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STOLI FLAVOURS2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $ 56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertifi cates.com PROPER BRITISH GIN NEW PRODUCT ■ LIFESTYLE Madonna tribute encourages Material Girls to Get Into The Groove B7 Photo: Cortez Vernon CAYMAN WEEKENDER Model Code EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 CROWD CONTROL: CONGESTION IN OUR COURTS, PRISON ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 Mark Macfee, Yellow Pages & Joe DeMike, Google. Mark Macfee, introducing Google at IMPACT16. Go Digital with Yellow. Marketing leaders from around the globe shared innovative digital ideas at last week's IMA IMPACT16 conference. As a proud sponsor of the conference, it is our mission to stay ahead of the digital curve delivering innovative solutions for Cayman Islands businesses. For over 35 years, we have supported local businesses and now as the only Google SMB Partner on-island, we offer the strongest networks to maximize your customer reach. Contact us today for a FREE digital consultation. (345) 949-7027 / CaymanYP.com Mark Macfee, Yellow Pages & Joe DeMike, Google. Mark Macfee, introducing Google at IMPACT16. Go Digital with Yellow. Marketing leaders from around the globe shared innovative digital ideas at last week's IMA IMPACT16 conference. As a proud sponsor of the conference, it is our mission to stay ahead of the digital curve delivering innovative solutions for Cayman Islands businesses. For over 35 years, we have supported local businesses and now as the only Google SMB Partner on-island, we offer the strongest networks to maximize your customer reach. Contact us today for a FREE digital consultation. (345) 949-7027 / CaymanYP.com Airport security tax raised more than 30% BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The charge levied on airline passengers age 12 and over departing from Cayman that funds passenger security measures has been increased by $2.50 (US$2.90) per pas- senger, according to the Cayman Islands Airports Authority. The airport security tax was increased from $8 to $10.50 per passenger on March 30 by order of Cabinet, the first time that tax has gone up since 2003, according to authority Chief Executive Officer Albert Anderson. The new charges will come into effect later this year, Mr. Anderson said. The airports au- thority must first notify international air transport regulatory bodies of the departure charges, which must be implemented on all air carriers who travel to the Cayman Islands. In 2015, more than 556,000 passengers departed from Cayman Islands airports, meaning an additional $1.4 million would have been collected on those departures if the fee increase was in place at the time and all of those passengers were at least age 12. Future annual collections will depend on the number of departures, officials said. “Due to the increases in security require- ments over the years, it has become necessary for the Cayman Islands Airports Authority to raise the security tax from $8 to $10.50,” Mr. Anderson said. “The Charles Kirkconnell In- ternational Airport in Cayman Brac has also had to significantly increase security levels to meet regulatory requirements now that it’s handling international flights.” Work at the Brac airport terminal began in 2013 and carried an estimated $2.5 mil- lion price tag. Prior to the required security improvements, international flights had to be routed from the Brac back through Owen Rob- erts International Airport on Grand Cayman. Accommodation of a larger ticketing hall, improved passenger and baggage screening areas and new outgoing immigration checks have allowed direct flights to and from UK OPPOSITION SLAMS CAYMAN FOR BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP ‘VICTORY’ CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Speaking in the United Kingdom’s House of Commons, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn Wednesday again criticized Prime Minister David Cameron and the new beneficial own- ership agreement with Cayman announced this week. “It is quite interesting that the premier of the Cayman Islands, Alden McLaughlin, is today apparently celebrating his victory over the Prime Minister, because he is saying that the information, ‘certainly will not be available publicly or available directly by any U.K. or non-Cayman Islands agency,” Mr. Corbyn said. He continued, “The prime minister is sup- posed to be chasing down tax evasion and tax avoidance; he is supposed to be bringing it all into the open. If he cannot even persuade the premiers of the Cayman Islands or Jersey to open up their books, where is the tough talk bringing the information we need to collect the taxes that should pay for the services that people need?” This week, the premier announced the new deal with the U.K. to create not a central reg- ister but what’s being called a “centralized platform” to access beneficial ownership in- formation that will be kept with the finan- cial services company. The agreement gives Cayman until July 2017 to set up the platform to access that information, and requires that the financial service companies or their clients don’t know what authorities are looking at. The deal means that only Cayman authori- ties will have access to the data and will be able to search the information based on re- quests from overseas law enforcement and Young Musician of the Year finalists announced Nine music students will vie to become Cayman’s next Young Musician of the Year in the annual competition on Saturday, April 30. This year’s finalists are Liana DaCosta of Clifton Hunter High School and Jaedyn Hanna of John Gray High School, (voice); Dequan Smith of Clifton Hunter High School and Maya Antes of Cayman Interna- tional School, (piano); Katherine Erskine of Clifton Hunter High School (strings); Adrian Anglin, Marcos Bertran and Daniela Gra- nados, all of Saint Ignatius High School (woodwind) and Ruth Harris of Saint Igna- tius High School (brass). The Butterfield Young Musician of the Year, which launched in 2008, is a showcase for some of Cayman’s most talented young artists. At the event, which is part of the Na- tional Children’s Festival of the Arts, Cay- man’s top music students perform their best pieces in front of three judges at a public performance. This year’s competition takes place at the Prospect Playhouse, where Grammy Award- winning conductor John McLaughlin Wil- liams; Dr. Catherine Rand, Director of Bands, Associate Professor of Music at the University of Southern Mississippi; and Stephanie Williams, former Education Of- ficer of Music and Cultural Development in the Cayman Islands will be the judges. Past recipients of the title include: 2008 – Michael Testori of St. Ignatius Catholic School; 2009 – Aziza La Pierre of John Gray High School/Cayman School of Pan; 2010 – Zoey Robinson of St. Ignatius Catholic School; 2011 – Isabella Rooney of Cayman Prep and High School; 2012 – Jaide Dixon of Clifton Hunter High School; 2013 – Hannah Fowler of Cayman Prep and High School; 2014 – Ethan Whittaker of Cayman School of Pan; 2015 – Conor O’Dea of St. Ignatius Catholic School. On Tuesday, this year’s finalists were cel- ebrated at a luncheon hosted at Butterfield Place, which is the Cayman headquarters of sponsor Butterfield Bank. “To get to this level of competition, the students are already at a quality perfor- mance standard and they all should be very proud of themselves for having been chosen,” Michael McWatt, deputy managing PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Finalists in the Butterfield Young Musician of the Year competition gather to celebrate their nominations at a recent luncheon. Back row, from left, Deputy Managing Director of Butterfield Bank (Cayman) Limited, Michael McWatt, Ruth Harris, Dequan Smith, Adrian Anglin, Marcos Bertran, Jaedyn Hanna, Senior Customer Services Manager James Watler of the Department of Education Services. Front row, Liana DaCosta, Maya Antes, Katherine Erskine and Daniela Granados. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Eugenio Leon Harpist Extraordinaire, serenades tableside tonight and every Friday night! Salsa Tuesdays with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday Tarpon Fish Feeding 7:30pm & 9:00pm Nightly Eugenio Leon Don’t forget NEXT “BOOGIE NIGHTS” Friday, April 29th Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics Last Friday of EVERY MONTH is almost here! Music By DJ FLEX Starting at 9:30pm Salsa Don’t forget “BOOGIE NIGHTS” Friday, April 29Friday, April 29 Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics Last Friday of EVERY Last Friday of EVERY Tonight! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky Salsa Free lessons with Kirk starting Enjoy a Cimboco breakfast of *Two Eggs (Done to your liking) *Your Choice of Apple Smoked or Canadian Bacon *Herb Roasted Potatoes *Honey Wheat Toast For ONLY $5.00!!! Finish it o with a cup of Java for $1.99 Start your day o right! Mon-Fri * 7:30-11:00am *Except Holidays Contact Information rduncan@hlb-cpa.com 1-713-898-6737 1-281-481-1040 Ham, Langston, & Brezina LLP 11550 Fuqua Suite 475 Houston, Texas 77034 RICHARD A. DUNCAN, CPA US TAX COMPLIANCE AND PLANNING IRS ISSUES VOLUNTARY OFFSHORE DISCLOSURE EXPATRIATION FACTA A US Certifi ed Public Accountant with over 30 years experience in international tax issues. APPLICANTS SOUGHT FOR MISS TEEN CONTEST JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Applications are now available online for contes- tants who want to enter the Miss Teen Cayman Pageant taking place in August. The theme this year is Greek Goddesses and the Em- powerment of Young Women. Hosted by the Lions Club of Grand Cayman, in collaboration with the Leos Club, the 36th Miss Teen Pageant will take place on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Lions Centre at 6:30 p.m. Applicants must submit a completed application form signed by a parent/ guardian along with an ap- plication fee of $50. Contestants must be be- tween the age of 15 and 17, however, contestants should not turn 18 before Aug. 27, organizers said. Proof of Caymanian Citi- zenship is also required. On the night of the pageant, each contestant must perform a talent and make an appearance in swimwear, casual wear and formal wear and con- testants must not be a reigning titleholder for any other pageant. All contestants must complete a mandatory min- imum of 10 hours of com- munity service and will participate in toastmasters, etiquette classes, walking and wardrobe styling. Participants will be judged on poise, grace, fi- nesse, personality and presentation. “We are looking for the contestants to realize that we believe this is about the journey to the pageant and how they will benefit along the way,” said Maxine Siklenka, chairwoman for the Miss Teen Committee. Benefits to contestants, she said, will include be- coming an ambassador for the Cayman Islands; a role model and motivator for peers; opportunities for personal and profes- sional development in self- confidence, deportment, etiquette and leadership skills; and a chance to be- come a member of the Leos Club of Grand Cayman, which gives young people the opportunity to serve their communities and make a positive impact. Applicants must provide a recent academic report and three letters of refer- ence, one of which must be from a teacher. Ref- erees must also not be re- lated to the applicant. Entry forms can be obtained by emailing MissTeenCayman@gmail.com. Chefs visit Red Bay students ALMA CHOLLETTE achollette@pinnaclemedialtd.com Guests chefs Mike Lata and Edward Lee on Thursday paid the students of Red Bay Primary School a visit in cel- ebration of the upcoming Slow Food Day. Introduced by Cayman Food Revolution’s ambas- sador, Maureen Cubbon, both chefs gave short pre- sentations about themselves and highlighted why cooking with vegetables, growing one’s own food, and eating healthy is essential. Students also got the opportunity to engage in planting tomato seedlings and microgreens in mini plant pots, made of a plen- tiful biodegradable material in Cayman – coconut husks. The students were given demonstrations and gar- dening tips for main- taining their seedlings and microgreens, which they were given to take home and care for. Before their visit to the school, the chefs met with Clarence McLaughlin on his Bodden Town farm. “We got a tour of a farm and what grew in Cayman,” said Chef Lee, of Louis- ville, Kentucky, after seeing some of the avocado, coconut and cashew trees on Mr. McLaughlin’s 14-acre farm. “There is a special group of foods that define the Cayman Islands. They help to make up the culture here,” said Chef Lata, of Charleston, South Carolina. Courtesy of Mr. McLaughlin, students at the school were treated to co- conut water. Student members of the YMCA Seed2Plate program at Red Bay Primary also im- pressed the visiting chefs with the supply of radishes, chives, hot peppers, tomatoes, carrots, amaranth and lem- ongrass they were growing in their garden. Chef Will O’Hara, of Abacus restaurant, also visited the school with the chefs. The three chefs invited the students to attend Slow Food Day in Camana Bay on Saturday. Seed2Plate is a YMCA pro- gram, supported by Cayman Food Revolution and Slow Food South Sound, that is geared toward educating children about the impor- tance of healthy food choices and the power of cooking. The reigning Miss Teen Cayman, Tishay Heath, will hand over the crown to the new queen in August. Chefs Mike Lata and Edward Lee with the students behind the YMCA’s Red Bay Seed2Plate program that is geared towards leading healthy eating and cooking lifestyles. – PHOTOS: ALMA CHOLLETTE From left, Red Bay Primary students Rozarya Ramirez, 9, Kimberley Cunningham, 10, and Genesis Reyes, 10, enjoy coconut water, courtesy of farmer Clarence McLaughlin.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 discoverfl ow.ky/tv Flow terms and conditions apply. ©2016 HBO Ole Partners. All rights reserved. why Flow TV? crystal clear picture in High Defi nition Switch on to all your favourite HBO shows on Flow TV save 50% Call 1800-534-7253 for a free demo in your homeThe 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. FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Crowd control: Congestion in our courts, prison If there are two problems for which Royal Cayman Islands Police Commissioner David Baines could be held responsible — it’s clogging up our country’s court- rooms and Her Majesty’s Prison at Northward. That observation, of course, does not reflect nega- tively on our outgoing police chief. Quite the opposite. It is evidence that he and his officers have been per- forming their duties of arresting criminal suspects, com- piling evidence and helping prosecutors to secure con- victions. Sending people to court, and then to prison, is what the police do. Whether there’s enough room for the arrested or convicted is a different conversation. The overcrowding of Cayman’s courtrooms is a subject that Chief Justice Anthony Smellie has pursued for a number of years. Toward the goal of con- structing a new courthouse, which could more than double the number of available courtrooms, consulting firm PwC is about halfway through its timeline for developing an outline business case for the project, with the report’s expected delivery date in June. The update on the courthouse plans follows a news report last week that Northward prison is jammed to maximum capacity, with somewhere in the neighbor- hood of 210 prisoners, a figure that can fluctuate from day to day. Our stance on building new courthouses or new prison cells is identical to our stance on, say, building new schools or hiring social services staff. That is: Whatever our leaders in those areas say they need — give it to them. If we need a new courthouse, build it. If we need additional prison capacity, provide it. Obviously pri- orities must be set, but having the financial ability to fulfill vital functions of government is a luxury that our wealthy country can afford (presuming government purges politically based expenditures, and waste, fraud and abuse from its operations). If it turns out that a leader’s assessment of need was wrong, or if a project devolves into a monumental boondoggle like Clifton Hunter et al., then the relevant decision-maker must be held accountable. That being said, from our vantage point, it appears that much more could be done to ease courtroom congestion that doesn’t involve a major capital under- taking. Far too often, we see cases drag on and on for months or years, with continuance after continuance, finally to resolve in the levying of a small fine and/or “time already served.” For example, our judges could be much stricter in regard to dates and deadlines, so that attorneys, defendants, witnesses and law enforcement become aware that there are consequences for lack of prepara- tion or attendance. In the U.S., authorities have attempted to deal with prison overcrowding through a mishmash of measures, including alternative sentencing, parole and outright non-enforcement of standing law. As reported by PBS Frontline, here are the average times that a prisoner in the U.S. actually serves after being convicted of the following crimes: • Sex assault — 35 months • Robbery — 44 months • Kidnapping — 52 months • Rape — 65 months • Homicide — 71 months • All violent crimes — 43 months • Federal marijuana charges (no parole) — 42 months The above is an approach, and an outcome, that Cayman should studiously avoid replicating. We should enforce the law robustly and ensure that convicted people actually serve the sentences judges hand down. Some people may protest that Cayman’s courts and prisons are filled with nonviolent drug offenders, particu- larly for possession or sale of ganja, and that police and prosecutors should not devote their attention to these “minor” infractions of the law. On the contrary, the pos- session of ganja is a serious, arrestable drug offense under Cayman law, and it should be enforced vigorously, uniformly and universally. If it is the will of the people to “de-criminalize,” “legalize” or otherwise lessen the offense of ganja pos- session or anything else, then our legislators should do so — by changing the law, not by ignoring the law. We cannot, as a country, selectively wink at certain laws, because it can engender disrespect for “the law” in general. The vapidity of America’s foreign policy debate JOE SCARBOROUGH Special to The Washington Post Foreign policy stalwarts came out Tuesday night to honor Robert Gates at the Center for Strategic and In- ternational Studies in Wash- ington. Brent Scowcroft, John Warner and other ti- tans gathered to celebrate the inaugural awarding of the CSIS’s Zbigniew Brzez- inski Prize. While the eve- ning’s events highlighted the debt the United States and the world owe Gates and Brzezinski (full disclo- sure: Brzezinski is the father of my “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski and an oc- casional guest on the show), the night’s festivities un- intentionally illustrated to guests just how vapid the United States’ foreign policy debate has become over the past decade. The 43rd president prom- ised to end tyranny across the globe. He instead engaged in a tragic military over- reach that will complicate U.S. policy for years. The 44th president has been so driven by his obsession to avoid the mistakes of his predecessor that he has summarized his grand geostrategic approach as “Don’t do stupid ---.” Though hard to believe, the current crop of candi- dates running for president may prove to be even worse than George W. Bush and Barack Obama. One possible nominee has promised to bomb Ameri- ca’s enemies “until the sand glows.” Another proposed banning all Muslims from entering the United States. Another was stumped by ed- itorial board questions that a Gates, Brzezinski or Scow- croft would have swatted away without breaking a sweat. And the other has been so reckless with Amer- ica’s classified secrets that the State Department con- cluded that releasing some sent through her unsecured email server would cause grave damage to U.S. na- tional security. Any one of these four candidates could go a long way in narrowing their credibility gap with foreign policy leaders by following the advice of Brzezinski and putting Gates on their presidential ticket. Though it is unlikely the former de- fense secretary and CIA chief would reenter the world of Washington poli- tics, the situation we face is grim. It would take the re- emergence of a leader such as Robert Gates to signal to the world that America is ready once again to get se- rious about its indispens- able role in the world. Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman from Florida, hosts the MSNBC show ‘Morning Joe.’ 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” Though hard to believe, the current crop of candidates running for president may prove to be even worse than George W. Bush and Barack Obama. LETTER Policing our funds What is happening in the Cayman Islands govern- ment today? Spending money on things like CCTV that do not work or do not work at night, and paying millions of dollars for that service. Having a police force the size of the Cayman Islands’, and not having po- lice officers stationed in the other districts of the islands and having to wait 30 or 40 minutes for a officer to reach the emergency scene. That’s not value for money. Then we have the Cayman police department training the police; that was like having the blind leading the blind. Why do not we have our police officers trained in the U.K. where they learn to work with who they have and who they don’t know, instead of been trained to work with family and friends? I think that this might be the reason why the crime issue is where it is today. Most of all the politi- cians cannot see what is hap- pening, what is wrong and what needs to be addressed as leaders of the islands. Ron Ebanks Joe ScarboroughThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 In Cayman we have world class accountancy jobs, scholarships and training opportunities for Caymanians. From entry-level jobs to global leadership positions, we’re here to realise dreams for future generations. GEORGE TOWN WWW.CIIPA.KY WE’RE HERE. Formerly the Cayman Islands Society of Professional Accountants6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Brighter ideas. Brighter talent. There’s a world of opportunity at Ogier. We’re always looking to recruit the best people to help us achieve our goals. We’ve recently opened our Scholarship Programme, which is designed to ensure you gain practical and financial support in your journey toward success within the legal profession. As a leading Cayman law firm, we are serious about recruiting and developing the best lawyers. We are committed to investing in your future. 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Do you aspire to achieve a successful legal career? ogier.com Legal services in British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Guernsey Hong Kong Jersey Luxembourg Shanghai Tokyo 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 4.3% 1.2% -2.7% -0.2% 1.3% 1.5% 2.4% -6.3% Bouchard says she became engaged to her alleged victim CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Michelle Bouchard and the man she is accused of stealing from became engaged in early 2012, she told Justice Paul Worsley on Thursday. She was in her second day of giving evidence in her trial for charges of dishonesty that include theft from James Handford of more than $2 mil- lion between May 2010 and October 2012. The judge asked about Bouchard’s engagement to Mr. Handford when the defendant was explaining her answers to an officer at Butterfield Bank who had requested an up- date of account information in August, 2012. She had said, “The person I have the joint ac- count with is my fiancé, James Handford.” In reply to the judge’s ques- tion, “When did you become engaged?” Bouchard said, “We became engaged in the spring- time of 2012.” Her attorney, Peter Carter, asked her to explain a check for $500,000 she had depos- ited to her personal account in May 2011. Bouchard said she had asked Mr. Handford for a loan because she needed the secu- rity of having her own home, but Mr. Handford told her he was giving her the money as a gift. One of the charges against Bouchard is that on May 27, 2011, she stole “a chose in ac- tion” – namely a debt owed by the bank to Mr. Handford – by presenting a check drawn on Mr. Handford’s private CI account, for payment to her personal account. Mr. Carter asked if Mr. Handford said whether he expected anything in return for the $500,000. “Nothing,” she replied. He asked what their re- lationship was at the time. She said they were “basi- cally a couple – we just hadn’t had sex.” The jury has heard of con- cerns that Bouchard had about forming an intimate re- lationship with Mr. Handford, in part because of his age. In May 2011, he was 83 and she was 50. Asked what the effect of the gift had on her feelings for Mr. Handford, she said, “I fi- nally felt I had met a man that would be serious with me. I was very grateful.” At the time, his health was good and his memory was good, she said. Mr. Carter began his ques- tioning of the defendant on Wednesday afternoon by re- minding her that she was charged on an indictment containing 26 counts alleging theft and forgery. “Did you do any of those things?” Bouchard replied, “No, I did not.” He then asked if she had transferred money. She said, “Yes, I did.” Mr. Carter queried, “Was any of that money the pro- ceeds of theft?” Bouchard re- plied, “That is incorrect.” She was asked to look at entries she had made in a se- ries of journals [referred to in an earlier story as diaries]. Bouchard explained that the journal was “a creative work- book” based on a book titled “The Artist’s Way,” which was about spirituality and cre- ativity. The workbook con- tained questions and suggested exercises. She wrote “what came out of my consciousness when I first woke up.” Asked if the writing was fact or fiction, she said it could be anything. “Did you want it to make you look better than you were?” Mr. Carter asked. “No,” she re- plied. He also asked about various transactions from the joint account Mr. Handford opened in May 2010. Bouchard’s testimony continued into Thursday afternoon. Hewitt bankruptcy hearing adjourned till June 2 TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Grand Court Justice Ingrid Man- gatal on Thursday morning con- tinued bankruptcy proceedings by Minister of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs Tara Rivers against John Gordon Hewitt – and wife Velma Powery-Hewitt – until Thursday June 2. Meeting at 10 a.m. in the judge’s chambers, the West Bay couple and counsel for Ms. Rivers, Paul Keeble of Hampson and Company, ultimately adjourned the session for seven weeks. While none of the parties to the action would comment, the cause arises from a Jan. 29 petition in which Ms. Rivers asked the court to enforce a March 15, 2015, decision by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie to hold the Hewitts responsible for Ms. Rivers $138,666.79 Grand Court costs, incurred defending against a constitutional challenge to her eli- gibility for May 22, 2013, elections. The petition asked the Grand Court to find Mr. Hewitt bank- rupt after he failed to answer Jus- tice Smellie’s decision, and set a hearing for April 14 in the Fi- nancial Services Division of the Grand Court. Michelle BouchardThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 Located on The Crescent / Open Mon-Sun from 12-11pm 345.949.5314 / thekingsheadcayman@gmail.com / Follow on CAMANABAY.COM CAMANA BAY WELCOMES THE KING’S HEAD Discover a traditional London pub overlooking the Caribbean Sea Walking through the double doors of The King’s Head is to be transported in time and space. Sit inside to take in the unique décor or enjoy a view of the water with bar bites and drinks shared atop beer barrels or at the communal tables with traditional bench seating. Pull up a bar stool for a pint and enjoy the company of the bar mascot, Winston. An English bulldog, he embodies his namesake, Mr. Churchill, with his hedonistic appreciation for good food and alcohol and his penchant for relaxation. Chat with the friendly staff, raise a pint to Winston and enjoy a drink the ‘proper old English’ way.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman Brac and Miami in recent years. “The safety and security of passengers is a top pri- ority for the Cayman Islands Airports Authority and the security tax increase is nec- essary to ensure that we continue to meet all the ap- plicable aviation security reg- ulations,” Mr. Anderson said. Assorted fees charged to passengers in the Cayman Islands, from environmental taxes, to departure taxes, to terminal fees and the pas- senger facilities charge were totalled at nearly US$65 per plane ticket in mid-2014. When asked about the passenger fees at that time, Mr. Anderson said there were “no plans for any further raises in the near future.” An accounting analysis by PwC of the proposed Owen Roberts Airport expansion in Grand Cayman noted the passenger facilities charge stood at US$15.85. The PwC analysis stated that, although those fees were expected to be the main source of funding for airport expansion, there was “limited scope” to raise any airport fees and taxes because those levies are al- ready quite high when com- pared to the rest of the Ca- ribbean region. Government Finance Min- ister Marco Archer has reg- ularly pledged against the Cayman Islands government raising new fees and renewed that pledge again as early as last November during the administration’s strategic policy statement. Mr. Archer said the up- coming 2016/17 government budget will contain no new taxes or fees for the financial year, which starts on July 1. “Government does not plan to introduce any major new revenue measures during the next three fi- nancial years,” Mr. Archer said in November. “Instead, we are focusing our efforts on improving the enforce- ment and rate of collec- tion on the existing suite of revenue measures.” The Cayman Islands Airports Authority is a sepa- rately run statutory authority, operated under the auspices of a government-appointed board rather than directly under the civil service and deputy governor’s office. Airport security tax raised more than 30% director of Butterfield Bank (Cayman) Limited, said in a press release. “We wanted to honor all of them with a special luncheon before the event to recognize the hard work and dedication that has brought them to this stage,” he added. James Watler, senior customer service man- ager at the Department of Education Services, which organizes the Na- tional Children’s Fes- tival of the Arts, said the competition has been one of the highlights of the festival over the past nine years. “It has encouraged young people to aspire to reach for the stars as they hone their musical talents and as they excel in becoming the best that they can be,” Mr. Watler said. “The high quality of musical talents that we are now reaping from our students is remarkable.” He added, “Our vi- sionary forefathers who started the [National Children’s Festival of the Arts] some 34 years ago can be justly proud of how far we have come over these years. “The [festival] over this time helped and con- tinues to help in many ways to shape the fu- ture development and growth of the arts in the Cayman Islands. Thus, having partnerships with entities such as Butter- field, which has so gra- ciously stepped up to the plate and sponsors this aspect of the NCFA, dem- onstrates the public-pri- vate partnership that ex- ists between the Cayman Islands Government and members of the pri- vate sector who so will- ingly give to this most worthy cause.” The finalists will per- form two contrasting pieces in their chosen category of either vocal, piano, strings, woodwind or brass, and an overall winner and runner- up will be selected by the judges. The event is open to the public. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, at the Prospect Playhouse. The competition begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for $5 for adults and $2 for children. tax agencies. Jude Scott, CEO of Cayman Finance, in an in- terview responded to the criticism he’s heard from reports out of the U.K. Parlia- ment: “They haven’t invested the time to understand the system we do have.” He said the comments from Mr. Corbyn and British Members of Parliament come down to politics. He called the beneficial ownership issue “a political football, adding, “Those who don’t quite un- derstand it, don’t want to.” Labour’s John McDon- nell later in the debate on the Panama Papers repeated Mr. Corbyn’s line, saying Mr. McLaughlin “celebrated vic- tory over the U.K.” Mr. McDonnell said, “We must ensure that Crown de- pendencies and overseas ter- ritories enforce far stricter minimum standards of trans- parency for company and trust ownership. The govern- ment’s current program for reform is being laughed at by the tax havens.” He added, “The truth is that the government are playing into the hands of those who want to abuse the tax system.” Later in the discussion, Stewart Hosie, with the Scot- tish National Party, said, “It is worth reminding ourselves that at a single address in the Cayman Islands, Ugland House, there are 19,000 reg- istered businesses. I am cer- tain that some of them will be legal, but many will not be. Many will be companies whose beneficial owners remain hidden from the tax authorities there, here or elsewhere.” He added, “We have, in essence, an international system of finance that en- ables tax avoidance on an industrial scale, a system that hides from scrutiny the owners of vast wealth while the ordinary man, woman or business in the street does not have, and does not want, that luxury.” Cayman’s Panama Papers PR problem Cayman Finance’s Mr. Scott said that representa- tives should be “spending more time with folks in the U.K. Parliament and the NGOs” who criticize Cay- man’s beneficial ownership regime. But that is, as he said earlier, dependent on whether they want to understand. The massive leak of doc- uments from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca detailing the offshore busi- ness dealings of people and companies around the world has brought offshore finance to the front pages of newspapers and leading news programs from the United States to Germany to Australia. Two of Cayman’s biggest trading partners and pa- trons, the U.S. and the U.K., have had debates among lawmakers and legal moves to shore up tax avoidance and push for transparency in offshore centers like the Cayman Islands. Leaders in Cayman have been quick to try to distin- guish businesses here from the sometimes illegal deal- ings seen with the Panama Papers leak. “Cayman is not Panama,” Premier McLaughlin said to more than 100 people gath- ered for the Internet Mar- keting Association conference just days after the leak hit the headlines. In several public appear- ances since the early April revelations of the Panama Pa- pers, the premier has ham- mered away on the message that Cayman’s financial ser- vices sector, the islands’ big- gest industry, is for legiti- mate business. “We don’t want customers looking to break the law,” he said at a press conference earlier this week announcing the new deal to share bene- ficial ownership information with overseas authorities. “If there is bad business here, they would be well advised to migrate some- where else,” the premier said in response to questions at the press conference. The Panama Papers is a collection of millions of re- cords, documents and other data going back more than 40 years from Mossack Fon- seca. An anonymous source leaked the trove to a German newspaper a year ago, and since then a consortium of hundreds of journalists from around the world have been digging into the information. The news organizations released their first stories April 3, and since then the revelations have led to the resignation of Iceland’s prime minister, a new resigna- tion at FIFA, and pushes for more transparency around the globe. Police in Panama raided the law firm this week, and the leaks sparked fresh raids by Swiss police targeting offi- cials with FIFA. This week 28 countries sent tax officials to Paris to coordinate a strategy to investigate possible tax evasion documented in the Panama Papers. The International Consor- tium of Investigative Jour- nalists, which has been the central hub for the reporting, wrote in a recent story, “A spokeswoman for Ireland’s tax authority said revenue officials will ‘explore possi- bilities of cooperation and information-sharing, iden- tify tax compliance risks and agree on collaborative ac- tion, in light of the Panama Papers revelations.’” Increasing security costs are about to hit all Cayman Islands travelers in the wallet. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Young Musician of the Year finalists announced CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 UK opposition slams Cayman for beneficial ownership ‘victory’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “Due to the increases in security requirements over the years, it has become necessary for the Cayman Islands Airports Authority to raise the security tax.” ALBERT ANDERSON, CEO, Cayman Islands Airports Authority The Butterfield Young Musician of the Year, which launched in 2008, is a showcase for some of Cayman’s most talented young artists. Leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY APRIL 15, 2016 ‘No show’ may be a legislative first BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Although Cayman polit- ical insiders said they were little surprised by govern- ment members skipping out on a meeting of their own parliament this week, it’s possible the “no show” for Wednesday’s meeting may be a first for the Cayman Islands. “It’s never happened in Cayman before,” said East End MLA Arden McLean, adding that he had not re- searched the matter thor- oughly but that typi- cally Westminster-style governments don’t miss their own meetings as a matter of practice. “You don’t boycott parlia- ment because you have the majority,” he said. Local attorney Steve McField said Wednesday that he has looked into the matter since the govern- ment’s plan not to attend the meeting was made public last week. Mr. McField said he looked at available re- cords since Cayman formed its first assembly of justices of the peace and vestrymen in December 1831. “My research has shown me this is the first time since [Cayman’s] parliament was created that a govern- ment has failed to attend after being summoned,” Mr. McField, a member of the 2015 Electoral Boundary Commission, said. Two attempts to hold a special emergency meeting of the Cayman Islands Leg- islative Assembly failed Wednesday after law- makers were unable to ob- tain the requisite number of attendees either in the morning or the afternoon. On Wednesday morning, all eight elected members of the Progressives polit- ical party did not attend the emergency meeting and did not send messages as to their whereabouts, leading House Speaker Ju- liana O’Connor-Connolly to adjourn the meeting and summons the missing members to appear later in the day. About four hours later, she attempted to reconvene the meeting. In that instance, Premier Alden McLaughlin attended to object to the lack of a quorum. Education Minister Tara Rivers had objected to the same issue during the morning meeting. In both instances, Ms. O’Connor-Connolly called a five-minute recess to seek to summons absent lawmakers to the chamber. Both times, no members of the govern- ment bench agreed to attend. The initial failure to give notice to the Speaker raised the specter of ab- sent members facing par- liamentary sanction for doing so, but later in the day, eight members from the government bench – in- cluding Minister Rivers who had attended that morning – gave apologies for their non-appearance. The two motions set to be considered in the special meeting are due to be heard when the House resumes meeting on April 25. Premier McLaughlin said he could not confirm the historical nature of Mr. Mc- Field’s and Mr. McLean’s claims about this being the first time a government had not attended a Legislative Assembly meeting. However, Mr. McLaughlin noted the two specially called meet- ings in his own political ex- perience, one in November 2001 and one in December 2012, had the support of a majority of elected mem- bers. He said the meeting called Wednesday clearly did not. “In both instances, the meetings were used to change the government,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “Both requests for the meetings were supported by a ma- jority of the House.” Mr. McLaughlin said the legal provision that allows only seven members of the House – a minority – to re- quest a special or emergency meeting is a “hangover” from the days when the Legisla- tive Assembly consisted of only 12 members and seven represented the majority. Since then, the membership has been increased to 15 elected lawmakers in 1992 to 18 in 2013. The membership is due to increase by one more, to 19, at the next general election. “It was intended that the majority of the House could call a meeting even if Ex- ecutive Council [now called Cabinet] didn’t want it,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “With the House presently constituted of 18 elected members, what we have now is an anomaly where the minority can call a meeting but not pro- vide a quorum to conduct business.” That is precisely what occurred on Wednesday, forcing Speaker Ms. O’Connor-Connolly to ad- journ the emergency meeting until April 25. Independent MLAs Ez- zard Miller and Mr. McLean called the government’s move an affront to democ- racy which would come back to haunt the Progres- sives at the polls. “Every government that has tried to control with such strong-arm tac- tics has paid the price,” Mr. McLean said. “My research has shown me this is the first time since [Cayman’s] parliament was created that a government has failed to attend after being summoned.” STEVE MCFIELD, attorney Wednesday’s Legislative Assembly meeting may be the first time a government has not attended after being summoned to parliament. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER Tourist fined $1,000 over 6 bullets in carry-on luggage No conviction recorded CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Six bullets in her carry-on luggage cost a tourist $1,000 after she pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm (am- munition) without a license. Paula Ashley Timmerman, of Austin, Texas, appeared before Magistrate Grace Don- alds on Wednesday. She had been stopped at Owen Rob- erts Airport on Monday, April 11, when she and her mother were leaving the island. Defense attorney John Furniss told the court that both the defendant and her husband hold firearm per- mits in their home state. The carry-on bag belonged to her husband and he did not check it before giving it to her to use for the trip and she did not check it either, the attorney said. “They had been checked at the airport in Austin,” Mr. Furniss pointed out, “and nothing was found.” However, when the carry-on went through security in Cayman, the bullets were found in an outside pocket. Mr. Furniss produced a letter sent by the defendant’s husband and confirming his wife’s explanation. Mrs. Timmerman, 27, spent all of Tuesday between Customs and the new de- tention facility in Fairbanks, Mr. Furniss advised. Offi- cials brought the files for Wednesday morning so that the matter could be heard and the defendant could leave Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Furniss pointed out that she had no criminal his- tory anywhere and he asked that no conviction be re- corded for this offense. The magistrate agreed, but ordered payment of $1,000 as the costs of prose- cution, not as a fine. Mr. Furniss noted that his client did not hold hard feeling against anyone for the incident and she hoped to visit Cayman again. Her mother had stayed here with her, he added. The magistrate ordered payment of $1,000 as the costs of prosecution, not as a fine.Next >