Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. High of 91 Low of 78 BUSINESS| PAGE 12 FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY SEES MIXED RESULTS IN 2015 EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 PM THERESA MAY: THERE’S A NEW LADY IN CHARGE ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY JULY 13, 2016 Cayman Turtle Farm: Island Wildlife Encounter Discover the adventure at the Join us with our resident rates CI $10 Adults CI $ 4 Children 786 Northwest Point Road, West Bay, Grand Cayman info@turtle.ky | www.turtle.ky | +1 345 949 2894 +1 345 949 2894 / Cayman Turtle HSBC AVOIDED CRIMINAL CHARGES OVER FEARS OF ‘SYSTEMIC RISK’ MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The U.S. Department of Justice refused to prosecute HSBC in 2012 for laundering Mex- ican drug money through a Cayman Islands subsidiary and other violations after U.S. of- ficials heard from the U.K. government that doing so could lead to financial contagion and would have serious implications for global fi- nancial and economic stability. A U.S. Congressional report concluded that Attorney General Eric Holder overruled an in- ternal recommendation by the Justice De- partment’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laun- dering Section to prosecute HSBC because of concerns over serious adverse consequences for the financial system. Instead of facing criminal charges, HSBC entered into a five-year deferred prosecu- tion agreement and paid about $1.92 billion in penalties. The attorney general caused a stir in 2013 when he told the Senate Judiciary Committee the size of certain financial institutions made them difficult to prosecute because such pros- ecutions could have a negative impact on the national and world economy. “I think it has an inhibiting influence – [an] impact on our ability to bring resolutions that I think would be more appropriate,” Mr. Holder testified at the time. He later stepped back his comments, stating they had been misconstrued to suggest that some banks were too big to jail. The report, prepared by the Republican staff of the Committee on Financial Service, claims the decision not to bring criminal charges against HSBC was heavily influenced JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Airways has inked a deal with U.S.-based Air Lease Corp. to replace its fleet of aging jets with the next generation Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. The new planes will come straight off the Boeing production line and into service on Cayman Airways routes between late 2018 and 2020. Air Lease Corp. announced this week that it had won the contract to supply the planes on a long-term lease arrangement. Cayman’s national carrier will be re- tiring its Boeing 737-300 planes, which are between 15 and 20 years old, over the next few years. Tourism and airline offi- cials say the new planes could open up new routes, potentially including direct service from the West Coast of the U.S. They claim the planes’ added fuel efficiency will help offset the costs. In addition to leasing the four new air- craft, which will operate on all Cayman Air- ways international routes, the airline will also lease an earlier model Boeing 737-800 from Air Lease Corp. as an interim measure to replace the oldest of its current jets later this year. That plane will be replaced with the newer aircraft when it becomes available two years later, according to a press release from the leasing company this week. “Cayman Airways is the national flag carrier for the Cayman Islands, and we at ALC are pleased with being selected by the airline, after an open tendering process, to Witness: DVDL inspector was ‘racing’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 1996 Toyota Supra that smashed into a power pole and veered into oncoming cars on Crewe Road on Monday was “speeding,” “zigzagging” and “racing” through midday traffic in George Town, according to an eyewitness who said Tuesday that her vehicle was damaged by flying debris from the crash. What that witness, Meloney Syms, did not know – until she read it in Tuesday’s Cayman Compass – was that the man driving the sports car was an inspector with the govern- ment Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing. The inspector, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service and the man who owns the Toyota, had taken the car out for a test drive during an inspection. According to DVDL Director David Dixon, “The employee has been released from the hospital after treatment for minor in- juries and is on sick leave. As in every incident where a staff member is involved, the manage- ment of DVDL will conduct its own internal enquiry.” The RCIPS is investigating the crash. As of press time PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » A new Boeing 737 Max 8 takes off from La Paz airport in Bolivia in May. Cayman Airways will be leasing four of the aircraft. - PHOTO: MONICA M. WEHRI PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » Passersby check out the wrecked sports car. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CAL to get new fleet of 737s2 LOCAL&REGIONAL WEDNESDAY JULY 13, 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. - WEDNESDAY - THE BFG 3D (PG) 1:00 I 4:00 2D I 7:00 I 9:50 2D THE SHALLOWS (PG13) 12:40 I 2:50 I 5:00 I 7:15 I 9:30 THE LEGEND OF TARZAN 3D (PG13) 1:10 I 3:45 2D I 7:10 I 9:45 2D CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE (PG13) 1:30 I 7:20 MIKE AND DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES (R) 12:45 I 3:20 I 7:30 I 10:00 THE CONJURING 2 (R) 4:00 I 9:50 FINDING DORY 3D (PG) 12:30 2D I 3:00 I 6:45 2D I 9:15 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) SATURDAY, JULY 16th,8PM Sponsored by: Sponsored by: SATURDAY, JUNE 18th 8PM New auditor general takes office Sue Winspear took over as Cayman’s new auditor general on Friday, suc- ceeding former Auditor Gen- eral Alastair Swarbrick, who held the post between July 2010 and October 2015. Ms. Winspear, a former deputy in the U.K.’s Na- tional Audit Office, said Monday that she is “very familiar” with operating in the political environment and providing briefings to the U.K. Public Accounts Committee previously. Prior to her work at the National Audit Office, she spent her career as a senior finance executive in various government departments in the U.K. Ms. Winspear said in a press release issued Monday that she consid- ered it to be a “privilege” to be appointed as auditor general for Cayman. “This office plays a crit- ical role in the governance framework of the Cayman Islands and while I know the main job we have is to hold government to ac- count, I also look forward to helping the government manage public resources and deliver effective pro- grams and services,” she said. She said she would have a lot to learn in a very short time and “looks for- ward to engaging with se- nior government officials in the coming weeks to get up to speed as quickly as possible.” Since Mr. Swarbrick de- parted in October, Garnet Harrison has been the acting auditor general. Ms. Winspear has been given a three-year contract. CUBANS PASS THROUGH CAYMAN BRAC A 20-foot boat with 13 Cuban migrants aboard passed through Cayman Brac on Monday evening. Immigration officials said 12 of the migrants stayed in the Brac overnight and left early Tuesday, and one decided to remain in the Brac. There were nine men and four women aboard the vessel when it arrived in the Brac. Venezuela leans on military to combat food shortages CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuela’s defense min- ister is getting a major pro- motion as the socialist-run country struggles to combat severe shortages and stave off food riots. President Nicolas Maduro on Monday night said he was creating a new government initiative to boost production and guarantee the smooth distribution of food supplies in the face of what he called economic sabotage by his op- ponents. He said the Great Mission of Sovereign Supply will be headed by Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, who will coordinate the work of every ministry. Among its goals will be to wean oil-de- pendent Venezuela off foreign food imports and jumpstart agricultural production that has suffered for years under price controls. Maduro said he was acting under the authority of an economic emergency de- cree he declared earlier this year. As food shortages have worsened this year, Maduro has leaned more on the mil- itary and community groups of government supporters to organize food distribu- tion and ease the blocks-long lines that are a focal point for spontaneous unrest and bouts of looting when hungry shoppers are turned away. He’s also tried to tighten a rationing system that gives Venezuelans access to staples only on certain days. But it’s not clear if the strategy is working. In June, there was an av- erage of 24 protests each day according to a study pub- lished Tuesday by local Ven- ezuelan Observatory of So- cial Conflict. About a third of those were sparked by severe food shortages. Padrino, an army gen- eral and one of the few U.S.- trained officers still oc- cupying high positions in Venezuela’s military, has long been one of Maduro’s most- trusted aides. The deeply un- popular Maduro is battling to fend off a recall drive in the face of an economic crisis marked by triple-digit infla- tion and forced austerity by households and government agencies alike. Maduro lacks the mili- tary background of his pre- decessor and mentor, the late Hugo Chavez, and since taking office in 2013, he has courted support from the military, greatly expanding their role running the oil-de- pendent economy. In addition to giving active and retired generals key Cabinet posts, he’s awarded troops several inflation-beating pay raises, given the armed forces its own television network and created a military-run bank. The armed forces helped the government quash a wave of deadly anti-govern- ment protests in 2014, but the latest unrest is spon- taneous and appears to be erupting among poor Vene- zuelans once loyal to Chavez. In the past month, at least five people have been killed in clashes with secu- rity forces sparked by food riots that recall the two days of deadly looting in 1989 that left over 300 dead. The tragedy known as the Cara- cazo is burned into Vene- zuelans’ collective memory and at least some divisions of the military have resisted firing on poor Venezuelans ever again. Two in court on child porn charges Two men appeared in court Tuesday, charged in separate cases relating to child pornography. Michell Garcia-Gambao is charged with possessing more than 800 indecent images of children. Eight charges, in- cluding an allegation of in- decent assault and of distributing an indecent pho- tograph of a child via What- sapp messenger service, were read to Garcia-Gambao when he appeared in Summary Court via video link. He spoke briefly to indi- cate his desire to face the charges in Grand Court, but he did not enter a plea to any of the charges. He faces one count of in- decent assault of a female, six charges relating to pos- session of indecent images of a child and one charge relating to distributing or showing indecent images. In the second case, Trevorne Daley, who has also been charged on mul- tiple counts of posses- sion of child pornog- raphy, appeared briefly during Tuesday’s Summary Court hearing. Daley’s case was put off until July 19 to allow him time to consult with his new attorney. Auditor General Sue Winspear BRAZIL’S ARMED FORCES GET EXTRA FUNDS BEFORE RIO OLYMPICS RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Brazil is beefing up funding for the military to help it meet se- curity needs for the Olym- pics that open next month in Rio de Janeiro, the in- terim government an- nounced Tuesday. Sports Minister Leon- ardo Picciani said that de- spite a budget crunch, the government is granting the armed forces an additional $24 million at the request of the Defense Ministry. “It is the necessary amount for our defense forces to do their work and that money will be avail- able,” Picciani told journal- ists after a meeting at the presidential palace in the capital of Brasilia. The minister said the ad- ditional funds are meant for “final adjustments” in security before the sports extravaganza. Troops will begin patrol- ling sports venues July 24. Some 85,000 police and soldiers are to be deployed during the Aug. 5-21 games. That’s roughly twice the security contin- gent that was used at the London Olympics. Rio de Janeiro state has slashed budgets across the board, including that of the police. Its revenues have been particularly hard- hit by the recession beset- ting Brazil, which saw the economy shrink around 4 percent last year. Two weeks ago, angry civil police officers staged a strike, with one contingent greeting visitors at Rio’s international airport with a sign reading, in English: “Welcome to Hell. Police and firefighters don’t get paid; Whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro will not be safe.” In June, Gov. Francisco Dornelles declared a state of financial disaster that paved the way for $860 million in emergency aid from the federal government. Part of those funds were earmarked for Olympic security. HONDURAN NATIONAL POLICE OFFICERS DENY DRUG CASE CHARGES NEW YORK (AP) – Five of six Honduran National Po- lice officers charged in New York with conspiring with the son of a former Honduran president to import cocaine into the United States have pleaded not guilty. The officers had surren- dered on Sunday. They en- tered the pleas on Tuesday in Manhattan federal court to charges of cocaine con- spiracy, conspiracy to use firearms and firearms pos- session. If convicted they could face mandatory mini- mums of 10 years in prison and up to life. The men have been de- tained without bail, though none of their lawyers made an argument for bail. ECUADOR DRAWS REBUKE FOR DEPORTING CUBAN REFUGEES QUITO, Ecuador (AP) – Human rights groups are denouncing Ecuador’s ex- pulsion of dozens of Cubans seeking asylum in the U.S. Around 150 Cubans were arrested last week in Ecuador’s capital after set- ting up a camp outside the Mexican Embassy to de- mand a special humani- tarian visa allowing them to travel to the U.S. border and from there seek asylum in the U.S. Human Rights Watch said in a statement that the deportation of 75 asylum seekers likely violates in- ternational law requiring governments not to forcibly return refugees to places where their lives may be in danger.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JULY 13, 2016 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. WEDNESDAY JULY 13, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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 EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” From the Cayman Islands to the United Kingdom, we extend a hearty congratulations to new U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, who emerged as head of the ruling Conservative Party following a frenzied — but brief — period of political maneuvering after the U.K.’s Brexit vote three weeks ago. In news reports detailing her three-decade ascension from local councillor, to Member of Parliament, to U.K. Home Secretary and now to prime minister, Ms. May is consistently described using adjectives that are music to our ears: “tough,” “no-nonsense” even “Thatcher-esque.” The last descriptor is, of course, an allusion to the U.K.’s first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, who for her strength in conviction and demeanor was dubbed (by the Soviets, no less) as the “Iron Lady.” It’s not fair to expect Ms. May, the U.K.’s second female prime minister, to be Ms. Thatcher’s equal in that regard, but we are hopeful that Ms. May will remain true to her conservative political principles and — perhaps more importantly in the short term — will provide the calm, robust and decisive leadership the U.K. desperately needs following the departures and resignations of promi- nent elected officials in multiple parties. As the U.K. starts to free itself from the entangle- ments of the European Union and sets out to chart its own course in the wider world, Prime Minister May will be judged according to the strength and steadiness she exhibits at the helm of our Mother Country’s government. Leading a post-Brexit Britain will be no easy task — and, apparently, it seemed to be a too formidable one for several of Prime Minister May’s colleagues in Westmin- ster, including former Prime Minister David Cameron and former London Mayor Boris Johnson. But, knowing her background, her record while in office and her political beliefs, we trust that Prime Minister May is especially well-equipped to handle any adversarial situation and to rise to meet her moment in history. On a different, but related topic closer to our home in the Caribbean, our jurisdiction has been graced with the presence of a new important official of our own — Auditor General Sue Winspear, who is the first woman to hold that position in Cayman. Welcome to Cayman, Ms. Winspear. We’re sure you’ll find our islands to be picturesque, our people to be welcoming and your job to be most interesting — but also, oftentimes thankless … particularly when you begin to receive critiques of your office’s work from local elected members and senior civil servants who may not appreciate their books being cracked open for public viewing. In short, in order to be effective in her new job, Auditor General Winspear will need to channel qualities from Ms. May and Ms. Thatcher — see the above refer- ences to “tough” and “no-nonsense.” Her two most indis- pensable assets will be a calculator and spinal integrity. Cayman has been fortunate to have had a series of diligent and dedicated auditors general, and the office is staffed with a group of extremely compe- tent professionals. Auditor General Winspear appears to have all the skills, experiences and qualifications necessary to perform this significant role. We wish her nothing but success, and we offer her our full support in her pursuit of transparency and accountability within Cayman’s public service. PM Theresa May: There’s a new lady in charge The world is better than you think It is the worst of times – well no, not really. This past week we had shootings of po- lice and shootings by police. The world economy and po- litical situation is a mess. It is a time of crisis – without an apparent Churchill, Thatcher or Reagan. Yet, in many ways, things have never been better. In 1930, 304 American po- lice officers were killed in the line of duty; last year it was 122. In 1930, the U.S. popu- lation was a little over one third of what it is today, so, on a population adjusted basis, there were about seven times as many policemen being killed per year 85 years ago compared to recent years. And police killing of others, including black men, has also fallen sharply. As perverse as it might seem, there was an item of good news in the shootings of police in Dallas, and that is that the killer was taken out by a robot – perhaps saving the lives of other po- lice officers. Over the next couple of decades, advanced robots will take over many of the most dangerous aspects of policing. For instance, when a police officer stops a car for a traffic violation, he or she typically gets out of the police car and walks over to the car of the person to be questioned – despite the danger of on-rushing traffic. In the future, robots will take over the function of obtaining the driver’s license, car regis- tration, and looking into the pulled-over car while the po- lice officer does the ques- tioning from the safety of his or her car. Robot technology, combined with the self- driving car, will greatly re- duce confrontations between police officers and citizens – saving lives and reducing mutual frustration. It is not hard to argue that mankind has made very little progress in governance over the last 2,500 years, leading to endless wars and other conflicts, and unneces- sarily erratic economic per- formance or worse. But at the same time, enormous progress has occurred in sci- ence and technology, making life better for all of us. The events of last week showed that more progress in race relations is needed but, in the same week, very tal- ented and dedicated indi- viduals were able to place a spacecraft in an orbit around Jupiter – no mean feat. Despite a few mass shoot- ings, homicide rates in the United States have been falling for decades and cur- rently are about half what they were 50 years ago. You have about three times the chance of being killed by lightning than you do in a mass shooting – this, de- spite soaring gun owner- ship in America. If you are feeling pes- simistic about the state of mankind, there is a won- derful website – Human- Progress.org – maintained by the Cato Institute’s Marian Tupy and Chelsea Follett. The site documents the progress human beings have made and provides new examples each week of the advances. Most everything we buy becomes less expensive and better over time. A few decades ago, the doomsayers claimed that we were going to run out of many commodities, like oil. The fact is that most com- modity prices, in real terms, are near record lows, and proven global oil reserves have never been higher. Many improvements, and particularly new products and innovations, are not fully captured in the economic statistics, which means that the real improvements in well-being are underreported. Thirty years ago, no one had a cellphone – now 97 per- cent of all adult Americans do. Billions around the world, particularly in poor coun- tries, now have cell phones, enabling them to commu- nicate at a distance for the first time. If you fly over the north- eastern part of the United States, you will notice it is primarily woodland (filled with deer, coyotes and even bears). A century ago it was largely cropland. What hap- pened? Enormous advances in food science have en- abled mankind to grow far more and better food in far less space. GMOs (genetically- modified organisms) in par- ticular have greatly increased crop yields and made food more nutritious by adding vi- tamins while reducing the need for fertilizer and pesti- cides. As recently as three de- cades ago, there were people with credentials who claimed that mankind was doomed to mass starvation because pop- ulation growth would outrun the ability to produce more food – yet just the opposite has happened. The doomsayers now claim, with zero evidence, that GMOs are dangerous. If the oppo- nents of GMOs had their way, we would go back to a world of billions of malnourished children and the old specter of famine. Every generation has those who say the end of the world is close – often religious fig- ures, fortune tellers and way- ward scientists. As an econ- omist, I predict that the continuous debt buildup by most of the world’s govern- ments is unsustainable and a painful readjustment must take place – but this will not be the end of the world. And finally, one item of very good news is that the climate alarmists have been wrong. Their predictions of big rises in sea levels, the end of Arctic sea ice, and the end of polar bears, which were also supposed to have oc- curred by now, didn’t happen. Yes, the climate changes slowly over time – but almost all plants, animals and, par- ticularly, humans adapt as they have for tens of thou- sands of years. Richard W. Rahn, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. © 2016, The Washington Times RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHNThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JULY 13, 2016 Specialized plastic surgery Now available Begin your journey today by calling us to schedule a consultation. Limited appointments available. 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With trusted experience and expert advice we will provide you with information to help you make the best choices to give you the best possible outcome. 1 (345) 945-4040 | 1 (345) 640-4040 | healthcitycaymanislands.comDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Sister Islands WEDNESDAY JULY 13, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 YEARS AGO: Fishing trip a (happy) misadventure In the July 13, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Compass, Cayman Brac correspondent Lilian Ritch wrote: “Friday night of the 8th was a harrowing one for the families of Keith Tibbetts, Arlen Reid and Mrs. Mavis Brown. Parker Tib- betts, his younger brother Nat, Derbyn Brown and Melgreen Reid went in Parker’s motor boat to Little Cayman for whelks and conchs early in the morning. “A check with Mr. John Thrash of Southern Cross Club accounted for their leaving South Town at 5:30 p.m. The boys did not return. “After anxiously waiting, Mr. Tibbetts and Mr. Reid set out to look for them but after getting about two thirds of the way across the bogue in heavy squall, they turned back. “Waiting at the Watering Place was Mr. Bob Benefield, contractor for Mr. Dantzler’s home, who vol- unteered to go out in his boat. He, accompanied by Messrs. Roy Tib- betts and Bentley Brown set out at midnight from Stake Bay. Si- multaneously, from Watering Place Mr. Vilbert Pouchie in his motor launch Amanda, taking with him Messrs. Marvin Ryan, Hallon Dil- bert and Garland Jackson, set out for Little Cayman. “At the shop at Watering Place the set was open from early eve- ning hoping for news and at the airport similarly, while the Dis- trict Commissioner, Mr. Dennis Foster, his brother, Trevor and other friends stood by to do what ever they could. At the airport all waited anxiously from mid- night, trying to contact Southern Cross and the U.S. Coast Guard. At 3:30 a.m. there a was a call from Southern Cross. The two launches had reached South Town but had seen no trace of the boys. “At around 6 Saturday morning, Mr. Benefield’s launch had left to come up on the South Side, the Caymaniac was fueled and ready to set out to search and the Amanda was getting ready to leave to come up on the North Side, but before doing so she started up inside for a last look. “Just above the Cay, they saw the four boys floating on logs, and took them up out of the water. “The boys told them that on reaching towards the end of the island, they found the current too strong and knew they could not make it and their gas was in- sufficient to cross the bogue – so turning back, they went over the reef in their boat came down in- side until the water passage was impassable then walked about 6 miles down towards the club. Darkness prevented them going further so they slept until day- light. Coming to this bight they de- cided the only thing they could do was to swim across. They saw the lights at Cayman Brac airport and also the searchlights of the two boats looking for them by could not reply not having even a match on them. “The Caymaniac brought up the three youngest and at about 11 a.m. Parker with his Uncle Hallan came up in his boat and the Amanda arrived with them. The boys seemed none the worse for their experience – perhaps a little Scoutcraft would help next time! Best of all they brought in and did a brisk trade with their conchs and whleks.” OBITUARY: Remembering Joris Poldervaart The following is the life story of Joris Poldervaart, who passed away on June 28 at the age of 86. Written by Pauline and Lana Fay Poldervaart, it was read at Mr. Poldervaart’s funeral service by Leonard Hew. Joris Poldervaart was born on Sept. 24, 1929 in Vlaardingen, Holland. He was the son of William Polder- vaart and Helena Troost-Pol- dervaart, now deceased. After World War II, he went to sea as a young man leaving his family and friends in search of fortune and adventure. This took him to many parts of the world, and eventually led him to working on ships in the com- pany of Bergman Dilbert, a Caymanian, when both sailed on the Bay Line ships out of Miami. On one of these trips to Kingston, Jamaica, he was introduced to his wife, Pauline Ritch through Mr. Dilbert, a member of her family. They formed a re- lationship and eventually were married at the East Queen Street Baptist Church in Kingston. They remained in a good loving relation- ship until his passing on Tuesday, June 28, 2016 with her at his bedside. They had two daughters, Paulette Poldervaart, and Lana Fay Poldervaart. Pau- lette preceded him in death in 1998. Joris was a strong, deter- mined and devoted man who took special interest and care of his family. He loved chil- dren, animals, music and sports, especially football. He was a talented natural musi- cian from childhood, having played the accordion, har- monica, flute and other in- struments without formal training or [sheet] music. Un- fortunately these talents re- mained suppressed and un- recognized throughout the years after Joris left his home in Holland and carved out a profession and living for himself and family. How- ever, as with all talents, they eventually re-emerged and finally he once again rose to the occasion and graced his church with playing the harmonica at the Sunday morning services. This was happily received and appre- ciated by all who listened to his playing, and he con- tinued to be applauded for his talent and contribution to the church and other social events that he was privileged to perform at. Joris and Pauline moved from Nassau, Bahamas, where they had been living for a number of years, to the Cayman Islands in 1969. They settled in Grand Cayman, followed by his two daugh- ters, thereafter relocating to Cayman Brac where Joris and Pauline lived for the past 12 years. He pioneered retail sporting goods in the Cayman Islands and established the store known as Sportsland in Grand Cayman in 1971 [on the site of what is cur- rently the Compass Centre] which remained successful for over 30 years. During this time [stemming from his per- sonal passion for the dis- ciplines], he introduced the martial arts to the Cayman Islands, starting [a karate school on the same location] with Reggie Carey from the Bahamas, as the first Master of Karate. Thereafter [he brought in] the art of Tae kwon do. This lasted for many years with a number of young people benefiting from this disci- plined and skilled sport. He personally achieved 3rd De- gree Black Belt status during this time. His voluntary services within the community, both in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac included 12 years in the initial startup of the Cayman Islands Red Cross. He also served as a Special Constable in the Royal Cayman Islands Police Force during the 1980s under Commissioner Jim Stowers and his successors. He was instructed by Sergeant Burman Scott and received a Service Award for his dedica- tion to the force. Under the presidency of Captain Dicky Hurlston, on the initiation of the Vet- erans and Seamen’s Society of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, he joined the Society in 1990 and was an active member until his passing. During this time he served as treasurer for six years and was instrumental in raising funds for the rebuilding of the seamen’s center after the devastating destruction of the facility by Hurricane Paloma in 2008. He leaves behind his loving wife, Pauline, daughter Lana Fay, and her son Ivan Varga, brother William Pol- dervaart, nieces Elke and Kim Poldervaart in Holland, and other extended family mem- bers in the Cayman Islands and the U.S. Joris will be remembered by all his family, friends and associates. May his soul rest in peace. At the service, remarks were also made by Gilbert McLean and Roy Bodden. The funeral service was held on July 3 at the Vet- erans and Seamen’s Centre on Cayman Brac. Joris Poldervaart, Sept. 24, 1929 – June 28, 2016 Joris was a strong, determined and devoted man who took special interest and care of his family. He loved children, animals, music and sports, especially football. DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Sister Islands CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JULY 13, 2016 Heritage House winds up packed school year Heritage House on Cayman Brac re- cently hosted a variety of events pro- viding lots of fun learning opportuni- ties for children. On the Kids Day session held on Wednesday, June 15, the youngsters taking part in the YMCA after-school program learned about the capital of the Cayman Islands and embarked on an imaginary historical walk through central George Town. The young explorers learned about significant landmarks and buildings, with a focus on their various purposes and some of their famous builders and contributors like the late Captain Rayal Bodden. Rounding out the lesson, the kids decorated their own “tourist glasses,” which featured photos of the various historical sites. On Friday, June 17, Heritage House welcomed the graduating class of Grand Cayman’s Truth For Youth School. Parents and students toured the grounds, watched a video and played an interactive game. The final Heritage House Kids Day class for this school year was held on June 22nd, with a session on the gov- ernors of the Cayman Islands. The chil- dren learned the names of the 12 gover- nors and learned some interesting facts. For a fun aside, the kids also learned a few famous Caymanian expressions that are commonly used. The next day, Heritage House hosted West End Primary School for its 2016 All Things Caymanian Day on June 23. With the help of numerous volunteers and demonstrators, teachers and chil- dren visited stations set up on the Her- itage House grounds to learn about some of the trades and activities of Cayman’s early days. Activities and topics included cat- boat history, making trap nets and ca- lavans, cooking on the caboose, laying thatch rope, and old-time domestic practices. The students also toured an “ole-time” Caymanian home and even took part in storytelling in a cave. During the month of June, the Brac Day Care children explored the tradi- tional Caymanian music of the kitchen band, once a common feature of so- cial celebrations like weddings, kitchen dances and boat launches. They learned about the different instruments that were used, and some of the influences and stories behind a few old folk songs. They also heard about Caymanian mu- sicians, including some from Cayman Brac. The children made and decorated their own maracas and ended the event by playing musical chairs. The last traditional cooking class for high schoolers featured a real treat with peppermint candy making with Della Dilbert and Nasandra Tibbetts. Last but not least in Heritage House news, the center welcomes James Christian back as this year’s summer student intern. He is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Fine Art Pho- tography at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Georgia. He previously worked at the Cayman Brac Heritage House as an in- tern during 2011–2012. Since starting his post, he has al- ready assisted with numerous tra- ditional cooking classes, Heritage House Kids Days, photographing var- ious events and even serving as an in- structor for live demonstrations. Capt. Callan Hunter Ritch Capt. Ritch dropped anchor in nearly every harbor on the globe and he had the ship logs to prove it. He was commended by the U.S. navy for helping to save a naval ship that was damaged by Kamikaze pilots, and he was once featured in National Geographic magazine. Capt. Ritch was also honored in a popular local hit song “The Old Sea Captain,” which was recorded by Andy Martin. He claimed the first word he ever said was “women” and he had them waiting for him in every port. Capt. Ritch passed away in 1992. 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. West End Primary students got to experience storytelling in a cave. Peppermint candy was on the menu at the most recent traditional cooking class. The after-school kids sport goofy sunglasses.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY JULY 13, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Thanksgiving Service For Joris Poldervaart Pauline Poldervaart and Lana Poldervaart would like to express their appreciation and thanks to all who attended, participated, sent fl owers, cards, made telephone calls, offered personal condolences, read The Life Story and Tributes and presented personal remarks and those who traveled from Grand Cayman and elsewhere for the service of Joris Poldervaart. May God bless you all for the kindness shown to us during this sad and diffi cult time in our lives. Thank you again It is with great sadness that the family of John Patrick Alberga announce his passing from this world on the 28th June, 2016 in Jamaica. John was born in Kingston, Jamaica on January 13, 1955 and was 61 years old at the time of his death. John is survived by his father and mother, Ramon and Patricia Alberga, by his wife Bonnie and his two sons, Jason and Jonathon, by his brothers Michael and Charles Alberga, by his three sisters, Ruth Still, Mary Alberga and Cathy Ameline, and by eight nephews and nieces. A private family memorial was held in Cayman on July 5th, 2016 John’s laughter and enthusiasm will be forever missed and remembered. Students attend Youth Crime Prevention Day expand and modernize their jet fleet. The new technolo- gies in the MAX 8 aircraft will bring a new level of ef- ficiency and passenger com- fort to Cayman Airways that will greatly enhance the air- line’s competitive capabil- ities,” said Steven Udvar- Házy, executive chairman of Air Lease Corp. Airline and tourism offi- cials claimed the new leasing arrangement would essen- tially pay for itself and would not require any increase in government’s contributions to Cayman Airways. Fabian Whorms, CEO of Cayman Airways, said ear- lier this year that the air- craft had been selected as the best option because of its superior fuel efficiency, lower operational costs and greater passenger capacity. Cayman Airways Board Chairman Philip Rankin said the deal represents a “monumental step” forward for the airline. “The technological ad- vancements and passenger comfort features inherent with Boeing 737-8 MAX air- craft are key to the Cayman Airways’ fleet modernization program,” Mr. Rankin said in a statement this week. He added that the new planes would help improve reliability and customer service. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said the new air- craft could open up new di- rect routes, which were not achievable with the old jets. “This is a milestone in the history of Cayman Air- ways and the Cayman Is- lands. The national airline is a fundamental part of our tourism industry and a huge part of our islands’ social fabric. The new air- craft will not only enhance our service levels, but will create new gateway pos- sibilities from which the Cayman Islands tourism in- dustry can benefit, such as the U.S. West Coast.” by concerns over the financial system and the economy. It shows how U.K. Chan- cellor of the Exchequer George Osborne intervened on behalf of HSBC in a Sept. 10, 2012 letter to U.S. Fed- eral Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and then-Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. In the letter, Minister Os- borne highlighted the poten- tial financial stability risks from an enforcement action, in particular for a “systemi- cally important financial in- stitution” like HSBC. If a criminal conviction would lead to the bank losing its banking license in the U.S., Minister Osborne warned, “questions about HSBC’s con- tinued ability to clear U.S. dollars would risk destabi- lizing the bank globally, with very serious implications for financial and economic sta- bility, particularly in Europe and Asia.” The minister further al- leged that U.K. banks were unfairly targeted, and that the penalties and fines con- templated at the time were higher than for U.S. banks in similar circumstances. The U.S. Congressional re- port also claims the U.K. Fi- nancial Services Authority, the financial markets regu- lator in Britain, “apparently hampered” the investigations into the U.K.-based bank’s conduct and influenced the Department of Justice deci- sion not to prosecute. In emails, Treasury officials noted the concerns raised by Federal Reserve Governor Dan Tarullo about the U.K. regulator’s role in U.S. enforcement matters and the FSA’s preference for “a light touch approach at in- dustry’s request.” Anti-money laundering weaknesses In 2012, a year-long in- vestigation by the U.S. Sen- ate’s Permanent Subcom- mittee on Investigations revealed major anti-money laundering weaknesses at HSBC. Some of the big- gest deficiencies were tied to the Cayman Islands branch of HSBC’s Mexican subsidiary, HBMX. The Cayman branch, which had no local staff or customers, was operated from Mexico. Internal doc- uments from HSBC showed that certain Cayman ac- counts had operated for years with deficient anti- money laundering and know your customer information, which, according to a com- pliance officer at the bank, enabled the “massive misuse by organized crime.” In one case, HSBC Group’s head of compliance acknowl- edged significant U.S. dollar remittances from customers at the Cayman branch to “a U.S. company alleged to be involved in the supply of air- craft to drug cartels.” The bank identified about 2,200 of its 35,000 Cayman Islands U.S. dollar accounts as high risk because of either suspicious activity or due to a lack of information about the account owners. By 2008, average monthly deposits for these high-risk accounts to- taled approximately $205 million, the Finance Com- mittee report noted. In 2013, the Cayman Is- lands Monetary Authority revoked the class B banking license for the local branch of HSBC Mexico SA. As a result of the banking group’s anti-money laun- dering failures, the re- port said, at least $881 mil- lion in drug trafficking proceeds from the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico and the Norte del Valle Cartel in Co- lombia were laundered and found their way into the U.S. banking system. In addition, HSBC Group violated U.S. laws by il- legally conducting trans- actions on behalf of cus- tomers in such countries as Cuba, Iran, Libya, Sudan and Burma, which were subject to U.S. sanctions. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 HSBC avoided criminal charges over fears of ‘systemic risk’ CAL to get new fleet of 737s Shortly before taking their summer break this year, hun- dreds of high school stu- dents learned about the con- sequences of making bad life choices during Youth Crime Prevention Day. The students heard tes- timonials from recovering drug addicts and presenta- tions from police officers, prison service workers and social workers. Instead of going to their regular classes on June 28, more than 200 Year 10 stu- dents from John Gray High School went to the Family Life Centre to attend work- shops on the causes and con- sequences of crime and how to make positive decisions. More than 160 Clifton Hunter High School students earlier took part in a similar event on June 24. The events were orga- nized by the Youth Anti- Crime Trust (Youth ACT), a nonprofit organization which addresses antiso- cial behavior and aims to reduce the root causes of youth crime. “I hope that by educating students on the causes, con- sequences and penalties of crime, they receive em- powering information on crime-awareness and preven- tion,” Youth ACT chairwoman Bonnie Anglin said in a press release. “This will enable them to make positive deci- sions in their life choices.” During Youth Crime Pre- vention Day, students at- tended workshops which addressed subjects such as burglary, theft, carrying offensive or prohibited weapons, and the negative effects of drug and alcohol abuse, and bullying. During one of the work- shops, students discussed the findings of the Report on the Youth Health and Sexu- ality Survey conducted by the Pan American Health Organi- zation in 2013, which high- lighted the challenges chil- dren may encounter as they grow into young adults. Some of those challenges include teenage pregnancy, gangs, entitlement, disrup- tions in access to education, and lack of respect for adults and authority. Youth ACT organized the day in collaboration with the ministries responsible for education, community af- fairs and home affairs, and through the support and time of volunteers from Her Majesty’s Prison Service, the RCIPS, Department of Educa- tion Services, the Family Re- source Centre and the Hope For Today Foundation. The event was estab- lished in 2013, originally tar- geting Year 8 students. Since then, more than 2,000 Year 8 students from public high schools in Cayman have par- ticipated in the program. Ms. Anglin said Youth ACT plans to introduce the pro- gram to students in Years 5 and 6 in the future. Students heard from law enforcement officers during Youth Crime Prevention Day workshops. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cayman Airways will be adding four 737 Max 8 aircraft to its fleet between late 2018 and 2020. - PHOTO: COURTESY OF BOEINGCAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JULY 13, 2016 The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 WE WORK HARDER FOR YOU At NCB we recognise that you accomplish more when you give everything. We go the extra mile to provide personalised private banking services and investment management for professional advisors and their clients. NCB has over 170 years’ experience in private banking and is one of the most stable and trusted financial institutions in the Caribbean. Call us today - and put us to work. Investment Management | Corporate Services | International Private Banking | Trust Services NCB Cayman Limited is regulated by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) Lawsuits filed against developer BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two lawsuits have been filed against a local devel- oper, one involving money a claimant alleges they are owed and a second involving a property foreclosure. Developer Lewis M. Ebanks and his company Mi- rage Development Ltd. were named in a writ of sum- mons filed May 27 with the Cayman Islands Grand Court. The writ, filed by local businessman Marcus Cumber, states that neither Mr. Ebanks nor the company had paid the principal sum of the loan – $200,000 – that was due in mid-February. The second writ, filed by Scotiabank & Trust [Cayman] Ltd., seeks to claim per- sonal property owned by Mr. Ebanks in the exercise of legal powers the bank holds for a charge on the property and states that the bank is “at liberty to sell the charged property by public auction or private treaty.” Mr. Ebanks was contacted for comment by the Cayman Compass late last month in regard to both actions. He confirmed that both actions related to him and that he hoped both would be settled out of court in the near fu- ture. He further confirmed the writ filed by Scotiabank was in relation to a home he owns in Spotts. Contacted again Tuesday, Mr. Ebanks did not make fur- ther comment for publication. With regard to the writ filed by Mr. Cumber, it is al- leged that a $200,000 loan was paid to Mirage Develop- ment Ltd. on Dec. 4, 2015. The writ states that on Feb. 15, 2016, “in breach of the agreement” Mr. Ebanks “failed or refused to pay the sums due.” “To date of issue of this writ, the sums as due and owing remain unpaid,” the documents state. The writ filed by Mr. Cumber seeks the principal loan amount and repayment of all interest due. The Scotiabank writ states its claim that Mr. Ebanks or any other defendant of the property deliver up posses- sion of it “forthwith.” Alternatively, the writ seeks that the bank’s agents be given reasonable access to the Spotts property for sur- veyors and prospective pur- chasers to access it. Earlier writ Other separate legal ac- tion was filed against the de- veloper earlier this year. In February, a lawsuit seeking more than $650,000 from Mr. Ebanks and one of his companies was filed by A. L. Thompson Building Supplies Ltd. That writ concerns a credit application dating back to October 2003 be- tween Empire Develop- ment and its owner and di- rector, Mr. Ebanks. The terms of the deal, according to the writ, were that A. L. Thompson’s “would provide building supplies on credit to [Mr. Ebanks].” When contacted for com- ment about that writ, Mr. Ebanks denied all claims made against him and against Empire Develop- ment in the lawsuit. The writ says Mr. Ebanks “defaulted” on the terms of payment by June 2012. The lawsuit alleges that Mr. Ebanks signed a prom- issory note during the same month which agreed pay- ment of $100,000 on the debt by July 31, 2012 and an ad- ditional payment of $150,000 by Aug. 31, 2012. Additional monthly installments “no less than” $20,000 were due starting in September 2012, according to the writ. Mr. Ebanks said the claims made in the February writ “are wholly incorrect and misleading.” Tuesday, no arrests had been made and no one had been charged in connection with the incident. Ms. Syms, the Cayman Islands government’s chief of protocol, said she was surprised to learn the sports car was being “inspected” in such a manner. “He crossed right in front of us,” she said. “We were passing Lions Centre and I was in the lane closest to the median [heading eastbound] and there was another car in the lane next to me. Here comes this reckless driver. He was zigzagging … when he passed me on my left and zigzagged behind the other car in front of me. He actu- ally lost control then. When he crossed in front of me, he revved the car, it was as though he was racing,” she said. ‘Surreal to watch’ The crash, which vaulted the sports car over the me- dian on Crewe Road into the westbound lanes, was surreal to watch, Ms. Syms said. “He actually seemed like he was trying to ride up the [power] pole,” she said. Ms. Syms said she could then see “things were falling” as a result of the collision. She pulled to the left, attempting to avoid the objects, but one of them – either a headlight from the car or a light on the power pole – struck her wind- shield. The broken wind- screen sprayed glass all over Ms. Syms and her mother, a passenger in her SUV. Neither was injured. Ms. Syms says she saw the man get out of the wrecked vehicle holding his chin and bleeding from his nose or mouth. According to other wit- ness reports, including one from the Toyota Supra owner, Johnny Salas, the man was placed in an ambu- lance and taken to hospital. Ms. Syms said the inci- dent left her flabbergasted. “I would like the li- censing department offi- cials to be very clear as to what happened when their staff took someone’s vehicle for a joy ride and how it im- pacted the lives of innocent people,” she said. “I will be following this up to the highest levels.” Witness: DVDL inspector was ‘racing’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Meloney Syms exits her Honda CR-V Monday on Crewe Road and looks across the street at the wrecked Toyota Supra that was crashed during an inspection. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYNext >