High of 92 Low of 82 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 WE’RE INSPIRED BY ‘MINDS INSPIRED’ SPORTS | PAGE 16 NADAL FALTERS LATE, FALLS TO POUILLE ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2016 180913_PRINT-Ad-Strip-BOTY-6colxPage 1 11/30/15 12:30:30 PM Warning over PAC ‘disrespect’ Tropical wave expected to bring rain this week Premier Alden McLaughlin addresses the inaugural conference for the Women in Maritime Association, Caribbean (WiMAC). The conference, which focuses on the enhanced role and contribution of women in the maritime industry, includes representatives from about 16 countries. Pictured, from left, Exie Tomlinson-Panton, registrar of shipping (designate) at the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry; Sherice Arman, president of Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association Cayman and national liaison of WiMAC Cayman; Joel Walton, CEO, Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands; Claudia Grant, president, WiMAC; Pamela Tansey of the International Maritime Organization; and Dax Basdeo, chief officer in the Ministry of Financial Services. For more, see page 5. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS Women in maritime industry inaugural forum BILL SEEKS TO PLACE LAYERS BETWEEN POLITICIANS, PROJECT BIDS Cayman Airways defends chairman, cites PAC email error JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The chairman of Cayman Airways board of directors, Philip Rankin, was threatened last week with an official summons to ap- pear before the Public Accounts Committee, as Chairman Ezzard Miller signaled his intention to get tough with reluctant witnesses. Mr. Rankin has denied dodging the appointment with the committee, saying the initial invitation was sent to a wrong email address. Cayman Airways also stood by its board director, saying he had always attended PAC hearings when requested and would have attended last week if he had received proper notification. Mr. Miller took the unusual step of asking for a summons to be issued after expressing frustration at Mr. Rankin’s lack of attendance on Sept. 1. In a speech at the opening of the com- mittee, he said civil servants and board members should be “shaking in their boots” at the prospect of appearing before the com- mittee and be prepared to cancel their other appointments in order to be present. He said the committee was not being shown the proper respect and threatened that invitations would be ratcheted up to “official summonses” for those who dodged invitations. The committee later made good on this threat, asking for an official summons to be issued for Mr. Rankin, who had appar- ently been unable to attend because of a previously scheduled appointment, to appear on Thursday morning. Mr. Miller said the committee had already rearranged its schedule to suit the Cayman Airways chairman and would not do so again. The national airline on Monday released a statement refuting this version of events and defending its chairman. It said Mr. Rankin had been ready and willing to attend the morning session last week along with CEO Fabian Whorms and Chief Financial Officer Paul Tibbetts, despite the fact that Mr. Rankin had not received an CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com A tropical wave in the Eastern Caribbean is headed toward Cayman and will likely bring rain and some wind to the islands this week, according to forecasters at the Cayman Islands Weather Service and the U.S. Na- tional Hurricane Center. Forecasters in Cayman say they expect about three-quarters of an inch of rain from the system, which is likely to move into the area during the day Wednesday. The Miami- based Hurricane Center forecasts the system will probably not develop into a tropical de- pression. There is almost no chance of devel- opment in the next two days as it hits Cayman and a 20 percent chance over the next five days. Kerry Powery, chief meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the system “is not likely to cause many prob- lems.” He predicts the tropical wave will bring clouds and storms to the Cayman Is- lands starting Wednesday afternoon and the rain could continue through Friday. He said the winds will likely be around 10 to 15 knots, with gusts around heavier showers, and the seas should not get too rough. The Weather Service predicts seas will be moderate to rough with 3- to 5-foot swells Wednesday and Thursday. As of Monday afternoon, the National BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Five years after an audit revealed Cayman was “wasting millions of dollars” each year on the purchase of goods and services, the terri- tory has rewritten its rules for public procure- ment in a bill that could come before the Leg- islative Assembly this month. The Procurement Bill (2016) sets up an en- tirely new process for public bids for anything from purchasing supplies to the construction of public buildings, focusing on a tendering process at the “department level” – meaning a lower-level committee process will first re- view the proposals. Those committee reviews will then be passed on to a new entity called the Public Procurement Committee for a sec- ondary review. Although the local political leadership and Cayman’s deputy governor will have a hand in appointing members of the new Public Procure- ment Committee, the bill seeks to place layers between their direct involvement in public bids by having senior civil servants appoint members of the initial bid committee. The three-person “departmental” bid committee will review offers for any project and then pass its recommenda- tions to the procurement committee, which will review it and either concur or disagree with the initial decision. The issue of political control in the pro- curement process arose after former Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick noted in 2011 that PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 13 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 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. - TUESDAY - 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) 1:00 | 4:00 | 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) By December, some 300 direct flights a week are scheduled from U.S. to 10 cities across Cuba. SANTA CLARA, Cuba (AP) – The first off Jet- Blue 387 were the TV cameramen, the U.S. secretary of transportation and the air- line executives. As the tropical sun beat the tarmac, the VIPs traded congratulations on the arrival of the first commercial flight from the U.S. to Cuba in more than 50 years. Away from the cameras, a small but potentially more important group made its way through Santa Clara’s single-terminal airport: a pair of back- packers from Oregon and a book ed- itor from Chicago and his 16-year-old daughter – the first U.S. tourists on the newly reestablished flights. By December, the four will have a lot of company, with some 300 direct flights a week scheduled from the U.S. to 10 cities across Cuba. America’s biggest airlines and the Obama administration hope the planes will carry hundreds of thousands of U.S. travelers, both Cuban-Americans visiting family and sightseers who will turn the largest island in the Caribbean back into a major U.S. vacation destination. For U.S. airlines it’s a chance to move into an untapped market less than an hour’s flight from Miami. For Cubans, it means waves of demanding but high-tip- ping Americans could transform the land- scape in cities like Santa Clara that have been off the well-trod tourist track for now. “The best tourist there is, is the American tourist,” said 25-year-old Liban Bermudez as he sold 16-year-old Sophia Compton a pair of handmade leather sandals from his stand off Santa Clara’s main plaza. “They’re the ones that buy the most.” For President Barack Obama, the rees- tablishment of commercial air links with Cuba is the last major chance to make a key part of his foreign policy legacy irre- versible before he leaves office. In the year since the U.S. and Cuba re-established diplomatic relations, gov- ernment ties have grown quickly, gener- ating a string of bilateral agreements on issues from environmental protection to public health. Commerce remains stalled by the 55-year-old U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, and the difficulty of doing business in the island’s largely closed and centrally planned economy. The restart of commercial flights on Wednesday means 10 U.S. airlines in- cluding American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest and JetBlue suddenly have hundreds of millions of dollars in busi- ness due to U.S.-Cuba normalization. The Obama administration finalized the last of the new routes, 20 a day to Havana, the same day Flight 387 touched down in Santa Clara. A requirement that the airlines start service within 90 days means all the new Cuba flights will have to be running a month before Obama leaves office. Pure tourism remains illegal under U.S. regulations that allow 12 categories of travel to Cuba including religious and sports activities and educational travel promoting “people-to-people” contact. For Americans without family ties to Cuba, the most popular form of travel has been on tightly focused educational trips or- ganized in conjunction with the Cuban government. The Obama administration lifted that group requirement in March, leaving Americans free to travel to Cuba as long as they can credibly describe their trips as educational. As a result, the ban on tourism has be- come effectively unenforceable, something that many more Americans are likely to realize now that they can instantly book travel on commercial flights instead of expensive, inconvenient charters. The four travelers on Flight 387 without relatives in Cuba paid about $200 each to fly from Fort Lauderdale to Santa Clara. They spent Wednesday seeing Che Guevara’s tomb and sites from Cuba’ 1959 revolution. Then Stephen Compton and his daughter Sophia headed to Ha- vana. Keane Daly and Taimairie Locke boarded a bus to the colonial city of Trin- idad and the waterfalls and beaches of Cuba’s central southern coast. “I’ve traveled to 30-35 countries and this is probably one of the friendliest places I’ve been to,” Daly, a 25-year-old University of Oregon geology graduate student, said Saturday evening. “I was ex- pecting maybe some hostility but it’s ac- tually the opposite. People are really ex- cited about Americans coming to Cuba.” Most of the non-official passengers on Flight 387 were Cuban-Americans – among the nearly 400,000 who already visit family in Cuba each year. The number of U.S. travelers without family ties to Cuba is already on track to at least triple to 300,000 this year. New air links raise hopes in US, Cuba A street vendor waits for tourists to sell bananas next to the village church in Remedios, Cuba. With the arrival of the first commercial flights from the U.S. to Cuba in more than 50 years, the Cuban government is welcoming the wave of new visitors. - PHOTO: AP CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Firearms charges against Randy James Parchment were committed to Grand Court on Monday after the de- fendant elected to have his matter heard in the higher court. Parchment, 35, is accused of having an unlicensed Smith & Wesson .38 re- volver on Aug. 5 at the Dolphin Centre on Eastern Avenue. In the same loca- tion, he is accused of having six live rounds of ammunition. The third charge relates to 44 rounds of ammunition found after a search warrant was executed at Parchment’s George Town residence. Defense attorney Crister Brady confirmed he had gone through the documents in the case for the prelimi- nary inquiry to take place. He agreed to have his client brought to Grand Court for mention on Sept. 16. Magistrate Valdis Foldats remanded Parchment in custody until then. CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The adult son of Cay- man’s chief justice admitted recently to drug trafficking charges in a court in Ja- maica, according to news sources in Kingston. Loop Jamaica first re- ported the arrest and guilty plea over the weekend. Ac- cording to the news site and arrest documents pro- vided to the Cayman Com- pass, David Anthony Ronald Smellie, 32, the son of Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, tried to ship more than 8 ounces of hashish to Canada by FedEx. Smellie initially denied the charges but later ad- mitted to three counts: pos- session of ganja, dealing and taking steps prepara- tory to export. The court fined him the equivalent of about US$125 on Aug. 19, according to Loop. Another man arrested in the incident, Anthony Johnson, 48, was fined about US$190 in connection with the case. According to court docu- ments, Smellie tried to ship a package by FedEx with T-shirts, caps, wrist bands and a pair of leather slip- pers to a woman in Quebec. Inspectors on July 18 found that the slippers contained about 8.6 ounces of a “dark tar like substance resem- bling hashish.” When police questioned Smellie about the ship- ment, he initially told them he bought the slippers “from a rasta man” and he must have gotten the wrong pair, according to court documents. The documents from the Clerk of Court for Kingston and St. Andrew Parish, state, “Mr. Smellie then changed his story and said ‘I bought the leather and give it to a friend of mine name ‘Biggs’ along with three thousand dollars to make slipper for me; I alone drive my van to FedEx with the shipment.’” Police later identi- fied “Biggs” as Anthony Johnson, who was arrested along with Smellie. Initially, Smellie faced five counts for possession, dealing, con- spiracy to export, taking preparatory steps to export, and trafficking ganja. Chief Justice Smellie did not respond to requests for comment. David Anthony Ronald Smellie, 32, tried to ship more than 8 ounces of hashish to Canada by FedEx. Handgun, ammo charges go to Grand Court Chief justice’s son admits to drug trafficking in Jamaica3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2016 THE PROGRESSIVES 55 & GOING STRONG Points system devised for protected land Nominations of potential areas to be purchased for protection are being accepted JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A detailed scoring system has been devised to assess nominations for land to be protected under the new Na- tional Conservation Law. A $6 million fund has been allocated this year to buy up environmentally sensitive land, and nominations of po- tential areas to be purchased for protection are being ac- cepted from the public. The National Conserva- tion Council has now pub- lished a points system it will use to assess the relative merits of land under consid- eration for protection. The system rates biolog- ical diversity as the most im- portant of the criteria, with social, financial and stra- tegic value, as well as climate value also factored into the decision-making process. The conservation council will allocate points in a range of sub categories, including the diversity of plant species, the cost of the land and its value to nature tourism. A total of 18 criteria will be assessed and the land under review will be given a ranking of 1-5 within each category. The system was devised by the Department of En- vironment’s Terrestrial Re- sources Unit, which will be responsible for scoring the land in advance of adjudica- tion by the National Conser- vation Council. The planned purchases will create the first pro- tected areas on land in the Cayman Islands. A copy of the scoring system, distributed at last month’s council meeting, states, “The National Con- servation Council expects to receive, during set periods designated by public no- tice, nominations under the National Conservation Law section 9 of areas for pro- tected status. “This scoring system is designed to assist NCC in arriving at objectively jus- tifiable decisions regarding which of these nominations to carry forward, given the funding available in the given budgetary period and the purposes, objectives and cri- teria set out in the law.” Fred Burton of the Department of Environment’s terrestrial resources unit and a member of the council, said at the meeting that the system would be used to pro- vide an objective and scien- tific basis for decisions on which land to protect. He acknowledged there would still be an element of subjectivity to the deci- sion-making process. But he said examining quantifiable criteria like the number of plant species and the diver- sity of animal species sup- ported by the land would bolster the process. The resilience of land to climate change, such as rising sea levels, and its value in terms of diminishing the global effect of climate change, are also among the criteria considered. The report notes, “The Cayman Islands is limited (by small size) in the scale of its global contribution in carbon sequestration, but we can play our proportionate part as a group of islands under extreme threat from sea level rise.” Compass reporter Charles Duncan contributed to this article. The system was devised by the DoE’s Terrestrial Resources Unit, which will be responsible for scoring the land in advance of adjudication by the National Conservation Council. Mangroves score highly in the points system because they are carbon rich and are considered important in offsetting the impact of climate change.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. TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS When a news organization shines an intense spotlight on the subject of education, too often it can appear as if journalists are more interested in the failures of a system than the successes of its students. Speaking for ourselves at the Compass, this is not true. It is with tremendous satisfaction that we celebrate the academic achievements of our brightest, most-tal- ented and hardest-working children, not because they have triumphed where others have not, but because they are inspirations and examples for their peers and, indeed, the rest of us adults as well. We believe we share that mentality with the people behind the Minds Inspired program, the Dart Group’s education initiative that encompasses scholarships, awards, competitions and work experience programs. Please join us as we applaud this year’s winners of the Minds Inspired High School Scholarship Programme, Ethan Slocock and Cristin Jackson. We won’t delve into the respective resumes of Ethan and Cristin, other than to remark that they are well on their way to academic accolades at the highest levels, and if they keep on their current tracks, their future career prospects couldn’t be more promising. For the record, Ethan is interested in computer science and mathematics, while Cristin’s aspirations lie in the field of medicine, more specifically in the areas of pediatrics or cardiology. (If she wants a contact number for Health City Cayman Islands, we have Dr. Devi Shetty’s direct line.) To learn more about the two scholarship winners, read the story published in Monday’s Compass. (On the opposite page of the newspaper, we also featured another pair of exceptional young people — Ayanna Davis-Eden and Felicia Connor — who have been honored recently by the government’s Proud of Them program. All in all, the two-page spread is a valid and appropriate tribute to extraordinary students and, by proxy, Cayman’s future.) In regard to Dart’s scholarship program, the fol- lowing sentence from Monday’s story attracted our attention: “In past years, Minds Inspired high school scholars have attended SuperCamp at Brown Univer- sity and Stanford University, spent time at the Dart NeuroScience research facility in San Diego, California, and visited the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN, in Switzerland.” Brown … Stanford … Dart NeuroScience … CERN … Who knew that such experiences were accessible to local students who strive for success? And those names are just a small sample of the limitless oppor- tunities out there for educated, interested and pas- sionate young people. On a separate but related note, it is also a reminder of the vast reach and resources of the Dart organiza- tion. (What other local company do you know that has a “NeuroScience research facility”?) We in Cayman have grown to claim the Dart Family and their enterprises as “one of our own,” and they are, but it is instructive to keep in mind that Dart is a global entity, with variegated tendrils that reach into an array of business, scientific and philanthropic inter- ests. Just in the field of journalism, for instance, there is the renowned Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma, based at Columbia University in New York City. Dart may be the most prominent example of a local organization that presents possibilities that are far beyond the scale that a community our size could reasonably expect — or afford — but the reality is our country is filled with magnanimous people and groups offering opportunities to our most-promising young people. The Cayman Islands may be very small, but our country can be the ideal incubator, and later a launching pad, for individuals with the potential and the drive to change the wider world. We’re inspired by ‘Minds Inspired’ 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” FROM CAYMANCOMPASS.COM “Officials: Cayman Airways provides value for money,” Sept. 5 It never ceases to amaze me just how much nonsense Cayman Airways represen- tatives can dream up to jus- tify their annual govern- ment handouts. The idea that Cayman Airways is somehow setting a “price point” that other carriers like JetBlue and American are being forced to follow is not just pure fantasy, it’s delusional. The true picture is that the major carriers are setting the price point and forcing the Cayman Islands government to match it by underwriting the fares. In fact, I suspect if the Cayman Airways subsi- dies were really impacting the competition on routes like Miami and JFK, the airlines’ lawyers would be screaming “foul” in the U.S. courts. The reality is far more likely that this is simply all money going down the drain. The time when Cayman Airways’ books are opened up for public scrutiny so we can see where all this money is really going seems long overdue. David Williams I support government help in funding Cayman Airways. It is our national airline, re- member. So the same way private schools and other private organizations look to their stipend from gov- ernment every year, I think Cayman Airways should con- tinue having theirs too. Twyla Vargas “Britannia, Dart in dispute over golf course,” Aug. 31 Dart wants to know for sure what the expectation between it and Britannia actually is via the court. Not unreasonable. I find it hard to believe Dart would want to upset neighbors (prime wealthy customers) to its product. Clearly evidence of a rela- tionship between the proper- ties exists; however, I doubt they are strong enough to in- fringe on Dart’s usage of the property as they see fit. This would include repurposing the golf course land. Britannia’s usage/ac- cess to Dart beachfront and charge privileges would seem to benefit both par- ties, plus provide Dart a rev- enue stream to cover the re- lationship via the strata(s). Bringing this plane in for a landing may require a little turbulence, but I can’t help but think people will clap when it lands. David Burke Some years ago I was in- volved with a condo at Tam- arind Bay, which is on the water. Directly behind them is another condo that owned a tennis court. Tamarind Bay paid towards the mainte- nance of the tennis court and had legal use of it. Hurricane Ivan damaged the tennis court and the condo that owned it wanted to con- vert it into a car park. But Tamarind Bay took them to court to stop them. It seems like this sort of argument here. This will be an interesting court case. Norman Linton The US election enters the homestretch ALBERT R. HUNT The U.S. presidential campaign seems to have been going on for an eter- nity. The Labor Day holiday on Sept. 5 marked the start of the final stretch. Here are some leading indicators to determine whether Donald Trump will make this a competitive contest or whether Hillary Clinton can build on her cur- rent advantage to open a more commanding lead. Debates: The initial forum is slated for Sept. 26. The event is being an- ticipated as a smack-down brawl between two candi- dates who show contempt for each other. Each will try to bait the other. Will either take the high road and rise above the insults? There are two more sched- uled presidential debates and a vice-presidential session. If history is a guide, these show- downs are too hyped and won’t alter the basic contours of the race. There are exceptions. In 1976, President Gerald Ford took a hit after he mistak- enly suggested that the Soviet Union-dominated Eastern Eu- rope was free. And in 1980, one week before the election, the challenger Ronald Reagan was able to reassure voters about his competence. On two other occasions, the incumbent pres- ident – Reagan and Barack Obama – performed poorly in the initial debate, though the contests soon reverted to what they had been. College-educated white voters: Mitt Romney car- ried this bloc, about a third of the electorate, by 14 points in 2012. Polls have shown Trump trailing with these voters by double digits. He may do better than Romney with less-educated white voters, even as he gets trounced among nonwhites who likely will account for a slightly larger slice of the electorate than in 2012. Thus the Republican nominee can ill afford to lose college-edu- cated voters. Candidates: If on Oct. 20 the focus of the race is on Trump, he’s a goner; the same is probably true of Clinton. Rarely have there been two presidential candidates as unpopular. So the trick for both is to keep the attention on the opponent. The candi- dates’ schedule also may be revealing. If either is cam- paigning in states they’re ex- pected to win – say Clinton in Michigan or Trump in Mis- souri – it means their base isn’t secure. What’s equally crucial, though harder to assess, is how energized this core sup- port is. Will evangelicals de- liver for a Republican candi- date who before this election showed no cultural or polit- ical affinity with them? Will blacks and Hispanics turn out for Clinton as they did for Obama? She’s counting on Trump to deliver them to her column. Young people will go decisively Democratic – but will they turn out to vote? October surprise: Every presidential election is rife with suggestions of a last- minute development that will shake up the race. It al- most never occurs. Yet both sides are preparing for a pos- sible terrorist attack, a health problem or a really big, new scandal. If one could an- ticipate the likelihood, it wouldn’t be a surprise. Finally, be a discerning poll-watcher. Some of the better brand-name surveys are pretty reliable; be more leery of others. If any candidate declares, “The only poll that counts is the poll on Election Day,” that politician is facing defeat. Albert Hunt is a Bloomberg View columnist. © 2016, Bloomberg View5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2016 Track coach detained in US pending extradition BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A U.S. magistrate judge ordered last week that a Cayman Islands track coach be detained without bond pending any further court appearances in connection with an extradition request the British government made for his return to Cayman. Ato Modibo Stephens was charged in Cayman on June 24 with two counts of indecent assault, one charge of gross indecency and one charge of misuse of an Information and Communications Technology Authority network in relation to an underage female victim. A criminal complaint filed with the U.S. court seeking his extradi- tion alleges that Stephens inde- cently touched his underage victim on at least two occasions between April and November 2015. The court records allege that other instances of indecent exposure occurred around the same period. Stephens’s alleged conduct was reported to police after im- ages of the victim were found on Stephens’s phone, the court re- cords state. It was further stated in the court records that Stephens left Cayman in mid-February and has been residing in the Miami, Florida, area. He was arrested by U.S. marshals on Aug. 16 after a warrant was is- sued by the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida. During a hearing on Aug. 19, court records state, Stephens argued through his court-appointed at- torney that “special circumstances” existed to justify his release on bond in the U.S., pending extradi- tion proceedings. Among the special reasons listed by Stephens: “He was a professional athlete and participated in track and field events at the Olympics … and he is well-known in his home country and also has international celebrity status in the track and field world.” In addition, Stephens argued that he was a U.S. citizen with no prior criminal convictions and close ties to south Florida. U.S. prosecutors objected to Ste- phens’s release on bond, referring to the “weight of the evidence” set forth in the criminal complaint against him including: “the circumstances in which [Stephens] left the Cayman Islands, and the nature of the of- fense … it is argued that [Stephens] posed a danger to the community if he were to be released on bond, noting that sexual abuse of a minor is often an under-reported and often private crime.” U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman explained that the U.S. typically has a legal presumption against bond in extradition proceed- ings because the state is obliged to deliver the extradited person and “granting bond could make that obligation impossible to fulfill.” Moreover, Stephens’s status as a former Olympic athlete, while un- usual, was not “legally relevant” in assessing the matter, Judge Goodman noted. “If ‘being different’, in general, were sufficient to justify a bond, then all Olympics athletes, all Oscar winners, all lotto winners and all professional race car drivers would be entitled to release on bond in ex- tradition cases,” the judge wrote in his ruling, issued on Aug. 31. “In my view, this would be illogical and I do not deem those factors ‘special circumstances’ as envisioned by the courts.” In addition to confinement without bond, the court ordered Stephens held in a separate fa- cility from any criminals and that he be delivered to the custody of U.S. marshals before any future court appearances. Inaugural forum opens for women in maritime industry A conference focusing on the enhanced role and contribution of women in the maritime in- dustry and promoting the devel- opment and viability of the Ca- ribbean maritime ecosystem got under way Monday at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort. The theme of the inaugural forum, Women in Maritime As- sociation, Caribbean (WiMAC), is “Charting the Course for Genera- tions of Women.” At the opening Monday morning, Sherice Arman delivered a welcome on behalf of the Wom- en’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) and WiMAC Cayman. Ms. Arman is president of WISTA and national liaison of WiMAC Cayman. “There is no more important role than charting the course for our daughters to follow,” Ms. Arman said. “My mother was de- termined. Nanny was determined. Mary [Evelyn Wood] was deter- mined. We need to be as deter- mined as they were in the hope that one day some young woman will look back from above that glass ceiling and say ‘somewhere, one day, someone who I didn’t even know got determined for me, and I’m going to do the same for her and for those who follow.’ And that will be our rich reward for the work that we do this week.” With the support of WISTA, the forum is facilitated through the International Maritime Organi- zation, a U.N. agency responsible for security, pollution-control and shipping safety in seafaring. In a statement, Ms. Arman said the event not only aligns with WiMAC’s mission to foster the de- velopment and participation of women in the maritime sector and contribute to the growth of the in- dustry within the region, but also “considers current and emerging development trends that impact different areas and sub-sectors in the maritime sphere.” She said the forum focuses on deliberations “in the con- text of women’s rights and ac- cess that affect their economic participation, professional de- velopment and well-being in the maritime sector.” Also on Monday, Pamela Tansey, technical cooperation adviser at the International Maritime Organization, delivered a message on behalf of the orga- nization’s secretary general. “What we’re doing is charting a course for the maritime sector,” she said. “And in doing so we’re charting a course for the Caribbean.” Ms. Tansey called for more female representation in the industry. “Our message is, we’re here to help in any way we can because women suffer from three things. They’re not that visible; they’re not recognized often by their em- ployers, their peers, or the people working for them; and the third thing they don’t have is access to promotion. “So the work that you’re going to do this week is pull these strands together, so that you’re going to be the best resource for the maritime sector.” Premier Alden McLaughlin also addressed the representa- tives from about 16 countries. “Today woman ply the seas in all sorts of roles,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “One objective of this conference is to foster the de- velopment and participation of women in the maritime sector, and contribute to the growth of the industry in the region.” Vivian Rambarath-Parasram, program leader of Maritime Studies for the University of Trin- idad and Tobago, said in an inter- view before the conference that the event will help build networks in the region. “Through this initiative, we hope to start the conversa- tion that will lead too change” in gender sensitivity issues in the sector. “If ‘being different’, in general, were sufficient to justify a bond, then all Olympics athletes, all Oscar winners, all lotto winners and all professional race car drivers would be entitled to release on bond in extradition cases.” JONATHAN GOODMAN, U.S. magistrate judge Sherice Arman, president of WISTA Cayman and national liaison of WiMAC Cayman About 16 countries are represented at the inaugural Women in Maritime Association, Caribbean conference, which got under way Monday and runs throughout the week. – PHOTOS: MATT LAMERS “There is no more important role than charting the course for our daughters to follow.” SHERICE ARMAN, president, WISTA Cayman Claudia Grant, president, WiMACDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days West Bay TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Wesleyan inducts staff for school year ALMA CHOLLETTE achollette@pinnaclemedialtd.com Six former Wesleyan Christian Academy gradu- ates have joined the school’s staff this year. An induction ceremony was held for all 19 staff on Aug. 21 at the Wesleyan Ho- liness Church in West Bay. Stephanie Phillips, Krista Ebanks, Karisha Mallari, Jonathan Ebanks, and Jane and Joseph Haylock are the six former students. They join staff mem- bers Imogene Samms, Daphne Ellis, Karla Andino- Ebanks, Debbie Wilson, Nick Black, Shauna Hay- lock (school principal), La- Donna Rolle, Clare Higgins, Charles Harris, Merrie- Anne McField, Robert Liv- ingston, Jean Blake and Yvette Ramgeet. Ms. Andino-Ebanks and Ms. Mallari took the op- portunity to reflect on their journey. Originally from Hon- duras, Ms. Andino-Ebanks said her dream was to bring her daughter to the island and to put her through school. She talked about how she had not known how far Cayman was from her country and where ex- actly Cayman was, but she kept a Wesleyan uniform hanging in her closet for about six years in hopes that one day her daughter Martha would be able to join her in Cayman. Ms. Andino-Ebanks, currently a K4 monitor, eventually got to see her dream come true. For her part, Ms. Mal- lari, who is from the Phil- ippines, said, “I really thank God looking back at all those times when I was questioning how I would survive.” Ms. Mallari graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration earlier this year. “I know that Wes- leyan is one of the big fac- tors in achieving that,” she said. “We were supposed to leave for good, my parents said … and I was heart- broken because I didn’t want to leave Cayman. [Cayman] had been my home for the last six years.” Ms. Mallari eventu- ally moved away, but did not stop looking for jobs here even though she was in Qatar. “I think I sent over 100 applications and not a single reply,” said Ms. Mal- lari. “I was struggling.” After six months in Qatar, where she stayed with her aunt and uncle, Ms. Mallari received a job offer from Wesleyan school. Ms. Mallari, who had grad- uated as valedictorian from Wesleyan Christian Academy, is now a junior high supervisor. At last month’s cere- mony, high school mon- itor Robert Livingston also took the opportunity to talk about how God had led him to Cayman and to the academy. Following the testimo- nies, Pastor Brenda Wallick led the installation and con- secration ceremony. Joined by members of the church’s administration, all 19 staff gathered at the altar and pledged to be an example for students, showing them guidance and respect. “We have this installa- tion primarily to set the staff apart at the begin- ning of each school year, to just challenge them and the church to know that they have a specific role in a really special place in the hearts and lives of these children,” said Pastor Eu- genia Dickerson. “And that’s the purpose of WCA.” Owned and operated by the Wesleyan Holiness Church, Wesleyan Chris- tian Academy is cele- brating its 39th anniversary this month. 50 YEARS AGO: Brandons and Ebanks families welcome new babies In the Sept. 7, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, West Bay corre- spondent Leila Yates wrote: “Mr. and Mrs. Ellard Ebanks left on the 3rd for Jamaica. Mrs. Ebanks has gone to have medical atten- tion. Travelling on the same plane was Mrs. Alpheana Powery who has gone to visit her son, Wordsworth, who is a patient in the Uni- versity Hospital, having sur- gery for a throat condition. “Master Attlee Ebanks returned on the Aug. 27 after spending his holidays with his family in New York. He reports having an enjoyable time but he is glad to return to school. “Miss Gweneth Lee Smith returned on the 1st after a short visit with her uncle, Mr. Clinton Banks and family, in New York. “Misses Debra Ann Bush and her sister Donna Mae arrived on the 3rd. They had paid a short visit to their uncle, Mr. Berkley Bush, in Tampa. “We welcome back Mrs. R.G. Coke and Miss Gene- vieve Bodden from Barbados where they attended the Teachers Training Course. “The third child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Bert Brandon on the Aug. 29. “Mr. and Mrs. Aubry Ebanks became the happy parents of their fifth child and fourth son on the 4th, weight 7 and a half pounds. “Master Wongard Camp- bell left for his home in Jamaica after spending an enjoyable five weeks with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Avanza Hydes. “Mr. and Mrs. Carl Smith and little daughter Carla returned to their home in Miami on the 3rd. Celia planned a longer visit but decided to return with her husband. Mr. Harris Ebanks left the same day, after spending a few weeks at home with his aged fa- ther who is ill. “Mrs. Crosby Ebanks (Lila) has gone to New York for a few months to see her daughter, Glennis Nell, who resides there. “Miss Nella Jane Parsons returned on the 1st from Miami after a short trip. “Returning on the 4th were Mr. Barak Powery from S.S. Ore Conway and Mr. Gar- land Ebanks from New York. “Miss Grace Ebanks left on the 3rd to resume her studies at Wilson College, Pennsylvania after an enjoy- able holiday at home. “Mrs. Ausley Parsons and daughter Oralee returned on the 4th from Miami, where they spent a few weeks with their relatives. Mr. Wilbur DaCosta came in on the same plane. “Miss Sharon Far- rington returned to Forrest Lake Academy in Orlando, Florida after spending 3 months holiday at home. She left on the 3rd. “Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hydes returned on the 3rd from Jamaica where Mrs. Hydes received medical aid.” Some of Wesleyan Christian Academy’s staff. Back row from left, Nick Black, Stephanie Phillips, Principal Shauna Haylock, Karisha Mallari, Krista Ebanks, Clare Higgins and LaDonna Rolle with Daphne Ellis. Front row, from left, Karla Andino-Ebanks, Debbie Wilson and Jean Blake. - PHOTOS: ALMA CHOLLETTE Wesleyan Holiness church members perform ‘Amazing Grace’ during offertory on Aug 21. Joined by members of the church’s administration, all 19 staff gathered at the altar and pledged to be an example for students, showing them guidance and respect.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days West Bay CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2016 Music community comes out to support Stanley Ebanks A large audience from around the Cayman Islands, keen to dance and socialize, came out to Elizabethan Square on Aug. 26 to lend support and raise money for musician Stanley Ebanks of West Bay. Mr. Ebanks, who is un- dergoing cancer treatment, is a percussionist with Swanky Band. At the fundraiser, or- ganized by Mr. Ebanks’s daughter Stephanie, fellow musicians who came out to show their support included Swanky Band, Regeneration Band and Dexter Bodden, who was backed up by a combination of musicians. Hopscotch Studios pro- vided the sound. Capt. Chuckie Ebanks donated a miniature cat- boat and Deal Ebanks do- nated two wooden gigs that were auctioned off by Barrie Quappe and Woody DaCosta. The funds raised will go toward Mr. Ebanks’s treatment. Many of those who helped organize the event were from West Bay, in- cluding the cooks and servers, members of the bands, the men who donated the catboat and gigs, and the majority of attendees. Helping with the fun- draising were Prentice Panton of Reflections, who sold drinks, and family, friends and businesses, who sold food. The Cayman Turtle Farm recently welcomed a group of teachers who are starting at Cayman’s primary and sec- ondary schools this year. The 40 new teachers, many from overseas, visited the Turtle Farm on Aug. 27 as part of their induction pro- gram. They were on an island tour organized with the help of the Cayman Islands De- partment of Tourism. “These teachers will be starting to teach in the fall in the primary schools and high schools,” said Department of Tourism intern Ashley Reid. “There are a couple of local teachers but we have some from Jamaica, the U.S., Europe and Canada. It’s important for local teachers to know their history but it’s also important to give expats an idea of our culture and heritage so that they’ll be informed and they’ll have stuff to talk to their stu- dents about.” The new teachers were taken around by terrestrial ex- hibits curator Geddes Hislop. “We gave them a short presentation on the educa- tion programs and how we can work with them, and all the different projects we do, then we just did a general tour of the park,” he said. They were shown the tur- tles, the crocodile, and the birds in the Caribbean Aviary, as well as the Predator Reef, and some of the indigenous trees in the park. “We’ve learned the differ- ences between the two na- tional parrots, the one having a slightly reddish forehead. [We also learned] that birds of small islands tend to be small, and about the dif- ferent species of the turtles and what they do here – it’s been really fascinating,” said teacher Victoria Read, who hails from England. Other teachers were in- terested to learn about dif- ferences in the ecology of the mangroves, where unlike other places in the Caribbean the red, white and button mangroves all grow together. New public school teachers take in Turtle Farm Friends, family and fellow musicians came out to support Stanley Ebanks. Local musicians raise funds for Stanley Ebanks. - PHOTOS: EZIETHAMAE BODDEN Stephanie, Steven and dad Stanley Ebanks, with assistant organizer Shyvon Hydes. The teachers were on an island tour organized with the help of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. Fellow musicians who came out to show their support included Swanky Band, Regeneration Band and Dexter Bodden.TUESDAY, SEPT. 6 AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM: The Light of the World Church after-school program has resumed. Children ages 6 to 12 are supervised by qualified, experienced teachers from 3:30 p.m. The focus is on homework, with special emphasis on literacy and numeracy. The fee is $25 per week and includes a snack. For more information, call 926-1541. SICKLE CELL SUPPORT GROUP: The next Sickle Cell Support Group meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. at the Cayman Islands Hospital Public Health waiting room. Dr. Anna Matthews, general practitioner, will lead the discussion. All are invited. For more information, contact the genetics coordinator on 244-2630 or email joy.merren@hsa.ky. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 7 GIRLS BRIGADE RESUMES: George Town company meets at Elmslie Memorial Church Hall, 5:15-7 p.m. Savannah company meets at Savannah United Church Hall, 6-7 p.m. Bodden Town company meets at Webster Memorial Church Hall, 6-7 p.m. CERAMIC OPEN STUDIO: Offered by Visual Arts Society to adults who want to work independently, Wednesdays in September. 9 a.m. till noon. Watler House, Pedro Castle. $15 members, $25 non-members. Clay, materials, firing available. info@visualartcayman.com. THURSDAY, SEPT. 8 WEST BAY NATIONAL TRUST: The West Bay District Committee of the National Trust holds its annual general meeting at 6:30 p.m. at John Gray Memorial Church Hall. All members and interested persons are invited. LUNCH AND LECTURE: Garden Lunch and Lecture at the National Gallery with the assistant curator. Lecture begins at noon. Lunch is served until 2 p.m. Kerri-Anne Chisholm will lead a walk- through of the exhibition “A Legacy of Light.” The lecture is free and open to the public. Reservations are recommended for groups of four or more. For menu details email events@nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945-8111. CHAMBER COURSE: Diversity in the Workplace; 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Chamber of Commerce office, Governors Square; $150 for members, $225 for future members; sign up online at www.caymanchamber.ky. SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 SEA SWIM: 32nd annual Foster’s Food Fair 800m sea swim, 4 p.m. at Governors Beach. Register from 3-3:45 p.m. $15 for adult CIASA members, $20 non-members. $10 children CIASA members, $15 non-members. 400m race for 12 and unders, not timed, $10 for all. Children receive ribbons, T-shirts, refreshments. SUNDAY, SEPT. 11 GRANDPARENTS DAY: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church invites everyone to the annual Grandparents Day service at 11 a.m. ADULT EDUCATION: Registration is today at 2 p.m. at the John Gray High School auditorium for the CXC Education Program, which offers all adults a second chance at an education. Volunteer teachers are invited to apply. A variety of courses are offered at basic, intermediate and CXC exam levels. Also offered are skills-oriented subjects such as QuickBooks, cosmetology and dressmaking. Classes begin on Sept. 18. Students may register for as many courses as they can manage; registration fee is $100 to cover books and other supplies for the year. For more information, visit www.education. adventisteducation.org or call Dr. L. Smith, 325-6462, or Mrs. L. Wynter-Young, 938-3701. TUESDAY, SEPT. 13 BRAC TRUST: The Cayman Brac Committee for the National Trust meets 7:30 p.m.,in the District Administration Conference Room. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 14 THE BOOKENDS CLUB: Meets 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Books & Books. All are invited to join members as they review their latest pick, “Up the Spiral Staircase” by Karen Armstrong. Share insights and impressions in an open discussion. The Bookends Club gathers on the second Wednesday of every month and new members are always welcome. FRIDAY, SEPT. 16 HAPPY HOUR ART: The National Gallery hosts a closing celebration of the watercolor exhibition “A Legacy of Light,” 5:30- 7:30 p.m. Organized by the Butterfield Young Patrons Circle, this event features live painting, nibbles and cocktails. Admission is free and curator-led tours will run every 30 minutes. To learn more about BYPC, email info@nationalgallery. org.ky or call 945-8111. SATURDAY, SEPT. 17 BRAC 5K: The Cayman Brac Lions Club Brenda Tibbetts- Lund 5K Memorial Run/ Walk takes place at 6 a.m. Cayman Brac Beach Resort. Contact 925-7341 or 929- 7884 for more information. TUESDAY, SEPT. 20 CHAMBER COURSE: Moving into Management; Today and tomorrow, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Chamber of Commerce office, Governors Square; $225 for members, $300 for future members. Sign up online at www.caymanchamber.ky. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 21 FLOETRY: Meets 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Books & Books. All are invited to join poets and performers as they share their work during an open mic night of poetry and readings. Feel free to share your own work or come along and listen to others. THURSDAY, SEPT. 22 CHAMBER COURSE: Pensions Master class; 9-11 a.m. Chamber of Commerce office, Governors Square; $175 for members, $225 for future members; sign up online at caymanchamber.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: Basic Grammar & Writing Skills Part 1; 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Chamber of Commerce office, Governors Square; $150 for members, $225 for future members; sign up online at www.caymanchamber.ky. THURSDAY, SEPT. 29 PALLIATIVE CARE: Free conference for medical professionals and all interested parties. St. Matthew’s University, Leeward 3 SafeHaven, West Bay Road. 3-9 p.m. Pre-registration preferred. 945-7447. www.caymanhospicecare.ky. GENERAL INTEREST VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Classes offered Mondays from Sept. 12 in mixed mediums. Tuesdays, from Sept. 13, figure drawing with live model. Thursdays, from Sept. 15, color theory. For more information, email workshops@ visualartcayman.com. VOTERS REGISTER UPDATE: Election Office officials will visit all residents through September to get an accurate electoral list for the May 17, 2017 elections, because the electoral boundaries have changed with the introduction of 19 single-member electoral districts over the three islands. Election officials will register new voters and update the details on the existing voters’ list. They will carry IDs and items provided by the Elections Office to establish their bonafides. ROALD DAHL STORY TIMES & MOVIES: Sept. 1 through Oct. 1. Story times are Tuesdays, 11 a.m., Regal Cinemas for ages infant-4; Thursdays 3 p.m., Books & Books for ages infant-3; Saturdays, 10:30 a.m., Books & Books, ages 2-7. Movies are Saturdays 10 a.m., Regal Cinemas. Story times are free. Movies are offered at $5 per ticket. VOLUNTEERS FOR PIRATES WEEK: The Pirates Week Office is seeking volunteers to assist in planning its upcoming events. For more information or to receive a volunteer application from, contact the Pirates Week Office via email at info@piratesweekfestival.com or 949-5859. VISUAL ARTS: Learn more about Literacy Month in September, and two Roald Dahl-art-inspired competitions. For more information, contact info@visualartcayman.com 546-9422 or jar.was@gmail.com. NCVO PRESCHOOL: Miss Nadine’s, the NCVO preschool, and Jack & Jill Nursery now have spaces for children 3 months to 5 years. They are on a first-come, first-served basis, so parents are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Contact Miss Nadine’s Preschool at 945-1078 or email ncvopreschool@ncvo.org.ky. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Center is owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. PINK LADIES: Coffee Shop at Cayman Islands Hospital is open Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, drinks, snacks. Call 244- 2661. Money is donated back to the community. Contact pinkladiescayman@gmail.com. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards, etc., in good condition always needed. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay Artisans Market every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand- crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale between noon and 8 p.m. near KARoo restaurant. For more information on displaying work, visit vascayman@gmail.com. OPEN CANVAS: Wednesdays in August. Visual Arts Society supports this event at KARoo Restaurant, located in Camana Bay. 7 p.m. to close. No fee, easels are provided. Participating artists receive two complimentary tickets for house wine or beer. vascayman@gmail.com. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for track/field, football and bocce. No experience necessary, just a smile and patience. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15–11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30–7 p.m. Saturdays, volunteers needed for Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30–10:30 a.m. Deck support and in-water swimming assistance needed. For more information, contact Penny McDowall at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The 32nd annual Foster’s Food Fair 800m sea swim starts Saturday, Sept. 10, at 4 p.m. at Governors Beach. Register from 3-3:45 p.m.BERLIN (AP) – Chancellor Angela Merkel took a share of the responsibility for her conservatives’ election defeat in the German state where she has her political base, but strongly defended her migrant policy on Monday even as she vowed to win back voters’ trust. A year before an expected national election, the strong performance Sunday of a na- tionalist, anti-immigration party was a jolt that will likely increase tensions in Germa- ny’s governing coalition. How- ever, the result did not pose any immediate threat to the 62-year-old Merkel, Germany’s leader since 2005. Merkel’s Christian Dem- ocratic Union finished third in Sunday’s election for the state legislature in Mecklen- burg-Western Pomerania, be- hind the three-year-old Alter- native for Germany, or AfD. It was held a year to the day after she decided to let in mi- grants stuck in Hungary, trig- gering the peak of last year’s influx. Merkel conceded the outcome was “almost entirely about federal political issues.” The center-left Social Dem- ocrats, Merkel’s partners in Germany’s national govern- ment, remained the strongest party in Mecklenburg. They have led the regional govern- ment for a decade, with the CDU as their junior partners, and can now continue that co- alition if they choose. The region is sparsely populated, but the vote was symbolically significant be- cause Merkel’s parliamentary constituency is there. It was the first of five regional bal- lots before a national elec- tion a year away. The next is Sept. 18 in Berlin, where local issues are likely to feature more strongly. Mecklenburg is home to few foreigners, but Merkel acknowledged that migrant policy was a dominant theme. New arrivals have slowed drastically after more than 1 million people were regis- tered as asylum-seekers in 2015, and asylum policies have been tightened. Still, New Year’s Eve robberies and sexual assaults blamed largely on foreigners, as well as two attacks in July carried out by asylum-seekers and claimed by the Islamic State group, have fed tensions. “We must all consider how we can now win back trust, me first and foremost,” Merkel told reporters on the sidelines of the Group of 20 in China. “I am the party leader, I am the chancellor – you can’t separate those in peo- ple’s eyes, so I am of course responsible too” for the re- sult, Merkel said. “How- ever, I believe the decisions that have been made were right, and now we must continue working.” She added that “the issue of integration will play a huge role in that, and the question of the repatriation of refugees who have no resi- dence permit here.” Merkel’s critics have faulted her for sticking to her mantra that “we will manage” the refugee crisis. Sunday’s result may make it tougher to smooth over a long-run- ning dispute with the Chris- tian Social Union, her conser- vative Union bloc’s Bavarian arm, which criticized her welcoming approach from the start and wants an an- nual migrant cap. Meanwhile, Vice Chan- cellor Sigmar Gabriel, the So- cial Democrats’ leader and a likely challenger to Merkel next year, underlined his par- ty’s increasing distance from the chancellor as it eyes the national election. He accused her conservatives of being too slow to respond to the migrant crisis. Although Merkel already adjusted migrant policies over the past year, she cannot make a clean break from her overall approach because “that wouldn’t be credible,” political science professor Klaus Schroeder told N24 television. “So the quarrels between the CDU and CSU will continue, and the So- cial Democrats will turn even more strongly against the Union to have a chance in the national election campaign.” The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 24 killed near Afghanistan Ministry Twin bombings near the Afghan Defense Ministry have killed at least 24 people, including two security force generals, in an attack claimed by the Taliban. Another 91 people were wounded in Monday’s attack in central Kabul. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2016 JOSEF ALLEN DEGEN (DEGIE/JOE) Who departed this life 1 st September 2016 It is with deepest regret that we announce the passing of Left to mourn is his wife Linda Two Sons Presley(Grand Cayman) Jody (Texas) Stepchildren Gail Bush & Paul Nixon (Grand Cayman) Cami W Ade & Gina Clarke (Texas) Grand Children, Great Grand Children A service of thanksgiving will be Held on September 6, 2016 Nederland, Texas Hong Kong pro-democracy candidates retain veto in key vote HONG KONG (AP) – Hong Kong pro-democracy candi- dates won enough seats in a pivotal legislative election to retain veto power over the southern Chinese gov- ernment’s proposals, setting the stage for a new round of political confrontations with Beijing, official results showed Monday. The big winners included a group of young candidates who took part in massive 2014 pro-democracy street protests and are now seeking to change the way the city is governed by Beijing. Pro-democracy candidates needed to secure at least 24 of 70 seats in the Leg- islative Council in order to block government attempts to enact unpopular or con- troversial legislation, such as a Beijing-backed revamp of how the city’s top leader is chosen that sparked the 2014 protests. Official results for most constituencies showed that they won at least 27 seats. Full final results are still to be announced. Record turnout in Sun- day’s vote helped sweep the newcomers into office, most notably Nathan Law, a 23-year-old former student protest leader, who garnered the second-highest number of votes in his six-seat Hong Kong Island constituency. Law’s party, Demosisto, founded earlier this year with teen protest leader Joshua Wong, advocates a refer- endum on “self-determina- tion” on the future status of Hong Kong, which is in the middle of a 50-year transi- tion period to Chinese rule. “It shows how Hong Kong people want to change,” Law told reporters when asked about his vic- tory. “People are voting for a new way and new future of our democratic movement.” In another surprising re- sult, Yau Wai-Ching, 25, and Sixtus “Baggio” Leung, 30, of Youngspiration also se- cured seats. Their group was formed during the 2014 pro- tests and proposes a similar plan as Demosisto. The newcomers pulled off their startling victories by riding a rising tide of anti- China sentiment as they chal- lenged formidably resourced pro-Beijing rivals. They were part of a broader wave of radical ac- tivists who campaigned for Hong Kong’s complete au- tonomy or even independence from China, highlighting fears that Beijing is violating its promise to let the city mostly run itself, as well as frustration over the failure of the 2014 protests to win genuine elections for Hong Kong’s top leader. That represents a break with the established main- stream “pan-democrat” par- ties, who have demanded voters be able to elect more lawmakers as well as the city’s top leader, or chief executive – currently chosen by a panel of pro-Beijing elites – but never challenged the idea that Hong Kong is part of China. Leaders in Beijing and Hong Kong will have to re- consider their hard-line ap- proach toward rising pro-de- mocracy opposition after it backfired, “because now with the entry of a new generation of young democrats into the legislature, the politics inside the legislature will be very fierce,” said Sonny Lo, a polit- ical analyst at The Education University of Hong Kong. About 2.2 million people, or 58 percent of registered voters, cast ballots for the Leg- islative Council, the highest turnout since the city’s 1997 handover from Britain. Another rookie, 38-year- old land reform campaigner Eddie Chu, was the elec- tion’s biggest surprise, win- ning 84,121 votes, the highest number of votes received by any of the more than 200 can- didates competing for 35 seats in geographic constituencies. “I hope to renew the dem- ocratic movement of Hong Kong,” Chu said. He too wants to focus on promoting a self-determination move- ment. “That is my political goal in Hong Kong.” Results for five more “super seats” chosen by voters citywide were still being counted. Another 30 seats are taken by members representing business and trade groups such as accounting, finance, medicine and fisheries, most of which support Beijing be- cause their members have close ties to China’s Commu- nist elite on the mainland. The big winners included a group of young candidates who took part in massive 2014 pro- democracy street protests and are now seeking to change the way the city is governed by Beijing. Merkel takes blame for German vote defeat The result did not pose any immediate threat to the 62-year-old Merkel, Germany’s leader since 2005. From left, Radical activist candidates from the Youngspiration party Yau Wai-ching, Kenny Wong and Henry Wong shout slogans as they celebrate after Yau won a seat in the legislative council election in Hong Kong Monday. – PHOTOS: AP Frauke Petry, chairwoman of the German right-populist AfD party.Next >