ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY DECEMBER 8, 2016 High of 88 Low of 74 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TAXIS, TAXPAYERS AND TOURISTS: WHO’S BEING TAKEN FOR A RIDE? 24 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER TO VOTE ELECTION 2017 Personal Insurance Save up to $400 with home and car insurance Your first BritCay’s buildings insurance policy comes with a $250 gift certificate and a 10% discount on car insurance. With the lowest standard deductible at $200, you also save when you claim. Ask for a quote! BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. 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 FREE $10 Million ASSET PROTECTION! with motor cover* *private car insurance cgigrp Police jump-start traffic unit BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Anemic enforcement of traffic offenses like speeding, cellphone driving and drunken driving in the Cayman Islands in recent years is about to be put in reverse, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service chief of operations. “Roads policing needs to be more concen- trated and it needs to be in a more focused form,” Superintendent Robert Graham said Wednesday. “[The RCIPS] is currently looking to increase our resourcing across the board … and the roads policing will always be at the forefront.” Mr. Graham said staffing in the former Traffic Management Unit, now known as the Roads Policing Unit being managed under RCIPS Inspector Ian Yearwood, will get a boost in coming months. New Police Commis- sioner Derek Byrne said last week that traffic enforcement would get additional support, but he did not reveal details. This month, Mr. Graham said, the RCIPS will put additional patrols on the streets using all three available motorcycle units and addi- tional special (volunteer) constables to bolster traffic enforcement efforts. The annual holiday season crackdown began Wednesday and will continue through new years. The police traffic enforcement efforts, or lack thereof, have been a focus of criticism from the public for a number of years. The de- cline, particularly in speeding enforcement, has occurred over a number of years. According to data examined by the Cayman Compass, the more than 5,700 speeding of- fenses detected by police during 2007 dropped to just 1,956 by 2011. The numbers continued to decline in 2012 and again in 2013. By 2014, the number of speeding offenses had dropped below 700 for the entire year. The relatively new offense of “cellphone driving,” which netted the department more than 1,300 tickets during 2013, fell to 947 tickets in 2014, a drop of 31 percent. Drunk TAXI FARES A CONCERN FOR TOURIST INDUSTRY JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Tourists are frequently left feeling ripped off over taxi fares in Grand Cayman, according to multiple business owners who warn that high prices are putting off customers and damaging the reputation of the destination. Several restaurant and tourist attraction managers raised concerns about fares which they said vary wildly depending on who is driving the cab. The Cayman Islands Tourism Associa- tion Allied Land Based Attraction and Trans- port Sector held a special meeting Tuesday in an effort to broker a solution amid confusion over what the fare schedule should be and how it is enforced. Some members called for an end to Cay- man’s unusual practice of charging sig- nificantly varying fares for the same route depending on how many passengers are in the cab. The association aims to act as a facilitator to hear the issues and concerns of taxi drivers as well as those of hotels and restaurants and work with the Public Transport Board to es- tablish a fare schedule and system that is ac- ceptable to both drivers and tourists. Matthew Bishop, CEO of Island Companies and Cayman Distributors and one of the di- rectors of the association, said it wants taxi drivers to be able to earn a good living and be ambassadors for the industry. But he said there needs to be clarity and consistency over prices. “Whether it is the reality or not, people Rock removal trial begins on Seven Mile JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Dart group began removing slabs of beach rock from the waters off Seven Mile Beach on Wednesday at the site of a planned five-star resort. A silt screen was put in place and an ex- cavator rolled into the shallows to scrape out samples of the rock as part of a trial to determine the feasibility of a much larger excavation. Ultimately, Dart wants to remove rock spanning a half-kilometer of coastline in front of the site to create a sandy beach entry for guests of the planned hotel. A coastal engineer and marine biologist hired by the developer were on site as well as officials from the Department of Envi- ronment for the trial excavation, which was approved following a Coastal Works Appli- cation earlier this year. “It’s remarkable how thin the layers of beach rock actually are,” said Ken Hydes, vice president of special projects for Dart Development. “Only a few of the pieces we observed were more than a foot thick. The planning and professionalism of the crew and the comprehensive silt screening system ensured that the areas surrounding the trial area were minimally affected.” The objectives of the trial are to remove samples for a geologist to study and con- firm as beach rock and to inform on the development of a removal methodology that is safe and least impactful on the ma- rine and beach environment, Dart said in a press release. Jackie Doak, president of Dart Real Es- tate said, “Removing beachrock is not an all-or-nothing proposition for us, and this trial will provide useful data that will help inform our next steps in planning devel- opment in the area designed to balance PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY GUIDE 2016 An excavator begins removing slabs of beach rock from the waters off Seven Mile Beach on Wednesday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY HOLIDAY GUIDE2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY DECEMBER 8, 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. - THURSDAY - 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 | 9:55 147 North Church St., GT. On the Waterfront | Tel: 345- 233-8353 | http://www.levele.ky New Ownership, Delicious New Menu & New Experience! Waterfront Dining/ Outdoor Lounge Brick Oven Pizza/Vegan Dishes Not on the menu, just ask they’ll make it! Book Your Christmas Party New Ownership, Delicious New Menu & New Experience! New Ownership, Delicious New Menu & New Experience! Happy Hour from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. 20% off All Drinks and Appy’s. Open 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM Monday to Saturday. Closed Sunday Fabulous Sunsets!! Man sentenced to 14 months for bar stabbing Victim made full recovery after life- threatening injuries CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Travis Arlington Ebanks was sen- tenced on Wednesday to 14 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm. The harm had been life-threat- ening, defense attorney Nicholas Dixey agreed. If not for the timely intervention of the medical team at the Cayman Islands Hospital, there might have been a different out- come, he said. Ebanks, 27, was initially charged with attempted murder as the re- sult of an incident at Dencle’s Bar on Mary Street the night of June 16. The victim, Dencle Vic Barnes, sus- tained knife-inflicted wounds that included a perforated stomach, a punctured spleen and two lung punctures, an injury to his right hand and superficial wounds to his arm and hip. He lost a significant amount of blood as a result. In court on Tuesday, Deputy Di- rector of Public Prosecutions Pat- rick Moran said the first charge was laid after Mr. Barnes made a short statement while he was still in hos- pital. More recently, Mr. Barnes vis- ited the DPP office and gave a much more detailed account of the inci- dent. As a result, the Crown could offer an amended indictment. Ebanks, who had already pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, was arraigned again and pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent, but guilty to in- flicting grievous bodily harm (without intent). Dame Linda Dobbs, acting judge of the Grand Court, entered a not guilty verdict to the first charge and adjourned sentencing until the next day. On Wednesday, Mr. Moran set out events leading to the charge. He said Ebanks had been at the bar most of the afternoon. Mr. Barnes, son of the original owner, arrived at the bar after 5 p.m. He and Ebanks had known each other several years and there were no disagreements between them. Later they visited bars on Seven Mile Beach together and returned at Dencle’s Bar after 11 p.m. A bar- tender told Mr. Barnes that Ebanks had a bar tab of $50 which he had not paid. Mr. Barnes asked Ebanks to clear his tab, but Ebanks indi- cated he did not have enough money and would clear it up the next day. There was also some exchange of words when Ebanks said he was missing his cellphone. Mr. Barnes told Ebanks to leave and then went out on the patio to smoke a cigarette and calm down. After he returned inside and sat down, Ebanks re-entered the bar. Mr. Barnes tried to grab him to pre- vent him from coming in and there was a struggle that lasted no more than 30 seconds, Mr. Moran related. During that time, Mr. Barnes was stabbed several times. Mr. Moran acknowledged that the stabbing was not premeditated. The judge asked where the knife had come from. Mr. Dixey replied that “a knife was produced during the alterca- tion” and Ebanks used it in self-de- fense, but he conceded that his re- sponse was not proportionate. The judge said that more than one stab wound would indicate that Ebanks “went over the top” in de- fending himself. There was no independent evi- dence to undermine Ebanks’s claim of self-defense. Mr. Moran said no one present in the bar came forward to give a witness statement. In her sentencing remarks, Jus- tice Dobbs noted that CCTV footage from inside the bar had not been preserved in its entirety due to a mistake by one of the police officers in the case, but it was likely that the struggle occurred in a blind spot not covered by the camera. In fact, new information did emerge that showed Ebanks had been hit on the head with a bottle. There was glass on the floor of the bar, and three days after the in- cident he was examined medi- cally and found to have a lump and a bruise. It was accepted that an outside camera showed Ebanks leaving the bar with a large knife after the in- cident. A female bartender called 911 and Mr. Barnes’s brother. The brother arrived before police and took the injured man to hospital. Ebanks was arrested at his George Town residence early the next morning. He said he intended to go in to the police later, and main- tained he had acted in self-defense. Mr. Dixey acknowledged that Mr. Barnes was in hospital seven days. Fortunately the injuries were not permanent and the scarring that re- sulted from the wounds and sur- gical treatment did not involve the face, he pointed out. The judge said this was a diffi- cult offense to categorize. The se- rious injuries and use of a weapon put it in the highest category of harm caused. The fact that Ebanks did not initiate the incident and the fact that he did sustain some injury put the offense in the middle cate- gory in terms of culpability. Ebanks had some previous con- victions, she noted, but nothing for violence. She said the sentencing range would be one-and-a-half to four years and she used a starting point of two years. Balancing the aggra- vating and mitigating factors, she arrived at 21 months. With full credit for Ebanks’s guilty plea, the sentence was 14 months. The court had also been told that Ebanks had gratuitously damaged the tires on Mr. Barnes’s vehicle. Mr. Dixey said his client did this be- cause he was afraid and thought Mr. Barnes would pursue him. The courthouse in downtown George Town. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CHARLES DUNCAN cduncan@pinnaclemedialtd.com Officers from the United Kingdom Coastguard arrived in the Cayman Is- lands this week to review the country’s search and rescue capabilities. The police came under fire earlier this year when three men and two boys, ages 9 and 11, went missing at sea and emer- gency searchers did not deploy until the next morning. The U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency officers plan to be in Cayman for two weeks, working with the po- lice, Fire Service, Customs and Immigra- tion departments. A statement from the Governor’s Of- fice states the officers will be looking at ways to improve search and rescue op- erations and better manage incidents and resources. The Governor’s Office said, “The re- view will produce a strategy giving clear advice on appropriate policies, proce- dures, staffing, training and equipment to enhance search and rescue capability in a cost effective and appropriate way.” In a written statement, Governor Helen Kilpatrick said, “Operations, equipment and legislation are constantly evolving and the cooperation with the UK MCA will help to ensure that we can keep up to date with developments and ensure seafarers around our islands are as safe as possible.” Police Commissioner Derek Byrne said, “We welcome the arrival of our colleagues from the MCA, and look for- ward to their assessment and recom- mendations as to the kind of search and rescue capabilities the islands should have, the resources required in terms of personnel and equipment, and how all agencies ensuring public safety and border protection can coordinate ef- fectively to manage critical incidents on the water.” UK Coastguard reviewing Cayman’s search and rescue capabilities On March 8, marine police recover the boat that carried the five missing people.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 8, 2016 OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSING AT NOON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016 STAFF PARTY PLEASE BE ADVISED The popular outdoor waving gallery at Owen Rob- erts International Airport will be closed from mid- January as part of the air- port expansion and redevel- opment project. The closure is neces- sary for the Cayman Is- lands Airports Authority to comply with international security regulations, a press release said. “The waving gallery has been an integral part of the airport for many years, and while we are saddened that it will no longer be an area for the public to greet friends and family, we realize this is a necessary step that we must take in order to have a world-class airport facility,” said Airports Authority CEO Albert Anderson. The public is welcome to take photos of the gal- lery throughout the holiday season, the press release said. The Airports Authority is planning a final public event before the gallery closes. Airport ‘waving gallery’ to close BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The number of foreign workers on work permits in the Cayman Is- lands leveled off during the latter part of 2016, with just less than 24,000 non-Caymanians employed here as of early December. The total number includes non- Caymanian workers here on govern- ment contracts, those awaiting word on permanent residence applications and individuals working at Cayman Enterprise City, which operates under a separate work permit regime. The number does not include those who have already received permanent resi- dence or the non-Caymanian spouses of Caymanians. Overall, the 23,739 permit holders were a slight decline from 24,077 re- corded here in early July. According to Immigration Depart- ment statistics provided to the Cayman Compass under the Freedom of Infor- mation Law each quarter since January 2010, the territory has seen a steady in- crease in work permits granted in the past six years. Work permits and govern- ment contracts have increased from a low of about 18,500 in fall 2010 to about 20,360 in July 2014. The numbers increased again in January 2015 to 21,400, and then to 22,232 in July 2015. As of February 2016, there were 23,097 permits and contracts held by non-Caymanians working in the is- lands, which was eclipsed by July’s figure, stated at 24,077. The figures show an 18 per- cent increase in work permits in Cayman since 2014. Work permit and government con- tract numbers are still far below what was in place during the 2007-2008 era. The government reported 26,659 per- mits and contracts held here as of November 2008. Sister Islands The Immigration Department’s data for this month also broke down the number of work permits in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The vast majority of the per- mits held by non-Caymanians were in Grand Cayman, but immigra- tion statistics suggest that roughly 36 percent of the populations on the smaller islands were made up of permit holders. The immigration data states that 687 permits and government contracts were active on the Sister Islands this month. Population estimates in spring 2016 for both islands were just above 1,900 residents. Nationalities The most populous nationalities in the Cayman Islands have not changed for more than a decade, according to immigration data. They are: Jamaican, Filipino, British, American, Canadian, Indian and Honduran. Those seven nationalities make up some 81 percent of the work per- mits and government contracts held in the islands. However, there have been some in- creases in recent years to other nation- alities working in Cayman. The number of Irish people on work permits here has increased by nearly 70 percent since mid-2010, going from 198 to 334 permit holders. The number of Nepalese in Cayman more than doubled in the same period. There were just 72 citizens of Nepal working here during mid-2010, com- pared to 171 this month. Other foreign nationalities in- cluding Dominicans, Nicaraguans and South Africans have increased during the period, while others such as Cubans, Colombians and Guyanese have decreased. Overall, the 23,739 permit holders were a slight decline from the 24,077 recorded here in early July. Work permit numbers stabilize Owen Roberts International Airport’s outdoor gallery will be closed from mid-January.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. WASHINGTON – So, this is the new conservatism’s recipe for restored greatness: Political co- ercion shall supplant economic calculation in shaping deci- sions by companies in what is called, with diminishing ac- curacy, the private sector. This will be done partly as conser- vatism’s challenge to liberal- ism’s supremacy in the vic- timhood sweepstakes, telling aggrieved groups that they are helpless victims of vast, im- personal forces, against which they can be protected only by government interventions. Responding to polit- ical threats larded with the money of other people, Car- rier has somewhat modified its planned transfers of some manufacturing to Mexico. This represents the dawn of bipartisanship: The Repub- lican Party now shares one of progressivism’s defining aspirations – government in- dustrial policy, with the po- litical class picking win- ners and losers within, and between, economic sectors. This always involves the es- sence of socialism – capital allocation, whereby govern- ment overrides market sig- nals about the efficient al- location of scarce resources. Therefore it inevitably sub- tracts from economic vitality and job creation. Although the president- elect has yet to dip a toe into the swamp, he practices the calculus by which Wash- ington reasons, the political asymmetry between dis- persed costs and concen- trated benefits. The damages from government interven- tions are cumulatively large but, individually, are largely invisible. The beneficiaries are few but identifiable and their gratitude is telegenic. When, speaking at the Carrier plant, Mike Pence said, “The free market has been sorting it out and Amer- ica’s been losing,” Trump chimed in, “Every time, every time.” When Repub- lican leaders denounce the free market as consistently harmful to Americans, they are repudiating almost ev- erything conservatism has affirmed: Edmund Burke taught that respect for a free society’s spontaneous order would immunize politics from ruinous overreaching – from the hubris of believing that we have the information and power to order society by political willfulness. In an analogous argument, Fried- rich Hayek warned against the “fatal conceit” of believing that wielders of political power can supplant the mar- ket’s “efficient mechanism for digesting dispersed informa- tion.” The Republican Party is saying goodbye to all that. Indiana’s involvement in the Carrier drama exem- plifies the “entrepreneurial federalism” – states com- peting to lure businesses. This is neither new nor nec- essarily reprehensible. There are, however, distinctions to be drawn between creating a favorable climate for busi- ness generally and giving di- rect subsidies to alter the behavior of businesses al- ready operating in the state. And when ad hoc corpo- rate welfare, including tar- iffs, becomes national policy, it becomes a new arena of regulation, and hence of rent seeking, which inevitably cor- rupts politics. And by sap- ping economic dynamism, it injures the working class. The most widely dis- cussed and properly praised book germane to today’s politics is J.D. Vance’s “Hill- billy Elegy” about the suffer- ings and pathologies of the white working class, largely of Scots-Irish descent, in Ap- palachia and the Rust Belt. This cohort, from which Vance comes, is, he says, one of America’s most distinc- tive subcultures, particularly in its tenacious clinging to traditional mores, many of them destructive. His book has often been misread as primarily about the toll taken by economic forces – globalization, auto- mation, etc. Actually, Vance casts a cool eye on the theory that “if they only had better access to jobs, other parts of their lives would improve as well.” His primary concern is with “lack of agency” and “learned helplessness” – the passive acceptance of victim status. One theory of the 2016 election is that the white working class rebelled not just against economic disap- pointments but also against condescension, demanding not just material ameliora- tion but, even more, recogni- tion of its dignity. It is, how- ever, difficult for people to believe in their own dignity when they believe that their choices are powerless to alter their lives’ trajectories. Even- tually, they will detect the condescension in the gov- ernment’s message that their fortunes are determined not by things done by them but by things done to them. Such people are suscep- tible to charismatic presi- dential leadership, with its promise that executive power without limits can deliver them from unhappiness by delivering to them public goods. In contrast, there was dignity in the Joad family (of John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath”). When the Dust Bowl smothered Okla- homa, the Joads were not en- ervated, they moved west in search of work. What formerly was called conservatism resisted the permeation of society by pol- itics, and particularly by the sort of unconstrained exec- utive power that has been wielded by the 44th presi- dent. The man who will be the 45th forthrightly and comprehensively repudiates the traditional conservative agenda and, in reversing it, embraces his predecessor’s executive swagger. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2016, Washington Post Writers Group THURSDAY DECEMBER 8, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS An unscrupulous taxi driver overcharges intoxicated passengers and tourists who don’t know any better. It’s a cliché. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t contain an element of truth. In Grand Cayman, people have complained for decades about taxis deviating (upward) from the standard rate of fares, picking and choosing who they pick up and where they will take them, and sometimes outright ripping passengers off who have no alternative. On Tuesday night, members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association convened a special meeting with one item on the agenda: visitors’ grievances over the cost (and variances in cost) of taxi rides. Obviously, it is not good for our country to gain a reputation as being a place where taxi drivers scam pas- sengers, particularly tourists. Concerns over dishonest drivers could harm the entire hospitality industry. That said, our perspective on the issue differs perhaps from CITA’s, involving liaising with the Public Transport Board (which oversees Cayman’s taxis and buses) and attempting to reconcile standard fare books with the reality on the road. First, we want to avoid making scapegoats out of taxi drivers as a class. Just like any group of human beings, most taxi drivers are honest, hardworking earnest professionals … a minority, well, maybe not so much. Additionally, we have no clue whether taxi fares in Cayman are too high, too low or just right. We’re not taxi operators, so we don’t know how much the cabs cost to operate, what their volume of business is or the relevant profit margins. We do know that people drive taxi cabs for a variety of reasons – independence, the opportunity to socialize, love of roadside scenery, flexibility of schedule, etc. – but no one drives a cab to get rich. We also know that Cayman’s taxi drivers must abide by a litany of rules and regulations (and at one point, a government dress code), and must pay fees for the privilege of picking up passengers, most notably (and expensively) from the airport. As has been demonstrated across the globe by the exponential rise of “ride-sharing apps” (i.e., taxis that can be ordered online) such as Uber and Lyft, trans- portation companies are able to cut costs dramatically to customers when they are able to avoid, or absolve themselves from, paying extortionate government taxes and fees. The bureaucratic reflex to Uber in many juris- dictions has been more regulation. That is to be expected, but is exactly wrong. What the governments should be doing in response to Uber – and in Cayman, in response to complaints of high or inconsistent fares – is to free taxi drivers from the mountains of red tape that have accumulated over many years. Fundamentally, why does the Public Transport Board exist? Are Cayman’s taxi and bus services better, cheaper or more efficient as a result of the board’s oversight? We might be able to understand the board’s raison d’être if Cayman’s taxis were modeled after London’s famous “black cabs” – where drivers undergo rigorous tests of local geography and act as true ambassadors of their city. In Cayman, however, that is not the case. Here, the board functions less like an independent regulator and more like the executive committee of a union invested with governmental authority. The wholly inadequate bus service is a different topic, but as far as taxis are concerned, we see no reason why drivers couldn’t be approved directly by the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing (after demonstrating exceptional driving skills, a clean police record or other requirements, for example PRIDE training) and taxi vehicles vetted by the same agency. Safety, professionalism and fair pricing are the obvious objectives. Boards, bureaucracy and increased regulations are not on our itinerary or our road map. Taxis, taxpayers and tourists: Who’s being taken for a ride? PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” Trump’s repudiation of conservatism The damages from government interventions are cumulatively large but, individually, are largely invisible. The beneficiaries are few but identifiable and their gratitude is telegenic. GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE 5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 8, 2016 Marcello Santi and the Department of Tourism invites you to attend the Cayman Islands Golf Invitational DECEMBER 9TH at 1pm & 10TH at 9am AT THE NORTH SOUND CLUB Featuring professional golfi ng greats: PETER HANSON | BEN CURTIS | BRIAN DAVIS | STEVE FLESH | MARCEL SIEM THOMAS LEVET | GREG OWEN | DAVID LYNN | SKIP KENDALL SPECTACULAR GOLF FOR ALL TO ENJOY FREE TO THE PUBLIC THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS, WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT THIS EVENT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE FREE TO THE PUBLIC SATURDAY, 10TH AT 5PM. MEET THE PROS AT CAMANA BAY. Iguanas with taped limbs spark cruelty concerns JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Reports of green iguanas with their limbs tied up with electrical tape and left to die are raising con- cerns in Grand Cayman. One iguana was found with its limbs tied and its mouth taped. Another was left with its arms fastened behind its back by the road side in West Bay. The Department of Environ- ment has also received reports of iguanas found taped up. The handful of incidents do not appear to be connected to any legitimate culling efforts to control the in- vasive species. Louise Spencer, who discov- ered two of the taped iguanas, said she was able to free one of them with scissors. “The iguana was in real dis- tress. Its mouth was taped and it couldn’t drink or eat and was struggling to breathe. “I know some people view them as vermin, but no animal deserves to be treated like that.” She said any population control efforts should be done in a humane and regulated fashion. Jane Haakonsson of the DoE’s terrestrial resources unit said the fact that green iguanas are an invasive species does not mean that such inhumane treatment could be condoned. Cayman Islands business Spinion Ltd., which recently began processing iguanas to be sold to local restaurants, said the images were not connected to its business. Maria Yapelli, liaison officer for Spinion, said its contracted hunters had not been in the West Bay area. She said health and safety guide- lines meant that the animals had to be captured live and slaughtered at the processing plant. “We do have to tie them to pre- vent from being scratched, but we cover them, which calms then down and we definitely don’t leave them lying about. We make sure they are brought back to the plant within an hour. “Processing meat is an ugly business, there is no way around it. A lot of people would be vegetarian if they knew how it was done. There is no nice way to do it, but you can definitely be discreet and make sure it as humane as pos- sible,” she said. “I know some people view them as vermin, but no animal deserves to be treated like that.” LOUISE SPENCER Hundreds of students explore job fair More than 500 students attended a career fair last month to learn about jobs ranging from handling drug- sniffing dogs to working in a medical lab and op- erating drones. The Careers Fair, hosted by Cayman Academy at the Uni- versity College of the Cayman Islands, drew students from Cayman’s public and private schools. Thirty-five employers and government departments had exhibits and talked with students about career pos- sibilities, according to a press release. Cayman Finance CEO Jude Scott, who had an ex- hibit at the career fair, said in the release, “In order to pro- tect, promote, develop and grow our financial services industry, we have to foster interest in the student pop- ulation in Cayman, while showing them the available pathways into the wide range of career options within the industry.” About 265 students from John Gray and Clifton Hunter visited the fair. Another 150 students from Cayman Academy attended, along with students from Grace Christian Academy, Wesleyan Holiness and UCCI, according to the release from the Sev- enth-day Adventist Church, which runs Cayman Academy. Education Minister Tara Rivers toured the career fair. She said it is important for students to “connect with employers from industries they may not have previ- ously considered.” Cayman Enterprise City showcased the diverse em- ployers in the special economic zone. Enterprise City CEO Charlie Kirkconnell said his organization is committed to working “in partnership with all schools and colleges to en- courage students to consider careers in STEM, and to con- nect young Caymanians with opportunities within Cayman Enterprise City.” The Customs Department brought its canine unit, dem- onstrating how the dogs can detect drugs. The depart- ment also brought one of its high-speed boats, used in operations to catch drug smugglers at sea. The Health Services Au- thority exhibit had staff ro- tating through the day to showcase healthcare fields for students. The HSA not only relies on doctors and nurses, but also on a staff of administrators, and finance and technical specialists. HSA communications man- ager Lisa Parks said the HSA hoped to highlight “the many diverse professions available within the healthcare industry. “All of these areas are essential to our opera- tions,” she said. The Mosquito Re- search and Control Unit dis- played mosquitoes under a microscope. Cayman Academy Prin- cipal O’Neil Duncan said his school took the lead in organizing the fair to fill a need for all students in Cayman. Mr. Duncan said many high school students “are not prepared for life after graduation. “We want the next gen- eration to be more creative,” he said, in connecting what they learn in school with applications for developing skills for a career. He said he hopes that students will be able to make better decisions about careers. A number of government agencies hosted exhibits, including Environmental Health, Agriculture, Fire Ser- vices, Lands & Survey, Plan- ning, the National Work- force Development Agency, the Scholarship Secretariat, Tourism, Education, Customs, Immigration, Weather Ser- vice, Children & Family Ser- vices, the Family Resource Centre, Computer Services, Environment, Government Information Services, the Truman Bodden Law School and the Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service. The private sector was represented by the Cayman Contractors Association, law firm TMC Chambers and many others. Universities also high- lighted their programs, in- cluding the University of the West Indies, Northern Carib- bean University and UCCI. Marilyn Conolly, head of Enterprise Cayman Youth Initiatives, speaks with students visiting the Cayman Enterprise City booth. Customs Officer Tate McFarlane speaks with students about the work of the canine unit.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 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 DECEMBER 8, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, DEC. 8 CHAMBER COURSE: “The Secret – What Great Leaders Know and Do.” 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square; $175 for members, $225 for future members; register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: Basic Grammar & Writing Skills Part 2. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square; $150 for members, $225 for future members; register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, DEC. 9 GARAGE SALE: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, 4 p.m. on the church compound. Organized by the Women’s Group. SATURDAY, DEC. 10 CHRISTMAS CONCERT: “A Tale of Two Christmases,” a choir and orchestra concert, 7 p.m., The Crescent at Camana Bay. Performances by UCCI and Westchester University students. FISH FRY: The Red Bay Primary School holds a fish fry 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the school grounds. Fish will be sold for $10, including a drink. Buy tickets at the school office or call 927-1645 for more details. JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT MARKETS: Today and next Saturday, 4-8 p.m., at The Crescent at Camana Bay. Holiday gifts for sale feature products created by students in Junior Achievement. BAG SALE: 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Red Cross grounds at Huldah Avenue. FAMILY DAY: Say it in Paint Family Day, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the National Gallery. Free art activities based on the art exhibition “Speak to Me.” Activity sheets available for children of all ages. Self-guided tour packs can be collected at reception. Snacks available for purchase in the Art Café. Admission is free. For further details, email education@nationalgallery. org.ky or call 945-8111. ARTISANS GIFT FAIR: From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the National Gallery. Free admission. CHRISTMAS DINNER: The North Side Community hosts its annual Christmas dinner at 5 p.m. at the Craddock Ebanks Civic Center. For more details, contact Alex Johnson on 916-8232. ARTS AND CRAFT BAZAAR: Christmas Arts and Craft Bazaar 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Loyola Hall, St. Ignatius Catholic School, Walkers Road. Arts, crafts, handmade jewelry, mosaics, baked goods, henna tattoos and more. Meet local crafters and artists. Great holiday gifts. All are welcome, free admission. For more information, contact Allison Taylor at 939-0220 or ataylor2005@hotmail.com. All proceeds go toward Girlguiding Cayman Islands. SUNDAY, DEC. 11 CHRISTMAS SERVICE: All are invited to a Christmas Service at East End United Church at 7 p.m. MONDAY, DEC. 12 WEST BAY: Bulk waste cleanup to Dec. 17. Bulk waste should be placed curbside where items can be accessed but not obstruct traffic. Bulk waste includes household appliances, furniture and yard waste. Construction and demolition debris will not be collected. Separate metals, vegetation and other recyclables. Items should not be put out after 17th. For more information, in Grand Cayman call the Department of Environmental Health solid waste dispatch unit at 949-8793; in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, call 948-2321. TUESDAY, DEC. 13 MOONLIGHT AND MOVIES: Gardenia Court at Camana Bay. 7 p.m. Free admission. Set up a picnic on the grass, or just bring a blanket, relax and enjoy the show on the big outdoor screen. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 14 CONCERT AND FUNDRAISER: St. Ignatius school band concert and Christmas fundraiser, 7 p.m. Grand prize of $25,000 and lots of other prizes. Tickets are $25 and are available at St. Ignatius and from a number of local supermarkets and other businesses. THE BOOKENDS CLUB: Meets from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Books & Books. All are invited to join as members review their latest pick, “Disgrace” by J.M. Coetzee. Come and share your insights and impressions in an open discussion. The Bookends Club meets on the second Wednesday of every month and new members are always welcome. THURSDAY, DEC. 15 BRAC CHRISTMAS MUSICAL: Cayman Brac primary schools combine their talents for this Christmas musical, 7 p.m., Aston Rutty Centre. CAYMAN BRAC AND LITTLE CAYMAN: Last day for bulk waste cleanup. FRIDAY, DEC. 16 DEPARTMENT OF COUNSELLING SERVICES: The Family Resource Centre will close from 12:30 p.m. today for its Christmas staff function. In line with other government offices (non- essential services), both the Department of Counselling Services and the Family Resource Centre will close at 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 23 and Dec. 30. YOUTH AMBASSADORS: Today is the deadline for Caymanians ages 18-27 to apply for posts as the Cayman Islands’ CARICOM Youth Ambassadors. Some overseas travel will be necessary and the successful candidates, one male and one female, will serve for up to three years. To be eligible, applicants must live in the Cayman Islands. For further inquiries and to obtain application forms, contact Acting Head of the Youth Services Unit James Myles at James.Myles@gov.ky. SATURDAY, DEC. 17 FAMILY FUN DAY: Jeremiah’s Family Fun Day, Scholars Park, West Bay, 2-5 p.m. Organized by AAVIC. All are invited. Free admission. Food and drinks, games, face-painting and activities for everyone. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross mobile thrift shop is in Bodden Town at the Rubis gas station compound from 6-10 a.m. Clothing, linens, household items and more. BOOK SALE: The Red Cross Thrift Shop will be at Foster’s Strand 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hard cover, $2. Paperbacks, $1. Children’s books, 50 cents each. CHRISTMAS MEAL: John Gray Memorial Church will be delivering community Christmas meals today by noon. STEWARDS OF CHILDREN: The Red Cross “Darkness to Light” is a free training program, 9-11:30 a.m., for parents, teachers and others who work with or provide services to young people. Cost is free. 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. CEMETERY BEAUTIFICATION: Boatswains Bay. 7 a.m. Bring paintbrush or roller and roller pan. Call 929-9932 for more information. WEST BAY SENIORS: Senior citizens Christmas social, 6 p.m. at the Sir John A. Cumber Primary School Hall. All West Bay residents 60+ are invited to attend. SUNDAY, DEC. 18 HEAVEN ON EARTH: Choir Cantata at John Gray Memorial Church, West Bay. 10 a.m. All are invited. GENERAL INTEREST CHRISTMAS MEAT: The Department of Agriculture reminds farmers of the process for using its abattoir services – especially before the Christmas rush. Animal owners should follow the appropriate protocols for butchering meat, which is done free of cost, inclusive of delivery to the specified supermarkets or butcher shops. Call 947-3090 for information. Farmers must provide details of the livestock, and the dates and locations for the delivery of their meat. SINGLE-MEMBER CONSTITUENCIES: The Elections Office invites voters, potential candidates and their agents to learn more about recent changes to the Elections Law that have created 19 single- member electoral districts. Email office@elections.ky to ask questions or request short presentations for groups or organizations. The public should also stay tuned to local media for information on upcoming meetings, which will aim to address questions. MARINE LIFE: The Department of Environment advises that the take of Nassau Grouper anywhere in Cayman waters is now prohibited between Dec. 1 and April 30. People can legally fish for conchs and whelks from Nov. 1 to April 30. Only queen conch (Strombus gigas) can be taken. The catch limit is either five conchs per person or 10 per boat (with two or more people), whichever is fewer. For whelks, 2.5 gallons in shells or 2.5 pounds of processed whelks per person are allowed each day. Chiton, periwinkle and bleeding teeth species cannot be taken at any time. Persons who suspect poaching of conchs and whelks can call 911, or DoE enforcement officers directly: Grand Cayman, 916-4271; Cayman Brac, 926-0136; Little Cayman, 916-7021. For more information on conch and whelk seasons, contact the DoE on 949-8649 or email DoE@gov.ky. CERAMIC OPEN STUDIO: Every Wednesday from 9 a.m. till noon until Dec. 14; Watler House at Pedro Castle. Contact ceramics@ visualartcayman.com. Also first Sunday of the month, 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. Contact info@visualartcayman.com. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Contact humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards, etc., in good condition always needed. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Center is owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay every Wednesday, noon till 8 p.m. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand- crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale. Contact info@visualartcayman.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The Cayman Chess Club holds a complimentary chess class and open challenges from 5-8 p.m. every Tuesday at the West Indies Wine Company in Camana Bay.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Bodden Town CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 8, 2016 50 years ago: Christmas breeze a welcome arrival In the Dec. 7, 1966 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspondent Haig Bodden wrote: “The number of arrivals for the holiday season con- tinues to increase. Miss Gloria Carter and Mr. Robert Lee Berry came in last Saturday. “Persons arriving by Thursday’s flight were Mr. Keith Jackson, his wife Marjorie and their two children. Marjorie’s sister Mrs. Florence Watler also came by the same flight. “The traditional Christmas breeze or old fashioned nor-easter is blowing this week. “This is a welcome wind as it marks not only the end of the hur- ricane season but it also heralds the approach of Santa Claus. “It provides the right temperature for cuddling up at nights. “It is reported that Mr. Clifton Hunter who was ill has improved. “The church choirs are busy practicing their carols for Christmas. Plans are under way for the garden party on New Year’s Day.” Farmers buy all 60 imported steers All of the beef cattle that arrived in Grand Cayman last month have been purchased by local farmers. Farmers bought their se- lections from a herd of 60 steers imported by the Cayman Islands Agricul- tural Society to supplement the beef produced by their small herds, according to a press release. After arriving on island, the steers were held in iso- lation by the Agriculture De- partment from Nov. 17 at pens in Lower Valley, Bodden Town, and were handed over to the Agriculture Society for sale to farmers on Nov. 26. Agriculture Society Pres- ident George Smith said a Cayman Islands government grant of $112,000 paid for the purchase and shipment of the animals, the first such under- taking in several years. The Agriculture Society sourced the cattle from a ranch in South Florida. After a one-month quarantine in the United States, lab tests and other stringent require- ments, the cattle arrived in the Cayman Islands on a commercial ship accompa- nied by a handler from the United States. The shipment consisted of Angus cattle, commonly bred for beef production, Simmental cattle, a breed originating in Switzerland, and Brangus cattle, a pop- ular cross-breed between Angus and Brahman. While the steers were being held at the Cayman Is- lands Agriculture Department, the Department of Environ- ment controlled their feeding, the release states. Farmers had the opportu- nity to inspect the steers be- fore the sale date. Most of the 37 local farmers opted to buy an animal or two at a cost of $1,235 each. Kurt Tibbetts, the minister responsible for agriculture, welcomed the timely arrival of the animals. “The positive effects will continue, for while this herd was imported specifically for meat purposes, the funds raised from the sales will be used by the CIAS to im- port breeder cattle in the new year,” Mr. Tibbetts said. Mr. Smith thanked govern- ment for its continued sup- port of the agriculture sector. Speaking about the growing recognition of the high quality of local meat, he added that local ranchers use a process that improves the quality of the beef sold to consumers. Agriculture Society mem- bers confirmed that the 60 imports are already receiving the same “Cayman Kind” treatment as local calves that have been fattened and pre- pared to meet the tradition- ally high demand for fresh local beef at Christmas. North Side farmer and Ag- riculture Society second vice- president Geoffry Ebanks explained that this special treatment involves using particular types of feeds and is complemented by the unique quality of local guinea grass on which the cattle graze, and even the quality of the water. Both men confirmed that feedback from local butchers and consumers has been ex- tremely positive. From left, Director of Agriculture Adrian Estwick, Cayman Islands Agriculture Society President George Smith and Society second vice president Geoffry Ebanks view the animals. Newly arrived steers at the Agriculture Department grounds in Lower Valley.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY DECEMBER 8, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS driving citations declined from 248 in 2013 to 153 in 2014, a drop of 38 percent. It was during the 2010/11 budget year that the RCIPS reorganized its former traffic enforcement unit in an effort to put more patrol officers “on the beat.” The reform effort came at a time when the police were being overwhelmed by a re- cord number of robberies, as well as several tit-for-tat gang-related murders. Instead of working out of the traffic management building near the intersec- tion of Crewe and Lynd- hurst roads, the police offi- cers responded to calls from the police station, giving the department more flexibility in deploying police rather than designating a specific group of officers as traffic investigators. Mr. Graham said that strategy would now give way to a more focused traffic enforcement effort by a specific unit of trained of- ficers. He said there prob- ably would not be quite as many officers on the Roads Policing Unit as in the old Traffic Management Unit a decade ago, but plans were to staff up and step up enforcement. Mr. Graham said the ef- fort should also assist with operational policing ef- forts, as well as making the roads safer. “If the Roads Policing Unit was to stop a vehicle that is unlicensed and it was used by a criminal to trans- port … stolen property, for instance,” he said. “A road- block may be there to look to enforce road safety, but they’re also there to pro- vide visibility.” environmental management and economic growth.” Dart said in its state- ment that the planned resort and residences would rep- resent $600 million in eco- nomic impact during con- struction, add room stock and play a major role in en- suring a pipeline of employ- ment for the construction in- dustry and growth. The removal of the beach rock has caused some con- troversy, however, and is op- posed by the Department of Environment, which warns it could cause erosion on Seven Mile Beach. are certainly feeling ripped off. There have been com- ments on TripAdvisor and it affects the reputation of the destination. “It’s a simple concept. How much does the journey cost? Fares shouldn’t vary depending on which car you hop in, who’s driving or which concierge you go through. “We need to make sure taxi drivers can charge an appropriate rate for what they offer, but there needs to be a much higher level of transparency about how these rates are calculated. If you’re going to West Bay and the difference be- tween a $20 and a $40 fare is whether you have got one extra child in the car, then guests are going to get frustrated. It is absurd, it doesn’t cost any more to have an additional pas- senger in the car,” he said. Tim Adam, managing di- rector of the Cayman Turtle Centre, said the attrac- tion has started banning certain taxi drivers from the premises for over- charging customers. He believes taxis should be required to have meters to ensure there is no confu- sion over the proper fares. He said they should also be able to take credit cards now and called for the in- dustry to come into the 21st century. The meeting took place against the backdrop of an ongoing dispute between the Public Transport Board and some taxi drivers over the legitimacy of the board’s recently produced fare schedule. Previously, the drivers have produced a fare book and submitted it to the board for approval. The Public Transport Board has now published its own list and distributed it to businesses. However, the list contains some inac- curacies, including miscal- culated distances, and its legitimacy is disputed by some drivers. Chris Hadome, who rep- resents the Cayman Islands Taxi Association and is also a member of CITA, said the group is no longer rec- ognized by the board and has effectively disbanded. He said the board’s job is to approve fares, not to set them, and insisted it had not consulted with drivers over its schedule and had not distributed the list to all drivers. He said most were still using a 2008 fare schedule, produced by the taxi association and ap- proved by the board. He acknowledged that several groups are seeking to represent taxi drivers on the island and agreed that it makes sense for CITA to attempt to reach a com- promise between drivers and the board. Following Tuesday’s meeting, the association is seeking to act as a broker between drivers and the board to establish an accu- rate and enforceable fare schedule that can be cir- culated among businesses and all taxi drivers. Joanna Boxall, one of the directors of CITA, said the group would meet with five of the larger taxi groups to get their input before meeting again with the transport board in an effort to come up with a plan that works for tourism businesses, taxis and tourists. Several restaurant owners and managers said the current situation is im- pacting their businesses, with tourists choosing to walk to nearby restau- rants rather than pay to go anywhere outside of Seven Mile Beach. One business owner said he got complaints from guests every night of the week about the taxi fare. He said he asked the Public Transport Board for a fare list, which they had provided. But he said drivers frequently de- viate from the schedule and the prices seemed to vary randomly. “It doesn’t make sense. We have a menu. We can’t say one day the chicken is $20 but for you it’s $40. There has to be one price.” Another restaurateur said, “We had people cancel a dinner reservation for a party of eight because the taxi fare was too much. They wanted $120 for a five-mile round-trip.” He said guests were consistently confused by the policy of charging extra because of the number of passengers in the vehicle. Some members called for an end to Cayman’s unusual practice of charging significantly varying fares for the same route depending on how many passengers are in the cab. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Taxi fares a concern for tourist industry Police jump-start traffic unit CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Rock removal trial begins on Seven Mile (AP) – Norwegian and Royal Ca- ribbean cruises on Wednesday an- nounced that they have received per- mission from the Cuban government to sail from the U.S. to Cuba. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings plans sailings on ships from two of its brands, Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania. Both ships will in- clude port calls in Havana as part of longer Caribbean itineraries. The Marina will sail from Miami on March 7 and Norwegian Sky will begin overnighting in Havana in spring 2017. Royal Caribbean will also sail on two lines, Royal Caribbean International and Aza- mara Club Cruises. In May, Carnival Corp. became the first U.S. company in decades to sail to Cuba. Carnival’s Cuba trips take place on its Fathom brand, which alternates week-long trips to Cuba with week-long trips to the Do- minican Republic. All of these cruises are subject to U.S. rules that ban pure tourism by American travelers to Cuba. In- stead the cruises must be “people to people” trips themed on permitted categories of travel such as cul- tural exchanges. Norwegian’s CEO, Frank Del Rio, was born in Cuba and emigrated in 1961 at age 7 with his family to the U.S. after the failed U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs effort to overthrow Fidel Castro. “This is truly a dream come true for me and I cannot wait for our loyal guests to experience the sights and sounds of my hometown of Ha- vana and get to know its rich culture and its warm and welcoming resi- dents,” he said in a statement. On the U.S. side, all of the cruise companies had been allowed to proceed with plans to sail to Cuba as part of the Obama administra- tion’s policy of opening up relations between the two countries. Some in the travel community are concerned that Donald Trump may reinstate restrictions on travel to Cuba. The president-elect’s in- tentions are unclear but three days after Fidel Castro’s death, the pres- ident-elect tweeted: “If Cuba is un- willing to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American people and the U.S. as a whole, I will terminate deal.” Norwegian and Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to re- quests for comment on whether they are concerned that Trump might tighten travel to Cuba. Norwegian, Royal Caribbean get approval for Cuba cruises In this May 2 file photo, Carnival’s Fathom cruise line ship Adonia arrives in Havana, Cuba, from Miami. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY DECEMBER 8, 2016 Belfast police investigating ex-coach A former soccer coach has been arrested on suspicion of sexual abuse after turning himself in to police in Northern Ireland. Jim McCafferty, who was involved in soccer in Scotland and Ireland from the 1980s, was arrested in Belfast after walking into a police station. Irish court orders Russian oligarch’s assets unfrozen DUBLIN (AP) – A Dublin judge on Wednesday ordered Irish authorities to unfreeze 100 million euros (US$107 million) in cash belonging to an exiled Russian oligarch, ruling that police had pro- vided no evidence that the funds were illegally gained as Russia contends. Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia’s richest man as the founder of the Yukos oil company, welcomed the Irish District Court judgment in a statement from his ad- opted London home. Russia expressed surprise that the judge failed to keep Khodor- kovsky’s Irish-banked assets frozen, given his Russian con- victions for fraud, embezzle- ment and money laundering. Ireland froze the funds in 2011, while Khodor- kovsky was still impris- oned in Russia, at the start of an Irish police probe into whether the money had been illegally laundered from Russia via a Gibraltar-based investment company. Judge Timothy Lucey heard rival arguments last month from lawyers repre- senting Ireland’s national po- lice force and Khodorkovsky, who had petitioned for the unfreezing of his money fol- lowing his 2013 release from prison. Ireland’s former jus- tice minister, Michael Mc- Dowell, representing the po- lice, said the investigation was continuing and involved recent police trips to Moscow to liaise with fraud inves- tigators there. But in Wednesday’s judg- ment, Lucey said police had provided no firm evidence of money laundering after five years of investigation and therefore extending the order freezing Khodorkovsky’s Irish assets could not be le- gally justified. Khodorkovsky, who has been granted political asylum in Britain, said the ruling vindicated his position that President Vladimir Putin had orchestrated a campaign to vilify him after he founded a pressure group, Open Russia, committed to promoting de- mocracy in Russia. “Lies about ‘money laun- dering’ remained lies,” Khodorkovsky said in a post on his Twitter account. His press office said Khodorkovsky intends to plow some of his freed funds into Open Russia, which Rus- sian authorities closed down in 2006 but was relaunched overseas following Khodor- kovsky’s December 2013 re- lease from prison. In Moscow, the lead lawyer investigating unresolved alle- gations against former Yukos executives accused Ireland of offering encouragement to corporate thieves on the run from Russian justice. “Today’s decision to re- lease the funds will en- courage others to do what Mr. Khodorkovsky did: Conceal their stolen assets beneath multiple layers of shell com- panies and offshore trusts for many years,” Andrei Kon- dakov said in a statement. Kondakov said the Irish court had refused to provide Russia a chance to present evidence directly against Khodorkovsky that was “ex- tensive and would have shown the money is the pro- ceeds of crime.” Mexico overtakes Canada as No. 2 US exporter MERKEL’S CONSERVATIVES BACK TOUGHER RULES ON DUAL CITIZENS Mexico is overtaking Canada as the No. 2 ex- porter of goods to the U.S. this year, in a sign of how economic ties have deepened between the two countries even as the relationship is being questioned by Presi- dent-elect Donald Trump. Shipments from Mexico totaled $245 billion in the first 10 months of the year, according to Commerce De- partment figures released Tuesday, ahead of Canada’s $230 billion. If the trend con- tinues, it would be the first time ever the U.S. bought more imports from its neighbor to the south. The two countries ended 2015 tied in exports to the U.S. The trend of catching up to Canada puts China and Mexico as the top two ex- porters to the U.S. just as Trump prepares to take of- fice in January, reflecting the strong pull of lower cost jurisdictions for the U.S. economy. Canada, which has one of the highest cost bases in the Americas, has seen its share of U.S. im- ports fall to about 13 per- cent from around 20 percent two decades ago. “Integration with Mexico has become more solid than with Canada,” said Marco Oviedo, chief Mexico economist for Barclays. “Manufacturing continues to be very competitive in terms of wages and loca- tion to other U.S. producers and suppliers.” The growing links be- tween Mexico and U.S. hinge on motor vehicles. Mexico has won new factories over the past six years from Toyota, Volkswagen’s luxury Audi unit, Kia Motors and BMW – up to $25.9 billion in new auto investments since 2010, according to the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan – fu- eling car shipments totaling $90 billion in the first 10 months. That is versus $54 billion from Canada. Canada’s cost base is also a big part of the story. Can- ada’s labor bill has swelled with unit labor costs in U.S. dollars, a key index of com- petitiveness, increasing by 64 percent since 2002 even with Canada’s currency weakening in recent years. Mexico’s average salaries meanwhile rose 0.5 percent a year in the decade through 2014, the least among the 11 largest Latin American nations after Venezuela, In- ternational Labor Organiza- tion data show. “Our competitiveness hasn’t been what it could be,” Bank of Canada Gov- ernor Stephen Poloz, who grew up in General Motors’ Canadian production hub of Oshawa east of Toronto, told lawmakers in October. Auto manufacturers “can just as easily do it in Mexico, and get a fine dedicated work- force, they get the advantage of lower costs.” And the problems go well beyond the auto sector for Canada. In a down year for all shipments to the U.S., Canadian exports have fallen 7.7 percent so far in 2016, versus a 1.6 percent drop for Mexico. The twist is that even with Canada suffering from lost trade to Mexico, there is little populist anger. Ac- cording to Oshawa Major John Henry, Canadians should rise to the challenge of competition and be a good friend in the world. “The world has changed in the auto industry a lot since the 1990s, automation, more and more countries are making cars,” Henry said in an interview. “But based on the economics of Canada, given an equal playing field, we can build the best vehi- cles in the world.” © 2016, Bloomberg BERLIN (AP) – Members of German Chancellor An- gela Merkel’s party voted Wednesday to scrap rules that allow the children of im- migrants to be dual citizens, a move opposed by party leaders and rejected by its partners in government. Until 2014, German-born children of immigrants from outside the European Union or Switzerland had to pick one nationality between ages 18 and 23, a rule largely af- fecting Germany’s Turkish community. Merkel’s cur- rent center-left coalition part- ners, the Social Democrats, insisted on dropping the re- quirement as a condition for entering the government. That was never popular with Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union. Delegates at a convention in Essen narrowly backed a mo- tion from the party’s youth wing that advocated re- turning to the old system. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere had argued against the motion, noting that no potential coalition partner after next year’s elec- tion would agree to it. Wednesday’s decision appears to reflect a desire among some CDU members for a sharper conservative profile. Merkel has sought to satisfy that by promising that last year’s huge mi- grant influx will not be re- peated, backing both a par- tial ban on face-covering veils and calls for tougher rules on deportation. Merkel downplayed the dual citizenship decision. She told n-TV television “this was about a small group (of immigrants), and I don’t think we should reverse” easing the rules. Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, a Social Demo- crat and likely challenger to Merkel for the top job, said his party would not agree to tougher rules. He said the vote shows that the CDU “doesn’t agree with Mrs. Merkel’s policies.” Russia expressed surprise that the judge failed to keep Khodorkovsky’s Irish- banked assets frozen, given his Russian convictions for fraud, embezzlement and money laundering. Mikhail Khodorkovsky Workers inspect a vehicle after a rain test at the Kia Motor Corp. assembly plant in Pesqueria, Mexico. The growing links between Mexico and U.S. hinge on motor vehicles. - PHOTO: BLOOMBERG/SUSANA GONZALEZ German Chancellor Angela MerkelNext >