Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 WHEN 98 PERCENT OF NWDA CLIENTS ARE ‘NOT WORK READY’ . . . THE WASHINGTON POST Oil firms borrowed billions. Now they’re getting burned ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY World They face death for a cause 10 Politics Sanders’s showdown in N.Y. 4 Recreation 12-year-old readies for Everest 17 5 Myths About Cuba 23 Oil firms borrowed billions. Now they’re getting burned. Banks face wave of defaults from companies that opted to ‘drill, drill, drill,’ betting that prices would stay high. PAGE 12 THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2016 . IN COLLABORATION WITH High of 86 Low of 75 ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY APRIL 4, 2016 Seven mile beach WaWaW TaTa eRFROnT WalWalW KeRS ROaD TOWn cenTRe PlaZa Governor to stay for extra year Term to run through late 2017 BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Governor Helen Kilpat- rick has confirmed that she will “opt” for a four-year term as official head of state in the islands, meaning her time in office will ex- tend to September 2017. Ms. Kilpatrick, who arrived in Cayman to take up the governor’s post in early Sep- tember 2013, had the option of taking either a three- or four-year term, according to U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials. If she selected a three-year stint, she would have been departing this fall. The governor’s office will be losing its current chief of staff, Gary Benham, who is departing Cayman in July this year, and Cayman’s local government is entertaining the thought of a general election any- where between the last quarter of 2016 to May 2017. Ms. Kilpatrick’s term extension means, barring unforeseen circumstances, she will be present through the next government elec- tion cycle and will welcome in Mr. Benham’s replacement with some time to spare. The four-year contract extension has become fairly typical for Cayman’s last few governors, replacing the previous trend of a three-year stint prior to retirement from the U.K. government service. Former Governor Duncan Taylor received an extra year on his contract, but departed several months early to take up the Mex- ican ambassador post for the U.K. govern- ment. Former Governor Stuart Jack served HEALTH CITY AIMS TO GIVE ONE CHARITABLE SURGERY A DAY KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Health City Cayman Islands has already performed 68 charitable surgeries for children with heart problems and brain tumors, but the hospital hopes that within the next two years, it can offer one charitable heart surgery every day for a child in need. In 2016, Health City and the Have a Heart Foundation aim to offer 100 or more surgeries to children from around the globe. With the support of Digicel, the Rotary Club Grand Cayman, and other charitable or- ganizations like Samaritan’s purse and Haiti Cardiac Alliance, Health City and the Have a Heart Foundation are confident they can meet this goal. Working closely with Have a Heart, Health City has saved the lives of children from Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, and most recently, the hospital provided life-saving treatment to two young boys from Bolivia. After undergoing a medical evaluation, 8-year-old Carlos Isaac Villca Valdex, and 2-year-old Abdael Mito Montero were recently flown to the Cayman Islands to be admitted to Health City. The boys parents could not afford the cost of surgery in their home country. Carlos had a large hole between his two upper heart chambers and had been diag- nosed with Noonan syndrome, a genetic dis- order that prevents normal development in various parts of the body. Abdael suffered from “Tet spells,” a dis- coloration of lips and fingerprints caused by a rapid drop of the amount of oxygen in the blood. The condition is often referred to as “blue baby syndrome.” The high elevation of Kent ‘Biggie’ Rankin laid to rest KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Mourners gathered to celebrate the life and mark the passing of Kent “Biggie” Rankin during a service at the Church of God (Universal) on Saturday. Mr. Rankin, a notable businessman and farmer, passed away at age 71 on March 28, after a two-year battle with cancer. At the age of 24, Mr. Rankin started Paramount Carpets with $45 worth of flooring tools. That venture was the begin- ning of what would become the multi-in- dustry Paramount Group, which is, today, one of the largest family conglomerates in the Cayman Islands. Mr. Rankin also had a deep love for nature and farming, and received many awards for agriculture. He was memorialized in prayer, song, and tributes made by many of his family members and friends. Esther Jackson read a moving tribute from Mr. Rankin’s wife, Ruth. “He was a faithful provider to me and my family and built a business, for which we are very proud and grateful for,” she said. “We all feel the void that will be forever in our hearts. We intend to carry on what he started, to the very best of our abilities. “We are so thankful for the life of Kent and the way he worked to accomplish his dreams. It was my deepest desire that we would spend our 50th Anniversary together, but I’m grateful for the 46 years of mar- riage that God has blessed us with.” Mr. Rankin’s siblings, his nieces and nephews and his Sunday school class, also presented tributes. Sherrill Ebanks spoke on behalf of his children and grandchildren. “The man we all know and love stood by his morals, ensuring they were instilled in each and every one of us,” she said. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Mourners mark the passing of Kent Rankin, a notable Caymanian businessman and farmer, at a service on Saturday. He passed away on March 28. – PHOTO: KELSEY JUKAM2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 4, 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. - MONDAY - MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 (PG13) 1:15 I 4:30 I 6:50 I 9:55 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 ZOOTOPIA 3D (PG13) 12:45 I 3:30 2D I 6:45 I 9:20 2D LONDON HAS FALLEN (R) 1:20 I 4:00 I 7:20 I 9:40 MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN (PG) 1:30 I 4:15 I 7:10 I 10:00 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) LONG TERM RENTALS AT HARBOUR HEIGHTS 2BR/2BA CI$2,600 + utilities + 1 cleaning/wk. 4 separate units. Six to 8 months’ duration. Spectacular on SMB near Public Beach. No children. No pets. Month deposit required. Contact Paula/Shandy at 945-4295 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 Ganja ‘connoisseur’ pleads not guilty CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who “considers himself quite a connois- seur” pleaded guilty in Summary Court last week to possession and con- sumption of ganja, but not guilty to the more serious charge of possession with intent to supply. Neuville Lloyd Cover Jr., 23, was described by his at- torney, Crister Brady, as an avid ganja user. The defendant was charged with possession of 662.51 grams of ganja (1.45 pounds) with intent to supply, following an in- cident on Sept. 6, 2015. The ganja was recovered at his residence in Bodden Town. Cover was also charged with possession of a utensil used in the preparation of a controlled drug, the utensil being an electronic scale. Mr. Brady explained that the illegal vegetable matter was found in Cov- er’s room, in various jars. “He considers himself quite a connoisseur. He keeps the ganja in separate jars to identify the persons from whom he buys. He does not fancy being ripped off,” the attorney told Magistrate Grace Donalds. Crown counsel Candia James said the pleas were not acceptable. Trial was set for Sept. 21. Cover also pleaded guilty to possession of an unlicensed speargun that was found at the premises. Police say someone broke into a classroom at East End Primary School and stole a laptop computer and a flat screen television over the Easter break. The classroom had last been locked up before the holiday on Thursday, March 24. Someone at the school discovered the burglary this Thursday. The East End Primary burglary is the second school to be hit by thieves over the Easter break. Earlier this week officials from St. Ignatius found that a burglar had gone through desks and offices in the main administration area. School officials said they could only say one laptop had been stolen, but could not know what else was missing until the staff re- turns from the holiday. Suresh Rajaian, with St. Ignatius, said it appears the burglar broke the lock on the back door of the admin- istration building to get in. ANOTHER SCHOOL HIT BY BURGLARY OVER HOLIDAY Police seek help to recover stolen goods CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two young men were re- manded in custody after they appeared in Summary Court on Friday and pleaded guilty to a residential burglary. Carlos Jameel Bustillo, 18, and Travis Alexander Ebanks, 21, admitted entering a res- idence as trespassers on Thursday, March 24, and stealing a variety of goods. The premises was an apart- ment on Uncle Jimmy Lane in West Bay. A police press release listed some of the items that had not been recovered. They include a flat-screen 32-inch Seiki TV; assorted dive gear, including O’Neill dive gloves and lights; a GoPro dual bat- tery charger, wrist mount and rechargeable battery; two Finger Reel Dive Spools; a laptop cooler with vacuum fan; an iPhone 4 and charging cable; and a rain coat suit (black pants, red jacket). Other items reported missing included a dive knife, beach bag, lighter, sunglasses, eight tooth brushes and three pouches of tooth paste. Total value of the stolen property, not including the iPhone, was US$1,136. Defense attorney John Furniss said the men were not applying for bail, but Ebanks wanted to apply to the Drug Rehabilita- tion Court. This defendant pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen of urine for testing while at the police detention center on March 30. His case was put over to the next drug court sitting. Bustillo pleaded guilty to consuming ganja. Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn ordered a social inquiry report for him and his case was adjourned until May 9 for sentencing. Both defendants have West Bay addresses. No background to the charges was given in court, but ac- cording to the press release detectives used evidence gathered from the scene and executed a two-day operation to locate the suspects. They were arrested on Wednesday, March 30, and brought to court after being charged on Friday morning. Police are requesting that the public contact West Bay CID at 649-3999 with any information regarding the possible location of the stolen property. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact the Miami-based call centre of Crime Stoppers at 800-8477(TIPS) or www.tipsubmit. com/WebTips.aspx?AgencyID=681 to submit an anonymous tip. Burglars remanded after guilty pleas Parishioners of St. Igna- tius Catholic Church cele- brated the groundbreaking of a new adoration chapel Sunday morning. Construction on the chapel is set to begin soon, and the goal is to have it completed in October with a formal dedication to co- incide with the end of the Catholic “Jubilee of Mercy” year on Nov. 20. The adoration chapel will allow people to spend time in quiet, reflective prayer and meditation and will be open between the hours of 6 a.m. to midnight. The chapel’s architect is parishioner Elie Kozaily of Kozaily Designs. The parish has been fun- draising for the chapel for months and is just over halfway to their goal of $200,000 for the project. There are a number of upcoming fundraising events in the works, in- cluding a Mother’s Day Spring Tea Party on May 7, which the whole community is invited to attend. St. Ignatius parishioners pray before the groundbreaking of a new chapel. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Father Suresh Rajaian blesses the site of the new adoration chapel. St. Ignatius marks chapel groundbreakingThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 4, 2016 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. MONDAY APRIL 4, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS When 98 percent of NWDA clients are ‘not work ready’ . . . Assessments of Caymanian job-seekers who register with the National Workforce Development Agency: • High school diploma or less – 82 percent • Skills that are in low-to-moderate demand – 81 percent • Unable to obtain good letters of reference – 69 percent • Insufficient skills training – 68 percent • Lack of skill with numbers – 58 percent • Poor job interview skills – 51 percent • Reasons for previous termination – 44 percent • Mental health issues – 29 percent • Illiteracy – 21 percent • Substance abuse – 19 percent • Alcohol abuse – 18 percent • Criminal record – 11 percent • Problems with “perseverance” – 96 percent • Total defined as “not work ready” – 98 percent. As you can see, the prospects of employment for the out-of-work Caymanian population are (pick your own description) “not pretty,” “challenging” or “grim.” According to a government committee report, 72 percent of employers looking at the same picture cite “lack of skills” as a reason for not hiring a Caymanian at some point in the past. Most importantly, 61 percent of employers considered a job seeker’s attitude to be an important factor in making the decision not to hire. Let’s put this subject into perspective. First, the overwhelming majority of Caymanians are not only employable – they’re employed. According to the most recent data available, the unemployment rate for Cay- manian workers stands at 6.2 percent, the lowest since the global financial crisis of 2008-2010. Put another way, 93.8 percent of Caymanian workers who wish to work are employed. What does that statistic do to the argument that Caymanians are unemployed because of “discrimination?” As the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Employ- ment phrased it, “[T]here is a lack of competitive- ness among a small segment of the Caymanian labour force that is beset with challenges that hamper their long-term employment prospect, which require gov- ernment attention and investment in terms of training and development.” While the majority of the report is dedicated to hard numbers, quantifiable survey results and analysis, it also contains sections alleging cultural bias among local employers, based only on speculation and allu- sions to anonymous “anecdotal evidence.” Let’s pause here. “Anecdotal evidence” is not evidence at all. Anecdotal evidence is what we hear on morning talk-radio shows and in anonymous blogs to websites. It certainly should not be referenced in a serious report. Employment Minister Tara Rivers has managed to identify – by way of championing it – perhaps the most damaging recommendation of all, which is to force employers to publish, through NWDA, infor- mation on all their positions currently filled by work permit holders. As Ms. Rivers knows, this information is already shared, confidentially, with government. The idea is that if Caymanians know what work permits are “coming due,” they will be able to prepare themselves in advance to take those positions. Such a proposal may sound good to government bureaucrats, but applying it to the private sector would be non-productive, ineffective and anti-com- petitive. Simply put, Butterfield Bank has no business knowing the work permit situation at Cayman National Bank – or vice versa. This anti-business proposal should be a call to arms for the private sector, begin- ning with the Chamber of Commerce with Cayman Finance not far behind. As nearly everyone knows, education – not govern- ment coercion – is the antidote to unemployment. In the Cayman government, however, we have an additional issue: Ms. Rivers has ministerial responsibili- ties for both employment AND education. It’s bad enough when the proverbial “left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing,” but when both hands belong to the same minister, we have a considerable problem on OUR hands. How much should a country work? A recent dinner com- panion inquired whether an economy that was not growing was necessarily a problem. What she had in mind was whether people choosing more leisure to enjoy their incomes rather than continuing to work the same or longer hours created an economic problem. The short answer is no. I will ex- plore that issue further and then make a point about the propriety of governments making work/leisure choices for us rather than leaving the choice to us. Our incomes grow when we work longer hours, ac- quire improved skills, work with more tools, or work with better tools. The economy as a whole grows without indi- vidual incomes necessarily increasing when more people work (i.e., when the popula- tion grows). Unless you are very pessimistic about the prospects for continued inno- vation and technical improve- ments in each worker’s pro- ductivity, our incomes will continue to increase even if we don’t work longer hours. Over the last 65 years the average annual hours worked by employed Americans dropped from 1,910 to 1,710 while real disposable per- sonal income per capita (in 2009 dollars) increased from US$10,000 to over US$38,000. Over the longer period of a century or two the drop in hours worked and the in- crease in per capita income have been much more dra- matic. This dramatic increase in income reflects better skills, more capital (tools) and better capital. But it is less than it would have been if people had not chosen to enjoy that income by working less and playing more. The overall economy can adjust to any of these – growing, stag- nate, or shrinking income. While Bernie Sanders may think that the best way to in- crease the standard of living for the poor is to redistribute to them some of the high in- come of the wealthy, most ev- eryone else would agree that only economic growth has and can continue to lift large numbers of the poor out of poverty. Global poverty (per capita income below US$1.25 per day) dropped from 50 percent in 1980 to 20 per- cent in 2011, an astonishing achievement totally beyond what any amount of redis- tribution could have accom- plished. Most of us think that the proper purpose of redis- tributing income is for the better off to finance a safety net floor for those unable to work. This dramatic increase in income was the result of improvements in worker pro- ductivity (i.e., better skills and more and better capital) not working longer hours. But what about the choices workers have made and are making about the hours they work vs. the hours they play with the proceeds of that work once they are well above poverty? Over time as most people’s in- comes have grown they have generally reduced the long hours worked six or more days a week. Employers and workers strike deals that maximize the profits of the firm and the happiness and well-being of employees. Why then do many governments feel that they need to legis- late the matter? Why, for ex- ample, did French Socialists feel compelled to legislate a 35-hour workweek a few years ago? In limited cases, a public safety argument might make sense to override the prefer- ences of workers and their employers, for example, if truck drivers felt included to push themselves more hours than they could safely stay awake at the wheel. François Hollande’s French govern- ment is now proposing to re- move the 35-hour limit and relax other labor market re- strictions. I hope they suc- ceed, as leaving more of such decisions with the people themselves will result in hap- pier workers and a more pro- ductive economy. This issue came up a few years ago in connection with the Greek financial crisis. To over-generalize, it is often the case that people living in temperate climates (such as Greece and the southern cone of the EU) work less and have lower incomes. If they are freely choosing to enjoy more leisure in the lovely climate in which they live, they are no doubt hap- pier and better off because of it. Greece’s problem was not that its many Zorba’s had a great zest for life and played more than they worked. Its problem was that after get- ting away with playing on other peoples’ work/money, they thought they should be entitled to continue doing so. The balancing of work and leisure that is optimal is a person-by-person decision. The economy will be fine and will adjust to whatever these preferences are. People at dif- ferent income levels and/or different preferences within the same economy will likely make different choices. There is no justification for the gov- ernment to impose its notion of what is optimal uniformly on everyone. This is just an- other example of government overstepping its proper role. Warren Coats, a former director of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, and former senior monetary policy adviser to the Central Bank of Afghanistan, Iraq and Kenya for the International Monetary Fund, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. 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” WARREN COATS country work? WARREN COATSThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 4, 2016 MONDAY APRIL 4, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 6 DISTRICT DAYS District Days George Town The April 6, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, contained the following report: “A very lovely wedding was sol- emnized at the Church of God (Full Gospel), George Town, on March 30, when Emma Jane Jackson was married to Albert Otis Jackson, both of Savannah and both em- ployed by the Cayman Islands Electricity Undertaking. “The bride wore a full gown of taffeta and lace. It has a lace bodice and the very full taffeta skirt was appliqued with lace. “Her veil was attached to a crown of pearls and she carried a bridal Bible with an orchid at- tached to it. “The Maid of Honour was Mazie Watler who wore a blue brocade dress and carried a bou- quet of varied flowers set in blue. “The three bridesmaids were Lois and Delrose in pink and Genevieve in gold. All the bride’s four attendants are her sisters. There were three little flower girls – Chastine Watler, Harilyn and Christine Bodden. “Alfred Jackson was Best Man and the Groomsmen were James Arch, Andrew Eden and Sonny Martinez. Spencer Merren and Douglas Jackson acted as Ring-bearers. “The ceremony was performed by Elder Fossie Arch and solos were rendered by Mrs. Audrey Thompson and Mrs. Helen Arch.” 50 years ago: Jackson wedding Students in Prospect get traditional Students from Prospect Primary combined learning with fun when they met up with some roving teachers from the Cayman Tradi- tional Arts group. Just before the Easter long weekend, the stu- dents spent an afternoon with Phil Sciamonte, who taught them the art of ar- chery, and Blonde Uzzle, who had the children cre- ating homemade kites and doing their best to fly them despite a lack of wind. Students also got to make tasty local delica- cies, such as fritters and coconut drops; had their faces painted; took part in a tug-of-war with Silver Thatch rope; enjoyed skip- ping rope; an egg and spoon race; and a potato sack race. One project that was a particular success was the construction of a calavan, traditionally used in the Cayman Islands to catch small birds. Students Diamond White, Aiydan Webb, Kiefer Rodriguez, Ryan Jackson and Edmund Miguel Pi- leta explained that cre- ating this intricate item was pretty easy, saying it was like Jenga, placing one piece of wood on top of another. Cayman Traditional Arts director Chris Chris- tian said the aim of these half-day camps was to help immerse young people in some of Cay- man’s important cultural elements that may other- wise go forgotten. The camps are reaching to some 400 students in local schools and are government-sponsored through the Heritage Arts Programme. “At Cayman Traditional Arts, we believe it’s es- sential that we pass down time-honored traditions to our young people to ensure that our past is not for- gotten,” Mr. Christian said. “It’s too easy these days to become wrapped up in other cultures, so we are doing our very best to keep Cayman’s culture alive. This can be done simply by teaching young people how to cook traditional favorites, such as fritters and coconut drops, or how to construct and fly their own kite. “But while these are relatively simple steps to take, it requires a consis- tent approach to ensure the message gets across to all our young people. “That is why we all work so hard doing what we do, because we pas- sionately believe in re- taining Cayman’s cultural identity for the generations to come.” Cayman Traditional Arts will be taking its mobile camps to schools in North Side, East End and West Bay in the weeks ahead. Prospect Primary students help build a calavan. From left, Diamond White, Aiydan Webb, Kiefer Rodriguez, Ryan Jackson and Edmund Miguel Pileta. Students take archery instruction from Phil Sciamonte.Chefs for the day: Levi Rankine and Lauren DutyCAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 4, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days George Town Red Bay students take the YMCA pledge Forty students of the Red Bay Primary extended after- school program pledged to upkeep the five core values of the YMCA on March 23. Since the start of the year, students ages 5-11 have listened to weekly sto- ries and participated in ac- tivities surrounding the im- portance of responsibility, respect, caring, honesty and faith, which are the YMCA’s core values. Weekly activities like Kid Fit, Judo, and Seed-to-Plate are several programs that have highlighted core values for Red Bay students. The pledge ceremony, which took place in Mary Miller Hall, featured a video presentation starring Red Bay students working together, and defining what the core values meant to them. There was also a guest presentation by the YMCA’s high school program coor- dinator, Carl Morgan, who kept the young crowd in- volved in active discussion. In his talk, Mr. Morgan stressed the importance of having values and showing appreciation for one another. He also managed to wow the audience with a series of backflips, before prompting the children to take their pledge. Before an audience of parents, peers, teachers, and YMCA staff, the children pledged to uphold the five core values to the best of their ability. Jazmine McLaughlin, Suri Faulknor, and Azaria Wright closed the ceremony with their original song about caring. This ceremony was the first time that the Red Bay Primary students have taken the YMCA pledge. Mr. Morgan stressed the importance of having values and showing appreciation for one another. Students, teachers and parents take the YMCA pledge to uphold five core values during a ceremony led by special guest, YMCA’s high school program coordinator Carl Morgan. – PHOTO: ALMA CHOLLETTE Cayman Prep’s Book Week full of character Students and staff went all out bringing books and literature to life at Cayman Prep’s recent Book Week. This year’s theme for the event, which ran from March 14 to 18, encouraged chil- dren to enjoy stories and poems from around the world. A variety of literary themed events during the week included storytelling from parents and teachers and a “Reading Breakfast with Dads” (though mums were on hand too). On the ever-popular Character Day held on March 16, many children and staff dressed up as their favorite story- book character. Children in the Junior School enjoyed a “virtually live creative writing workshop” with author Jacqueline Wilson. In addi- tion, as part of the week’s activities, the PTA organized the annual “Read-a-Thon,” where family and friends pledged money to students for each page read during the week. “I liked doing the buddy reading with Kindergarten,” Ricardo Reis of 2P said. “My favorite part of Book Week was when we read to the little ones in year 1 because they brought us books to read to them,” 3C student Alex Hare said. “One of them brought a book on Egypt and we are learning about Egypt so I read it to him. My second favorite thing was when we were allowed to dress up.” Student Gage Oelschlager of 4P liked the link between Commonwealth Day and Book Week, and Sam Dakers in 6H en- joyed the reading challenge. “Book Week has been really fun. It was great to calculate how much you can read in your spare time and dressing up as your favorite book character,” said Sam. The Character Day was a big hit with students. “I like Book Character Day because I like looking at the different costumes,” said 1C’s Cassidy Coles. “I felt I was a real ‘Hello Kitty’ and it made me run fast. It made me run like a cat!” said Toni Wagner in KgH. Added Aalijah Cole of 5P, “I liked Char- acter Day because we got to dress up and we brought in our own books to share. It was really fun!” Annika and Logan House read together.Sebbie Robottom, Wilf Lupton and Adam Griffith Teacher Clare Dyett with Georgie Head, Leila Coak and Claudia Bullmore Ciara Andersen, Eryn Damer, Gabby Robinson, Emmi Daykin, and Mackenzie Pearson8 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 4, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The Special Needs Foundation of Cayman would like to thank all individuals, schools, and businesses who participated in “Rock Your Socks Cayman,” including: THANK YOU! SNFC Special Needs Foundation of Cayman Support • Information • Education Cayman’s Down Syndrome Day www.specialneedsfoundation.ky /SNFCayman /CaymanIslandsWorldDownSyndromeDay Get involved in 2017! Contact The Special Needs Foundation: info@specialneedsfoundation.ky Design donated by Aon BDO Carne Global Financial Services Cayman Islands Health Services Cayman Islands Monetary Authority Cayman Islands Yellow Pages Cayman First Cayman Management Ltd Cayman Sock Company Chatterbox CI Regional Mission Council Colin Shaw & Co. Cost U Less Daybreak & Cayman 27 Early Intervention Program Ernst & Young Ltd East End Primary School First Baptist Christian School Grace Christian Academy Greenlight Reinsurance Ltd Highwater Hope Academy John A Cumber Primary School Kane Limited Kelly Holding Ltd KPMG Lighthouse School Marsh Cayman Passport2Success Cayman Islands Pricewaterhouse Cooper Property Pals Rawlinson & Hunter Saxon Seaboard Cayman Solomon Harris St. Ignatius Catholic School Sunrise Adult Training Centre The Audiophile Tiny Tots Academy Transocean Inc Trident Trust Wellness Centre Wesleyan Christian Academy Willis Towers Watson YMCA of the Cayman Islands Kensington Management Group Ltd. Global Captive Management Remittances dropped sharply last year CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com In 2015, the amount of money being sent overseas as remittances dropped by US$10 million over the year before. Many expats, espe- cially low-wage workers, were shocked when they no longer had easy access to send cash home. However, the situation has improved, with Western Union and the other cash transfer compa- nies back open and accepting local currency. Many expat workers rely on cash transfer com- panies like MoneyGram and Western Union to send money home to support their families. The value of remit- tance payments had been trending higher through the first six months of the year but dropped sharply when banks in Cayman stopped offering services to the cash transfer companies. In 2014, people in Cayman sent almost US$180 million overseas via cash transfers, according to data recently released by the Cayman Is- lands Monetary Authority. That number dropped to less than US$170 million last year. Most of that money went to Jamaica: US$110 million in 2014 and US$101 million last year. For the first two quar- ters of last year, workers in Cayman sent more than US$90 million, up almost 4 percent from the year before, according to the CIMA data. But then the total amount of remittances dropped sharply, from almost US$46 million in the second quarter down to about US$37 million in the final quarter of the year. While cash transfer ser- vices may have returned to normal for consumers, gov- ernment, banks and the transfer companies are still working to figure out the is- sues with correspondent banking that caused the problems in the first place. Angela Piercy, spokes- woman with the Ministry of Financial Services, responded by email to several questions put recently to the minister. She wrote, “The Ministry con- tinues to engage with stake- holders on this matter, spe- cifically CIMA and Cayman Finance. The Minister is a member of a working group established by Cayman Fi- nance which is also consid- ering the matter.” In July, Western Union suddenly shuttered its windows in Cayman. Fi- delity Bank, which oper- ated the cash transfer fran- chise locally, decided to close the operation over- night, citing increasing inter- national regulation and slim profit margins. “It’s getting harder and harder to bank this business,” Brett Hill, CEO of Fidelity Bank’s Cayman operations, said at the time. “Banks are trying to de-risk,” he said. He explained that cash-transfer services posed a greater and greater risk to the bank as in- ternational regulators, par- ticularly in the United States, increased rules on the trans- fers in an attempt to pre- vent the services from being used to move money for ter- rorism and the international drug trade. Jamaica National, which operated MoneyGram and several other cash transfer brands in Cayman, lost its own bank in late Au- gust when negotiations failed with Cayman Na- tional Bank. Cayman Na- tional had previously given bank accounts, needed to ac- cess international currency markets, to JN and other remittance companies. Instead of closing when the company lost its bank ac- count, JN decided to accept only U.S. currency and fly the cash directly to a bank over- seas for deposit. For three months, from late August until late November, the only option for cash transfers was through JN or one of its re- lated companies like Money- Gram, using U.S. cash. The unusual situation led to a shortage of U.S. cur- rency in the Cayman Is- lands, causing banks to re- strict giving U.S. cash to only their customers, or charging fees of up to $50 to exchange limited amounts of cash. The police and the Ministry of Financial Services sent out warnings against using underground currency ex- changes and counterfeit U.S. notes. On Nov. 25, Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton, joined by represen- tatives from Scotiabank, Western Union and GraceK- ennedy Remittance Services gathered to announce an end to the crisis. A deal be- tween the three companies reopened Western Union in the Cayman Islands, based on the model of GraceKen- nedy’s Western Union opera- tions in Jamaica and several other countries. “This was a commercial problem and required a com- mercial solution,” said Finan- cial Services Minister Wayne Panton at the press confer- ence. “We are at an end of a very difficult period,” he said. “We had to be able to de- liver this service to restore normalcy,” Mr. Panton said. He went on to praise Ja- maica National for staying open through the crisis. “Were it not for their ability to adapt and change their business model,” he said, people in the Cayman Islands may have lost all ability to send remittances. The deal left Jamaica Na- tional out of the new banking arrangement, and they were not able to start accepting Cayman currency for another month. Robert Hamaty, board member for Jamaica National, said at the time, “Nobody knew the fix was just going to be for Western Union.” “The biggest player has been left out,” he said. Jamaica National was able to once again start ac- cepting Cayman currency along with U.S. dollars before Christmas. JN has been silent on how they are exchanging the cash and getting it into the international financial system. But at least for con- sumers the cash transfer ser- vices have been restored after a difficult three months. People stand in line to send money by Western Union at the Foster’s Food Fair airport location last November. The amount of money sent overseas dropped sharply last year after businesses offering remittances closed their windows temporarily. – PHOTO: CHARLES DUNCAN REMITTANCES BY QUARTER IN US DOLLARS, ACCORDING TO CIMA 2014Q12014Q22014Q32014Q4 2014 $42.8M $44.3M $43M$49.8M $179.9M 2015Q12015Q22015Q32015Q42015 $44.8M $45.7M$41.6M$37.3M$169.5M Many expat workers rely on cash transfer companies like MoneyGram and Western Union to send money home to support their families.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 4, 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 Visiting Sports Medicine Physician specializing in non-operative musculoskeletal & joint conditions. Dr. Melissa Mascaro MD Cayman Clinic @ 439 Crewe Road, GT Is available for consultation from Saturday April 2 - Tuesday April 5, 2016 Call: 949-7400 between 8:30am to 5:pm to make an appointment Dr. Wayne R. Porter MD F.A.A.D. Dermatologist call : 946-9020 between 9am to 5pm Dees Plaza #282 on Crewe Road, GT He will be in office from April 4th - 8th, 2016 between November 2005 and December 2009. Prior to that, four Cayman governors – Bruce Dinwiddy, Peter Smith, John Owen and Michael Gore – served be- tween three- to three-and-a- half-year terms. Governor Kilpatrick’s term extension means she will also likely preside over the appointment of the British Overseas Territory’s next commissioner of po- lice. Current Commissioner David Baines recently an- nounced his departure from the police service at the end of May. The governor was also expected to announce the appointment of Cayman’s next auditor general. Former Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick left Cayman in October 2015 and an acting auditor general has been filling in the role since that time. Also uncertain is the fu- ture of the other independent offices appointed by the gov- ernor, which have been func- tioning with acting direc- tors since the retirement of Information Commissioner Jennifer Dilbert and Com- plaints Commissioner Nicola Williams. The governor’s of- fice has said it is awaiting a Cabinet decision on the pro- posed merger of those two entities and appointment of a “super ombudsman” to shepherd both offices in the future. Governor to stay for extra year Governor Helen Kilpatrick CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Bolivia can complicate the lives of those suffering from heart and lung problems. Under the care of chief cardiac surgeon Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil and consul- tant interventional paedi- atric cardiologist Dr. Sripadh Upadhya, Abdael underwent a complex heart surgery and Carlos, a pinhole interven- tional procedure. Both sur- geries were successful, and the boys are now back in Bolivia with their families. Carlos’ mother was thrilled her son would be able to once again play soccer. “He is going to be like a normal boy,” she said in a press release. According to the Health City release, Carlos’s family had been concerned that he might need open heart sur- gery but were “delighted” to learn the hole in his heart was closed with a transcu- taneous catheterization lab- oratory procedure using a special device, and he did not require major surgery. Dr. Chattuparambil said in the release that Abdael’s post-operative recovery was smooth. “His blue coloured lips and fingers are now a healthy pink and he was seen playing with the other children in the hospital without any tiredness,” Dr. Chattuparambil said. “It is a privilege to have the oppor- tunity to save a child’s life.” “Through it all he always made time to spend with us as a group and individu- ally. Our fondest memory is the love he gave us, the way he spoke to us, the way he broke things down into lay- man’s terms, so that we un- derstood him fully.” “We are thankful for his 71 full years, a gift not ev- eryone experiences in this lifetime,” she said. “There are so many things to be thankful for, the way he un- shakably loved and adored our mother; the abiding love he had for each of his chil- dren; for his enlarging faith and that he found his way to the Lord.” Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush gave Mr. Rankin’s eulogy. Many members of the Cayman Islands govern- ment attended the service, including Premier Alden McLaughlin. A written tribute from the government de- scribed Mr. Rankin’s “out- standing contributions” to the development of Cayman, from establishing many businesses to intro- ducing several new and in- novative farming techniques to the islands. “He was never afraid to roll his sleeves up and do what needed to be done, and he always made time to mentor and advise anyone who sought his counsel,” the government tribute says. “He was always willing to freely and enthusiasti- cally share his knowledge and wisdom, and as such, many have been touched by his legacy.” In 2012, Mr. Rankin’s contributions to the is- lands were recognized for- mally when he received the Order of the Cayman Is- lands at the grade of Com- mander (CMH). Mr. Rankin is survived by his wife Ruth, his chil- dren Gary, David, Kenny, Paul, Albert, Sophia, Hay- mond and Kendra, 16 grandchildren, two great grandchildren, siblings Dalis, Olsie, Gilbert, Dulcie and Joey, and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Rankin was interred at Garden of Reflections on Old Prospect Road. Health City aims to give one charitable surgery a day CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Opposition Leader and longtime friend of Mr. Rankin’s, McKeeva Bush, delivers the eulogy. - PHOTO: KELSEY JUKAM. Kent ‘Biggie’ Rankin laid to rest CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 MIAMI FUGITIVE ON RUN FOR 20 YEARS FOUND IN NICARAGUA MIAMI (AP) – A fugitive from Miami who has been on the run for almost 20 years is back in federal custody after he was arrested in Nicaragua. Robert Allen Lopez, 49, was arrested on Nov. 14, 2015, and deported to Miami on Sat- urday by a team of deputy U.S. Marshals. According to Barry Golden, who is a spokesman for the Marshals Service, Lopez was deported because he crossed into Nica- ragua by foot and was in the country illegally. In December of 1995, Lopez pleaded guilty to fed- eral Medicare fraud charges. Lopez established fake compa- nies that filed false Medicare claims totaling more than $4.3 million on behalf of patients for services that were un- necessary or never provided. Lopez was released on bail on the condition that he would not leave the area without per- mission. In 1997, he was in- dicted by a federal grand jury on charges of failure to appear for sentencing. Lopez eluded capture in Mexico in 2000. After his son was found wandering the streets of Cancun, Mexico, and taken into custody, a person claiming to be the 10-year old’s uncle came to visit. Mexican police identified that person as Lopez after obtaining his fingerprints from a cup. When Lopez fled the country, he took his two children with him but left his wife behind. Miami Dade Police later charged Lopez with interference with the custody of a child. Lopez’s son returned to the U.S. in March of 2000 and returned to his mother. Marshals said the other child, a girl, was recov- ered before the boy. Golden said the capture of Lopez was due to the ef- forts of the State Depart- ment, Department of Health and Human Services (who handled the original Medi- care fraud investigation) and the Marshals Service. Lopez was originally arrested in Ni- caragua by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Eight-year-old Carlos Isaac Villca Valdex, and 2-year-old Abdael Mito Montero were flown to Cayman to have surgery. Their operations were successful. - PHOTO: SCREEN GRAB TAKEN FROM A HEALTH CITY CAYMAN ISLANDS VIDEONext >