ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY APRIL 25, 2016 High of 87 Low of 76 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY Politics Another scandal in the South 4 Education A long wait for college hopefuls 8 Science Why isa good cry helpful? 17 5 Myths About tax havens 23 Cancer’s new foe Social-media titanSean Parker has turned his focusto a social scourgePA GE 12 THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2016. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE WASHINGTON POST Cancer’s new foe Seven mile beach WaWaW TaTa eRFROnT WalWalW KeRS ROaD TOWn cenTRe PlaZa SPORTS | PAGE 17 THOUSANDS TURN OUT FOR DG’S RUN/WALK HospiceCare fundraiser MLA Joey Hew and wife Cynthia attend the annual HospiceCare dinner at Ristorante Pappagallo in West Bay. More photos on Page 14. Ministry’s open records response ‘verged on obstruction’ Issue reported to deputy governor BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Information Com- missioner’s Office said Friday that it will make a formal report to the deputy gov- ernor’s office alleging that government of- ficials verged on a “complete denial” of a Freedom of Information applicant’s rights under the law and constitution after it took nearly two years for an FOI request for records related to the local pensions investment laws to be resolved. As a result of the lengthy process to settle the open records request, a number of reports related to the National Pen- sion Law [Investment Regulations] amend- ment – completed in 2014 – were released, Police’s finest honored at gala Police Constable Fernando Soto (photo, right) received the Police Officer of the Year award from Police Commissioner David Baines, Governor Helen Kilpatrick and Premier Alden McLaughlin at the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s annual Outstanding Service Awards. Saturday night’s gala affair may prove to be the last major public appearance for the police commissioner (photo, above), who is leaving Cayman at the end of May. About 400 people attended the event at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, which honored officers and civilians for acts of courage, professionalism and selflessness. Proceeds from the fundraiser and awards ceremony benefit the Police Welfare Fund. More coverage, Pages 12 and 13. – PHOTOS: STEPHEN CLARKE PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Volleyball drama Before rushing to the U.S. to participate in a bone marrow transplant, Jessica Wolfenden performs brilliantly at the NORCECA volleyball tournament. See Page 18.2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 25, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 640-FILM (640-3456) 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 - MR RIGHT (R) 1:10 I 3:50 I 7:10 I 9:40 THE JUNGLE BOOK 3D (PG) 1:00 I 1:30 2D I 3:30 I 4:00 2D I 6:30 7:00 2D I 9:00 I 9:30 2D THE BOSS (R) 1:00 I 3:40 I 7:15 I 9:50 HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR 3D (PG13) 1:20 I 4:15 2D I 7:20 I 10:00 2D BATMAN V SUPERMAN DAWN OF JUSTICE 3D (PG13) 12:30 I 3:45 2D I 8:00 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 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 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 25th - 29th, 2016 TREASURE ISLAND SWIMMING LESSONS SUMMER TERM May 2nd-June 28th FUN & AFFORDABLE SWIMMING LESSONS FOR ALL AGES! Tel: 925-0895 Email: info@iswimcayman.com www.iswimcayman.com iSwim Cayman + Safety School An a capella group, a music therapy program, a writer, moviemakers and a school string ensemble have received grants for the arts from the Cayman National Cultural Foundation. Following a review by the foundation’s grant com- mittee in March, filmmakers of “Tripping Through,” Carib- bean Haven’s music therapy program, a capella group the Singrays, Martin Keeley’s book the “Marvelous Man- groves” and the George Town Primary string ensemble pro- gram are the latest art proj- ects to receive grants. Based on the novel of the same name, “Tripping Through” is a romantic comedy produced, filmed and directed in the Cayman Islands by Malcolm Ellis. The film’s screenplay was written by Michelle Morgan, who also portrayed Karly, the lead character. “We were constantly amazed by the amount of community interest and support we encoun- tered,” Ms. Morgan said in a press release. “There was no initial funding for the film, and we wouldn’t have been able to complete it without in-kind support from the Cayman acting and TV/film commu- nity, as well as local busi- nesses that let us film at their locations,” said Mr. Ellis. “And now with this finan- cial support from CNCF,” he added, “we’ll be able to max- imize our exposure both lo- cally and internationally.” The duo said the grant will help them obtain more local exposure, and they hope to submit their film to inter- national film festivals. Kimberly Ferbes, a residential counselor at Ca- ribbean Haven, said the center is appreciative of the grant. “Since music is already a significant part of our Cay- manian communities, using this medium in the thera- peutic and healing process supports the clients’ personal growth in a creative way,” she said. She added that the foun- dation’s grant will allow the facility to continue offering innovative treatment pro- grams to clients. Founding member of the Singrays, Nicholas Dixey, said the funds will enable the group to buy sound equip- ment and “to perform at new venues where we can reach more of the community with music.” The a capella group per- forms a variety of music styles, from classical to modern. For the past 17 years, Martin Keeley has traveled extensively, delivering the Marvelous Mangroves edu- cation program, which has been translated and adapted by 13 countries. Mr. Keeley, education director of the Mangrove Action Project, said the grant will enable him to publish the “Marvelous Mangroves” book. Stories will be illus- trated by Daniella Christian, a Cayman Brac student, and will be made available locally and internationally through the Mangrove Action Project. The string ensemble pro- gram at George Town Pri- mary School also stated its appreciation for the grant. Cheyenna Stewart, pres- ident of George Town Pri- mary’s Parent Teacher As- sociation, said, “This grant will further the success of the students in the string ensemble.” The Cayman National Cultural Foundation is accepting grant applications through July 15. Cayman residents and art groups are invited to apply. Grants will be announced in September. For grant guidelines, forms and information, contact vfoster@ artscayman.org or call 949-5477. Cultural grants announced From left, managing director of the Cayman National Cultural Foundation Marcia Muttoo with ‘Tripping Through’ director Malcolm Ellis and screenplay writer Michelle Morgan. Martin Keeley, author of ‘Marvelous Mangroves,’ with Cayman National Cultural Foundation’s Marcia Muttoo. A mini mart in West Bay was robbed by an armed suspect Thursday night, Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice reported. Police said Eddie’s Mini Mart, also known as Malcolm’s, on Birch Tree Hill Road was held up around 8:30 p.m. A store employee told police a man wearing a backpack entered the store brandishing a weapon, de- manding cash and ciga- rettes. He left on foot fol- lowing the robbery. No one was hurt and no arrests were immediately reported. Robber strikes West Bay store MIAMI (AP) – Cuba has loosened a policy banning Cuban-born people from ar- riving by sea, allowing Car- nival Corp. to go forward with the first U.S. cruise to the island in a half-century, the Cuban government and the Miami-based cruise line announced Friday. The company at first barred Cuban-born Ameri- cans from buying tickets for the planned May 1 cruise to comply with Cuba’s ban, drawing complaints from the Cuban-American com- munity in Miami and a dis- crimination lawsuit. Then, the company said it would sell tickets to Cuban-Amer- icans but hold the cruise only if Cuba relented and changed its policy. Early Friday, Cuban state media announced the loosening of the maritime ban, and Carnival CEO Ar- nold Donald said in a state- ment that the trip would go forward May 1 from Miami. The 704-passenger Adonia of Carnival’s Fathom brand is scheduled to make the initial seven-day trip. Donald said Carnival negotiated a change in Cuban policy, and that now its cruise ships and other commercial vessels will be treated the same as aircraft, which already are per- mitted to carry Cuban-born passengers. HISTORIC CRUISE ALLOWS CUBAN-BORN TRAVELERS Grand Court jurors are advised that their report date has been changed. Ju- rors in the April to July session should now report for duty on Monday, May 2, at 9:45 a.m. For the most up-to-date information, call the Jury Information line on 945-5072. Jury notice3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 25, 2016 Apply today and get FREE† additional cards! Reward yourself in two easy ways Choose one or both! Welcome Bonus offers end May 31, 2016. †Conditions apply. Subject to credit approval. Offers subject to change without notice. Customers earn 7,000 AAdvantage Miles as follows. You earn a welcome bonus of 3,000 AAdvantage Miles on your first purchase of any amount. Thereafter, you earn an additional 2,000 AAdvantage Miles after you have spent a cumulative amount of USD$ 800 on your new Scotiabank / AAdvantage MasterCard® credit, plus you earn a further 2,000 AAdvantage Miles when you add one or more supplemental cards to your account during the first 3 cycles from the account open date. Visit cayman.scotiabank.com/bonusrewards for full Terms & Conditions. ®Registered trademark of the Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. American Airlines® reserves the right to change AAdvantage® program rules, regulations, travel awards and special offers at any time without notice, and to end the AAdvantage® program with six months notice. Any such changes may affect your ability to use the awards or mileage credits that you have accumulated. Unless specified, AAdvantage® miles earned through this promotion/offer do not count toward elite-status qualification or Million MilerSM status. American Airlines® is not responsible for products or services offered by other participating companies. For complete details about the AAdvantage® program, visit www.aa.com/aadvantage. Scotiabank issues the Scotiabank/AAdvantage® card. American Airlines®, AAdvantage® and Million Miler are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. ®MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. /ScotiabankKY Go to cayman.scotiabank.com/bonusrewards to see how your rewards can add up. †† Scotiabank Gold MasterCard ® Get a Welcome Bonus of US$40† Cash Back Cash Back Scotiabank / AAdvantage® MasterCard® Get a Welcome Bonus of up to 7,000 AAdvantage ® miles † Travel Rewards Cayman_Q2 Credit Card2016_5.0667x15.8975_Half Page.indd 14/18/16 6:12 PM JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Around 10 “serious com- plaints” are made about po- lice every year, according to an analysis of the likely work- load of a new police com- plaints unit by the Deputy Governor’s Office. The data appears in an appendix to the business case for the new ombuds- man’s office, which also sug- gests an average of around 100 more “routine complaints” are filed annually against the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Government plans to in- clude two dedicated posts for investigators in the new office to look into the more serious complaints against police. Peter Gough, strategic ad- viser in the Deputy Governor’s Office, said the unit would provide, for the first time, a completely independent means of investigating police complaints. He hopes the move will go some way toward addressing public concerns about police accountability. In two recent high-pro- file cases, the relatives of vic- tims have expressed concern about internal investigations into allegations of police misconduct. The family of five boaters, lost at sea since early March, called for a public, indepen- dent judicial inquiry into the circumstances of the po- lice rescue effort in that in- cident. The Governor’s Office announced last week that the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency would carry out an investigation. Similarly, the family of a 20-year-old motorcyclist se- riously injured after a police chase called for an indepen- dent investigation into the cir- cumstances of that incident. Mr. Gough said the police complaints officers in the new ombudsman’s office would be the starting point for those type of complaints. He said they would have the ability to call in more resources in par- ticularly serious cases and would have the authority to refer cases directly to the De- partment of Public Prosecu- tions if necessary. “There is quite a bit of mistrust out there when you read the blogs and look at some of the surveys that have been done,” he said, adding that people fear there will be consequences or “that it will be swept under the carpet” if they complain about the police. Whether or not that per- ception is fair, it is harmful to the process, Mr. Gough said. He said he believes police leadership also want com- plaints to be investigated independently. “It improves customer con- fidence in the police, and I think it will actually improve morale in the police,” he said. The Police Law, 2010, calls for an independent Po- lice Complaints Authority to be established. Mr. Gough said the law would have to be tweaked for the functions to be absorbed into the ombuds- man’s office, but he insists this is not a half-measure. He said combining the ad- ministrative and back-office functions of the Office of the Complaints Commissioner, the Information Commission- er’s Office and the new police complaint’s department, frees up funding to pay investiga- tors’ salaries. Statistics from the po- lice service’s internal Profes- sional Standards Unit, which currently has responsibility for investigating such com- plaints, suggest the work would be manageable for two investigators, said Mr. Gough, though he expects the number of complaints to rise once the public realizes there is an in- dependent investigatory body. The investigators in the ombudsman’s office would take charge of the more se- rious complaints, as well as review the Professional Stan- dards Unit’s response to the more minor cases and act as an appeals body for complainants. He said the type of com- plaints range from the time it takes officers to arrive and take a report, to more serious allegations such as violence by a police officer or car- rying out a search without a warrant. The planned ombuds- man’s office will have a wide remit, ranging from investi- gating disputes over access to public records to policing data protection legislation, with distinct technical officers for each area. As it stands, the plan is to have two police complaints investigators, two maladministration investiga- tors and three Freedom of In- formation officers. Four more officers could be added if data protection legislation is passed. Exactly what background and qualifications the police investigators will have is still to be determined. Mr. Gough said hiring former police officers raised concerns about true indepen- dence when it was tried in the U.K. “There were concerns about the collegiate relation- ship between ex-policemen and serving officers. Now they have moved more towards in- dependent investigators who are not police and they are in turn training young lawyers to do the job. “I think that would be preferable,” Mr. Gough said. New police complaints office to be staffed with two investigators A man who police said pulled a gun on two Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officers was arrested early Friday in George Town’s Pros- pect neighborhood. Jonathan Welcome, 22, of Bodden Town was arrested on suspicion of possessing an unlicensed firearm. A 23-year- old woman at the Prospect address, as well as a female juvenile, were arrested on sus- picion of being an accessory to crime after the fact. Police said the suspects were being held at the Fair- banks police jail as of Friday. The RCIPS said Welcome confronted armed officers who were on patrol in the Mc- Field Square area around 1:30 a.m. on April 17. One officer pulled his weapon and or- dered him to drop the gun a number of times, police said. Welcome fled, refusing to drop the weapon. A number of res- idents were in the square, a popular nighttime hangout in George Town, and would have been in danger if a weapon had discharged, police said. Suspect in police standoff arrestedThe 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. 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 findtheirownway” MONDAY APRIL 25, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The level of precision, conscientiousness and coor- dination that goes into the creation of a building is truly remarkable. From the developer’s proposal, to the architect’s conception, through the engineer’s calculations and the construction crew’s toil — every square foot, every dollar and every hour must be accounted for so that the finished project lives up to its design and fulfills its purpose. It’s too bad that our public officials cannot be bothered to exercise an equivalent amount of atten- tion to detail when formulating laws and discharging duties. The government’s negligence in regard to development regulations has caused a major project on Seven Mile Beach to be halted, frozen the future construction of all buildings in the Cayman Islands above seven stories, and potentially introduced uncer- tainty into our country’s real estate market. Earlier this month, Grand Court Justice Seymour Panton overturned rulings by the Central Planning Authority and Planning Appeals Tribunal that had allowed Bronte Development Ltd. to construct a 10-story apartment building on Snooze Lane along the southern portion of Seven Mile Beach. Essen- tially, Justice Panton determined that planning officials could not grant approval for the construction of the 10-story building because planning law regulations do not outline setback requirements for buildings eight stories and above. He wrote, “There cannot be an ‘anything goes’ attitude in relation to buildings over seven storeys.” He added, “The limitation in the regulation to seven storeys mean, in my view, that the Central Planning Authority is restricted to dealing with a building of seven storeys. This is so until there is an amendment that provides for what is to happen in the case of buildings over seven storeys.” The potentially adverse effect of the judge’s ruling to the economy should be obvious. It pre- cludes the approval of what would by definition be among the largest real estate developments in Cayman. If the decision had been handed down earlier, it most likely would have, for example, fore- stalled the construction of Dart’s Kimpton hotel and the WaterColours condominiums. More generally, the judge’s overturning of the planning approvals may send a chill down the spines of many developers who might not feel they can trust the green lights being given to them by appointed citizen panels charged with interpreting and imple- menting, apparently, unclear and incomplete law. The government’s — pick your favorite adjective: piecemeal, helter-skelter, slapdash, etc. — approach to development regulations is analogous to its approach to many areas of administrative law, including immigra- tion. On some subjects, there is simply far too much at stake to leave anything to chance or legal challenge. In the short term, it behooves lawmakers to heed the judge’s advice and convene a meeting of Cabinet immediately in order to fix this oversight. The simplest way to bring maximum clarity to the situation might be to toss out building height restrictions altogether in the Seven Mile Beach corridor and allow the market, rather than fumbling government regulators, to dictate the future development of Grand Cayman’s economic crown jewel. The height of government regulatory folly EU could live without UK LEONID BERSHIDSKY Discussions of a possible British exit from the European Union often center on how the move would affect Britain it- self. It’s only natural, since British voters are the ones who will make the decision, and they care mainly about their own country. There are two sides to any divorce, how- ever, and the relatively passive partner – in this case the EU – must also consider the impact of losing Britain. The most obvious and most talked-about conse- quence for the EU would be the bad precedent: Britain’s departure would establish for the first time that the bloc can shrink, not just expand. But that may not be too impor- tant. Other EU countries won’t necessarily want to leave just because Britain does. The London-based Center for European Reform, a think tank with powerful corporate donors, has just published a report identifying more spe- cific effects that a British exit, or Brexit, might have on the EU. It didn’t find too many of them. Britain’s departure might actually be beneficial to the bloc’s cohesion, though it’ll lose an important voice on policy matters. That’s been a dissenting voice, for the most part. Be- tween 2009 and 2015, Britain was among the minority of states either voting against or abstaining from legislation in 13.3 percent of the cases – more than any other EU member. Yet Britain’s input was influential: It’s been the bloc’s strongest force for eco- nomic liberalization. In a 2015 paper, the strategic ad- visory firm Global Counsel wrote that, without Britain present, “it would become harder to block illiberal mea- sures. Moreover, there would likely be a new regulatory dy- namic.” The firm pointed out, however, that the EU would still be pressured to liber- alize its policies because it would be competing with Britain for investment. The Center for European Reform also points out that Northern European coun- tries such as the Netherlands would still advocate rela- tively liberal policies within the EU, though they won’t be as vigorous as the Brits in defending free trade. The EU probably won’t re- verse the trend toward de- regulation, but it might move more resolutely to pull its en- tire membership into the euro arena, or put the “euro outs” at a distinct disadvantage. Today, Britain is the “outs’” biggest champion; the eastern Euro- pean and Scandinavian coun- tries that have steered clear of the common currency won’t have as much clout against pro-euro France and Germany. There might also be a push toward supranational regulation of capital mar- kets and the harmonization of rules that govern them, including those on tax and bankruptcy. London might lose – and another financial center might gain – the big euro clearing houses. Though the U.K. capital would remain an important financial center, the finance industry will have to shift some operations to the continent. There would be few other economic consequences for the EU. It would probably ne- gotiate terms of trade with Britain the same as before an exit, since the British and con- tinental economies are inter- twined. The U.K. absorbs 16 percent of the exports of goods from the EU’s 27 non-British members, and there’s an even livelier trade in services. Nei- ther side will want to lose these economic advantages. The EU-27, however, will probably be more reluctant to negotiate trade deals with other important partners, such as the U.S. Continental Europeans are generally less enthusiastic about free trade than Brits are, and a Brit-less EU will be a much tougher negotiating partner for the U.S, Japan and China. Britain’s “special rela- tionship” with the U.S. is an asset for the Americans: It helps them find inroads into the EU. Brexit would change things: There would be fewer counterweights to Ger- many, where public opinion is ambivalent about the U.S. Without Britain, Europe will move further away from U.S.- inspired practices in matters such as privacy vs. security or fighting the terrorist threat. Britain has shaped the bloc’s terrorism policy more than any other country, and its expertise will be missed, but the other countries will eventually find their footing. That will be harder to do when it comes to defense. Britain is the biggest defense spender in the Union, with 21 percent of the bloc’s total military budget. Without Britain, the EU will be far less protected, and its mem- bers would either have to raise spending dramatically or depend even more on the U.S. than they do now. That would hand extra leverage to the U.S. and mitigate the loss of the “special relationship” as an EU-oriented policy in- strument. It would, however, also contribute to resentment between the U.S. and conti- nental Europe, which would be quite mutual. All in all – unless one be- lieves in the magical effect of Brexit on euroskeptics’ elec- toral performance throughout Europe – the EU’s losses from Brexit would be easily man- ageable. It’s likely that the mo- mentous event would bring the remaining EU members closer, ultimately contributing to the creation of a truly bor- derless market that, as a unit, would be more competitive with other global economic powers. The relationship with the U.S. would probably bal- ance itself after a while, and a solution would be found to the defense issue. There is, however, one problem that might prove harder to mitigate in the long run – that of Germany’s un- contested dominance. “Ger- many’s preponderance in the EU has grown in the past five years, because of the disen- gagement of Britain, the rela- tive weakness of both France and the European Commis- sion,” the Center for Euro- pean Reform report says. “This situation is not in Ger- many’s interests or those of the other member states.” Germany’s leadership is, to a degree, forced and reluc- tant. Without Britain’s spir- ited opposition, its role will be institutionalized. Even if the Union becomes closer as a result, there are likely to be more policy errors and more resentment against Germany as the driving force – an at- titude that is already wide- spread in southern and eastern Europe. Sometimes a strong dissenting force can be beneficial to a group, and that’s probably the biggest reason why the EU should hope to avoid Brexit Leonid Bershidsky, a Bloomberg View contributor, is a Berlin-based writer. © 2016, Bloomberg View5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 25, 2016 PremierHealth BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town.Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, Cayman Brac. Tel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Ltd. acts solely as an agent on behalf of various insurers; it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. More and more of your claims get the green light automatically ! You got 57% claims settled automatically first with BritCay. More claims get the green light automatically with BritCay. Local providers have free access to our health plan portal. 1 in 3 online visits are by providers, helping over half of claims to be submitted electronically. 96% of claims are settled in 5 days. BritCay budgets for high volumes of claims. We pay more claims, more accurately and quicker than any other local health insurance provider. CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky cgigrp In 1984, BritCay joined Colonial Group International (CGI). In 1995, BritCay was the first company to offer Cayman residents an overseas network option with world class facilities. It was the first of many changes to come.notable firsts! Barnes loses appeal against life sentence CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Jeffrey Barnes has lost his appeal against the sentence of life imprisonment for rape. The Court of Appeal heard arguments on April 11 and released its judgment on April 21. Barnes was 33 when he received the sentence from Justice Charles Quin after trial by jury in 2013 for an aggravated burglary and rape that occurred on Oct. 20, 2011. The Court of Appeal said Justice Quin’s sentencing re- marks were “very full and careful.” The sentence was im- posed under a provision of the Penal Code which per- mits a life sentence if a person is convicted after Aug. 31, 2004 of a second category A offense. Barnes had been found guilty of another rape in 2001, so the provision ap- plied to him. Director of Public Prose- cutions Cheryll Richards had also noted during the hearing that Barnes was convicted and sentenced for a third rape, which was committed on Oct. 29, 2011. It was prose- cuted first because the victim made her report first. In that incident, the victim was com- pelled to enter Barnes’s ve- hicle and then taken to a se- cluded area where the rape and an attempted rape oc- curred. Barnes had pleaded guilty and Justice Alexander Henderson sentenced him to 15 years, saying it would have been 20 if not for the guilty plea. Further, Ms. Richards ad- vised, Barnes’s Oct. 20, 2011 offending had occurred six months after he was released from prison after serving a sentence for indecent assault. Defense attorney Nicholas Dixey had argued that a life sentence was manifestly ex- cessive and wrong in law. He urged the court to substitute a term of 20 years. He de- scribed life as “the sentence of last resort.” Justice John Martin wrote the Court of Appeal’s judg- ment on behalf of himself, Justice Dennis Morrison and Justice Richard Field. He first cited the cir- cumstances of the crime for which the life sentence was imposed – entry into the woman’s home by night with a knife; holding the knife to her throat, using it to cut off her clothes and later put- ting it between her legs and threatening to cut her; three penetrations, including anal. When the woman told Barnes she had to go to work, he told her to act normal and not tell anyone what had hap- pened. She did tell her em- ployer, stayed away from her home that night and left the island the next morning. She later reported the incident to police; officers went to her apartment and found DNA which matched Barnes’s. The woman also described tat- toos on her attacker’s body; photographs of Barnes showed such markings. In a victim impact statement, the woman spoke of her fear, continuing night- mares and trouble trusting people. At trial, she had been ashamed to say out loud what he had done to her. “I came to the Cayman Islands to make my life better, and in coming here my life has been ruined,” she said. Justice Martin said Barnes’s offenses were un- doubtedly very serious, with many aggravating features. He said Justice Quin was plainly entitled to take the view that Barnes “would re- main a serious danger to the public for an indefinite period.” Justice Martin quoted from a U.K. case: “It is some- times impossible to say when that danger will subside, and therefore an indeterminate sentence is required, so that the prisoner’s progress may be monitored by those who have him under supervision in prison, and so that he will be kept in custody only so long as public safety may be jeopardized by his being let loose at large.” The appeal judge said Justice Quin’s conclusion was warranted by Barnes’s attitude, recorded in his psy- chological evaluation, “that when refused sex by females he met socially he becomes frustrated and ‘takes it,’ and by his admission (recorded in the same document) that he feels a sense of pleasure from taking sex by force.” Mr. Dixey had submitted the appeal last year, with one ground being that a life sen- tence was incompatible with Cayman’s Bill of Rights. Since then, however, the Condi- tional Release Law has come into effect. It provides that all prisoners serving what used to be whole life terms must have a specified term of imprisonment. CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Footage from closed circuit television cameras at more than four locations is part of the Crown’s case against Os- bourne Wilfred Douglas and Justin D’Angelo Ramoon, whose trial for the murder of Jason Powery began last week. Mr. Powery, 20, was shot in the head on the night of July 1, 2015, in front of a house on Martin Drive, near the Globe Bar off Shedden Road in George Town. Ramoon, now 24, and Douglas, 29, elected trial by judge alone. Justice Charles Quin is hearing the matter. Detective Constable Ronald Forbes told the court late Friday that he had viewed CCTV footage from various locations during time frames that started during daylight hours on July 1, 2015. The cameras were located at the Globe Bar; the Alpha Store, which is at the T-junction of Shedden Road and Mary Street; a business on Mary Street; and government CCTV cameras covering sections of West Bay. Mr. Forbes said at 7 p.m. he was seeing daylight. Night came gradually and affected his viewing. Sometimes the officer could not see faces on the CCTV, but he saw “signif- icant dress.” The court was shown daylight footage in which people appear whom Mr. Forbes identified as Ramoon and Douglas. He said he was able to bring each face close up and make the identi- fication. He made notes of the clothing and footwear worn by each man and their hair styles. Mr. Forbes explained ear- lier that he had known each man about nine years; they are brothers and he named other family members. He said he had seen the defen- dants frequently, sometimes two or three times a week. Director of Public Prose- cutions Cheryll Richards has advised that evidence will be heard from forensic video an- alyst Grant Frederick, but it was not certain when that would take place. Mr. Forbes has not yet completed his evidence. The court has already heard evidence from Jerome Hurlston, who testified last week that he saw Ramoon shoot Mr. Powery in the face from point-blank range. The next eyewitness was Justin Ebanks, who said he went to the Globe Bar with Mr. Powery after spending time in a yard in West Bay. When they arrived, they looked around, but “didn’t feel the vibes.” He said they didn’t know the area: “We never felt threat- ened, but our spirit didn’t pull to it.” Mr. Ebanks said Mr. Hurlston then arrived and suggested they go into the alleyway for a smoke. Mr. Ebanks said they went. He wasn’t feeling well because he had the flu. He sat down with his head down. Something told him to look up and when he did, he saw Douglas hand the gun to Ramoon. He never saw the man pull the trigger. When he heard the gunshot, he ran and then called 911. Mr. Ebanks agreed that he was now before the courts for possession of an unlicensed firearm. He said he got it for protection after Mr. Powery was killed. He told the court he has been in fear of his life since he gave his statement to police. He alleged that shortly after the defendants got their disclosure bundles, “they sent the threat out.” Trial is scheduled to con- tinue on Monday morning. Video shown in murder trialMONDAY APRIL 25, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 6 DISTRICT DAYS District Days George Town Prep goes wild for green on Earth Day Cayman Prep working hard toward making the primary school site a green place Cayman Prep school came together to celebrate Earth Day, which fell this year on Friday, April 22. Every child brought in $2 and was asked to wear green or anything to do with the environment. The school wanted to raise funds for a charity that works to protect the local en- vironment, choosing the National Trust for the Cayman Islands. The children were encouraged to get as creative as possible, with impressive results. The morning started with a spe- cial assembly and the hall was trans- formed into a sea of green, with some very creative costumes. Jessica Drysdale put in a monumental effort and came in as a tree, and others went as far as to make jellyfish, using um- brellas, or paint their faces with peacocks, the world and flowers. Others put flowers in their hair. The school’s Eco-warrior group played a big part in the day by designing posters to put around the school, visiting each class- room to explain what was happening on the day, and motivating students to get cre- ative, as well as helping the National Trust sell special Earth Day T-shirts. In an effort to be proactive about their environmental actions, the Eco-warriors decided to make it a no Styrofoam and no plastic day (unless it could be reduced, re- used and recycled). Cayman Prep will be working hard to- ward making the primary school site a green place to be, and the Eco-warriors led by teacher Siân Hawkes, will be coming up with ideas and projects to do this. Celebrating Earth Day at Cayman Prep were, back row from left, Jessica Dawson, Cameron Geddes, Tilly Geddes and Katelyn Lastrina; middle row from left, Jessica Drysdale, Scarlett Akiwumi, Abi Fawcitt, Scarlett Nadeau and Rayne Euvrard; and in the front row, from left, Zara Dawson, Sophia Gustafsson, Lauren Nehra, Lily McGrath and Annabella Voaden. In the April 27, 1966 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Com- pass, George Town correspondent Frances Bodden wrote: “Mrs. Dudley Parsons and her little daughter Kerry Rose left for Puerto Rico via Kingston on the 21st. Mr. Parsons is on the S.S. Commonwealth and his home port for the present is Puerto Rico, hence the visit of his family. “Dr. Giglioli left for Kingston on the 21st to attend an impor- tant conference with the standing advisory committee for medical research in the British Caribbean on which the Cayman Islands is included. “Rev. David Lapsley of Web- ster Memorial United Church, Kingston, Jamaica, arrived on the 24th of April and is the guest of Rev. Raymond Coke of the Manse, West Bay. Mr. Lapsley with his wife and two children spent a week in George Town a year ago. He will be carrying through a series of meetings at West Bay while here. “Miss Olive Bush of South Sound left for Jamaica on the 23rd on holiday looking quite charming and happy. Leaving on the same flight was nurse D. Lue of the George Town hospital who is on 10 days leave having injured 2 fingers in a washing machine. “Other departures to Jamaica were Dr. and Mrs. J.T. Burrowes who will be away from the island for a short while. His work will be carried on by his able nurses, Mr. Sammy Henriques who was on a three day visit, Mr. Johnnie Black of Esso, he being relief for Mr. James Bodden, who with his wife was on a short business trip, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Hopwood and Miss Carol McIntosh of Jamaica who were visitors to the island. “Mr. Bobby Soto has returned after a short business trip, also Mr. Yorke Kirkconnell who at- tended his step-mother’s funeral in Miami. Our condolences go out to Capt. Charles Kirkconnell in his bereavement. “Mrs. Rayal Bodden left from Miami on the 24th looking quite chic as usual. Also Mrs. Jacques Scott has gone on a 17 day visit to Florida. “Mrs. Eva Bodden arrived from New York in transit to Little Cayman. “Mr. Rudy Selzer, man- ager of Club Inferno, spent a few days in Kingston from Sunday to Thursday on business. “Mr. and Mrs. Rex Crighton are happy to publish the news that their first son arrived at 2:45 a.m. on the 21st, weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce, name – Dale Rex. “Another new arrival at the hospital this week was a baby girl weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces, born to Mr. and Mrs. Harris Wright on the 22nd.” 50 years ago: Dr. Giglioli attends a conference, plus comings and goings Getting firsthand experience of working in the financial services sector, six students ages 13-17 from John Gray and Clifton Hunter high schools recently spent the day at DMS Offshore Investment Services. The students were partici- pating in “Take our daughters and sons to work day,” organized by the Family Resource Centre on Thursday, March 23. Each student was paired with a DMS manager for a one-hour ses- sion to learn about the job func- tions in several of the firm’s ser- vice lines, including independent directorships, compliance finance, technology, legal and human resources. “DMS was pleased to support the Family Resource Centre in providing an enriching learning experience for our students, outside of their usual classroom activities,” said DMS Vice President for People and Develop- ment Jacqueline Terry. “All the students were enthusi- astic and questioning and, based on their feedback, we know the day’s event was helpful in focusing their minds on the value of their education and the possibilities for their future. In fact, it was a mu- tual learning experience.” Workplace sneak peek DMS Offshore Investment Services’s Talent Specialist Janelle Muttoo, far left, and Global Benefits Manager Janyccee Parchment, far right, with students, from left, Shanay Winton, Zaejah Ramoon, Chevon McKnight, Aiesha Brown, Sariah Ford-Ramoon and Khedar Munruddin.CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 25, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days George Town Casa Montessori students had lots of fun doing their part for Earth Day 2016, supporting the National Trust with their Earth Day T-shirts and creating some earth-inspired artworks. - PHOTO: AMANDA MARSDEN Wee cheers for Earth Day A spring Sunset Bay wedding ALMA CHOLLETTE achollette@pinnaclemeditaltd.com It was always a ques- tion of “when” rather than “if” when it came to Jarrod Farley asking Arikka Ebanks, his wife to be, for her hand in marriage. “We knew for a long time that we wanted to marry and grow old together,” he said. On March 26 at Sunset Bay in Prospect, the couple exchanged their “I do’s” in a spring ceremony officiated by Rev. Rohan Forrester. The couple first met at work and had been to- gether for nearly four-and- a-half years. Both Arikka, born in Grand Cayman, and Jarrod, born in England, are lawyers. Their journey to the altar started at The Muse Hotel in New York City. A business trip took Jarrod to New York, and Arikka joined him for the long weekend. Despite her mother’s suspicion that this would be “the” trip where Jarrod would propose, Arikka thought otherwise. “I didn’t think he would,” Arikka said, “because he was traveling for busi- ness and that meant that he would have to carry my engagement ring around with him every day when he visited Toronto, Boston and New York.” Jarrod thought otherwise. “I’d planned to ask Arikka on a big night out in New York,” he said. “But in the event, I was simply too ex- cited to wait.” He proposed just minutes after she walked into their hotel room, where Arikka was taken by surprise. “Of course, I was excited and said yes immediately,” she said. Before 75 guests, Anthony Ebanks walked his daughter down the aisle in a dress she fell in love with instantly on- line. “It was non-traditional, beautiful and suited the bo- hemian theme I had chosen for our wedding perfectly,” she said. “When I tried it on, and it was a perfect fit, I didn’t even bother trying on anything else because I knew it was ‘my dress.’” The bride was supported by a maid of honor and seven bridesmaids, three of whom were the groom’s daughters. As for the groom, he had his best friend fly out from England to be his best man on his wedding day. Before the ceremony began, the West Bay couple took a “first look” photog- raphy session, which caught the groom’s reaction to the bride in her gown. The kiss and embrace at the end of the ceremony was Jarrod’s favorite moment of the wedding. “All the tension of anticipation was released, and I felt pure joy and ex- citement about our future together,” he said. For Arikka, everything about her wedding day was perfect, she said. Some of her favorite memories in- cluded the catering from Mise en Place, the decora- tions and flower arrange- ments by Ann Odgen and her team, and her husband’s speech, “which was sweet and funny and showed how happy he was to officially become a part of my family,” she said. “It made me feel so lucky that we were going to be spending the rest of our lives together.” On Easter Monday, two days after the wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Farley left the is- land for their 10-day honey- moon in South Africa, which included a trip to the wine region in Stellenbosch, a day in Cape Town and then on to the Madikwe Reserve for a five-day safari. South Africa was the choice destination for the Farleys, as they both dreamed of visiting South Africa for many years, and with their friends also get- ting married in Stellenbosch, “we jumped at the chance to celebrate both marriages,” Mr. Farley said. Newlyweds Arikka and Jarrod Farley at the Rankine House at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. - PHOTOS: DEEP BLUE IMAGES Arikka and Jarrod Farley were married at Sunset Bay.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY APRIL 25, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Trust Company Ltd., Nagoya JAPAN - Satisfying customers since 1988 get an instant quote on our website: +81-52-219-9024 sales@japanesevehicles.com facebook.com/JapaneseVehicles f VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 2013 7,880 US$ S/N 174326 SUZUKI SWIFT 2008 2,780 US$ S/N 176007 LEXUS IS 250 2007 7,300 US$ S/N 174285 TOYOTA CAMRY 2009 6,100 US$ S/N 175984 MERCEDES C-CLASS 2013 17,800 US$ S/N 175908 HONDA CIVIC 2009 5,980 US$ S/N 174409 BMW 320I COUPE 2009 6,900 US$ S/N 176031 HONDA ACCORD 2006 2,300 US$ S/N 175917 TOYOTA CROWN 2011 20,000 US$ S/N 172955 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. 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Aside from the issue of the records’ release, it was the time taken by the ministry in responding to the May 2014 FOI request and what were de- scribed as delay tactics that were of the most concern to Acting Information Commis- sioner Jan Liebaers. “In short, the ministry’s manner of responding to the request and the search that was undertaken [for the re- cords] were unacceptable, verging on a complete denial of the applicant’s rights and an obstruction of the process required under the FOI Law,” Mr. Liebaers wrote in an April 22 decision. “These deficiencies are systemic in nature and ur- gently need to be addressed. “I intend to draw the deputy governor’s attention to the many problems [with the request],” Mr. Liebaers added, noting that Deputy Governor Franz Manderson sought to publicly encourage civil service departments in October 2015 to improve their responses to open records requests. The Information Com- missioner’s Office has not taken such a step since it was formed in early 2009. Mr. Manderson declared in September 2013 that Cayman has an “open gov- ernment” when asked about the progress of the territory’s first Freedom of Information Law, which took effect on Jan. 5, 2009. In the case of the May 2014 open records query, the records sought were initially denied and then released in dribs and drabs as the process went along, spanning a period of more than 400 days, Mr. Li- ebaers said. In one instance, the infor- mation commissioner said, the ministry’s records manager ac- knowledged that certain re- cords sought by the FOI ap- plicant existed but that “a key staff member refused to co- operate with [the manager] to make sure the ministry met its legal obligations,” which Mr. Liebaers found to be “most concerning.” “I strongly suspect it was the prospect of the formal hearing that finally induced the ministry into action, al- most 400 days after the re- quest was first made,” Mr. Liebaers said. “[It is] a tactic that has been used in the past. This practice is not only contrary to the ministry’s ob- ligations under the FOI Law, but also wasteful of every- one’s time and resources and a very counterproductive way for government to commu- nicate with members of the general public.” Apart from the ministry’s mishandling of the open re- cords request, Mr. Liebaers said, there were some records sought via the FOI that eventu- ally ended up being exempted from public view, either be- cause they were deemed to be records of “free and frank” in- ternal discussions or because their release would have preju- diced the effective conduct of the public service. During the FOI hearing on the matter, ministry officials argued that the disclosure of the pension-related records would negatively impact gov- ernment’s general ability to consult on public policy matters. “When the government is in the process of identi- fying … legislative changes and formulating its views on the revisions that are in the best interest of the general public, this exercise should continue in a confidential manner that facilitates open communication. Otherwise, the result may negatively impact the overall policy de- velopment by subjecting the process to public scrutiny before decisions are fully developed.” The applicant for the pen- sion regulation records dis- agreed. He said the ministry failed to demonstrate how fully informing Cayman Is- lands employees about their pension funds could somehow be “necessary in the interests of good governance” and how it could “disrupt” the conduct of a process – management of retirement savings – created to benefit the public. “[The ministry’s position] is very disrespectful to all em- ployees in the islands,” the ap- plicant stated. Regardless of the argu- ments over the release of re- cords, Mr. Liebaers said he could think of no “good reason” why records related to an on- going review of a legislative process should not be readily at hand. In some instances, even requests from the Infor- mation Commissioner’s Office were ignored, he alleged. Ministry’s open records response ‘verged on obstruction’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A South Korean man watches a TV news program showing an image published Sunday in North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun newspaper of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. North Korea said Sunday that it successfully test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine. - PHOTO/AHN YOUNG-JOON N. Korea claims successful test of submarine-fired missile SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korea said Sunday that it successfully test- fired a ballistic missile from a submarine and warned of its growing ability to cut down its enemies with a “dagger of destruction.” South Korea couldn’t im- mediately confirm the claim of success in what marks Pyongyang’s latest effort to expand its military might in face of pressure by its neighbors and Washington. Hours before the an- nouncement, South Korean military officials said the North fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile from a submarine off its eastern coast. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectile traveled about 19 miles Saturday evening. That’s a much shorter than the typical distance of a submarine-launched bal- listic missile, which can fly at least 186 miles. A successful test from a submarine would be a worrying development be- cause mastering the ability to fire missiles from sub- merged vessels would make it harder for outsiders to detect what North Korea is doing before it launches, giving it the potential to surprise its enemies. While South Korean ex- perts say it’s unlikely that North Korea currently pos- sesses an operational sub- marine that can fire multiple missiles, they acknowledge that the North is making progress on such technology. In a typical example of overblown rhetoric, the North’s Korean Central News Agency said leader Kim Jong Un observed from a test facility as the ballistic missile surged from a sub- marine and spewed out a “massive stream of flames” as it soared into the sky. It said the missile met all tech- nical thresholds. The KCNA report said that after the test Kim de- clared that the North now has another strong nuclear strike method and also the ability to stick a “dagger of destruction” into the heads of its enemies, South Korea and the United States, at any time. The KCNA report did not say when or where the re- cent test-firing took place. South Korean officials said the launch on Saturday took place near the North Ko- rean coastal town of Sinpo, where analysts have previ- ously detected efforts by the North to develop subma- rine-launched ballistic mis- sile systems. The North last test- launched a submarine- launched ballistic missile on Dec. 25, but that test was seen as failure, the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The North first claimed of a successful submarine-launched missile test in May last year. U.S. Strategic Command, headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, said its “systems detected and tracked what we assess was a North Korean submarine mis- sile launch from the Sea of Japan.” A statement from Stra- tegic Command added that the missile launch “did not pose a threat to North America.” U.S. military forces “remain vigilant in the face of North Korean provocations and are fully committed to working closely with our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies to maintain security,” it said. The U.S. State Department said that in response to Sat- urday’s launch, it was limiting the travel of North Korean For- eign Minister Ri Su Yong and his delegation to U.N. functions in New York, where they are at- tending a U.N. meeting on sus- tainable development. The U.S. noted “launches using ballistic missile technology are a clear violation of multiple U.N. Secu- rity Council resolutions.”9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 25, 2016 Government sought $108 per hour charge for FOI request BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands In- formation Commissioner has rejected an attempt by the government to charge an individual $108 per hour so a civil service de- partment could recover public records the person sought via a Freedom of Information request. Acting Information Com- missioner Jan Liebaers said in an April 18 decision that government departments are free to charge “reason- able costs” for the recovery of public documents or infor- mation where those are not readily available. However, in the particular case re- viewed, Mr. Liebaers said the fees government wanted to charge were not reasonable. To retrieve the records the applicant was seeking, the Department of Children and Family Services enlisted the help of government’s Computer Services Depart- ment to find “copies of all emails received from any agent at [the department] by myself from 2013-2014 and, equally, unearth any email that may have been deleted.” Retrieving already deleted emails, according to govern- ment officials, would require a broad search needing the assistance of computer tech- nicians. They initially pro- posed to charge the applicant $108 per hour for the search, totaling – on first estimation – $1,620 for 15 hours of work. After further discus- sions between the depart- ment and the applicant, the cost of the search was low- ered to $540, for five hours of work, which Mr. Liebaers said was still too high and was a fee for which, he said, the Department of Children and Family Services had pro- vided no details. “No explanation it pro- vided as to why $108 is being charged per hour or how that figure was arrived at,” Mr. Liebaers wrote in his deci- sion. “I do not accept that the hourly rate of a Computer Services Department admin- istrator is $108.” Looking at the salary grade in the civil service pay scale for that position, Mr. Liebaers said the hourly rate for that employee would seem to be $28.53. Multi- plying that by five hours of work would cost approxi- mately $142. “The fee charged must be reasonable and must not ex- ceed the actual cost of the searching,” Mr. Liebaers said. Fees are charged sporad- ically for retrieval of open records data across the Commonwealth. In the U.K. last year, plans to charge for the submission of a Freedom of Information re- quest were considered, but were attacked by FOI ad- vocates who alleged that would make it easier for public bodies to withhold information. In various U.S. states, all of which have different open records or “sunshine” laws, court battles have been fought over excessive fees charged for the release of public information. In Milwaukee, the Journal-Sentinel newspaper got a $4,500 bill from the Mil- waukee Police Department after seeking access to public crime records. The news- paper sued and won fol- lowing a decision by the Wis- consin Supreme Court. In 2011, Idaho reporters went to the state legislature and got lawmakers to pass a bill that made the first two hours of work on an open re- cords request and the first 100 pages of a records re- quest free. The issue of charges for open records requests in Cayman has come up rarely, as most government bodies have either released the in- formation free or proactively made the records public on various websites. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) – A solar-powered airplane landed in California on Sat- urday, completing a risky, three-day flight across the Pacific Ocean as part of its journey around the world. Pilot Bertrand Piccard landed the Solar Impulse 2 in Mountain View, in the Silicon Valley south of San Francisco, at 11:45 p.m. fol- lowing a 62-hour, nonstop solo flight without fuel. The plane taxied into a huge tent erected on Moffett Air- field where Piccard was greeted by project’s team. “You know there was a moment in the night, I was watching the reflection of the moon on the ocean and I was thinking ‘I’m com- pletely alone in this tiny cockpit and I feel com- pletely confident.’ And I was really thankful to life for bringing me this expe- rience,” Piccard said at a news conference after he landed. “It’s maybe this is one of the most fantastic experiences of life I’ve had.” The landing came several hours after the Pic- card performed a fly by over the Golden Gate Bridge as spectators watched the narrow aircraft with extra wide wings from below. “I crossed the bridge. I am officially in America,” he declared as he took in spec- tacular views of San Fran- cisco Bay. Piccard and fellow Swiss pilot Andre Borsch- berg have been taking turns flying the plane on an around-the-world trip since taking off from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, in March 2015. It made stops in Oman, Myanmar, China, Japan and Hawaii. The trans-Pacific leg was the riskiest part of the plane’s global travels be- cause of the lack of emer- gency landing sites. The aircraft faced a few bumps along the way. The plane’s ideal flight speed is about 28 mph, though that can double during the day when the sun’s rays are strongest. The carbon-fiber aircraft weighs more than 5,000 pounds, or about as much as a midsize truck. Solar-powered plane completes Pacific Ocean crossing Solar Impulse 2 flies over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on Saturday after completing a three-day journey across the Pacific Ocean. - PHOTO: NOAH BERGER/APNext >