ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 2016 High of 88 Low of 74 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TURBULENCE OVER BERMUDA’S AIRPORT 25 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER TO VOTE ELECTION 2017 SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX THE CAYMAN ISLANDS JOURNAL Facts in the age of post-truth, truthiness and Trump FOI Commissioner turns to court to obtain ‘Ritch Report’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Infor- mation Commissioner’s Office can now be added to the list of those taking legal action against government over various issues related to the granting of perma- nent resident status. Acting Information Commis- sioner Cory Martinson wrote to Chief Justice Anthony Smellie on Tuesday, informing the judiciary of Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose’s failure to follow an order issued by the commissioner’s office in September. The order sought to obtain a copy of an immigration consultant’s report that government commissioned last year. The report has been requested by the Cayman Com- pass via the Freedom of Infor- mation process, but access to it has been denied. The information commis- sioner ordered government to produce a copy of the consul- tant’s report to assist the com- missioner’s internal review in deciding on the Compass’s open records request. In the order, the commissioner stated that turning over the report did not mean it would be disclosed to the applicant (referring to the Compass). After a 45-day waiting pe- riod specified in the FOI Law for such orders, Mr. Rose did not Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute representative Ansari Hosein leads farmers on a tour of the organization’s field operations Monday. The institute, which is celebrating its 42nd anniversary, develops technologies to help farmers improve their yield. For more, see page 2. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY New Year’s Eve hours extended for clubs, bars, hotels New Year’s Eve, which falls on a Saturday night this year, will essentially be treated as a Friday night as far as liquor sales and oper- ating hours are concerned, ac- cording to the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman. The board confirmed Tuesday that operating hours for bars, restaurants and ho- tels will be extended to 2 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 1, and that those establishments may sell alcohol until 1:30 a.m. Operating hours for night- clubs will extend until 4 a.m. on Jan. 1, with alcohol sales being allowed until 3:30 a.m. Typically, all liquor sales and music and dancing at licensed premises end at midnight every Saturday in Cayman. Gas station liquor license A liquor license for a gas station convenience store on PENSIONERS SOON ABLE TO WITHDRAW MORE EACH YEAR BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The maximum amount retirees can with- draw from their savings in a private sector pension plan each year will be increased as of early 2017, Employment Minister Tara Rivers announced this week. Private sector retirees participating in a National Pensions Law-mandated retirement savings plan can currently withdraw a max- imum of $12,000 per year, regardless of how much they have saved or their current age. Under the new government policy, due to take effect Jan. 9, the minimum and maximum withdrawal amounts a pensioner can take each year will vary, based on age and savings. For Retirement Savings Arrangements ac- counts that have smaller balances, $12,480 an- nually will be the maximum withdrawal, ac- cording to the ministry. This is to ensure “plan members have a basic pension amount that lasts for their entire retirement and that they do not use all of their pension funds before their anticipated death.” Individuals who have more money in their retirement savings accounts can withdraw more. Also, the withdrawal amount can be adjusted for inflation in future years under PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » GOVERNOR’S STATEMENT Governor Helen Kilpatrick made the following comments Tuesday regarding the permanent residence issues: “Although immigration policy is dele- gated to the Cayman Islands Government, I am well aware of the current problems surrounding the immigration points based system and the delays in processing appli- cations that these issues have caused. “The United Kingdom has made it clear that it expects the Overseas Territories to abide by their international legal obligations. “This matter is currently before the courts and as such it would be inappro- priate for me to comment in detail. “One of the strengths of the Cayman Islands is its professional and independent judiciary. Such independent judicial scru- tiny is a key pillar of the good governance of the Overseas Territories.” PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Research center helps farmers2 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 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. - WEDNESDAY - DOG EAT DOG (R) 1:30 | 4:20 | 7:20 | 10:00 FANTASTIC BEASTS (PG13) AND WHERE TO FIND THEM 3D 12:15 | 3:20 2D | 6:30 | 9:40 2D MOANA 3D (PG) 12:45 | 3:30 2D | 6:45 | 9:20 2D SULLY (PG13) 1:40 | 4:30 | 7:00 | 9:30 ALMOST CHRISTMAS (PG13) 1:10 | 4:00 | 7:05 | 9:50 ARRIVAL (PG13) 1:20 | 4:10 | 7:10 | 9:55 ROUND TRIP FROM LA CEIBA HONDURAS TO Grand Cayman with connection to SAN ANDRÉS, COLOMBIA INFORMATION & RESERVATION: . . . . . or email: aeb@easyconnect.ky Must be paid in FULL by December th WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING CARGO December , to January , CAYMAN CHARTERS TRAVEL SERVICES & The agency that put you rst! LA CEIBA, HONDURAS CI . or US. INCLUDE AIRFARE & TAX FROMFROM Prisoner freed by mistake gets suspended sentence for ATM burglary Defendant made good use of time out of prison, attorney says CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who pleaded guilty to burglary and damaging an automatic teller machine in 2014 was given a two year suspended sentence Monday after attorney John Furniss told the court how well the defendant had been doing since he was released from custody by mistake. Mark Kennedy Bush had admitted his role in the ATM incident that occurred at the Marquee Plaza in the early hours of Feb. 28, 2014. He had also pleaded guilty to theft of a bracelet and stones valued at $3,500 in 2011. After a recent trial, Magistrate An- gelyn Hernandez found him guilty of handling stolen goods in 2013. Mr. Furniss said Bush had heavily relapsed into cocaine use when he received a phone call around 2 a.m. telling him to come to the Marquee Plaza. “He could have said no, but he got involved,” the attorney reported. He and Crown counsel Aa- liyah McCarthy gave details to the court. The Security Centre no- tified police at 4:46 a.m. of the alarm at the Cayman Na- tional Bank facility in the plaza off West Bay Road and Lawrence Boulevard. Two of- ficers responded and saw people wearing dark clothing, gloves and masks near the ATM facility. The bank had leased or owned a room in the plaza and the ATM was behind an electronically op- erated door that required a bank card for entrance. The ATM had been pulled toward the door, but police arrived before it could be placed onto a truck parked nearby. The people ran when they saw the police, but one officer caught up with Bush, who became exhausted and fell. While running, he had tried to throw away a mask and gloves. No money had been re- moved from the ATM. The damage caused, as stated in the charge, was valued at $25,450. Bush was held in cus- tody while a female defendant was granted bail. Mr. Furniss represented the female in a later trial and she was found not guilty. Meanwhile, Bush re- mained in prison for four months. Then a preliminary inquiry was held into charges against Bush and two other people regarding the burglary of another ATM in Savannah. The magistrate found there was insufficient evidence and that matter did not proceed. Through an administrative error, the correct paperwork was not sent to Northward Prison. With no authority to hold Bush, prison officials released him. Mr. Furniss said Bush, now 44, had begun tackling his drug addiction by seeking counseling in prison. He con- tinued counseling after his re- lease and attended an anger management program. He at- tended church regularly, ap- peared in court whenever re- quired and had endeavored to put something back into the community by working with Meals on Wheels. Most im- portantly, he had stayed out of trouble for the last two and a half years, the court heard. The theft charge arose from a situation that started when a man gave Bush a bracelet and some scrap gold to make the bracelet thicker and heavier. He also provided some red stones to be set into the bracelet. Bush accepted the items but then lost them. He said he would repay the owner, but eventually gave him only about $150. Bush pleaded guilty to theft on the basis that his efforts to make good did not work out. The handling stolen goods referred to jewelry and items stolen in a 2013 residential burglary in West Bay. The magistrate accepted that Bush’s offenses arose from his drug problem. She said sentencing was very dif- ficult because the court must exercise justice but also have some compassion. And when a person is trying, some assis- tance must be given, she added. For the ATM offenses, she imposed a sentence of two years, but suspended it for two years. Conditions include continuing in counseling pro- grams and staying drug-free. “If you fail any drug test, you’re going to prison,” she warned. For the handling offense, she ordered Bush to per- form 180 hours of commu- nity service. For the theft, she imposed a prison term of two months. Farmers visit research center JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Farmers and government representatives toured the op- erations of the Caribbean Ag- ricultural Research and De- velopment Institute this week as the organization celebrated its 42nd anniversary. The aim of the institute, known as CARDI, is to develop methods and technology that can assist farmers throughout the region increase their crop yield and income, thus making more produce available to con- sumers at affordable prices. In Cayman, where the in- stitute has been operational since June 2015, the scientists have already helped farmers improve the yield of their peppers through research on spacing of the seeds. CARDI representative An- sari Hosein said that after trials, “yields and incomes were about five times higher when the plants were spaced at two feet between row[s] and one foot within row[s].” On Monday, Cayman farmers joined institute repre- sentatives and government of- ficials, including Agriculture Minister Kurt Tibbetts, for a presentation at the Agricul- ture Department. “When we look at our pep- pers, if that is a simple indica- tion of what you can bring to us, we are grateful,” Mr. Tib- betts told the CARDI team. About 20 farmers toured the field operations, examined a poster exhibition and received information about CARDI’s app. Mr. Tibbetts said that be- cause so much land was being used for purposes other than agriculture, new innovations and technologies are neces- sary to enable farmers to pro- duce more crops with less land. He added that Cayman’s agriculture industry is already embracing new technology. “There is a totally untapped market here in the Cayman Is- lands for agricultural prod- ucts; it’s simply a matter of us getting good quality products consistently at a price that is competitive. While those chal- lenges seems to be great chal- lenges, they are getting less and less because the deserving consumers are crying more for farm fresh produce,” he said. Since coming on island in mid-2015, CARDI has been credited by officials with making significant contribu- tions to research, especially in the area of peppers, by helping to supply disease-free seeds to the Department of Agricul- ture, which the department distributes to farmers. Mr. Hosein said the in- stitute is researching forage development, protected agri- culture, production and pro- ductivity of roots and tubers, and some biotechnology work to improve and introduce new varieties of hot and seasoning peppers and quality seeds. Adrian Estwick, director of the Agriculture Department, said one of the benefits of Cayman being a CARDI member is that farmers and the Agricul- ture Department now have ac- cess to a group of professional staff throughout the region. CARDI was established on Dec. 5, 1974, in Georgetown, Guyana. As well as its office in the Cayman Islands, it has a presence in Antigua and Bar- buda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. Through an administrative error, the correct paperwork was not sent to Northward Prison. With no authority to hold Bush, prison officials released him.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 2016 US$40,000 IN CASH AND PRIZES WILL BE WON! 3 X US$5,000 CASH WINNERS 5 X US$1,000 CASH WINNERS AND OTHER GREAT PRIZES! Every US$100 purchase at any Kirk Freeport store made before noon on December 24th qualifi es for all prize draws! Winners will be announced on Z99 and Rooster 101.9 at 6pm each drawing date. DEC 1ST: ENTRY COLLECTION BEGINS Dec 9th US$5,000 Dec 16th US$5,000 Dec 19th - 23rd US$1,000 each day Dec 24th US$5,000 Rolex giveaway is on January 3rd on Daybreak RULES AND REGULATIONS: Minimum US$100 purchase to enter. One entry per purchase. Receipts can be combined to reach US$100 requirement. Winner must claim prize at Kirk Freeport on Cardinall Avenue within 7 days of announcement. Non-winning valid entries from Kirk Freeport Christmas Sweepstakes will be included in the Rolex Drawing. Kirk Freeport employees and immediate family members are not eligible to enter. Bayshore Mall : Cardinall Avenue : The Strand (345) 949.7477 : kirkfreeport.com MAKE YOUR OWN LUCK THIS CHRISTMAS Private partnership over airport was first offered to Cayman JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Riot police used pepper spray on protesters who blockaded Bermuda’s Parlia- ment on Friday to stop the territory’s government from authorizing an airport re- development deal which was initially offered to the Cayman Islands. The Canadian Commer- cial Corp., a Canadian gov- ernment-owned company, entered talks with Bermu- da’s government after pro- posals for the $200 mil- lion airport partnership collapsed in Cayman. The deal was scuppered here amid concerns from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office over the lack of ten- dering process and com- plaints from retailers and businesses that they would be cut out of the new pri- vately run airport. It has proved an even more controversial proposi- tion in Bermuda. As the ruling One Ber- muda Alliance, which holds a slender majority in the territory, prepared to push through enabling legisla- tion on Friday, hundreds of protesters linked arms to block legislators from entering the gates of the House of Assembly. Police in riot gear tried to clear a path through the crowd, dousing some pro- testers in pepper spray, the Royal Gazette news- paper reported. Eventually the debate was postponed. The proposal on the table in Cayman, similar to the one now being discussed in Ber- muda, would have involved the Canadian firm financing and building expansions to the airport and runway in exchange for a 30-to-40-year operating concession and the right to collect “aero- nautical and non-aeronau- tical revenues.” Concerns were expressed about a loss of direct govern- ment revenue, loss of con- trol over a key strategic asset for the country and poten- tial loss of jobs at the airport. On the plus side, the deal would have led to an exten- sive redevelopment without adding to public sector debt – a troubling issue for both territories. Robert Hamaty, chairman of the airport tenants associ- ation in Cayman, said it was a bad deal with few bene- fits other than keeping debt off the government balance sheet. He said he was not surprised to see it meet with opposition in Bermuda, but did not agree with the tactic of blockading parliament. In Cayman, he said, the tenants association had met with the Cayman Islands Air- ports Association board and highlighted the problems similar deals had caused in other countries. “The Canadian Vancouver company takeover was re- jected by the previous CIAA board,” he said. “The plan was for government to lease out the airport for 40 years, locals get removed and foreign com- panies take over the shops …. The country loses its sov- ereignty and the airport be- comes like a USA shopping mall with high prices, not to mention the local airport management is removed.” Similar concerns were highlighted in Bermuda. MP Walton Brown told the Cayman Compass his party objected to the length of the contract and the lack of tendering process. He said there were far too many con- cessions involved on the government side. Opposition leader David Burt said in a radio inter- view before Friday’s protest, “The One Bermuda Alliance is planning on using their very slim majority to sell our air- port, to privatize our airport to a foreign company and we cannot let that happen.” Bermuda Premier Michael Dunkley told the Gazette be- fore Friday’s debate that the project would “generate jobs, career and business oppor- tunities for Bermudians, get built on time, on budget, and stimulate economic growth with no increase in the national debt.” Civil unrest in Bermuda over airport deal Bermuda opposition leader David Burt on the scene of the protest Friday. - PHOTOS: AKIL SIMMONS, ROYAL GAZETTE Protesters gather outside Bermuda’s House of Assembly on Friday. - PHOTO: AKIL SIMMONS, ROYAL GAZETTEThe 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” WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS With their natty shorts, tony blazers and long socks, the people of Bermuda project an aura of respect- ability and British sensibility. Lying just beneath that veneer (which, like the islands’ pink sand and turquoise water, is showcased for tourists), however, are serious fiscal, political and social problems. Amid a toxic atmosphere of racial discord, Bermu- da’s conflicts of power and identity intersected Friday morning, culminating in a confrontation between pro- testers attempting to bar legislators from entering Parliament, and police who responded with consider- able (but non-lethal) force, including the deployment of pepper spray. As the editorial board of the Bermuda Royal Gazette lamented the next day, “We brought yesterday on ourselves and have descended rather predictably into a lawless abyss of incivility as a result.” Ostensibly, the protesters had assembled to prevent lawmakers from approving a controversial airport rede- velopment project (which, by the way, is similar to an arrangement that had been previously considered, then dismissed, here in the Cayman Islands). However, the truth is the issue could have been anything – that is, anything supported by the ruling One Bermuda Alliance government that the opposition Progressive Labour Party could use to foment unrest among its allies in the country’s various unions. Back in March, the opposition had employed a similar tactic, with success, to stymie the ruling government’s plan to implement changes to Bermuda’s immigration system. According to the Royal Gazette, “The protesters were given a pass in March, but this cannot be allowed to go on whenever the OBA and the Progressive Labour Party do not see eye to eye in the legislature.” Quite right. Not only is representative democracy not identical to mob rule, it is the prescription intended to prevent that disease from taking hold. But leaving our North Atlantic cousins to sort out their own problems, the sentiments we are seeing dis- played in the streets of Bermuda are emblematic of civil services, governments and unions-in-wedlock-with- politicians everywhere. Their common cause is resistance to “privatiza- tion of public services” – at least, that’s what the right- thinking segments of the world call it; to governments and their entrenched bureaucracies, it’s interpreted as a “threat to territory and power.” Take, for example, the Progressives’ promising, but ultimately utterly disappointing, attempt to “ratio- nalize” significant swaths of Cayman’s public sector: “Project Future” also known as the “EY Report.” More than two years after the consultants’ report was published, to great fanfare from this newspaper, there have been nearly zero results – apart from bureaucratic posturing, the eternal consideration of potential options (including, of course, “do nothing”), the decision to merge some independent oversight bodies, and other marginal miscellany – but nothing that significantly impacts the bottom line of the gov- ernment budget. We admit, we find ourselves yawning a bit as we ask this, but is not it about time for an update from former Education Chief Officer Mary Rodrigues and her “strategic reforms implementation unit” about what they’ve been doing and how much money has been spent doing it? Yes, a “progress report” would be good. But actual progress would be even better. Turbulence over Bermuda’s airport US Republicans take on tax havens NOAH SMITH Few are paying atten- tion, but a proposal now working its way through Congress could change the U.S.’s whole approach to trade, industrial policy and taxation. The plan would exempt income earned on exports from corporate taxation. Today, corpora- tions pay federal taxes on the profits they make from goods and services sold overseas – only the loca- tion of the company’s head- quarters matters. Under the new proposal, taxes would be based on where the sales are made. The Republican plan also cuts the top cor- porate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent and limits the deductibility of interest expenses, among other changes. The switch in the loca- tion of taxation is the most important change. First, it would crack down on tax havens. By moving its head- quarters to a country with a low or zero corporate tax rates – Bermuda or the Cayman Islands – a com- pany now can avoid U.S. taxes by holding cash off- shore until it’s ready to re- patriate it. This results in lost revenue for the federal government, and also in- centivizes corporations to sit on cash instead of in- vesting it in the U.S. Many economists have called for the tax system to be changed to elimi- nate this practice. Although cracking down on tax ha- vens has typically been a battle cry of the left, it’s the Republican Congress that is actually tackling the problem. This is good, be- cause it provides scope for bipartisan consensus. (Note that this plan is about cor- porate taxation; it’s dif- ferent from Trump’s plan for cutting personal taxes.) The GOP plan also lowers the corporate tax rate – another good move. The U.S.’s top rate, now at 35 percent, is one of the world’s highest. But the ac- tual tax rate paid by U.S. companies is relatively low, since they put vast amounts of money and effort into tax avoidance. Reducing the rate, while closing some of the biggest loop- holes, would allow the gov- ernment to keep collecting the same amount of rev- enue, but would make com- panies stop spending so much money on avoidance – money that could then be used to hire workers and expand business in the U.S., or returned to shareholders to be invested elsewhere. Limiting of interest deductibility is yet an- other good idea. The cur- rent system favors debt to finance operations and ex- pansion rather than eq- uity. That leaves the U.S. economy more vulnerable to asset bubbles, since bubbles that involve lots of debt are more damaging than those that are concentrated in the stock market. The GOP tax plan would thus make the economy a little more robust against crises like the one in 2008. But the most potentially far-reaching change in the GOP proposal is the export subsidy. Under the plan, U.S. exports would be charged corporate tax in whatever country they’re sold in. But products made in that other country would be charged both corporate taxes and other local taxes, like value added tax (VAT). Since the U.S. doesn’t have a VAT, the U.S. tax system would effec- tively be subsidizing exports by American companies. Many economists turn up their noses at export subsidies, viewing them as similar to tariffs or other trade barriers. But there are big differences. Export subsidies can be an effective tool for in- creasing productivity and boosting long-term eco- nomic growth. Though the World Trade Orga- nization prohibits mem- bers from subsidizing ex- ports based on volume, the House GOP plan might pass muster, as it is somewhat similar to the tax systems used by most other devel- oped countries. Evidence shows that companies that sell goods and services overseas tend to be more productive than those that sell domesti- cally. This is partly because more productive compa- nies are better able to com- pete in global markets, and hence more likely to export. When a country allocates more resources toward ex- porters, overall produc- tivity in the economy goes up, since the exporters ex- pand more quickly than the less productive domestic- selling companies. But there’s also some ev- idence that the mere act of selling into foreign markets induces companies to raise their productivity levels. Companies can learn from foreign competitors and for- eign customers alike. Harvard economist Dani Rodrik has an interesting theory about why export subsidies work. Instead of traditional industrial policy, which involves the government picking win- ners, export subsidies give companies an incentive to discover what they’re good at. Corporations and coun- tries don’t automatically know what they’re doing well, and in fact, these spe- cializations can change rapidly as technology and trade patterns shift. Since export subsidies make it easier for companies to enter the hypercompetitive, ever-shifting global mar- ketplace, they give these companies some breathing room to discover their own comparative advantage. In the long run, that means higher productivity and more gains from trade. So the House GOP’s tax plan represents not one, but several big important posi- tive shifts for U.S. tax policy. It cracks down on tax ha- vens, reduces the burden on U.S. companies, encourages investment in the U.S. and makes the economy slightly less vulnerable to bubbles. And it would give U.S. com- panies more of an incen- tive to go out into the world and discover what they’re the best at, while reallo- cating resources toward the most productive companies. The plan was written by Re- publicans, but its appeal should be obvious to those on the left of the political spectrum as well. Smith is a Bloomberg View columnist. © 2016, Bloomberg View Although cracking down on tax havens has typically been a battle cry of the left, it’s the Republican Congress that is actually tackling the problem. Noah Smith5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 2016 175197_PRINT4-Intertrust-4colx12-Generic.pdf 1 9/26/16 10:33 AM Rooftop pool application makes waves JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A planned West Bay Road apartment complex boasting Cayman’s first rooftop pool is prompting complaints from neighbors that the unique feature will be an invasion of their privacy. Stefan Baraud has sub- mitted plans for the “uber- luxury” Hyde Park complex featuring 20 two- and three- bedroom homes. The site is off Parkway Drive, close to where the same developer is building townhouses. The complex, which also features a gym and com- mercial space on the ground floor, has raised concerns among neighbors. Fourteen letters of objection have been submitted to the Central Planning Authority. Despite its proximity to a busy stretch of West Bay Road, neighbors argue that Parkway Drive itself is a quiet and tranquil community of single-family homes. They say a rooftop pool amounts to a fourth floor, not permitted in a residential zone, and would be an invasion of their privacy. “Anyone using this fa- cility would have a clear view of and overlook my prop- erty, taking away any pri- vacy and quiet comfort that we currently enjoy,” one neighbor wrote. Multiple neighbors made similar complaints in letters published with the Central Planning Authority agenda papers. The application, orig- inally slated to come before the CPA for a decision in November, has been put off until the new year. Mr. Baraud said he is confident the design of the building is fully compliant with planning law. He said Hyde Park would be an upscale development featuring a private 24-hour gym and the first rooftop pool in Cayman. Screens will be put up to protect the pri- vacy of neighboring resi- dents, he said. “The rooftop pool has be- come an issue for some of the people in the neighborhood, but we believe it is allow- able,” he said. The development features 20 units, ranging in price from $550,000 to $850,000. He said it would feature 24- hour security and key-fob ac- cess for residents. Mr. Baraud said the commercial space, another source of contention for neighbors, would be for the gym and offices. Several neighbors con- tested that commercial de- velopment is not allowed in a residential zone, arguing that it would bring additional traffic and the possibility of crime to their neighborhood. One objector wrote, “It is inconceivable that a de- veloper would devote fully one third of a development to gym, and offices, un- less these are also serving the public which requires a change of zoning.” The objector added, “Our determination to prevent commercial premises in our neighborhood has been inten- sified by the lethal shooting this weekend at Seven Mile Shops [the Oct. 1 shooting of Justin Manderson]. Clearly, large amounts of parking be- hind the building which is not visible from West Bay Road will provide an area where an undesirable ele- ment of the public can con- gregate to engage in anti- social activities and not be observed by the RCIP.” Stefan Baraud is planning the Hyde Park development. The rooftop pool, considered a first for Cayman for this type of development, has prompted privacy concerns among neighbors.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Sister Islands WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 YEARS AGO Visitors welcomed, and phone connection made with Little Cayman In the Nov. 30, 1966 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Com- pass, Cayman Brac correspon- dent Lilian Ritch wrote: “During the month we have been glad to see many coming home, guests with Capt. Donald McLaughlin of Creek have been the Vendryes Fosters of St. Pe- tersburg. Mrs. Naomi is the only sister of the late Capt. Burke Ritch. They stopped by to cheer the bereaved ones, and have now gone on to visit with two sons and their families in Panama until the spring. “Visiting with the family of Capt. McNeil Foster and with her father, Mr. Mackie Scott of the West End is Effie, Mrs. Leon Foster who, with her hus- band who is retiring from Trin- idad Shipping, plans on settling here, at home. “Returning briefly to the old home at the Creek we have been glad to see Misses Ellise and Grethel Myrie and their little niece Donna whose dad, Ed- ward, is also home on vacation from National Bulk Carriers. They came from Jamaica. El- lise is now resident in the U.S.A. and is on vacation from India- napolis, Indiana. Unfortunately she took a chill from which we hope she will soon be recov- ered. Grethel is cashier at Sa- ba’s Kingston.” In the Dec. 7, 1966 edition, Ms. Ritch wrote: “The Cable & Wireless (W.I.) antenna array, the heart of the Cayman Islands overseas com- munication system which is sit- uated on the bluff at Stake Bay, is now being tested. “The tower is 57 feet high, the dishes are 30 feet each in diam- eter. One dish is beamed toward Jamaica (Montego Bay). On the tower are antennae mounted for the link with Little Cayman, which will have a manual tele- phone system installed at the Southern Cross Club. “Speaking of Little Cayman it was a thrill last Friday to speak over the telephone to Mr. Herbert Foster, employee of Southern Cross Club. As the saying goes, the voice was ‘clear as a bell.’ Mike Harvey of Cable & Wireless was down there the same afternoon to complete the installation of the V.H.F. equip- ment. He has been assisted in this work by Carol Scott, engi- neer of Southern Cross Club. Our technician Burnard Tibbetts installed the telephone switch- board on Monday, Nov. 28. Little Cayman’s telephone system is that of a radio subscriber to the Cayman Brac Exchange. There will be private telephone com- munication within the two is- lands. Calls to Grand Cayman and overseas are through CBX. “The high level of demand for service exceeds the supply but there will be some telephones in each district of the Islands. 5K helps Harmony Learning Centre The Brac community came together last month for a new walk-run fundraiser that benefited a nonprofit special needs organization. In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Radio Cayman recently held its first Brac Breeze Fusion 5K Walk/ Run on the south shores of Cayman Brac, a press release states. The $1,000 raised at the event on Saturday, Nov. 26, was donated to the Har- mony Learning Centre and accepted by Paula Malone, a student at the center. “Thank you for every- thing, I’m really happy you helped my school. Now we can do fun things with our teachers,” she said. “I’m so happy you helped us.” Ninety people, including 50 children, registered for the event, with charitable sponsorship from Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell. According to the release, youth participants domi- nated, with 67 percent of podium finishes, including two 11-year-olds. The top three males were 13-year-old Sean Valentine, in a time of 22:30, fol- lowed by Hermes Gorginto, in 22:50, and Alex An- glin, in 34:21 The top three females were 16-year-old Madi Brandes, who finished in 29:37, Leana Jackson, in 31:48, and Di’Jhaney Valen- tine, in 31:51. “I was so happy to see all the support we received from the Brac commu- nity that made our first annual Breeze Fusion walk/run such a big suc- cess,” said Radio Cayman Deputy Director Paulette Conolly-Bailey. “My heart was touched by the gratitude from the Harmony Learning Centre for our donation, and I wish them all success in the future. I’m looking forward to next year’s event already.” Volunteers from the Lions Club of Cayman Brac, Ministry of District Admin- istration, Pastor Thomas French, Mitchum Sanford of the Department of Sports, the Public Works Depart- ment and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service all helped support the event. From left, Radio Cayman Director Norma McField with Paula Malone and Sharon Thompson of the Harmony Learning Centre, and Radio Cayman Deputy Director Paulette Conolly-Bailey.First-place male finisher Sean ValentineFirst-place female Madi Brandes Cayman Brac’s Heritage House is holding an exhibit featuring a “Now and Then” display. “The … exhibit showcases photo- graphs of various past and present buildings, structures, landmarks and traditions on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman,” said Heritage House program manager Saskia Edwards. The presentation, which opened on Nov. 21, celebrates and high- lights the changes and growth of the Sister Islands’ landscape, people and culture. “There are numerous photos of various churches, schools, homes, government offices and private businesses ranging from the 1930s to the present,” Ms. Edwards said, noting that a number of fascinating photos from the National Archive are featured. Artifacts such as an old radio, telephone and tools are also on dis- play. Anyone who may not have had a chance to see the display this past weekend is encouraged to come and do so. The exhibit will run until March 31, 2017.” As well as hosting the exhibi- tion, the Heritage House is holding its regular craft markets every Thursday from 4-6 p.m. at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort. Heritage House exhibit explores past and present Visitors inspect the exhibiton during Brac Heritage Day in November.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Sister Islands CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 2016 Prospect Primary footballers visit Brac The Prospect Primary School boys football team flew to Cayman Brac for a match last month that left a lasting impression on all involved. The team played the Cayman Brac Football Club U-11s at the Bluff field. “I am given to understand that we might be the first school team to have made this trip, as normally the team from the Brac do the trav- eling,” said Prospect Primary Principal Matthew Read, who accompanied the team. He credits coach Mark O’Sullivan for making the trip possible. “He was talking to Harold Sanford of the Brac Sports Department, and it came up in the whole history of the Primary matches no teams had traveled down to the Brac from Grand Cayman,” said Mr. Read. “Mark said, how about we come to you this year, and after getting the go-ahead from the Department of Ed- ucation Services, who helped arrange the travel, we knew we were a go.” The team and coach got up early on Saturday to catch their flight on Cayman Airways. “From the moment we got there, we were made to feel extraordinarily welcome,” said Mr. Read. “A bus picked us up and we did a little bit of sight- seeing on the way to the pitch, then got ready for the game.” Mr. Read said the match was tight and a great competition. “It was 2-1 for Prospect Primary, and then in the last minute the Brac tied it up, and the final score was 2-2,” said Mr. Read, noting that all of the players on both teams made a great effort. “Then we got back on the bus, and had a bit more of a tour, and stopped in to Popo Jeb’s for pizza by the air- port. Before leaving, the team then had the chance to visit the Skull Cave. “The boys were absolutely festinated by exploring the cave and seeing the bats,” said Mr. Read. He noted that the whole experience was a great learning opportunity for the young players, who range in age from 9 to 11. “Being able to take the boys to the airport and go through the whole process of checking in, and showing their passports, and being responsible was a really good experience for them, and to do it in a safe environment,” said Mr. Read. He noted that while some of the parents came to the match on an- other flight, the team and chaperones went on the trip all on their own. “We live on an island, so traveling and going through the airport, it’s a really im- portant life skill for these boys to learn.” Mr. Read said another highlight was a talk Mr. San- ford gave the boys about planning and preparing for secondary school and about making decisions about their plans for the future. “That was a really impres- sive talk, and we are inviting him to talk to the Prospect Primary PTA soon. “Overall, it was a re- ally good day, they all en- joyed it so much.” Prospect Primary team members Jaedon Gordon, front, and Joshwa Campbell land in Cayman Brac. Little Cayman author creates quirky ‘Blacktip Island’ Longtime Little Cayman resident Tim Jackson’s second novel, “Blacktip Island,” is al- ready gaining praise for is hu- morous portrayal of life on a fictional Caribbean island. The plot centers on the ad- ventures of Blake Calloway, who is on the run after inad- vertently embezzling a half- million dollars. Hoping to lie low, he changes his name and takes a job as a dive- master on a small island full of quirky characters, with comical results. “If Margaritaville and ‘Northern Exposure’ had a love child, they’d call it Blacktip Island,” Jackson said. “The land mass is fictional, but the people and happen- ings are spot-on for anyone who has spent time on a small island.” According to a press re- lease, the San Francisco Book Review says, “‘Blacktip Island’ will make you laugh and keep you guessing.” The Portland Book Review calls the novel, “fun and funny, its charac- ters vivid. Take your time and dive into this adventurous story,” and IndieReader said, “Jackson has a strong voice that makes for an entertaining read from beginning to end.” Mr. Jackson’s first novel, “Mangrove Underground,” was a USA Book News Book of the Year award fi- nalist for literary fiction. His short stories have been pub- lished in numerous literary journals, including The Ca- ribbean Writer. “I have lived on Little Cayman since 1999, working as a scuba instructor and boat captain at Conch Club Divers, and writing fiction in the evenings and in my spare time,” he said. “Prior to my time on Little Cayman, I worked as a jour- nalist in Florida before re- turning to academia to earn a master of arts in English from Southern Methodist Univer- sity in Dallas, Texas.” He says that Little Cayman has proved to be an ideal place to pursue his in- terest in writing. “Little Cayman is bus- tling now compared to when I first arrived 17 years ago, but it’s still a pretty quiet place,” he said. “That’s one of the things that drew me here – that lack of distraction gives me time to write. Generally, I’m on the dive boat during the day, doing physical work, then I have the evenings free to write. Little Cayman may seem like a sleepy backwater to some people, but it has a unique energy that makes it a great place for creative work.” He says that being a writer in a small community means that he has had to be very careful to rely on his imagina- tion for inspiration. “The fictional Blacktip Is- land, while inspired by life on the Sister Islands, is not meant to be Little Cayman (though I did use a greatly exaggerated version of the ever-rumored new LC airport for comic ef- fect),” said Mr. Jackson. “I also went out of my way to make sure none of the char- acters are people who live, or lived, here. Little Cayman is far too small for anything like that, and everyone knows where I live,” he joked. “The characters are defi- nitely small island person- ality types, though, types you can find on small islands any- where in the world. I was in the British Virgin Islands last year, describing to a friend what my work-in-progress novel was about, and he said, ‘Oh, that sounds just like Virgin Gorda!’” Mr. Jackson says he has noticed how small islands tend to attract, or in some cases create, some quirky personalities. “That’s what makes living here so great,” he said. “I tried to capture that spirit by creating some offbeat characters, putting them together and writing down what happened next. I didn’t know how ‘Blacktip Is- land’ was going to end until I typed the last sentence.” ‘Blacktip Island,’ released by Devonshire House Press is available in Grand Cayman bookstores, at the Little Cayman National Trust House and Little Cayman resorts, and at online booksellers in hardbound, paperback and ebook editions. Tim Jackson ‘Blacktip Island’ is Tim Jackson’s second novel. The Prospect Primary team knows how to strike a pose.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS CI Government Department of Environmental Health (DEH) 2016 Annual Bulk Waste Clean-up The schedule for each district is as follows: EAST END / NORTH SIDE DISTRICTS November 21st to November 26th – bulk items will be collected BODDEN TOWN DISTRICT November 28th to December 3rd – bulk items will be collected. GEORGE TOWN DISTRICT December 5th to December 10th – bulk items will be collected. WEST BAY DISTRICT December 12th to December 17th – bulk items will be collected. CAYMAN BRAC AND LITTLE CAYMAN November 28th to December 15th – bulk items will be collected. Bulk waste should be placed on the curbside where they can be accessed by DEH trucks but not an obstruction to traffic. Bulk waste includes the following items: Household appliances, furniture, and yard waste. (Items not handled by normal DEH residential garbage weekly collection) Construction and demolition debris WILL NOT BE COLLECTED. (Construction and demolition debris is NOT considered residential bulk waste and is therefore not part of this campaign). The public should separate the following waste items from the rest of bulk waste: • METALS - including old appliances, metal furniture, metal roofing etc… • VEGETATION – All yard & plant trimmings etc. • OTHER RECYCLABLES –old tyres, scrap aluminium, batteries, and e-waste (old computers, TV, printers, etc.) RESIDENTS ARE REMINDED THAT ITEMS SHOULD NOT BE PUT OUT AFTER THE ABOVE DATES AS DEH CREWS WILL NOT BE RETURNING TO AN AREA ONCE IT HAS BEEN CLEANED. For further information, in Grand Cayman contact the DEH solid waste dispatch unit at 949-8793; in the Little Cayman & Cayman Brac, contact DEH Cayman Brac office at 948-2321. ************ produce the record. Instead, Mr. Rose sent a copy of a “min- isterial certificate of exemp- tion” signed by Premier Alden McLaughlin – his boss – to the information commissioner. In the exemption document, Mr. McLaughlin stated that the consultant’s report – com- pleted by immigration attorney David Ritch and his firm Ritch & Conolly – amounted to legal advice that was not in the public interest to disclose. After receiving the exemp- tion certificate from the pre- mier, the information com- missioner’s office wrote to the court Tuesday, seeking to ob- tain a copy of the consultant’s report for its ongoing review. The Cayman Islands Freedom of Information Law gives the information com- missioner broad powers to request information from government entities while de- termining whether records should be made public or ex- empted from public view. In the case involving the Compass FOI request, the in- formation commissioner sought the engagement letter between Mr. Ritch’s firm and the attorney general’s cham- bers, the full consultant’s re- port regarding the govern- ment’s permanent residence issues, and invoices for and receipts of payments the gov- ernment made for the consul- tant’s review. Section 48 of the FOI Law states that after 45 days, the information commissioner may certify, in writing to the court, failure to comply with an order to produce the doc- uments requested. “The court may consider such failure under the rules relating to contempt of court,” the section states. “In accordance with section 48, I am certifying to the court the failure to comply with the order,” Mr. Martinson said. “Then the matter of whether we get to see the record or not is in the court’s hands.” Permanent residence grants The government initially requested the consultant’s report in the wake of an Au- gust 2015 Grand Court judg- ment that questioned sev- eral aspects of the system used to grant non-Cayma- nians permanent residence, which is the right to re- main in Cayman for the rest of their lives. The Progressives-led gov- ernment has been reviewing that system since the chief justice’s ruling, but has not announced publicly any changes it intends to make in response to the concerns raised in the judgment about the arbitrary nature of some of the rules for obtaining per- manent residence. As the debate has con- tinued, no permanent res- idence applications have been heard by the Cayma- nian Status and Permanent Residency Board. Since at least January 2015, no ap- plications for residence have been approved or denied by the board, according to immi- gration records. As of Monday, the Im- migration Department re- ported 846 permanent res- idence applications “being processed.” Another 55 were in various stages of review, according to records pro- vided under the Freedom of Information Law. the new scheme. The schedule that will govern how much pen- sioners of a certain age and retirement savings can with- draw each year was pro- vided to the Cayman Com- pass by ministry officials. The table sets the rates at which retirees can with- draw from their pension ac- counts, starting at age 50 [if they have taken early retire- ment] and going up to age 102. For example, a person who retires at age 60 and has a suitable amount in their retirement savings ac- count can withdraw a min- imum of 1.97 percent from their account that year and a maximum of 4.73 percent, based on how much they have in the account. For a person age 70, the minimum percentage is 2.18 of the savings account funds remaining and a max- imum 5.68 percent of the funds remaining. The percentages are taken from the total amount of cash the person has left in their savings account. The private sector retire- ment funds in Cayman all operate on a fixed sum or “defined contribution” account, which means that when the money runs out, no further payments can be received. “Pensioners who have larger amounts in their ac- count will be able to with- draw an increasing amount on a yearly basis above the proposed $12,480 [min- imum] threshold, as well as have the option to with- draw a lump sum amount any time after age 90,” a ministry statement released Monday indicated. The average life expec- tancy in Cayman is typically between 80 and 82 years. “For those persons who have accumulated signifi- cant balances in their pen- sions account, this new schedule will now afford them the opportunity to make greater withdrawals to increase their quality of life as retirees,” Minister Rivers said. “For those who may not have accumulated sufficient funds to withdraw above the stated maximum annual threshold, the schedule now accounts for the need to ad- just that figure upward … for inflation.” Minister Rivers said the changes would allow many retirees to live more independently “in their golden years.” A decade ago, the Mercer consulting firm warned gov- ernment in an evaluation of the private sector retirement system that the amounts contributed by pension plan members were not enough to provide suitable income replacement in retirement. The contribution rate for private sector employees – 5 percent of their salary matched by a 5 percent con- tribution from their em- ployer – has not increased since then. However, the gov- ernment recently increased the overall amount of pen- sionable earnings that are contributable each year from a maximum $60,000 annual salary to an $87,000 annual salary. During a Legislative As- sembly debate this year on changes to the National Pensions Law, North Side MLA Ezzard Miller raised the issue of adequate “in- come replacement” in re- tirement, given that max- imum withdrawals from a defined contribution retire- ment fund each year was $12,000. He suggested that $1,000 a month would not serve as “income replace- ment” for someone earning $6,000 to $8,000 a month be- fore retirement. “This bill … is really nothing more than fancy window dressing. [It] will not, in any way whatso- ever, improve the chances of a poor person … in this country ever earning a pen- sion under the pensions law,” Mr. Miller said. Shamrock Road was ap- proved Tuesday by the li- quor board. Rubis station owner Gary Rutty said the convenience store, named “Peanuts,” that is attached to the petrol station will sell only beer and wine when it opens in a few weeks. The small shopping complex on Shamrock just east of the Hurley’s parking lot also has a Burger King restaurant next door. Three local liquor store owners raised objections to the application, claiming the new liquor license for the Rubis station would open a “Pandora’s box,” en- couraging petrol stations and other local retailers to enter the alcohol business. Mr. Rutty’s attorney, Cline Glidden, Jr., said the liquor sales application was made for one prop- erty only and that the li- quor store owners were merely trying to protect their current “monopoly” on the market. Nightclub hours The board on Tuesday also granted an opening hours extension for all nightclubs until 4 a.m., Monday-Friday. Liquor sales at those establish- ments will be allowed until 3:30 a.m. on those days. The nightclub owners had asked to extend liquor sales hours until 3:45 a.m., but the board decided on 3:30 a.m. Some nightclub owners thought the exten- sion had been in place since June, based on an erro- neous press release issued at the time. This resulted in some establishments at- tempting to stay open past the current 3 a.m. closing hours Monday-Friday and being told by police they had to close down. The board said a press release announcing the change in nightclub hours would be sent out this week to confirm the new opening times. New Year’s Eve hours extended for clubs, bars, hotels CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Typically, all liquor sales and music and dancing at licensed premises end at midnight every Saturday in Cayman. Pensioners soon able to withdraw more each year CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Minister [Tara] Rivers said the changes would allow many retirees to live more independently “in their golden years.” Employment Minister Tara Rivers FOI Commissioner turns to court to obtain ‘Ritch Report’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “The matter of whether we get to see the record or not is in the court’s hands.” CORY MARTINSON, acting information commissionerThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Mugabe appeals for calm Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has appealed for calm as his government battles to contain a debilitating economic crisis. The 92-year-old president appeared frail but jovial, struggling with his lines a bit as he delivered a 30-minute State of the Nation address on Tuesday. CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7, 2016 EU’s Brexit negotiator puts time pressure on Britain BRUSSELS (AP) – Britain may not have two years to negotiate its divorce from the European Union after all. The EU’s chief negotiator on Brexit warned Tuesday that the country will have less than 18 months once talks begin and that it will not be allowed to pick and choose what parts of the EU it wants to keep. While steering away from specifics on what a Brexit deal might look like, Michel Barnier, who took up his post months ago after Britain voted in June to leave the EU, said formal procedures at the start and end of the talks will cut into the time Britain has to leave. “Time will be short,” he said. “All in all there will be less than 18 months to negotiate.” British Prime Minister Theresa May wants to invoke by the end of March Article 50 of the EU Treaty, which will officially kick off two years of exit talks. But Barnier, who has vis- ited 18 of the EU’s 28 member states to gauge views on Brit- ain’s withdrawal, warned that the effective negotiating time will be less due to pro- cedures such as parliamen- tary approvals to rubber- stamp any deal. If May sticks to her time- table, Barnier said an agree- ment may have to be secured by October 2018 to get a final agreement in place by March 2019 – two years on from the triggering of Article 50. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson appeared un- concerned by such a deadline. “That time frame seems to me to be absolutely ample,” he said on arriving for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. It’s a fluid situation, not least because a British court ruled last month that Par- liament needs to give its ap- proval before the government can trigger Article 50. The government is con- testing that ruling in the Su- preme Court. Should it con- firm Parliament’s involvement, May’s plans could be delayed. On Tuesday, a lawyer for the British government said the Supreme Court would fall into a “serious constitutional trap” if it upholds the ruling. It’s also possible that Eu- ropean governments might extend the two-year period outlined within Article 50. Barnier, who spoke in English and French, sought to dampen talk that Britain could “cherry-pick” what it likes about the EU, noting that the single market and its four freedoms, such as the freedom of movement, are “indivisible.” “This will be the atmo- sphere in which we will be conducting our negotia- tions with the U.K. and the sooner the better,” he said. “We are ready; keep calm and negotiate.” During the referendum campaign, many of those in favor of leaving the EU had in- dicated that Britain could “have its cake and eat it” – meaning that Britain could continue to trade freely in the EU single market while clamping down on the free movement of people from the region. German Chancellor An- gela Merkel said that sort of deal is off limits. “The internal market threatens to be weakened by negotiations on Brexit,” Merkel told a congress of her conservative Christian Dem- ocratic Union in Essen. “We will not allow cherry-picking. The four fundamental free- doms must be preserved.” Given that it takes many years to conclude wide-ranging free trade deals – Canada re- cently completed one with the EU after seven years – there’s been speculation that Britain and the EU might forge a transitional arrangement that would see Britain pay into the EU budget in return for access to the single market. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney says some sort of transitional period would be advantageous as it would allow firms to adjust. Barnier indicated there may be “some point and usefulness” to a transitional arrangement. “It is for the British to say what kind of relationship they want and for the 27 EU states to define the future they want to build with them,” he said. “You can’t do everything in 15 to 18 months of negotiations.” The British government has been reluctant to re- veal much about what sort of post-Brexit relationship it is looking for out of fear that it would weaken its hand in negotiations. May came up with a new catchphrase Tuesday, saying: “I think what we should be looking for is a red, white and blue Brexit,” she told reporters in Bahrain, without elaborating on what that might look like. The British government’s opaque approach has frus- trated many in Europe. Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Dutch finance minister who chairs meetings of the 19 EU countries that use the euro, said proposals he’s seen so far “are incompatible with smooth and incompatible with orderly.” Earlier, Britain’s finance chief said all options remained on the table, including the pos- sibility that the country may continue paying into EU cof- fers for single market access. “It’s in everybody’s in- terest on both sides of the English Channel to have a smooth a process as possible that minimizes the threat to European financial stability and minimizes the disrup- tion to the very many com- plex relationships that exist between European manufac- turing businesses and their financing banks and so on in London,” he said. Interior minister steps in after French PM steps down UK MAN FOUND GUILTY IN CASE LINKED TO BRUSSELS BOMB SUSPECT PARIS (AP) – French Prime Minister Manuel Valls stepped down Tuesday to focus on running for pres- ident in next year’s elec- tion and was replaced by Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, a man who em- bodies the fight against Is- lamic extremism. Valls resigned a day after announcing his candidacy in the wake of French President Francois Hollande’s decision not to run for a second term. He hopes to unite Social- ists and give the left a chance to stay at the Elysee Palace despite current opinion polls suggesting the second round of the April-May election could pit Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right Na- tional Front, against conser- vative Francois Fillon. The 53-year-old Caze- neuve is a close ally of Hol- lande and became a popular figure as the champion of measures tackling extremism. Cazeneuve, appointed in- terior minister in 2014, faced a series of attacks in France that have claimed more than 200 lives since January 2015. In total, he championed three counterterrorism laws and one intelligence law. He has also been in charge of im- plementing France’s state of emergency following the Paris attacks that killed 130 people in November 2015. Earlier this year, he han- dled the dismantlement of the migrant camp in Calais on the French side of the Eng- lish Channel, and the reloca- tion of thousands of people to temporary reception cen- ters across the country. Hollande said Tuesday he has entrusted Cazeneuve with protecting the French people. “But protecting is not enough, we must prepare the future,” Hollande said in the Paris suburb of Villepinte. Bruno Le Roux, the head of the Socialist group in Par- liament’s lower house, was appointed as France’s new interior minister. Valls is the top con- tender in the primary next month for Socialist candi- dates and their allies before France’s two-part presiden- tial election but he will face tough competition. A leading yet divisive party figure, Valls is known for his outspoken, authori- tarian style and his tough views on immigration and se- curity. He has been harshly criticized by other party members after championing tough labor reforms and en- dorsing a controversial ban last summer on the Islamic “burkini” swimsuit. Former economy min- ister Arnaud Montebourg and former education minister Benoit Hamon, who back more left-leaning policies, are also serious contenders in the Socialist primary. LONDON (AP) – A British man was convicted Tuesday of providing cash to a key suspect in the deadly Brus- sels and Paris bombings. Zakaria Boufassil was found guilty at Kingston Crown Court by a jury of six men and six women of en- gaging in conduct in prep- aration of acts of terrorism by providing 3,000 pounds (US$3,700) to bombing sus- pect Mohamed Abrini at a secret meeting in Bir- mingham, England. Abrini is the “man in the hat” seen on video footage moments before the deadly March 22 bomb- ings at Brussels airport that killed 16 people. He is also wanted in the Nov. 13, 2015 attacks in Paris in which 130 people died. Prosecutors said that Abrini visited England in July 2015 and received the cash from Boufassil, 26, and Muhammad Ali Ahmed, 27, who earlier pleaded guilty, at a rendez- vous in a park. Belgian Moroccan Abrini, 31, was arrested in Belgium and accused of “partici- pating in terrorist acts.” Abrini said there was no plan to attack the U.K. because the country has a “more developed secret ser- vice” as well as “better ob- servation techniques”. Boufassil told the court during the trial that he was a marijuana user who practiced a “moderate and tolerant” form of Islam. He condemned Islamic State extremists as “worse than animals.” He admitted meeting Abrini in the park, but said it had nothing to do with extremism. Still, the jury endorsed prosecutors’ claim that he knowingly provided the money for use in militant attacks. Prosecutor Max Hill said there is “no doubt” the money was given to Abrini to assist acts of terrorism. Marcus Beale, assistant chief of the West Mid- lands Police, said the con- viction was important be- cause the money transfer “identified a dangerous link” to Abrini. He said the two men may face long prison sentences. The two men will be sentenced on Dec. 12. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment. Prosecutors said that Abrini visited England in July 2015 and received the cash from Boufassil, 26, and Muhammad Ali Ahmed, 27, who earlier pleaded guilty, at a rendezvous in a park. Zakaria Boufassil French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator on BrexitNext >