High of 89 Low of 78 Seas: Moderate to rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. THE CAYMAN ISLANDS JOURNAL Population, economy grow; voter increase expected EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ‘PLAYING WITH FIRE’: THE LESSONS FROM CRUZ LANE ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3, 2016 1 66 THIS ISSUE: SPECIAL REPORT BUSINESS TO BUSINESS >>PAGE 11 INVESTMENT Strategies for investors - How followers can become millionaires >>PAGE 2 TOURISM Value of a shark - Sharks worth more alive than dead >>PAGE 5 TECHNOLOGY Tracking storms, saving lives - Improved technology makes a difference >>PAGE 10 PAGE 11 THE CAYMA N ISLANDS JOURN AL August 2016 FROM STARTU P TO SUCCES S, PROVIDI NG SUPPOR T EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. EVERYTH ING YOU NEED TOSTART YOUR BUSINESSBUILD YOUR BUSINESSRUN YOUR BUSINES S Population, economy grow; voter increase expected ■■ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.c om The Cayman Islands resident population was estimated at more than 60,000 people dur-ing 2015, the highest number the British Overseas Territory has reported and the first time population totals for the tiny, three-island chain have officially ex- ceeded 60,000. The population estimate for 2015, presented in the Cayman Islands Com- pendium of Statistics, was 60,413, eclips-ing the previous high mark set in 2014 of 58,238 residents. Estimates are based on a survey of about 1,400 residents, with a 5 percent margin of error – about 3,000 people in either direction. Since 2008, population figures were reported to be in decline following the international markets’ collapse which, in Cayman, led to fewer jobs and a signifi-cant drop in work permits held by non-Caymanian employees. The numbers, which were averaging around 55,000 to 56,000 between 2010 and 2013, hitting their lowest point in 2010, started com-ing back up two years ago. The population increase was fueled largely by non-Caymanian workers, who were estimated at 24,791 (42.6 percent) of the local population in 2014, and 26,176 (43.3 percent) of the popula-tion in 2015. The Caymanian population also increased slightly during the same time but lost its overall share of the local population. Caymanians made up 57.4 percent of the islands’ residents in 2014, while in 2015 that fell to 56.7 percent. Other than an estimated population drop of about 300 residents in North Side district during 2015 and a gain of a few hundred in neighboring East End, things stayed about the same in Grand Cayman’s main population centers, ac-cording to the report. George Town remained, by far, the largest district in the islands, accounting for about half of its population, eclipsing 31,000 residents for the first time. Bodden Town and West Bay were neck-and-neck for the second-largest district population, with Bodden Town retaining its status of second-largest is-land district by about 100 people, the statistical report noted. Population estimates for the Sister Is- lands, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, increased sharply, going from 1,839 in 2014 to 2,196 last year. Work permits As its population increased in 2015, the territory’s overall unemploy-ment rate fell to 4.2 percent, its low- est levels since 2008, according to the Office of the Premier. The drop in the jobless rate was en-tirely due to a decrease in unemploy- ment among Caymanians. That decrease came against the backdrop of a work permit in-crease in the islands. All non-Caymanians who do not have permanent resident status must obtain permission from the government to work in the islands. In fall 2014, when the Caymanian unemployment rate was 7.9 percent, the Immigration Department reported about Cayman’s registered voter numbers reached 18,457 as of July 21 this year. Wesley Howell PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Cayman’s financial services industry had ‘mixed performance’ in 2015 ■■ CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd .com In its final economic report for 2015, released last month, the Cayman Islands Economics and Statistics Office cited “mixed results” over the year for the is-lands’ financial services industry.With technologies such as blockchain, steeper regulatory burdens for offshore finance, and increased competition among ju-risdictions, it remains to be seen whether the slowdown is a cycli- cal change for the industry or if there is a structural shift going on.Cayman’s economy overall saw growth last year, with gross domestic product rising 2 percent. The GDP growth rate slowed from 2.4 percent in 2014, following global trends of slowing growth.Financial services, a corner-stone of Cayman’s economy, “continued to exhibit mixed per-formance,” the ESO writes in its Annual Economic Report 2015. The report states, “The financial services industry continued to exhibit mixed performance. New company registrations and part- nership registrations grew while mutual funds registration (in-cluding master funds), insurance licences, stock exchange listing, and banks and trusts declined.” Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton, responding to questions by email, said financial services have held steady despite movements in the global econo-my. “In recent years, we’ve had increases in financial services rev-enue. However, we ended 2015 with a very slight decrease in overall financial services revenue, from $239.9 to $234.9 million. This is not unexpected, because global markets are reacting to economic and political developments world- wide such as pre-Brexit, Brazil, Cuba and China.” Finance Minister Marco Arch- er said in a statement upon re-lease of the report, “Despite chal- lenges from the global economy, I am pleased that the combined performance of all our productive PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » 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 REINSTATED PRISONS MANAGER SUSPENDED AGAIN BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A senior Cayman Islands prisons official who was reinstated by a Grand Court order in June has been suspended from her job again pending another investigation by the prison service, the Cayman Compass has learned. Aduke Joseph-Caesar, a deputy prisons di- rector, was fired in November 2015 over an incident in which another prison staffer was videotaped during what was described as a covert investigation. She was reinstated by a June 22, 2016 Grand Court order which stated she had never been officially terminated from her post and which further stated Ms. Joseph-Caesar: “re- mains engaged in the position of deputy di- rector of prisons until such time as she resigns or her employment is lawfully terminated.” The government was ordered to make back payments of salary and pay for Ms. Joseph- Caesar’s lawyer bills, which totaled $24,000. On July 1, an email sent to prison staff managers by Director Neil Lavis indicated that the ruling of the Grand Court did not mean Ms. Joseph-Caesar was returning to work at that time. She was placed on required leave again on July 25 until the completion of the new investigation, her attorney Clyde Allen confirmed Monday. Ms. Joseph-Caesar foreshadowed her pending suspension in early July while com- menting about the issue to the Compass: “I’m excited to continue the evidence-based reha- bilitation work my team and I started, but I feel some amount of trepidation that this may be short-lived.” Neither Mr. Lavis nor Ministry of Home Affairs Chief Officer Wesley Howell had CUC forced to ‘iguana-proof’ electricity poles JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Caribbean Utilities Company has been forced to iguana-proof electricity poles across the island after multiple power outages. The utility company has completed an is- landwide project to wrap metal sheeting around nearly half of the telegraph poles in Grand Cayman. David Watler, vice president of transmis- sion and distribution at the power company, said iguanas frequently clamber up the poles and create a short in the system, causing power loss. The exploding population of green iguanas has long been considered a menace to plants, farmers and backyard growers, but CUC’s project suggests the invasive lizards are also causing issues in urban areas. “We had an influx of iguanas that was, at one point, causing multiple outages per month over a period of several months,” Mr. Watler said. “We had to rapidly identify problem areas and a system to prevent iguanas from causing outages. You will see a number of the poles now have bands around them to prevent them from climbing the poles and contacting the power lines.” He said areas where land had previously provided habitat for iguanas were particularly affected as the displaced lizards sought new perches in urban areas. Since the metal bands were added to the electricity poles, he said, iguana-related power outages have been reduced to almost zero. “It was a considerable amount of money, but in terms of the reliability it was something New neighborhood police chief vows to earn public support JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands’ new head of neighborhood policing believes the force can win back the trust and support of the community. After two months on the job, Supt. Robert Graham says he is hopeful that police and community relations are entering a new era. Superintendent Graham has met with retailers, bar and nightclub owners, secu- rity firm chiefs and community groups in a series of meetings which he hopes to turn into monthly forums. He is encouraging those groups to coor- dinate on crime prevention and provide in- formation to the police. But he acknowledged police would have to win their support by listening to concerns and dealing with their issues. “This isn’t pie in the sky. It is not saying hello and we will disappear, this is a really purposeful drive towards working together with a host of different community groups,” he told the Cayman Compass following his series of introductory meetings. He said police had responded to con- cerns emerging from those meetings, PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Superintendent of Uniform and District Operations Robert Graham has spent his first few months on the job meeting with community groups, bar owners, security company heads and retailers. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL&REGIONAL WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3, 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 - 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) ‘Solomon Webster’ Bill aims to protect rights of disabled Bill to cover areas not addressed in Constitution CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Named for the slain former Cayman Islands Special Olympics athlete, the Disabilities (Solomon Webster) Bill proposes new legis- lation to protect the rights of dis- abled people and create a National Council for Persons with Disabilities and a voluntary disabilities register. The premier’s office said in a statement that the bill is part of implementing the proposals in the Cayman Islands Disabilities Policy 2014-2033. If approved, the bill would provide legal protection for the civil and political rights of people with disabilities. The bill’s sponsor, Premier Alden McLaughlin, said in the press re- lease, “My administration is com- mitted to fostering a culture of re- spect for human rights, including strengthening legislative protections for persons with disabilities.” Solomon Webster was 24 when he was shot and killed in West Bay in September 2014. He won a gold medal in bocce at the regional Spe- cial Olympic Games in Puerto Rico in 2010. He was also known as a footballer and basketball player. The memorandum introducing the bill commemorates Mr. Webster, “a young man with a disability who creatively and tenaciously worked to achieve and develop his best ability despite his challenges.” The bill, published Monday, proposes to make discrimination against disabled people illegal and protect the “progressive realization of their economic, social and cul- tural rights.” Equal access The law would also ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to the justice system, po- litical office and public life with reasonable accommodations and opportunity to access public fa- cilities. The bill would make sure people with disabilities have ac- cess to any court, authority, com- mission or other public body with judicial or investigative powers and make sure they can participate in the proceedings. The purpose of the legislation, the premier’s office said, is to pro- tect “persons with disabilities from having their civil and political rights infringed by any person (in- cluding individuals and nongov- ernmental entities) in specified in- stances where the Constitution and other laws do not adequately ad- dress particular vulnerabilities.” The new National Council for Persons with Disabilities pro- posed in the law would act as the watchdog for disabled people, making sure they can participate in public life and promote equal rights. The 10-member commission will oversee creating and imple- menting the policy to bring the laws into force. The law would also create a Disabilities Register, the pre- mier’s statement said, to “improve the quantity and quality of data that is available on persons with disabilities in order to inform policy, legislation and services.” The reg- istry would be voluntary. The Cabinet Office is seeking public comment on the bill. “Various stakeholders will be consulted to ensure avenues for claims regarding breaches of the Bill’s provisions are accessible for persons with disabilities and will effectively promote compliance,” the premier’s office said. “Cabinet will then consider proposals for enforce- ment and make regulations, which will provide for these matters.” The Disability Policy, in addi- tion to this new legislation, calls for reviews of and amendments to other laws to address discrimina- tion against disabled people in ed- ucation, employment, health and building codes. USVI steps up mosquito fight SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – The U.S. Virgin Islands announced Tuesday it is stepping up its fight against mosquitoes amid what officials in the U.S. territory say is a significant Zika outbreak. Health officials said a company hired by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will use an or- ganic larvicide and eliminate any po- tential breeding areas as part of a one- year contract. Crews will inspect and treat hospitals, schools, churches and day care centers that request service on all three islands, as well as any public areas where mosquito-borne diseases have thrived. “The Virgin Islands is in the midst of a significant outbreak, and we are doing everything possible to get to the root of the issue,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Davis. The U.S. territory of more than 100,000 people is reporting nearly 80 Zika cases, 58 of them on St. Thomas, 20 on St. Croix and one on St. John. Officials are concerned that the actual number of people with Zika is much higher be- cause eight of 10 people who get it have no symptoms. Ten pregnant women have tested positive, a concern for authorities be- cause Zika has been linked to se- vere birth defects. No cases of a tem- porary paralysis condition known as Guillain-Barre linked to Zika have been reported, health department spokeswoman Nykole Tyson said in a phone interview. She said the Virgin Islands is using the larvicide Vectobac WDG to fight the spread of the mosquito-borne virus. Other nearby islands including Puerto Rico are facing a Zika epidemic. Puerto Rico recently announced it would use the larvicide Bti to fight Zika, with nearly 6,000 cases reported in that U.S. territory. But the highest number of Zika cases is found in the eastern Carib- bean. The French Caribbean island of Martinique has nearly 34,000 cases, in- cluding 447 pregnant women. Guade- loupe has nearly 25,500 cases, including 343 pregnant women. MIAMI (AP) – A weather system that already has caused at least six deaths in the Dominican Republic has been designated as Tropical Storm Earl. The U.S. National Hur- ricane Center in Miami said Tuesday that Earl was threatening to bring heavy rains, flooding and high winds to Mexico, Belize and Honduras. All three of those countries issued Trop- ical Storm warnings for some areas, and a hurricane watch was issued for part of the Mexican coast. On Sunday, Earl was still a weaker tropical wave but knocked down power lines and started a fire that killed six passengers on a bus filled with people returning from a beach excursion. On Tuesday, the storm was centered about 210 miles south of Grand Cayman. It had top sus- tained winds of 50 mph and was speeding west at 22 mph. DEADLY WEATHER SYSTEM STRENGTHENS SANCTI SPIRITUS, Cuba (AP) – In the Cuban countryside, many children learn to ride a horse before they tackle a bicycle. At the tender age of 6, Dariadna Corujo is already an expert barrel racer and calf roper, wearing pink boots as she competes in ro- deos on the hot, flat grass- lands of central Sancti Spir- itus province. A group of neighboring cattle ranchers founded a nongovernmental group called Future Ranchers more than a decade ago to re- vive Cuba’s rodeo culture, which dates back centuries to Spanish colonial times. The group teaches rodeo skills like roping and riding along with more practical educa- tion in ranching, veterinary medicine and farming. The best students can start farm- and ranch-re- lated studies at local univer- sities without passing the difficult national entrance exam. A founder of the group proudly notes the students often know so much that they give informal classes to other students. In Sancti Spiritus cattle country, 80 children are en- rolled in the association, which struggles to find the funds for basic needs like gas- oline for the vehicles taking the students to competitions. Many families save for years in order to buy their children saddles, boots and lassos. “At $12 a lasso, do you know how many liters of milk I have to sell?” said Dariadna’s father, Donato Corujo. The children of Future Ranchers have become the main attraction at many Sancti Spiritus rodeos, and a standard at religious pro- cessions and Cuba’s May Day parades. Cuban cattle country keeps up rodeo traditions A cowgirl winds up to lasso a calf during an improvised rodeo event at a farm in Sancti Spiritus, Cuba. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3, 2016 It’s All About You Our Business Bankers are called Relationship Managers For more information, call: Rolan Heeralal, Area Vice President, Business Banking - 914-8274 Shane Storr, Senior Relationship Manager, Business Banking - 914-8222 Samuel Jacques-Cloutier, Relationship Manager, Business Banking - 914-8273 Peter Letko, Relationship Manager, Business Banking - 914-8228 Sary Menjivar, Associate Relationship Manager - 914-8238 Lana Cranston, Merchant Sales Officer - 914-8221 Sherry Ebanks, Sales Support Officer - 914-8272 The people who work for your business should be loyal, dependable and knowledgeable... and that includes your banker. At RBC Royal Bank, our Relationship Managers are committed to the long term success of your business. They’ll work closely with you to understand your specific challenges and find appropriate, realistic and effective solutions to help your business progress. Let us assign a Relationship Manager to partner with your business today!The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS If Putin wanted to help a candidate, he would choose Hillary Did the Russians hack the emails of the Democratic Na- tional Committee and Hillary Clinton? The answer is almost certainly “yes,” but that does not mean that the DNC and other emails were released on behalf of the Kremlin to help Donald Trump. The basis for my skepticism of the charge that the email dumps were ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin is as follows: To begin with, I am no fan of Mr. Putin and the Russian government, as I was sub- jected to Russian-Bulgarian disinformation campaigns; because of my high-profile work on the economic tran- sition in Bulgaria and Russia in the early 1990s; and my exposé of Russia payments to members of the Bulgarian Parliament to support the now-abandoned proposed gas pipeline from Russia to Bul- garia (two years ago). It is well known that a number of countries – in- cluding Russia, China, Israel, France, the United Kingdom and the United States – rou- tinely monitor international phone calls of people of in- terest, including government leaders, suspected terrorists, potential wrongdoers, inter- national business people and others. Remember the flap when it was revealed that the United States was listening in on German Chancellor An- gela Merkel’s phone calls? The problem was that it was re- vealed, not that it happened. Emails that are not highly en- crypted are relatively easy to hack into. Sophisticated state actors like Russia can do it without leaving “fingerprints.” This is why FBI Director James Comey said it was “pos- sible that hostile actors gained access to Secretary Clinton’s personal email account.” It would be my bet that not only Russia, but China and other state actors gained access be- cause it would be a dereliction of duty for any major state in- telligence agency not to have done so, given Mrs. Clinton’s position as Secretary of State. The Clintons have been covert financial allies of Mr. Putin for a number of years. We know that Rus- sian money from state-con- trolled energy companies Rosneft and Gazprom found its way to at least one Ber- muda-based foundation. This foundation, in turn, supplied tens of millions of dollars to the Sea Change Founda- tion (a bundler for environ- mental groups), which then sent millions on to the Sierra Club, the National Resources Defense Council and others. These environmental organi- zations are allies of President Obama and the Clintons, and are actively involved in a war against fossil fuels and pipe- line projects. There have been detailed and easy-to-find sto- ries about the above in the press for the last couple of years. Related is the curious fact that Mikhail Lesin, who built the RT TV network for Mr. Putin and then became a senior official of Gazprom, was beaten to death in a Washington hotel room on Nov. 5, 2015. Lesin was al- most certain to have known what monies went from Rus- sian sources to the U.S. en- vironmental groups and the Clinton Foundation. The Clinton Foundation has been the recipient of Rus- sian-sourced money, some through its Canadian affil- iate. The New York Times pub- lished a very lengthy story, including a front-page ver- sion on April 24, 2015, docu- menting how tens of millions of dollars flowed from Russia and Kazakhstan through in- termediaries to the Clinton Foundation and other Clinton allies. The complex scheme eventually “gave the Russians control of one-fifth of all ura- nium production capacity in the United States …. Among the agencies that eventually signed off [on the deal] was the State Department, then headed by Mr. Clinton’s wife, Hillary Clinton.” Bill Clinton was paid $500,000 to speak in Moscow in June 2010 – “the same month Rosatom struck its deal for a majority stake in Uranium One.” The fee was “paid by Renaissance Capital, a Russian bank with ties to the Kremlin.” Questions to ponder: The major Russian intelligence agencies are well skilled in hiding their tracks when doing email hacks – so why would they in this case leave tracks back to a Russian source? Given the close fi- nancial relationship between the Clintons and the Kremlin, why would Mr. Putin want to switch his support to Mr. Trump? If the Russians do have copies of Hillary’s 30,000 missing emails, would not they be more useful as poten- tial blackmail than to reveal them during the campaign? Disinformation and decep- tion are used by state actors and others, as Israeli analyst Dima Adamsky has written, “to manipulate the adver- sary’s picture of reality, misin- form it, and eventually inter- fere with the decision-making process of individuals, organi- zations, governments and so- cieties.” Having been a target of disinformation, I can tes- tify to how disconcerting it is to be the subject, along with colleagues, to false newspaper stories and TV “documen- taries,” strange phone calls, computer hacks and other forms of harassment. Mr. Putin may have a real favorite in the U.S. presiden- tial race, but remember, when trying to answer the question of his preference, it is rela- tively easy for skilled opera- tives to make emails appear to come from sources other than the real source, to alter emails, and to make hacks appear to have come from others. Political campaigns have always been subject to disinformation, e.g., false news stories and rumors. The digital age just makes disin- formation easier, and, hence, we all need to be less naive about alleged “facts.” 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 “I was just screaming ‘my house is on fire, my house is on fire.’” —Samantha Bodden Except for their lives, the families lost everything. In just minutes, fires ravaged a number of side-by- side homes on Cruz Lane, leaving their inhabitants homeless, helpless, and bewildered. Cruz Lane, we can be certain, is not on any visi- tor’s tour of the Cayman Islands. It is a short spur off Bodden Road in a disadvantaged neighborhood tucked behind Kirk Home Centre. It is the kind of neighborhood that nobody notices and rarely makes the news – unless there is a crime, a fire or, in this instance, most likely both. No one could have saved these dwellings. The Cayman Islands Fire Services certainly tried and, truth be told, they performed valiantly. From the time of the initial alarm, they required only 17 minutes to give the “all clear.” But even 17 minutes was more time than the families had. These were highly flammable wooden structures – construction susceptible to nothing more than a match. And that match was supplied, according to family members, by an arsonist. They say they know who did it. In the aftermath, police are investigating what may be a crime of massive proportions. If those inhabit- ants had succumbed to flame or smoke, the result of a purposely set fire, the perpetrators could have been facing charges of mass murder or manslaughter. Even in the present circumstances (no lives were lost) charges of attempted murder do not seem far- fetched. In any case, what happened on Cruz Lane in the early morning hours of July 31 should raise a four- alarm warning throughout our community. As everyone knows, there are literally hundreds of shanties, shacks and slum dwellings throughout Grand Cayman that appear to be dangerous firetraps. We are not fire or building inspectors but we would surmise that far too many of these structures are overcrowded, have “extension cord wiring,” and lack smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and other rudimentary life-saving equipment. These substandard structures simply cannot be up to “code.” Likewise, we know that Cayman’s most respectable and responsible developers such as the Darts, Fraser Wellon and Brian Butler all must meet stringent fire and safety requirements before they are issued a “cer- tificate of occupancy” for their buildings. This is a good thing and signals why Cayman enjoys a reputation as the “best of the rest” of the countries in the region. But those good safety practices inexorably should lead government to the issue of the lack of building and fire code inspections and enforcement for the many ramshackle (but occupied) houses that are present in every district. The conflagration on Cruz Lane, thankfully, did not lead to the loss of life, but it has now put the spotlight on a most intractable and too-often invisible reality: the dangerous condition of too much of our housing stock. We are literally playing with fire. ‘Playing with fire’: The lessons from Cruz Lane Wild charges over hacking of the DNC RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3, 2016 182202-Ad-Compass-JrPg-101.indd 17/27/16 3:33 PM BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Cayman Islands Grand Court judge cautioned the Crown on Monday over what he said appeared to be an at- tempt to “overload” an in- dictment against an invest- ment funds accountant who pleaded guilty to stealing nearly US$500,000. The case of Robert Neil Aspinall, who was sentenced Monday, involved a com- plicated scheme of decep- tion to cover up Aspinall’s theft from two funds for which he was appointed joint voluntary liquidator. Judge Timothy Owen said that in his view of the case, two charges of theft against Aspinall “would have sufficed.” “The simple reality is that [Aspinall] stole a total of US$495,414.20 from two con- nected funds registered in the Cayman Islands over 10 months,” Mr. Owen said. “[As- pinall] forged documents, and having stolen the money, [he] set about spending the ill- gotten cash.” In the context of two charges to which Aspinall pleaded guilty, converting criminal property, the crim- inal act alleged is that the accountant spent the stolen money on a new house and a BMW. Converting criminal property is a money-laun- dering offense. During a sentencing hearing for Aspinall on Friday, defense attorney James Austin- Smith argued that these two money-laundering charges amounted to “what we used to call ‘spending the money.’” Justice Owen said the charging of a defendant is “not just a matter of legal def- inition,” but must be linked to the conduct of the defendant. “All thieves tend to spend the proceeds of their theft if they can before they are ap- prehended,” the judge said. “Alleging that they are also money launderers because they manage to spend some or all of the proceeds of their predicate crime generally adds nothing to the gravity of their conduct.” Aspinall was charged with 14 counts, six of which he pleaded guilty to on Friday. The other eight charges, in- cluding other allegations that Aspinall transferred criminal property, were left on file after he pleaded not guilty. During sentencing he received no ad- ditional, consecutive sentence for the two counts of forgery or two counts of converting criminal property to which he pleaded guilty. “I see no necessary public purpose in proceeding with counts of money laundering … in circumstances where [Aspinall’s] conduct is fairly covered by allegations of theft,” the judge said. Judge: Crown ‘overloading’ charges Scott Martin, in yellow shirt, buys fish from Shirall Smith on Sunday. Fishermen selling red snapper said business was especially brisk that day. Some customers even got a lesson on how to clean, wash and cook the fish. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Brisk business at fish market BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s financial ser- vices industry, financial reg- ulators and the territorial government are bracing for a mid-2017 review of anti- money laundering regimes. Ahead of the long-planned inspection by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force, a number of new pieces of leg- islation have been passed or proposed to strengthen the British territory’s defenses against money laundering or terrorist financing. Changes include the recent dismantling of the Confiden- tial Relationships (Preserva- tion) Law, proposed legislation to regulate nonprofit orga- nizations and non-financial services-related businesses, including real estate and pre- cious metals dealers. Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton said in May that Cayman will be quite fa- miliar with periodic reviews done by the Financial Action Task Force, but the one due to occur in the second half of 2017 will be different than those the territory experi- enced in the past. “These new assessments are no longer just about technical requirements,” Mr. Panton said. “There will be an assessment based on effec- tiveness [of the current reg- ulatory system]. Our view is we need to have that in place ahead of time.” Ministry chief officer Dax Basdeo said the review’s ob- jective is to ensure businesses that tend to handle large sums of money can verify, to a rea- sonable extent, that no cash laundering or terrorism sup- port activities are going on. ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING REVIEW SET FOR 2017DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Sister Islands WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Little Cayman trip offers lasting memories An educational trip to Little Cayman has proved to be truly memorable for a group of George Town students. In an end-of-year as- sembly held last month, Cayman Prep’s Year 6 stu- dents were asked to re- call their most important memory over their seven years at the school. More than half of them were eager to mention their April trip to Little Cayman as part of the Central Caribbean Marine Institute’s Marine Ecology Course, which was held at the Little Cayman Research Centre. In its mission state- ment, the nonprofit CCMI states its aim is to protect coral reefs for the future by strengthening under- standing of what contrib- utes to their resilience, and by reinforcing discov- eries that offer hope to re- store the balance of healthy coral reefs. As well as con- ducting scientific research, CCMI offers a number of programs for young people that support coral reef conservation. Each year the Marine Ecology Course welcomes primary students from across the Cayman Islands for a three-day session on marine ecology, sustain- ability and conservation. The course aims to show students how their lives are inextricably linked to the ocean, as the health of each depends on the other. Students are introduced to conservation topics such as coral bleaching, marine pollution and destructive fishing practices, in both worldwide and local scales. The program is intended for students who have an interest in science. During the course, the students take part in various activi- ties such as learning how to identify fish, as well as building their knowledge about how coral reefs func- tion and their symbiotic re- lationships with sea grass and mangroves, pollution and sustainability. “They also take part in a beach cleanup,” said Cayman Prep and High School head of Year 6 Carrie Bee, who at- tended the programme with her students. “It is an integral part of the course and gives the students the opportunity to contribute to the well-being of our islands.” As well as offering an educational experience, the trip to Little Cayman often marks an independent mile- stone in the children’s lives as it’s the first time many have been away from home without their parents. “It’s definitely a big step towards being responsible,” said Ms. Bee. “This is an important part of their development.” CCMI president Carrie Manfrino was pleased with the feedback, and noted that the institute has ideas for additional activities which will be in development over the next few years. She stressed that CCMI remains keen on achieving its goal for every child to become ocean literate. “There is still a lot to do,” she said. “But we have an ex- ceptional education team on the ground. I can totally un- derstand how the children will fall in love with the ocean as a result of CCMI’s command performance.” During the course, the students take part in various activities such as learning how to identify fish, as well as building their knowledge about how coral reefs function and their symbiotic relationships with sea grass and mangroves, pollution and sustainability. Cayman Prep Year 6 students had a memorable trip to the Little Cayman Research Centre.The students took part in a beach cleanup. 50 years ago: Homesters remind all of childhood summers on the Brac In the Aug. 10, 1966 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Cayman Brac correspondent Lilian Ritch wrote: “July came in with the homesters, especially the children, rushing home as soon as school closed to the sea and skin diving and fishing and torching and the freedom of wind, wave and ironshore and bluff of their birthplace. “The family of Mrs. Elvie Scott and the late Mr. William Scott of Spot Bay is having a reunion which leaves few out of the pic- ture. Little Charmaine, the youngest of Vetha’s (Mrs. Lewin Scott) was the first to arrive with Aunt Winnie (Mrs. Ellis Walton) of the Creek whose home is the ‘camp’ for the youngsters. Now, daily splashing and shelling and riding be- tween Spot Bay and the Creek with their cousins and Roy Jr., 18, Kay and Charmaine, children of Capt. Lewin Scott of the Magister and Mrs. Vetha, Steven, elder son of Capt. Leland Scott, Lieut. Ja- maica Defence Force and Capt. of the Mandingo. Steve is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Scott and so is the great-grand among the crowd. Born in Jamaica this is his first visit here and he is proving himself a real seaman with boats and fish. “These children are gaining their secondary in Jamaica. Roy sat the G.C.E. Cambridge from Meadow- brook High School taking six subjects, his specials are history and scripture. Kay comes from St. Hugh’s. She took five subjects in the G.C.E., her special in- terest being in biology and she plans to study nursing. Charmaine attends Dun- robin Preparatory. Steve is at St. George’s College. “Come from the U.S.A. are Virginia and Susan Dixon with their mother, Vedette. Virginia, 19 has progressed so well in schooling she will be en- tering Junior High in Sep- tember. Susie in P.S. 181, Brooklyn. Enjoying the sea so much they do not want to go back are Judy, 14, and Gregory, 11, who came with their mother, Valerie, Mrs. Weddiston Ritch, of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. Mrs. Valerie, Mrs. Elvie’s third daughter, left home in 1936. Married to ‘Weddy’ Ritch, formerly of the Creek, they lived in Jamaica, Trinidad, Puerto Rico and eventually set- tled in the U.S.A. in Has- brouck Heights, which she describes as a beau- tiful little town. Her last visit here was 12 years ago and she is impressed tre- mendously with the lovely homes, the airport and above all the 24-hour ser- vice of electricity.”DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Sister Islands CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3, 2016 Brac camp sends kids a blast from past The Brac YMCA Culture Camp recently kicked off with an action packed schedule. Things started out with a real treat for campers, when they got to meet Brac artist Conroy Ebanks, who gave a fascinating talk on her- itage using his paintings and other items as visual props. “He talked about various aspects of Brac and Cayman history and her- itage, and campers got the chance to learn about a wide variety of aspects of our history, including the dif- ferent instruments used by old-time kitchen bands, and the way people used to farm utilizing their grounds on top of the bluff,” explained camp coordinator Simone Scott. “Then for a fun activity, the older children … tried copying his artwork, while the younger ones colored a printed black and white photo of his work.” After a healthy snack, Jude and Laura Walton arrived, dressed as old-time Caymanians, with an ex- citing lesson on catboats. “Mr. Walton is the son of the late Jefford Walton, our last catboat builder on the Brac,” said Ms. Scott. “He helped his father build cat- boats up to 2005. In fact, we were going try to give that final boat its first sea launch this camp on Wednesday, but the weather is not going to allow it.” Mr. Walton showed the chil- dren the Brac Heritage House cat- boat his father had started in 1960. Mr. Walton also taught the children about some of the tools that were used, and talked about the different kinds of local wood such as plop nut and mahogany that were used in boat building. The campers then got to hear about the first person thought to have built a catboat in the Cayman Islands, Daniel Jervis from Spot Bay, Cayman Brac. According to the National Trust, Mr. Jervis built the original cat- boat in 1904. He had learned his shipwright skills while working on Grand Cayman and had gone out to sea with the turtle boats. At that time, schooners would carry a number of dugout canoes on board, which would be let down into the water at the turtling grounds for the crew to catch the turtle. Mr. Jervis sought to improve on the un- stable dugouts, which were too long and narrow to turn quickly, and to develop a small craft that was short, wide, stable and maneuverable. His design for a shallow boat with a six inch keel, a pointed stern and bow, and a single sail resulted in him building the Terror. “It may be that he saw such boats elsewhere,” notes Trust information on how Mr. Jervis came up with the idea for the craft, but in another version of the story, Mr. Jervis got the idea for the boat’s shape from seeing his wife shuck beans into a bucket of water, and noticed how well the husks floated. The Terror allegedly took 30 days to build, and when he took it with him on his next turtling expedi- tion it proved a great success and very popular. With several more being built, the catboats’ small size – which ranges between 14 and 20 feet long – meant that more could be carried by the schooner and thus increase everyone’s profits, as one catboat could be brought for every three men on the crew. Although the Terror was lost at sea in the great 1932 storm, the seamen of Cayman Brac became skilled at building the little boats, which today are a Caymanian icon. At the next activity, craft time, Ms. Walton showed the children a miniature catboat made from a ma- hogany seed and canvas sail, which they painted. She also asked the chil- dren a curious question which had them puzzled at first, which was: “Who has swum in a boat before?” The answer was her, as a newly built catboat needs to be filled with salt water to swell its wood planks so it will not leak, and when she was a little girl, she remembers being in a boat during that process. When not in use, catboats were filled with a little seawater to en- sure the planks would not shrink while they were out of the water. Camp activities and adventures this week continue with a fishing trip, a historical homes tour, a con- servation talk and storytelling, all led by members of the Brac commu- nity. “The community has been very generous with their sponsorship of our snacks and activities, and we are very grateful for their support,” said Ms. Scott. The campers then got to hear about the first person thought to have built a catboat in the Cayman Islands, Daniel Jervis from Spot Bay, Cayman Brac. Josimar Tatum and Donte Bodden work on their catboat pictures. Isaiah Conolly and Taygan McFarlane hold up their coloring pages of Conroy Ebanks’s artwork. Artist Conroy Ebanks gives a talk on Brac heritage using his colorful artwork as props. Taj McFarlane and Laura Walton watch Jude Walton demonstrate some of the tools used in catboat building. - PHOTOS: SIMONE SCOTT Laura Walton leads a craft activity dressed as an old-time Caymanian.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS we had to do,” he said of the project. He said there have been similar problems with snakes and frogs in the past, and special equip- ment had to be installed to prevent those outages. Dealing with the outages caused by “animal contact” is a lengthy process that in- volves sending a crew to the location, leaving customers in the area without power for more than an hour in many cases. It’s not par- ticularly healthy for the iguana either. “Most of them re- sulted in casualties,” said Mr. Watler. Government is seeking a solution to the multiple issues caused by the increasing population of green iguanas. In a pilot cull in June, 14,000 green iguanas were killed in a week. Since then, there has been no update on whether or how popu- lation control efforts will be expanded. Frederic Burton, head of the National Conservation Council’s invasive species committee, was not avail- able for comment Tuesday. commented on the sus- pension as of press time Tuesday. Ms. Joseph-Caesar, touted to be a rising star as a young Caymanian in the prison service, was terminated over her role for video recording an- other prison employee in that employee’s of- fice. The camera was set up inside an air condi- tioning duct. When news of the in- vestigation became public, Mr. Lavis said it was “re- grettable” that the prison employee’s privacy had been invaded. Two other prison officers were sus- pended in connection with the same incident. It is un- derstood that one of the of- ficers has been reinstated and the other, the employee who was being videotaped, has left the prison ser- vice following the expiry of her contract. Ms. Joseph-Caesar was terminated following a de- cision by former Home Af- fairs Chief Officer Eric Bush after a review of all the evidence. However, according to various civil service em- ployment laws governing the subject, while Mr. Bush had the authority as chief officer to appoint Ms. Joseph-Caesar to her deputy director job, he did not have the authority to terminate her employ- ment. That authority is granted under the Prisons Law to the prisons di- rector. Ms. Joseph-Caesar alleged in a request for ju- dicial review, filed against the government in Jan- uary, that this set of cir- cumstances made her firing “illegal” and void. “The chief officer [of the Ministry of Home Af- fairs] acted illegally when he decided to, and did, con- duct disciplinary proceed- ings,” the judicial review filing states, indicating that these proceedings should have been instituted by Mr. Lavis. It is understood that Mr. Lavis is not involved in the new investigation re- garding Ms. Joseph-Caesar, but that an outside party has been named to review the case. directly targeting issues highlighted, something he believes will ultimately pay dividends. Following concerns men- tioned by bar owners at the “nighttime economy” forum, police directed officers to in- crease visibility in bars and clubs, issued traffic tickets to youths racing vehicles in cen- tral George Town and set up a plainclothes operation to identify drug dealers. “To me it is nothing more than getting the right officer in the right place, doing the right thing at the right time,” he said. “It is as basic as that. “When issues are raised, we need to deal with them effectively. With that comes confidence. If the commu- nity sees tangible activity, they feel a bit more confi- dent to report crime and provide more information and intelligence. Police will never be successful unless they are working alongside the community.” Superintendent Graham, who is in charge of district operations for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice, acknowledged that offi- cers need to be more visible in communities. He said the resources are not there to have an officer walking the beat in every community across the island. But he believes they can be di- rected to crime hot spots and problem areas, if police have a steady stream of information from community partners. “It is no use just having of- ficers wandering up and down the street where there is no ac- tivity. Granted, it gives people a sense of security, but actu- ally what you want them to do is be very purposeful in all their engagements with the public.” He wants to see adminis- trative tasks like chasing up warrants for court appear- ances taken off the police’s plate, freeing up officers for more important work. “I’m a real ambassador for proper neighborhood policing. These islands can be effec- tively policed with the num- bers we have if they are appro- priately deployed,” he added. With more than 600 se- curity guards on the is- land, he believes partner- ship is essential. “We are outstripped in terms of numbers. It is re- ally important to tap in and work together. “We would like their eyes and ears, the information, the intelligence. Our resources are finite. We don’t have huge amounts of officers. “If security officers are seeing the same issues at the same location, we would want our officers to be there.” He hopes the numerous security firms on island will come together to develop a set of universal standards with the police providing ad- vice as one “stakeholder” in the industry. He said the regular meet- ings with community groups, including club owners and security firms, will continue as long as they are effective. “There has to be tan- gible outcomes. We could all meet up and say how bad the world is, but we want to keep tabs on issues and ac- tually do something about it. “It is all about community reassurance and giving them the confidence to be able to report incidents and feel that somebody will do something. Sometimes people just think ‘why should I report it be- cause nothing will get done.’ We have to change that. It is an evolving process and it is going to take time.” He acknowledged there has been conflict and a loss of trust between the po- lice and some sections of the community, but he said the dawn of a new com- missioner arriving and new senior management in the force is a chance for a new start. “This is a different kind of chapter and there is an opportunity for positive change and some relation- ships to be rebuilt,” he said. Superintendent Graham and Police Constable Jonathan Kern with bar and restaurant owners after a nighttime economy forum. Superintendent Graham speaks with Wil Pineau, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, and Waqas Khan, technical sales consultant for Island Electronics Ltd., after the retail business forum. Reinstated prisons manager suspended again CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CUC forced to ‘iguana-proof’ electricity poles New neighborhood police chief vows to earn public support CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3, 2016 NEW YORK LA CEIBA TAMPATAMPA MIAMI HAVANA MONTEGO BAY KINGSTON CHICAGO DALLAS INDICATES SEASONAL ROUTE LITTLE CAYMAN GRAND CAYMAN CAYMAN BRAC Est. 1968 ANNIVERSARY Book by August 7, 2016 CI $ 79* CI $ 135* CI $ 143* CI $ 160* CI $ 194* Little Cayman | Cayman Brac Kingston | Montego Bay Havana | La Ceiba Miami Tampa New York Est. 1968 New York Up to 55lbs each FREE 2 Checked Bags Plus, enjoy FREE Rum Punch inflight! ose who fly us, love us ! Celebrating 48 years of dedicated service to the Cayman Islands, with airfares on sale for travel in the Fall! That’s Caymankind! *The quoted sale fares are based on roundtrip economy class purchase. Additional government and airport taxes and fees of up to CI$106.52 roundtrip apply for travel from Grand Cayman to New York, Miami, and Tampa, and up to CI$155.73 roundtrip for travel from Grand Cayman to Kingston, Montego Bay, Honduras, and Havana. The quoted Sister Islands fare is for travel between Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac or Little Cayman, and additional government and airport taxes and fees of up to CI$10.50 apply. Government and airport taxes and fees are subject to change without notice. A maximum stay of 30 days is allowed. All tickets must be purchased within one day of booking, and all segments must be confirmed. From the Cayman Islands, fares are not available for travel November 10, 2016 through November 12, 2016 and November 23, 2016 through November 26, 2016. To the Cayman Islands, fares are not valid for travel November 13, 2016 through November 15, 2016, and November 27, 2016 through November 29, 2016. Fares are not available for travel from New York November 20, 21 and 24 2016 and to New York November 26 and 27 2016. Fares quoted are non-refundable and non-transferable. Tickets must be purchased between July 29, 2016 and August 7, 2016. Travel may commence September 10, 2016 and must be completed by December 15, 2016. Seats are limited for these sale fares and may not be available on every flight at the time of booking. The following change fees apply: CI$126 plus any fare difference for all US gateways; CI$63 plus any fare difference for all other international gateways; CI$21 plus any fare difference for flights between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. In case of no show, ticket has no value. For connecting flights to/from the Sister Islands, a through-fare of up to CI$65.10 roundtrip applies, with no overnight on Grand Cayman. For details and to book call 345-949-2311, contact a local travel agent or visit caymanairways.com *Quoted fares are roundtrip, and taxes & fees are additional PARIS (AP) – Syrian opposi- tion activist Noura Al-Ameer was combing through her emails late one night when a message caught her eye. The sender was “Assadcrimes” and he promised informa- tion about Iranian meddling in the Middle East. But the email seemed odd. Al-Ameer turned to her husband, cybersecurity trainer Bahr Abdul Razzak, in their small, book-cluttered home in the Turkish city of Gaziantep. “Have you heard of this group before?” Al- Ameer asked. “No,” he said. “But let me check the email.” Abdul Razzak, a fellow at Internet watchdog group Citizen Lab, quickly deter- mined that the group was bogus. The email, sent on Oct. 3 last year, was an elec- tronic trap – one of hundreds of malicious messages that have flown back and forth as rebels grapple with the gov- ernment of Bashar Assad in Syria. This one had been aimed at snaring Al-Ameer in particular; the website reg- istered by the hacker was in her name, suggesting an at- tempt to steal her identity. Al-Ameer is a well- known opposition figure, and stealing her data or her identity could have been the jumping off point to attack other Syrians in and out of the country. As Abdul Razzak and his colleagues tried to trace the hackers, they found a trail of digital clues leading to Iran. Their story – detailed in a re- port issued Tuesday by Cit- izen Lab, an interview with the couple and conversations with outside experts – raise the possibility that Iran has gone beyond sending men and materiel to tip the scale in Assad’s favor. The country’s hackers may have joined the fray as well. “It’s not a shock,” said Al- Ameer, a 29-year-old who spent six months in Syrian government detention be- fore moving to Turkey in 2013. “They’re fighting our people on the ground. I think it’s normal for any side that fights you on the ground to fight you on the Internet.” Evidence of an Iranian link is outlined in a 56-page report by Citizen Lab, based at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. The group has made a specialty of tracking the hackers who have dogged Syria’s opposition, which lead author John Scott- Railton said had turned into “something of a petri dish for threat actors in the Middle East.” The report says those be- hind the “Assadcrimes” web- site appear to have inadver- tently exposed their site’s logs, showing evidence that its creators accessed it in part from the Iranian In- ternet space. The site itself briefly hosted a Farsi-lan- guage email service, and a string of data recovered from the malicious code used to target Al-Ameer appeared to refer to a developer who runs a malicious software site registered in the Iranian city of Shiraz. The evidence is not con- clusive but it “lets us think that we’re perhaps looking at a group that’s operating from Iran,” Scott-Railton said. He cautioned that it wasn’t possible to say much about the group’s potential sponsorship – government or otherwise. An outside expert who evaluated Citizen Lab’s report endorsed its work. Possible Iranian link in hacking attempt on Syrian dissident Bahr Abdul Razzak and his wife Noura Al-Ameer, in Istanbul, Turkey. Al-Ameer, a Syrian opposition activist, received malicious messages as rebels grapple with the government of Bashar Assad in Syria. - PHOTO: AP JOHANNESBURG (AP) – South Africa’s municipal election season has been deadly for candidates and party activ- ists, with more than 12 killed ahead of Wednesday’s vote. National police have de- termined it a serious enough problem to create a task force to investigate the deaths, most of them occurring in eastern KwaZulu-Natal province. One motivation behind the killings is the chance of a steady job as a councilor in a country where more than 25 percent of people are unemployed, said Gareth Newham, head of the gover- nance, crime and justice divi- sion of the local Institute for Security Studies. “These are people who go from literally being un- employed to suddenly being able to afford a much better lifestyle. So there is intense competition for those posi- tions,” Newham said. Newham said another factor in the recent killings is the relative impunity of such attacks in the past. “Ninety percent of the time, people are getting away with it. It’s low-risk,” he said. DEADLY ELECTION SEASON IN SOUTH AFRICA A man passes an African National Congress political poster in the township of Khayelitsha on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa, ahead of elections Wednesday. - PHOTO: APNext >