SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX Main cover title goes here High of 92 Low of 82 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. ABCDE NATIONAL WEEKLY Politics Fear and loathing in 2016 6 Nation South sees rise in craft breweries 8 Features Your dog really does get you 17 5 Myths Mosquitoes 23 There are 23 craft breweries in Asheville, N.C. for 90,000 residents, the densest concentratio n in the country. 2,347: Amount of craft breweries in America in 2012, according to the Brewers Association.5,000: Amount of craft breweries by the end of this year, if trends hold. A FORTRESS AGAINST FEAR In the rural Pacific Northwest, some are preparing for calamity. PAGE 12 THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 . IN COLLABORATION WITH THE WASHINGTON POST A fortress against fear EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ON CAYMAN AIRWAYS: ‘IS THIS SEAT FREE?’ ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 10 PCS 2 LG SIDES 5 BISCUITS 2L PEPSI Officials: Cayman Airways provides value for money Cayman, Honduras leaders talk flights, food MATT LAMERS mlamers@pinnaclemedialtd.com The importation of food, di- rect flights and a partnership for an undersea telecommunications cable were on the agenda in bi- lateral talks between the leaders of Cayman and Honduras Friday. A delegation from the Cen- tral American nation, in- cluding President Juan Or- lando Hernández, made a brief visit to George Town last week, after a Cayman delegation including Premier Alden McLaughlin, Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell and Cayman Airways CEO Fabian Whorms visited Honduras in mid-August. “We also discussed opportunities which seem available for there to be direct importation of produce, sea- food and meats from Honduras to Cayman,” the premier said at a press conference Friday afternoon. Premier McLaughlin said im- porting foodstuffs from Hon- duras would increase the quality of food in Cayman, “at a signifi- cantly reduced cost, avoiding the need for the goods to first be shipped to Miami.” The leaders also continued talks regarding a strategic alliance involving Hon- duras and Cayman Airways, particularly “the role that Cayman Airways can play in providing increasing lift into Roatán, La Ceiba, and other cities,” the premier JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Airways will continue to need significant funding from gov- ernment as long as it is required to serve unprofitable but strategi- cally valuable routes like New York and Dallas, the airline’s CEO Fabian Whorms said last week. By funding the airline to the tune of around $21 million a year he said government was essentially subsidizing flight prices to bring big spending tourists from the wealth- iest parts of the U.S. to the island. He said the funding also en- abled the national airline to set the price point that other carriers had to follow, ensuring low fares into the Cayman Islands from all air- lines operating out of gateway cities. The strategy helps ensure wealthy tourists chose Cayman over rival destinations, he claimed. Citing a report that the Ber- muda government paid more than $3 million annually to secure a single weekly flight out of Toronto, Cayman Airways Chief Financial Of- ficer Paul Tibbetts suggested rival destinations that did not have their own airline were at a serious com- petitive disadvantage. Facing questions from legislators at the Public Accounts Committee last week, the officials said govern- ment was getting a significant re- turn on its annual investment in PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » Premier McLaughlin said importing foodstuffs from Honduras would increase the quality of food in Cayman, “at a significantly reduced cost, avoiding the need for the goods to first be shipped to Miami.” From left, Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández, Premier Alden McLaughlin, Honduras Minister of Economic Development Arnaldo Castillo, Minister of Tourism Moses Kirkconnell and Governor Helen Kilpatrick at a meeting Friday. Cayman and Honduras discussed the importation of food, direct flights linking the nations and a partnership for an undersea telecommunications cable, among other topics. Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández and Premier Alden McLaughlin chat on the tarmac at Owen Roberts International Airport.2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. - MONDAY - SEPTEMBERS OF SHIRAZ (PG13) 1:20 | 4:15 | 7:10 | 10:00 DONT BREATHE (R) 12:50 | 3:00 | 5:10 | 7:30 | 9:45 MECHANIC RESURRECTION (R) 1:10 | 3:40 | 7:20 | 10:10 WAR DOGS (R) 7:00 | 9:40 PETE’S DRAGON 3D (PG) 12:30 | 3:15 2D | 6:45 | 9:30 2D SUICIDE SQUAD 3D (PG13) 12:45 | 3:50 2D | 6:55 | 9:50 2D 640-FILM (640-3456) #1 Alexander Place • Dorcy Drive, GT caymankarateacademy@gmail.com www.caymankarateacademy.com Telephone: 926-5425 Back to School SPECIAL 2 Week Trial Program Including Uniform $49 for ALMA CHOLLETTE achollette@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than 250 appli- cations were submitted at a recruitment drive on Wednesday by those seeking to join the emergency and prison services. The drive at the Town Hall in George Town was a joint initiative of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice, the Cayman Islands Fire Service and Her Majesty’s Cayman Islands Prison Ser- vice in a bid to recruit Cay- manian officers. Those who attended had the opportunity to net- work with officers and HR managers to explore career options. The drive attracted men and women of all ages and young Caymanians, in par- ticular. Two of the youngest who applied for the fire ser- vice were students Jhan- naye Bodden, 18, and Fernando Soler, 19. “I felt there was a need to serve my country, as they needed more recruits,” Mr. Soler said. Ms. Bodden, who also ap- plied to join the prison and police services, said she finds the fire service to be more of an interesting career move. With not very many fe- male firefighters serving in the force, Ms. Bodden told the Compass that she hopes to “actually make it into the Fire Department.” Also keen on joining the fire service was 23-year-old Michael Travis McLaughlin, who hopes to learn a lot from joining. According to sub-officer Rodney Rivers of the Cayman Islands Fire Service, “I think it was important that some- thing like this was organized. It’s been an excellent turnout this afternoon.” Mr. Rivers was one of several fire officers at the drive who introduced a slate of gadgets used by the department. According to Clara Smith, human resources and freedom of informa- tion manager for the fire ser- vice, more than 150 applica- tions had been received by the department two hours into the three-hour event. She said the service hopes to recruit 15 people. While women are typi- cally outnumbered by men in law enforcement, the RCIPS booth did not lack for women wanting to join the force. Kimberly Salgado, who tried to join the RCIPS last year, hoped to be suc- cessful in applying on her second attempt. “Plenty of officers have encouraged me to come out,” she said, “so here I am, trying a second time.” Police Constable Patricia Sevik said, “There is hon- estly a lack of females in any form of service, whether it be prison, fire or police, so I am encouraging females to come out and show that we can be just as good as men on the job.” As a friend of Ms. Sal- gado, PC Sevik accompanied her for support. The RCIPS recruitment effort runs through Sept. 5, so the total number of ap- plicants is not yet known. However, police Inspector Kevin Ashworth said, “We’ve been taken aback, really, by how many people have ac- tually arrived [at the re- cruitment event]. We’ve been absolutely amazed.” The prison service’s HR manager, Raquel Solomon, agreed: “The turnout has been phenomenal, with a solid 200 applications.” Services recruitment drive draws hundreds Fire Officer Jon-Mikol Rankin talks about the Jaws of Life tool with fire service hopefuls at a recruitment drive at the Town Hall in George Town on Wednesday. Fire service sub-officer Rodney Rivers explains the functions of a thermal imaging camera to potential fire service recruits. - PHOTOS: ALMA CHOLLETTE Airline passenger cautioned, then charged with the offense of Disorderly Conduct A traveler was arrested by Cayman’s Customs De- partment for disorderly conduct after he wrote “indecent words” on his declaration card. The man arrived at Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport on Aug. 22. on a flight from the U.S. “A male passenger ar- rived on an American Air- lines flight from Miami, Florida. After clearing through Immigration and arriving within the Cus- toms controlled area, the passenger produced his Declaration Card but had failed to declare a partic- ular item,” Acting Deputy Collector Jeff Jackson wrote in a press release. “The passenger was ad- vised and given back the declaration card so that the item could be properly declared. The passenger then took the declaration card and wrote ‘indecent words’ on it and returned it to the Customs officer. “The passenger was then arrested and cau- tioned and subsequently charged with the offence of Disorderly Conduct. Customs Officers under- stand the challenges of border protection and we will continue our im- portant role in defeating crime and protecting our borders,” said Mr. Jackson. Acting Collector of Customs Marlon Bodden said, “We want to make it abundantly clear that the Customs Depart- ment will not tolerate any passenger(s) conducting themselves in any rude or unacceptable manner through their words or conduct and we will take action towards this type of behaviour. “Passengers should al- ways be mindful of the consequences of going to Court, which could attract cost, expenses, missed days from work and may sabotage future back- ground checks.” “We want to make it abundantly clear that the Customs Department will not tolerate any passenger(s) conducting themselves in any rude or unacceptable manner.” MARLON BODDEN, Acting Collector of Customs Arrest for writing ‘indecent words’ on declaration card3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 A Miami Shopping Spree is in the cards! †Conditions apply including a minimum spending amount of US$25 to obtain an entry into the competition. Subject to credit approval. Offers subject to change without notice. The trip to Miami is for the cardholder (and his/her guest) who has fulfilled all the Terms and Conditions of the contest and whose name is selected as the winner. The trip includes airfare to and from Miami for the winner and guest, plus US$1,000 (or local equivalent) that will be credited to his/her credit card. Visit cayman.scotiabank. com/shopmiami for full Terms & Conditions or pick up a brochure in branch. ®Registered trademark of the Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. ®MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. American Airlines®, AAdvantage® and Million Miler are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. Visit your branch or cayman.scotiabank.com/shopmiami Use your card today! Contest and Welcome Bonus ends September 30, 2016. NEED A CARD? APPLY TODAY! Get a Welcome Bonus plus additional chances to win when you use your new card.† #ShopMiami Use your Scotiabank credit card and you could win round-trip airline tickets for 2 to Miami plus US$1,000 to spend.† Here’s how to win 1 of these 10 trips! Use any Scotiabank credit card for all your purchases and payments. The more you use your card, the more chances you’ll get to win.† Cayman_Miami_CreditCard2016_Compass_JrPage_6.8222x12.indd 18/16/16 10:02 PM Sentence cut for coke in hammocks case Judge’s starting point was too high, Court of Appeal finds CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal reduced from 12 years to 10 the sen- tence imposed on Kenecia Melissa Millwood after she was found guilty of im- porting over six pounds of cocaine in 2014. At- torney Amelia Fosuhene argued successfully on Thursday that 12 years was manifestly excessive. The cocaine had been se- creted in the wooden frames of three hammocks Millwood brought back with her after a trip to Colombia. She elected to be tried in Grand Court, where she told the jury she had bought two hammocks as presents and one for her- self, not knowing that they contained cocaine. The jury did not accept her account. After a social inquiry re- port, Justice Ingrid Man- gatal sentenced Millwood to 12 years imprisonment. She explained that she was using a starting point of 17 years, having regard to the large amount and the so- phisticated method of con- cealment. The judge then considered Millwood’s dif- ficult childhood as revealed by the social inquiry report, along with health issues. She accepted the defendant’s lesser role in the importa- tion, saying Millwood, then 24, really did appear to be a person who was vulnerable and easily exploited. In presenting Millwood’s appeal, Ms. Fosuhene sub- mitted a 2012 case from the U.K. in which the Court of Appeal judges dealt with six women who had been sentenced for importing co- caine. None was shown to have been an entrepre- neur, but each worked for someone engaged in large- scale buying and selling. The U.K. court described the women as couriers, in the sense that they were all dealt with on the basis that the cocaine belonged to other people. “It is important to say that that does not mean that all who can attract that description are the same,” the court noted. “Their culpability is likely to vary. At its simplest there are those who are ex- ploited or oppressed by others, and there are those who engage voluntarily in the couriering of drugs, are in it for the money and have the freedom to make the de- cision. There are many other gradations of culpability,” the U.K. court said. After Millwood’s trial, the Crown and defense had agreed that she was a low- level drug mule rather than a courier. The distinction was explained as a courier being someone who has some un- derstanding of the scale of the operation, while the mule is a person “packed up and sent on their way.” Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran replied to Ms. Fosuhene’s ar- guments by referring to ev- idence in Millwood’s trial that he said indicated she was actively involved in the importation process. He ar- gued that 17 years was not an excessive starting point and he cited a local case in which 12 years was imposed after a guilty plea. In delivering the Court of Appeal’s decision, Justice Dennis Morrison referred to the local tariff for drug of- fenses. He pointed out that the guidelines announced by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie in 2002 were applicable, not the U.K. guidelines. The maximum sentence is 35 years and an unlimited fine, but that is for the worst offense by the worst of- fender; the tariff is 15 years or more for substantial dealings in hard drugs. For a person playing a lesser role, the usual starting point has been eight years, with a range from six to nine years, Jus- tice Morrison noted. Justice Morrison heard the appeal with court presi- dent Sir John Goldring and Justice Sir George Newman. In announcing their de- cision, he pointed out that Justice Mangatal had been asked to consider Millwood’s lesser role. He said the court was unable to say that the judge had erred in doing so. As appeal judges, they were concerned that the sentence starting point may have been too high; they thought 15 years would be the more ap- propriate starting point. Notwithstanding a reluc- tance to interfere, they ap- plied the starting point of 15 years and determined that 10 years was the ap- propriate sentence. They pointed out that the sentencing judge had heard all of the evidence during the trial. “At its simplest there are those [couriers] who are exploited or oppressed by others, and there are those who engage voluntarily in the couriering of drugs, are in it for the money and have the freedom to make the decision.” U.K. COURT RULING BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A female tourist was in- decently assaulted during a mugging that occurred along South Church Street in George Town last month. According to initial re- ports from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the woman was walking along the street near Sunset House on Aug. 26 when she was approached by a man riding a bicycle who stole her handbag. However, the RCIPS did not state at the time that the tourist had been indecently assaulted during the incident as well. “Apparently, this was a groping incident,” RCIPS Chief Inspector Harlan Powery con- firmed this weekend. The suspect in the attack, who had not been arrested as of press time Sunday, was de- scribed as a teenager, about five feet tall with short hair and a dark complexion. The suspect had a scar or cut over his right ear. Anyone who saw someone fitting this description at around 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26 – around the time the attack occurred – is asked to contact George Town Police Station at 949-4222. Police: Tourist attack was ‘indecent assault’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. MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS On Cayman Airways: ‘Is this seat free?’ In the early 1990s, U.S. air carrier Southwest Airlines offered a promotion called “Friends Fly Free” – where a paying passenger could obtain a second ticket at no cost. The two-for-one special was considered the best deal in the industry. For some in the Cayman Islands, there has been even a sweeter deal. You see, Cayman Airways board members who served before 2009 were awarded unlimited free flights for themselves and their depen- dents – for life! In 2009, the policy was adjusted, according to the airline’s Chief Financial Officer Paul Tibbetts, so that newer board members (and their dependents) are now eligible for free flights while they serve on the board, plus an equivalent duration after they resign from the board. (For example, a board member serving for five years would get free tickets during their tenure, plus an additional five years afterward.) Mr. Tibbetts told the Legislative Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, “Board members get no monetary compensation. In exchange for their serving they get flight benefits.” As we reported in last Friday’s Compass, about 100 people have free flights under the old policy and 30 under the new policy. Together, they take about 250 flights each year. That number isn’t included in the 3,000 free flights given away each year to Cayman Airways staff, retired staff and their dependents – who, unlike the board members, have to fly on a “standby” basis, meaning they’ll get bumped if the flight is full of paying passen- gers. This is a standard benefit for employees in the airline industry. (For comparison and disclosure, Compass employees get a free copy of the daily newspaper – if they can find one around the office.) Mr. Tibbetts said it’s tough to quantify the costs to Cayman Airways of providing the free flight benefits. We believe him. First, for staffers flying on standby, the presump- tion is the seats they are taking wouldn’t have been sold anyway. But even for the board members getting standard tickets for free, the calculation isn’t as simple as multiplying the number of free tickets by an “average” listed airfare. The “squishiness” in accounting is directly related to the fundamental problem in trying to evaluate the utility of Cayman Airways. Because certain routes (deemed “strategically valuable” by tourism officials) are subsidized heavily by Cayman’s government, not all plane fares are created equal. For example, to use ballpark figures cited by Cayman Airways CEO Fabian Whorms in front of the PAC, the advertised airfare between Grand Cayman and New York City may be $299 … but in reality it “costs” another $300 per pas- senger to operate that flight, which the government covers in the form of annual subsidies. Tourism and airline officials point to consultancy reports and theorize about marketing in order to justify why Cayman Airways’ loss-making routes (i.e., Chicago, Dallas, NYC) provide an overall net benefit to the country. We tend to agree with those assertions. Nevertheless, Cayman Airways has become an expensive proposition. The airline receives government subsidies of $20 million to $25 million per year. That’s the equivalent of about $400 annually for each man, woman and child resident in these islands. It is, therefore, essential that our national airline not be perceived as a train (more precisely, a “gravy train”) for directors, their relatives, and current and former staffers. Cuba policy ‘irrational’ NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD Nine Latin American gov- ernments have called on the U.S. to end its preferential im- migration policy for Cubans, calling it “discriminatory” and a boon to human smug- gling networks that transport U.S.-bound Cuban migrants through their countries. Even as the Obama ad- ministration has taken bold steps to normalize relations with Cuba, it has been reluc- tant to rescind the “wet foot, dry foot” immigration policy, fearing that a change would set off an even larger exodus. But delay will make this net- tlesome problem only worse. If the Obama administration refuses to act, the issue will have to be resolved by the next administration. As it stands, this anach- ronistic policy is irrational, strains relations with Ameri- ca’s neighbors and endangers lives. It also has the effect of easing pressure on Cuba’s au- thoritarian government to make economic and political reforms by offering an incen- tive to those who are most dis- satisfied with the status quo to take a dangerous way out. © 2016, Associated Press Taking a bite of the EU’s economic ‘Apple’ THE TELEGRAPH (LONDON) EDITORIAL BOARD Of all the distortions and misunderstandings propa- gated by the politicians who sought to keep Britain in- side the European Union, perhaps the worst was the idea that EU membership represented a commitment to economic openness and free markets while leaving would be an act of economic regression, a rejection of free markets in favor of closed economies and the policies of the past. As with so many of the Remain camp’s arguments, the evidence since Britain’s referendum vote has shown this one to be wholly incor- rect. Just as the U.K. economy has so far failed to live up to the Remainers’ prophe- sies of doom, so the EU has failed utterly to demonstrate the commitment to economic openness they insisted on at- tributing to it. Indeed, the EU has done the opposite, showing that it is instinctively opposed to the free-trade and pro-busi- ness policies that are the best way to deliver prosperity, freedom and fairness. The European Commis- sion’s dealings with Apple and Ireland are a textbook example of what is wrong with the EU, both economi- cally and politically. Econom- ically, a punitive approach to the taxation of highly mobile international corporations is an act of self-harm: such firms can and will relocate to countries that do not seek to milk them for every penny of tax they can. Politically, it is an affront to democracy that the un- elected Commission in Brus- sels should presume to dictate to Ireland’s government what taxes it should levy. Nor is this an approach only applied to smaller states: last week, some EU leaders warned Britain against further cuts in corporation tax. Meanwhile, politicians in Germany and France are in an unseemly rush to declare the death of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Part- nership, the proposed free- trade deal between the EU and the U.S. TTIP as drafted was not perfect (what international agreement is?) and the eco- nomic gains may not be as large as some advocates sug- gest. But the detail is less im- portant than the broad prin- ciple: the more countries trade with each other, the richer and more stable the world becomes. And the EU has rejected free trade. We must remember that U.K.-EU relations are only part of the future. Out- side the EU we will be free to pursue the ideals of free trade and free markets with new vigor. Downing Street’s reac- tion to the Apple case was the right one: if Ireland and the EU do not want a huge, wealth-creating firm doing business in their territory, Apple will be very welcome in the U.K. Britain’s approach to trade should be the same. If the EU does not wish to strike a deal with the world’s biggest economy, Britain will happily pursue a free-trade agreement. Being an EU member techni- cally prevents the U.K. from starting trade negotiations with other states, a restric- tion that is one of the best reasons for Theresa May to get Brexit under way sooner rather than later. Whenever our departure comes, however, we must re- member that Brexit brings opportunities and that many of these will be found far away from an EU that is showing its true colors as a hidebound and inward- looking organization unfit for the 21st century. © 2016, Associated Press 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”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 ‘Age of Romance’ Pirates Week theme JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Pirates Week kicks off in Grand Cayman on Nov. 10 under the theme “Age of Romance.” Melanie McField, Pirates Week ex- ecutive director, said that over the past 39 years, the national festival has grown into the biggest annual at- traction in the Cayman Islands. During the official launch at the Government Administration Building on Wednesday, Ms. McField presented the events planned for this year, cov- ering 14 days of activities starting in Little Cayman on Nov. 4 and 5. In Grand Cayman, events are scheduled for Nov. 10-20 and include the pirates landing, Miss Festival Queen Contest and district Heritage Days. Pirates Week then moves to Cayman Brac on Nov. 25, and draws to a close that weekend with a family bonfire and welcome party on the Brac. The Pirates Week and the Pirates Week Office encourages all schools, the business community, non- profits, floats and festival competi- tors to use this year’s theme in their central design ideas. The festival will offer musical en- tertainment, heritage, sports, culture, costumes and cuisine in a display that caters to all ages and interests. Ms. McField said the aim of Pi- rates Week is to increase visitor ar- rivals during the off-season, to high- light the creative talents of local people and to pass down traditions and enjoy what the Cayman Islands has to offer. Ms. McField said the district Her- itage Days will incorporate cultural entities such as the National Gallery, the Cayman Islands Cultural Foun- dation and the Tourism Attraction Board’s sister agencies – the Botanic Park and Pedro St. James Castle. The festival office is subsidized by the Tourism Attraction Board, and the festival is sponsored by the government and private sector. At a press conference on Wednesday, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell was presented with a copy of the Pi- rates Week poster, which highlights a swashbuckling couple encouraging the “Year of Romance.” Joseph Hew, councilor for tourism, said the festival is a mam- moth undertaking and the Pirates Week Office depends heavily on the commitment of volunteers to en- sure that the festival is run in a safe and timely matter. He appealed to all those who would like to lend a hand during the festival to contact the Pirates Week Office. Sponsor Frank Roulstone, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell, Pirates Week Executive Director Melanie McField and Joseph Hew, councilor for tourism, pose with the new poster. Pirates arrive at a previous Bodden Town district Heritage Day. - PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY District and Heritage Committees Chairpersons’ committee contact information North Side: Jay Ebanks, 916- 4249 or jayebanks@aol.com George Town: Dale Ramoon, jimmyd@candw.ky; Cheryl Myles: 916-5938 or central.scranton@gmail.com West Bay: Doey Kelly, 916- 1163 or doeykelly@yahoo.com John Smith: 925-1605 or djlil- john.smith@gmail.com; Zeta Bodden: 916-1559 or zeta. bodden@gov.ky East End: Edney McLean, 917- 6031; and Kendal Connor, 925- 8992 or lion.darla@yahoo.com Bodden Town: Mary Law- rence, 924-2406 or lawrence. maryj@gmail.com Cayman Brac: Liz Walton- Thompson, 948-2256 or Liz_ Walton@bic.ky; Melanie Scott, 924-3205 or dzhoneybee80@hotmail.com; Simone Scott, simones@ candw.ky Little Cayman: Kerry Scott, kerry_damien@yahoo.co.ukDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days George Town MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS PROUD OF THEM Ayanna Davis-Eden, Felicia Connor honored Ayanna Davis-Eden and Felicia Connor of George Town were among the 12 Proud of Them finalists honored at a reception at the George Town Yacht Club in August. Candidates were nomi- nated by friends, acquain- tances and community members for achievements in academics, sports, ca- reer, culture, business and community service. Ayanna Davis-Eden Ayanna, 12, is the youngest Proud of Them fi- nalist yet. Ayanna is a student at Triple C who has been rec- ognized for her academic ac- complishments. During her first year of high school, Ayanna placed on the Citizenship Honor Roll and the Academic Honor Roll. She was also awarded for her perfect attendance and named the most outstanding student in various subjects, including art, science, social studies, English and study skills. At Prospect Primary, she was on the Principal’s Honor Roll each year and was a pre- fect, the deputy head girl and a hall monitor. Ayanna grad- uated with awards in sports, social studies, science, math- ematics, language, Spanish, art, academic excellence and citizenship. In addition to being in- volved with the Rainbows, Brownies, film and football clubs throughout primary school, Ayanna also partic- ipated in the Department of Tourism’s film competi- tion, Cayman Through My Eyes, in which she placed second and won the People’s Choice Award. Ayanna is president of her school’s Save Our Youth club, a member of the Youth Experiencing Salvation club, and a member of the choir, band and swim team. Outside of school, Ayanna is co-host and musical di- rector of the Youth Flex Show, a Radio Cayman and Youth Services Unit initiative. She is in the Missionettes youth program; has a pas- sion for the culinary arts; and has competed and placed in several competitions, in- cluding Teen Chopped com- petition, which she won. She placed second in Triple C’s Cupcake War. In the Home Gas Thanksgiving School Cook-Off, she finished third. Ayanna also has teamed up with her elder sister to create Gloria Rose Delights, a baked goods business. Felicia Connor Felicia Connor, 20, has had a keen interest in reading and spelling since she was a child. In the third grade, she represented her school in the Royal Bank of Canada Pri- mary Spelling Bee, finishing in second place. She graduated primary school with honors. Felicia then went on to study at Cayman Prep and High School, where she re- ceived recognition for ac- ademic achievement in geography, mathematics, in- formation technology, reli- gious education and art. She also has a passion for sports. In primary school, her team won the Inter Primary Netball Rally Championships as well as the Inter-Primary A League Championships. She continued to play netball in high school, both in school and in outside leagues. She also plays basketball, football, badminton, tennis, squash and field hockey. Her ath- letic ability won her the Fe- male Sportsperson of the Year award at Cayman Prep. Felicia was awarded a scholarship in academics and athletics, which allowed her to move to California and play basketball at Cap- istrano Valley Christian High School. In her junior year, she made it into the San Joaquin League, where she received honorable mention. At Capistrano Valley Christian she received all A’s. She was also named a Scholar Athlete, the Stu- dent of the Semester in art and yearbook, and received the Head of School’s Award for Excellence. Felicia earned a schol- arship at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where she plays for the university’s National Association of In- tercollegiate Athletics Divi- sion 1 basketball team. She is studying criminal justice and has a grade point average of 3.64. She was also inducted into the Honors Award As- sembly, and was named the Rennard Strickland School of Criminal Justice and Tribal Law Associate of Science Stu- dent of the Year. Ayanna Davis-EdenFelicia Connor 50 YEARS AGO Turen, Kirkconnell wedding draws hundreds In the Sept. 7, 1966 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Compass, news from George Town included: “Hundreds attend Kirk- connell rites: On the 31st of August Miss Rita Turen became Mrs. Yorke Kirk- connell at a ceremony per- formed a the Elmslie Me- morial United Church by the Rev. John Lord. “The large congrega- tion who came to witness the marriage were ushered in by Capt. Eldon Kirkcon- nell, Capt. Theo. Bodden and Mr. Esterley Tibbetts. On the arm of her father, Teppo Turen, the bride en- tered the church beauti- fully gowned … the bride was attended by flower girls Judy and Terry Rutty and bridesmaids Robin Hatch (chief), Ruth Hatch, Elizabeth Kirkconnell and Julie Rutty. “Waiting on the groom were his brother Michael as best man and Harry Ch- isholm and Attlee Bodden as groomsmen. “The reception, held at Club Inferno, was attended by several hundred guests. The Hon. T.W. Farrington, O.B.E., J.P. was M.C. “On Tuesday the 30th between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. a mosquito trap was stolen from prop- erty owned by Mr. J.D. Macdonald, adjacent to the airport. “This trap with the battery is valued at 18 pounds and was on loan from the Indian River Mosquito Abatement Dis- trict, Vero Beach, Florida in order to see if this type of trap would be useful here. It has in fact been found very suitable and an order has been placed with the Crown agents for 50 which, with spare mo- tors and not including batteries, will cost 800 pounds. “In addition to taking this trap, presumably the same person split a tent-like trap, also on loan, along where the zipper joins the nylon roof. “This theft and wanton destruction has meant that an experiment, which promised good re- sults, has had to be aban- doned due to insufficient traps. Five traps had been strung right across the airfield from Monday to Friday whilst the runway was unused to check the flow of mosquitoes from the Sound moving toward Crewe Rd. “Anyone who can give any information as to the whereabouts of this trap, which is quite useless to anyone but an entomol- ogist, please communi- cate with Dr. Gigiloli or the police, or put it back where the Mosquito Con- trol Unit will find it next morning.” In the same issue, George Town correspondent Frances Bodden wrote: “A delightful party was given by Mrs. Renton Stewart (Merle) at her res- idence on Smith Road on the Aug. 22 in honor of her daughter Dawn’s 9th birthday. “In the afternoon she had the children and at night the grown-ups were invited when a curry dinner was served, which was enjoyed by all. Dawn was the recipient of many gifts and it was a happy time for her. She left on the third to return to school.”District Days George Town DISTRICT DAYS 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 Minds Inspired scholarships awarded Ethan Slocock of Cayman Prep and High School and Cristin Jackson of Grace Christian Academy have been selected as this year’s Minds Inspired high school scholar- ship winners. The Minds Inspired program, Dart’s education initiative, encom- passes several elements, including the Minds Inspired High School Scholarship that focuses on fos- tering excellence in math and sci- ence in students preparing to enter Grade 9 (Year 10) at the start of the academic year. It also includes the William A. Dart Memorial Scholarship, an an- nual islandwide high school Maths Challenge, the Dart Award in Excel- lence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) subjects, and a work experience program which pairs students with their career in- terests and provides them with practical experience. Ethan is a top student at Cayman Prep and High School and excels in STEM subjects, particularly in mathematics and computer science. Ethan represented his school in the Minds Inspired Mathematics Chal- lenge and was a participant in the U.K. Intermediate Maths Challenge in 2015 and 2016, receiving Silver and Gold medals, respectively. When Ethan is not showcasing his math- ematics skills, he enjoys sailing and roller hockey. He also represents his school at the Model United Nations and is a member of Key Club. Cristin’s dedication to her aca- demics has earned her many top honors at Grace Christian Academy as well as an A/A+ average for the last three years in core sub- ject areas. Cristin has been on the Principal’s Honour Roll every year since Grade 1 and received the 2016 Citizenship Award at Grace Chris- tian Academy. She represented her school at the Minds Inspired Mathe- matics Challenge, participated in the Rotary Science Fair and the National Children’s Festival of the Arts and volunteers as an art assistant with the festival. When not involved in her academic pursuits, Cristin plays soccer and tennis. When asked what future pro- fession they aspire to, Ethan, with his strong interest in computer sci- ence, hopes to pursue a career that combines computer science and mathematics, while Cristin would like to study medicine, with the goal of becoming a pediatrician or a cardiologist. The Minds Inspired High School Scholarship Programme consists of three main elements – a four-year high school scholarship based on academic excellence with a focus in the areas of mathematics and sci- ence, participation in a multi-year mentoring program with Dart em- ployees and special enrichment ex- periences designed to introduce new horizons and expand the re- cipients’ worldview outside of the classroom. In past years, Minds In- spired high school scholars have at- tended SuperCamp at Brown Uni- versity and Stanford University, spent time at the Dart NeuroSci- ence research facility in San Diego, California and visited the Euro- pean Organization for Nuclear Re- search, CERN, in Switzerland. “Each year, we are inspired by the growing pool of diverse student ap- plicants all of whom are simply out- standing – intelligent, curious and dedicated to a well-rounded school career,” said Dart Enterprises Chief Executive Officer Mark VanDevelde. “I am proud to welcome this year’s winners, Ethan and Cristin, to the Minds Inspired family; they both embody the Dart philos- ophy and exemplify Dart’s commit- ment to education and in particular to STEM subjects.” Dart VP of Community Develop- ment Chris Duggan added: “Being on the scholarship selection committee, I can attest to the difficulty our committee faces when choosing who to award the scholarship. Ethan and Cristin come to us with two different backgrounds and were selected not only for their academic and commu- nity involvement, but also for show- casing their potential to be excellent ambassadors for the Minds Inspired Programme. We know these scholars will go far and we are proud to be a part of that process.” The Minds Inspired High School Scholarship Programme involves a multi-step, blind-selection pro- cess designed to remove distin- guishing details such as school, age, and gender and keep the identity of the applicants confidential from the judging panel. Each year, a group of candidates are short listed from the total applications submitted. This year, 14 students were short-listed and advanced onto a second round consisting of a mathematics and sci- ence test and a timed essay. Nine students progressed to the third round, which is an in-person interview with a Dart executive. During the fourth and final round, a selection committee reviewed all of the information on each of the five selected finalists, reviewing each application with no distin- guishing details, only an applica- tion number, and selected the two scholarship recipients. The selection committee is made up of eight professionals, five leaders in the local industry and community plus three Dart senior executives. The other three exceptional stu- dents and finalists in the Minds In- spired High School Scholarship Pro- gramme were Johnathon Bedasse from Cayman Prep and High School; Ethan Cronier from St. Ignatius Catholic School; and Elana Sinclair from Cayman Prep and High School. These three students were recognized and applauded on their achievements and they will each receive a $500 Camana Bay gift card and have an opportu- nity to meet with members of the selection committee. From left, Dart education programs Manager Glenda McTaggart, DECCO Ltd. CEO Cameron Graham, Dart VP of Community Development Chris Duggan, Ethan Slocock, Cristin Jackson, Dart Enterprises CEO Mark VanDevelde and Active Investments President Alasdair Foster. Members of the Cayman Islands Seafarers Associa- tion visited the First Baptist Church on Aug. 28. Association President Capt. Owen Farrington gave a brief address, remem- bering the church’s kind offer to host the Associa- tion’s first remembrance service on Sept. 11, 2001. First Baptist later offered its choir loft for the associa- tion’s meetings until a new home could be found, be- cause it had space to hold all the members. “We have over a thou- sand members, many of whom are getting up in age and some are sick, but we are bound by our promise to help them whenever they need help,” said Mr. Farrington. The seafarers publish a calendar and hold an an- nual raffle to raise money for their activities sup- porting the less fortunate. SEAFARERS VISIT FIRST BAPTIST Members of the Cayman Islands Seafarers Association visit the First Baptist Church. - PHOTO: EZIETHAMAE BODDEN In a jam packed room at the Hard Rock Café on Aug. 26, Nicole Hoffmann brought the house down with her renditions of Jen- nifer Hudson’s song, “And I am Telling You” and Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” taking home the title of Cayman’s Karaoke Idol. The honor comes with a grand prize which includes a trip for two to Tampa from Cayman Travel Services, and tickets to see country su- perstar Carrie Underwood in concert. In addition, Ms. Hoff- mann’s demo tape will be delivered to a record execu- tive in Nashville. At the standing-room- only event emceed by Rooster FM Radio pro- gram director Doug Dodds, 18 finalists were judged on voice, accuracy, presence and crowd appreciation. New Karaoke Idol is crowned Nicole Hoffmann performs at the Karaoke Idol contest.8 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS PremierHealth BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town.Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, Cayman Brac. Tel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Ltd. acts solely as an agent on behalf of various insurers; it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. You said you needed more choice when it matters most. You got network care first with BritCay. BritCay was first to offer an overseas network option in 1995. This ensures that you get access to world class facilities. At home, we have invested in solid partnerships with local providers. They are paid on time, claims are simple and you have easy access to benefits. It means your health plan is as convenient to use overseas as it is at home. CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky cgigrp In 1984, BritCay joined Colonial Group International (CGI). In 1995, BritCay was the first company to offer Cayman residents an overseas network option with world class facilities. It was the first of many changes to come.notable firsts! MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Italy has included the Cayman Islands on the list of jurisdictions it deems cooper- ative in tax matters. The amended list reflects numerous bilateral and mul- tilateral agreements signed by Italy during the past sev- eral years and includes 51 new countries, among them offshore centers such as Ber- muda, the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The Cayman Islands signed a tax information ex- change agreement with Italy on Dec. 3, 2012, which came into force on Aug. 13, 2015. But the Italian government amended the tax coopera- tion whitelist by ministerial decree on Aug. 9 and pub- lished the list in the Official Gazette on Aug. 22. Taxpayers resident in the whitelist countries who in- vest in the Italian market have access to a range of tax benefits, and some ben- efits are afforded to Italian taxpayers dealing with whitelisted countries. Cayman Finance CEO Jude Scott welcomed Italy’s deci- sion to include the Cayman Islands on its whitelist. The inclusion will allow Cayman Islands funds to invest in Italian securities such as bonds and securi- tization instruments and receive interest payments gross of withholding tax. Cayman funds may also benefit from full exemption from Italian tax on profits attributable to them where they own more than 5 per- cent of an Italian Real Estate Investment Fund, Cayman Finance noted. Mr. Scott said Cayman’s fi- nancial services industry is encouraged by Italy’s recog- nition of the Cayman Islands for its good tax governance. “The inclusion of the Cayman Islands on Italy’s whitelist echoes to the global financial services industry its recognition of our robust framework to combat cor- ruption, money-laundering and tax evasion but as impor- tantly, Cayman’s commitment to comply with international standards of transparency and exchange of information. “It is encouraging to be recognized by many European countries and more recently Italy, on tax information ex- change. We look forward to building a stronger partner- ship with Italy and other EU countries in an effort to combat financial crimes,” he added. According to the decree, the Italian Ministry of Fi- nance will be able to remove jurisdictions from the list that do not comply with their re- porting obligations. The list is updated every six months. Although about three- quarters of Cayman-domi- ciled funds are managed by fund managers in the United States, Mr. Scott said Cay- man’s funds industry could play an increasingly impor- tant role in providing li- quidity and credit to Italian businesses, to help offset the challenges faced by Italian banks as a result of the recent global credit crises. “Cayman funds have played this role with other major economies,” he said. As a global allocator of global capital and financing, Cayman provides a platform for international investment to be made into economies that need investments and for pension funds and other in- ternational institutional in- vestors to invest into a diver- sified portfolio of securities. “The Cayman Islands en- ables parties from around the world who are domiciled in countries that may have differing laws, regulations, tax structures and customs to benefit from doing busi- ness with each other using Cayman as an efficient and ef- fective global financial hub. “This inward investment from Cayman will ultimately help stimulate economic ac- tivity, create much needed jobs and generate taxable rev- enue in Italy,” Mr. Scott said. He added that Italy’s deci- sion was a positive step for- ward for Cayman’s financial services industry in Europe, especially after the European Securities and Markets Au- thority deferred its recom- mendation on whether the Cayman Islands should be granted a passport under the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive. This passport would allow Cayman-domiciled funds to be marketed across the EU and enable Italian resident investors and pension funds to invest in Cayman-domi- ciled structures. Once the pending legisla- tion to make Cayman com- pliant with the EU funds re- gime is in place in late 2016 or early 2017, Mr. Scott said, there should be no further impediments to Cayman’s AIFMD passport application. Italy adds Cayman to tax whitelist TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Telecommunications operator Flow has identified the cause of Tuesday’s 10-hour “degradation of service” as a “fibre cut” in Miami. The company “became aware that calls between Flow and other licensed operators were failing” at about 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, FLOW Head of Mar- keting Julie Hutton said via email in response to questions from the Cayman Compass late last week. “Fur- thermore, some fixed-to-fixed and fixed/mobile-to-international call des- tinations were failing as well. “The issue was due to a fibre cut in Miami which had a knock-on ef- fect in the fixed switching platform in Cayman, which started to show un- usual and unexpected behaviour,” Hutton said. “Traffic was automatically re-routed as expected, but there was severe con- gestion on the re-routed links which caused the service degradation.” The fiber was repaired in Miami, she wrote, and the fixed switching plat- form was rebooted, which restored ser- vices at 3:27 p.m. In the wake of the day-long outage, Cayman’s telecommunications regu- lator had been critical of the com- pany. Authority Managing Director Alee Fa’amoe strongly criticized Flow for not reporting the outage to the ICTA. Ms. Hutton, however, said FLOW is only obliged to advise the ICTA when 911 services are affected. 911 services were not affected throughout the day. Ms. Hutton said FLOW had notified the authority: “[W]e also take steps in these situations to keep the ICTA in- formed and did so on this occasion,” she said. “Our aim is to adhere to reg- ulatory requirements as part of our commitment to transparency. “We kept our customers informed of the outage via a recording when calling our Customer Care centre, our social media pages and direct communication to business customers,” she said. “We were also in constant contact with other operators such as Digicel, Logic and C3 who were informed of the degradation of service and our efforts to restore. “We continue to work closely with the regulator, and remain committed to do so. We meet weekly with the regulator and other operators to dis- cuss and engineer a resilient telecoms network within the Cayman Islands,” Ms. Hutton said. “We are obliged to advise the ICTA only when 911 services are affected, which was not the case in this instance.” JULIE HUTTON, FLOW head of marketing Flow: Fiber cut in Miami led to day-long ‘degradation of service’The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 36 dead in bus-tanker collision in Afghanistan An Afghan official says at least 36 passengers including women and children have been killed when their bus collided with a fuel tanker in southern Zabul province. In May, 52 people were killed on the same highway in Ghazni province in a collision involving two buses and a fuel tanker. CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 The moment that you died, my heart was torn in two. One side lled with heartache, the other died with you. There is not a second in the day that I do not think of you, Matt. I lie awake at night and cry for you. I am heart broken, I am numb from the pain. The emptiness that I feel, no one can understand, unless you have walked that path. The only comfort I have, is that you are with our Lord; because the kind, amazing person you were, heaven is the only place you could be. I love and miss you so much, Mom In Loving Memory of Matthew Omar Owens First Anniversary in Heaven September 5, 2016 We thought of you with love today but that is nothing new. We thought about you yesterday and days before that too. We think of you in silence we often speak your name. All we have now are memories and your picture in a frame. Your memory is our keepsake with which we'll never part. God has you in his keeping we have you in our hearts. A thousand times we cried. If love alone could have saved you you never would have died. In life we loved you dearly in death we love you still. In our hearts you hold a place no one can ever ll. It broke our hearts to lose you but you didn't go alone. For a part of us went with you the day God took you home. Mom, Dad (Drew), Mommy (Ms. Jen), Tach, Mark, Chris, Baby Mathieu, Markie, Nicko, Leo, Cam & Brad. Those we love Don’t go away, They walk beside us, Every day. Unseen, unheard, But always near, So loved, so missed, So very dear. Missing you always, Tommy (best friend), Christal, Madison + Makenzie (God-daughter) Ma hew 0. Owens Jan 12, 1984 - Sept 5, 2015 Those we loveThose we love Jan 12, 1984 - Sept 5, 2015 Ma hew 0. Owens Tommy (best friend), Christal, Tommy (best friend), Christal, Madison + Makenzie (God-daughter)Madison + Makenzie (God-daughter) Ma hew 0. Owens Jan 12, 1984 - Sept 5, 2015 Madison + Makenzie (God-daughter)Madison + Makenzie (God-daughter) May, Obama talk trade in China HANGZHOU, China (AP) – British Prime Minister The- resa May said Sunday that she intends to seize new trading opportunities for a Britain that has voted to leave the European Union, re- iterating that “Brexit does in- deed mean Brexit” and there will be “no attempt to get out of this.” After May’s first meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama since she became British leader in July, the two leaders sought to downplay the impact of a British exit on the much touted “special relationship” between the U.S. and U.K. But Obama did not back away from his asser- tion, first made as he cam- paigned against the exit, that Great Britain would have to wait its turn before the United States prioritized a new, separate trade deal with a newly independent Great Britain. Obama noted the U.S. remains focused on finishing trade deals with Asia-Pacific and with the European Union. The president said that he believed that Britain’s priority meanwhile was “figuring out what Brexit means with respect to Eu- rope.” Still, Obama promised to work closely with May to avoid “adverse effects” in the trade relationship. The British people nar- rowly voted to leave the EU in June, but the government has yet to formally invoke Article 50, the EU treaty clause that would set up its departure. Invoking the clause would start a two- year countdown that would be unlikely to benefit Britain as it has not yet worked out what it wants its future rela- tionship with the European Union to look like. There is also opposition to a British exit among a significant part of the population and ques- tions over whether Parlia- ment will be given a formal vote on triggering Article 50. “There will be no second referendum, no attempt to turn the clock back, no attempt to try to get out of this,” May told reporters on the sidelines of the G-20 economic summit. “The UK will be leaving the Eu- ropean Union.” At a separate news con- ference minutes later, Eu- ropean Council President Donald Tusk reiterated the EU’s stance that they will not start negotiating with Britain on its future rela- tionship with a 27-member bloc until the British gov- ernment formally invokes Article 50. He said his words may sound “brutal,” but: “We need to protect the interests of the members of the EU that want to stay together, not the one which wants to leave.” After May’s first meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama since she became British leader in July, the two leaders sought to downplay the impact of a British exit. U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Theresa May shake hands at the conclusion of a news conference after their bilateral meeting in Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, Sunday. – PHOTO: AP/CAROLYN KASTER VATICAN CITY (AP) – Pope Francis declared Mother Teresa a saint on Sunday, praising the tiny nun for having taken in society’s most unwanted and for having shamed world leaders for the “crimes of poverty they themselves created.” Francis held up Mother Teresa as the model for a Catholic Church that goes to the peripheries to find poor, wounded souls during a can- onization Mass that drew an estimated 120,000 people – rich and poor, powerful and homeless – to a sun-filled St. Peter’s Square. “Let us carry her smile in our hearts and give it to those whom we meet along our journey, especially those who suffer,” Francis said in his homily. The canonization was the highlight of Francis’ Holy Year of Mercy and may come to define his papacy, which has been dedicated to ministering to society’s most marginal, from prisoners to prostitutes, the refugees and the homeless. Applause erupted in St. Peter’s Square even before Francis finished pronouncing the rite of canonization, ev- idence of the admiration Mother Teresa enjoyed from Christians and non-Chris- tians alike during her life and after her 1997 death. For Francis, Mother Te- resa put into action his ideal of the church as a merciful “field hospital” for the poorest of the poor, those suffering both material and spiritual poverty. He admitted even he would find it hard to call her “St. Teresa” since her tender- ness was so maternal. In his homily, Francis praised her as the mer- ciful saint who defended the lives of the unborn, sick and abandoned, recalling her strong anti-abortion stance which often put her at odds with progressives around the world. Hundreds of Missionaries of Charity sisters in their trademark blue-trimmed white saris had front-row seats at the Mass, along- side 1,500 homeless people and 13 heads of state or gov- ernment and even royalty: Queen Sofia of Spain. Born Agnes Gonxhe Bo- jaxhiu on Aug. 26, 1910, Mother Teresa came to India in 1929 as a sister of the Lo- reto order. In 1946, she re- ceived what she described as a “call within a call” to found a new order dedicated to caring for the most unloved and unwanted, the “poorest of the poor.” In 1950 she founded the Missionaries of Charity, which went onto become a global order of nuns priests, brothers and lay co-workers. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She died in 1997 and was put on a fast-track for saint- hood soon thereafter. POPE DECLARES MOTHER TERESA A SAINTNext >