High of 91 Low of 78 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 2 feet. SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Family fun at the Gallery Get the kids involved in art this Saturday B5 Steve Higgins & Friends Celebrated tenor and special guests take to the stage B7 Music Events Embracing the Bard The Tempest app makes Shakespeare accessible to all B4 Events ‘As You Like It’ Cambridge group brings comedy to local theater. B2 Red Cross gala A Madonna tribute and an Olympian equal a great night out B3 ■ THEATER STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July Registered Merchant of CaymanGiftCertificates.com Fine Wine and Spirits 20% OFF for the month of August DISCOVER THE TRUE GOLD OF GUYANA. Choose from 3, 5, 6, 8, 12, 15 and 21 years of age. CAYMAN WEEKENDER ‘As You Like It’ EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 GOODBYE, SUMMER HELLO, SCHOOL YEAR ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 COVER CAPTURE THE YELLOW PAGES COVER COMPETITION Prize: $1,000 Competition ends August 31st Visit our Facebook Page to submit your Cayman masterpiece. Senior immigration officer accused of harboring illegal immigrant BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A senior Cayman Islands immigration of- ficer, accused of harboring an illegal immi- grant, was among five people arrested during a police raid Thursday morning in Savannah. Royal Cayman Islands Police officers ar- rested the three men and two women during a dawn operation that recovered a firearm, some ammunition and an unspecified quantity of ganja, according to a police statement. One of the men arrested, a 30-year-old from the Bahamas, was suspected of having illegally landed in Cayman, and it was alleged by police that this man was being harbored by the senior immigration official. The immigration officer, a 57-year-old woman who had not been charged by press time Thursday, was arrested on suspicion of “knowingly assisting an illegal immigrant to remain in the Cayman Islands,” an immigra- tion offense. She was also arrested on suspi- cion of unlicensed firearms possession and drugs possession with intent to supply. Ministry of Home Affairs officials indi- cated that the immigration officer remained in police custody Thursday and that she would be suspended with pay for the time being. A joint statement about the incident was released Thursday afternoon by the deputy governor and the ministry regarding the ar- rest: “Given the very serious nature of the alle- gations, the officer will be placed on required leave while the matter is being investigated.” BRAC CUSTOMS OFFICER ARRESTED BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officers arrested a Cayman Brac customs officer on sus- picion of possessing an unlicensed firearm after a search of the man’s home Tuesday recovered the weapon, police said. However, an oddity in government employ- ment rules will prevent Customs Collector Charles Clifford from taking any disciplinary ac- tion against the officer, Mr. Clifford said Thursday. As of Thursday afternoon, the customs of- ficer had not been charged with any offenses and was in police custody on Grand Cayman. Asked about the status of the officer’s service with the agency given the arrest, Mr. Clifford suggested that the Cayman Compass contact Brac District Commissioner Ernie Scott. Appar- ently, any decisions regarding customs officer discipline on the Brac would fall to Mr. Scott. “Cayman Brac customs officers are ap- pointed by, and ultimately report to, the dis- trict commissioner in Cayman Brac,” Mr. Clifford said. “The collector of customs can only direct, deploy, manage and discipline officers who are appointed by the collector.” On Thursday, Mr. Scott said he had nothing to add to police statements about the arrest. Mr. Clifford said the issue regarding customs officers hiring and firing needs to be addressed. “The appointment and reporting arrange- ments for Cayman Brac customs officers have been under review since April of this year and we expect to have the situation regularized in the near future,” Mr. Clifford said. Report reveals staggering scale of iguana problem JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Contract hunters would need to cull nearly 200,000 green iguanas per year at an estimated cost of more than $1 million to make an impact on the exponen- tially increasing population of the invasive species. A Department of Environ- ment report on two test culls held earlier this year indicates that a sustained culling project would likely generate around 200 tons of iguana carcasses an- nually – equivalent in weight to about 80 adult elephants. Fred Burton, who led the pilot project, said the test culls proved effective but chaotic. Overall he said the results of the pilot were “discouraging” and the scale and Pedal patrol in George Town Police have begun new mountain bike patrols in George Town to increase visibility and improve interactions with the public. Police Constables Charles Ebanks and Christopher Donaldson were on patrol around George Town this week. For more, turn to Page 8. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 15 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14 » RAID NETS ARRESTS FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER, GUN, DRUGS 2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS CARIBBEANCAFEA Lunch /Dinner 11am-10pm Daily A “BOOGIE NIGHTS” Music By DJ FLEX Starting at 9:30pm Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics TONIGHT Friday, August 26th “BOOGIE NIGHTS”“BOOGIE NIGHTS” Old School Dance Party 70’s disco & 80’s classics TONIGHT Friday, August 26thFriday, August 26th THE LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH HAS ARRIVED! TOMORROW Saturday, August 27th Barefoot Man and Sea N’B Starting live at 8:00pm Come for dinner Stay for Dancing Or come to our beautiful Oceanside Bar and listen to the Sweet Sounds of Barefoot Man Call 949-2231 or email: thewharf@candw.ky Card conspirators lose sentence appeal Court of Appeal declines to calculate release date CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two men sentenced in March for conspiracy to de- fraud Cayman banks with cloned credit cards have lost their appeal against the length of their prison terms. Ionut-Catalin Petcu, 27, and Marius-Ioan Bud-Popa, 42, were the first appellants to appear before the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal in the summer session, which began on Aug. 15. They each were sen- tenced to two-and-a-half years by Justice Alastair Mal- colm in Grand Court. Each had relevant convictions in other jurisdictions. Three other people who also pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge received sentences of between 22 and 24 months. They did not appeal. Petcu told the judges of the appeal court that he spoke and understood Eng- lish very well. He presented his arguments in person. Bud-Popa, who had the assis- tance of an interpreter of the Romanian language, adopted the grounds of appeal argued by Petcu. The period of offending was between Oct. 30 and Nov. 3, 2015, when there were 399 attempts to obtain cash from ATMs by using U.K. store cards or gift cards that had the appearance of credit cards; each contained a magnetic strip onto which customer information had been transferred. The men argued that their sentences were mani- festly harsh and excessive because bank customers did not suffer losses – the banks did, and the amount of the total loss was improperly calculated. They also main- tained that they did not have a skimming device in their possession and a laptop with customer information did not belong to them. Crown Counsel Toyin Salako responded, pointing out the difference between the harm intended and the actual harm caused. The five conspirators had successfully obtained more than $16,000 by using cloned credits cards in Automatic Teller Machine at different banks, but unsuccessful transactions totaled more than $96,000. Justice Sir George Newman heard the matter with Justice Sir Richard Field and Justice Dennis Morrison before delivering their decision. He pointed out that the criminality the courts were concerned with was the joining together of the defendants in an en- terprise that was intended to cause financial harm “to whatever extent they were able to achieve.” Earlier he remarked that “conspiracy to defraud” was different from “the way the conspiracy worked out.” Justice Newman said the appeal panel had concluded there was no reason for con- cluding that the sentence was so excessive that they should intervene. “I regard the sen- tencing judge’s exercise as impeccable,” he said. Petcu had also complained that his release date was af- fected differently by the Con- ditional Release Law, which came into effect in February, compared to the Prisons Law that formerly applied. Justice Newman said the Court of Appeal did not re- gard the provisions of the Conditional Release Law as having anything to do with the sentencing process. Any concerns about release dates should be raised with the au- thorities, he said. A nine-member condi- tional release board was ap- pointed shortly after the law came into effect. The judge pointed out that the criminality the courts were concerned with was the joining together of the defendants in an enterprise that was intended to cause financial harm “to whatever extent they were able to achieve.” Tropical Storm Lester formed off Mexico’s coast MIAMI (AP) – Hurri- cane Gaston is expected to weaken to a tropical storm in the Atlantic. The U.S. National Hurri- cane Center says the storm’s maximum sustained winds early Thursday are near 75 mph with weakening fore- cast during the next day or so. The hurricane is cen- tered about 1,225 miles east of the Leeward Is- lands and is moving north- west near 17 mph. Meanwhile in the Pa- cific, Tropical Storm Lester formed far off Mexico’s coast. The storm’s maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 kph). Additional strengthening is forecast and Lester could become a hurricane in a few days. Lester is centered about 475 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Mex- ico’s Baja California penin- sula and is moving west- northwest near 12 mph. Hurricane Gaston expected to weaken in the Atlantic It could take 90 days to resume normal service SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – People in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are feeling the loss of a ferry service that has been halted by a ship fire. Many in the U.S. island territory and in the Domin- ican Republic depended on the ferry to support families and small businesses. The fire that started Aug. 17 apparently did no struc- tural damage to the vessel, though it forced 500 people to abandon ship. But ferry operator Amer- ican Cruise Ferries says the company will no longer use the Caribbean Fantasy. Spokesman Joey Jimenez said the bad public image created by the incident has prompted the company to seek an alternative ship. He said Wednesday that it could take 90 days to re- sume normal service. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Ship fire cut a link between Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic Pedestrians take photos of smoke spilling from the ferry Caribbean Fantasy on Aug. 17. - PHOTO: AP MIAMI (AP) – The Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports re- opened Thursday after power was restored to the air traffic control center that monitors arriving and departing flights in the area. The Federal Aviation Administration said that it stopped arrivals and departures at Miami and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood air- ports for less than an hour. It is unclear how many flights were affected. AIRPORTS REOPEN IN MIAMI, FORT LAUDERDALE LAKE WORTH, Fla. (AP) – Offi- cials say a second person in Palm Beach County, Florida, has contracted the Zika virus through a local mosquito. The Department of Health said Wednesday that a 24-year-old Lake Worth woman has been confirmed to have contracted the virus. Officials say the woman was hospitalized last week with classic Zika symp- toms that included fever, rash, eye redness and joint pain, but a final diagnosis did not come until Tuesday. The woman says she has not traveled outside of the county in months. NEW LOCAL ZIKA CASE IN FLORIDAThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. 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” “The crickets sang in the grasses. They sang the song of summer’s ending, a sad, monotonous song. ‘Summer is over and gone,’ they sang. “‘Over and gone, over and gone. Summer is dying, dying.’ “The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last forever. … “Everybody heard the song of the crickets. … They knew that school would soon begin again.” — Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White For most children, parents and educators in the Cayman Islands, this weekend is an annual milestone — the final halcyon days of summer before the start of the new school year. While some of our youngsters may be marking these last days off the calendar with a sense of sorrow and trepidation, many more, we imagine, are refreshed from the long break and ready to take up their studies again with renewed vigor. (Never underestimate the potential power of a young soul rejuvenated.) For parents, the return of the school year means — yes, the return of morning traffic — but mainly the res- toration of dormant social circles, the opportunity to establish relationships with a new group of teachers, and the chance to share in their children’s joyful journey of discovery and elucidation. For educators, both veteran and junior, the new school year is a time of nearly unlimited possibilities. We can imagine few things as inspiring as a teacher addressing for the first time a class of pupils, their ductile minds fresh canvases for knowledge, challenges and creativity. As we have stated on many occasions on this editorial page, the single most important point in any school system is the nexus that exists between an enthusiastic teacher and a receptive student anxious to learn. The people responsible for creating an environ- ment where talented teachers can focus on their students are, primarily, the principals (who are the singular driving forces behind the success or failure of their schools and students) — as well as other administrators. But when this newspaper contemplates the efficacy of an educational system, our thoughts always turn to the classroom teachers. As most of our readers are aware, and many surely have personally experienced, a talented and passionate teacher can alter upward the trajectory of children’s lives and, sometimes just by example, can enable them to pursue and achieve goals they otherwise may never have dared to dream, or may never have had any conception of. The reverse, sadly, is also true. So as we prepare to enter a new school year in Cayman, we offer our encouragement and unyielding support to the dedicated teachers of this country, who, for the next 10 months or so, will be entrusted with the budding future of our society. We celebrate them as stewards, as mentors, but most impor- tantly, as educators. Welcome back to school, Cayman. Goodbye, summer Hello, school year FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The bribery standard WASHINGTON – Bernie Sanders never understood the epic quality of the Clinton scandals. In his first debate, he famously dismissed the email issue, it being beneath the dignity of a great revolu- tionary to deal in things so tawdry and straightforward. Sanders failed to under- stand that Clinton scandals are sprawling, multilayered, complex things. They defy time and space. They grow and burrow. The central problem with Hillary Clinton’s emails was not the classified material. It wasn’t the headline-making charge by the FBI director of her extreme carelessness in handling it. That’s a serious offense, to be sure, and could very well have been grounds for indict- ment. And it did damage her politically, exposing her sense of above-the-law entitlement and – in her dodges and pre- varications, her parsing and evasions – demonstrating her arm’s-length relationship with the truth. But it was always some- thing of a sideshow. The real question wasn’t classification but: Why did she have a pri- vate server in the first place? She obviously lied about the purpose. It wasn’t conve- nience. It was concealment. What exactly was she hiding? Was this merely the pru- dent paranoia of someone who habitually walks the line of legality? After all, if she controls the server, she con- trols the evidence, and can destroy it – as she did 30,000 emails – at will. But destroy what? Re- member: She set up the system before even taking office. It’s clear what she wanted to pro- tect from scrutiny: Clinton Foundation business. The foundation is a mas- sive family enterprise dis- guised as a charity, an opaque and elaborate mecha- nism for sucking money from the rich and the tyrannous to be channeled to Clinton Inc. Its purpose is to maintain the Clintons’ lifestyle (offices, travel, accommodations, etc.), secure profitable connections, produce favorable publicity and reliably employ a vast entourage of retainers, ready to serve today and at the coming Clinton Restoration. Now we learn how the whole machine operated. Two weeks ago, emails began drib- bling out showing founda- tion officials contacting State Department counterparts to ask favors for foundation “friends.” Say, a meeting with the State Department’s “sub- stance person” on Lebanon for one particularly generous Lebanese-Nigerian billionaire. Big deal, said the Clinton defenders. Low-level stuff. No involvement of the secretary herself. Until – drip, drip – the next batch revealed foun- dation requests for face time with the secretary herself. Such as one from the crown prince of Bahrain. To be sure, Bahrain, home of the Fifth Fleet, is an im- portant Persian Gulf ally. Its crown prince shouldn’t have to go through a foundation – to which his government do- nated at least US$50,000 – to get to the secretary. The fact that he did is telling. Now, a further drip: The Associated Press found that over half the private inter- ests who were granted phone or personal contact with Sec- retary Clinton – 85 of 154 – were donors to the founda- tion. Total contributions? As much as US$156 million. Current Clinton response? There was no quid pro quo. What a long way we’ve come. This is the very last line of defense. Yes, it’s ob- vious that access and influ- ence were sold. But no one has demonstrated definitively that the donors received something tangible of value – a pipeline, a permit, a waiver, a favorable regulatory ruling – in exchange. It’s hard to believe the Clinton folks would be stupid enough to commit something so blatant to writing. None- theless, there might be an email allusion to some such conversation. With thousands more emails to come, who knows what lies beneath. On the face of it, it’s rather odd that a visible quid pro quo is the bright line for malfeasance. Anything short of that – the country is awash with political money that buys access – is deemed ac- ceptable. As Donald Trump says of his own donation- giving days, “when I need something from them ... I call them, they are there for me.” This is considered routine and unremarkable. It’s not until a Rolex shows up on your wrist that you get indicted. Or you are found to have dangled a Senate ap- pointment for cash. Then, like Rod Blagojevich, you go to jail. (He got 14 years.) Yet we are hardly both- ered by the routine practice of presidents rewarding big donors with cushy ambas- sadorships, appointments to portentous boards or invita- tions to state dinners. The bright line seems to be outright bribery. Any- thing short of that is con- sidered – not just for the Clintons, for everyone – ac- ceptable corruption. It’s a sorry standard. And right now it is Hillary Clin- ton’s saving grace. Charles Krauthammer’s email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com. © 2016, The Washington Post Writers Group Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton denies any quid pro quo arrangements between donations to the Clinton Foundation and favors from the U.S. government. - PHOTO: MELINA MARA/WASHINGTON POST Charles KrauthammerKrauthammer5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 Mosquito Unit works to protect pregnant women as Zika fears grow Trevor Ward, QC, who worked as a Crown pros- ecutor in Cayman for more than a decade, has been named to an eastern Carib- bean high court judge’s po- sition, the attorney general of St. Kitts and Nevis an- nounced Tuesday. The Trinidadian-born Ward was appointed resi- dent high court judge in St. Kitts. His appointment was approved by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission of the Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States. Mr. Ward was deputy di- rector of public prosecutions in Cayman between 2011 and 2014, and earlier served as Crown counsel and senior Crown counsel here between 2005 and 2011. He left the prosecutor’s post in Cayman for family reasons in 2014. EX-CAYMAN PROSECUTOR NAMED CARIBBEAN JUDGE Trevor Ward CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Some pregnant women have left the Cayman Is- lands and others are putting off moves to Grand Cayman now that there are known local Zika transmissions. But leaving a job and traveling overseas is not an option for many women who are preg- nant and couples trying to conceive. Cayman’s Mosquito Re- search and Control Unit has been working to treat areas with known Zika infections, but has also been doing spe- cial treatments around where pregnant women live to re- duce the chances that they will get bitten by a Zika- carrying mosquito. “We’re treating that as a priority,” said MRCU Director Bill Petrie, with workers treating the yards and areas around where pregnant women live and work. With expectant mothers, he said, “we don’t want to take any chances.” Mr. Petrie said pregnant women can call the MRCU and the unit will go out to treat the area and hopefully kill off any Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, responsible for carrying the Zika virus, in the same way they would treat around a home of someone who is in- fected to prevent the spread of the virus. The symptoms of Zika are normally mild, and many people never even know they have the virus. Those who do show symptoms could have a low-grade fever, rash and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The biggest problem from Zika is that it can cause se- vere birth defects in babies born to infected mothers. Zika in many countries has caused babies to be born with micro- cephaly, an abnormally small head and underdeveloped brain that can lead to death or a lifetime of disability. According to interna- tional public health offi- cials, Zika can lead to other birth defects, including prob- lems with eyes, hearing and growth, but the research in the range of potential im- pacts from Zika is still being investigated and new infor- mation is coming out regu- larly from public health re- searchers around the world. Obstetrician Dr. Suzanne Muise, in a recent interview, said the lack of research is frustrating, but she gives all her patients in Cayman as much information as she can find so they can decide what is best for their families. “We don’t know so much of the information that would help us understand the actual risk,” she said. The Health Services Au- thority and the Public Health Department recently released guidelines for testing people for Zika, following the prac- tices of the Pan-American Health Organization. Those guidelines state only that people who are showing Zika symptoms and have not trav- eled to other Zika-infected areas will be tested. The rules make an excep- tion for pregnant women. Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodri- guez, Cayman’s leading public health official, said all preg- nant women who show pos- sible Zika symptoms will be tested for the virus, regard- less of travel history. World Health Organiza- tion guidelines say pregnant women should not be tested unless they show symptoms, but that runs counter to what public health officials in the United States recommend. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rec- ommends that any preg- nant women in areas with active Zika transmission be tested in both the first and second trimesters. Dr. Williams-Rodriguez said Cayman will continue to follow the WHO standards. Speaking with obstetricians in Cayman, additional testing is available for pregnant women, but they may have to pay for the samples to be tested in the United States out of pocket as many in- surance companies will not cover the new tests. The Cayman Compass spoke with several preg- nant women about their con- cerns over Zika, but none would go on the record. Bhavesh Patel, who re- cently moved to Cayman from London, said this week that his pregnant wife has delayed joining him on the island until she gives birth. He said she had originally planned to move here in June, but got pregnant in March and they decided to delay her move, even though Zika was not being transmitting locally in Cayman at that point. “It’s not worth taking the risk,” he said. Asha Patel, his wife, plans to move to Cayman in January after the baby is born. In the meantime, she con- tinues to work in London and Mr. Patel is able to get back and work at his law firm’s of- fice there every five weeks.6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS WE ARE NOW LOCATED AT 4 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS. FREE PICK UP AND DELIVERY MAIN BRANCH - EASTERN AVE. MON-FRI 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM SAT 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM Eastern Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-1103, Cayman Islands Company Phone: (345) 949-7104 Company Fax: (345) 949-6860 Email: puritangc@candw.ky WEST BAY – CENTENNIAL TOWERS MON-FRI 7:00 AM - 1:00 PM 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM SAT 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Phone: (345) 945-4508 ELGIN AVENUE GEORGE TOWN MON-FRI 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM SAT 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Phone: (345) 949-2452 COUNTRYSIDE SHOPPING VILLAGE, SAVANNAH MON-FRI 10:00 AM -1:30 PM 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM SAT 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM Phone: (345) 946-1884 Puritan has gone Eco-friendly with the “Cadillac” of dry cleaning machines the Union HL-860! It’s a lean, GREEN cleaning machine!! Puritan now offers Eco friendly dry cleaning with the revolutionary DF2000 Green Solvent that’s dominating the cleaning industry. DF- 2000 ... leaves clothes cleaner, brighter, and odor free!! With odor absorbing Prewash Detergent and a secondary detergent that moisturizes and conditions your fabrics, like a day at the spa, cleaning is completed with top fi nishing agents, leaving your clothes with body, style, feeling and looking like new!! Your garments are then hand fi nished by the island’s most experienced garment fi nishers. Treat your clothes to Puritan’s new, Eco friendly cleaning system. Puritan Cleaners … meeting the world’s green standard, with over 58 years of service, in the Cayman Islands. SNAP solution proposed for youth crime JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An early intervention pro- gram for children as young as 6 has been pitched as a new tool to help prevent school troublemakers in the Cayman Islands from graduating to more serious crimes. The SNAP program, devel- oped by Canada’s Child De- velopment Institute, seeks to identify children with behav- ioral issues and help them de- velop self-control and conflict management skills. Cayman Islands non- profit Youth Anti-Crime Trust wants to make the interven- tion training available to Cayman families. They funded a visit this week from the leaders of the Canadian program to pitch the concept to government leaders, police and potential private sector donors in the hope of getting support for a pilot program for at-risk youth on the island. Leena Augimeri, scientific and program development di- rector for the institute, said the concept of the program, which has proven successful in Canada, is to identify young offenders early and address the causes of their behavior. Ms. Augimeri, who led a series of workshops at the Marriott resort this week, said behavioral problems in school are often the first step toward more serious crimi- nality later in life. “All we have to do is save one child and the pro- gram funds itself in dol- lars and cents saved on criminal justice and prison space,” she said. SNAP, which stands for Stop Now and Plan, involves a 13-week behavioral modifi- cation program that teaches children with anger issues new ways of handling conflict. The program, which also involves sessions for parents and follow-up sessions with counselors, has been shown in peer reviewed studies to reduce the risk of young of- fenders going on to more se- rious criminal behavior. The program is based on the principle that there are many opportunities to change the lives of children before they become involved in the criminal justice system. Ms. Augimeri said research shows that children who became in- volved in criminal behavior at 14 had, in most cases, been displaying warning signs, such as aggressive behavior in school, since age 7. “When you think about the kids on your island. Think about who are these children, how many people could have intervened within this seven- year incubation period?” she said in a presentation to gov- ernment officials Monday. Michael Myles, govern- ment’s at-risk youth of- ficer and a board member of Youth ACT, said he was fre- quently faced with young children who were dis- playing “chaotic behavior” in school and at home. He said he was constantly calling parents about their children’s behavior. “Some have got to the point where they don’t even answer my phone calls any- more because we don’t have an answer for them.” He said the SNAP program could provide the answer for some children. He hopes it can become part of the school curriculum or the Extended After School Program, with a full-time program coordinator overseeing a team of trained community volunteers. Mr. Myles believes Cayman needs to start making an in- vestment in dealing with the root causes of crime in- stead of just dealing with the consequences. “Our current approach to crime is hiring more po- lice, hiring more prosecutors, hiring more judges, building a bigger prison. The private sector is hiring more and more security guards, se- curity systems and adding more cameras. “We are paying out $50 million a year through the Needs Assessment Unit be- cause more and more people need that service based on unemployment and unem- ployability. We can’t keep doing that. We need to deal with the causes.” Mr. Myles, who previously ran the Bonaventure Boys Home, said it is easy to iden- tify the next generation of criminals in the Cayman Is- lands. He said he had known many young men who had been in and out of trouble since they were children who had gone on to become in- volved in gangs and crime and ended up dead or in jail. He sees other children and teenagers already on that same path today. Mr. Myles believes invest- ment in treatment and crime prevention from an early age can steer them in a different direction before it’s too late. “I could give you the names of 600 children right now that are displaying cha- otic behavior. It is one of the biggest issues in our school system,” he said. “It is not a matter of identifying the kids. There is not a teacher, guid- ance counselor, principal, psy- chologist in this country that couldn’t refer multiple chil- dren to this program.” Governor Helen Kilpatrick, chair of the National Security Council, gave a brief speech at the opening session in sup- port of the program. “If it helps just a few chil- dren stay in school and out of trouble, it will really have been worth it,” she said. Leena Augimeri, director of scientific and program development at Canada’s Child Development Institute, introduces Cayman officials to the SNAP program at the Marriott. – PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER7 LOCAL NEWS Other alleged conspirators to appear in court Friday CAROL WINKER Cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Alexander Adrian Ebanks was sentenced on Thursday to 6.5 years’ im- prisonment after pleading guilty to offenses that in- cluded seven charges of conspiracy to supply con- trolled drugs. The individuals named in the charges are sched- uled to appear in Grand Court on Friday, Aug. 26. Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin described some of the alleged co-conspir- ators as people who re- ceived drugs from Ebanks and then went on to supply them to other people. She named other de- fendants as “runners” who were used to fulfill a supply request. She and defense at- torney John Furniss agreed that Ebanks’s be- havior put him at the level of a drug retailer or high level street dealer. By way of background, Ms. Fargin explained that police officers went to a George Town apartment on Oct. 22, 2015. The apartment had been rented in mid-July that year by Ebanks and Jaesha Hendrix. On arrival, officers saw Ebanks out- side; he denied being Alex- ander Ebanks and claimed he lived in another part of the island. However, officers recognized him and he had a key to the apartment. On searching it, officers found 4.16 ounces of co- caine, the street value of which was $6,650; 22 Trypt- amine tablets, with a street value of $555; and 2.51 grams of ganja. Other items included utensils such as a scale, bags and a pipe. At the police station, Ebanks provided PIN num- bers for two cellphones taken from him. Officers recovered more than 438 different commu- nications from the phones. Ms. Fargin said 56 indi- vidual customers were identified. The phone ac- tivity dealt with in the various charges against Ebanks spanned a period from July 2015 to the day before Ebanks’s arrest in October. One charge of con- spiracy involved converting criminal property. It in- volved changing CI$1,000 to US$1,200. Another charge was conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. It involved efforts to obtain a device or drink that would provide a false negative when Ebanks would be asked for a urine sample for drug testing. Ms. Fargin also advised that the Crown was seeking a confiscation of assets hearing in connection with Ebanks’s admitted drug offenses. She referred specifically to a vehicle and a bank ac- count. Justice Michael Met- tyear set the hearing for Oct. 20. Mr. Furniss said his client was anxious to have the matter completed and the judge agreed that the hearing could be brought forward if all the paper- work was in place. After Ms. Fargin’s sum- mary of offenses, Mr. Furniss spoke in mitiga- tion. He told the court that Ebanks had attended UCCI for a year and then had gone to study construction and architecture at a school in Rhode Island, U.S. He did qualify and came back to Cayman, where he applied for a draftsman position with the Public Works Department. He was told he did not have enough hours worked with a local company, so he started working construction. He met certain individ- uals and became involved in drugs. At age 25, Ebanks had no previous convictions except for one consump- tion of ganja, the attorney pointed out. Ebanks pleaded guilty on Monday to a separate charge of conspiracy to im- port a kilo of cocaine. The Crown could not say with certainty that importation had taken place, but a sub- stantial amount of cocaine (more than 4 ounces) was found in his apartment in October. Justice Mettyear had been asked to give a Good- year direction – that is, an indication of what the max- imum sentence would be if a guilty plea would be en- tered. Mr. Furniss indicated that guilty pleas would be entered to all charges if sentences did not ex- ceed the maximum the judge decided on. With the longest sen- tence for conspiracy being 10 years, Justice Mettyear said he would allow a full one-third discount for the guilty plea, which would take the sentence to just over six and a half years. On Thursday, he im- posed sentences of five- and-a-half years for each of the charges of conspiracy with intent to supply controlled drugs. These sentences are con- current with each other and also concurrent to a sentence of four years for conspiracy to import the cocaine. Charges relating to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and con- verting criminal prop- erty drew sentences of 12 months, concurrent to each other but consecutive to the five-and-a-half years. Justice Mettyear said he was considering the prin- ciple of totality. Sentences for posses- sion of drugs and utensils were also made to run concurrently. A charge of destroying evidence received no sep- arate penalty. Ebanks had admitted grabbing and crushing a tape recording of his interview at the police station. Time Ebanks has spent in custody will count to- ward his sentence. CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 174070_PRINT-Avis-Payless-FleetSPage 1 8/18/16 10:05:47 AM Cocaine conspirator given 6.5-year prison sentence Alexander Adrian Ebanks pleaded guilty on Monday to a separate charge of conspiracy to import a kilo of cocaine.FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 8 LOCAL&REGIONAL Third Anniversary in Heaven An astute youngster hailed across the water Becoming sibling, wife, mother & daughter Courage and principles belied her slight frame Gifted yet humble, just the same A lady of integrity, so judicious Career elevation steep, yet prodigious An inspiration; so kindly we speak First woman to crown this Cayman peak. A beautiful wife and focused mother Perfect complement to signifi cant other A legacy strong; a woman resolute A loving & caring mom, none would refute Clearly endeared to overseas clan They couldn’t imagine it would be God’s plan Such tragedy Ivan did not portend To this tacit victim, a cruel storm did send Memoirs defl ect in this premature corollary Earth’s trials complete; a curtailed life story Sadly denied the treasures of God’s creation Her Angels were foremost until she became one. In our thoughts and prayers -Gordon & Ebanks families Third Anniversary in HeavenThird Anniversary in Heaven Novelette A. Ebanks Mom, we know you watch over us daily and help us through tough times. Always remembered, we love you very much. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Gloria Joyce Adlam of Grand Cayman and Jamaica, who passed away on Sunday, August 7, 2016. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at Elmslie Memorial United Church, Harbour Drive, George Town at 3:00p.m. Viewing will be from 2:00-2:45p.m. Ms. Adlam will be repatriated to Jamaica. August 27, 2016 at Elmslie Memorial United Church, In Loving Memory of Lindora Bodden-Chollette July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986 The Heart is like a Treasure Chest It’s Filled with Souvenirs It’s where we store the memories of the ones we hold so dear Lovingly remembered by children, grand & great-grandchildren in the Cayman Islands, USA and the UK. Submitted by: Millie Andrews-Banker In Loving Memory of In Loving Memory of In Loving Memory of In Loving Memory of Lindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-CholletteLindora Bodden-Chollette July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986July 28th 1909-August 26, 1986 Lovingly remembered by children, Lovingly remembered by children, Lovingly remembered by children, Lovingly remembered by children, Lovingly remembered by children, Lovingly remembered by children, Lovingly remembered by children, grand & great-grandchildren in the grand & great-grandchildren in the Cayman Islands, USA and the UK. Cayman Islands, USA and the UK. Submitted by: Millie Andrews-BankerSubmitted by: Millie Andrews-Banker Submitted by: Millie Andrews-Banker Submitted by: Millie Andrews-Banker Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Allan Shirley Ebanks of Bodden Town, who passed away on Saturday, August 20, 2016. Details for a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. We regret to announce the passing of Captain Alton Churchill Bodden Who departed this life on Tuesday August 16, 2016 The Service of Thanksgiving will be held on Saturday August 27, 2016 at 4:00 PM at the Church of God Chapel - Walkers Road In lieu of flowers donations will be accepted for the Zak Quappe Scholarship Fund for young men to enter flight school. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Bicycle squads boost neighborhood policing JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Police have revealed their latest weapon in the fight against crime in Cayman – pedal power. Neighborhood officers on mountain bikes, com- plete with sirens and flashing blue lights, have been on pa- trol around George Town since last week in a new community policing initiative. The aim is to increase po- lice visibility and allow offi- cers more direct interaction with the public. Robert Graham, super- intendent of District Op- erations, said the bike pa- trols, involving officers from the Neighborhood Po- licing Department, would ultimately be expanded to other districts. “This is about commu- nity engagement and commu- nity reassurance, but it’s also about fighting crime because this kind of nimble, respon- sive police presence has a de- terrent effect.” The cycle squad officers have traded in their regular uniforms for police shorts and shirts, and the thirsty work of pedaling around the district in the summer heat. Police Constable Chris- topher Donaldson said the bikes offer more flexibility. “You can stop easily and speak to anyone, so you are in the community more. You can also reach rural areas not easily reached by cars, and disrupt illegal activities like ganja smoking.” PC Charles Ebanks added, “There are also burglars who use bikes, and also street in- decent assaults have been committed using bikes – it’s easier to catch someone on a bicycle if you are too.” The officers say being on a bike makes it easier to engage with residents in narrow backstreets. On pa- trol last week, they say, they spoke at length with an el- derly woman who said she had not interacted with a po- lice officer in several years. “They are really useful for tourist areas as well,” said PC Ebanks. “We can ma- neuver easily among crowds of people when the cruise ships arrive. “The only drawback is the heat. It can get a little rough around midday.” Police have previously faced criticism for a per- ceived lack of foot patrols in the community. Mr. Graham said using of- ficers on bikes gives them a greater range to cover various beats and provides another tool to increase community interaction and respond to crimes in less built-up areas. “It is about making the best use of the resources we have,” he said. Officers on bikes interact with tourists around George Town. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY A neighborhood officer patrols George Town on his mountain bike.DISTRICT DAYS 9 District Days East End North Side CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 50 YEARS AGO: Vacation Bible school wraps up with a show In the Aug. 24, 1966 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, North side correspondent Nettie McCoy wrote: “The closing exercises of the Vacation Bible School were held on the 17th. Com- mencing at 2 p.m. the chil- dren rendered a programme of songs etc. which they had been taught. The Junior High children also put on a short play which they, with their teacher, had written. “Items of hand work which the children had made were on display. Several of the parents were present and these helped to provided a big spread of refreshments for the whole party. A very enjoyable time was spent to- gether, and much credit is due to Mr. and Mrs. Yaegar and their assistants who so ably conducted the Bible School in this district … “Mr. Bloomfield Connolly and his mother, who went to Jamaica for a short vacation, returned on Saturday. “Mr. Lovene Miller and William Ebanks left on the 20th to take up work on a ship in Europe. “Mr. Franklin Smith left on the 18th to join the S.S. Imperial St. Lawrence in Halifax, Nova Scotia.” In the same issue, East End correspondent Charles Dixon wrote: “Mr. and Mrs. Rayburn Conolly are happy to have Mrs. Colleen Chong and her daughter Charmane as their guests for two weeks. They are friends of Mr. and Mrs. Fernando Archibald and we wish for them a very enjoy- able holiday. “Born to Mr. and Mrs. Wallington Dixon on the 18th was the precious gift of a son. Mother and baby are fine. “Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Conolly and daughters Eleese and Madria, Mrs. Annie McLaughlin and Mr. Leonza Conolly all re- turned to the U.S. on the 18th after spending an enjoyable holiday. “We are happy to report that four of the team from the Presbyterian Church of Fort Myers resided at East End at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ennis McLaughlin, and two at Sand Bluff with Mr. and Mrs. Frank Conolly. During the day all worked at North Side assisting in the building of the new church and in the evenings, when they re- turned, they conducted Bible School which was well at- tended throughout. “During their stay they made many friends, visited many homes and saw var- ious handicrafts such as baskets and ropemaking, hammock and turtle net weaving. They also visited a few of the large caves. They all spent a very wonderful time and left on the 18th to return to the U.S. with many pleasant memories of Grand Cayman. “Arriving on the 18th from Jamaica to spend some time with her grand- parents Mr. and Mrs. Allen McLaughlin, was Miss Betty Ann Fuller. “Mr. Brazley McLaughlin returned on the 18th to spend his vacation. He is employed by National Bulk Carriers. “Leaving on the 20th to work with National Bulk Carriers were Messrs. Carlos Forbes and Ainsley McLaughlin. “Mr. Carlton Pearson re- turned from Jamaica on the 20th after receiving medical treatment. “Mr. Denby Rankine left for Jamaica on the 21st to spend some time with friends.” FC International hosts summer camp The free camps have been hosted islandwide and in the community since 1994 ALMA CHOLLETTE achollette@pinnaclemedialtd.com All week long and just days be- fore the start of the new school year, local football organization FC Inter- national has been hosting its annual summer camp program in the dis- trict of North Side. Held at the Old Man Bay Foot- ball Field since Monday, the camp has seen more than 30 young ath- letes work on improving their tal- ents in the program designed to instill ball, teamwork and discipline skills. FC International Football Camps have been hosted islandwide and in the community since 1994. The camps are free to children and help develop fundamental skills and dis- cipline in the sport. According to FC International’s camp technical director and coach Elbert McLean, the turnout has been good. With just over 30 kids attending the camp, open to young- sters ages 6 to 16, on its first day some 43 junior footballers gath- ered at the North Side field to train and learn. “And we’re going through the basics with a focus on the discipline,” said Mr. McLean. In addition to supporting young athletes, FC International has pro- vided training and advancement opportunities for many volunteer coaches known as “junior coaches.” Junior coaches are usually se- lected from among a pool of under-17 football players who show the ap- titude and respect for the sport. They are also often selected from McLean’s own football program. Four of this summer’s 10 camp coaches on staff are coaches in training, including 16-year-old Jamal “JJ” McLean, who says the experience has been exciting. “It was kind of difficult at the beginning,” he said, “but I started learning from other coaches from the past couple of years [and] I feel confident in myself and enjoy being a junior coach.” “Knowing I had the ability to work with different age groups,” he said, has been the most rewarding aspect of his post. “JJ is a junior coach but I also prepare him for the future,” said the camp’s technical director. “This summer alone, he has been excellent with the kids.” The footballers Despite being the only two girls at camp on Wednesday, 11-year-old Esmeralda McLaughlin, and 14-year- old Trina Greenidge were thrilled to have spent time on the field before going back to school. For Esmeralda, who will be going into Year 7, “it’s really fun at- tending camp.” “My dad, Gonzalo, is a coach for Tigers FC, my brother is a football player and football is what I love to do,” said the 11-year-old. “I can’t kick straight yet,” said Es- meralda, also a field and bat player in cricket and a wing defense player in netball. “But I try.” With her 14-year-old brother having traveled to California to play with a Los Angeles-based club earlier this year, Trina said she joined camp primarily to “learn how to play football.” “It’s a great sport,” said Trina, who will be entering Year 9 at John Gray High School this fall. Both girls joked that they prefer being goalkeeper because they do not have to do much running. Jason Kerr, 13, who also at- tended the George Town camp last week, has visited the island for the past three summers. He said he at- tended the camp in North Side be- cause it is “a great way to interact and make friends.” Jason, an admirer of Brazilian footballer Neymar, picked up the sport only about four years ago and is a left wing, center and defensive wing player on the field. As for 12-year-old Jamar Barron, who joined the camp with his brothers Jaron and Jona- than, football has been his favorite sport, which he has been playing for a long time. “Nothing really happens in North Side unless FC comes up here and puts these camps on – thanks to Mr. Kennedy,” said coach McLean, refer- ring to FC International president Kennedy Ebanks. “I thank God that we had no inju- ries and that everything went well,” said Mr. Ebanks. “We hope the rest of the camps end up the same. “I want to thank the parents for having trust in us over the years, and I wish to thank all who helped sup- port the program.” For more information on the summer camps, call coach McLean at 925-7296 or FC International at 926-1993. Nine-year-old Jaron BarronYounger FC International camp players have a go at the ball at Old Man Bay Football Field. – PHOTOS: ALMA CHOLLETTENext >