High of 89 Low of 76 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. Politics Clinton’s invisi-Bill campaign 4 World An artist inspires Afghans 11 From belief to outrage The decline of the middle class reaches the next American town PAGE 12 Data Crunch When will mosquitoes be biting? 23 Technology Dark side of the Internet 16 THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2016. IN COLLABORATION WITH ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY THE WASHINGTON POST From belief to outrage EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ‘BUDGET DINING’: THE PROGESSIVES’ FUNDRAISING AFFAIR ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY MAY 30, 2016 TAKE DOWN 7/26/ 15. Price plus applicable tax. Price may vary outside the 48 continental United States. For a limited time only at participating re staurants. ©P opey es Louisiana Kit chen, Inc . 2015 All Righ ts Reser ved . POPE YES 2015 JUL Y – NE W HUSHPUPP Y BUT TERFL Y SHRIMP P OP – POLE SIG N MECHANIC AL SIZE: 42” X 68” AC TU AL FINAL TRIM SIZE: 42” X 68” COL ORS: 4/C OL OR PR OCESS / PINK DIEGUIDE DOES NO T PRINT FONT S: FUTUR A B T, ME TR O BD#: AFC-15-7629 DA TE: 5.15.15 Surplus must pay debts, fund projects BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A projected $145 million operating surplus for the Cayman Islands government will be at least partially spent on public projects and paying off debt, according to budget records examined by the Cayman Compass. Premier Alden McLaughlin announced during a private fundraiser last week that the government’s operating surplus in the 2015/16 budget – which ends on June 30 – would total $145 million, of which $133 million is from central government operations. That means operating revenues were much higher than expenses for the year. According to budget figures presented by the premier, the public sector took in about $35 million more in revenues than initially expected. Gov- ernment expenses were also higher than ex- pected, by about $10 million. However, certain expenses not included in government’s operations figures are typically paid out of the year-end surplus, if there is one. Those expenses planned for the 2015/16 budget year include $20 million for repayment of borrowings – the principal amount due on government’s debts. Interest paid on those debts (about $27.7 million) is counted against operating expenses, but the principal debt re- payment is not. In addition, government budgeted about $47.6 million for capital projects, equipment purchases, construction projects and addi- tional money given to government statutory authorities and companies. That will also come out of the operating surplus, according to budget figures. With the principal debt repayment and capital spending, it is estimated that at least $67.6 million would have to be subtracted from the operating surplus. That figure may have increased during the course of the year. WALTON NAMED DEPUTY POLICE COMMISSIONER RCIPS moves quickly to fill command posts BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Long-serving Royal Cayman Islands Police commander Kurt Walton has been promoted from chief superintendent to deputy commis- sioner of police. Mr. Walton, 48, succeeds Stephen Brougham, a U.K. national who is leaving the islands when his current contract expires in late September. Mr. Walton’s promotion represented one of three command posts filled by the RCIPS in recent days that were vacant or about to be- come vacant. “Chief Superintendent Walton provides an excellent example of a Caymanian reaching the highest levels in our public service,” Gov- ernor Helen Kilpatrick said. The RCIPS also confirmed that two top po- sitions, the head of its financial crime unit and its superintendent of operations, have been filled with overseas applicants. The operations post would have become vacant at the end of this month with the de- parture of Superintendent Robert Scotland. The Financial Crime Unit job has not had full-time leadership since former superin- tendent Stephen Ratcliffe left in August 2015 in the midst of a two-year contract. The de- partment declined to provide immediate de- tails of the two new officers in those high- ranking positions. The promotion of Mr. Walton leaves a va- cancy in the chief superintendent’s job. The RCIPS now has two Caymanian deputy commissioners, Mr. Walton and An- thony Ennis, which has not happened since Past football star Ramoon takes over cash-strapped CIFA Former Cayman Islands na- tional football team captain Lee Ramoon was elected Saturday to serve as president of the Cayman Islands Football Association. Ramoon, often touted as one of Cayman’s most successful footballers, inherits a cash- strapped organization which has lost a large chunk of its funding since the May 27, 2015 arrest of former president Jef- frey Webb on U.S. racketeering charges connected with the FIFA bribery scandal. Mr. Ramoon beat out lone challenger Alfredo Whittaker for the president’s post in the Saturday internal election of the CIFA membership. Several months after Webb’s arrest, the Cayman Islands gov- ernment pulled its annual finan- cial support for the organiza- tion amid a row over its internal elections, held in August 2015. Mr. Ramoon has pledged to try and repair the association’s relationship with the Cayman Islands government, and has some experience as a finan- cial overseer – given his posi- tion in the government’s Trea- sury Department and its Central Tenders Committee. The Saturday night accident caused serious damage to Mary Lou’s Fine Wines & Spirits. Driver smashes into Brac liquor store A car plowed into a Cayman Brac li- quor store late Saturday night after the business had closed, causing serious damage to both the inside and outside of the store. The accident was reported around 9 p.m., about an hour after Mary Lou’s Fine Wines & Spirits had closed for the night. Store owner Robert Hamaty said it was fortunate no employees were inside the business when the crash occurred. “The car struck right where the lady would have been at the register,” Mr. Hamaty said. “Thank God it was closed.” Photos taken of the aftermath of the wreck showed the shambles created in- side the store. There were no serious in- juries to the driver of the vehicle, Mr. Hamaty said. This is the second time in the past two years that the Brac store has been struck by a vehicle. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 10 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL MONDAY MAY 30, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. © y x *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - MONDAY - X-MEN: APOCALYPSE 3D(PG13) 1:00 I 1:30 2D I 5:00 2D I 5:30 2D 8:30 I 9:30 2D ANGRY BIRDS 3D (PG) 1:40 2D I 4:10 I 6:50 2D I 9:20 NEIGHBORS 2 (R) 1:30 I 4:20 I 7:30 I 10:10 CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR 3D (PG13) 2:00 I 6:30 I 9:40 2D BARBERSHOP 3 THE NEXT CUT(PG13) 1:20 I 4:00 I 7:20 I 9:50 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) Two men not guilty of serious assault Victim/complainant lost his sight in one eye CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Eatton James Brown, 23, and Odain Lloyd Ebanks, 21, were found not guilty last week of causing grievous bodily harm to a young man who had one eye so badly damaged that it had to be re- moved after a fight at a bar in March, 2015. In summing up the ev- idence to jurors, Justice Charles Quin said it was a very tragic injury, but they had to set aside any sym- pathy for the victim/com- plainant just as they had to set aside any prejudice against the defendants. The Crown’s case, con- ducted by Senior Crown Counsel Tanya Lobban, was that Brown and Ebanks acted together, deciding to teach the other man a lesson after an exchange of words at the Everglo Bar in Bodden Town. Brown was alleged to have hit the man in the back of the head and Ebanks was al- leged to have hit him with a bottle inside the bar. The complainant’s evi- dence in court was different from the statement he gave to police after the incident. Ini- tially he told police he was injured outside the bar, but then said it happened inside. He explained that when he gave his first statement he was in pain, under medica- tion and recovering from the loss of his eye. One witness said that after the physical confronta- tion between the men, he es- corted the complainant out- side through the kitchen door and took the defendants out- side through the front door. It was after the complainant had been outside that he saw him with blood on his face. Other witnesses saw parts of what happened in- doors, including when the victim was on the floor, but no one saw the whole inci- dent. Defense attorneys Alice Carver and Amelia Fosuhene pointed to evidence of “flying bottles” outside the bar, in which case it would be im- possible to say who caused the complainant’s injury if it happened outside. Both defendants gave ev- idence. Ebanks said he re- acted because the other man assaulted him first inside the bar, cutting him with a box cutter. Brown denied hitting the man. Both defendants re- ferred to the complainant as having a box cutter, but no other witness mentioned one. Ebanks did sustain a cut in the incident. This fact raised the ques- tion of self-defense and Jus- tice Quin explained that it would be for the Crown to prove that the defen- dants were not acting in self-defense. Jurors heard recorded in- terviews of both defendants during the trial and they re- quested hearing them again during their deliberations. They returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent as well as the less serious charge of causing grievous bodily harm. Justice Quin thanked the four men and three women who had formed the jury for their careful atten- tion. He said the evidence had been complex and not straightforward. “This is a case where genuinely no- body knows quite what hap- pened,” he remarked. The judge thanked Ms. Lobban for prosecuting the matter “very fairly” – when he had made a mistake in summing up the evidence, she had corrected him, even though the point was in favor of the defense. As he told jurors earlier, Ms. Lobban’s role as Crown counsel was not to obtain a conviction by all means at her command; her role was to lay before them all the facts of the case, fairly and impartially. The defense attor- neys’ role was to test the case and argue on behalf of their clients, doing the best they can in accordance with their instructions. Two people were hospitalized following a mid-morning car crash in central George Town Saturday. The Royal Cayman Islands Police said two vehicles collided near the mini roundabout at the junction of Linford Pierson Highway and Bobby Thompson Way around 10 a.m. There was no word on the seriousness of the two crash victims’ injuries. One of the vehicles involved in the collision ended up in the bush alongside the road. The main thoroughfare was blocked for about 90 minutes while police investigated the scene. – PHOTO: BRENT FULLER Female snorkeler, 29, dies after EE incident A 29-year-old American tourist died Friday night after getting into difficulty during a swim with her husband, Royal Cayman Is- lands Police reported. Police said the couple was snorkeling off East End around 5:30 p.m. Friday when she “developed difficulties” and an ambu- lance was called. The woman was taken to the Cayman Islands Hos- pital where she was pro- nounced dead about two hours later. The incident is under in- vestigation by the marine police unit. CLARIFICATION In an article that ap- peared on page 9 of the Friday, May 27 edition of the Cayman Compass under the headline “Anti- money laundering review to include jewelry, real es- tate” it was suggested by the people interviewed in the story that the regula- tory body for professional accountants had been formed recently, with the implication that it now regulates for anti-money laundering purposes. Various aspects of the Cayman Islands ac- counting industry have been regulated by the Cayman Islands Society of Professional Accoun- tants – now known as the Cayman Islands In- stitute of Professional Ac- countants – since the en- actment of the Public Accountants Law in 2009. Although discussions have been under way with the Cayman Islands gov- ernment for CIIPA to reg- ulate the accounting in- dustry for purposes of anti-money laundering, it does not currently do so. The Cayman Com- pass strives for accuracy and is committed to cor- recting errors that ap- pear in the newspaper. Those interested in con- tacting the paper for that purpose can email the editor at newsdesk@ pinnaclemedialtd.com. Car wreck injures two “This is a case where genuinely nobody knows quite what happened.” CHARLES QUIN, Grand Court judge JURY NOTICE Grand Court jurors are advised that their report date has been changed. All jurors who are in the April 6 – July 5 session should report for jury duty on Wednesday, June 1, at 2 p.m. The Jury Information line – 945-5072 – has the most up-to-date information. MEXICAN SOCCER STAR KIDNAPPED IN BORDER STATE CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) – Federal and state forces mounted an opera- tion Sunday to find kid- napped Mexican soccer star Alan Pulido, who was ab- ducted in the crime-plagued northern border state of Tamaulipas. The 25-year-old Pulido is a forward for Olympiacos of Greece and was part of Mexico’s 2014 World Cup team, though he was not called up for the Copa America tournament that starts this coming week. The Tamaulipas Coordi- nation Group that includes federal and state security agents said on its Twitter account that it was hunting for the player. Reporters in the city saw an unusual de- ployment of troops and po- lice in the streets, while at least two police or mil- itary-style helicopters flew overhead. A state official said Pu- lido was kidnapped early Sunday after leaving a party near his hometown of Ciudad Victoria, the cap- ital of a state that has suf- fered battles between major drug gangs. The official spoke on condition of ano- nymity because he was not authorized to discuss a case under investigation. Authorities have not given more details about the kidnapping or its motive.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MAY 30, 2016 Home Options BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, Grand Cayman KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, P.O. 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Certificate can be used to purchase car insurance from BritCay. cgigrp coverwithoutaddedcosts! CI$250** CERTIFICATE WITH BUILDINGS INSURANCE CI$10 Million * ASSET PROTECTION! at no extra cost with motor Hurricane season starts Wednesday CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Atlantic Basin hurri- cane season officially begins Wednesday, but the second named storm of the year al- ready made landfall over the weekend in the Southeast United States. Tropical Depression Bonnie made landfall near Charleston, South Carolina with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, after briefly being classified as a trop- ical storm. Forecasters expect the storm to slowly make its way up the coast, with heavy rains prompting flood warn- ings in the Carolinas through the long Memorial Day holiday weekend. Cayman will not see any impacts from Bonnie, with the system far to the north. In fact, despite some rain showers in the days ahead, local forecasters say Cayman should see light winds and calm seas in the week ahead. Hurricane season forecast The National Hurricane Center in Miami Friday issued its prediction for the season, saying forecasters calculate a 70 percent chance of 10 to 16 named storms in the Atlantic. Releasing the report, Hurri- cane Center officials said they expect this year will likely be a “near-normal” year for big storms. But, the report notes, “Forecast uncertainty in the climate signals that influence the formation of Atlantic storms make predicting this season particularly difficult.” The annual hurricane season projection this year predicts that of those 10 to 16 named storms, four to eight could become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or more. The forecasters said one to four storms could become major hurricanes – Category 3 or higher – with winds of at least 111 mph. Lead hurricane forecaster with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- tion Climate Prediction Center Gerry Bell said in a statement last week, “A near-normal pre- diction for this season sug- gests we could see more hur- ricane activity than we’ve seen in the last three years, which were below normal.” The U.S. forecasters say the El Nino system, warming wa- ters in the Pacific Ocean, is dis- sipating. They say there’s a 70 percent chance that the system could be replaced by a La Nina system, which tends to increase tropical storm activity, during the late summer and fall peak of the hurricane season. NOAA administrator Kathryn Sullivan said Friday during a conference call with reporters that there is “strong variability” in the global weather patterns that fore- casters use to predict the hurri- cane season ahead. They’re not sure, she said, if these weather patterns will be “reinforcing each other or competing.” The Atlantic Basin hurri- cane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30 every year, with the peak – when there’s the most tropical cyclone activity – between August and October. The Atlantic Basin hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30 every year. – IMAGE: U.S. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR AND PENSIONS LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE Cayman Islands’ em- ployers and employees can now visit a new website and Facebook page launched by the Department of Labour and Pensions last week. “With the recent amend- ments to the National Pen- sions Law approved in the Legislative Assembly ear- lier this month, it is impor- tant that employers and em- ployees alike are aware of the impending changes and how they will impact their lives in the workplace,” said Min- ister of Employment Tara Rivers. “The goal is to give people as much informa- tion as possible so that they can make informed decisions about their future as it re- lates to pensions and retire- ment, and also to ensure that they are compliant with the labour and pensions laws of the Cayman Islands.” In addition to the re- cent amendments to the Na- tional Pensions Law – which were passed but not yet im- plemented – the Labour (Na- tional Minimum Basic Wage) Order, 2016 came into force on March 1, 2016, requiring a minimum wage of CI$6 per hour, unless the employee re- ceived gratuities or in-kind benefits such as food and housing, in which case the minimum wage is CI$4.50 per hour. The new website provides more information about both of the new laws. Online resources The new site, www.dlp. gov.ky, will be the resource for copies of the laws, an- swers to frequently asked questions and informa- tion about the three units of the Department of La- bour & Pensions – labour, pensions and inspections. Employees and employers can also use the minimum wage calculator on the site to determine if wages are being paid in accordance with the new law. The DLP’s Facebook page, www.face- book.com/CIDepartmentL- abourPensions, will be the source for latest news and information coming out of the department. “These two resources will be invaluable mediums for the department to pro- vide material that assists in our public education initia- tives,” said Department of Labour & Pensions Director Bennard Ebanks. “The NPL is a result of a highly en- gaging consultative and leg- islative reform process, and although the laws them- selves are very compre- hensive, the DLP Facebook page and website will aim to break the information down, and make it easier to understand.” Mr. Ebanks also reminded the public of the confidential hotline (945-3073) that people can call to report labour and pensions law violations. Employees and employers can also use the minimum wage calculator on the site to determine if wages are being paid in accordance with the new law.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. 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 MAY 30, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The Premier, Hon. Alden McLaughlin will reveal the 18-month budget, provide a reflection on how far the administration has come and where it is going.” […] “Price: CI$200 per ticket” – Notice from the Progressives in advance of the “Annual Budget Highlights and Fundraising Dinner” “You can’t take the government budget of a country and go down to The Ritz […] and invite people to come and pay.” – Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush A good portion of politics is appearance. And this sort of thing just looks … well … like “insider trading” – where political insiders were encouraged to trade cash possibly for influence, certainly for information. The ruling Progressives party enticed supporters to a $200-per-head fundraising event at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton resort, using as bait a sneak preview of the government’s upcoming official budget. To the Progessives’ credit (and perhaps somewhat to attendees’ dismay), that bait was apparently followed by a switch, as Premier McLaughlin ended up providing very little in the way of detail on the budget, according to a copy of the speech distributed after Tuesday’s event: “As the 2016-2017 budget will not be presented until Monday, May 30, I am not yet at liberty to speak to the financial projections for the upcoming 18 months,” the premier said. Strictly speaking, it is not with the substance of the premier’s speech, or the Progressives’ event, that we have concerns. Rather, it’s the optics of the situation. We write here with a particularly light touch because we appreciate that political parties need money to operate and run campaigns – don’t try to run for president in the U.S. for less than a billion dollars, and you don’t raise that kind of cash with car washes and fish fries. Nevertheless, we question whether it was wise for the elected government to put on an expensive fete for well-heeled supporters on our small, seem- ingly egalitarian, island: “Tables of 10 are $2,000. Have dinner with the Premier for $3,500 (8 guests), with a Minister for $3,000 (8 guests)” at the finest hotel in the Cayman Islands – a place where many voters may never have been inside and with a price tag that many more would not be able to afford. It could indeed leave the impression, as Mr. Bush was quick to observe, that the Progessives do have “a government for themselves and for their friends.” On a different, but we do not think dissimilar, thought, the Progressives are trumpeting the statistic that last year’s budget should result in an operating surplus of $145 million (bringing government’s three- year net balance to about $400 million in the black). That’s well and good – in fact, very good. (Some of the operating surplus will be used to pay off principal on government debt and still more will be reallo- cated for capital projects, equipment purchases, and other disbursements.) Even so, with operating surpluses of that magni- tude, why is government relying on private sector Samaritans to purchase public assets, such as the sorely needed ambulance, or to feed our needy and hungry elderly? Moreover, key capital projects, such as remediating and relocating the George Town Landfill or completing the John Gray High School, appear to be only inching forward – or at a standstill. ‘Budget dining’: The Progessives’ fundraising affair LONDON -- Leaders of the campaign to end Britain’s membership in the European Union hope that next month’s referendum will make June 23, 2016, a date as luminous in modern British history as May 3, 1979, when voters made Margaret Thatcher prime minister. Michael Gove, secretary of justice and leader of the campaign for Brexit -- Britain’s with- drawal from the EU -- antic- ipates a “galvanizing, liber- ating, empowering moment of national renewal.” For Americans, Brit- ain’s debate about Brexit is more substantive, and per- haps more important, than their dispiriting presidential choice. American conserva- tives would regard Britain’s withdrawal from the EU as the healthy rejection of polit- ical grandiosity. Gove’s friend, Prime Min- ister David Cameron, who op- poses Brexit, says that the referendum is “perhaps the most important decision the British people will have to take at the ballot box in our lifetimes.” Advocates of Brexit agree, but add: If Britons vote to remain in the EU, this might be the last impor- tant decision made at British ballot boxes because impor- tant decisions will increas- ingly be made in Brussels. The EU’s “democracy def- icit” is mistakenly considered merely an unintended injury done by the creation of a blessing -- a continent-wide administrative state. Actu- ally, the deficit is the point of such a state. In Europe, as in the United States, the admin- istrative state exists to mar- ginalize politics -- to achieve Henri de Saint-Simon’s goal of “replacing the government of persons by the adminis- tration of things.” The idea of a continent-wide Euro- pean democracy presupposes the existence of a single Eu- ropean demos, the nonexis- tence of which can be con- firmed by a drive from, say, Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic. Gove believes that the on- going concentration of power in Brussels, seat of “the bu- reaucratic regulatory tempta- tion,” guarantees “regulation in the interest of incumbents” who “do not want a dynamic, innovative Europe.” Under Europe’s administrative state, Gove says “interest groups are stronger than ever” and they prefer social stasis to the uncertainties of societies that welcome the creative de- struction of those interests that thrive by rent-seeking. Gove likens the EU’s figure- head parliament to “the Rus- sian Duma under the czars, or the Hapsburg parliament.” The EU is “a rigged cartel in the interest of the smug.” If, as some serious people here fear, Europe’s current crisis of migration is just the beginning of one of the largest population move- ments in history, the EU’s enfeebled national govern- ments must prepare to cope with inundations. But each EU member’s latitude for ac- tion exists at the sufferance of EU institutions. Gove believes that most of the British public, and even most members of Par- liament, see the familiar trap- pings and procedures of the House of Commons -- the mace, question time -- and think nothing has changed. But most of binding law in Britain -- estimates vary from 55 percent to 65 percent -- does not arise from the parliament in Westminster, but from the European Com- mission in Brussels. The EU has a flag no one salutes, an anthem no one sings, a president no one can name, a parliament that no one - other than its mem- bers - wants to have more power (which must be sub- tracted from national legis- latures), a capital of coag- ulated bureaucracies that no one admires or con- trols, a currency that pre- supposes what neither does nor should exist (a Euro- pean central government administering fiscal policy), and rules of fiscal behavior (limits on debt-to-GDP ra- tios) that few if any mem- bers obey and none have been penalized for ignoring. Journalist and historian Max Hastings, who will vote “remain”, says the bitter- ness between leave and re- main conservatives is remi- niscent of the Suez crisis of 1956 and is “wildly unrea- sonable,” given that Britain’s gravest problems -- an un- sustainable National Health Service, a “failing” education system, low economic pro- ductivity -- “have nothing to do with Brussels.” Besides, especially given the wors- ening migration crisis, “I cannot believe that the EU, and even more the eurozone, will or should survive in their present form through another decade.” Supporters of Brexit agree that, such is the EU’s flux, there is no stable status quo to em- brace, so leaving is no more risky than remaining. Mildly invoking 1776 for an American guest, Gove says “self-government works better than being part of an empire that doesn’t have our interests at heart.” So, the 23rd of June can be- come Britain’s Fourth of July -- a Declaration of In- dependence. If Britain re- jects continuing complicity in the EU project -- con- structing a bland leviathan from surrendered national sovereignties -- it will have rejected the idea that its future greatness depends on submersion in some- thing larger than itself. It will have taken an off-ramp from the road to serfdom. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2016, Washington Post Writers Group An independence day for Britain? GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE The EU has a flag no one salutes, an anthem no one sings, a president no one can name. The leader of Europe’s finance ministers called Wednesday’s agreement on Greek debt a “major break- through.” In a way, it was. The latest twist in this per- petual negotiation has raised the art of dithering to im- pressive new heights. The next financing crunch, which would otherwise have come this summer, has been staved off: Greece will get money to last it at least until October. To make this pos- sible and maintain a show of comity, its official creditors have ventured various semi- commitments and vague un- derstandings. But they left basic disagreements -- mainly between Germany and the International Monetary Fund -- unresolved. This epic of mis- management is set to drag on. Recently, and in increas- ingly strident terms, the IMF has called on Europe to commit to additional debt relief. It has argued -- cor- rectly -- that Greece’s debts aren’t supportable otherwise, even with the maximum fea- sible effort on the Greek side to achieve budget discipline. The new deal acknowledges this position by stating long- term targets for the debt-fi- nancing burden Greece will have to carry. What it fails to do is say how those targets might actually be met. The leader of the fi- nance ministers, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, reportedly said that the scale of further re- lief (if any) would be “made to fit” the requirements of debt sustainability. But what debt sustainability requires of Greece on one side and its creditors on the other has been the chief bone of con- tention throughout. Europe is no closer to answering the core question. Germany’s finance min- ister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, has mainly wanted to avoid decisions on easing Greece’s debt burden any further be- fore its current bailout pro- gram ends in 2018, despite the IMF’s advice to the con- trary. In addition, the finance ministers have been insisting up to now that Greece achieves and maintains a pri- mary budget surplus of 3.5 percent of national income -- a target that the IMF calls undesirable and in any case unreachable. On both points, stasis has prevailed. The deal avoids an imme- diate financial crisis, which is something, no doubt. It doesn’t actually preclude the measures, including fur- ther debt relief, that will sooner or later be needed to put the Greek economy back on a stable footing. But it’s a breakthrough with European characteristics -- one that settles nothing. © 2016, Bloomberg View EUROPE’S DEAL ON GREECE HARDLY A ‘BREAKTHROUGH’5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MAY 30, 2016 Are you a member of the CI Cancer Society? Show your support for the fight against cancer by becoming a member or renewing your membership today. Join us for the Annual General Meeting of the Members of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society (the Society) to be held at the Chamber of Commerce Office, Governors Square on 30th June, 2016 at 7:30pm. NOTICE TO MEMBERS OF OUR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Please RSVP to yvonne@cics.ky or call 949 7618 AGENDA 1. Confirmation of quorum 2. Approval of the Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting 3. Chairman’s Report 4. Treasurer’s Report 5. Approval of Financial Statements 6. Election of Directors 7. Any other business Child who inspired change to HSA Law may never benefit Still unable to seek compensation JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com She was the case study for changing the law to restore the rights of patients who be- lieve they are victims of med- ical errors to claim compensa- tion. But Donette Thompson may never benefit from the changes she inspired. The case of the 10-year- old, who was born with cere- bral palsy as a result of what her mother believes was the negligent management of her labor, was the catalyst for Government’s decision to get rid of Section 12 of the Health Services Authority Law, which protects the hospital and its staff from being sued. The change in the law, removing immunity from lawsuits in medical negli- gence cases, is not being ap- plied retroactively however, meaning Donette’s mother, Norene Ebanks is still in the same boat, unable to sue and struggling to fund her daugh- ter’s care. As her lawyers seek to find a legal solution, the com- munity has rallied to her aid. Kent McTaggart, a busi- nessman who also has a son with special needs, launched a fundraising campaign last week to help pay for some of her expenses. He called on Cayman’s politicians and wealthy busi- ness owners to step up and help raise a six-figure sum for Ms. Ebanks. “It was her case that lifted the lid on this issue. She was a case study for fixing the law and it has been fixed for everyone except her. “Norene does everything she can for her daughter. She fights every day and she still puts on a smile. As a special needs parent I know how hard it is. It hit me hard that nothing was being done for her. “I don’t care where the money comes from; they need to be taken care of,” he said. Ms. Ebanks said she had been struggling to pay for Donette’s care since she was born. She says she tried to bring a lawsuit against the Health Services Authority in an effort to secure a “better future” for her child. But the lawsuit was barred after a judge ruled Section 12 of the HSA Law prevented compensation claims against hospital staff except in cases where bad faith could be proved. Publicity around the case sparked a call to arms that ultimately led to a change in the law. While those changes will make a difference for future patients who are the victims of medical errors, they will not make a differ- ence for Donette, even if it were definitively determined – and it has yet to be – that there was indeed medical error involved in her case. “I am happy for the law to be changed, because it ben- efits the rest of the Cayman Islands from now on, but I am upset for Donette,” said Ms. Ebanks. “She was the whole reason this went to the Legislative Assembly in the first place. They even brought her name up in the meeting, but not even a soul has called since and asked how she is, if she is still alive. “I am still upset, it hurts every time I think about it,” she said. Ms. Ebanks would like to afford a mobility vehicle for her daughter and adapta- tions to her West Bay home to make it easier for her to get around. Mr. McTaggart said he immediately had a strong response to his Facebook campaign, though most of the pledges came from people with little to give who were offering what help they could. He said he hoped some of the community’s wealthiest citizens would dig deep and help raise a significant sum that could make a real differ- ence in the child’s life. Ms. Ebanks said she was grateful for the support. “It brought tears to my eyes when I saw it. I am re- ally happy that someone is out there who really knows what’s going on and is trying to help,” she said. James Kennedy, of Samson and McGrath, said the law firm had not given up hope of getting compen- sation for Ms. Thompson through the courts. He said further hearings were sched- uled in the case and an ap- peal was possible. Mr. McTaggart is in the process of establishing a go- fundme page. In the mean- time anyone who wants to as- sist can contact him via text or whatsapp on 525-2992. Gas prices, housing contribute to decline CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The consumer price index continued to fall for the first quarter of 2016, according to the most recent economic measures from the Eco- nomics and Statistics Office. “This is the fifth consecu- tive quarter of deflation since the first quarter of 2015, re- sulting largely from the con- tinued reduction in fuel prices and import duty re- ductions on diesel used by Caribbean Utilities Com- pany,” said Finance Minister Marco Archer. The drop in fuel prices contributed to lowering prices across the economy for water and electricity, gas and transportation. The consumer price index fell 2.8 percent during the first quarter com- pared to the same period the year before. The first quarter of this year fell by 0.8 percent compared to the last quarter of 2015. “This can be traced mainly to the seasonal decline in ac- commodation service fees, as well as the fall in fuel prices,” Mr. Archer said. Falling prices Prices have been falling since the beginning of 2015. The first quarter of 2015 saw prices slip into negative ter- ritory with 0.4 percent defla- tion. Prices had been rising since 2011 and the global economic crisis of the last decade, but began the fall toward negative territory through 2014. The last year to record a drop in the consumer price index was 2009. Over the fol- lowing years, prices grew by at least 1.2 percent annually, but then ended back in nega- tive territory in 2015 with 2.3 percent deflation. Maria Zingapan, director of the Economics and Statis- tics Office, wrote in response to email questions that the falling prices are directly re- lated to the oil market. “This is, of course, an offshoot of the downtrend in global prices. Hence, it should not have negative impacts on the well-being of consumers,” she said. “On the contrary, it means that the average house- hold can have a little … extra money for spending in other items, all other things held constant.” Prices for water supply and related services dropped by almost 15 percent in the quarter, a record, according to the ESO. The index cov- ering electricity, gas and other fuels fell by more than 12 percent. Housing Housing prices have also dropped. Ms. Zingapan said it is possibly “due to ex- cess supply of housing units; however, this seems to have stabilized as actual rentals did not show any movement between the last two quar- ters” of 2015. According to the report, the price for “actual rental” housing dropped by 1.6 per- cent and “imputed rentals” of owner-occupied housing fell by 11.1 percent. The price basket Many prices across the economy fell over the past year. The ESO records av- erage prices at grocery stores to track the value of money compared to select items people regularly buy. The price of milk, for example, fell from $6.72 for a gallon of regular Vitamin D milk to $6.51. The price for a package of bacon dropped by more than $1.30. Report: Deflation continues for fifth straight quarter The case of Norene Ebanks, who tried to sue the hospital after her daughter suffered birth defects as a result of what she claims was medical negligence, sparked the debate about Section 12. – PHOTO: MATT LAMERSMONDAY MAY 30, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days George Town Behind the scenes adventure at the florist The Celebrations floral room was extra busy recently, filled with excited chatter and giggles from a group of young Cayman International School students. Teacher Jody Danter and her pre-K 4 class along with teacher assistant Jynel Glad- stone got an action-packed be- hind-the-scenes experience of what it’s like to work at a floral shop on their May 12 field trip. Inside the cooler, Celebra- tions head florist Joan Mor- rison fielded questions from some of the girls that ranged from what the different kinds of flowers were and where they came from, to why some were in boxes and others in buckets. “Between comments about how cold it was in- side the cooler, were shouts of glee when they could iden- tify a particular flower,” said Celebrations marketing coordi- nator Karina Briguera. “One even was able to point out a tiger lily!” Meanwhile, the boys had a great time observing flo- rist Andre Douglas while he created a simple floral arrangement. “Some observations they made included how odd the wet oasis [foam block] felt, and how amazing it was to see Andre turn a white spider mum into purple,” said Ms. Briguera “You could see the amazement in their eyes when he did his ‘magic trick.’” The students took turns creating mini arrangements, picking whichever flower they wanted in their arrangement. “When they were told that they could take their ar- rangements home, boy did their faces light up,” said Ms. Briguera. “One even said he will plant his flowers in their garden – adorable!” Ms. Danter later noted that the trip proved engaging, ed- ucational and lots of fun, and that the excitement of the trip did not abate after the kids got back to school, with the boys enthusiastically telling the girls about their experi- ence with Mr. Douglas, and all the children talking about how cold the cooler was. “It was such a pleasure to have the little ones visit the Celebrations headquarters to learn about the art of flo- ristry,” said Celebrations CEO Jo-Anne Brown. “The children were such a joy and had the best time learning about the various types of flowers, their delicacy, care practices and of course creating their very own arrangements to take home.”The students with head florist Joan Morrison thought it was pretty cold in the flower cooler. The children got to choose their own flowers for their mini arrangements.The pre-K 4 class, along with assistant Jynel Gladstone and teacher Jody Danter, show off flower arrangements. 50 years ago: Caymanians go to the Indianapolis 500 In the June 1, 1966 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, George Town correspondent Frances Bodden wrote: “After being home for four weeks Mr. William Banker returned to his job in Puerto Rico. He is employed by the Indian Towing Company of New Orleans, Louisiana. “Mr. Ernest Pearson left on Saturday morning to join his ship the Uni- verse Defiance of National Bulk Carriers. “Mr. Attlee Bodden and Miss Maxine Bodden, chil- dren of Captain and Mrs. Theo Bodden, left on May 28 for Miami, where they will meet Mr. Jay Stoy who left on Thursday and they will all drive north in order to attend the 500 mile race in Indianapolis. They will also spend some time at the Stoys’ home in La Grange. “Leaving on Sunday morning was Mrs. Sandys Sherwood who is on her way to Barce- lona, Spain where she will attend her daughter Jackie’s wedding.” Other news included: “His Honour the Admin- istrator informed the press on Saturday last that a telegram has been received which gives a great deal of encouragement with regard to efforts which have been made for a long time to get Caymanians who wish to return home out of Cuba. “Due to extensive for- malities, yet to be complied with, it is not anticipated that the 70-75 now on the British Ambassador’s list will arrive here before September. It is, however, known that KLM, the Royal Dutch airline will be al- lowed to carry the Cayma- nians direct from Havana or another airport in Cuba to Grand Cayman. A plane will be able to carry about 45 passengers plus their baggage on each trip and so it is anticipated there will be two flights here. “It is understood that there are a quite a number of children included which will, no doubt, mean an in- flux of Spanish speaking children into our schools next term.”CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MAY 30, 2016 7 DISTRICT DAYS District Days George Town Hope students show their giving spirit Students took part in yoga classes led by a Hope Academy teacher, raising combined funds of $531 In the spirit of helping those in need, Hope Academy students recently raised funds and collected books and clothing donations des- tined to benefit Cayman Hos- piceCare, the Cayman Is- lands Humane Society, and the Red Cross. The drive was part of the school’s Spirit Week held the week of May 23, which had students doing their part for the community and for the planet. Using trash bags and re- cycled materials, students designed outfits for the Re- cycle, Reduce, Reuse fashion show. On Civvy Day, stu- dents were allowed to wear their own clothes to school, instead of uniforms. The students also took part in yoga classes led by a Hope Academy teacher, and the combined funds raised of $531 from the three events went to benefit HospiceCare. In support of the Humane Society, the school came to- gether to play Scrabble, and players brought along books to be donated to the Hu- mane Society’s book loft. Stu- dents also donated sports- wear and equipment on the sports afternoon. According to Linda Brown, director of teaching and learning at Hope, Spirit Week promoted a feeling of togetherness, which was felt every day through sports, ac- tivities and dress-up events. “On the dress-up days,” said Ms. Brown, “clothes were donated and given to the Red Cross. There were over one hundred items collected.” Spirit Week is held two to three times a year and is an initiative intended to en- courage working together and to build school spirit. Hope Academy’s Recycle, Reduce, Reuse Spirit Week fashion show, benefiting HospiceCare, featured creative outfits made from repurposed materials. CUC worker honored with accounting award Awarded Accounts Payable Manager of the Year by Institute of Finance and Management JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A local young man who en- courages Caymanian youth to push for their dreams is the first in Cayman to receive the Ac- counts Payable Manager of the Year award from the Institute of Finance and Management. Sebastian Bodden, head of the revenue and payables team at Ca- ribbean Utilities Company, re- ceived the award from the Port- land, Maine-based organization for demonstrating bar-raising levels of leadership from an orga- nization with less than $1 billion in annual revenue. The Institute of Finance and Management provides training, education and certification pro- grams specifically for profes- sionals in the accounting field. “I was completely elated and humbled to be selected as the 2015-16 international AP Manager of the Year; to me this recognition solidifies my hard work and ded- ication in the revenue and pay- able profession and pushes me to strive for even greater success and innovation,” said Mr. Bodden. He says he is a firm believer in accepting any challenge and pushing the limits to go further. In October 2015, Mr. Bodden flew to Las Vegas to ac- cept his award and give an acceptance speech. Coworkers describe Mr. Bodden as “naturally meticulous,” someone who pays attention to all the details of his department and doesn’t let anything slip under the radar. Under his leadership, Mr. Bodden’s department at CUC has implemented several layers of automation, a travel advance tracking system and new payment processes for startup subsid- iaries, among other efficiencies. Bodden also created an employee rewards program at zero cost to the company. Mr. Bodden, who has been with CUC for the past eight and a half years was nominated online by a peer professional and co- worker at CUC. Subsequent to receiving the award and networking in Las Vegas, Mr. Bodden assisted other accounts payable professionals as a consultant for various issues and was invited to be a speaker at the 2016 Asia P2P Transfor- mation Summit in Singapore held in March. Growing up in Prospect, Mr. Bodden attended Savannah Pri- mary, George Hicks High and John Gray High, graduating with honors from all three. He also received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University College of the Cayman Islands and completed numerous profes- sional training programs in the accounting field. He said his mother, Hillsey Bodden, is his role model, because she exemplifies hard work, ethics and dedication no matter the cir- cumstances, and has shaped him to be the man he is today. His accounting career came about because of his fascina- tion with numbers. With Cayman being such a key player in the global financial industry, he was certain that he could obtain knowledge, exposure and chal- lenges by entering this field. “Believe in yourself and to push for your dreams and ap- proach every goal, task or job with a positive attitude and the dedication that you can make a difference by taking it to the next level,” said Mr. Bodden. “Do not run from the chal- lenges, but face them head-on to enhance your skills and char- acter, thus making your mark as a positive link in society, nation- ally and globally.” Mr. Bodden received the award for demonstrating bar-raising levels of leadership from an organization with less than $1 billion in annual revenue. Sebastian Bodden has been selected as 2015-16 international AP Manager of the Year. GEORGE NOWAK Everyone knows “Welly’s Cool Spot.” The ever-pop- ular restaurant and bar is still as popular today as it was back in 1982, when this photo was taken. An entrepreneur and nice guy. “Mr. Welly” ran a tight ship. Anyone who was a nui- sance toward his cus- tomers would end up in the parking lot. In those earlier days, Welly’s Cool Spot was not only popular with locals, but tourists as well flocked to the place to drink “greenies” – Heineken beer. Mr. Wellington passed away in 2009. This photograph is from the book ‘The People Time Forgot’ by George Nowak, available at the National Museum. All proceeds from the sales of the book go toward museum projects. People time forgot: Welly E.K. Wellington ‘Mr. Welly’8 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY MAY 30, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Apply today and get FREE† additional cards! Reward yourself in two easy ways Choose one or both! Welcome Bonus offers end May 31, 2016. †† Scotiabank Gold MasterCard® Get a Welcome Bonus of US$40† Cash Back ®Scotiabank / AAdvantage® MasterCard® Get a Welcome Bonus of up to 7,000 AAdvantage® miles† Travel Rewards ®® †Conditions apply. Subject to credit approval. 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Cash Back Cayman_Q2 Credit Card2016_5.0667x7.8975.indd 14/17/16 8:17 PM Event showcases strength of kidnapping victim KELSEY JUKAM kjukam@pinnaclemedialtd.com Hundreds of supporters of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre packed the ballroom of The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman on Friday to hear a message of hope and healing from Lillian Rose Lee, who was kidnapped at age 21 and held captive in her abductor’s house for more than 11 years. Ms. Lee, formerly known as Michelle Knight, was one of three women kidnapped by Ariel Castro in Cleve- land, Ohio between 2002 and 2004. Their story made in- ternational headlines after Amanda Berry escaped on May 6, 2013, leading to the rescue of Ms. Lee and Gina DeJesus. At the Crisis Centre’s an- nual “Strength of a Woman” luncheon fundraising event, Ms. Lee shared the story of how she rebuilt her life after the harrowing ordeal and offered words of en- couragement to those who have also suffered from vio- lence or abuse. During a Q&A at the event with Cayman 27’s Tammi Sulliman, Ms. Lee said she never believed she was going to get out alive, but during such situations “being strong is the only choice that you ever have.” “Giving up is not an option,” she said. Ms. Lee said that thinking of her son – who was born before she was abducted – and her faith in God helped her to survive captivity. Between learning life skills – like how to use com- plicated new cellphones – and learning how to trust people again, Ms. Lee said that life after her escape has been challenging, but that the ordeal taught her to not take life for granted. “Everyday I wake up, I praise God for the things that I have, not the things that I don’t have,” Ms. Lee said. “I just love life, because life was taken away from me,” she said. Ms. Lee said that she wants to share her story to help others, and to encourage people to never give up hope. “Don’t be ashamed of what you’re going through, don’t let that person define who you are, conquer that devil, put him in his place … you’re going to be OK,” Ms. Lee said. “It might be weeks, years. You will always re- member it, but it’s best to forgive. Because in my heart, if I didn’t forgive the person that harmed me, I would be letting the devil win.” At the event Ms. Lee also signed copies of her memoir “Finding Me: A De- cade of Darkness, a Life Re- claimed.” She explained that she had written much of the book while she was in cap- tivity, as she kept journals, wrote poetry and songs, and drew, finding comfort in artistic expression. Ms. Lee said plans for an- other book are in the works, but there are many other ca- reer paths she is interested in pursuing besides writing. She said she could see her- self going to cooking school, or becoming a therapist, or finding a way to work with animals – since her escape she’s adopted several dogs. The event also included an art exhibit and sale, and a Krav Maga self-defense demonstration. Krav Maga Cayman is offering a free one-month membership to each person who purchased a ticket to the “Strength of a Woman” event. All proceeds from the event will go to the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre to sup- port its day-to-day opera- tions and the creation of a new drop-in center, separate from the shelter, for admin- istrative, after-care and out- reach programs. Lillian Lee speaks with Tammi Sulliman at the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre’s annual ‘Strength of a Woman’ event. – PHOTO: KELSEY JUKAM That low-flying aircraft that might buzz about di- rectly overhead this week is not in difficulty; it’s just the Mosquito Research and Con- trol Unit conducting its sea- sonal aerial operations in an effort to reduce the size of the mosquito populations on Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. The low-level fight over mosquito breeding swamps will take place during mornings and late afternoons through the Friday of this week. The MRCU aircraft will drop pellets designed to stop the swamp mosquito larvae developing in water, which are activated when the rainy season begins. Cay- man’s rainy season usually begins in late May and runs through late October to early November. Swamp mosquitoes are not a public health threat, but bite, spread heartworm in dogs and are a nuisance throughout the islands. For further information about the aerial operation and daily schedules, visit MRCU’s Facebook page, or call 949-2557. MRCU conducting aerial operations this week The Mosquito Research and Control Unit airplane will be conducting low-level flight operations in an effort to control the mosquito population as rainy season begins. – PHOTO: CHRIS COURT9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MAY 30, 2016 Trust Company Ltd., Nagoya JAPAN - Satisfying customers since 1988 get an instant quote on our website: +81-52-219-9024 sales@japanesevehicles.com facebook.com/JapaneseVehicles f TOYOTA MARK X 2008 3,500 US$ S/N 176917 HONDA STREAM 2007 1,690 US$ S/N 177026 NISSAN SKYLINE 2009 6,950 US$ S/N 175334 RENAULT TWINGO 2008 1,030 US$ S/N 175496 BMW 1 SERIES 2009 6,600 US$ S/N 177037 TOYOTA NOAH 2008 4,600 US$ S/N 176920 BMW 3 SERIES 2009 8,800 US$ S/N 176605 HONDA CR-V 2011 15,900 US$ S/N 172680 HONDA ACCORD 2009 7,500 US$ S/N 177305 Get a FREE 30 Day Guarantee with your vehicle purchased from Trust Company Ltd.! High Quality Vehicles · Timely Shipping · Reliable Service · Great Prices Prices listed are FOB. Freight cost and taxes are not included. Risk Free 30 da ys Tr us t Mechanical G ua ran tee Health coverage not mandated for employed spouses BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands em- ployers – including the gov- ernment service – are not re- quired by the local Health Insurance Law to provide healthcare coverage to em- ployed spouses of island resi- dents, Health Insurance Com- missioner Mervyn Conolly said Saturday. Mr. Conolly’s remarks came in response to ques- tions during a poorly at- tended presentation at the Small Business Expo, held Saturday at the University College of the Cayman Is- lands campus. The afternoon presentation was touted as an information session to assist Cayman’s small business owners. While many island em- ployers do choose to cover spouses of their employees who are also working here, there is no legal requirement for them to do so, the health insurance commissioner said. It is only in cases where the spouse and underage de- pendents of the working person are unemployed where that coverage is re- quired to be provided under the Health Insurance Law. The issue is something Mr. Conolly said he is aware that the government, in par- ticular, is now looking into, as it faces an estimated $1.18 billion healthcare li- ability (measured at present dollar values) during the next 20 years that Finance Minister Marco Archer said risked “overwhelming” the government budget if left unaddressed. “Obviously, [the govern- ment is] looking at every- thing now,” Mr. Conolly said. “I think you’ve heard of this co-pay thing.” Currently, the Cayman Is- lands National Insurance Company covers the spouses and underage children of all of its employees with 100 percent free health insur- ance. Government workers do not contribute any- thing to their monthly healthcare premiums. CINICO insures roughly 3,600 employees, and their de- pendents, in the Cayman Is- lands government civil service and hundreds of others who work for statutory authori- ties and government-owned companies that operate out- side of central government. It is estimated that CINICO insures somewhere around 12,000 to 15,000 people in the Cayman Islands. A number of measures are currently being consid- ered by government to offset rising healthcare costs, in- cluding a proposal to raise the government’s retire- ment age by five years from 60 to 65. Increasing the current retirement age from 60 would mean government workers would pay into the healthcare system longer, putting additional funds toward future liabilities in healthcare. Minister Archer has also pledged to institute co-pay- ments of healthcare pre- miums for civil servants with a target date of 2018. A number of other pos- sibilities include lowering the lifetime coverage max- imum for government em- ployees under the CINICO plan from its current $5 mil- lion, and instituting a “grad- uated” coverage scale for re- tired civil servants based on how many years they worked for the government. Requiring employed spouses of civil servants to foot the bill for their own healthcare has been dis- cussed previously by Legisla- tive Assembly members, but it has not been listed as a po- tential cost-saving measure by the administration in any public debates on the subject. The frightening increase in local health insurance liabilities was laid bare by Minister Archer last month during a Legislative As- sembly meeting. The 20-year estimated li- ability government carries for future healthcare ex- penses, measured at today’s value, has ballooned from $654 million in 2004 to $1.18 billion in 2014. “Essential services such as education, national security and health- care are underfunded be- cause of the healthcare costs and the long-term healthcare liability,” Mr. Archer said at the time. The government’s overall cost of providing healthcare to its currently insured em- ployees, retirees, seamen and veterans went from $87 mil- lion in 2012 to $107 million in the current government budget. Healthcare costs make up about 20 percent of government’s total spending. The Cayman Islands also has 345 outstanding “loans” to residents who do not maintain healthcare coverage, with unpaid bal- ances of $12.3 million owed to government. “Obviously, [the government is] looking at everything now. I think you’ve heard of this co-pay thing.” MERVYN CONOLLY, health insurance commissioner British Overseas Terri- tories passport holders are urged to give themselves enough time to receive travel documents prior to travelling on a new or renewed pass- port, as passport processing times have lengthened. The remaining British territories are now having their passports processed and printed in the U.K., meaning the time required to issue a passport is between four to six weeks. Processing times for a lost or stolen passport are longer, at about six to eight weeks. Anyone visiting the U.S. who is a non-citizen and who is using a British Overseas Territories Passport must ensure their documents are valid for at least six months after their intended date of departure from the U.S. Visa waivers for a single entry into the U.S. from the Cayman Islands take about three working days to process, but those waivers cannot be issued to individ- uals with a past criminal conviction or to someone who has previously been denied a travel visa. Any British citizen trav- eling to the U.S. without a visitors visa must ob- tain online authorization for that travel at ESTA or the Electronic System for Travel Authorization. ESTA can be accessed at https:// esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Longer passport processing times expected Mervyn Conolly Government seeking cultural comments The Cayman Islands gov- ernment wants feedback on what will be the Cayman Is- lands’ first policy on national culture and heritage. A survey seeking com- ments on what the public feels should be “vision, values and potential objec- tives” of the policy was put out last week. The survey can be ac- cessed at www.survey- monkey.com/r/ZDQK8C2. It closes on June 30. The survey information will be used, along with re- ports being compiled by half a dozen focus groups working to develop “a main situational analysis on culture and heri- tage in the islands.” The data is due to be sub- mitted to the government Ministry of Culture at the end of July. Once it is created, the strategic culture policy will “roll out” over a 10-year pe- riod from 2017 to 2027.Next >