SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUESINESS SKYBOX ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY AUGUST 1, 2016 High of 89 Low of 78 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. Politics Quick fall after long tenure 4 Food Breaking some egg practices 16 5 Myths Political speech- writing 23 Stretching the norm Middle Eastern women were once discouraged from sports. A new generation now chases Olympic glory. PAGE 12 Nation Which city uses pot most? 9 ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2016 . IN COLLABORATION WITH THE WASHINGTON POST Stretching the norm EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 CAYMAN’S IMAGE: TRAVERS VERSUS ‘THE WORLD’ SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA Officials encourage travelers not to shun Florida Mosquitoes in Miami area have spread Zika virus MIAMI (AP) – There’s no official warning to stay clear of Florida, but the crowds that usu- ally wander among the bold street murals in Miami’s trendy Wynwood arts district may be thinner after reports that mosquitoes in the area have spread the Zika virus on the U.S. mainland for the first time. Officials are trying to reassure tourists they’ll be safe when visiting Florida’s theme parks and urban arts districts. But some Miami residents said Friday they were stocking up on mosquito repellent and planning to bring lunches to work instead of sitting at outdoor cafe tables under Wynwood’s bright murals. “I’m freaking out … but at the same time I don’t want to freak out,” said Wynwood resi- dent Zoe Schultze as she cradled her 6-month- old son in her arms while she stopped for coffee with her husband. No mosquitoes in Miami or elsewhere in Florida have tested positive for Zika, but four Miami-area patients who contracted the dis- ease did not get it by traveling to an outbreak country or from sex with an infected person. Officials say those four are apparently the first of over 1,650 U.S. Zika cases to have gotten the disease from a mosquito in the U.S. Gov. Rick Scott pinpointed the infections to Wynwood, and the state’s agriculture commis- sioner issued a mosquito declaration that trig- gers aggressive mosquito control efforts within a 200-yard radius of the homes of the patients with locally acquired cases. CROWN: ASPINALL’S CRIMES ‘WOULD HAVE GONE UNDETECTED’ If not for a U.S. court ruling, accountant may have escaped scrutiny BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Accountant Robert Neil Aspinall pleaded guilty Friday to six of 14 criminal charges, including the theft of nearly US$500,000 from two investment funds he oversaw as a director at a major Cayman Islands ac- counting firm. According to Crown prosecutors, Aspinall would have gotten away with it if not for a ruling earlier this year in the U.S. courts. Court documents provided to the Cayman Compass show Aspinall, who worked for De- loitte at the time, was appointed in 2012 as one of two joint voluntary liquidators to oversee the dissolution of two connected in- vestment funds registered in the Cayman Is- lands. Insider trading allegations were made against the funds’ U.S.-based investment man- ager, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission initially won a US$21.5 million judgment against the funds’ manager. The case was overturned a few years later and the US$21.5 million settlement was re- versed. A U.S. district court judge ordered the Securities and Exchange Commission to re- turn the money to creditors and investors in the funds, including the two Cayman funds, Level Global Overseas Master Fund Ltd. and Level Radar Master Fund Ltd. The Deloitte accounting firm, initially ap- pointed to manage the funds’ liquidation, un- dertook the task in January to assist former investors in finding and collecting their money. It was during this review that the accounting firm uncovered “a number of discrepancies” PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » CUC unveils new diesel generators CEO urges caution on renewable targets JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Caribbean Utilities Company has unveiled its new US$85 million diesel gen- erators as demand for electricity in the Cayman Islands soars to record levels. The 40 megawatt generators, capable of powering 10,000 homes, were hooked up to the grid last month, coinciding with an all-time high in peak demand across the territory. CUC President and CEO Richard Hew said the new plant is several years overdue and will reduce power outages and improve reliability. He insisted that the power company is still pursuing plans to integrate more re- newable energy into the system. But he said it is not currently possible to source such a large amount of new power generation from solar or wind and maintain a reliable service. The new generators account for al- most 40 percent of the island’s peak power demand, which hit a record high of 103.3 megawatts earlier this month. As government discusses a new energy policy, with some advocates calling for a switch to 100 percent renewables, Mr. Hew David Watler, vice president of operations, stands in front of the utility company’s new diesel power generators. – PHOTO: MATT LAMERS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL MONDAY AUGUST 1, 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 - JASON BOURNE (PG13) 1:20 I 4:15 I 7:00 I 9:50 STAR TREK BEYOND 3D (PG13) 1:00 I 4:00 2D I 7:00 I 9:45 2D THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 3D (PG) 1:10 2D I 3:30 I 7:10 2D I 9:30 SKIPTRACE (PG13) 1:30 I 4:30 I 7:30 I 10:00 GHOSTBUSTERS (PG13) 12:30 I 6:45 ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE 3D (PG) 2:00 I 4:20 2D I 7:20 I 9:40 2D THE LEGEND OF TARZAN (PG13) 3:15 I 9:35 Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) Dr. Wayne R. Porter MD F.A.A.D. Dermatologist call : 946-9020 between 9am to 5pm Dees Plaza #282 on Crewe Road, GT He will be in office from August 1st - 5th, 2016 Grand Court jurors in the July 6 to Oct. 4 session are advised that the report date of Monday, Aug. 1, has been changed. Jurors are now to report on Monday, Aug. 8, at 9:45 a.m. For the most up-do- date information, call the Jury Information line on 945-5072. JURY NOTICE Several patrons and staff members inside a Bodden Town bar were robbed at gunpoint early Friday, police reported. According to the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service, two men – one holding a handgun – went into the Everglo Bar on Bodden Town Road around 1 a.m. They de- manded cash and “valu- ables” from four people, including the bartender. No shots were fired and no one was hurt. Police said the two sus- pects were in their late 20s or early 30s. The sus- pect who had the gun was between 5’5” and 5’8” tall, slim, and with a dark complexion. The second man, also with a dark complexion, was between 5’8” and 5’10” tall. Anyone with infor- mation is asked to call the George Town Po- lice Station at 949- 4222, or Crime Stop- pers at 800-8477(TIPS), or go online at www.tip- submit.com/WebTips. aspx?AgencyID=681. They demanded cash and “valuables” from four people, including the bartender. No shots were fired and no one was hurt. Bodden Town bar robbed at gunpoint HAVANA (AP) – White-haired, thin and bent at nearly 90, Fidel Castro in person is a faint echo of the man who remade his country, de- fied the United States and fueled socialist uprisings around the world. But 10 years after he handed control to his brother Raul, Cuba’s former leader has taken on a powerful new role in a country suffering an eco- nomic crisis and debating its direction in a new era of nor- malization with Washington. After a decade out of the public eye, Fidel Castro has surged back in the run-up to his Aug. 13 birthday as the inspiration for Cubans who want to maintain strict Com- munist orthodoxy in Cuba in the face of mounting pressures to loosen polit- ical control and allow more private enterprise. “We reiterate our com- mitment to stay faithful to the ideas he’s fought for throughout his life and to keep the spirit of resistance, struggle and dialectic thought alive,” Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, the hard-line second secretary of the Cuban Com- munist Party told the nation Tuesday at the celebration of Castro’s 1953 attack on a gov- ernment barracks. The peak of Castro’s re- turn to public prominence came April 19 at the closing session of the Cuban Commu- nist Party’s 7th Congress. The three-day gathering featured a string of speeches denouncing President Barack Obama’s visit to Cuba the month be- fore, in which the U.S. leader called on Cubans to look to- ward a future of reconcilia- tion and greater freedom. Castro opened with a de- fense of his communist ide- ology, declaring the Russian Revolution of 1917 to be “a grand social revolution that represented a great step for- ward in the fight against co- lonialism and its inseparable companion, imperialism.” During 47 years in power, Fidel was a constant pres- ence for Cubans but prohib- ited the statues, portraits and other tributes beloved by other total leaders. Today, his image is everywhere as the country fills with tributes to him on his 90th birthday. Fidel is now mentioned by hardliners in the same breath as Jose Marti, the 19th cen- tury poet and revolutionary fighter whose status is sim- ilar to that of the founding fathers in the U.S. “In the ideology of Marti, and the path of Fidel, we’ve been warned about the need to prepare ourselves for a war of ideas, and to be in- formed, so we can’t be con- fused,” the head of Cuba’s of- ficial journalists’ union wrote Sunday. “We have the historic privilege of having shared our fate with Fidel.” The editorial went on to reject a series of recent calls by young journalists for greater freedom to work for the foreign press. “There isn’t the slightest doubt that conservatives who don’t want to advance look for backup in Fidel,” Cuban polit- ical scientist and former dip- lomat Carlos Alzugaray said. “There’s been a backlash from all of those who fear change.” There are billboards across the country with Castro’s por- trait and best-known phrases. State television is filled with interviews reminiscing about his time in power. Cultural events are dedicated to him. There’s a newly created gov- ernment email address to send him best wishes on his birthday. A group of students in the central city of Santa Clara even developed a mobile app allowing users to pull up quotations from his written works and speeches. His family home in the eastern city of Biran has been refurbished and planted with trees. At 90, Fidel a symbol of Cuban resistance to change A tourist looks at a quote by Fidel Castro explaining in Spanish, ‘Why we say homeland or death,’ on a wall at the entrance of a private restaurant in Havana, Cuba. Fidel has surged back in the run-up to his birthday as the inspiration for Cubans who want to maintain strict Communist orthodoxy. - PHOTOS: AP Traffic passes by a billboard with pictures of Cuban revolution leader Fidel Castro at different stages of his life. Everglo bar, Bodden Town Congratulations to Amiya Matthews on receiving the Bro Leslie Forbes "Student of the Year' award, a laptop at the East End Primary School in 2016 Presented by Bro. Leslie's daughter Patricia.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 1, 2016 182202-Ad-Compass-JrPg-101.indd 17/27/16 3:33 PM BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands is being targeted by foreign criminals who come to the islands as tourists, but who intend to defraud the finan- cial system, Crown prosecu- tors said Friday. “This island has been tar- geted specifically,” Crown Counsel Toyin Salako said. “These people are specifi- cally coming to the island to do that. They’re not coming here on holiday.” Ms. Salako was speaking during the sentencing hearing for two Canadian nationals, Adam Mokdad and Hakim Benamara, who have pleaded guilty to con- spiracy to defraud retail banks in the islands by using “cloned” credit cards to attempt to withdraw cash. In this case, the most re- cent of several similar in- stances since 2013, the two men tried to with- draw cash from ATMs on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 The suspicious cards, which turned out to be gift cards with stolen credit card information placed on them, were retained by the bank’s teller machines. Police found the two men at a local hotel where a quantity of Star- bucks gift cards and a credit card reader were recovered. The two men, who will be sentenced on Tuesday, did not withdraw any money. Prosecutors said it ap- peared the two were after only relatively small amounts of cash. In 2014, court testimony revealed a case in which a Malaysian defendant who was arrested here claimed he was being controlled by individuals in Kuala Lumpur. Kok Keat Lee had 78 cloned cards and was sentenced to 16 months in prison. He pleaded guilty to obtaining US$2,576.18 by deception. Grand Court Justice Charles Quin said it was merely luck that the 78 bogus cards did not get used to defraud local businesses or banks. Three other defen- dants in the case also re- ceived 16 month sentences. In another case be- fore the court earlier this year, three Romanians, an American and a U.K. citizen were alleged to have con- spired to defraud local banks using cloned cards nearly 400 times. In that case, Ms. Salako said there were 59 attempts to take cash from an ATM at Butterfield Bank, although most of the attempts were unsuccessful. There were an- other 340 attempted with- drawals at Cayman National Bank. At Cayman National, some $16,675 was taken in 51 fraudulent transactions. If all of the attempts had succeeded, nearly $100,000 would have been withdrawn, prosecutors said. On Friday, Ms. Salako said the reason the Crown believes Cayman has been the target of credit card fraudsters in recent years is that, unlike many Euro- pean and Canadian banks that have updated security procedures to detect cloned credit cards, Cayman finan- cial institutions often do not have updated systems. “This island specifically is quite vulnerable … be- cause the ATM machines are not updated,” she said. Last year, Butterfield Bank became the first local retail bank in Cayman to convert its cash cards to a chip and pin system. Bank officials said an embedded microchip in the new cards, used together with a security code, will make the withdrawals more secure by validating both the card and the cardholder electronically. The system would pre- vent the use of gift cards, which would not be recog- nized as the user’s. The Butterfield cards still have a magnetic strip, since many retailers in Cayman do not yet use the chip and pin technology. “This island has been targeted specifically. These people are specifically coming to the island to do that. They’re not coming here on holiday.” TOYIN SALAKO, Crown counsel Cayman a target for card scammers The Back Beat band entertains at a Harbour Nights concert on Saturday in George Town. Those who took in the event on Harbour Drive also enjoyed local food and entertainment from DJ Ralph, Unity and Regeneration Band. Harbour Nights, created to help revitalize George Town, is organized by the Cayman Music and Entertainment Association and funded by the culture, planning and tourism ministries. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Harbour Nights promotes George TownThe 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. MONDAY AUGUST 1, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS “Years after Nation Building grants, churches still building,” July 28 A very interesting story of government promises, well- meaning hope and bigger disappointment. Once again when govern- ment steps in with prom- ises of “assistance” and “part- nering” with the people of Cayman, it falls short and leaves in its wake broken dreams, disappointment and distrust. With visions of safe, comfortable worship facili- ties in their heads, and ex- citement generated from “jump start” funding from government officials always looking for more votes, our church community was lured into an ill-conceived scheme to build religious facilities they simply could not afford. I will not get in to the argument of whether or not government should be funding church facilities. The taxation scheme here in Cayman leaves much room for these projects. However, I do feel that I must comment on the ex- treme lack of control and ac- countability both by the in- dividual churches and by the government. For this, I totally blame government. Standing up in the Legislative As- sembly declaring a program must be funded to “help the people of Cayman,” it is in- credible that those very same officials take no responsi- bility in making sure such programs succeed. One of the first things we learn in Government 101 is the im- portance of accountability of public funds. In accepting their positions of public trust, aren’t officials sworn to protect the public? Does that not include protecting the public wealth? Do govern- ment officials not have a re- sponsibility, if not a mandate to protect the good name of the country? Is a country known for fiscal responsi- bility and ethical responsible management not the ultimate quest of an administration? With a billion dollar budget … Did I say that? Yes, a billion dollar budget, there will be failed pro- grams over time, that is for sure. However it is gov- ernment’s responsibility to ensure those failures are held to a minimum, and hold those responsible account- able, if only in the public eye. After all, if government is determined to spend every penny it takes in and more, shouldn’t the public actu- ally see a benefit rather than lurking concrete hulks as monuments not to God (or a pastor’s ego) but to failure and broken promises? Cayman people, well- meaning and God-fearing as they are, need to demand re- sponsibility from their gov- ernment, and its workers, no matter if those involved are husbands or wives, or sis- ters, brothers, parents or other relations. Good govern- ment is a right every single Caymanian deserves and the people should demand it; if not for themselves, then for their children and their chil- dren’s children. With a small segment of the population allowed to or willing to vote, politicians know the cards are stacked in their favor. Soon there will be another election and an- other change to take con- trol of your destiny. Will the Cayman voters come out for responsible, effective govern- ment, or will they sit back and “accept” the status quo where failure is simply ex- pected and success a pleasant surprise? Will the Cayman people re-elect the same tired old egocentric pols they have been, or will there be a new breed of elected officials who will actually serve the public interest? Your choice, Cayma- nians. It’s going be an inter- esting year. Rodney Barnett The Cayman Islands is fortunate to have a sus- tained and stentorian voice proclaiming, anytime and anywhere, the virtues of our jurisdiction’s financial services sector. We aren’t referring to any government source or our “official” industry advocate Cayman Finance, but rather local attorney Anthony Travers. If you ever need someone to launch an effective defense of Cayman – and quickly offer a decisive counter-offensive – Mr. Travers is your man. The latest example of Mr. Travers’s rhetorical jousting arrives in the form of a video making the rounds online. The 17 minutes of footage, from a dis- cussion panel at a mid-June trusts conference in Geneva, Switzerland, shows Mr. Travers squaring off against British journalist Jacques Peretti on the subject of “media portrayal of the offshore industry.” (Yes, that Jacques Peretti, star of the BBC documen- tary on Cayman, “Britain’s Trillion Pound Island,” that aired early this year.) We’ll note that the video only shows Mr. Travers’s side of the debate, since we understand Mr. Peretti withdrew his consent to be included. Therefore, we’ll confine our remarks to the five “fal- lacies” in the documentary, identified by Mr. Travers, that we believe bear repeating. • The conflation of the “legal right to privacy” with “secrecy” Mr. Travers said, “The right to privacy in private affairs is legitimate and lawful. It has nothing whatso- ever to do with secrecy and particularly not with bank secrecy of the sort that enables unlawful tax evasion.” • The suggestion that the offshore industry does not benefit the people of Cayman “Collection of indirect taxes from the financial services industry, in the amount of around $300 million a year, actually pays for the services of around six-and-a-half-thousand civil servants, most of whom are Caymanians. It pays their salaries. It pays their benefits, and it pays their free healthcare. So the financial services industry in the Cayman Islands is of a direct benefit to the majority of the Cayman Islands working population,” Mr. Travers said. • The suggestion that places like Cayman do not benefit onshore jurisdictions Using the example of Cayman hedge funds, Mr. Travers explains that the $2.4 trillion put into those vehicles is invested directly into onshore jurisdictions, such as the U.S. or the U.K., creating jobs and gener- ating tax revenue in those jurisdictions. • The idea that taxes are not paid on Cayman invest- ments The $2.4 trillion in hedge funds is invested in juris- dictions which collect taxes at that point. On the other end, when money is distributed from the hedge funds to investors, the proceeds are then taxed according to the laws of the investors’ jurisdiction, residence or domicile, Mr. Travers said. • Confusion surrounding “lawful tax avoidance” The key point Mr. Travers made is that any “lawful tax avoidance,” by definition, occurs within the frame- work of onshore legislation – not the laws of Cayman (which does not have those taxes to avoid). If people in the U.K., the U.S. or elsewhere wish to end those prac- tices, they can amend their own laws to put a stop to them immediately. We have little to add to Mr. Travers’s remarks … well, perhaps an exclamation point or two. Because of his professional accomplishments and prominent position as senior partner in a law firm, Mr. Travers has the freedom to respond quickly and vociferously when outside interests threaten his (and Cayman’s) largest industry. Over the years, Mr. Travers has been an effective and indefatigable defender of Cayman’s offshore finan- cial industry. In the current instance, he journeyed at his own expense to Geneva to debate (and verbally decimate) broadcaster Jacques Peretti, who attempted to do such pre-meditated harm to our islands. For that, Mr. Travers should have the thanks of all who call Cayman their home. He certainly has ours. Cayman’s image: Travers versus ‘the world’ 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 CAYMANCOMPASS.COM Nation Building: Promises, hope, disappointment The Church of God, Bodden Town, received more than $1 million from the Nation Building Fund. It needs $2 million more to finish construction. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 1, 2016 143 sign up for bone marrow registry Two bone marrow donor registry drives over the past month resulted in 143 people from Davenport Development and Decco Ltd. joining the Caribbean Bone Marrow Registry’s donor list. The registry hopes to sign up 1,000 potential do- nors across the Caribbean by the end of the year, ac- cording to a press release, to help patients in need of a bone marrow transplant find a match. They were the third and fourth donor list drives after events last September and in June. At a recent drive at the Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa construction site in West Bay, 83 potential do- nors signed up. The drive was facilitated by Rohan Marshall, senior manager at Decco Ltd. “You have to break the stigma that accompanies bone marrow donation and registration,” Mr. Marshall said in the release. “Many people are un- aware of what the dona- tion process is actually like [and] we’ve had to spend a couple of weeks going through that process.” Decco worker Michael Jefferson was among those who signed on to the registry. “I don’t mind helping people,” he said. “If it came to a situation where I would need the help, I would really like it if someone helped me out, so I decided to get registered. The process was quick and not difficult at all.” Mr. Marshall said the decision to host the reg- istry drive was an easy one. “It’s good for us, number one, but more importantly it’s good for the commu- nity as a whole,” he said. “When we have a situation like this, with many re- gional employees working one location, we have a unique opportunity to make a difference.” He encourages other businesses to con- tact the Cayman Islands Cancer Society about hosting their own drive. “What if you get sick 10 years from now and you need to find a donor? You would hope that your family members can or will help you, but if they are un- able to, what comes next?” said Mr. Marshall. On July 6, the Flowers Group donated US$75,000 to the Cayman Islands Cancer Society to sup- port the Caribbean Bone Marrow Registry. It costs $75 to add someone to the registry, said Jennifer Weber, op- erations manager at the Cayman Islands Cancer So- ciety, noting that the Flow- ers’s donation means 1,000 people can be added to the Caribbean Bone Marrow Registry. For more information, call the Cayman Islands Cancer Society at 949-7618. “It’s good for us, number one, but more importantly it’s good for the community as a whole.” ROHAN MARSHALL, senior manager, Decco Ltd. Jennifer Weber swabs the cheek of a Decco worker for the bone marrow registry. Jennifer Weber, operations manager at the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, with Rohan Marshall, senior manager at Decco Ltd.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days George Town MONDAY AUGUST 1, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS In the Aug. 3, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, George Town news included: “Our new premises were officially opened on Thursday last with a brief cer- emony outside the building. “Rev. George Hicks opened the pro- ceedings with prayer and His Honour the Acting Administrator, Mr. D.V. Watler, con- gratulated the company on its success so far and on the new offices which were now available for its use. He extended good wishes on behalf of the government for the future success of the undertaking. “Mr. Clifton Hunter, on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Cayman Pub- lishing Co. Ltd. welcomed all present and thanked them for their attendance. “He outlined the origins of the com- pany and the various aspects of its op- eration, gave details of the staff, and thanked Mr. F.E. Arch who had rented a building to the company for the first nine months of its operation. “Expressing regret that Dr. R.E. Mc- Taggart, managing director, was unable to be present due to his absence from the island, Mr. Hunter thanked Dr. Roy very much indeed for making it possible for the company to have use of such fine premises. He also thanked Mr. Elroy Arch and his son, Junior, the Contractors re- sponsible for erection, for being so willing to see that everything was arranged ac- cording to our specifications. “Mrs. N.R. Miller spoke on behalf of the staff, welcoming all and thanking them for their support since we com- menced operations in October 1965 … “Mrs. Miller then called upon Miss Frances Bodden, M.B.E. to cut the ribbon and declare the building open.” In the same issue, Ms. Bodden, the George Town correspondent wrote: “Mr. and Mrs. James Bodden, of Crewe Rd. and their 2 little daugh- ters have returned from their enjoyable holiday in Miami. “Mrs. Lillie McTaggart and her daughter, Mrs. Derek Wight, left for Ja- maica on the 24th of July. Mrs. Wight (Marguerite) returned on the 31st and says her mother’s leg is coming on nicely. It is hoped they both will have benefitted from their trip. “Mr. Ulric Coe and Garvon Ebanks have returned to join their ships. They left on the 30th. “Mr. R. Cranston has arrived from sea to visit his wife Ernestine and little son and relatives. “The Church of God Chapel Vacation Bible School was in progress from July 18 to 29th from 3 to 5 p.m. each afternoon. “There was a daily average at- tendance of 150 boys and girls plus 20 teachers and helpers.” 50 years ago: New offices for the Caymanian Weekly Fundraiser brings community together JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Scranton residents were busy on Friday tempting residents’ taste buds to raise money for community projects. Dale Ramoon, chairman of the Central Scranton Community Com- mittee, organized a sale of tradi- tional Caymanian dishes. Money raised will go toward community cleanups, park beauti- fication plans, supplies and assis- tance for residents. The food sale was set up in an area that was recently revitalized for community use. “Central Scranton has always been a close-knit, family oriented bunch of people. We want to main- tain that,” said Mr. Ramoon. “At the same time, we are trying to see if we can recapture that old saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ a motto that most Caymanians and forefathers had.” Vanda Powery was on hand to support the food sale. “The food is always great – fish and turtle stew plus great sides, very scrumptious and delicious,” she said. “There is good old Caymanian ‘breadkind’ such as breadfruit and cassava, as well as fry plantain, potato salad, mac and cheese, corn bread. You can’t beat that. It’s awe- some,” said Ms. Powery, making her purchase of two plates of food. “I admire these people. Despite what people might say about them, they are very community spirited. They come together at various times to help one another,” said Lucille Seymour, Central Scranton committee vice president. The former George Town MLA thanked the cooks, president, residents and committee members for their work. “Right now we are trying to raise funds for projects in No- vember so we can help the community,” she said. Mr. Ramoon describes Scranton and its people as well-meaning and welcoming of positivity. “The Central Scranton com- mittee is about community affairs and trying to make the commu- nity a better place for everyone,” Mr. Ramoon said. “We are also trying to en- courage the youngsters to be more positive and help stamp out some of the negativity that has been in our midst for some time.” The property on which the food sale was being held, on loan from the Walton family, represents one of the committee’s projects. “We want to beautify around the property and keep it clean,” said Mr. Ramoon. “Caribbean Utilities have al- ready pitched in by erecting some poles around the property.” “Central Scranton has always been a close-knit, family oriented bunch of people. We want to maintain that.” DALE RAMOON, chairman, Central Scranton Community Committee Some residents couldn’t resist buying more than one plate of delicious Scranton food. Money raised from the sale will go toward enhancement of the Scranton community. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYDistrict Days George Town DISTRICT DAYS 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 1, 2016 Anya and Roy have time of their lives ALMA CHOLLETTE achollette@pinnaclemedialtd, com On July 15 five years ago, Anya Edun and Aldene “Roy” Forbes met for the first time on an excursion to Stingray City. Almost to the day five years later, they were mar- ried on the sands of the Marriott Beach Resort in George Town. Born in Toronto, Canada, and raised in Pembroke Pines, Florida, Anya jour- neyed to Grand Cayman in 2011 while her sister Alana was in her final semester at St. Matthew’s University. “I was visiting to help pack things up and take home,” said Anya. The trip to Cayman quickly turned into a girls’ trip, with Anya inviting some friends along, and Alana arranging a boat ex- cursion where Roy, who is originally from Mangrove Bight in the Bay Islands of Honduras and has lived in Cayman since he was 18, was working as a captain. “That’s where we were first introduced,” said Anya. While Anya and her party left for Stingray City, it was not long before Roy, who had stayed behind, showed up on a watercraft. “I am actually the first and only person to knock him off a Jet Ski,” said Anya. Though Anya returned home to Florida, they kept in touch through instant messaging. Then, one day in Au- gust, Roy bought a plane ticket to Miami. On this trip, Roy got to meet her family. And to- gether, Roy and Anya toured South Florida and Key West. Two months later, in Oc- tober 2011, it was Anya’s turn to visit Cayman. The relationship blossomed from there. In October 2015, Roy proposed to Anya at their George Town home. According to Roy, he first waited for Anya to finish graduate school to ask for her hand. Having promised her parents that he would wait, when Anya finished her studies in May the same year, Roy waited a few weeks for her family to arrive in Cayman to get their permission. On Oct. 24, Anya woke up to a ring on her finger and a bouquet of roses next to her. “I walked downstairs to find Roy on one knee in the living room,” said Anya. With her family present, Roy asked Anya to marry him. Anya said she was at a loss for words. “All I could do was cry and hug him.” After shopping for and trying on many dresses, and after a nine-month engage- ment, Anya walked down the aisle on July 16 on her fa- ther Azam’s arm in a strap- less Oleg Cassini designer bridal gown her sister helped pick out. Anya held a bouquet of blue orchids, calla lilies and crystal accents arranged by her mother. For the groom, seeing his bride in her gown for the first time served as his favorite part of his wedding day. Before 100 invited guests, Joy Basdeo pronounced the couple husband and wife. The wedding was planned by Anne and Alana, mother and sister of the bride. “After five years together, I’ve come to learn that she’s the one person I can’t be without, my best friend,” Roy said on why he pro- posed. “And the way she loves my kids and my family really made the decision easy for me.” As for the bride, her favorite memory was the bridal party’s entrance to the reception. A different song was se- lected for each pair of the bridal party, and Anya and Roy entered to “Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jen- nifer Warnes. The couple re- created Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey’s famous lift from the 1987 movie “Dirty Dancing,” one of Anya’s fa- vorite films, that featured the song. “And we danced the rest of the way to Lyrikal’s ‘Cloud 9,’” Anya said. This fall, the newlyweds intend to honeymoon on a cruise. In the future they hope to travel and explore Europe, particularly Barce- lona, Spain. “Roy’s favorite football team is FC Barce- lona,” said Anya. “He has always wanted to travel there and visit the stadium. Depending on the team’s schedule, we’d love to watch a game in person too.” For Anya, Roy’s giving and kind nature are charac- teristics she admires. “As I mentioned in my vows, he is the most giving person I know, and every- thing he does is without ex- pecting anything in return,” she said. Roy said, “There are so many things I love about my wife, but if I had to choose one out of all the others, it would be the way she’s changing my life for the better every day, always pushing me towards my goals and aspirations in life.” Anya, 31 and Roy, 37, live in George Town. “There are so many things I love about my wife, but if I had to choose one out of all the others, it would be the way she’s changing my life for the better every day.” ROY FORBES Anya and Roy make their way down the aisle as newlyweds. Inset, Anya Edun shares a smile with Aldene ‘Roy’ Forbes at the altar. Above, the newlyweds ham it up for the photographer. - PHOTOS: CHAD MUNRO/ PICTURE THIS The bride shares a smile with her groom.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY AUGUST 1, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS cautions against expecting too much too soon. “It is not as simple as saying we are going to put 100 megawatts of solar on the island. That is going to take 400-500 acres of land. Where is that land going to come from? Are you going to want it next to your home? Are we going to be able to disturb swampland to put it in? “There are a lot of issues between where we are now and getting to even 50 per- cent renewables.” The reliability of solar- generated power at night and during spells of bad weather and the effectiveness and af- fordability of battery storage technology to address that shortcoming are also bar- riers, he said. The Cayman Islands cur- rently derives around 3 per- cent of its energy from re- newable sources, with that figure expected to rise to 8 percent once a new solar farm comes online in Bodden Town. Mr. Hew said the longer term uptake of renewables would depend on the avail- ability and affordability as well as the progress in de- velopment of storage tech- nology for intermittent power sources such as solar. “I don’t know what that number will be,” he said. “Our approach is to go out and look at what technology is available, what is the cost, and then set targets.” He said CUC is about to embark on an integrated re- source plan, involving public meetings, to help determine the possibilities over the next decade. But he did not rule out the prospect of further new diesel generators being part of the picture. The new equipment, which CUC says is cleaner and more fuel efficient, re- places two older diesel gen- erators, which were col- lectively providing 17 MW. There are other generators at the power company’s George Town plant reaching the end of their useful life span and Mr. Hew acknowl- edged they may also have to be replaced. He added, “It may make sense to extend that (life span) for a few years rather than spending another $85 million on new plant, espe- cially in the context of renew- ables and not knowing what role they are going to play.” He believes the compa- ny’s generation capacity, following the purchase of the new diesel genera- tors, is now sufficient to meet demand. But that may change as Cayman con- tinues to grow. While improved en- ergy efficiency is driving down usage at an individual level, growing population is moving overall demand in the other direction. Mr. Hew said the com- pany is excited about the potential for renewables in the future, but needs to bal- ance that with an obligation to provide a reliable service. “In the future as tech- nology such as storage im- proves and the costs come down, it may be possible to combine an intermit- tent source like solar with storage to provide some form of firm reliable elec- tricity supply. It wasn’t pos- sible at this time – in the future who knows? It is our intention to build in as much renewables as we can to the system.” CUC makes a distinction between firm power sources, available around the clock, and intermittent sources, which vary depending on timing and weather. Mr. Hew said it is not fea- sible to supply more than 20 percent of peak demand from intermittent sources without risking “cascading power outages” caused by a sudden drop in supply, from a squall, for example. CUC unveils new diesel generators CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cory Miller, production engineer at CUC, points to the new diesel generating unit. – – PHOTOS: MATT LAMERS Lindon Dixon, control operator, monitors the Feeder Indicator, which detects power outages.9 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 1, 2016 NEED CASH? COME! CAYMAN PRECIOUS METALS Located at MONEYGRAM PLAZA at 196 Shedden Road 927-8565 - Mon. thru Fri. 9 to 6pm - Sat 10-4pm WE BUY AND PAWN WE HAVE ALL YOU NEED! for CASHWIZ • 144 N . CHURCH STREET, GEORGE TOWN • 943- 7296 WE ARE OFFERING FREE JEWELRY CLEANING FOR THE Just come in and we will clean your jewelry while you wait, takes about 5 minutes! WE DEAL IN JEWELRY, ELECTRONICS, COMPUTERS, VEHICLES and MUCH MORE! Lawyer: Prison conditions are ‘cage-like’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Speaking on behalf of his client on Friday, attorney James Austin-Smith said the conditions at Her Majesty’s Prison, Northward are “hardly fit for human habitation” and could make for a “very good case” if challenged under U.K. or European human rights laws. Mr. Austin-Smith also serves as chairman of the Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission. Mr. Austin-Smith’s com- ments were made before the Grand Court during a sentencing hearing for one of his clients, accountant Robert Aspinall, who pleaded guilty to theft, forgery and money laundering-related of- fenses on Friday. The HRC chairman, speaking in mitigation for his client, who was due to be sentenced Monday, noted that the prisons were reviewed in 2012 and again in 2015 and had not received good news. “It has been described as appearing hardly fit for human habitation,” he said of Northward. “Leaky roofs, cockroach-infested, cage- like, overcrowded, filthy,” Mr. Austin-Smith said. Grand Court Justice Tim- othy Owen said he under- stood what Mr. Austin-Smith was getting at, but wondered whether the sentencing be- fore the court was the proper place to address it. “The difficulty about this … is that every judge sentencing everybody in the Cayman Islands has either got to not send someone to prison because the evidence is that Northward is inca- pable of detaining anyone … or you have to factor in a reduction [in sen- tence] for everyone,” Justice Owen said. “Mr. Aspinall cannot be treated differently than anyone else who appears before the courts here,” Mr. Owen said. Mr. Austin-Smith said he did not intend to infer that Aspinall should be treated differently than anyone else before the court. He said he simply rejected the notion that doing time in Northward was akin to some country- club atmosphere. “The conditions of incar- ceration at Northward are not some sort of holiday camp. He is going to do hard time,” Mr. Austin-Smith said. He noted that Article 3 of the European Conven- tion on Human Rights can apply to cases involving ex- tremely poor conditions in detention – making them tantamount to inhumane treatment or torture. If Northward inmates were to challenge conditions “they’d have a very good case,” under the convention, the HRC chairman said. Justice Owen agreed that the prison system re- ports set out a “very alarming state of affairs.” “But it seems to me the remedy is elsewhere,” he said. – including some cash Aspi- nall, as the joint voluntary liquidator – had transferred to a Cayman bank account held for a company in the British Virgin Islands he controlled. The Deloitte review, Crown Counsel Toyin Salako said Friday, “ultimately led to the dis- covery of Aspinall’s criminality.” “Had the U.S. courts not re- versed the settlement agree- ment, Robert Aspinall’s crim- inality would have gone undetected,” Ms. Salako said. Aspinall is due to be sen- tenced Monday morning on the six charges, for which he could receive up to 10 years’ impris- onment. Eight other charges, to which Aspinall pleaded not guilty on Friday, have been “left on file” by the Crown. Aspinall voluntarily surren- dered on July 22 and has been at Northward Prison since then. The theft The Crown alleged Friday that Aspinall set up a fictitious company in the British Virgin Islands less than a month after he was named to oversee the liquidation of the two Level in- vestment funds. A registration for this com- pany, called Freestyle Financial Services Ltd., was set up in the BVI in October 2012, along with a corresponding HSBC bank ac- count in the Cayman Islands under the name Freestyle Fund Services Ltd. The Cayman ac- count received a US$50,314.20 payment the next month from an investment fund called Aslan Capital Master Fund. This pay- ment from the Aslan fund, was accompanied by bogus docu- ments including – prosecutors alleged – the signature of De- loitte Managing Partner Stuart Sybersma purporting to autho- rize the payment. Mr. Sybersma told prosecutors that he had not signed the documents, and it was determined the signa- ture had been scanned and used without his permission. Mr. Sybersma also told pros- ecutors that there was a gen- uine “advisory agreement” be- tween the Aslan investment fund and a real company called Freestyle Fund Services Com- pany LLC – a name very sim- ilar to the one Aspinall used for his fake firm in the BVI. How- ever, the actual agreement with that firm had been doctored to list Aspinall as the “adviser,” Mr. Sybersma said. “The Crown asserts it was no coincidence that Aspinall in- corporated a company in the name similar to Freestyle Fund Services Company LLC,” Ms. Salako said. “By using a com- pany name similar to a gen- uine company, that assisted him in deceiving his colleagues and concealing his criminality.” After stealing the US$50,314.20 from the Aslan fund, prosecutors alleged an additional US$453,519.50 was paid into Aspinall’s HSBC ac- count in Cayman from the Level investment funds – the same funds he was appointed to oversee as joint voluntary liquidator. During the voluntary liqui- dation of the two Level invest- ment funds, between March 2013 and August 2013, nine payments went into Aspi- nall’s Freestyle Fund bank ac- count at HSBC, prosecutors al- leged, totaling US$453,519.50. The vast majority of the pay- ments were made by Deloitte following instructions given by Aspinall, prosecutors said. In other words, Aspinall controlled the disbursement of the funds as joint liquidator and also con- trolled the account they were paid into. Crown Counsel Salako said it is this aspect of Aspinall’s criminal activity that made it particularly damaging to the Cayman Islands, a recognized international financial services jurisdiction. “You’ve got someone who’s a joint liquidator who’s nicked the funds,” Grand Court Justice Timothy Owen said. “That is exactly the Crown’s position,” Ms. Salako said. Aspinall’s defense Defense attorney James Austin-Smith told the Grand Court on Friday that it was Aspinall himself who revealed to Deloitte man- agers in April the Aslan fund US$50,000 theft, the first time he was asked about it. Mr. Austin-Smith said Aspinall also told the Royal Cayman Islands Police Financial Crime Unit the same story and never sought to dispute the theft allegations once he was found out. “That is a situation, in my experience, that is unique in this jurisdiction,” Mr. Austin- Smith said. However, Crown prosecu- tors pointed out that it was the revelations from the Level investment funds matter in the U.S. that prompted De- loitte to question its former employee in the first place. Judge Owen noted that Aspinall’s immediate and continued cooperation with authorities was a “powerful mitigating factor” when con- sidering his sentence on the central charges of theft. “It would be difficult to think of a case where fuller remorse and cooperation had occurred,” the judge said. Mr. Austin-Smith also noted a number of “powerful” char- acter references were made on Aspinall’s behalf and that no sentence the court might pronounce would be as bad as “his daily experiences and what he’s inflicted on his family.” “It was one of the most humiliating experiences of his life to explain [to his 5-year-old daughter] that daddy had done something very, very bad and had to go away,” Mr. Austin-Smith said. Aspinall also agreed to repay the full amount taken from Deloitte, about US$495,000, Mr. Austin- Smith said, plus interest. “He can’t change what he’s done, but he has done ev- erything possible to try and right his wrongs.” Crown: Aspinall’s crimes ‘would have gone undetected’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >