Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. High of 90 Low of 78 EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 PRIVY COUNCIL SPEAKS; CAYMAN BETTER LISTEN SPORTS | PAGE 23 BILES CAPS OLYMPIC EFFORTS BY WINNING FOURTH GOLD MEDAL ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 PremierHealth More claims get an automatic green light with BritCay! 57% of your claims were auto-adjudicated first* with BritCay. BritCay budgets for high volumes of claims. We pay more claims, more accurately and quicker than any other local health insurance provider. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp New airport parking system, same problems BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Some customer service problems that have plagued Grand Cayman’s airport parking facilities for a number of years have not been corrected since the instal- lation of a new automated system, and new problems were temporarily brought on by a recent lightning strike, according to airport officials. The Owen Roberts International Airport parking system was upgraded in March, with the winning bid of $872,599 going to a U.S.-based firm. However, Cayman Islands Airports Authority officials said Tuesday that the new system appears to have been affected by a lightning strike about two weeks ago. “All local attempts to repair [the right- hand drive machines] have not been fruitful,” a statement from the airports authority read. “The manufacturers are sending per- sonnel this week to repair. [Parking] opera- tions are still possible as we have two de- vices at each entrance and exit.” On Wednesday, both the short-term and long-term parking entrances at Owen Rob- erts airport on the right-hand drive side were out of service. The right-hand drive ticket collection machine at the exit to the long-term parking area also appeared BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A departing missive from former Cayman Is- lands Governor Alan J. Scott penned in 1992 warned of problems with how the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office was managing its overseas territories, particularly Cayman. The dispatch, dated Aug. 31, 1992, was released this week under an open records request filed by Governor Scott himself. The present governor’s of- fice was not sure why the former governor, who served between 1987 and 1992, had asked for the document. In the three-page letter, Mr. Scott noted that the attitude of benevolent “low-level” intervention in Cayman Islands activities displayed by Britain since the 1970s changed “from the moment the Cayman Islands began evidently to make their own way.” The full text of the dispatch is published here: “The format of valedictory despatches is estab- lished, for the colonial service and the diplomatic service, in their respective styles; to summarize the state of the country on the departure of the vale- dictorian and what has happened during his pe- riod of service. “For five years, I have reported quarterly and annually, together with four times a year upon the Legislative Assembly. There is sufficient on record to assess the changing state of Cayman during my tenure, in particular the despatch for 1991. “This despatch can therefore follow a dif- ferent course. My stewardship, on the authority of the Secretary of State, has been satisfactory and I rest content that the Cayman Islands govern- ment sought vigorously to have my term extended, GOVERNOR’S ’92 DISPATCH SLAMS FCO MANAGEMENT A notice greets users with right-hand drive cars in the short-term parking area of Owen Roberts International Airport. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A tiny 8-week-old puppy re- portedly discovered clinging to a piece of board in George Town harbor was rescued by a fish- erman and handed over to the Humane Society this week. It is not known how long the dog, a whippet mix, had been in the water or how she got there. Volunteers have named her Cruise and are looking for someone to adopt her. Shelter manager Jason Jairam said a volunteer working in a shop on the waterfront had taken the puppy from a Cuban fisherman who said he had pulled her from the water. Mr. Jairam said it was one of the strangest rescue sto- ries he had ever heard. He said the dog was wet and shaking but otherwise in good health when she was found. “We don’t know how she got there or if there were other litter mates that didn’t make it,” he said. “I don’t know if someone deliberately dumped her or if she maybe came off a Cuban boat. We just don’t know. I’ve never heard of that before.” The puppy has had her shots and is being well cared for at the Humane Society. Kate Young, 10, who volunteers with the organi- zation, has played with her and bathed her almost every morning since she was brought to the shelter. She said, “Ever since I was a little girl, I have grown up with dogs. I love them. When Cruise came in, I saw that look in her eyes – survival and motivation. She’s amazing.” The Humane Society can be contacted on 949-1461 Puppy rescued from ocean Humane Society volunteer Kate Young cuddles Cruise, a puppy found floating on a plank of wood at sea. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS EXPERIENCE A WORLD OF FLAVOR SAMPLES rECIPES tREATS NEW PRODUCTS FOOD EXPERIENCES SHOP HUNGRY Airport Store: August 18th, 19th, 20th Republix Plaza: August 22nd, 25th, 26th, and 27th e Strand: August 29th 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. Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY, AUGUST 20th, 8PM *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - THURSDAY - BAD MOMS (R) 1:30 | 4:00 | 7:00 | 10:00 SUICIDE SQUAD (PG) 1:00 | 3:45 | 6:30 | 9:15 THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS (PG) 1:10 | 3:30 | 7:10 | 9:30 NERVE (PG13) 12:30 | 3:00 | 5:20 I 7:40 | 10:00 JASON BOURNE (PG13) 1:20 | 4:15 | 7:15 | 10:00 LIGHTS OUT (PG13) 12:40 | 2:50 | 5:00 | 7:25 | 9:40 640-FILM (640-3456) RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – A se- nior international Olympic official was taken to a hos- pital Wednesday after po- lice came to his hotel to ar- rest him as part of a probe into ticket scalping. International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams told The As- sociated Press that Ire- land’s Patrick Hickey, a member of the IOC’s ex- ecutive board, was in the hospital. Hickey is accused of plotting with at least six others to illegally sell tickets for the Rio de Ja- neiro Olympics, Rio police said. “Continuing our inves- tigation, civil police dis- covered the involvement of Patrick in the interna- tional scheme of ticket scalping,” the Rio police fraud unit said. Hickey, 71, is president of the Olympic Council of Ireland as well as president of the European Olympic Committees, and has served on the IOC executive board since 2012. Officials with knowl- edge of the situation told the AP that police came to Hickey’s room at the IOC’s beachfront hotel in the Barra de Tijuca area shortly after 7 a.m. Wednesday. The officials spoke on condition of an- onymity because the de- tails had not yet been an- nounced publicly. Hickey felt unwell and was taken by police to a nearby hospital. There was no immediate word on his condition. “We are still in the process of establishing the facts,” the IOC said in a statement. IOC CHIEF TARGETED IN TICKET SCALPING PROBE Rio judge orders passports held RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – The fa- ther of American swimmer Ryan Lochte said Wednesday his gold medal-winning son arrived back in the United States before a Brazilian judge ordered that Lochte and U.S. teammate Jimmy Feigen stay in Brazil as au- thorities investigate their claim they were robbed during the Olympics. Steve Lochte told The As- sociated Press by phone from his Florida home that his son called him Tuesday after ar- riving in the United States. The 32-year-old swimmer was going to pick up his car and buy a new wallet to re- place the one that he said was stolen in the robbery. “I’m just happy he’s safe,” the elder Lochte said. “It was an unfortunate experience for him and the other three. I don’t know what all the con- troversy is. They were basi- cally taken out of the taxi and robbed. The main thing is he’s very lucky that he’s safe and that all they got was his cash and wallet.” The elder Lochte said his son’s Olympic credential and cellphone were not taken during the incident on Sunday morning. He said he was sure Ryan had his passport or he would not have been allowed to board a plane. Feigen’s whereabouts could not immediately be confirmed, though he told the San Antonio Express-News he was still in Brazil. The office of Judge Keyla Blank confirmed the order to seize the passports of Lochte and Feigen in a statement Wednesday. The U.S. Olympic Com- mittee said police went to the athletes village Wednesday morning to try to collect the passports, but the swim team had already moved out. “We will continue to coop- erate with Brazilian authori- ties,” spokesman Patrick San- dusky said. The U.S. State Depart- ment issued a statement Wednesday encouraging those involved to cooperate with Brazilian law enforcement. A USA Swimming spokesman and Lochte’s at- torney, Jeff Ostrow, did not immediately return messages seeking comment. Lochte and three of his teammates said they were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi Sunday morning as they re- turned to the athletes village from a party, several hours after the last Olympic swim- ming events were held. Police have found little evidence so far to sup- port their accounts, and say the swimmers were un- able to provide key details in police interviews. “Why would anybody fab- ricate anything?” Steve Lochte said. “It’s just ridiculous.” A police official with knowledge of the investiga- tion told the AP that police cannot find their taxi driver or witnesses. The official spoke on condition of ano- nymity because the investiga- tion is ongoing. Ostrow has said there is no question the robbery occurred. Traveling with Lochte and 26-year-old Feigen were 21-year-old Gunnar Bentz and 20-year-old Jack Conger. Lochte swam in two events at the Rio Games, winning gold in the 4x200-meter free- style relay. He is a 12-time Olympic medalist. “Why would anybody fabricate anything? It’s just ridiculous.” STEVE LOCHTE, father of Ryan Lochte Lochte back in US after robbery, father says RE/MAX real estate owner Kim Lund, who suf- fered spinal injuries in a fall over the weekend, was transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami early Wednesday. Mr. Lund, 59, under- went surgery in Cayman fol- lowing the accident that oc- curred early Saturday at his Britannia home. The Lund family, in a statement issued Wednesday, said, “Jackson Memorial Hospital is an excellent re- habilitation facility and we are pleased Kim is re- ceiving such excellent treat- ment and care.” According to the state- ment, Mr. Lund and his wife Ashleigh “are in good spirits and feel positive about the next steps in Mr. Lund’s recovery.” Business partner James Bovell said in the state- ment, “Everyone at RE/MAX Cayman Islands is praying for Kim and we anticipate news of his progress in due course. Kim is a resil- ient man and we look for- ward to his return.” The Lunds also thanked everyone for their prayers, best wishes and encouragement. According to police re- ports, Mr. Lund had been on the roof or balcony of his property attempting to gain entry to his home when he fell shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday. Mr. Lund, 59, underwent surgery in Cayman following the accident that occurred early Saturday at his Britannia home. Lund transferred to Miami hospital U.S. Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 UK gov’t proposes heavy fines for tax avoidance enablers MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The U.K. government is planning to impose large fines for service providers and consultants who advise clients on how to avoid tax with schemes that are found to be unlawful. A consultation document by HM Revenue and Customs seeks to impose new sanc- tions for lawyers, accoun- tants, banks and other ad- visers who design, market or facilitate the use of tax avoid- ance arrangements which are defeated by HMRC in court. Under the plans, enablers of tax avoidance would have to pay a fine of up to 100 per- cent of the tax the scheme’s user underpaid. Jane Ellison, the finan- cial secretary to the Trea- sury, who announced the public consultation, said, “These tough new sanctions will make would-be enablers think twice and in turn re- duce the number of schemes on the market.” She said the service pro- viders “who peddle tax avoidance schemes deny the country of vital tax rev- enue and this government is determined to make sure they pay.” The vast majority of tax avoidance schemes did not work, she added, and could land their users in court, facing large tax bills and other costs. Service providers who ad- vise on or facilitate tax avoid- ance are so far not deterred by existing penalties. “Indeed, some judge that the business and reputational risks associated with HMRC defeating avoidance arrange- ments they have helped en- able are outweighed by the financial rewards to them,” the consultation document noted. Government is acting now, it said, to root out tax avoidance at its source by targeting the supply chain of tax avoidance arrange- ments and financial sanc- tions would provide a tan- gible response. The proposals come in ad- dition to similar penalties for offshore tax evasion included in the 2016 Finance Bill. Last year, members of parliament on the Public Ac- counts Committee issued a report accusing major ac- counting firms of promoting tax avoidance “on an in- dustrial scale” by providing complex structures that “bear all the characteris- tics of a mass-marketed tax- avoidance scheme.” The consultation docu- ment is expected to clarify rules regarding whether proven tax avoiders have taken reasonable care to en- sure their tax returns do not contain inaccuracies, making it simpler to enforce penal- ties when avoidance schemes are defeated. The new measures are aimed at anyone in the supply chain who benefits from an end user imple- menting tax avoidance ar- rangements and without whom the arrangements could not be implemented. John Cullinane, tax policy director of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, said “The government need to be careful that in their efforts to wipe out avoidance schemes they don’t prevent taxpayers from getting access to honest, impartial advice on the law. Definitions will be crucial.” It is far from clear that a definition drafted for “en- abling” a criminal offense would be appropriate for de- fining an activity which, even if it is undesirable, is legal, provided all appropriate dis- closures are made to the tax authorities, he said. “We are concerned about a scenario where a taxpayer goes to their tax adviser for advice on risks attached to participating in a scheme, receives appropriate advice setting out these risks and the likelihood of the scheme being defeated, but decides to join the scheme despite this. It would be extremely harsh to penalize a tax adviser in this scenario where all the tax adviser has done is ad- vise the taxpayer on the law as it stands.” Mr. Cullinane said court cases on tax matters are not only about avoidance, but often simply disagreements between HMRC and tax- payers about how the rules operate and the courts are asked to adjudicate. “Losing a case of this kind in the courts should not be seen as tax avoidance by the taxpayer or as enabling avoidance by their advisers,” he said. The public consultation closes on Oct. 12. Jane Ellison JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A contract was signed Monday for the removal of a mountain of used tires from the George Town landfill site. Government confirmed it had signed the previ- ously announced deal for local firm Island Recycling and its overseas partner Guernsey Recycling, to shred the tires to be used as fill in construction projects. After five failed bids to sell or give away the tires, $1.25 million was earmarked from the Environmental Protection Fund at the last budget to dispose of them. Jason Brown, of Island Recycling, said work would commence once specialized equipment arrives on island, expected within four months. He estimates it will take around 11 months to shred the tires currently stockpiled at the landfill site, believed to number around 500,000. “We are grateful for the opportunity. We know we have a lot of hard work ahead of us and we’re ready to meet the challenge of turning the large stockpiles of waste tires into reusable tire derived ag- gregate,” Mr. Brown said. He said the company would bring in experi- enced tire recycling ex- perts from its overseas busi- ness partner, but would also create local employment with the contract. “I think this is a win- win situation, not only for the government, but for the people of the islands in terms of the way that we’re choosing to process the tire materials, making it a tire-de- rived aggregate, meaning that it can be recycled and used on island versus the expense of export,” he explained. Councilor for Health Roy McTaggart said the contract would finally deal with a long-standing problem. “Everyone knows it’s been a safety hazard for us, in terms of potential fires at the landfill, as we’ve had in the past,” he said. “Used tires are also a preferred breeding ground for the Aedes aegypti mosquito which carries the Zika virus, as well as dengue fever and chikungunya.” Premier Alden McLaughlin said the disposal project synced with government’s broader objectives for respon- sible waste management. “One of the things we are very excited about is that this process is entirely in keeping with our objective of reusing and recycling waste prod- ucts. The tire derived aggre- gate which will be produced as a result of this process, will be reused for construc- tion over the course of the years to come in local proj- ects,” he added. After five failed bids to sell or give away the tires, $1.25 million was earmarked from the Environmental Protection Fund at the last budget to dispose of them. Tire disposal contract confirmed CAYMAN TO HOST INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES CONFERENCE JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Up to 300 delegates from more than 80 coun- tries are expected in the Cayman Islands for the 69th Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Conference. The conference at the Westin resort from Nov. 7-11 will focus on the use and management of marine resources in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Gina Ebanks-Petrie, di- rector of the Department of Environment, which will host the conference on be- half of the government, said it will attract scientists, ac- ademics and policymakers from across the region. “The technical presenta- tions and workshops that will be presented will allow them to explore current re- source management issues in depth, and in the process, there will be many oppor- tunities for dialogue among groups that usually are isolated from each other,” she said. Department of Envi- ronment Research Officer Bradley Johnson said he and his departmental col- leagues are excited to host the prestigious event. “This is a huge deal for us, and for Cayman,” he said. “It’s fantastic for our islands in terms of pro- moting and informing our environmental positions, but it’s also great for us economically.” Papers will be presented on various topics, including reefs and associated ecosystems, cli- mate change and coastal management, essential fish habitats and aquaculture. Based on attendance at previous conferences, the event is expected to bring 250 to 300 people, who will have the opportunity to ex- plore the Cayman Islands. “Every year, the confer- ence sets aside Wednesday afternoon as the day for attendees to explore the host country,” Mr. Johnson said. “This gives our busi- ness community the op- portunity to showcase all the best of Cayman’s cul- tural heritage – which of course includes our beau- tiful environment.” For more information about the conference, contact Mr. Johnson at bradley.johnson@gov.ky. The conference will focus on the use and management of marine resources in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. A contract to shred the tires at the George Town Landfill has been signed. – PHOTO: CHRIS COURTThe 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. THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS “Mr. Oliveira’s application for [citizenship] should have been concluded within 12 months from being made. Mr. Oliveira’s claim should be remitted to the trial court in Antigua for it to assess the damages.” — U.K. Privy Council, Aug. 2 judgment regarding Antigua and Barbuda citizenship application The Privy Council has spoken. The Cayman Islands should pay careful heed. The Privy Council, the court of final appeal for Cayman, said: “We … conclude that a period of one year, from application to registration … is in general the outside limit of a reasonable time and that delay beyond that time … is likely to be unlawful ….” In other words, if government takes more than a year to conclude an application for citizenship, then the government has taken too long and is liable for damages. The relevance to Cayman is obvious: In the opinion of our jurisdiction’s highest court, one year is the maximum time for the government to consider and decide on an immigration application. In Cayman, there are more than 750 outstanding applications for per- manent residence, the majority of which were filed well over a year ago — and many of which date back nearly three years, when the revised Immigration Law took effect. We emphasize that the Antigua case considered by the Privy Council isn’t strictly an “apples to apples” comparison with Cayman’s situation, but it’s fruit from the same orchard. For years, the Progressives government has been playing with dynamite regarding hundreds of PR appli- cations. If the Privy Council’s “one-year rule” can be applied to Cayman, then the collateral damage, both reputationally and financially to these islands, could be huge. Consider the above in the context of attorney David Ritch’s review of Cayman’s immigration system, which government commissioned and, upon receipt, buried deeper than Blackbeard’s treasure. (The Compass is currently trying to unearth the report through the Freedom of Information process.) Despite Cayman’s being a British Overseas Terri- tory, we have heard little from our governor or the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on this matter. We understand, of course, that their first impulse might be to dismiss the matter on the basis that immigra- tion is a “local concern,” but, of course, in this instance where the abuse of human rights is likely an issue, it is far more. Certainly the Privy Council’s ruling should get the attention not just of our premier, but of our governor as well. Remember that the current PR limbo is really Act Two in our immigration drama. Act One, of course, occurred in 2003 when then-Leader of Government Business McKeeva Bush was forced to grant Cayma- nian Status to thousands of expatriates en masse. (As Mr. Bush has related, at the time a former Grand Court justice was spearheading a legal initiative to give all of Cayman’s long-term expatriate residents — possibly as many as 17,000 of them — Caymanian Status if they took their cases to court.) Did our officials learn anything from that fiasco? No. Their response was to install another barrier — the so-called “rollover” policy — which was purposefully designed to deprive expatriate residents of the oppor- tunity to gain full civic and immigration rights. The intent of that policy — namely to prevent long- term residents from ever achieving full rights of citi- zenship, including franchise — became clear when the proviso was added that they could return to the island after a one-year absence, effectively “resetting the residence clock” to zero. The system was designed, purposely (if not maliciously) to ensure that foreign residents never reached the “finish line.” Regarding the delay in addressing PR applications, we would only point out that damages that could be sought through the courts most likely could not be rectified by the belated granting of PR. In fact, in the Antigua case (where the plaintiff had eventually been granted citizenship), the Privy Council sent the case back to the trial court to assess damages owed to the plaintiff. Privy Council speaks; Cayman better listen 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 find their own way” LETTER TO THE EDITOR Governor’s Office responds to child abuse editorial I write in response to Monday’s editorial, “When children are forced to wait for justice.” The Governor’s Office, like so many others in Cayman, were appalled to hear of the delay in investigating the case of the young child who has alleged she was abused by relatives, and we await the report of the court which will determine which areas of government will need to be held accountable for these failings. Any delays in inves- tigating child abuse cases are unacceptable. However, I must dis- agree with the suggestion in Monday’s Cayman Com- pass that in response to this case, “[the] government has rushed in – not with a plan – but with an announcement: ‘A Child Safeguarding Board has been established in the Cayman Islands.’” The Child Safeguarding Board was not estab- lished in response to this, or any other, specific case. As set out by the attorney general in his address to the opening of the Grand Court in January, we have been working with the Cayman Islands govern- ment to establish the board throughout the year. This is primarily in response to a commitment to prioritize child safeguarding, made by all Overseas Territories Governments at the Joint Ministerial Council in London last year. The first meeting of the board was held on May 23 and will be held at quar- terly intervals throughout the year. The purpose and responsibilities of the board are clear, and members will determine how it will meet these responsibilities to its best effect. We are confident that the board will prove to be an effective mechanism to bring agencies together at a policy level, thus helping to ensure that vulnerable children do not slip through the cracks. Regarding the editori- al’s assertion that “the only committee that truly mat- ters, in the context of crim- inal justice, is extremely limited in composition. It comprises the accuser, the accused, the police, attor- neys and the courts,” here again I disagree. All agencies must take responsibility for child protection, including criminal cases. Multi-agency working is the only principle we should take in protecting children in the future. Open conversation and account- ability must be a priority. Blaming government initia- tives which are addressing the problem is not helpful. Joanne Vaughan, Policy Officer, Governor’s Office FROM CAYMANCOMPASS.COM “EDITORIAL – School woes not just ‘on paper’,” Aug. 10 This situation is beyond belief in a country which has periodically wasted mil- lions of dollars on failed government contracts, dam- ages paid to third parties, subsidies paid to keep the Turtle Farm and Cayman Airways afloat, and sala- ries paid for years to civil servants on “required leave” whilst under investigation for a variety of reasons. Ms. Rivers is clearly not familiar with the expression – “The buck stops here.” It is ironic that she was able to enjoy the benefits of an education which led to her achieving advanced profes- sional qualifications, but as Minister for Education, has been incapable of ensuring that Caymanian schoolchil- dren are provided with the most basic of resources. What a sad legacy by which to be remembered. David Wheaton We had an inspection of our schools and the ed- ucation department sev- eral years ago, and it seems nothing has changed since the external inspection team produced its highly critical report. Roger Davies “Review of permanent residence system withheld,” Aug. 16 How can 750 applications be worked on for two-plus years? What are they doing at the Immigration offices? Let it be clear that gov- ernment employees are nec- essary, but somehow this does not make sense. What exactly are they doing? Get your acts together. With 60,000 people on this little rock, it should be clear what one needs to do to stay here or leave. This is more brackish than the waters of Fort Myers, Florida. Clarity is always difficult for gov- ernment … sadly. Daniel Johns5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 Ad Space Deadline: Thursday, October 20 A Special Advertising Feature! IN BUSINESS Publication Date of The Journal is November 2 949 5111 | sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! The Journal Special Report in November will showcase Cayman’s professional women. Filling leadership roles as Cayman attorneys, fi nancial experts and accountants, entrepreneurs, physicians and government leaders, women are increasing their corporate numbers and rising to top ranks. This issue of The Journal presents an excellent opportunity to tell a company or personal story about female corporate representation in the Cayman Islands. Webster indecency charges adjourned once more Defense awaits delivery of video CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A video purporting to show a man’s alleged indecent con- duct with a child has not yet been received by the defen- dant’s attorney, Magistrate Philippa McFarlane was ad- vised on Wednesday. Defense attorney Steve Mc- Field, who represents Errington Albert Webster, asked the court to impose sanctions against the Crown if a copy of the video is not served within seven days. Webster, 54, first appeared in Summary Court on July 20. He faces four charges of gross indecency with a child, said to have occurred between April and June this year. The video allegedly re- fers to one of the charges. “Disclosure [of evidence] is one of the fundamental princi- ples of criminal law,” Mr. Mc- Field pointed out. He noted that Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez had made an order for disclo- sure of the video by Aug. 5. Instead, Mr. McField said he had received an invitation to attend the prosecutor’s of- fice to see the video on the prosecution’s equipment. “That is not disclosure,” he asserted. “For obvious reasons, I need my own copy.” Mr. McField said he would have to view the video with his client, take instructions and perhaps have his own forensic examination per- formed on the video. The magistrate declined to order any sanctions at this stage. She said she did not think the defendant was dis- advantaged by Mr. McField going to the Department of Public Prosecutions to view the footage. She said she wanted to make it clear that the defense could not delay entering pleas on the basis that Mr. McField did not like being asked to go and view the video. Magistrate Hernandez had set Aug. 17 as the date for Web- ster to either enter his pleas or elect whether he wanted the matter dealt with in Grand Court or Summary Court. Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin referred the magistrate to a letter to the court, which indicated that the video was not yet capable of being served. Asked how long it would take, Ms. Fargin agreed to “seven firm days.” The magistrate directed that the video be served on Mr. McField within seven days. She set the next mention for Tuesday, Aug. 30, and said she would ask that the matter come back to her court. Mr. McField observed that “every Tom, Dick, Harry and Mary Jane” had a copy of the video. The magistrate said the reason so many people had a copy was that it had been sent illegally. On a related matter, Mr. McField advised the court that police who went to his client’s house had removed items that belonged to his wife and were not his. Items included her personal com- puter, an iPad and a Black- berry. She needed some of these things for work, the at- torney said. The magistrate said she would not make an order for the return of the items at this time because officers could hold them until investigations were complete. She suggested that Mr. McField write to the investigating officer to re- quest that items be returned or confirmation that they have been reviewed. Webster, a retired fire of- ficer, was a candidate for Bodden Town in the 2013 general elections. He placed 10th in a field of 13. Errington Webster Webster, 54, first appeared in Summary Court on July 20. He faces four charges of gross indecency with a child. TRIAL DATE SET FOR TEACHER’S AIDE INDECENT ASSAULT CASE CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A teacher’s aide accused of indecently assaulting seven female students will have his trial starting Feb. 13, 2017. Magistrate Grace Donalds set the trial for three days after hearing the number of potential witnesses in the matter. The defendant faces 10 charges of indecent assault on named girls at a govern- ment primary school between Aug. 26 and Nov. 27, 2014. The Cayman Compass is not naming the defendant or the school in order to protect the identity of the girls, who were between the ages of 6 and 10 at the time. The defendant resigned from his position on Dec. 1, 2014, one week after the school received the first complaint. Charges were first brought to court in July, 2015, when the defendant was 19. He was found fit to plead and entered pleas of not guilty in November. Defense attorney Karin Thompson subsequently ad- vised the court of commu- nication difficulties and the fact that her client was seeing a psychiatrist, whose report was expected to assist proceedings. The trial date was set on Wednesday, with no other mention dates requested by either Ms. Thompson or Crown counsel Candia James. A recent condition added to the defendant’s bail is the requirement that he make no contact, either directly or in- directly, with any of the com- plainants or their families. GUILTY VERDICT IN FIREARM TRIAL CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Jose Guadalupe San- chez, 29, was found guilty Wednesday of possession of an unlicensed firearm. Sanchez was charged with possessing a semiauto- matic 9mm pistol after an in- cident at the Everglo Bar in Bodden Town on the night of July 4, 2015. Justice Charles Quin, who conducted the judge- alone Grand Court trial, said he found the Crown wit- nesses, including a security guard who stopped Sanchez at the door, to be truthful and reliable. He said he found this to be an appropriate case to draw an adverse inference from Sanchez’s failure, when inter- viewed, to tell police facts on which he relied during his trial. Justice Quin said he had also found the evidence against Sanchez overwhelming. Sanchez will return to court on Aug. 26 when a date will be set for sentencing. The Firearms Law sets 10 years as the mandatory min- imum sentence for conviction after trial. Another man and a woman are charged in con- nection with the incident and are scheduled for mention later this month.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Bodden Town THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Like her great-aunt Leila Elberta Ross-Shier, nee McTaggart, who wrote the Cayman national song ”Be- loved Isle Cayman,” Kerry McTaggart sees Cayman as the “most beautiful island in the world” and has put pen to paper to prove it. After 1930, when Ms. Ross-Shier composed “Beloved Isle Cayman,” the song for many years was regarded as the unofficial national song. It became the official national song in 1993 when the Cayman Islands Coat of Arms, Flag and National Song Law was passed. Ms. McTaggart’s poems about Cayman echo her great-aunt’s ob- vious pride and love of Cayman and she hopes her poems will also touch the hearts of the people of the Cayman Islands. She writes of the islands’ beauty, with wealth untold and days of old; stunning sunsets with dots of green, and memories of friends and family. Her writings feature many well- loved favorites, including guineps, rose apples, mangoes, patties, bullas, turtle stew, Johnny cakes, tama- rind drink and heavy cakes, as well as memories of sea breezes mixed with Miss Lillian’s egg custards and custard top corn bread. Tradi- tional music, laughter and happy times are some of her fondest memories of Cayman. Kerry McTaggart, left, and her sister Jeanie Lovinggood search the beach for island shells. Songs and poems of a simple island life It took a back injury to get her creativity in gear. As pictures of Cayman and her childhood memo- ries flooded her mind, she put pen to paper. “One day I was lying in bed and the words ‘Born in Bethlehem’ just popped in my head. I wrote it down and that was the first song,” she said. Since 2000, she has written more than 200 songs and poems, many of which are posted on the website poems.com. “Growing up in Cayman was the best,” said the 71-year-old as she soaked up the sun and sea breezes with family members at Moon Bay Condos in Bodden Town recently. She left Cayman when she was young with mother Natalie, but never stopped thinking about “Big Mama’s” house on Edward Street. Big Mama’s house was where her grandparents, Doris and Innis Mc- Taggart, lived. They raised 10 chil- dren in Grand Cayman – Mac, Doris, Mary, her mother Natalie, Peggy, June, Nettie, Ella, Bill and Gary. Growing up in Big Mama’s house, Ms. McTaggart enjoyed the simple life that Cayman offered in those days – the ring of the Elmslie church bells on Sunday mornings, the crab- bing, the swimming, the snorkeling and the singing. She rode bikes with her many friends and went to John Gray High School. “I remember riding round the post office and going down to the market on Cardinall Avenue to see the turtles lying on their backs … Big Mama would cook turtle stew on the weekends,” she said. She loved the smell of wood and books at her grandparent’s house and the many trips exploring her grandfather’s workshop. She loved when Willie came round selling al- monds in a Coke bottle and could not wait for her grandmother to sugar them to make almond candy. “I didn’t want to leave,” she recalled. The first thing she goes looking for when back in Cayman is almond candies, patties and heavy cakes. She remembers her Uncle Mac’s wife ,Aunt Jerry, coming by in a sta- tion wagon to take her to the beach for a birthday party, and picking co- coplums and seagrapes which were everywhere. “It makes me sad, I can’t be- lieve Seven Mile Beach road is gone … you can’t drive by and see the sea anymore … that just broke my heart when I saw that. I know they need more room for cars and things like that, but why did they have to take our road by the beach … there is too much concrete going on,” she said. Ms. McTaggart remembers the school choir and days hanging out at Seaview House’s salt-water pool. She recalls Big Mama flinging open the porch door and playing the piano, and pictures herself as a young girl touching the ceiling from the porch swing. “We would have to pump water up to a fifty gallon drum that was on the top of the house, but it was great. We didn’t have much fans or air condition[ing] but I don’t ever re- member being hot,” she said. Every night, the electric lights would come on at 6 p.m. and go off at 10 p.m. “You’d better have the lamps lit or you would be left in darkness,” but that was all a part of the simple island life, she said. JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Bodden Town’s Coe Wood Beach will be the scene of plenty of good music Friday night, as musicians come to- gether to help raise funds for charity. Organized by Dwayne “John John” Seymour’s Mogul Entertainment, the open-air concert at the beach’s boat ramp will feature Jamaican artist Nes- beth, local performers Rex Freder- ick’s Impluzz Band featuring “Lammie” and others, and reggae artist Stuart Wilson. Also performing will be reggae and R&B singer Kim Powell, who will debut her new album, and local DJs, including Super C, T&T and Empire SoundGlen Faud. Organizers want Bodden Towners – and out-of-towners – to come on by the beach and enjoy good food, music and dancing under the stars. Mr. Seymour said he had origi- nally planned to host a concert on the beach just to “let people come out, let their hair down and have some fun,” but after being approached by a couple of Bodden Town musicians, including Lammie and Mr. Frederick, he decided to host a bigger night of entertainment and to assist sick people and charities in the local community. “If we see the fans turn out, maybe we can host similar music shows on a regular basis,” Mr. Frederick said. “John John has always been one for helping out the community, which seems to have gone quiet for quite a while.” “We want to help the charities and sick people in the community. Nothing much else is being done in a way of assisting these people who have high medical bills,” said Mr. Seymour. After seeing friends and family members struggling to pay medical expenses, Mr. Frederick said he felt holding the concert would be a great benefit to those in need. Police will be working with orga- nizers to assist with parking. Orga- nizers say patrons attending the func- tion can find parking at the Bodden Town Public Library and government parks around the area. Tickets can be purchased at Partyville or Reflections, or by calling 916-8010. Music extravaganza slated for Coe Wood Beach In the Aug. 17, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town corre- spondent Haig Bodden wrote: “It was good to see the new Ford Dextra tractor- trailer combination making its rounds in Bodden Town during the past few weeks. “‘Puffing Billy,’ as this garbage collection unit has been nicknamed by the chil- dren, has puffed and snorted through the town for the third Tuesday in a row. The children have doubtlessly been re- minded of the early 18th cen- tury inventions of the English locomotive builder George Stephenson. All this contrap- tion lacks is a man with a flag walking in front of it. “Why should this farm- type tractor be converted for daily use on our streets? These tractors are commonly used in Africa today for gar- bage collection. Why should we copy the African way of life, when for the past 20 years we were considered to be far ahead of the African civilization? “A few years ago the gov- ernment bought an inter- national garbage truck, the same type as one sees on the streets of Miami and other U.S. cities. That truck has worn out … Why was not the same type of truck bought again as a replacement? The cost (estimated at 3,000 pounds) of the present tractor and two trailers far exceeds the price of a U.S. manufactured truck … Articulated vehicles are al- ways a nuisance on the road, and should only be used when absolutely necessary. “Perhaps at some later time other work can be found for the tractor which can be a useful piece of machinery. It is certainly misplaced at the present time. 50 YEARS AGO: Consternation over the purchase of a tractor to pick up garbageThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 by several written commu- nications and by a delega- tion to London to represent the matter to the Secretary of State himself. No matter that they were abruptly rebuffed; my cup is filled by the in- tended grant to my wife and myself of Caymanian status, an honour bestowed thus only upon Mr. Thomas Rus- sell, governor 1974-81 and Sir John Summerfield, chief jus- tice 1977-87; an honour worth more than any pro forma valedictory letter. “The United Kingdom government stands to an- swer for its stewardship of the Cayman Islands, derived through the possession of Jamaica as a colony won by war with Spain, a Jamaica pillaged by British merchants and the West Indian lobby in the United Kingdom, through to its independence and eco- nomic decline, from which Cayman managed to detach itself in 1959 – a prescient and commonsensical act. “The attitude of the British government was benevolent, low-level intervention until the late 1970s, with CDWF and other loan and grant as- sistance. From the moment the Cayman Islands began evidently to make their own way – and by and large they had made their own way all along – the British govern- ment cut them off from the aid system (which to those who served in the Pacific and the Caribbean Sea has always seemed disproportionately slanted towards Africa); and Cayman’s reward for being frugal and later prosperous, is to be denied British finan- cial aid, and indeed, close at- tention, until lately. “This would perhaps not matter much, had not in the ‘Bermuda’ aviation agree- ments, the British government largely ignored the interests of the Caribbean territories, in the greater interest to itself of the transatlantic routes. That decision has come home to roost in different parts of the Caribbean. It is now roosted firmly in Cayman and the British government’s failure to do enough in the negotiation with Washington, despite Cayman’s urgent pleas, is a running sore which appears likely to worsen, may involve Cayman in economic and social disaster, and may result in financial liability for the United Kingdom. “Tourism is the more pro- ductive of the two legs of the economy of Cayman; the failure of CAL will lead to un- reliable air communications links to the major market, USA; to social instability as hundreds of jobs are lost; and to political unrest that UKG has failed her loyal depen- dency. Notwithstanding this, the Cayman Islands govern- ment commissioned and is now actively studying a 10- year tourism development consultancy report by Coo- pers and Lybrand. “The financial industry is the other leg of Cayman’s suc- cess. Cayman has done a great deal to clean up the act, coop- erating with the United States and U.K. agencies. As Cayman now sees it, the United States is more appreciative than the United Kingdom. “The latest policy ap- proach from the U.K. is the ‘smack of firm and good gov- ernment’ – the board of man- agement, which will smack those who need it and give them money, but for Cayman seems likely to attempt smacks but not to provide fi- nancial help. “Cayman is visited infre- quently by FCO staff and ministers, and by definition not by the ODA. They stay for short periods, they do not ap- pear to listen, and they can seem patronising to an intel- ligent and effective Executive Council (by Caribbean stan- dards). The impression is of birds of passage, not wishing to learn much, and anxious to pass on. The governor is left to explain this to the govern- ment and people. “This is part of the gen- eral malaise; diplomatic ser- vice officers are not much concerned about dependent territories and do not wish to spend even three years in a career working in them, or for their interests at home. The responsible depart- ments are understaffed and under resourced and hence, not generally attractive to ca- reer diplomats. “Since 1962, I have been involved in ‘conferences’ and the production of pa- pers about the future of the colonies, their management and the identification and career development of those to manage them. The argu- ments are rehearsed again and again, conclusions are reached, and little action follows. It has been a de- pressing experience; and humbling because of one’s training of decent stan- dards and proper respect- ability for these territories. The basic difference be- tween a diplomat and a co- lonial servant is starkly clear; the former is trained to think of and advance the interest of the U.K. govern- ment in relation to other na- tions; whereas the latter is trained to think of and to ad- vance the interests of the na- tion which he administers on behalf of the Queen and the U.K. government. “I am not alone in seeing it this way; academics, and stu- dents of government, as well as the practitioners of gov- ernment in these territories, are increasingly aware of the shortcomings of the U.K. gov- ernment in this context. “Cayman, in my estimation, because of its basic common sense, fortitude and good fortune, will nevertheless survive – which is why my wife and I have chosen to settle here and share the fu- ture with these extraordi- nary people, who have made such a success from such unpromising resources.” CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 Capt. A Churchill Bodden 23rd October 1940 – 16th August 2016 We regret to announce the passing of Capt. A Churchill Bodden. Born and raised in the Cayman Islands, all who knew Churchill growing up knew that his dream was to become an airline pilot and he set his sights on making that dream come true. He trained and became a pilot with Jamaica Air Service and then BWIA at the age of 27 and joined his beloved National Flag Carrier, Cayman Airways from 1977, where he fl ew until his retirement in 2000. Churchill is survived by his wife Sandra of 48 years, children Stephen, Andrew, Rachael and Daniel, daughter-in-law Alisa, son-in-law Brian, granddaughter Emily, sisters Zoe, Kay and Bessie, brother Ernie and their families, along with a host of other family and friends. The family would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to all the staff at the George Town Hospital for their care through Churchill’s illness, their dedication and kindness was truly appreciated and will not be forgotten. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, 27th August 2016 at 4:00pm at the Church of God Chapel on Walkers Road. In lieu of fl owers donations can be made in Churchill’s name to the Zak Quappe Memorial Scholarship Fund Sheree Ebanks at Butterfi eld Bank Account #8400090900024. Governor’s ’92 dispatch slams FCO management unable to accept paid tickets. Both left- and right-hand drive vehicles are allowed on Cayman Is- lands roads, so the airport parking system has to accommodate both. The left-hand drive ticketing ma- chines in all locations appeared to be working, although attempts to con- tact airport personnel via the “help” teleconferencing button on the long- term parking entrance machine were unsuccessful Wednesday morning. The Cayman Compass witnessed some motorists at the entrance to the long-term parking having to get out of their right-hand drive vehicles, walk around the car and punch the ticketing button on the left side of the car. The driver of one vehicle, a Mer- cedes SUV, had to dash back around in order to drive the vehicle through while the security arm was up. “Only in Cayman,” the man said as he drove past. In the short-term parking area, a woman who pulled up to the tick- eting machine realized, after rolling down her car window, that the tickets were not forthcoming from the right-hand side machine. Her passenger got out of the vehicle on the left-hand side, stood up and re- trieved the ticket. When a driver from the Com- pass tried the machines at the en- trances to the long-term and short- term parking, he was unable to receive a ticket from the right-hand drive side and had to run around outside the vehicle to pick up the ticket from the left-side machine. At- tempts to use the help button on the right side failed, as the machine ap- peared to have no power supplied. The left-hand drive side help button was not responded to. When exiting the long-term parking, it was discovered that the right-hand drive ticketing machine also did not work. The left-hand side machine, after initially rejecting the ticket, did work once the driver walked around the car and put the ticket into the machine, again having to dash back to drive out under the raised security arm. Long- and short-term parking customers must still pay at one of two machines at the airport terminal. Both of the parking payment ma- chines were working on Wednesday, and change in the form of paper cur- rency (not coins) is available. However, the payment machines still do not directly accept credit or debit cars. Credit card slots on the machines at the parking exit areas are not functional. “This is a technical issue that the CIAA is working on between the bank and manufacturer,” the au- thority noted. “Credit and debit cards are accepted at the point of sale ter- minal [referring to the ground trans- portation customer service desk in front of the airport terminal]. “The ground transport officer at this desk provides customer service for any parking or ground trans- port-related need. The desk is cov- ered from 6 a.m. until the last flight at night. If a person steps away, it is to assist a customer.” When the Compass driver went to pay the parking fee, a $10 bill was accepted and $3 returned as change. The machine displayed a red warning sign stating “use exact change,” but it was unclear what that meant since change had been returned. Once the damages blamed on the lightning strike are fixed, airport of- ficials said, they have no intention of upgrading or changing the current parking system. There is also no fu- ture plan to place attendants at ei- ther the entrances or exits to the ter- minal’s parking area. “We moved away from manual collection years ago in order to facil- itate a more efficient operation,” the Cayman Islands Airports Authority statement indicated. New airport parking system, same problems CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A passenger retrieves a parking ticket Wednesday after the car’s driver realized the machine on her side wasn’t working. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLERThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, AUG. 18 VEHICLE, DRIVERS’ LICENSING: The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing will offer limited services at its Crewe Road location today and the West Bay office will be closed. Hours of operation will be 12:30-4 p.m. Limited services will result in there being no written/driving examinations or vehicle inspections. Normal hours of operation resume on Friday, Aug. 19, for the Crewe Road office (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and for the West Bay Office (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). This closure is to facilitate a staff meeting and retreat. PROVIDING OPTIMUM CUSTOMER SERVICE: Chamber of Commerce course, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Chamber of Commerce offices, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. Register at www.caymanchamber.ky. HUMANE SOCIETY QUIZ NIGHT: 7 p.m. Fidel Murphy’s. $10 per person, teams of up to six people. All proceeds go toward transferring dogs to their new homes in the U.S. Contact sarah.dyer.81@gmail.com. FRIDAY, AUG. 19 LIQUOR LICENSE RENEWALS DEADLINE: Liquor license holders, including those with music and dancing licenses, are reminded of the deadline to apply for license renewals. Only complete renewal applications, with either inspection certificates or proof of inspection requests, that are submitted by the deadline will be heard at the Liquor Licensing Board’s annual session on Sept. 30. Applications can be downloaded from the Department of Commerce and Investment’s website, www.dci.gov.ky. For more information, contact Acting Secretary Gavin Dixon on 244-3167 or DCI’s Shelise Jeffery on 244-2202. SATURDAY, AUG. 20 DIABETES HEALTH FAIR: St. George’s Anglican Church, off Eastern Avenue, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free A1C testing, blood pressure and weight check. Education and information. Presented by the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens. KIDS’ CHALLENGE: Kids aged 6 to 12 can get in on the Olympic action with a complimentary sports day at Camana Bay. There will be a timed obstacle race filled with opportunities to run, jump, throw and more. Prizes include Olympic-branded shirts and water bottles. 2-5 p.m. The Crescent. CAR BOOT SALE: 6–9 a.m. Regatta Parking Lot, along Esterley Tibbetts Highway. The DMS Gives Back Committee is organizing a car boot sale to support the Humane Society. Register for a spot to sell goods or attend as a customer and browse the items for sale. Registration cost is $50 per car. This fee goes to the Humane Society; sellers keep whatever money they take in. The Humane Society will be on hand to accept any clothes or household items. Call or email Cara Hennessy at 749-2414 or chennessy@dmsgovernance. com to reserve a spot. Also contact Cara to volunteer or to donate any items for the sale. MONDAY, AUG. 22 BIBLE REFLECTIONS: The East End United Church hosts a week of Bible Reflections under the theme More Prayers, More Power led by Rev. Alice Blair. Tonight thru Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is invited. STUDENT HEALTH SCREENINGS: All students entering government or private schools in Cayman for the first time are required to have health screenings, including students entering reception programs. Public Health Department staff will conduct the screenings, which are free. For those entering schools in West Bay and the eastern districts, screenings ended June 30. For all others, screenings will be at the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre Campus until Aug. 22. Appointments can be made at the school the child will be attending. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 24 POST OFFICES: Post Offices on Grand Cayman will be closed for two hours to facilitate a staff function. The closure, from noon to 2 p.m., includes the General Post Office, Airport Post Office and all district sub-post offices. All offices will re-open for normal business hours at 2 p.m. Post Offices on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman will not be affected and will operate normal hours. CONSERVATION COUNCIL: The National Conservation Council holds a general meeting at 2-5 p.m. in the ground floor meeting room (1038) of the Government Administration Building in Grand Cayman. The agenda of the meeting will be available at the DoE website (www.doe. ky/conservation-council). This meeting is open to observers from the public. If anyone wishes to submit comments to the Council in advance of the meeting they may do so via email to ConservationCouncil@gov.ky. CERAMIC OPEN STUDIO: Offered by Visual Arts Society today and Aug. 31 to adults who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watler House Studio, Pedro Castle grounds. $15 pp/$25 pp non-members. Clay, materials, glazes and firing facilities are available. More information at info@visualartcayman.com. THURSDAY, AUG. 25 BRAC COURT: Summary Court in Cayman Brac, Aston Rutty Centre. Today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. A WALK THROUGH WATERCOLORS: Join art critic Emé Paschalides for a special discussion and walkthrough of the National Gallery’s watercolor exhibition, “A Legacy of Light.” This program is free. Refreshments will be available. Doors open at 5 p.m. Discussions begin at 5:30 p.m. For additional details or to RSVP, email education@nationalgallery. org.ky or call 945-8111. SME WORKSHOP: “Getting the Most Out of Media Solutions, IT and Telephony,” a Chamber of Commerce course. 5:30- 7:30 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. Free. Register at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, AUG. 26 DANCE REGISTRATION: The Cayman Islands National Dance Company – Dance Unlimited holds registration to dance 2016-2017. Returning dancers registration is today, 5:30-6:30 p.m. New dancers registration is Saturday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m. to noon at the Mirco Centre, unit #218. Dancers are from 3 years to adults. SATURDAY, AUG. 27 CUSTOMER APPRECIATION/ HEALTH FAIR: Kings Sports Centre on Crewe Road invites everyone to a Customers Appreciation Day and Health Fair with free bungee jumping, rock climbing, group fitness class and more. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. WATERCOLOR PLAY: Family Day at the National Gallery, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free family fun art activities based on the watercolor exhibition, “A Legacy of Light.” Activity sheets and art activities will be available for children of all ages in the National Gallery. Self-guided tour packs can be collected at reception for families to use as they explore the temporary exhibition. Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase in the Art Café. Admission is free and open to all ages. For more information, email education@nationalgallery. org.ky or call 945-8111. WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP: 10-11 a.m. at the National Gallery. Have fun with all kinds of water-based paints. Unlock creativity and discover new ways to apply paint to paper. Explore pattern, shape and color. All materials are provided and the event is open to children of all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. This is a free drop-in event, but the workshop is limited to 20 students, so pre- registration is a must. Email education@nationalgallery. org.ky or call 945-8111. SUMMER CAMPS SHUTTERBUGS: Sessions for young photographers. Picture This Studios, Camana Bay. Ages 8 to 11, Mondays. Ages 11 to 16, Fridays. Each session is 9 a.m. till noon; $35. Contact bouke@picturethis. ky or 943-3686. STARFISH VILLAGE: Camana Bay. Enrichment activities for ages 3 to 12, divided by age groups. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. $80 per day, with other rates by the week or half-day. Contact info@starfish.ky. SPORTS CAMP: Camana Bay Sports Complex. Weekly, from 8 a.m. to noon for ages 6 to 14. Week starting July 25 is $150. Contact cbsc@camanabay.com or 640-2878. SAILING CAMP: Cayman Islands Sailing Club. Children ages 6 to 16 and beginners welcome. Each camp is two weeks, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Games, field trips and lots of sailing in North Sound. All safety equipment is provided. $650 for non- members; $550 for CISC members. Lunch option for two weeks is $80. One- week option available by request. To register, contact sailingcentre@sailing.ky or call 926-7915. RETHINK TEEN LEADERSHIP CAMP: Aug. 15-19, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Family Resource Centre. Participants will be engaged in fun, interactive, project-based learning, will learn about leadership, and will be introduced to the campaigns and select committees on various initiatives and how to present these initiatives to the Cayman community. Free. For more information, contact 949-0006 or frc@gov.ky or facebook.com/ familyresourcecentre. GENERAL INTEREST BOOK SALE: The Red Cross Thrift Shop is having a five- dollar bag book sale until Aug. 31. Customers can get all the books they can fit in a bag for only $5. VOLUNTEER TEACHERS SOUGHT: The CXC Education Programme, offering all adults a second chance at an education, invites volunteer teachers to apply. A variety of courses are offered at basic, intermediate and CXC exam levels. Also offered are skills-oriented subjects such as QuickBooks, cosmetology and dressmaking. Registration is Sunday, Sept. 11, at 2 p.m. at the John Gray High School Auditorium; classes begin on Sunday, Sept. 18. Students may register for as many courses as they can manage; registration fee is $100 to cover books and other supplies for the year. For more information, visit www.education. adventisteducation.org or call Dr. L. Smith, 325-6462, or Mrs. L. Wynter-Young, 938-3701. PIRATES WEEK FESTIVAL CALLS FOR VOLUNTEERS: The Pirates Week Office is seeking volunteers to assist in the planning in its upcoming events. The Festival staff acknowledges the value of volunteers and what they have to offer as this will help make the Islands’ National Festival a success. For more information or to receive a volunteer application from, contact the Pirates Week Office via email at info@piratesweekfestival.com or 949-5859. NCVO PRESCHOOL: Miss Nadine’s, the NCVO preschool, and Jack & Jill Nursery now have spaces for children 3 months to 5 years. They are on a first-come, first-served basis, so parents are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Contact Miss Nadine’s Preschool at 945-1078 or email ncvopreschool@ncvo.org.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing on Crewe Road, pictured, will offer limited services Thursday, Aug 18, and the West Bay office will be closed. - PHOTO: CHRIS COURTThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Russia attacks from air base in Iran An Iranian lawmaker confirmed Wednesday that Russia is using an Iranian air base for airstrikes in Syria, as Moscow said another wave of airstrikes launched from the Islamic Republic struck the east of the war-ravaged country. CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2016 Turkey to free 38,000 prisoners to make space for coup plotters ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – Turkey is- sued a decree Wednesday paving the way for the conditional release of some 38,000 prisoners, the jus- tice minister said – an apparent move to reduce its prison popula- tion to make space for thousands of people who have been arrested as part of an investigation into last month’s failed coup. The government decree, is- sued under Turkey’s three-month long state of emergency that was declared following the coup, al- lows the release of inmates who have two years or less to serve of their prison terms and makes con- victs who have served half of their prison term eligible for parole. Some prisoners are excluded from the measures: people convicted of murder, domestic violence, sexual abuse or terrorism and other crimes against the state. The measures would not apply for crimes committed after July 1, excluding any people later convicted of involvement in the failed July 15 coup. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on his Twitter account the measure would lead to the re- lease of some 38,000 people. He insisted it was not a pardon or an amnesty but a conditional release of prisoners. The government says the at- tempted coup, which led to at least 270 deaths, was carried out by fol- lowers of the movement led by U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen who have infiltrated the mil- itary and other state institutions. Gulen has denied any prior knowl- edge or involvement in the coup but Turkey is demanding that the United States extradite him. The Turkish government de- clared a state of emergency and launched a massive crackdown on Gulen’s supporters in the aftermath of the coup. Some 35,000 people have been detained for questioning and more than 17,000 of them have been formally arrested to face trial, including soldiers, police, judges and journalists. Tens of thousands more people with suspected links to Gulen have been suspended or dismissed from their jobs in the judiciary, media, education, healthcare, military and local government. In separate decree, also is- sued Wednesday, the government dismissed 2,300 more officers from the police force, in addition to an- other 136 military officers and 196 employees from its information technology authority. Wednesday’s decrees also allow the air force to hire new pilots or take back pilots who had re- signed or were discharged be- fore the coup to replace pilots who have been arrested or dis- missed for alleged participation in the coup or links to Gulen. The government crackdown has raised concerns among European nations and human rights organi- zations, who have urged the Turkish government to show restraint. Families began arriving at prison gates on Wednesday to greet loved ones who were set to be re- leased. Among them was Hilmi Ba- saran who was waiting for his son, Birkan, outside of Silivri prison, about 50 miles west of Istanbul. Birkan was sentenced to 21 years in prison for involvement in prostitution. “We are very happy right now. I can’t find any words to say, because I am very excited,” Basaran said. Turkey’s 180,000-person prisons were already filled to capacity be- fore the crackdown on Gulen’s movement, with some rights groups claiming that inmates were forced to take turns to sleep on beds. Turkey has issued several prison amnesties over the past decades to ease conditions in its prisons, but the measures proved unpopular with the public. Bozdag insisted Wednesday that those being released would still be supervised. “This measure is not an am- nesty,” Bozdag said on Twitter. “The punishment will be served outside through supervised released.” “I hope that the arrangement is beneficial to the prisoners, their loved ones, our people and our country,” the minister wrote. Relatives and friends of prisoners wait outside a high security prison complex in Silivri, about 50 miles west of Istanbul, Wednesday after Turkish officials issued a decree paving the way for the conditional release of some 38,000 prisoners. – PHOTO: AP LONDON (AP) – A jilted and jealous British woman was sen- tenced to at least 30 years in prison Wednesday for the January murder of a woman she consid- ered her love rival. Sarah Williams shot 60-year- old Sadie Hartley with a 50,000 volt stun gun when Hartley an- swered the door of her home in northwest England in Jan- uary, then attacked her with a kitchen knife. Prosecutors said 35-year-old Williams had previously had a fling with Hartley’s partner, Ian Johnston. They said after he left her, Wil- liams continued to exchange ex- plicit texts and photos with John- ston, while plotting the “perfect murder” of Hartley. Williams and accomplice Ka- trina Walsh were convicted by a jury at Preston Crown Court after a seven-week trial. Both had de- nied murder and blamed each other for the crime. Prosecutors said Walsh, a 57-year-old horse riding in- structor, was not present for the attack on Hartley but was an ac- tive participant in 18 months of planning that involved traveling to Germany to buy the pow- erful stun gun, which is illegal in Britain. Judge Mark Turner sentenced Williams to life with no chance of parole for 30 years, and Walsh to at least 25 years. “Let no one believe this was a crime of passion,” the judge said. “It was a crime of obsession, of arrogance and of barbarity, but above all a crime of pure evil.” “It was a crime of obsession, of arrogance and of barbarity, but above all a crime of pure evil.” JUDGE MARK TURNER BRITISH PAIR CONVICTED IN ‘LOVE RIVAL’ MURDER LONDON (AP) – The pound’s sharp drop following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union is starting to weigh on companies, particu- larly manufacturers, by increasing the cost of the imported raw ma- terials and goods they require to do business. Official figures released Tuesday showed that producer prices jumped 4.3 percent in the year through July, compared with a 0.5 percent drop in the year through June as the cost of imports soared due to the pound’s decline. Commodities like oil, metals and grains are priced internationally in dollars, against which the pound has fallen 14 percent since the June 23 referendum. Higher costs for manufacturers will pinch companies’ profit mar- gins and eventually mean a higher cost of living for consumers, said Scott Corfe, director of the Center for Economics and Business Research. “The sharp decline in the value of (the pound) since the Brexit referendum will translate into higher prices for imported goods over the coming months, pushing inflation to above 2.5 percent in the first half of 2017,” he said in a written analysis of the figures. Increased inflation and stagnant wage growth mean workers are likely to feel the pain. “The U.K.’s strongly consumer- driven economic recovery is about to grind to a halt,” he said. In the days before the vote, the former chiefs of four of Britain’s biggest retailers told the Mail on Sunday newspaper that it would be impossible for Britain to exit the EU without seeing a rise in prices and inflation. A separate report from the Office for National Statistics showed con- sumer prices also rose more than expected in July, to an annual rate of 0.6 percent from 0.5 percent in June, though that was not directly related to the EU vote. UK manufacturers see costs jump in wake of Brexit vote The pound’s sharp drop following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union is starting to weigh on companies, particularly manufacturers. - PHOTO: APNext >