 5K or 10K walk/ run to test personal performance alongside the island’s compassionate, experienced athletes known as Guardians. Both distances start at Cayman International School. No race day registration. For details and to register, visit caymanactive.com/guardians. CAR BOOT SALE: 9-11 a.m. Cayman International School parking lot. Organized by the Parent Teacher Association. MONDAY, APRIL 11 PAJAMA PARTY: Early Childhood Association celebrates the Week of the Young Child with a family friendly pajama party. 6-8 p.m. Gardenia Court, Camana Bay. The week aims to focus public attention on the needs of children and their families and to recognize local community programs and services. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact caymanislandseca@ gmail.com. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13 BOOKENDS CLUB: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Books & Books. All are invited to join a discussion of “American Pastoral” by Philip Roth. The Bookends Club gathers on the second Wednesday of every month and new members are always welcome. STUDENTS’ FILM MAKING: The Cayman National Cultural Foundation has extended its registration deadline until today for students wishing to enter their short films in the Young Image Makers competition. The Foundation is allowing students more time over the Easter holidays to work on their films. Anyone interested can submit films to CNCF offices behind Harquail Theatre by 5 p.m. Registration forms can be downloaded at www. artscayman.org/young-image- makers. For more details, email info@artscayman.org. SATURDAY, APRIL 16 SLOW FOOD DAY: Market and chef demonstrations 10 a.m. till noon, The Paseo and Bon Vivant at Camana Bay. Locally minded chefs will partner with local growers to transform ingredients straight from the farms into delicious fresh dishes. Guests can watch the chefs at work and taste their creations, then shop for seasonal fruits and vegetables. This event is free and open to the public. EARTH DAY CLEANUP: Participation by Chamber of Commerce is 7–10 a.m. Seeking volunteers. Resources will be provided while supplies last. Register at www.caymanchamber.ky. CERAMICS – RAKU: Class with Alan Darvil, 10:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at the Susan A. Olde Art Studio, National Gallery Education Centre/Gardens. Cost is $150, materials included. Traditional and contemporary techniques using horsehair and other combustible materials to fire pieces of bisqueware (provided). No pottery experience necessary. To register, email education@ nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945-8111. GENERAL INTEREST PRESCHOOL FUNDING: The Ministry of Education is accepting applications from parents of children who qualify for the Early Childhood Assistance Program, which provides early childhood center funding for Caymanian children between 3 years old and Reception age as of Sept. 1 and who meet financial criteria. Application forms and information can be downloaded from www.education.gov.ky/ portal/page/portal/ mehhome/education/ earlyeducation. They may also be collected from the Government Administration Building, Department of Education Services or early childhood centers. Deadline is April 29. JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT: is recruiting volunteers for several programs. Contact JA Cayman at jacaymanislands@gmail.com or 949-4306. LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS: The Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs announces the opening of the local scholarship application program. Applications must be received electronically by midnight April 30. Those wishing to apply should visit the website at www.education. gov.ky/scholarships. The Secretariat can be contacted at scholarships@gov.ky or phone 244-2482. FREE HIV TESTING: The Public Health Department advises the public of extended hours for free HIV screenings offered at the Cayman Islands Red Cross on Huldah Avenue, George Town. The free testing is available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Tuesday. NARRATIVE ART: Classes with a qualified art instructor at Watler House Studio, Pedro St. James, 7–9 p.m. Artists of all levels will explore the theory of narrative art discovering ways to tell stories. Sessions continue Tuesdays through April. Discounted rate for 10 sessions. Drop-in fee is $25 or $35 for non-members. Contact visualartcayman@yahoo.com or 546-9422. CERAMIC OPEN STUDIO: Visual Arts Society offers Ceramic Open Studio to adults who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere: 9 a.m. to noon at the Watler House Studio, Pedro St. James. Drop-in fee is $15 members/$25 non-members. Continues Wednesdays through April 27. Clay, materials, glazes and firing facilities available. For more information, visualartcayman@yahoo.com. VISUAL ARTS SCHOLARSHIPS: Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Ltd. and the National Gallery will award a four-year scholarship for a student who wishes to pursue an undergraduate degree in the Visual Arts field. Scholarship is worth US$20,000 per year. Application forms, information sheets and additional opportunities for students can also be found on the NGCI website www.nationalgallery. org.ky. Applications can be submitted directly to the NGCI Education Department at education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events.8 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY MARCH 31, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Mike Ellworth Ebanks (Mikey) March 23, 1973 - March 31, 2006 Ten sad years ago you suddenly left us, But those we love don’t go away, They walk beside us every day, Unseen, Unheard, but always near, Still loved, still missed and very dear.Still loved, still missed and very dear. Lovingly, Mom, Dad, Brothers, Sisters and all the rest of the family We still miss you so much... Love always, Aunt Iris He Only Takes e Best A heart of gold stopped beating. Two shining eyes at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us He only takes the best. Little did we know that morning. The sorrow the day would bring. The end was sudden, the shock severe. We never knew that death was so near. When days are sad and lonely, And evening shadows fall. We hear your voice and see your face. Your sweet memory lingers on. God knew you had to leave us. But you didn’t go alone. For part of us went with you. The day God called you home. Mike Ellsworth Ebanks (Mikey) March 23, 1973 - March 31, 2006 “ Ten Long and Sad Years Ago.” In Loving Memory of my Son Mikey From your Mother Annie, Father Errol Brothers, Sisiters, Aunts, Uncles And The Rest of the Family ALMA CHOLLETTE achollette@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Arts Fes- tival is seeking violins, vi- olas and cellos for the “gifted and talented” musicians of its RBC Dominion Securities After-School Instrumental Music Programme. The after-school lessons, which started in 2014, fea- ture 10 tutors who support more than 200 young musi- cians learning to play orches- tral instruments, such as vi- olins. Participation has been steadily growing, resulting in the need for more instru- ments for the primary school students. The program is held in all government primary schools in Grand Cayman. Its participants showcase their skills at annual events such as the Cayman Na- tional Bank Christmas Con- cert and Cayman Arts Fes- tival concerts. Through the program, stu- dents are provided with free lessons and instruments. Program coordinator Fran McConvey said the young musicians have demon- strated not only commitment, but also a gift and talent for instrument playing, which earned them a referral to the program. The After-School Instru- mental Music program is de- signed especially for young people with an aptitude for music who have been identi- fied by their music teachers as musically “gifted and talented,” Ms. McConvey said. Students can practice in the classroom or they can take the instruments home to continue their practice. “The lack of financial re- sources should not be a bar- rier to playing a musical in- strument,” said Cayman Arts Festival artistic director Glen Inanga. The program currently ca- ters only to primary schools as “we need to catch these students at this very impres- sionable age to instill the right mind set required to develop the necessary skills,” Mr. Inanga explained. According to Ms. Mc- Convey, “At present, it is the younger students who do not get the opportu- nity to learn to play orches- tral instruments in the gov- ernment schools.” “The aim of CAF is to pro- vide tuition for gifted stu- dents as they get older if this is not available to them. CAF will follow their progress and be there to support by pro- viding opportunities to per- form, summer camps and instruments to play if neces- sary,” she added. The Cayman Arts Festival organizers are seeking vio- lins, violas and cellos instru- ments in sizes 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or 4 /4 for the students. “Right now, we have stu- dents in John A. Cumber Pri- mary who were identified as gifted over a year ago and are still waiting for a chance to play the violin or cello,” Ms. McConvey said. “All we need are enough instruments to get them started. “We would love a com- pany or individual to come forward and donate enough for us to purchase violins and cellos for the John A. Cumber students and per- haps another company to do- nate clarinets for use of the students in Cayman Brac,” she added. Those who would like to donate in support of the Cayman Arts Festival’s music program may contact 922-550 or email director@caymanartsfestival.com. Wanted: Stringed instruments for gifted young musicians David Marshall, presi- dent of the International College of the Cayman Is- lands, has been selected to present at an annual conference hosted by the largest school accred- iting organization in the United States. Mr. Marshall will present at the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools con- ference in Fort Worth, Texas in May. His presentation is ti- tled “Use portfolios to boost student achieve- ment and help compliance documentation.” “Measuring and doc- umenting student out- comes are two of the eas- iest ways to help maintain compliance standards,” Dr. Marshall said. “The use of simple portfolios at the course, program and de- gree-certificate level can enhance student learning, help your students see value in tuition paid and help you improve job place- ment rates.” Mr. Marshall said ICCI has a digital port- folio system that will be fully launched in the fall, which requires students to present a portfolio of work samples as a condition of graduation. “I think this project is really about account- ability,” Mr. Marshall said. “People are paying us to educate students and by the time those students have finished, we should be able to document and demonstrate that we have done the jobs they have paid us to do.” Mr. Marshall noted that many schools in the U.S. have come under scrutiny for their student learning outcomes. A portfolio system, he said, can be a tool for schools to help meet federal compliance standards for accreditation. “We are very excited to have Dr. Marshall present at the conference,” Jeanine Ford, the accrediting coun- cil’s vice president of ad- ministration, said in a press release. “His presen- tation will be beneficial to our members and some- thing to add to every edu- cation professional’s insti- tutional toolkit.” Mr. Marshall has 16 years’ experience in teaching at the univer- sity level, as well as ex- tensive experience with educational outcomes, as- sessment and compliance. The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools is described as the largest and oldest national accrediting or- ganization of degree- granting institutions. ICCI president to present at accrediting conference in US POWER OUTAGE CAUSE UNKNOWN A power outage affected Caribbean Utilities Com- pany customers across Grand Cayman Tuesday evening. CUC officials said there was a loss of generation in the company’s North Sound Road power plant at 7:11 p.m., which affected elec- tricity service to areas of East End, Bodden Town, George Town and West Bay. While service was re- stored to most of the affected areas by 7:35 p.m., some cus- tomers were without power for almost two hours. By 8:41 p.m., service to all customers had been restored. CUC communications of- ficer Neil Murray said the company is still investi- gating what caused the loss of generation. ICCI’s memorial walk set for April 17 The International College of the Cayman Islands invites the public to take part in the annual walk in memory of the college’s founder, Dr. J. Hugh Cummings, on April 17. The late Dr. Cummings founded the International College of the Cayman Is- lands nearly 46 years ago to bring high-quality and low-cost tertiary education to Caymanians. The memorial walk was established in his honor to ex- tend the educational opportu- nities by providing financial assistance to students with limited means. The walk will begin at 6:30 a.m. at the college campus on Hirst Road in Newlands. Walkers will go from the campus to Pedro St. James and back. Registration is $25 and includes a T-shirt. Regis- tration forms are available on campus or via email. For more information, contact Lisa Wood, S’Rah Yisrael, or Melisa Hamilton at 947-1100 or email lisa.wood@icci. edu.ky, s’rah.yisrael@icci.edu.ky, or melisa.hamilton@icci.edu.ky. Cellists Kayla David and Caleb Feare of George Town Primary enjoy their practice sessions. David MarshallThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 31, 2016 LUNCH SPECIAL EVERYDAY MON-SAT 11.30 TO 4PM DIM SUM SUNDAY 11-3PM Plaza Venezia, North Sound Road, George Town 945-3490 OPEN FOR DINNER DELIVERY AFTER 5PM The previous RCIPS com- missioner who held the post under a long-term con- tract, Stuart Kernohan, also did not last until the end of his working agreement. Mr. Kernohan was termi- nated in 2008 by former Governor Stuart Jack, about a year prior to the end of his four-year deal. Mr. Ker- nohan sued the Cayman Is- lands government over the firing and won a substan- tial settlement following a protracted court battle of al- most five years. Following Mr. Kernohan’s tenure, a number of tempo- rary replacement commis- sioners from the U.K. and Cayman filled the role, in- cluding U.K. Metropolitan Police senior officer David George, former U.K. Civil Nu- clear Constabulary deputy chief James Smith and RCIPS Deputy Commissioner An- thony Ennis. One candi- date who was appointed as acting commissioner, former St. Helena police chief Royce Hipgrave, decided not to take the job 48 hours after ar- riving in Cayman. By the time Mr. Baines was appointed and took over in mid-2009, the police force was facing a “gap” – as he de- scribed it – of about 85 po- lice vacancies, mostly police officer jobs but also some ci- vilian positions. “The RCIPS has seen … the hemorrhaging of skilled people leaving the force,” Mr. Baines told the Legislative Assembly in early 2010. The commissioner also noted that the police ser- vice had to recruit neighbor- hood police officers, whose numbers had dwindled at the time to 12 from a previous 30 positions. Anti-Corruption Commission According to its last public report, the Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Commission is “actively in- vestigating” 12 cases of cor- ruption, noting complaints had dropped by more than half since mid-2013. The membership of the commission has been spotty over the past year, with Commissioner Baines, the chairman, serving as its lone member for a period. Since December, local businessman Norman Bodden has served on the commission. The acting auditor general and acting complaints commis- sioner are also serving on the Anti-Corruption Commission until full-time replacements for those positions are found. Commission members confirmed Wednesday that Acting Police Commissioner Anthony Ennis would also fill in as chairman of the Anti- Corruption Commission. “The work of the Anti- Corruption Commission will continue despite the de- parture of [Mr. Baines],” ac- cording to the statement sent by Commissions Secretariat manager Deborah Bodden. “The investigators will con- tinue to work diligently on all investigative mat- ters which are undertaken and overseen by the Anti- Corruption Commission.” Ms. Bodden confirmed that the commission held its first meeting in more than a year this month. She said another member of the commission appointed from civil society should be named shortly. US$25 million, has agreed to forfeit more money than these three individuals,” Bloomberg newsroom counsel Katherine Kriegman Graham wrote in the March 24 letter to Judge Dearie. “Public disclosure of the resolution of the case against these high-profile de- fendants is critical.” Shortly after the plea agreements were struck with Webb (on Nov. 23), Margu- lies (on Nov. 25) and Burzaco (on Nov. 16), a superseding indictment was issued by prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York State, naming 16 previously un- known defendants in the sweeping bribery and cor- ruption probe, many of them from Central America. It has been the subject of wide media speculation that the information ob- tained during the course of plea negotiations with these three men, and several other FIFA defendants who pleaded guilty before the new indict- ment was issued on Dec. 3, was used to facilitate the ad- ditional criminal charges. A total of 42 defen- dants have been charged in connection with the FIFA probe. More than a dozen have pleaded guilty, in- cluding Webb, and another 10 have since appeared be- fore the federal district court in Brooklyn, New York, in- cluding former Cayman resident Costas Takkas, who was extradited from Switzerland last week. “The government has made substantial progress toward bringing the indicted defendants to the U.S. to face these charges,” federal pros- ecutors said in a case update on March 28. “The govern- ment is actively seeking the extradition or arrest of all de- fendants still overseas.” Aside from Webb and Takkas, FIFA investigators have not named any other Cayman Islands residents or former residents in connec- tion with the case. However, allusions have been made to the involvement of compa- nies and other individuals in the Cayman Islands. For instance, the FIFA in- dictment issued in December makes reference to “Co-con- spirator #24” – a close asso- ciate of Webb’s – who “had a connection to Soccer Uniform Company A.” Soccer Uniform Company A has since been identified in court records as Pakistan-based Forward Sports, the manufacturer of the “Brazuca” football used during the 2014 World Cup. Co-conspirator #24 is identified in the indict- ment as a high-ranking offi- cial of one of FIFA’s national member associations, also an official with FIFA and the Ca- ribbean Football Union and a “businessman.” It was revealed during Cayman Islands busi- nessman and now-convicted fraudster Canover Watson’s criminal trial earlier this year that a company named For- ward Sports International was registered in the Cayman Islands and maintained an address at the former Admiral Administration building in downtown George Town. Watson is the former managing director of Ad- miral, which rebranded and changed its name last year. The registered director of Forward Sports International was Caymanian Joscelyn Morgan, according to Crown prosecutors. Mr. Morgan left the Cayman Islands in 2014 and has not returned. He is wanted for questioning by police in connection with an investigation into an- other Cayman company – Ad- vanced Integrated Systems Cayman Ltd. – which pros- ecutors allege was a front for Watson and Webb’s in- terests in a Cayman Islands public healthcare contract. Watson and Webb were ac- cused of jointly siphoning millions of dollars from that agreement, known as the CarePay contract. In the CarePay case, it was alleged that Mr. Morgan and another close Webb as- sociate, Eldon Rankin, were used as “sham” frontmen to cover up the involvement of Webb and Watson in AIS Cayman. Prosecutors noted that other companies, in- cluding Forward Sports In- ternational, were regis- tered at the former Admiral building under Mr. Morgan’s name as the director. In addition to the For- ward Sports details, the su- perseding indictment refers to an unnamed Caymanian attorney who alleged handled payments made to a Florida bank account that federal prosecutors claim were actu- ally bribes made to Webb. members of public sector agency boards. Cayman’s current Register of Interests Law, which will be replaced if the Standards in Public Life Bill takes ef- fect, requires disclosures of any pecuniary interest or ma- terial benefit that might “rea- sonably be thought by others to influence [a person’s] ac- tions …” and requires the following people to register: elected members of the Leg- islative Assembly; the Speaker of the House; the chief secre- tary (a position that no longer exists); the attorney general; the financial secretary; the registrar of interests (in this case the Legislative Assembly clerk); nominated political candidates; and “any person having received permission to attend a meeting of the Legis- lative Assembly, or a meeting of any of its committees, for the purpose of reporting in any newspaper of periodical, or in any radio or television broadcast, the meeting or any matter related to the meeting.” The earlier Standards in Public Life Law set a much different standard for dis- closure requirements and – while it leaves journalists off the list of required disclosers – adds a significant number of public sector employees or board members who must file disclosures. Therein lies the problem, the premier said. “We have had significant push-back from many people who are serving on com- missions or boards,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “There is the threat, quite frankly, of mass resignations [from the govern- ment boards] if the law comes into force in its present form.” There has also been some confusion in the Cayman Is- lands civil service regarding which employees need to re- port their interests under the current law and to whom. Legal issues regarding the definition of a “connected person” who may be related to the senior civil servant or board member also led to un- certainty, the premier said. Legal practice For the better part of the last decade, lawmakers have debated changes to the laws governing the practice of law in the Cayman Islands, but have not managed to put forth a bill that reaches a suitable compromise among com- peting interests. This area has been a par- ticular focus for George Town MLA Winston Connolly during his first term in office. Mr. Connolly has said he would back changes to the law only if it contains “proper systems” to ensure Caymanians take up “meaningful roles” in the top tier of local law firms. “Until I see [that], and until commitments are made by firms to do so, I do know that I cannot fully support any bill without these basic commitments and a plan to achieve full Caymanian par- ticipation in law firms,” Mr. Connolly said. A previous draft of the bill, introduced in 2012 by the former United Democratic Party government, sought sweeping changes to the cur- rent legislation. The regula- tions under that previous pro- posal sought to implement a registration fee for law firms that use non-Caymanian at- torneys who perform some work for their Cayman Islands firms while residing overseas. Former Premier and now- Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush defined the issue this way: “Some Caymanian attor- neys have … expressed con- cerns about the ability of some law firms to operate sat- ellite offices abroad. [They] are worried that one day, Cayman legal services could poten- tially be solely provided from other countries.” Most international law firms have teams practicing Cayman law from overseas offices, for example, by pro- viding for the use of Cayman vehicles such as funds or companies by foreign clients. Often this work will generate business that is going to be serviced from Cayman, in ad- dition to the establishment work that is done in Cayman. For example, Cayman Islands companies are popular vehi- cles for listings on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Taiwan. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Webb’s FIFA plea deal sought from US court Lawmakers try again with controversial bills CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Governor says Baines is owed payout CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >