ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2016 High of 87 Low of 78 Seas: Moderate to rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 A ‘FINE’ DAY AT THE BEACH FOR VENDORS SPORTS | PAGE 17 CAYMAN YOUTH SAILORS BRING HOME MEDALS FROM BAHAMAS PremierHealth More claims get an automatic green light with BritCay! 57% of your claims were auto-adjudicated first* with BritCay. BritCay budgets for high volumes of claims. We pay more claims, more accurately and quicker than any other local health insurance provider. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp New police commissioner to arrive Thursday BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s new police com- missioner, Derek Byrne, is scheduled to arrive on island Thursday evening to take up his post, the governor’s office con- firmed this week. Mr. Byrne’s appointment to the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service was announced in August after a recruitment pro- cess that short-listed three candidates for the top cop’s job. The new commissioner’s public schedule was uncertain as of Wednesday, but gover- nor’s office representatives ex- pected he would “hit the ground running” and report to work for his first day on Friday, if all went as planned with travel arrangements. Mr. Byrne, who is from Dublin, Ireland, replaces former Commissioner David Baines who left his job in late May following a public dispute with some members of the Legislative As- sembly over various policing is- sues, including the police re- sponse to a group of missing boaters earlier in the year. Mr. Baines, who had served as com- missioner between 2009 and 2016, alleged there had been a “political plot” to get rid of him. Acting Commissioner An- thony Ennis has served in the role since June 1. He will resume CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation this week announced a US$10,000 reward for information about Norman Lee, an artist who worked for Marvel Comics and DC Comics who went missing in the waters off East End on March 5, 2015. Mr. Lee, 47 at the time, was on vaca- tion with his wife and a friend at the Wyn- dham Reef Resort when he went missing. Police at the time said he had been snor- keling with his wife about 250 yards off the beach. His wife told police that she and her husband became separated and she returned to shore, according to statements from po- lice at the time. Royal Cayman Islands Police Service spokes- woman Jacqueline Carpenter said the FBI of- fered to help with the investigation, which is still open 20 months after Mr. Lee’s disappearance. FBI OFFERS $10K REWARD IN DISAPPEARANCE OF COMIC BOOK ARTIST TWO SHOT AS GANG VIOLENCE BREAKS OUT IN WEST BAY Shootings, assault investigated BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Gang-related violence that erupted within the past 48 hours in West Bay district appears to be the result of a revived feud between two groups and police attributed the incidents to “rising gang tensions” in a lengthy state- ment Wednesday. The violence culminated in the shooting of two people outside the Super C Restaurant on Watercourse Road around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. According to police, shots were fired indis- criminately at a group of people standing in the parking lot outside the business. One man was struck in his lower body and taken to hospital in a private car. He was expected to survive. A woman was grazed in the arm by a bullet and also hospitalized. There were reports that a third person had been hit by the gunfire, but police were unable to confirm those statements and no other vic- tims appeared at hospital. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Premier talks Brexit, budget, beer in London British Overseas Territories leaders, including Premier Alden McLaughlin, front row, second from right, gathered in London this week for the annual Joint Ministerial Council meeting with U.K. Members of Parliament and foreign office representatives, including newly appointed Overseas Territories Minister, Baroness Joyce Anelay. Among the many issues discussed were the potential fallout from Brexit, the state of the Cayman Islands government’s public sector debt and the taste of Cayman Islands-made Caybrew beer. See page 2 for more details. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Derek Byrne2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 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. TYLER PERRY’S BOO! (PG13) A MADEA HALLOWEEN 1:00 | 7:00 | 9:45 MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME (PG13) FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN 12:45 | 6:40 KEEPING UP WITH (PG13) THE JONESES 3:45 | 10:05 OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL (PG13) 1:30 | 4:30 | 9:35 TROLLS 3D (PG) 12:30 | 3:00 2D | 5:15 | 7:30 2D | 10:00 THE ACCOUNTANT (R) 12:40 | 3:30 | 6:50 | 9:50 JACK REACHER: (PG13) NEVER GO BACK 1:20 | 4:10 | 7:20 | 10:00 - THURSDAY - Premier talks Brexit, budget, beer in London BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment may wish to pay off some of its $500 million in debts early, according to statements made during the week-long Joint Ministerial Council meeting in London. Premier Alden McLaughlin, Finance Min- ister Marco Archer and Fi- nancial Services Minister Wayne Panton led the dele- gation to the annual meeting between British government and overseas territories rep- resentatives this week, with talks starting on Tuesday. Other topics of discussion included the pending British exit, or “Brexit” from the Eu- ropean Union, healthcare and pensions in the territories, and the Cayman Islands’ own brand of beer, Caybrew. Before the official meeting, Mr. Archer and Mr. McLaughlin, along with Fi- nancial Secretary Ken Jef- ferson broached with U.K. leaders the issue of voluntary early repayment of debt. The Progressives-led ad- ministration has cut the cen- tral government debt by about $71 million over the past three years, but still owes about $503 million,including a $261 million bullet loan that matures in 2019. Mr. Archer has previously said that government once hoped to store up enough cash to repay the full amount of the loan when it comes due. However, the premier’s office noted that any large, one-off payments of public debt might affect legally mandated limits regarding how much Cayman can pay to service its debts each year. The loan derives from a 2009 public bond offering by the former United Democratic Party administration. Then- Premier McKeeva Bush has often said he was forced to engage in borrowing at that time to pay recurring expen- ditures of the former People’s Progressive Movement gov- ernment that had accumu- lated an operating deficit of $81 million the year before (2008/09). The so-called bullet loan or balloon payment loan requires the full amount to be paid as of Nov. 19, 2019. “It is projected that the 2019 bullet bond can be re- paid fully with government’s bank account balances in November 2019, without the need for external bor- rowing to do so,” a state- ment from Finance Minister Marco Archer’s office issued in June read. “If the govern- ment decides to repay the bond fully from its bank ac- count balances, such a pay- ment will not adversely im- pact other government planned operations.” The $261 million due is more than half of all the debt held by Cayman’s cen- tral government. Brexit Representatives from all of the British Overseas Ter- ritories agreed ahead of this year’s meeting to form a small committee to keep up with developments as Britain works out its separation from the European Union. British citizens approved the separation from the EU on June 23 by a narrow vote. Formal talks on the exit are not expected to start until early next year. Territorial leaders are ex- pected to hold another spe- cial meeting of the Joint Min- isterial Council in early 2017, prior to the actual separation set for March 2017. Little is known at this stage about how the sep- aration will affect the re- maining overseas territories and whether they will con- tinue to have any direct ac- cess to European political leaders. Cayman Islands London Office Director Eric Bush, who is also attending portions of the Joint Minis- terial Council meeting this week, said there is also the question of Cayman and other territories continuing to have access to the Euro- pean Court of Human Rights after the split. Issues regarding free movement of Cayman Is- lands citizens in Europe and whether Cayman might adopt EU-style data protec- tion legislation, as well as whether the local government can still access EU grant funds for such things as en- vironmental protection and infrastructure will all be dis- cussed, Mr. Bush said. The British pound has steadily devalued against major world currencies since the Brexit vote and remains on a roughly one-to-one level with the Cayman Islands dollar as of this week. Caybrew Premier McLaughlin doled out free beers to British MPs at Strangers’ Bar in the House of Commons on Tuesday evening as part of product placement effort. “Strangers’ Bar is open to members and staff of par- liament, their guests, and in- vited media, so it’s a good place to showcase a Cayman Islands product and keep our name out front in a friendly atmosphere,” Mr. McLaughlin said. At the gathering on Tuesday night were Mr. Panton, Mr. Archer, British MP Graham Brady and All Party Parliament Group Chairman Nigel Evans. Ar- rangements for the free beer were made between Caybrew Chairman Stephen Webster and Mr. Bush. “Part of our remit is to promote a better economic, social, cultural and political understanding of the Cayman Islands. One of the ways we can do that is engaging MPs, their staff and the media through an authentic Caymanian-made product that can be enjoyed by all,” Mr. Bush said. All Party Parliament Group Chairman Nigel Evans, British MP Graham Brady and Director of the Cayman Islands London Office Eric Bush sample some Cayman Islands Brewery beers at the Strangers’ Bar in the House of Commons this week. NEPHEWS OF VENEZUELA’S FIRST LADY FACE TRIAL ON DRUG CHARGES NEW YORK (AP) – Two nephews of Venezuela’s first lady are set to go on trial on drug charges in New York City. Jury selection began Wednesday, with opening statements not expected until Monday in the trial of Efrain Campo, 29, and Fran- cisco Flores, 30. The men, nephews of first lady Cilia Flores, were arrested in Haiti last No- vember and flown to New York. They have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to im- port 800 kilograms of co- caine into the United States. Prosecutors and defense attorneys have argued in court papers in recent weeks over the merits of recordings of the nephews as they spoke with confidential informants for the U.S. government. Prosecutors are seeking to introduce evidence sug- gesting the men had hoped to generate large amounts of cash through drug deals to help their family oppose en- emies – including the United States – before elections last December. In a transcript en- tered into the trial’s public record by prosecutors last week, Campo, an attorney, is quoted as telling two confi- dential informants during an October 2015 meeting in Ca- racas, Venezuela, “We have a … war with the Americans.” Prosecutors said Campo and Flores told the infor- mants that they wanted to send multiple loads of cocaine into the U.S. in November and De- cember 2015 to generate at least $20 million. Defense attorneys want to exclude the recordings from trial, calling them “highly politicized state- ments” that were instigated by the informants. The attorneys noted that one of the informants raised the topic of the De- cember 2015 parliamentary elections with the nephews, saying, “I’ll send you a really big check for your mother … because right now the cam- paign is more important …. ” The attorneys noted that Campo explained, “But we need the money. Why? Be- cause the Americans are hit- ting us hard with money.” The lawyers asked the judge to exclude the statements. “Part of our remit is to promote a better economic, social, cultural and political understanding of the Cayman Islands.” ERIC BUSH, director, Cayman Islands London Office3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2016 Turning boys into gentlemen Youngsters learn skills to take mum to dinner JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Teenagers from John Gray High School got a crash course in the do’s and don’ts of fine dining Wednesday at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman in a program aimed at giving them the social skills to take their mothers out to dinner. From knowing which fork to use first to holding the door for a lady, the boys were taught skills to help them be- come gentlemen. Christopher Murray, a counselor at the school who runs the “Boyz 2 Men” group for youngsters who have been having behavior is- sues, said the aim was to show the youngsters another side of life. “For one or two of them, it is the first time they have been at The Ritz-Carlton,” he said. “It is not just about learning to behave like a man, but learning to be a gen- tleman. If you behave a cer- tain way, life will repay you.” He said the ultimate aim of the program is for each of the 17 boys to take their mothers out for a meal at a nice restaurant. He said the boys face nu- merous challenges at school from peer pressure and rela- tionships to the temptation of drugs and alcohol. The group aims to put them on the right path and give them the power to make informed decisions. John Gray Principal Jon Clark said the visit to The Ritz-Carlton also opened up new horizons for the boys. He added, “No matter how much trouble they get into or how rough and tough they seem sometimes, it’s easy to forget they are still just children and they all love their mums and want to make them proud.” He said the training of- fered them a glimpse of the opportunities in Cayman. “A lot of them pass this hotel on the school bus every day. It is amazing for them to see what’s behind the doors,” he added. Barry Dre-Tibbetts, 14, said he was grateful for the opportunity and hoped to be able to take his mum and grandmother out to a nice restaurant. Denzel Cruz, also 14, said, “I hope to learn how to be a better person in life and to learn a bit more about The Ritz-Carlton.” Kristen Ford, the human resources manager at the Seven Mile Beach resort, gave the group a tour of the hotel before they received instruc- tion in the hotel’s kitchen area. She said, “I think it is fan- tastic. It is an opportunity for them to feel proud of some- thing they have accomplished and for their mums to feel proud of them and see the re- sults of the program.”Ernesdo Ebanks, 15, admires a piece of art at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. - PHOTOS: MATT LAMERS Peter Baics, Blue restaurant’s food and beverage manager, delivers fine dining etiquette tips to John Gray High School students.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” What is the single most important determinate as to whether a country is rich or poor? It is not the level of government spending, tax- ation, regulation or mone- tary stability – even though those factors are very im- portant. It is the rule of law, whereby the rules are known and fair, equally ap- plied to all, and where cor- ruption is not tolerated. The end of great countries and empires was most often caused by internal decay, not by foreign enemies – ancient Greece and Rome being prime examples. The end of the Soviet Union and the communist countries in Eastern Europe had more to do with the per- vasive corruption and lack of the rule of law within the regimes than external pres- sure. Prime Minister Mar- garet Thatcher, President Reagan and Pope John Paul II were able to topple the communist regimes largely with words because their foundations had become so rotten that the force of truth was enough to give the final push. Highly corrupt countries are usually poor, and coun- tries with the rule of law and low levels of corruption are usually relatively pros- perous. The accompanying table lists the 10 richest countries in the world on a per-capita income basis. (Note: countries, such as Ku- wait or Norway that have high per capita incomes because of oil and gas, and small, offshore financial centers, all of which lack broadly diversified econo- mies, were not included). All of these listed countries also rank very high, being in the top 10 percent, when it comes to the rule of law and the lack of corruption. Scandinavian countries have higher incomes than would be expected, even though their governmental sec- tors and tax rates are well above the optimum; but this large disadvantage has been offset, in part, by the very low levels of corruption and strict adherence to the rule of law, without favoritism. The American Founding Fathers argued that the greatest danger to the re- public would come from the erosion of the rule of law. America has never been free of corruption, but most of it has occurred at the local level. “Boss” Tweed was notoriously corrupt in his control of many New York City institutions in the mid- 1800s. Thomas Pendergast was a political boss who controlled Kansas City, Mo., from 1925 to 1939, until he was finally convicted of in- come tax evasion, even though his more serious crimes were voter fraud and extensive kickback and protection schemes. His- torically, America has re- lied on the press as much as zealous independent pros- ecutors to expose wrong- doing by government of- ficials. When it became apparent that some officials of the Nixon administration, including the president him- self, had crossed the line, it was members of the press who exposed Watergate. Only those who are will- fully ignorant fail to recog- nize that parts of the In- ternal Revenue Service and the Justice Department, as well as other government agencies, have not only be- come partisan but also deeply corrupt. When ev- idence is destroyed after having been subpoenaed by appropriate congres- sional committees and pri- vate organizations under the Freedom of Information Act, and no action is taken to punish those responsible, it becomes the very defini- tion of corruption. There are many other examples, but what is disturbing is the ex- tent to which so many jour- nalists have gone to cover up and defend inexcus- able behavior. Donald Trump has been held to account for his oc- casional rash, boorish state- ments and behavior by most in the press – and he is fair game, having only him- self to blame. One can find plenty of reasons to not vote for Mr. Trump, including the great uncertainty of what he will actually do as president. What is even more trou- bling is that given Hillary Clinton’s 30-plus years of dissembling, lying and ob- vious lack of reluctance to use government agen- cies for her own personal benefit and to destroy op- ponents, so many mem- bers of the press still de- fend her, even though she has telegraphed her intent to further corrupt govern- ment. For example, while she was the subject of a criminal investigation, she told Loretta E. Lynch she would reappoint her as at- torney general after Ms. Lynch met inappropriately with Bill Clinton (not a very subtle bribe). Mrs. Clinton has told us she will ap- point judges that share her “values” (and we know what that means) rather than those who promise to up- hold the Constitution as written – and this should scare anyone who cares about the rule of law over the rule of men. If she and others want changes in the Constitution, it should not be done by judicial or pres- idential fiat – there is a proper amendment process. Prosperity and corrup- tion do not long exist in the same place. Unthinking citizens who vote to sup- port the obviously corrupt are signing their own eco- nomic and civil society death warrants. Richard W. Rahn, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth, is on the Editorial Board of Cayman Financial Review. © 2016, The Washington Times THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS “In a nutshell, this is quite typically a result of the right hand not knowing, or being indifferent to, what the left hand is doing.” — Phillip Ebanks, attorney Beach vendors, meet the bureaucracy. Back in July, under pressure from residents com- plaining about the growing nuisance caused by unli- censed vendors illegally operating on Crown land, the Cayman Islands government waded into the fray, armed with a five-page “Policy for Public Beach and other beach suppliers,” with the aim of taming the wild West–type marketplace that has sprung up on Seven Mile Beach. The beach vendors thought they had a deal — take government’s training classes, abide by the govern- ment-issued Code of Conduct, and set up shops in kiosks leased from government — to obtain trade and business licenses. As it turns out, all the vendors have received is a crash-course education in government’s idea of “public-private partnerships.” (Oh, and $500 fines for noncompliance.) Lesson Number One: Cayman’s public officials are much, much better at making promises, creating paperwork and telling people how to do or not to do something than they are at following through on their end of a bargain. In this instance, the government has not provided any kiosks for beach vendors and has not issued any trade and business licenses. The govern- ment has, however, apparently been giving the vendors the usual interdepartmental runaround — with the Ministry of Tourism playing “good cop,” the Depart- ment of Commerce and Investment playing “bad cop,” and planning officials pleading ignorance. Now, rather than paying the $500 fines or closing their businesses, the vendors are preparing to meet the government in court. This could prove clarifying … or costly … or potentially introduce further complexities. We understand the beach vendors’ frustrations. When government announced its idea of a grand com- promise, we warned that no matter what training courses the Public Beach vendors undertake, nor where exactly they agree to operate, it does nothing to address fundamental shortcomings in regard to trade and business licensing: specifically, the require- ment that all businesses (even “sole traders”) must, according to the Labour Law, have pension plans and health insurance. In the absence of valid trade and business licenses, the beach vendors cannot legally operate. Hence, the $500 fines. Here’s where we stand: We encourage each and every one of Cayman’s entrepreneurs, big or small, provided they compete on the same level playing field as everyone else. Currently, the law requires that even micro-businesses provide pensions and health insurance to their employees (even part-time workers and “self- employed” vendors). We believe that is a significant flaw in the Labour Law, one that affects hundreds or perhaps thousands of workers across Cayman, and one that should be addressed by lawmakers before the new Labour Law, currently under revision, moves forward. Speaking specifically about beach vendors, however, we caution the government against legal- izing, and codifying, the obtrusive pitching of goods and services amid the otherwise-tranquil atmosphere of our world-renowned beaches, particularly Seven Mile Beach. For political reasons, our legislators may not wish to appear to be “picking sides” between the livelihoods of the beach vendors and the peace of mind of residents and visitors. But in the end, a decision must be made. And, clearly, the correct course of action is the one that preserves the sanctity of our tourism product. A ‘fine’ day at the beach for vendors Corruption and prosperity RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN Historically, America has relied on the press as much as zealous independent prosecutors to expose wrongdoing by government officials.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2016 Romanian fugitive sent home JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The founder of Romania’s secret police service has been deported from the Cayman Islands after exhausting at- tempts to fight extradition to his homeland where he faces jail time for corruption. Mihai Tanjala even re- sorted to a hunger strike while detained at Northward Prison, vowing, “I refuse to go back to Romania alive,” in a letter to the governor, made public in a recent court filing. He repeatedly claimed he feared persecution and torture if he was sent back to the former commu- nist country and he sought political asylum in the Cayman Islands. Immigration officials con- firmed that Mr. Tanjala’s re- quests had been turned down and he is no longer on is- land, having been flown to Romania on Oct. 18, just over a year after he was taken into custody. The entrepreneur and former politician was sen- tenced in 2011 to five years in prison for a fraudulent busi- ness deal. He fled Romania and has been on the run ever since, arriving in Cayman from Cuba on a visitor’s visa in September last year. He was detained trying to enter Jamaica after authori- ties there noticed he was on an Interpol red list and an in- ternational warrant had been issued for his arrest. His extradition to Ro- mania was approved by a Cayman Islands court last December, a decision that was upheld by Justice Mal- colm Swift in June. The judge ruled that there was no evi- dence of specific danger to Mr. Tanjala in Romania or that his conviction was un- fair or politically motivated. Court documents indicate Mr. Tanjala has since made numerous additional efforts to stay in Cayman, including a request to be classified as a refugee and be granted po- litical asylum under the Ge- neva Convention. His options appear to have run out, however, with the Sept. 23 decision of the Immigration Appeals Tri- bunal that the Department of Immigration was correct to deny his application. Court documents indi- cate that Mr. Tanjala also made multiple appeals for assistance to the Red Cross and the governor’s office and sought to marry his ex-wife while in prison. His lawyers lodged an appeal against the decision to refuse asylum with the Grand Court on Oct. 4 along with a second petition from his former wife alleging breaches of their human rights in connection with their failed attempt to get married in Cayman. In a letter to the governor, Mr. Tanjala indicated he was on hunger strike, stating, “I wish my ex-wife will have a correct social status and safe financial situation if I were to die.” Despite the new court fil- ings, immigration officials confirmed that Mr. Tanjala had been deported, “having exhausted his appeals within the local courts as well as with the Immigration Ap- peals Tribunal.” A summary of the evi- dence indicates that Mr. Tan- jala claimed to fear revenge from people who believed he was involved with the abuses of former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s oppressive re- gime, which ended with Ceausescu’s execution after a revolution in 1989. “Also cited were examples of the alleged perennial hatred for the applicant among the Romanian populace/authori- ties because of the percep- tion that the killing of thou- sands of people in Romania during the revolution was perpetrated by former in- formation officers such as the appellant, who was la- beled a “securest” and “ter- rorist” and relentlessly pur- sued by criminals avenging the death of their loved ones,” the summary states. The tribunal rejects the claim that Mr. Tan- jala, who worked as a poli- tician and businessman for many years after the revolu- tion, was persecuted politi- cally in Romania. In a September letter to the governor, Mr. Tanjala again protested his inno- cence and raised his fear of returning to Romania and made a final plea for her to intervene. “Morally exhausted, weary of suffering and hopeless, I decided to prevent my ex- tradition and not be humili- ated, aggressed and threat- ened like a criminal. To be on hunger strike until a decision will be taken or I will die.” He calls on the governor to “go beyond procedures” and re-examine the evi- dence in his trial in Romania, “find my innocence and dis- pose my release.” The Grand Court earlier found there was no evidence of an unfair trial in Romania and ruled that the appeals process in that country was the proper place for any re- examination of the evidence. Mr. Tanjala’s crime was not specifically related to his political activity. It was al- leged that as administrator of the company IC IGMUG SA Giurgiu, he had become aware of an offer to buy a property from another firm, Zone Libere SA. Instead of authorizing the deal, he orchestrated the sale of the asset to a com- pany owned by his wife for a fraction of the price. That company then made the deal with Zone Libere SA at a massive profit. Mihai Tanjala in an Interpol alert.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Bodden Town THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS First Pedro Spookfest proves a great success Pedro St. James was the scene of a whole stew of spooky fun this past weekend. Organizers estimate more than 1,000 people attended the Hershey’s Halloween Spookfest on Saturday, which delivered loads of thrills and chills for young and old. “Progressive and us at dms Broadcasting sat down and wanted to create some- thing fun and family friendly for Halloween this year with Hershey’s,” said dms Broad- casting account executive Melanie Thomas. “I had sat down with Shayma Hamdi-Romanica from the Tourism Attraction Board and they had been thinking the same thing for Pedro, so we just connected the dots and made it happen – it was such a fun event to create and be a part of, and we’re hopeful it will become an annual event. Pedro was a beautiful venue.” Entry was free for fami- lies with proof of two Her- shey’s product purchases, and the event featured Hal- loween activities like toss the eyeball, coconut bowling, musical pumpkins, sack races and face painting. A haunted house was set up in the Pedro Great House and an outdoor market featured local arts, crafts and baked goods for sale. “We had a great turnout, and the grounds were packed with kids,” said Ms. Hamdi-Romanica. “Seeing Pedro Castle filled with all the little ones dressed up so spooktacularly and having fun was the highlight of the event for us. There were giggles and mischief in the air, and it made us proud to see the grounds bursting with life. The weather was perfect, and Pedro staff did a great job at keeping everything in check and spooky inside the Haunted Great House.” A team of volunteers from the Visual Arts Society led by Mary McCallum set up in the Watler House art studio on the Pedro grounds and had a great time helping kids create crafts. “The VAS studio was busy all day long with kids pro- ducing coconut face pump- kins, spiders, bats, all made from nature items that were from the ground and re- cyclable items you would normally discard,” said Ms. McCallum. “Thanks to my volun- teer team who stuck out the day dressed as witches, black cats and other Hal- loween characters.” Organizers were opti- mistic that another Spookfest is on the horizon, given that such a great time was had by those who came out. “The kids had a blast making crafts,” said Ms. Hamdi-Romanica. “And the coconuts sprayed orange to look like pumpkins [were] a big hit.” “The highlights for me were definitely coconut bowling, musical pump- kins and the haunted house,” added Ms. Thomas. 50 YEARS AGO: PUBLIC MEETING ON NEW BILLS DRAWS LARGE CROWD In the Nov. 2, 1966 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspon- dent Haig Bodden wrote: “Messrs. Anton Bodden and Richard Arch held a public meeting at the Town Hall last week. The purpose of the meeting was to inform the public of the pro- posed bills to be dealt with by the House of As- sembly. The large crowd in attendance showed the interest of the community in political matters. “Work has started on the production of a comedy ‘Good Glory.’ This play will be staged in the Bodden Town Town Hall on the night of Jan. 1, 1967. “Mr. James Hunter M.A. left the island on Thursday. He has gone to Canada in search of em- ployment. It seems like there is no place here yet for educated men. “Departures on the 27th were Mr. Halkieth Bodden of Pease Bay, and Mrs. Angelia Conolly who has gone to visit her chil- dren and relatives in New Jersey and New York. Mrs. Conolly is one of our earnest church workers of the United Church at Bodden Town.” LAWRENCE POWELL GEORGE NOWAK Lawrence Powell of Breakers was quite a unique character. He spent much of his younger days traveling the globe as a merchant seaman. At the time when this photo of him was taken in the late ‘70s, he claimed to have 14 children, two washing machines and property that he would not sell. Besides being a mariner, he also claimed to have been in the bootlegging business while away at sea. He had an amazing memory or he was one heck of a great story teller. When the photographer asked him how he kept his memory so sharp, he responded by saying he “never touched a drop of liquor in his life.” He passed away sometime in the late 1980s. This photograph is from the book ‘The People Time Forgot’ by George Nowak, available at the National Museum. All proceeds from the sales of the book go toward museum projects. There were plenty of smiles among the attendees who all dressed up for the Halloween Spookfest. These youngsters were really getting into the spirit. The witch kissing booth was quite a hit.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2016 his deputy commissioner’s post once Mr. Byrne arrives. Mr. Byrne served as as- sistant commissioner of An Garda Siochana, “the guards” – as Ireland’s national po- lice service is sometimes called – and has super- vised operations and stra- tegic command for serious and organized crime for the past eight years. The Dublin native joined the guards in 1979 and was appointed as assistant com- missioner of national sup- port services there in May 2007, according to the Irish national police website. Mr. Byrne attended Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and has trained with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation at Quantico, Virginia, and with Scotland Yard during his ca- reer. He also holds a diploma in management and indus- trial relations from the Na- tional College of Ireland. Mr. Byrne said in August that it was a “great honor” to be selected to lead the RCIPS. Governor Helen Kil- patrick said she was glad to have “a distinguished po- lice officer of Mr. Byrne’s caliber” heading the local police service. “Within my first month I will visit all of the islands to meet with community leaders, community groups and business leaders to ob- tain a firsthand account of policing requirements on the islands, which will feed into and inform future strategic planning and the direction of the policing service,” the new commissioner said. Mr. Byrne was selected from a short list that in- cluded a British and an American candidate. There were no Caymanian appli- cants who made the final short list after Cayman’s two most senior ranking of- ficers, Mr. Ennis and Deputy Commissioner Kurt Walton, said they had not ap- plied for the job. Mr. Byrne is the first non- U.K. or non-Caymanian po- lice commissioner to serve the islands in recent times. The vast majority of Cay- man’s former police com- missioners have hailed from the U.K. “Missing persons’ inves- tigations never really con- clude,” she said, and the FBI reward is part of the assis- tance from U.S. authorities. The FBI notice states, “The FBI is offering a re- ward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the recovery of Norman Lee and/or the identification which leads to the convic- tion of those involved in his disappearance.” The bulletin from the FBI notes, “[Mr.] Lee has no known medical con- ditions and was in good health at the time of his disappearance.” Mr. Lee was last seen wearing white beach shorts, a clear snorkeling mask and black and blue fins. The FBI became in- volved in the case last No- vember. An FBI represen- tative in Boston confirmed for the local Patriot Ledger newspaper that U.S. federal agents were working with Cayman police since at least late October 2015. Cayman police called off the search three days after Mr. Lee disappeared. Po- lice Chief Inspector Brad Ebanks said at the time, “The currents in that area are strong and it is unlikely that we will make any re- covery at this stage.” Mr. Lee worked as a comic book artist for 20 years with both Marvel and DC, helping to illus- trate some of the most popular comic book he- roes over the last two de- cades. While at Marvel, Mr. Lee worked on several popular series, including “Avengers” and “X-Men.” Mr. Lee was an “inker,” meaning he would ink over the pencil lines, using black ink to create a sense of depth and perspective. He lived with his wife Jan in Weymouth, Massa- chusetts, near Boston.The two suspects involved in the attack emerged from the bushes across the street from the restaurant and ran away through a neighboring property after the shooting, according to witnesses. No arrests were immedi- ately reported. The shooting at Super C oc- curred about 90 minutes after a man was severely beaten at Kelly’s Jerk Stand on Birch Tree Hill Road. The victim in that 8 p.m. attack was set upon by about six men, ac- cording to witnesses. He suf- fered serious injuries, but was expected to survive. Just before dawn on Tuesday, the Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service responded to a shooting call at a home on Birch Tree Hill Road. A bullet hole was found in one of the windows of the home, but none of the residents were there at the time. It was not certain whether the shooting incident at the house, which occurred at 5:45 a.m., was directly related to the other two attacks that hap- pened Tuesday night. A statement from Acting Police Commissioner Anthony Ennis attributed the attacks to “gang-on-gang violence.” The rash of violence was be- lieved to have occurred be- tween the so-called Birch Tree Hill and Logwoods gangs in West Bay, whose feuds in re- cent years have left a number of individuals – mostly young men – dead. “All resources will be brought to bear to tackle this as the safety of our citizens is paramount,” Mr. Ennis said. “We have seen more than enough senseless killings and ruined lives. The truth is that if you are involved in gang activ- ities you will most likely end up in the same places as those who have followed this path – either spending a long time in prison or a final resting place of no return, with broken lives left behind such as parents and loved ones. This is the harsh truth of the matter and the unfortunate consequence of all gang activity.” There were public con- cerns expressed about the possibility of the Logwoods/ Birch Tree Hill feud resuming after the Oct. 1 killing of Justin Manderson outside Nectar nightclub in George Town. Manderson had been charged with murder in the January 2015 killing of Victor Oliver Yates which also oc- curred outside Super C in West Bay. Manderson was discharged from trial in July 2015 after witnesses backed out of testifying. Manderson was injured in an apparent retaliation at- tempt for Mr. Yates’s shooting on Jan. 5, 2015 outside the Pop-A-Top liquor store in West Bay but survived with a wound to his wrist. On Jan. 23, 2015, David Ruben Ebanks, Manderson’s cousin, was killed in a shooting outside a Birch Tree Hill Road jerk stand, another apparent retal- iation attack. Following Manderson’s death last month, his father Jake and close friend Katina Anglin pleaded publicly for West Bay’s young men to forgo further attempts at “tit-for-tat” violence that killed five young Caymanian men in 2011 and another three in 2013 in sus- pected gang-related shoot- ings, along with the two mur- ders from last year. Mr. Ennis lauded Mr. Manderson’s public efforts in trying to quell the violence in the district. “I would like to quote Mr. Jake Manderson who has el- oquently called for peace and asked that those seeking re- venge ‘leave it to God and the law.’ This is the best advice anyone can offer to those who are engaging in this violence. Another truth is that this is not just a police problem but a social problem, with par- ents probably turning a blind eye to the activities of sons and daughters, as we know that gang affiliation is gender- neutral. I also call community leaders to take positive ac- tions and interventions to stop these senseless killings. It is better to try and save the life of a member of the commu- nity than to attend the funeral of the deceased.” West Bay MLA Bernie Bush said Wednesday that he had been meeting with district res- idents who raised this issue of gang violence among a number of other matters to him. “I hope that … cooler heads will prevail in this and talk to some of the younger ones,” Mr. Bush said. “This is not helping anyone. It’s time to stop this now.” Car death victim named as small grocery owner JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Friends of a grocery store owner who died after driving a car into a canal in Prospect have spoken of their shock at her death. Audrey Nugent, 53, was behind the wheel of a silver BMW when it plunged into the water off Marina Drive on Monday morning. Police and firefighters pulled her from the sub- merged vehicle, but medics were unable to revive her and she was later pronounced dead at the Cayman Is- lands Hospital. Police have said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident. Close friends of Ms. Nu- gent, who was originally from Jamaica but grew up in the Cayman Islands and lived in George Town, said she was a friendly, outgoing person. They say they are shocked and upset by the incident, which came out of the blue. Ms. Nugent ran a small gro- cery store called Audrey’s, next to the Blue Marlin bar on Eastern Avenue. Marilyn Nasirun said her friend often helped out on her farm in East End and had stopped by to visit with her at her stand at the farmers market on Monday morning. “She left me about 8 a.m. and the next thing I heard this had happened. I’m shocked. She was one of my best friends. She would often come visit me at my house in Prospect and we would play dominoes together.” Morna Lawrence, another friend of Ms. Nugent, said she was a “lovely person.” “I would never have thought something like this could happen,” she said. “All I can say is that she was a very good person. She was friendly and outgoing. If she had any problems, she kept them to herself.” The silver BMW is pulled from the canal off Marina Drive on Monday. – PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER Two shot as gang violence breaks out in West Bay The scene of Tuesday night’s shooting at Super C Restaurant on Watercourse Road in West Bay was still under investigation by police Wednesday morning. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 FBI offers $10k reward in disappearance of comic book artist New police commissioner to arrive Thursday Norman Lee, at his home near Boston, Massachusetts. – PHOTO: GARY HIGGINS/THE PATRIOT LEDGER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Audrey NugentThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS I support the Cayman AIDS Foundation because it is my civic duty to help educate and protect our society’s most vulnerable citizens. Hon Franz Manderson, Cert Hon, JP Cayman Islands Deputy Governor Cayman AIDS Foundation I support the Cayman AIDS Foundation because watching friends suffer with HIV and losing loved ones to AIDS takes an emotional toll on the entire community. Noel Cayasso-Smith CAF Chief Executive Officer THURSDAY, NOV. 3 ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY: The next general public gathering is at Pedro Castle, starting at 6:30 p.m. If the weather is bad or more than 50 percent cloudy, the meeting will be canceled. Phone Richard on 925-4917. FRIDAY, NOV. 4 TIME ATTACK: Sign up for Time Attack auto racing at Parker’s, 7 p.m. First-time participants sign up for free. Event is Sunday, Nov. 6, behind Progressive, from 11 a.m. Organized by Cayman Motorsports Association. LITTLE CAYMAN PIRATES WEEK: Kick-off dance tonight at McCoy’s Lodge. Tomorrow, float parade, costume competition and fireworks. Sunday, farewell barbecue. THEATRE: The Cayman National Cultural Foundation presents “Collected Stories” by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies at the Harquail Theatre. Directed by Henry Muttoo, featuring Marcia Muttoo and Rita Estevanovich. Final weekend. Curtain tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m.; Sunday, 6 p.m. Tickets $25 for adults, $15 for seniors (over 65) and youth (13-17). Parental advisory – strong language. Visit artscayman.org to purchase tickets online or get them at Foster’s Food Fair at the Strand, Funky Tang’s or Healthcare Pharmacy Grand Harbour. Call the Box Office at 949-5477 or email cncf@artscayman.org. SATURDAY, NOV. 5 BAKE SALE: Girls’ Brigade hold a fundraiser at A. L. Thompson’s Depot from 9 a.m. Various light and heavy cakes will be on sale. MUSIC OUTDOORS: All are invited to a free concert by The Singrays in the amphitheater of Dart Family Park, South Church Street, at 5:30 p.m. They will sing some of their favorite arrangements of standards, jazz, pop, and modern tunes. Admission is free, but donations to support the National Trust are welcome. More information at www. facebook.com/singrays or email singrays.ky@gmail.com. SUNDAY, NOV. 6 HARVEST FESTIVAL: St. George’s Anglican Church welcomes all to attend Harvest Festival service at 8 a.m. One service only. Celebrant and preacher is the Rt. Rev. Dr. Robert Thompson, Bishop of Kingston, Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. TUESDAY, NOV. 8 STEWARDS OF CHILDREN: The Red Cross “Darkness to Light” is a free training program, 6:30-9 p.m., for parents, teachers and others who work with or provide services to young people. Gain knowledge and skills to prevent child sexual abuse; recognize signs of abuse and learn how to react responsibly. Pre-registration is required. Contact vrm@redcross.org.ky. ZIKA PUBLIC MEETING: Doctors and government officers invite the public, especially pregnant women, to a meeting at the East End Civic Centre, 5:30-7 p.m. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 9 GLAUCOMA SCREENING: The Health Services Authority conducts free eye screening for glaucoma, as well blood glucose and cholesterol- testing, in Cayman Islands Hospital atrium in George Town. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. An educational session will be held on Nov. 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the Hibiscus Conference Room with ophthalmologist Dr. Helena Cilliers, dietitian Tamara Riley and pharmacist Winsome Jefferson. PIRATES WEEK WALK/RUN: Today is the last day to register for the event on Friday, Nov. 11. $25. See www.CaymanActive.com. THURSDAY, NOV. 10 DIABETES EDUCATION: Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Hibiscus Conference Room at Cayman Islands Hospital with ophthalmologist Dr. Helena Cilliers, dietitian Tamara Riley and pharmacist Winsome Jefferson. Open to the public, especially diabetics. WEST BAY HERITAGE: Today is the last day to register for participation in competitions to be held on Heritage Day, Nov. 17. Baby Show, 5 p.m., boys and girls ages 0-48 months. Talent show, singing, dancing, musical, poetry, 5:30 p.m. for ages 5 to 18. Fish Fry Competition, 6 p.m. for ages 13 to 19 years. Free admission but advance registration necessary. Call 929-9932. FRIDAY, NOV. 11 PIRATES WEEK FUN RUN/ WALK: Check in at Bar Crudo from 3:30 p.m. Walk/ run starts at 5:30 p.m. Registration deadline Nov. 9. SATURDAY, NOV. 12 GIRLS’ BRIGADE 70TH ANNIVERSARY: The Cayman Islands Girls’ Brigade National Council celebrates its 70th year anniversary in Cayman (1946-2016). Grand Old House, from 6 p.m. Formal dress. Tickets are $60 per person. Tickets available from any Girls’ Brigade Officer or call 916-8617. BRAC COUNTRY JAMBOREE: The 2016 Arlin Tatum Tribute Concert with Big Ray and the Country Boys and Andy Martin. Veterans and Seamen’s Centre. Free admission. Raffle tickets on sale for $5, with first prize $1,000. Barbecue served from 6:30 p.m., $10 and up. OPTIMIST CLUB RAFFLE: Members of the Optimist Club will be selling raffle tickets at Foster’s Strand from 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 and the first prize is a 32-inch Samsung TV. Ticket drawing has been moved to Nov. 17. Contact Club President Sandra at 925-1480 for more information. MONDAY, NOV. 14 BODDEN TOWN HERITAGE DAY: Activities from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Harry McCoy Park and Gun Square Avenue. Craft market, old-time shop, kids’ corner, local food. CAR BOOT SALE: The Optimist Club of George Town, Grand Cayman holds a car boot sale 5:30-8 a.m. in the car park on Walkers Road, across from the gas station and Burger King. Items will be priced as low as $1, and include kids and adult clothing, shoes, accessories, electronics and more. All proceeds go toward children’s programs facilitated by the Optimist Club. For more information, contact Mark at 916-2844. TUESDAY, NOV. 15 GEORGE TOWN HERITAGE DAY: From 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Farmers Market on Huldah Avenue. Live music, craft market, local food, peppermint demo. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16 EAST END HERITAGE DAY: From 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Heritage Field. Artifacts display, craft market, local food, live music. THURSDAY, NOV. 17 WEST BAY HERITAGE DAY: From 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Heritage Field. FRIDAY, NOV. 18 NORTH SIDE HERITAGE DAY: From 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Water Key Public Beach. GENERAL INTEREST FLU SHOTS: The 2016/2017 Seasonal Flu shots are now available at the General Practice Clinic at the Cayman Islands Hospital, and all District Health Centres, 2-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. In Little Cayman, residents should contact the clinic to make arrangements. Flu shots available in the Cayman Islands Hospital Atrium (next to the pharmacy) until Friday, Nov. 11, 10 a.m. to noon weekdays only. All flu shots are given on a first- come, first-served basis and are available only while supplies last, at no cost to residents. For further information, contact the Public Health Department on 244-2621/244-2889. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Classes offered Tuesdays Nov. 8-22, figure drawing with live model. Thursdays till Nov. 24, color theory. Mixed medium workshop, Tuesdays, Nov. 8-29. For more information, email workshops@ visualartcayman.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Marcia Muttoo, left, and Rita Estevanovich appear in the Cayman National Cultural Foundation’s ‘Collected Stories’ by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies at the Harquail Theatre this weekend.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2016 Center-right party to form Iceland gov’t Iceland’s president has asked the center-right Independence Party to form a government after it won the biggest share of votes in the country’s election. More people from far-flung corners of world sneaking into US WASHINGTON (AP) – An in- creasing number of people from far-flung corners of the world have tried to sneak into the United States among the hundreds of thousands of other, mostly Latin Amer- ican migrants caught at the Mexican border in the last year, according to arrest data from the Homeland Secu- rity Department. The arrests of more than 8,000 people from India, China, Romania, Bangladesh and Nepal between October 2015 and the end of August is offering a new challenge to immigration agents tasked with fully identifying would- be immigrants and quickly deporting people caught crossing the border illegally. The group of overseas mi- grants represents a tiny frac- tion of the more than 408,000 people caught crossing the Mexican border illegally in the last year. But the arrests suggest a rising trend in the number of migrants opting for a convoluted trek that sometimes wends across the seas to South America, over land to Central America and then through Mexico before arriving at the U.S. border illegally. For decades Mexico dom- inated the discussion on il- legal immigration as the country from which most im- migrants went to the border illegally. But in recent years the number of Mexican na- tionals who have been trying to sneak into the United States has dropped. India and China are now squarely among the top 10 countries of origin for people caught trying to sneak into the United States. Large num- bers of immigrants from those two countries have long come to the United States le- gally and many have over- stayed visas to remain here. Now some people are taking a different approach alto- gether by making their way to Mexico to try to sneak into the United States as visas are harder to come by. Victor Manjarrez, a former Border Patrol sector chief and director of the Center for Law & Human Behavior at the University of Texas at El Paso, said the rising number of migrants from countries far beyond the Americas should be seen as a growing concern. “That is very unusual. If I was still sitting as the chief of El Paso or Tucson … I’d be a little concerned,” Man- jarrez said. “In the grand scheme, as a percentage, it’s relatively small but the raw numbers are such a big jump historically.” The changing face of il- legal immigration at the U.S.- Mexico border is a small part of a broader trend of global migration, with millions of people fleeing their home countries. But the arrival of so many people from far be- yond U.S. borders brings with it broad implications for U.S. border security and other immigration en- forcement efforts. The Homeland Security Department has made ar- resting, jailing and deporting recent border crossers a top priority for immigration agents. Most Mexican mi- grants caught at the border are sent home within just a few days. But for migrants from countries a continent away the process is often far longer and costlier for the U.S. government as the migrants wait in immigration jails for travel documents to return home or a judge to de- cide their fate. The uptick in arrivals of people from other continents, combined with an increase in overall border crossings in the last 12 months, has led to a spike of more than 40,000 people being held in immigration jails in recent weeks. Immigration and Cus- toms Enforcement’s budget gives them enough money to house 34,000 people at any given time and the recent overflow has officials wor- ried they may face a budget shortfall of more than $130 million in the coming months if the trend continues. DHS spokeswoman Gillian Christensen said the agency has enough money to “operate at current levels” until Dec. 9, when a temporary budget resolution expires. After that, she said, DHS will work to ei- ther shift money from other parts of the department or find another “alternative budget strategy.” She de- scribed the possible budget adjustment as “common.” Manjarrez said border agents and immigration offi- cials face multiple challenges with a rise in immigrants from so far away, including language barriers and crowded detention centers. “The further away you get from the Americas, the more difficult it is to really know who they are,” Manjarrez said of the government’s ability to fully identify some would- be immigrants. The director of the Wash- ington Office on Latin Amer- ica’s Mexico program, Mau- reen Meyer, said it appears that many of the over- seas migrants are making their way through Mexico via South American coun- tries, including Brazil, where entry visas are either easy to come by or not required. And their final destination is more often than not the United States. “I think it’s reflecting a gradual trend, as of at least particularly the last year,” Meyer said. After explosion, company aims to restart gas pipeline HELENA, Ala. (AP) – Exec- utives at a pipeline com- pany say their goal is to re- start the line as early as this weekend after an explosion and fire shut down gaso- line shipments to millions across the South. The deadly explosion sparked a geyser of fire Monday and closed off the vital pipeline, raising fears of another round of gas short- ages and price increases. It’s Colonial Pipeline’s second accident and shutdown in two months. Continuing fires in the drought-stricken area of cen- tral Alabama hampered offi- cials’ efforts to fully assess the damage Tuesday after- noon, and firefighters built an earthen berm to contain the burning fuel. The accident happened when a dirt-moving machine struck the pipeline, ignited gasoline and sparked a blast Monday, killing one worker and injuring five others, the Georgia-based company said. Four of the injured re- mained hospitalized, Colo- nial spokesman Bill Berry said Tuesday afternoon in nearby Helena, Alabama. UAB Hospital, where the injured were treated, declined to re- lease information on them, citing requests by their fami- lies for privacy. Another worker was treated for less severe inju- ries and released from a hos- pital, Berry said. As much as 168,000 gal- lons of gasoline could have burned, spilled, evaporated or remained in the pipeline, the company said. The explosion happened a few miles from where the pipeline sprung a leak and spilled 252,000 to 336,000 gallons of gasoline in Sep- tember. After the leak, the company used one of Co- lonial’s two main lines to move gasoline as it made re- pairs, but it still led to days of dry pumps and higher gas prices in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas while repairs were made. Contractors were working on repairs related to the Sep- tember leak when gasoline ignited and spread fire to the pipeline, the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said Tuesday. The nine-member crew was using a track hoe to excavate the pipeline so permanent repairs from the September leak could be made, Colonial Pipeline exec- utive Gerald Beck said. The pipeline provides nearly 40 percent of the re- gion’s gasoline and usually runs at or near full capacity. Together, Colonial’s two lines carry more than 2 million barrels of fuel a day. By mid-day Tuesday, Colo- nial Pipeline said it was able to restart the second of its two main lines, which carries diesel and jet fuel. The severity of the gasoline shortage will depend on how long the gasoline pipeline re- mains closed, AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said. “We would encourage drivers not to panic, so don’t run to the gas station and start filling up every gas can you can,” said AAA spokes- woman Tamra Johnson. In this 2014 file photo, cars wait to enter the United States from Tijuana, Mexico, through the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego. An increasing number of people from all around the world have quietly tried to sneak into the United States in recent years. - PHOTO: AP A large plume of smoke from a Colonial Pipeline explosion is visible in Helena, Alabama. Colonial Pipeline says it has shut down its main pipeline in the state but aims to reopen it soon. – PHOTO: APNext >