High of 89 Low of 76 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. FRIDAY MAY 27, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Glow Run 5K Let your little light shine brightly B5 Lola Bistro Dinner is now served B7 Events Food & Drink Sports ■ LIFESTYLE Model of a man Capt∙ Chuckie Ebanks makes marvelous things B8 Strength of a Woman Lillian Lee to speak at Crisis Centre luncheon B3 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 TORTUGA 5 Year and 12 Year Premium Gold Rum 20% OFF Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertificates.co m The Month of May Bit of a rum do Dinner pairs food with Flor de Caña B2 Photo: Stephen Clarke CAYMAN WEEKENDER Model of a man EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 THE SEARCH FOR OUR NEXT POLICE COMMISSIONER ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY MAY 27, 2016 Government seeks cruise pier compromise Investigates costs of new design JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government is seeking to establish the cost of altering the design of the proposed cruise berthing facility to minimize environmental damage, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said this week. Mr. Kirkconnell said an engineering study had demonstrated that it was technically fea- sible to move the pier into deeper water to re- duce the amount of dredging required. The solution would represent a compro- mise with campaigners concerned at the extent of damage to coral reef habitat in and around George Town harbor if the project proceeds. Mr. Kirkconnell said the next step in the project, which went out to tender last month, was for a more detailed study to estab- lish the cost of the alternative design. Initial reports had put the project costs in the re- gion of $150 million, but moving the pilings into deeper water would be expected to add to that expense. The financing model for the project re- mains to be determined and is dependent on negotiations with the cruise lines, as well as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which has a remit to ensure major capital projects do not negatively impact the sustainability of the Cayman Islands’ annual budget. Any significant escalation in the construc- tion costs would likely impact the viability of the project from a financing perspective. Mr. Kirkconnell said Wednesday that the original consultants, Baird, had examined al- ternate pier designs at the government’s re- quest, following widespread public con- cerns over the level of dredging involved in the original plan. “We have had a report submitted to us that BUSH SAYS GOVERNMENT FUNDRAISER ’QUESTIONABLE’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush said it was “absolutely poor and question- able” for the premier to present details of the upcoming government budget to a $200-a-plate political party fundraiser at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman Tuesday night, before the official release of the spending plan in the Legislative Assembly next week. Mr. Bush alleged that the fundraiser could be viewed as an attempt to use government resources – namely the time and effort spent compiling the 2016/17 budget plan – in order to raise money for Premier Alden McLaugh- lin’s Progressives party. “It’s unheard of,” Mr. Bush said Wednesday. “You can’t take the government budget of a country and go down to the Ritz – somewhere [the Progressives] said we shouldn’t have – and invite people to come and pay. [They’ve] not had the decency to refer anything to the opposition, the independents or indeed the general man on the street.” A public relations company released Mr. McLaughlin’s Tuesday night speech at The Ritz-Carlton to the media on Wednesday. The speech contains few, if any, details that were not already publicly known regarding the 2016/17 government budget. During his speech, Mr. McLaughlin said the spending plan would cover 18 months between July 1, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2017. He also said no new fees and no plans for gov- ernment to borrow money would be in- cluded in the proposal. Asked to respond on Thursday to Mr. Bush’s accusations, Mr. McLaughlin said his government had already put out a statement on the fundraising event and did not intend to say anything further. Miss Universe to visit Cayman Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach will visit Cayman next month, coinciding with local organizers’ plans to talk with the Miss Uni- verse Organization about possibly bringing the international beauty pageant to the Cayman Islands. During her June 24-26 visit, Ms. Wurtz- bach, who is from the Philippines, will attend the Philippines Independence Month concert featuring Bianca King, and a “meet and greet” for aspiring Miss Cayman contestants. Matthew Leslie, event director for Cayman Mardi Gras, which is bringing Ms. Wurtzbach to Cayman, said hosting the Miss Universe contest in Grand Cayman would be “extremely huge to the economy and tourism market.” “The Cayman Islands could be a few years away from being able to host such an event with the additional room stock being developed on the island,” he said. The crowning of Ms. Wurtzbach as Miss Universe in December 2015 was one of the more dramatic ends to an international beauty pageant when host Steve Harvey mistakenly announced Miss Colombia Ari- adna Gutiérrez as winner. Realizing he had misread the results, he returned to the stage moments later with the announcement that Ms. Wurtzbach was indeed the new Miss Universe and the crown was taken from PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 15 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 15 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14 » Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach on the night she was crowned. – PHOTO: AP2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY MAY 27, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Open daily 10am -10pm West Shore Center, SMB CALL AHEAD TO PLACE YOUR ORDER! Chicken! Chicken! Happy Memorial Day! Monday, 30th May Residential • Commercial • Industrial 936.5625 (LOCK) r.deadbolt@hotmail.com Residential • Commercial • Industrial 936.5625 (LOCK) Rob Ward Certifi ed Locksmith FAST, RELIABLE ONSITE SERVICE Eugenio Leon Harpist Extraordinaire, serenades tableside tonight and every Friday night! Harpist Extraordinaire, serenades tableside Tonight! Friday Happy Hour 5pm-7pm Music By DJ FLEX Starting at 9:30pm Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics TONIGHT Friday, May 27th FINALLY, THE LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH HAS ARRIVED! Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky “BOOGIE NIGHTS” Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics TONIGHT Friday, May 27thFriday, May 27th THE LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH HAS ARRIVED! “BOOGIE NIGHTS” Brothers guilty of murder Judge finds eyewitnesses to be accurate, reliable and truthful CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Osbourne Wilfred Douglas, 29, and Justin D’Angelo Ramoon, 24, were found guilty of murdering Jason Charles Powery in George Town on the night of July 1, 2015. Mr. Powery was shot in the head at close range near the Globe Bar. The defendants, who are brothers, will have to wait until July 14 to find out what minimum term of imprison- ment they will have to serve before they can apply for re- lease. The penalty for murder is currently life imprison- ment, but a new law requires a specific term to be imposed. Director of Public Pros- ecutions Cheryll Richards pointed out that the min- imum term for murder is 30 years, but that can be in- creased or decreased by the sentencing judge, Jus- tice Charles Quin. She there- fore agreed with defense at- torneys who asked for an adjournment before sen- tencing so that lead counsel could make submis- sions on behalf of Douglas and Ramoon. Justice Quin delivered the verdicts just after 1:10 p.m. Thursday after reviewing the evidence and explaining his analysis of it. He said he was satis- fied beyond reasonable doubt that Ramoon shot Mr. Powery, 20, at close range, intending to kill him, while Douglas handed him the firearm beforehand and then drove a car from the scene and waited for Ramoon to join him and leave the area. The shooting occurred in the vicinity of the Globe Bar on Martin Drive, off Shedden Road, shortly after 10:40 p.m. The defendants had chosen trial by judge alone. Proceedings took place last month and included a site visit. The judge said he found that eye witnesses Jerome Hurlston and Justin Ebanks were reliable, accurate and truthful. Although their evi- dence contained inconsisten- cies and weaknesses, such as differences in distances, these were not significant, he said. Mr. Hurlston had said he saw Ramoon shoot Mr. Powery. Mr. Ebanks said he saw Douglas hand the gun to Ramoon. Justice Quin noted that both Mr. Hurlston and Mr. Ebanks said the weapon looked like a 9-millimeter gun. Only one shot was fired and only one spent cartridge was found at the scene: it was a 9 millimeter. Defense attorneys argued that the witnesses were ei- ther lying or mistaken. They pointed out that there was no forensic evidence to link either defendant with a gun and there was no evidence of motive. They noted that the defendants lived near the site of the shooting and social- ized in the area, so there was nothing suspicious about them being seen on CCTV in the vicinity. Neither defendant gave evidence. Justice Quin said that was their right, since the Crown had to prove their guilt and they did not have to prove their innocence. Having reviewed the evi- dence and the submissions, the judge considered that the only explanation for the defen- dants not answering was that they had no answers which could stand up to cross-exam- ination. There was no evidence from them to explain or con- tradict the evidence presented by the Crown. CCTV evidence did not show the shooting, but it did provide strong support for the evidence of the two eye- witnesses, the judge said. A second charge on the in- dictment was possession of an unlicensed firearm, and both defendants were found guilty. After the verdicts, there was no mention of ap- pealing the convictions. Pro- cedure requires that sentence be passed before notice of appeal can be given. PRISONER NOT SEEN SINCE CIA CAPTURE MAY APPEAR AT GUANTANAMO MIAMI (AP) – A Palestinian not seen publicly since his 2002 capture by the CIA launched a brutal interro- gation program may soon make his first appearance in a U.S. courtroom. Abu Zubaydah, who CIA agents once sought to be kept incommunicado for the rest of his life, has been called as a witness by Ramzi Binalshibh, one of the defendants in the Sept. 11 war crimes case, to back up allegations of mistreat- ment inside a high-security unit at Guantanamo Bay. Abu Zubaydah could tes- tify, along with a prisoner from Somalia who has also never been seen in a public forum, as early as next week in a pretrial hearing at the U.S. base in Cuba. James Harrington, a lawyer for Binalshibh, said that Abu Zubaydah is ex- pected to support his cli- ent’s allegations that pris- oners inside the unit known as Camp 7 are sub- jected to noises and vibra- tions inside their cells in- tended to keep them awake and disoriented, similar to the sleep deprivation they were subjected to as part of the interrogation pro- gram they endured in a network of overseas CIA prisons. The military denies the allegations. “He’s experienced the same kind of thing that Ramzi has with the noises and vibration,” Harrington said in an interview Wednesday. The potential Abu Zubaydah court appear- ance, which could get post- poned or canceled, would be significant because of his back story. His capture in Pakistan prompted the CIA under President George W. Bush to create an in- terrogation program, now viewed by many as torture, in the belief that he had in- formation about al-Qaida that he had not already provided to the FBI. That belief was false, according to a report released by the Senate intelligence com- mittee in 2014. Abu Zubaydah, 45, has never been charged with a crime or appeared before a judge despite efforts by his lawyers to challenge his de- tention. His lawyers have even asked the government to charge him so they could at least get him into court. “I think it’s a huge deal if for nothing else to observe what he’s like as a person, which is pretty gentle and normal,” said Mark Den- beaux, a law professor at Seton Hall University who represents the man. The CIA believed that Abu Zubaydah – whose formal name is Zayn al- lbidin Muhammed Hu- sayn – was one of the most senior figures in al- Qaida when he was cap- tured. He is now described in U.S. documents as a “well-known al-Qaida fa- cilitator.” His lawyers deny he was a member of the terrorist organization. [The judge] said he was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Ramoon shot Mr. Powery, 20, at close range, intending to kill him, while Douglas handed him the firearm beforehand. Justin Ramoon, in striped shirt, left, and Osbourne Douglas, in check shirt, on right, during a court visit to the scene of Jason Powery’s murder outside the Globe Bar, in April. Both men were found guilty of murder Thursday.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 27, 2016 discoverfl ow.ky/tv Conditions apply. why Flow TV? Watch all the great sporting moments; Rio Olympics 2016, IPL cricket, COPA America, Barclays Premiere League and access to NFL Sunday Ticket. Call 1-800-534-7253 for a free in-home demo.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. FRIDAY MAY 27, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The search for our next police commissioner With Cayman Islands officials about to winnow down the field of candidates for the position of Royal Cayman Islands Police Service commissioner, we think it’s only fair that those applicants enter the interview process with some understanding of what to expect. (No one, of course, wants a repeat of what happened after the departure of former Police Com- missioner Stuart Kernohan, when former St. Helena police chief Royce Hipgrave set a local (world?) record for shortest tenured acting police commissioner. He left within 48 hours after arriving in Cayman.) So without further ado, here’s a primer for poten- tial candidates: First, the good news. Cayman remains one of the safest places in the Caribbean. The vast majority of residents respect and abide by the rule of law. Our courts and our police are stamped with the imprimatur of the United Kingdom, lending confidence to our law enforcement entities as fair and just institutions. Nearly all of our individual police officers are diligent and deserving of praise. As we witness on an annual basis at the Outstanding Service Awards, the RCIPS has more than its fair share of bona fide heroes. Cayman is a prosperous territory. Our climate is a gift. Our people are friendly. And don’t get us started on the spectacular beauty of Seven Mile Beach. It’s our best recruiting tool. However, while Cayman may be paradise, remember even Eden had its serpent, apple and all. No place is perfect. Much work awaits our new commissioner as we actively seek to preserve our well-deserved and well- documented reputation for safety and security. Cayman’s small criminal element too often operates with impunity, due to the silence of the greater popu- lation. The reticence of potential witnesses makes making cases that will lead to successful prosecutions infinitely more difficult. And then there are the politics. In the words of outgoing Police Commissioner David Baines, uttered during this year’s police gala, “Anyone who says they have no confidence in the RCIPS either is ill-informed or sees the world through different spectacles than I do. But I’ll leave the politics to the politicians. I’d rather deal with the criminals. That’s a deal I’d do any day of the week.” Unfortunately, the next police commissioner won’t have the luxury of dealing only with “bad guys” and “good guys.” He or she will also have to negotiate, sweet-talk or maybe even arm-wrestle politicians, bureaucrats and others who may have a grip on RCIPS purse strings or the rudder of public opinion. Mr. Baines, for one, is leaving his post a year ahead of time because “unfair criticism and defama- tory comments [have] undermined his authority to the extent that his leadership of RCIPS is no longer tenable,” according to a March statement from the governor’s office. That is a serious indictment — but not of Mr. Baines. At the time, Premier Alden McLaughlin said the hostile — anti-Baines, anti-police, even anti-law-and- order — climate might make it difficult for Cayman to locate a new police commissioner quickly. But of far greater importance than “when” Cayman finds a new police commissioner is “who” the new police commissioner will be. We remain of the opinion that Cayman must have the “best” possible person for the job. For us, that means the successful candidate must be well-educated (like David Baines), street-wise (like Stuart Kernohan) and tough (like Derek Haines). He or she should also have a demonstrable track record as an effective manager, and motivator, of large and diverse staffs. Importantly, the new commissioner should not be an “affirmative action” hire, meaning that gender, color or country of origin should not play any role in the selection process. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Cayman’s pet problem My wife and I have vis- ited Grand Cayman every year for the past seven years. We own property in South Sound and volunteer at the Cayman Islands Humane So- ciety; five days a week for the two weeks to two months we spend on-island. We are shocked and sad- dened by the latest animal tragedy in the news: the story of the lady looking after 37 dogs and cats, who has taken ill and had to leave the country for treatment. Kudos to the Humane Society and the other animal rescue orga- nizations for stepping up and doing what they can to help out, and trying to find homes for these poor animals. Given the incredible over- population of dogs and cats in the Grand Cayman shel- ters this is a virtually impos- sible task. To the good people of the Cayman Islands, and espe- cially to your government: when are you going to step up and move to put an end to this insane overpopulation of domestic pets? The animal rescue groups are doing the best they can to educate and re-home as many dogs and cats as possible – but they can’t do it alone. The culture of the islands must change, and enshrine spaying and neutering as something much more than “the other guy’s business.” You have a population of less than 60,000 people and more than 80 dogs in the Hu- mane Society shelter alone; here in British Columbia we have 4.5 million people, and less than 80 shelter dogs in a province nearly double the size of the U.K. Only through implemen- tation and stringent en- forcement of anti-cruelty laws – and a 180 degree cultural alteration will you end the homeless dogs/cats problem. Cayman is a first- world country; you need to act like one. Lew Shrubsole WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL BOARD Numerous governments, including Barack Obama’s administration, last week called for political negotia- tions in Venezuela to head off an incipient and potentially catastrophic breakdown of political and economic order. Former Spanish prime min- ister José Luis Rodríguez Za- patero traveled to Caracas with other statesmen to urge President Nicolás Maduro and opposition leaders to start talking. But Maduro was otherwise occupied. At the end of the week, he or- dered tanks, aircraft and sol- diers to patrol the country, claiming – not for the first time – that he was trying to head off a U.S. invasion. Thus does the delusional heir of Hugo Chávez drag a country of 30 million people, with the world’s largest oil reserves, over a cliff. By most measures, Venezuela is al- ready a failed state: Amid crippling shortages of food, medicine, power and water, every societal ailment is soaring. Inflation is headed toward 700 percent, and the murder rate is probably the world’s second-highest, after El Salvador’s. An April poll, reported by the Miami Herald, showed that 86 percent of Venezue- lans said they bought “less” or “much less” food than they used to, while only 54 percent said they ate three times a day. No wonder there have been numerous reports of mobs sacking food ware- houses, as well as dozens of instances of vigilante lynch- ings of suspected thieves. In one particularly horrific case reported by the Associ- ated Press, a man was burned alive outside a Caracas super- market for allegedly stealing the equivalent of US$5. Thanks to Maduro and the corrupt and incompe- tent coterie that surrounds him, this chaos is likely to grow steadily worse. The re- gime has refused to adopt measures that might stanch the economic hemorrhaging. It has meanwhile pursued a scorched-earth strategy toward opposition political parties that won two-thirds of the seats in the National Assembly in December. Most seriously, the elec- toral authority is effectively refusing to respond to the opposition’s collection of 1.8 million signatures on a peti- tion for a recall election – a recourse explicitly authorized by the constitution. Calling for “political dia- logue” is one way to respond to this unfolding crisis; we have done it ourselves. Yet Maduro and other top regime officials, many of them implicated in drug trafficking or other major crimes, have repeatedly failed to respond seriously. It’s time for more pressure to be put on them, such as through sanc- tions by the Organization of American States under its de- mocracy charter. The U.S. and Venezuela’s neighbors should demand that Maduro seek humani- tarian aid to address short- ages of food and medicine – something it has senselessly refused to do – and allow the recall referendum to take place this year. The alternative is frightful to contemplate. © 2016, The Washington Post Venezuela in agony 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”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 27, 2016 6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 27, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS June 15,2016. Turtle Farm releases come under fire TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com London-based animal welfare organization World Animal Protection has issued comments sharply critical of the Cayman Turtle Farm’s re- newed release program and, specifically, Saturday’s re- lease of 15 green sea turtles at Barkers Beach. In a statement on Tuesday, the organization, which has offices in 15 countries, claimed the Cayman Turtle Farm “endangers wild turtles” and condemned the farm “for placing wild turtle pop- ulations in jeopardy by re- suming its controversial ‘wild release program.’” Saturday’s surprise re- lease – marking World Turtle Day – was the farm’s first since suspending the pro- gram in 2012 after World An- imal Protection warned that releasing ill-maintained tur- tles into the wild potentially threatened endangered pop- ulations. The group cited a litany of problems at the farm, including bacteria- laden tanks, disease and can- nibalism among the animals, and substandard husbandry and management practices. Recalling the episode in a Monday statement de- tailing the weekend releases, the turtle farm said it had “satisfied itself through ex- tensive testing and available scientific data that releasing CTF turtles will not pose any medical risk to wild turtle populations, and conse- quently CTF has now ended its self-imposed moratorium on turtle releases.” The turtle farm said it plans to release “hundreds of tagged turtles each year both publicly and privately.” The farm’s managing di- rector, Tim Adam, earlier described a four-year pro- gram of testing by the Infec- tious Diseases Laboratory at the University of Georgia, which pronounced the ani- mals and the farm disease- free, clearing the path for a renewed release program. However, World Animal Protection’s head of wild- life policy and research, Neil D’Cruze, said on Tuesday: “The Turtle Farm resuming its release program is a ticking time bomb for wild turtles in the Caribbean and around the world.” He called it “staggering” that the turtle farm had re- sumed its “controversial” re- lease program. “The facility has a phenomenally poor record of caring for tur- tles, demonstrated by the 1,268 turtles that died from a clostridium outbreak in 2014. It is incomprehensible that they appear to be al- lowed to make this decision for themselves.” Between April and July 2014, nearly 1,270 turtles died from the intestinal bac- terial infection – related to botulism – in five farming tanks of 1-year-old turtles, although officials said the infection had not spread beyond the area. At the time, Mr. Adam said of the problem, “It came quite suddenly and it was very deadly. Chief Research Officer Walter Mustin de- clared in September 2015 the turtle population had “recovered completely.” This week, however, Mr. D’Cruze said the clostridium outbreak was “a stark re- minder of the disease risks posed by the farm – diseases that could be passed on to wild populations via the re- lease of farmed turtles into the wild.” The organization is calling for the farm to end its release program. Mr. D’Cruze acknowledged, however, he was unfamiliar with the Infectious Diseases Laboratory studies and the “all-clear” conclusions. “Neither the IDL study or any conclusions have been shared with World Animal Protection,” he said. “Our un- derstanding is that even the Department of the Envi- ronment was not provided with any information until one day before the releases took place.” He added, “Our main question at this point is: “[Was] the IDL testing condi- tions at the farm during the 2014 clostridium outbreak? If so, their efforts failed to protect the 1,268 captive tur- tles that died as a result. We know that the farm hid this outbreak from the public – who is to say that the same thing is not happening again? Only this time, wild turtle populations are also being placed at risk.” He called Saturday’s re- lease “nothing more than a token gesture, a stunt,” claiming it could not be “taken seriously as an at- tempt to protect wild turtle populations. The Cayman Turtle Farm’s Mr. Adam de- clined to comment on Mr. D’Cruze’s remarks. Department of Environ- ment Director Gina Ebanks- Petrie, however, rejected Mr. D’Cruze’s call for of- ficial oversight of turtle farm releases and also re- jected suggestions the farm should have contacted her department about the clostridium outbreak. “DoE does not have legal authority over CTF releases and there is no requirement to notify DoE that releases will take place,” she said, al- though pointing out the Na- tional Conservation Law will require approval for re- leases from the National Conservation Council. The department, she said, “was not aware of the clos- tridium outbreak prior to its reporting in the press,” but also pointed out “there is no legal requirement for CTF to report these inci- dents to DoE, as DoE does not regulate captive animal attractions/farms. “DoE has documented farm-released turtles nesting in the wild,” Ms. Ebanks-Petrie said, re- cording their contributions to critically reduced popula- tions in a research partner- ship with Spain’s University of Barcelona. The department “is not against the release program. Our position is that we need to complete a proper review of the disease-risk evidence before we are in a position to endorse further releases from the farm. “As DoE staff are not sea turtle disease experts, we will be reaching out to external experts.” The World Animal Protection organization disapproves of the Cayman Turtle Farm’s release of green sea turtles. – PHOTO: FILEThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 27, 2016 WIN the Ultimate trip for TWO to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games! Watch the men’s & women’s 100m final live To play, text RIO to 4263 for your chance to WIN* Prize includes airfare, accommodation and event tickets Plus, more great prizes to be won including a Samsung Galaxy S6 2000 hours of live action in crystal clear HD Watch wherever whenever on-the-go More Caribbean coverage than ever before *Texts cost $1.00 Promotion runs from April 22 - June 16, 2016 and is applicable to Flow residential prepaid and postpaid mobile customers only. One (1) entry for each question answered correctly. Each text message will cost $1.00. Flow terms and conditions apply. Competition rules apply. See discoverflow.co for details. be there when the magic happens8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 27, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. William Tomlinson Ebanks affectionately known as “Tommy” on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday, May 29, 2016 at 3:00p.m. at the George Town Seventh Day Adventist Church, Smith Road. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:45p.m. Interment follows at Northwest Point Cemetery. In lieu of owers please make donations to the West Bay Seventh Day Adventist Church Building Fund. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. William Tomlinson Ebanks affectionately known as “Tommy” on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Sunday, May 29, 2016 at 3:00p.m. at the George Town Seventh Day Adventist Church, Smith Road. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:45p.m. Interment follows at Northwest Point Cemetery. In lieu of owers please make donations to the West Bay Seventh Day Adventist Church Building Fund. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com May 29, 2016 at 3:00p.m. at the George Town West Bay Seventh Day Adventist Church Building Fund. Condolences can be registered at known as “Tommy” on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Shari Leslie Wilson who passed away suddenly on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2016 at the Savannah United Church, Astral Way off Shamrock Road, at 2:30p.m. Viewing will be from 1:30-2:15p.m. Interment follows at Prospect Cemetery. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com The family of the late Michael Weatherford, would like to express our sincere gratitude to those who have helped us through this very dif cult time. Perhaps it was a prayer, visit, card, phone call, food, owers or a donation to C.I. HospiceCare. Whatever part you played, it means alot to us. Special thanks to Churchills Funeral Home, Mrs. Virginia Castillo, Mrs.Hope Stephenson, Clergy & our Church Family of Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Nurse Jo-Anne Merodon, Dr. Hobday & Staff of C.I. HospiceCare, Dr. Binoy & Staff of Health City, Nurse Elaine Semchuck, Dr. Lowe & Staff of C.T.M.H, Referrals, Doctors & Staff of H.S.A., Caring Hands, CINICO, Needs Assessment Unit, C.I. Cancer Society, Pinnacle Media, Meals on Wheels, Attendees & Participants in the funeral service. There was such a huge outpouring of sympathy & support, that we are unable to list every single name, but please know that you are all in our thoughts and we want to say THANK YOU! May God Bless You All. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Louis Daniel Rhoden who passed away tragically on Monday, May 2, 2016. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2016 at the New Testament Church of God, North Sound Road at 1:00p.m. Viewing will be from 12:00-12:45p.m. Interment to follow at the New Pease Bay Cemeter y. Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Maureen Anna Andersen Berry of the United Kingdom and West Bay, on Friday, May 13, 2016. A Committal Service will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2016 at 3:00p.m. at Boatswain Bay Cemetery, West Bay. In lieu of owers, donations can be made to Meals on Wheels or the National Gallery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Maureen Anna Andersen Berry of the United Kingdom and West Bay, on Friday, May 13, 2016. A Committal Service will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2016 at 3:00p.m. at Boatswain Bay Cemetery, West Bay. In lieu of owers, donations can be made to Meals on Wheels or the National Gallery. We have been asked to announce the passing of We have been asked to announce the passing of In lieu of owers, donations can be made to Condolences can be registered at churchillsfuneralhome.com Petition started against pension law changes BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com An online petition that started Wednesday is urging government to nullify sev- eral sections of the recently approved National Pensions [Amendment] Bill. More than 250 people e-signed the document ti- tled “Stop three changes to the National Pensions Law” within 24 hours of its release on Wednesday. Michael Caputo, a Cayma- nian status holder who owns a local window-washing business, started the petition. He said he believes several changes made to the legisla- tion by lawmakers were not “in the best interests of em- ployees in the islands” – as is required by section 2 of the National Pensions Law. The petition is apparently to be delivered to indepen- dent opposition MLAs Ezzard Miller and Arden McLean, ac- cording to the document. Mr. Caputo said Wednesday he was uncertain who should re- ceive it, but he knew that the two eastern district members had been successful in ef- fecting change to government policies in the past. Among the specific sec- tions Mr. Caputo’s petition seeks to overturn are the change in the “age of pen- sion entitlement” [retirement age] from 60 to 65 and the change in maximum pension- able earnings from a $60,000 maximum a year to $87,000 a year. The petition also seeks to overturn a third provision, one that restricts the ability of individuals to receive a refund from their retirement savings account after leaving the islands for two years. “Any Caymanian who can leave the islands for two years, in order to collect their pension, and then return, also has a house/property here in Cayman and most likely has a house/property abroad, as well as dual citizenship and the finances to support them- selves over those two years … I doubt somebody in this position is ever going to need government assistance,” Mr. Caputo wrote in a lengthy letter on the topic. “The idea that expats would or could leave the islands, collect their pensions in a lump sum and return only to become a burden of the government is a fallacy.” In changes to the law, pen- sion refunds are restricted to amounts totaling less than $5,000 at the discretion of the pension plan manager. Also, in the case of someone who has reached age 65 and cannot place the money earned in Cayman into an analogous retirement savings account overseas, a refund of the full amount can be given. Under the new law, plan participants who leave the islands for more than two years can put their pension funds into another retirement account, but cannot receive the money as a lump sum. Mr. Caputo also noted that the “age of pension entitle- ment” could also work to the detriment of employees in the islands, if they are required to quit a job sooner than age 65. “Changing the age of re- tirement to 65 and giving it a new name (age of pen- sion entitlement) is not for the benefit of employees in the islands,” he said. “Pre- venting people formerly em- ployed and formerly res- ident on the island from receiving their pension ben- efits in a lump sum is not for the benefit of employees in the Islands.” Several people made on- line comments supporting the petition. “We already have our own pension we can use when we get back home that we can use when we retire,” one person noted. “We don’t have a plan to get old on this island.” Another comment indi- cated: “I’m signing because this is not helpful to us, Fili- pinos, once it has been trans- ferred to a pension plan in our country. This only mean[s] one thing, big problem in claiming our hard-earned money!” Under Cayman Islands constitutional law, a voter- initiated petition must be signed by 25 percent of the registered electorate be- fore it mandates that the government act on a given issue via referendum. CIFA to hold elections for Webb’s replacement Whittaker, Ramoon seek presidency JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two former Cayman Is- lands national team players are bidding to replace dis- graced football chief Jeffrey Webb as the islands’ foot- ball association hosts its first contested presidential elec- tion in more than 20 years. Alfredo Whittaker, who also played professionally as a goalkeeper in Costa Rica, and Lee Ramoon, the former Cayman national team cap- tain, are the two candidates in Saturday’s election. Renard Moxam, who was thwarted in a previous at- tempt to challenge Bruce Blake for the first vice presi- dent role, has opted not to run. Webb, who served as the association’s presi- dent for more than two de- cades, was officially termi- nated in December last year after pleading guilty to in- volvement in racketeering and bribery schemes at world football’s governing body, FIFA. Both Mr. Ramoon and Mr. Whittaker told the Compass Thursday they would seek to offer a change from the old regime and bring in a new era of transparency at the association. Mr. Whittaker said, “Just by having elections we are making a step forward. We haven’t had an election for president in 20-something years. The clubs will have the opportunity to express how they really feel who can take CIFA to a different standard.” He has circulated a man- ifesto to the member clubs with the introductory com- ment, “The secrecy and lack of answers have to come to an end. This associa- tion is yours, is mine, is the country’s and as such I am willing to answer for every move, every penny and every question.” Mr. Ramoon said he hoped the clubs would look at what’s on the agenda and choose the best person to move football forward. As a former national player and a youth coach, he believes he has the cre- dentials to lift the level of the game. “We need to take stock and go back to the grass- roots, develop our youth programs and try to get players into college on scholarships” he said. Mr. Ramoon, who works for government in the Trea- sury Department and serves as deputy chairman on the Central Tenders Committee, said he had the expertise to improve the association’s transparency and account- ability – issues which have dogged the previous regime. He will also seek to re- pair the association’s rela- tionship with government, which pulled its funding after expressing concerns about a lack of change in the aftermath of Webb’s arrest. Mr. Whittaker, who was previously head of the ref- erees department at CON- CACAF, said whoever is elected needs to restore credibility to the associa- tion and win the support of sponsors and buy-in from the clubs. He said he could work with the existing Executive Committee, which still in- cludes several people who served under Webb, but added, anyone who is not “pulling their weight” should step aside. He acknowledged that there are those who “do not believe” in the ex- ecutive committee, but said the association has to find a way to move forward under new leadership. He added, “I am not quite a new face. I have been in- volved in football for 22 years as a player, an admin- istrator and a referee. I have never been on the Executive Committee. I have taken this challenge, not for something personal, but because I think I am in a position where … I can help Cayman foot- ball come out of this [crisis] real quick.” CIFA has made no official announcements about the candidates for its election since nominations closed last Friday, and acting pres- ident Bruce Blake did not respond to requests for in- formation this week. The extraordinary congress to elect Webb’s successor is scheduled for 11 a.m. at George Town Town Hall on Saturday, according to the candidates. Alfredo WhittakerLee Ramoon More than 250 people e-signed the document entitled “Stop three changes to the National Pensions Law” within 24 hours of its release on Wednesday.9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 27, 2016 Daphne Delvia Gomez 23rd August 1924 – 27th April 2016 The family of the late Daphne Delvia Gomez would like to express their heart felt gratitude to those who offered love and kindness by way of visits, phone calls, cards, flowers, food and messages of sympathy. Thanks to Dr. Nelson and all the staff at the George Town Hospital, Bodden’s Funeral Home, Trisha’s Roses, Pastor Alson and his team at the Church of God Chapel, participants in the funeral service, persons who sent floral tributes, her caregivers and those who lent a special hand in some special way. The family would also like to express special thanks to Pastor Alson for his longtime friendship to our Mom which was shown in his kind, beautiful and heartfelt message. A wonderful mother, woman and aid One who was better God never made A wonderful worker, loyal and true One in a million, that mother was you Just in your judgment always right Honest and liberal, ever upright Loved by your friends and all you knew A wonderful Mother, that mother was you. We are forever grateful to each and every one of you and are deeply touched by your kindness and love. May God bless you all. The family of the late Daphne Delvia Gomez would like to express their heart Anti-money laundering review to include jewelry, real estate Non-financial services businesses targeted BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A bill that will seek to prevent money launderers and terrorist financiers from using non-financial services- related businesses in the Cayman Islands to carry out their illicit deeds is expected to come before lawmakers in the fall, Financial Ser- vices and Commerce Minister Wayne Panton confirmed this week. The legislation, which seeks to be implemented well ahead of a pending 2017 re- view for Cayman by the Ca- ribbean Financial Action Task Force, is expected to put the government’s Department of Commerce and Investment in charge of monitoring compli- ance with the new rules for local industries that do not already have legally recog- nized self-monitoring profes- sional organizations. Those industries expected to fall under the department’s remit include real estate companies and precious metals dealers. Mr. Panton said Cayman will be quite familiar with periodic reviews done by the Financial Action Task Force, but the one due to occur in the second half of 2017 will be different than those the territory has experienced in the past. “These new assessments are no longer just about technical requirements,” Mr. Panton said. “There will be an assessment based on effec- tiveness [of the current reg- ulatory system]. Our view is we need to have that in place ahead of time. “If it’s done a month ahead [of the assessment], we would never satisfy [the FATF],” Mr. Panton said. Mr. Panton’s ministry chief officer, Dax Basdeo, said the underlying objective of the upcoming review is to en- sure businesses that tend to handle large sums of money can verify, to a reasonable ex- tent, that no cash laundering or terrorism support activi- ties are going on. This largely involves “know your client” exercises and other due diligence mea- sures that would be car- ried out by a bank or finan- cial institution in the regular course of doing business. Mr. Basdeo said the gov- ernment does not mean to suggest that other, non-fi- nancial services indus- tries do not already have safeguards in place. How- ever, he said there may be a need for some fine tuning in those industries. Also, Mr. Basdeo points out that while some local professions, accountants for instance, already have le- gally established professional regulatory bodies, others do not. For those who do not, the current plan is to use the Department of Commerce and Investment as the reg- ulator for anti-money laun- dering and anti-terrorist fi- nancing matters. The Cayman Islands Mon- etary Authority already op- erates as the regulator for financial services-related businesses in Cayman. Both Mr. Basdeo and Mr. Panton said none of the local industries who will be in- volved in the 2017 FATF re- view should be surprised. The government has estab- lished separate working groups for both real estate and precious metals indus- tries to prepare them for the new requirements and has been in communication with other professions, in- cluding lawyers and accoun- tants on the subject. A re- cently proposed bill seeking to regulate nonprofit orga- nizations is also expected to come before the Legis- lative Assembly in the fall, again with an eye toward safeguarding against money laundering activities. Increased costs The bottom line from the local real estate indus- try’s perspective regarding the FATF’s new regulatory efforts is increased costs, according to senior in- dustry officials. “It certainly increases the cost of doing business for all of our members,” said Cayman Islands Real Estate Brokers Association Presi- dent Jeanette Totten. Ms. Totten said local real estate companies who are members of CIREBA do follow current anti-money laundering mandates, al- though the new regime sug- gested by the government in preparation for the FATF re- view would likely require more in-depth informa- tion on buyers and sellers of Cayman properties. “[CIREBA] requires all our members to attend training on a yearly basis,” Ms. Totten said. “We also hired an independent in- spector to visit each of our members’ offices to make sure they are complying with the regulations.” However, Ms. Totten said for real estate sellers who are not CIREBA members, the same process is not en- forced. She said the asso- ciation has received no re- quests from government to form a legally recognized regulatory body as was re- cently done for Cayman Is- lands accountants. “The biggest hurdle [in doing so] would be the lia- bility CIREBA would be un- dertaking of non-CIREBA member that are not bound by our strict rules and regu- lations,” she said. Other industries Mr. Basdeo said it is envi- sioned that the new Cayman Islands Institute of Profes- sional Accountants would not need to be regulated under the Department of Com- merce and Investment for anti-money laundering and terrorist financing initiatives because the association is already recognized in sepa- rate legislation. Similarly, the local legal profession would be regu- lated to a certain extent by the Legal Practitioners Law, although recent efforts to update that legislation have fallen through. With regard to charities or nonprofit organizations, the government has tried several attempts to approve legislation requiring those companies to provide due diligence documents via the former Charities Bill. A newly proposed Non-Profit Organi- zations Bill is due to come before the Legislative As- sembly in the fall, possibly in September.Next >