ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21, 2016 High of 86 Low of 76 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 5 to 7 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 A MODEST ATTEMPT TO TAME CAYMAN’S PUBLIC AUTHORITIES BUSINESS | PAGE 16 SECOND PUBLIC CONSULTATION PERIOD ON BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP 27 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER TO VOTE ELECTION 2017 Ombudsman to replace commissioners Term to last seven years BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Abolishing the independent offices of the information commissioner and complaints commissioner, newly released legislation pro- poses to create an ombudsman’s office to oversee open records requests, complaints of government maladministration and public complaints against the police. The Ombudsman Bill, 2016, gives Cayman’s governor the power to appoint an ombudsman to the new post for seven years with no pos- sibility of reappointment. The governor’s se- lection must be made in consultation with the premier and the opposition leader, ac- cording to the bill. Two deputy ombudsmen will serve under the ombudsman, one to manage Freedom of Information matters and the other to handle maladministration complaints. Power to deal with complaints against police is given di- rectly to the ombudsman but may be dele- gated, according to the bill. The ombudsman cannot hold that office if in the past three years he or she has been an elected member of the Legislative Assembly or the holder of any office for a political party, according to the legislation. The bill makes no mention of any data pro- tection regime for Cayman, which was once planned to operate under the information commissioner’s direction. However, data pro- tection, largely aimed at protecting personal information of individuals, has been left out of the Ombudsman Bill. Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said Tuesday that the data protection legislation is currently under the attorney general’s remit and was not included in the mandate to create the ombudsman office. Special Assistant to the HIT-AND-RUN VICTIM’S FAMILY OFFERS FORGIVENESS JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The family of hit-and-run victim Donnie Ray Connor say they did not want to see the man responsible for his death go to jail. Many in the community reacted with anger and disbelief at the three-and-a-half month sentence handed down Friday for the driver, Nicholas Tibbetts, who fled the scene after knocking the 59-year-old cyclist off his bike in April 2015. Mr. Connor’s family were not among those who were angry. His nephew, Edlin Moore, wrote a letter to the court on behalf of the family, saying they felt a custodial sentence was not necessary. “My uncle’s life was sadly lost and he is truly missed by members of my family, but we felt that a sentence in Northward Prison wouldn’t have brought justice for him or for the young man,” Mr. Moore, a political field coordinator and strategist, told the Cayman Compass on Monday. “Nothing would bring back the life of my uncle, and I felt that probation or com- munity punishment and education along with a driving ban would help the young man to make better decisions in future,” said Mr. Moore. He said he did not believe in sending young people to prison unless it was truly necessary for violent or repeat offending. “We considered his age and his role in his community and that he was working a good job and wasn’t involved in general criminal activity, and didn’t think it would serve any great benefit for him to go to prison. TOURISM FIGURES Record year possible despite slight dip JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Stay-over tourism arrivals for 2016 are tracking slightly below last year, though a busy December could still mean a record year for the industry. Figures for the first 11 months of 2016 show that 345,155 visitors touched down in the territory, 329 fewer than in the same pe- riod last year. Tourism officials hope the opening of the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa last month will help stimulate a late surge in arrivals to surpass last year’s stay-over total. Once cruise visitors are factored into the mix, the total tourism arrival figures for 2016 to date show a slight increase over last year. Just over 1.86 million tour- ists touched down on the islands from Jan- uary to November. Typically the number of higher-spending stay-over visitors is used as the barometer for the health of the industry, rather than the more volatile cruise arrival figures. The U.S. remains the main market for Cayman, with 78 percent of stay-over visi- tors arriving from North America. According to official figures from the Ministry of Tourism, arrivals from the U.S. were up almost 3 percent. Top contributors include the Southeast region, a sector which PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Tourists on the George Town waterfront on Tuesday. The latest figures show that 345,155 stay-over visitors arrived in Cayman in the first 11 months of 2016. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21, 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 - ROGUE ONE 3D (PG13) 12:30 | 12:50 2D | 3:30 | 3:50 2D 6:30 | 6:50 2D | 9:30 | 9:50 2D MOANA 3D (PG) 12:45 | 3:30 2D | 6:45 | 9:20 2D COLLATERAL BEAUTY (PG13) 1:00 | 4:00 | 7:20 | 10:00 OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY (R) 12:50 | 7:00 ALMOST CHRISTMAS (PG13) 1:15 | 4:20 | 7:05 | 9:50 FANTASTIC BEASTS (PG13) AND WHERE TO FIND THEM 3:20 | 9:40 Cars......................$25 SUV’s....................$30 Trucks..................$35 Full Power Car Wash Call: 321-7451 525-8850 Alvin Sluchinski asons eetings CAYMAN ISLANDS Man pleads not guilty to assaulting officer Complainant sustained two broken teeth CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A trial has been set for April 19 for a man accused of assaulting a senior police officer at a traffic roadblock earlier this month. Mark Anthony Blake, 27, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to assault causing actual bodily harm of Inspector Ian Yearwood on Saturday, Dec. 10, along the Esterley Tibbetts Highway. He also pleaded not guilty to a related charge of common assault. During Blake’s first court appearance, on Dec. 12, Magistrate Valdis Foldats was told that Mr. Yearwood sustained two broken teeth in the incident. On Tuesday, the same magistrate put the charges to Blake and recorded his pleas. Defense attorney An- thony Akiwumi agreed with Crown counsel Gavin Dixon that the pre-trial case man- agement conference could be held immediately. Mr. Akiwumi asked that all police officers at the scene of the incident attend the trial to give evidence and be questioned. The attorney also requested the attendance of the officer who charged Blake and the two officers who in- terviewed him. In addition, he asked for a copy of his client’s custody re- cord. The magistrate ordered that to be served by Jan. 6. The defendant’s bail was con- tinued until his trial date. Dress down day raises money for Humane Society Office workers in Camana Bay donned Christmas sweaters and other holiday wear as part of a festive dress down day on Dec. 9 to raise money for the Humane Society. They raised $1,169.58 to benefit the animal shelter, the 2016 Camana Bay Christmas Give’s chosen charity. The Camana Bay Christmas Give involves nonprofit activities and fundraising initiatives that benefit a charity each holiday season. For more on the Give, visit www.camanabay.com/holidays. CORRECTION In a story titled “Prep students get tourism insights in Turtle Centre visit” on page 6 in the Dec. 20 edition of the Cayman Compass, an incorrect caption appeared with the above photo. Pictured from left are Pamela Smith and students Kathryn Lambert Wragg, Belle Forget and Anabella Hayden. HAITI PANEL ORDERS PARTIAL AUDIT OF PRESIDENTIAL VOTE PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – A Haitian electoral court on Tuesday ordered au- thorities to test the reli- ability of last month’s dis- puted presidential election results by conducting a random sample of vote count sheets. The early Tuesday ruling by the National Electoral Litigation Office ordered an immediate audit of 12 per- cent of vote tallies nation- wide, watched by Haitian and international monitors. The panel’s binding de- cision said the partial re- view was necessary to “shine a light” on the tab- ulation process at a ware- house computer center guarded by armed U.N. peacekeepers in Port-au- Prince. It declined a full recount or other measures sought by lawyers for three losing candidates alleging electoral fraud and errors in the tabulation process. Among other com- plaints, the lawyers have asserted that some tally sheets were unfairly autho- rized even though voters did not sign their bal- lots or mark them with fingerprints. The decision to audit 12 percent of the tally sheets was trumpeted as a vic- tory by factions that con- tested preliminary results showing a landslide victory for the candidate backed by ex-President Michel Mar- telly. Tuesday’s decision comes nine days before a deadline for publication of final results. www.ndc.ky In these economic times, it’s important to make wise decisions.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21, 2016 CAMANABAY.COM Check off your Christmas list at Camana Bay and enter to win a $10,000 Camana Bay Gift Card. Receive a raffle ticket for every purchase of CI$25 or more at participating locations. The raffle ends at midnight and the grand prize winner will be announced tomorrow on our social media channels. Visit our website for full details. Happy holidays from your friends at Camana Bay! Win a $10,000 Camana Bay Gift Card! CAMANABAY.COM Check off your Christmas list at Camana Bay and enter to win a Receive a raffle ticket for every purchase of CI$25 or more at participating locations. The raffle ends at midnight and the grand prize winner will be announced tomorrow on our social media channels. Visit our website for full details. Happy holidays from your friends at Camana Bay! Win a $10,000 Camana Bay Gift Card! LAST CHANCE TO ENTER CAMANA BAY’S Souvenir bullets land traveler in court CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two bullets kept as sou- venirs cost a tourist $1,000 when she appeared in Sum- mary Court on Monday, charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm. Under the Firearms Law, ammunition is included in the definition of a firearm. The woman pleaded guilty to having the two bullets among her personal posses- sions on Sunday afternoon at Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport. Crown counsel Greg Wal- colm told Magistrate Grace Donalds that the 23-year-old woman was traveling through customs en route to boarding a flight out of the jurisdiction. While her handbag was being scanned, security personnel noticed what appeared to be a bullet. A further check re- vealed a .45 round, which was shown to the woman. She was taken to a pri- vate area and all of her lug- gage was searched. Nothing was recovered, but in the same handbag that had been scanned, the second bullet was found. The woman was arrested and interviewed. She indi- cated that she had checked her bag before leaving the United States. She had also gone through Customs and Immigration in the U.S. and the bullets were not discov- ered, so she was of the view that the bag did not con- tain any ammunition, Mr. Walcolm related. A resident of South Caro- lina, she did not have a firearm license, did not own a firearm and did not belong to a gun club. During the summer, how- ever, she had gone shooting with friends, some of whom were American and some from other countries. She decided to keep a bullet as a souvenir of the occasion. A French person also kept a bullet, but before he departed for Paris, he learned that he could not travel with it, so he gave it to her. She kept the two rounds in the bag that she also used as a beach bag. When she checked and could not find them, she thought they had been lost or misplaced. “She was of the view they were no longer there,” Mr. Walcolm said. The woman was bailed with a cash surety of US$1,700, he advised. Defense attorney Laura Larner asked the court to follow recent precedents in similar cases by recording no conviction but ordering pay- ment of costs. Ms. Larner described the defendant as an Italian na- tional who completed her studies in South Carolina and now worked there. She was a productive and responsible citizen with no convictions in any jurisdiction. She had come to Cayman with her boyfriend and his family for a vacation. “In South Carolina, it is not illegal to carry, possess or buy ammunition,” Ms. Larner ex- plained. “Having gone through security, having been X-rayed, not setting off any alarms, she did not think she was in pos- session of any illegal articles.” The attorney cited four cases, in which defendants had to pay costs that varied between US$1,000, US$1,500 and CI$1,000. The magistrate applied a section of the Penal Code that allows for no conviction being recorded. She ordered the woman to pay prose- cution costs of CI$1,000 or serve two months in lieu. Wreck of Ten Sails featured on Swiss watch Luxury Swiss watch- maker Ulysse Nardin has released a limited edition diver’s watch commemo- rating the Cayman Islands and the historic “Wreck of the Ten Sails.” The watchmaker said in a press release that it produced only 50 of the watches, which pay tribute to the 1794 event when 10 ships in a convoy wrecked on a Grand Cayman reef. “Fortunately for the ships’ crews and passengers, some very brave Caymanians living in Bodden Town and the East End of Grand Cayman Island came to the aid of those ten ships and rescued the majority of passengers and crew, with very little loss of life,” the company said in a press release. According to the watch- maker’s press release, “Local legend is that the Wreck of the Ten Sails resulted in the abolition of taxation in the Cayman Islands. According to the legend, a member of the passenger list for the 10 vessels included a royal prince, one of the sons of Britain’s King George III. “The legend further states that when the King was ap- prised of the bravery on the part of the Caymanians in saving the crews and passen- gers of the foundering ships, he decided to repay their bravery. The reward became a decree that the people of the Cayman Islands would thereafter be free from war conscription and taxes.” Swiss watchmaker Ulysse Nardin has created a watch to commemorate the Wreck of the Ten Sails. “Having gone through security, having been X-rayed, not setting off any alarms, she did not think she was in possession of any illegal articles.” LAURA LARNER, attorneyThe 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 21, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS The good news about the Public Authorities Bill is that it aims to make Cayman Islands statutory authori- ties and government-owned companies operate more like central government. The less good news about the bill is it only aims to make government’s authorities and companies operate more like central government. Make no mistake, we support the intent of the bill — to rein in the explosion in the size and cost of the public sector and to introduce greater account- ability to Cabinet. What we don’t like is that it stops far short of actually reducing the size and cost of Cayman’s government. As we reported in a front page story in Tues- day’s Compass, and have observed many times over the past decade, the story of government growth in Cayman has had two distinct narrative arcs: a slow decline in central government, and a sharp rise among the country’s 26 distinct authorities and companies. The number of core civil servants peaked at about 3,800 employees in 2008, and has since dropped to 3,591 as of December 2015. That’s a decrease of about 5 percent. In contrast, the number of employees at govern- ment authorities and companies stood at 2,194 in 2010 and grew to 2,751 in December 2015. That’s an increase of more than 25 percent. In addition to the sheer size of the authorities and companies, the relative cost of those entities has been out of Cabinet’s control. An illustration of this is the lucrative salaries of executive directories of the (typically loss-making) authorities and companies. For example, in 2014, the head of the port authority made between $180,000 and $204,000; the head of Cayman Airways made between $150,000 and $180,000; and the head of the airports authority made between $152,000 and $160,000 — each of which is more than the salary of Cayman’s premier. The proposed Public Authorities Bill would bring workers and managers at the authorities and compa- nies under the “public service umbrella,” in terms of accountability and expectations. The bill gives Cabinet greater control over the financial management of the entities and the remuneration of executive direc- tors. The bill does not, thankfully, expand access to the woefully extravagant public pensions and public health insurance schemes. The bill, however, does contain a “grandfather clause” exempting individuals whose current employ- ment terms are more generous than the ones allowed by central government. (The term “grandfather” is appropriate — in that the existence of such clauses means many of our readers, and their children, will be grandparents before any savings are realized under this section.) Taken by itself, the bill is fine. But we shouldn’t labor under the illusion that the legislation constitutes meaningful reform of Cayman’s public sector, which now employs more than 6,300 people — more than 15 percent of the country’s total labor force. As demonstrated in “Project Future” (aka the “EY report”), the two hallmarks of real reform to the public sector are a reduction in the number of public servants, and a reduction in the cost of the public service. Measures that are lacking in those areas, such as this bill, are the equivalent of moving checkers around a game board without allowing any of the pieces to be captured and removed. A modest attempt to tame Cayman’s public authorities Decoding the Donald The incoming president is pragmatic, not ideological Cozying up to Russia, questioning the “one-China policy,” disputing CIA intel- ligence and naming several generals and billionaires to his Cabinet, Donald Trump has set aghast many for- eign policy analysts, econ- omists, security experts and mainstream journal- ists who are accustomed to orderly thinking and a pre- tense of what they view as principled decision-making from Washington’s po- litical leaders. Sadly for them – but not for the voters who elected Mr. Trump – the president- elect has no big, idealistic vision of an orderly world to anchor American interna- tional policy or limit strat- egies at home to resur- rect the economy. Mr. Trump lacks John Kennedy’s inaugural confi- dence that America has the wealth and will to bear any burden, endure any price to defend freedom in every corner of the world. Nor does he embrace Barack Obama’s sense of American responsibility and guilt to risk our national prosperity, cultural identity and secu- rity to promote an ethereal global community. Mr. Trump has a tougher, more realistic view – ap- pealing mostly to ordinary folks who must bear the economic and social costs of globalization, the threats of terrorism in public places and risks of serving in the ranks of our military. Simply, American foreign and domestic economic pol- icies should promote Amer- ican interests – after all, Berlin, Tokyo and Beijing are busy looking out for their citizens’ welfare and na- tional interests. Similarly, American cor- porations who profit and benefit from Washington’s largesse at home and pro- tection abroad should weigh the interests of workers and taxpayers when they con- sider whether to locate a fac- tory in Indiana or Shanghai. In Germany, which is supposed to be bound to the same World Trade Orga- nization (WTO) obligations to promote free trade and investment as the United States, Volkswagen must contend with provincial government officials – who together with union leaders hold majority seats on its supervisory board – when deciding whether German or foreign facilities must bear the brunt of layoffs made necessary by automa- tion and competition, and where the next generation of automobiles and compo- nents are to be made. In China, failure to comply with Beijing’s mon- itoring apparatus for its citizens or to make prod- ucts and conduct research and development domesti- cally can have grave conse- quences for the protection of Apple’s and other tech- nology firms’ intellectual property. Hence, their exec- utives accept Beijing’s sub- sidies to build plants in the Middle Kingdom and decry the quality of Amer- ican workers as a fig leaf for complicity. Seen in this context, Mr. Trump’s warnings to China about its mercantilist strat- egies and to American com- panies about moving plants abroad signal a rational change in policy. The WTO can’t adequately defang German or Chinese protec- tionism, but Mr. Trump can make it as costly for U.S. multinationals to ignore American interests as it is for them to bend to the will of foreign powers. His rattling of Beijing’s cage on Taiwan and trade are a more simple warning to Beijing. The new regime in Washington knows what’s really important to Commu- nist leaders – the myth of one China, the preservation of China’s socialist market economy and the grip of the Communist Party on power. Hence, it’s time for Beijing to get reasonable on trade, investment and even the South China Sea, because an angry eagle could prove the worst imaginable nightmare for an arrogant dragon. Regarding Russia and the Middle East, a U.S. pres- ident cannot ask the Amer- ican people to put their sons and daughters in harm’s way to counter Moscow’s incursions into Eastern Eu- rope or to defeat the Islamic State if the richest and largest nation in Europe, Germany, and others on the continent are not willing to bear similar burdens to defend their freedom and make their streets safe. Moreover, defeating the Is- lamic State on the ground will not end, but only re- duce terrorist threats from Islamic extremists, and de- stabilizing Syria and simi- larly seeking regime change elsewhere in the region will only make matters worse. For the time being at least, America has to make the best deal it can with Russia to secure the eastern frontiers of the West in Eu- rope, and to tolerate Syr- ia’s Bashar Assad and sim- ilar bad actors. Mr. Trump is a popu- list and a pragmatist. His approach to each chal- lenge is rooted in what ordi- nary voters will accept – not the high thinking and lofty ideals of intellectuals. He ap- proaches each problem like any other deal – he assesses what the other guy wants, what he has to offer or with- hold, and then bargains hard. Markets are rallying for a reason. Mr. Trump’s approach is how busi- nesses and nations ulti- mately succeed. Peter Morici is a professor at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. He served as chief economist of the U.S. International Trade Commission from 1993-1995. He tweets @pmorici1. © 2016 The Washington Times, LLC. PETER MORICI Decoding the Donald Mr. Trump’s warnings to China about its mercantilist strategies and to American companies about moving plants abroad signal a rational change in policy.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21, 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 Bankrupt Hewitts lament ‘attacks’ TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com The couple made bankrupt after a court challenge to the election of Tara Rivers say they remain hopeful but regret the “broken promises” and recrim- inations in the wake of court testimony detailing allegations of reneged pledges of funding. A court last week ad- dressed the disposition of the assets of one-time United Dem- ocratic Party candidate Velma Powery-Hewitt and her hus- band Gordon Hewitt, longtime West Bay residents. In October, court trustees declared the couple bankrupt, unable to pay $205,000 in accumulated costs for a July 2013 Grand Court suit against MLA Ms. Rivers – subsequently named Minister for Education, Employment and Gender Affairs – chal- lenging her eligibility to stand in national elections. Speaking on Monday, after a hearing on Dec. 13 to deter- mine what assets remained available to discharge the debt, Ms. Powery-Hewitt said the case had left the couple sad- dened, butfeeling they had made progress. In his testimony, Mr. Hewitt said he had accepted a role as “a token plaintiff,” lending his name to the suit in an effort to disguise its UDP origins. He told Justice Ingrid Mangatal that both UDP head McKeeva Bush and party supporter, 2013 MLA candidate for George Town and businessman, Re- nard Moxam, had pledged fi- nancial support for the suit, but had ultimately reneged. On his Facebook page on Dec. 15, Mr. Bush rejected Mr. Hewitt’s claims. “People who know me … know that if I say I’m going to do something, I do it even when it hurts me. “They know I help people in all corners of our Islands …I don’t hurt. “So when any colleague of mine, past or present, or their consorts or those who have tried to unseat me as an elected official and fail, write outright lies, trying to make me look like the worst, I … only say that their hate, their jealousy, their prejudices, their outright meanness will just get the better of them.” Since the 2013 Grand Court case before Chief Justice An- thony Smellie, Mr. Bush and UDP Secretary Tessa Bodden have denied offering finan- cial or other support to the couple’s lawsuit, despite Mr. Hewitt’s Dec. 13 testimony that they had received emails dis- cussing the issue. In court, Mr. Hewitt ad- duced an affidavit from lawyer Steve McField, who acted on the plaintiff’s behalf, claiming Mr. Moxam had paid the at- torney a retainer, “and by doing so,” Ms. Powery-Hewitt said, committed himself to the ar- rangement, lamenting “how badly we have been treated.” “Gordon and I are angry at ourselves,” she said. “We believed they [UDP offi- cials] would be like us: We give someone our word and you keep your word – and now we are getting at- tacked on Facebook.” In his Dec. 15 Facebook posting, Mr. Bush did not name the couple, but said “that when any a colleague of mine, past or present … [does] something, they should stand up and take the blame or the credit. They wanted it, they tried it, they went through the processes to do it. “They would have counted the fallout if any! And if they had gotten what they wanted then all would have been good and dandy,” he wrote. “They didn’t get, so now the faults are someone else’s?” Ms. Powery-Hewitt de- clined to comment on the court proceedings, saying only that she accepted the “loser pays” principle, but questioned who lost the 2013 case in which Chief Justice Smellie vindi- cated Ms. Rivers of violating residence and loyalty clauses in the Cayman Islands Consti- tution: “You cannot apply that when the government itself says this was a question that had to be answered.” In his August 2013 judg- ment, Chief Justice Smellie de- clined to assess costs in the case, and declared its adju- dication a crucial constitu- tional question. Ms. Powery-Hewitt said she had paid an initial $26,000 for the suit, subsequently adding another $10,000. “All I want is to get back my $36,000,” she said, proposing “the Attorney- General and the Elections Of- fice, the government, should absorb the rest. “Neither of us should be out of pocket,” Ms. Powery-Hewitt said. Ms. Rivers had already paid her defense costs, “and we should be reimbursed.” The court, she said, ordered Mr. Hewitt to produce financial and other documents by Feb. 1, when a new hearing would be scheduled “at the first available date after that.” She said she hoped the couple’s home and car could be preserved under a compromise. Velma Powery-Hewitt and Gordon Hewitt HSA: FREE FLU SHOTS STILL AVAILABLE Health officials advised this week that free flu shots are still available at hospitals and health clinics throughout the Cayman Islands. The flu shots are available 2-4 p.m. Monday to Friday at the General Practice Clinic at the Cayman Islands Hos- pital and all District Health Centres. Sister Islands resi- dents are advised to contact Faith Hospital in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman Clinic to make arrangements for the vaccine. The vaccines are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No ap- pointment is necessary. Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Samuel Wil- liams-Rodriguez reminds the public that the peak of the flu season is in De- cember and January. Dr. Williams-Rodri- guez said people at high risk for complications from influenza and those who live with or care for high- risk individuals should be vaccinated early. Private companies with 20 or more employees can make arrangements to have the flu shots given at their workplaces, the Health Services Authority ad- vised. Interested compa- nies can contact Nola Sand- erson at the Public Health Department at 244-2621.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Sister Islands WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 YEARS AGO Accolades for schools’ Christmas programs In the Dec. 21, 1966 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Brac correspondent Lilian Ritch wrote in the special Cayman Brac Christmas supplement: “Welcome home to our seamen Winston Watson Jr., engineer ex Ore Saturn, and Wellington Watson off Blister Trader, both of Wa- tering Place, and Japeth Walton, also off the Ore Saturn. Happy homecoming! “The Christmas Pro- grammes given by the schools this week opened the season with very good entertainment. “On Tuesday evening, Creek led the way. Off to a good start with a welcome song by Juniors 1 and 2, the spontaneity of the children’s performance right through the impish play ‘The Scare- crows’ made the programme very enjoyable. Maevylin Ryan, as the 4th Scarecrow, and Rollin Jackson, as kind Michael, won the prizes for acting. A prizegiving based on the work of the first term for the school year followed and Mrs. D. H. Foster gra- ciously distributed the prizes assisted by the head teacher, Mrs. Georgine Lazzari. “Chairman for the eve- ning was the District Com- missioner, Mr. D.H. Foster. Judges for the best perfor- mance were Reba Foster, Gwen Hayes and Martha Scott. Mr. Venetta Walton, treasurer of the PTA took the initiative in collecting the prize fund. The proceeds of 23 pounds 6 shillings go to the lunch room and canteen fund. “Santa Claus made an early visit to the Brac, coming to the West End School on Thursday after- noon with sweet gifts for the children. Squeals of delight greeted him and there was a rush to shake his hands, and best of all, he recognised one little girl, Kay King, whom he had seen before in the United States. The children were truly happy. “In the evening, a well rendered programme of classic items delighted a full audience. In choral speaking, folk songs and in- dividual items, it was hard to choose the best, but I heard special mention of Sherry Dale Bodden’s poem of the silly ‘Matilda’ of ‘No John’ by Sherry Dale and Audley Scott, Jr. and ‘Sol- dier, Will You Marry Me?’ by Dave Christian and Betty Ebanks with Robert Hurlstone as narrator, and the folk songs. “‘Well Done!’ is due to the older boys of the school for painting the floor and revarnishing the piano. “Spot Bay School on Friday evening, the 16th, of- fered a fine variety in pro- gramme. To a usual packed- to-capacity audience for Spot Bay programmes, Mr. Trevor Foster was the chairman. Added to the concert items was a teenage dress pa- rade, children’s costume pa- rade and a prizegiving. Mrs. Shirley Ryan, wife of the head teacher of West End School, presented the prizes. Judges for the events were Reba Foster, Gwen Hayes and Sheila Ritch. Awards were as follows: “Corrin McLean as ‘Judge’ in the mime ‘The Seven Ages of Man;’ Denzil Dacres as ‘Cobbler’ in the play ‘The Cobbler and the Shoes;’ Dress parade – Dian Dewdney, Model, and Evry McCoy, Seamstress; Cos- tume Parade – the “Egg Plant,” Maxine McCoy and designer and her mother, Mrs. Sam McCoy. “To all three schools, the public of Cayman Brac and of Grand Cayman and other friends in Jamaica have been extremely generous in their support with prize funds in kind and money, and all three PTAs wish to extend a very sincere ‘Thank You.’” Ceremony honors Cayman Brac’s 3 new immigration officers Deanira Brown, Adam Clyne and Steven Scott, new immigration officers on Cayman Brac, were cele- brated by family, friends and government officials at a cer- emony at Immigration De- partment headquarters in George Town this month. The three new officers completed an intense prac- tical and theoretical training program geared specifically to Cayman Brac officers. They graduated on Dec. 9, a press release states. The group’s training cov- ered all border control pro- cedures, interviewing tech- niques for the entry and exit process, the asylum ap- plication policy and proce- dure, and other immigra- tion law protocols, the press release states. The three were also re- quired to learn the immigra- tion law and supporting pro- cesses for all front-counter procedures, the release states. “As an immigration of- ficer at the border, you are the first person our visitors encounter,” Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said during the ceremony. “How you interact will be their first impression of the Cayman Islands. Not only are you part of the border control of the island, you are an am- bassador for our Immigra- tion Department. I welcome you to the civil service family and I know you will continue to make us proud.” Acting Chief Immigration Officer Garfield Wong also congratulated the group and welcomed them to the de- partment’s “family.” “This is the first time I can recall a training pro- gramme geared specifi- cally towards Cayman Brac officers,” he said. “I would like to thank all of those who helped train these officers. I am confident in their professionalism in the line of duty, and I know they will serve this country well.” Chief Officer for the Min- istry of District Administra- tion, Tourism and Transport Stran Bodden also spoke at the ceremony, encouraging the graduates to take advan- tage of the opportunities of- fered by their new roles. “It gives me such a sense of pride to see you complete your training and go back to Cayman Brac to be respon- sible for border control for the Island,” he said. “Immigration is a very dy- namic field which holds a lot of opportunity; seize it. There’s also a lot of responsi- bility; own it.” Mr. Clyne, speaking on behalf of the new officers, thanked all of the training fa- cilitators who contributed to their success. “The training has been an amazing journey and experi- ence,” he said. Department of Immi- gration Training and De- velopment Manager Jenifer Gager-Sterling encouraged the officers to be guided by the vision, mission and core values of the department in the performance of duty. “You have made a commit- ment to serve your country. Serve it with honesty, in- tegrity, respect and dig- nity,” she said. “Do not be tempted to use the power of your uniform or badge in a compromising way. The operative word is service, so find the balance between enforcing the law and serving the Cayman Is- lands in a courteous way.” “The training has been an amazing journey and experience.” ADAM CLYNE, Brac immigration officer New Brac immigration officers Steven Scott, Deanira Brown, and Adam Clyne.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Sister Islands CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21, 2016 Santa helps Harmony Learning Centre A special Santa and his trusty elf helper have been raising money in George Town to help out disabled teens and adults on the Brac. Michael “Santa” Church and Peter “Elf” Davies have been out and about in the cafes and pubs in George Town this month to raise money for the Harmony Learning Centre, a Brac grassroots organization started by friends and family of teens and adults with dis- abilities. The center offers socialization, outings, ac- tivities and projects. “Harmony exists on a shoe-string budget. Their primary (often only) fund- raising event is the Walk-A- Thon, held recently, when they raised about $1,000 for the year,” Mr. Church said in an email to the Cayman Compass. “Many times, the Centre has had to shut down for a time due to lack of funds. They receive no govern- ment funding, and rely only on the Walk-A-Thon and the charitable giving of various donors.” Mr. Church said that after hearing of Harmony’s work, and reading about their financial plight in the Compass, he decided to do what he could to help them from Grand Cayman. “Last April, my company Optical Outlook partici- pated in the Grape Stomp for Charity event put on by DMS Broadcasting, and although our company team did not win, we were able to raise a tidy sum for Harmony,” said Mr. Church, whose commitment to assisting people with disabilities goes back many years. “Back in the day, I was educated at Southern Meth- odist University of Dallas, Texas, and also at University of Texas in Austin in special education, and specialized in teaching autistic children and adults,” he said. “Back in the ‘70s when the general public did not know about autism, there was little known about the causes or treatment. Our schools in Texas were pio- neers in developing effec- tive teaching methods and training plans for those suf- fering from autism.” Mr. Church taught uni- versity courses on behavior modification for autistic people, and then started sev- eral schools for them. “I can attest to the dif- ficulties and financial burden of heading a facility such as Harmony Learning Centre,” he said. “At times, when fund- raising was low, I had to pay my dedicated staff in gro- ceries for lack of funds. So, as you can see, my heart goes out to those heading the Har- mony Learning Centre in their work to provide such a needed and life-enhancing service to the handicapped against all odds.” The Christmas fundraiser for Harmony grew out of an- other goodwill activity in which Mr. Church has taken part for many years. “I don my Santa suit every December and appear at many of the schools in Grand Cayman at no cost,” he said. “It is just so much fun to delight the little kids when the ‘star’ of Christmas season (after Baby Jesus, of course) makes a visit to see all the children at school, [and] my trusty elf, Peter Davies, is usu- ally at my side to help spread Christmas cheer.” The duo has visited nu- merous schools, including George Town Primary, St. Ig- natius and Cayman Prep, and this year they were also at the Toys for Tots chil- dren’s Christmas party at the Lions Centre. “Our reward is the hap- piness and satisfaction of helping the children experi- ence the joy and excitement of Christmas,” he said. Building on that Christmas spirit, during afternoons and evenings in December, Mr. Church and Mr. Davies have been appearing at George Town dining establishments to raise money for Harmony. “We have been fortunate this year, due to the gener- osity of our friends and ac- quaintances and also a few visitors, to raise quite a bit for the center, and we are hoping to continue to ask for dona- tions, no matter how small, to help with this cause,” Mr. Church said, adding that business associate, Douglas “JR” Cameron of Peripheral Eyewear has listed the Har- mony Learning Centre as an online donation option. For more information on Harmony Learning Centre, visit http://hlcbrac. wixsite.com/hlc2/donations. New yoga offering on Little Cayman A new business in Little Cayman is offering yoga on-the-go. The yoga studio, the only one on the island, was started by resident professional diver Claire M. McGee. “I started Little Island Yoga to share my passion with others,” said Ms. McGee, who is a Yoga Alliance regis- tered teacher specializing in traditional hatha yoga. “At the same time, the classes deepen my own prac- tice through the continuous, inspirational life lessons [that] teaching yoga offers.” Ms. McGee says the yoga classes are for people of all backgrounds and abili- ties, and beginners espe- cially are welcome. “It’s a myth that you need to be flexible to practice yoga,” Ms. McGee said. In addition to regularly scheduled yoga classes, Little Island Yoga also offers private sessions that can be tailored to individual needs, she said. “Yoga is the bridge be- tween doing and being,” Ms. McGee said in a press re- lease. “It’s an empirical sci- ence aimed at understanding life’s most important ques- tions …. Yoga teaches that we are already perfect, whole and complete just as we are, and with practice, we can free our minds of the subconscious conditioning that makes us constantly look outside our- selves for fulfillment.” When not teaching yoga, Ms. McGee works as a scuba diving instructor for Conch Club Divers. She has been part of the Little Cayman community since 2011. “I’m passionate about the natural environment, and Little Cayman is renowned for its unspoiled beauty,” she said. “Nature is an incredible tool to help us understand who we really are.” She said she uses the tranquil surroundings in Little Cayman to illustrate the possibilities yoga offers. “Imagine a remote trop- ical island paradise, white sand beaches, turquoise wa- ters and breathtaking night skies,” Ms. McGee said. “Vi- sualize being there, breathing deeply, filling your lungs with the fresh, clean sea air, and then, as you exhale, imagine relaxing completely, un- winding and tuning in to the rhythms of the natural world around you. “In this state, your aware- ness is brought into the present: the only place where life exists. You feel a deep connection with all that is, and you feel completely at peace. This is yoga.” For more information, follow the Little Island Yoga Facebook page, email littleislandyoga@ gmail.com or call 922-7326.Claire McGee of Little Island Yoga. Peter ‘Elf’ Davies and Michael ‘Santa’ Church pose for photos in George Town on their quest to raise money for the Harmony Learning Centre in Cayman Brac. - PHOTO: NORMA CONNOLLYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21, 2016 • CAYMAN COMPASS Deputy Governor, Peter Gough, added that “at present” there is no funding for the govern- ment personnel that would be needed to implement a data protection regime. “In the future, the Office of the Ombudsman will oversee the Data Protection Law and the Whistleblower Law when they come into force,” Mr. Gough said. The proposal to combine the independent offices of the information commissioner and complaints commissioner has been in discussion for more than two years and has been touted by government as a cost-saving measure. The om- budsman office will replace two department directors at a savings of approximately $205,000 per year. The proposal requires changes to at least six laws, including those governing the information commissioner and complaints commis- sioner, as well as government public service management and financial management legislation. All are proposed to come before the Legis- lative Assembly in its next meeting in January. Neither the Office of the Complaints Commissioner nor the Office of the Information Commissioner has had perma- nent leadership for nearly two years while government man- agers awaited the outcome of merger discussions. The merger has been the source of some controversy among opposition lawmakers and the former directors of the two independent offices, who questioned the government’s true support and desire to maintain those offices. Acting Information Com- missioner Jan Liebaers once called the merger pro- posal “a solution in search of a problem.” Earlier this year, four of the five lawmakers serving on the legislative oversight committee for the complaints commis- sioner resigned in protest over the proposed merger. Former committee chairman Ezzard Miller said he and Legislative Assembly colleagues Bernie Bush, Capt. Eugene Ebanks and Alva Suckoo did not support com- bining the independent offices. “I believe the role, func- tion and achievements of the complaints commissioner are going to be diminished,” Mr. Miller said. “My fears are that they will not be allowed to function as independently as they have been doing.” Independent MLA Arden McLean also publicly op- posed the merger. “If we amalgamate a number of these bodies, then we compromise that indepen- dence by having one person as the head of them all,” he said. “I will never, ever support [this].” The Ombudsman Bill seeks to ensure the independence of the new office, stating, “The ombudsman shall not be subject to the direction or con- trol of any other person or au- thority,” subject to constitu- tional provisions relating to the public prosecutor’s office. For budget purposes, the ombudsman will report to a select committee of the Legis- lative Assembly, similar to the reporting process for the com- plaints commissioner, infor- mation commissioner and the auditor general. “A long sentence could have indoctrinated this young man to criminal be- havior,” he added. Mr. Connor was an odd- job man, a house painter and a coconut seller who had struggled with drug addiction and learning difficulties throughout his adult life. He lost his mother as a child and was raised by his sister, Mr. Moore’s mother. He spent some time at sea as a deckhand in the merchant shipping trade and returned to work for the Public Works De- partment, where he suf- fered a fall and a head injury that affected him throughout his life. He was first sent to prison in Jamaica in the 1970s after being caught with marijuana. He later got involved in harder drugs and petty thefts to fuel his habit. “Prison wasn’t any- thing that helped him as a young man. If someone had given him a chance back then, things might have turned out differ- ently,” said Mr. Moore. He said his uncle, de- spite his run-ins with the law, had a good heart. He was never involved in vio- lent or serious crime and his rap sheet consists of mostly petty thefts to fuel his drug habit. “He was still close with his family. Whenever he was out of prison, he always made sure that my mother’s house was looked after, that her yard was done. He did anything pos- sible for her. “I felt the loss, my mother felt the loss, but we didn’t feel that anyone would be served by this young man going to prison and we wrote to the court to say that. “I think we all make mistakes as young men. I believe that one of the mistakes this young man made was to leave the scene of that accident.” Tibbetts claimed in po- lice interviews to have no recollection of the inci- dent, saying he must have fallen asleep at the wheel. He accepted responsibility after officers searching for a silver Honda seen on traffic cameras tracked him down and linked his car to the crime scene. In passing sentence last week, Acting Justice Dame Linda Dobbs said she found it hard to believe that Tibbetts had slept through the accident. Mr. Moore said, “That is between him and God.” Even so, he believes a longer jail sentence would not have served anybody. “I think if he could be involved in some commu- nity education, teaching his peers about the dan- gers and the conse- quences of this type of thing, then that would be more powerful than prison,” he added. grew by 9.58 percent, fol- lowed by the Southwest at 8.46 percent. “Despite several chal- lenges over the course of the year, I am pleased that overall arrivals con- tinue to register growth,” said Minister for Tourism Moses Kirkconnell. “Tourism forecasts an- ticipated slower growth for this year due to the ca- pacity constraints with re- spect to room stock. In ad- dition, air arrivals softened due to the rise of the Zika virus which afflicted the entire region for most of this year. At the same time, weakening of the British pound following the Brexit vote, coupled with terror at- tacks in Turkey, France and Germany negatively im- pacted travel from Europe, causing tourists to post- pone travel plans. “Having contended with all of these considerations, I am satisfied with the mod- erate level of growth that the Cayman Islands has still managed to achieve, thanks to the tireless efforts of the Ministry and Department of Tourism working in partnership with stakeholders in the private sector,” he said. With the recent opening of the Kimpton Seafire Re- sort, room capacity has in- creased and will be further boosted by the opening of Margaritaville, slated for early 2017, he said. “All growth registered within the industry is good news for the country and even better news for the many thousands of people whose livelihood de- pends on the tourism and hospitality sectors,” Mr. Kirkconnell said. A government ombuds- man’s office, expected to be created under new leg- islation early next year, will be given the power to investigate public com- plaints against police offi- cers – including the police commissioner. However, the ultimate decision-makers on disci- plinary action against of- ficers or criminal charges remain the same. Ac- cording to the Police (Complaints by the Public) Bill, 2016, the police com- missioner will decide dis- cipline for all officers below his rank and the governor will decide on disciplinary steps against the commissioner. The director of public prosecutions would decide on charges following an ombudsman investigation that turned up evidence of a crime committed by po- lice officers. The bill, which is due to come before the Legisla- tive Assembly next month, gives the ombudsman sev- eral options in dealing with a complaint against an officer. The ombudsman may refer the complaint to the police Professional Standards Unit, appoint an “investigatory body” to re- view the case, or person- ally investigate the matter. The bill would give the ombudsman, or a desig- nated investigative body he or she appoints, legal power similar to that of a police chief inspector in investigating complaints, including those that allege that an officer’s action re- sulted in death or serious injury. The law states that complaints against a po- lice officer should either be made at the ombudsman’s office or at a police station. The bill gives the om- budsman broad discretion in setting up investiga- tive procedures related to any complaint, and states that the ombudsman “may determine whether any person may be repre- sented, by an attorney-at- law, or otherwise, in the investigation, and if so, to what extent.” When a criminal of- fense is alleged to have occurred, the investiga- tion report must be pro- vided to the complaining party, the police officer who is the subject of the complaint, the police com- missioner and the director of public prosecutions, the bill states. If the complaint in- volves the police commis- sioner or a deputy com- missioner, the governor is to be given a copy of the ombudsman’s report. The bill does not give the ombudsman’s office power to take disciplinary action, only to make find- ings of fact in relation to the complaint and to make recommendations. However, those findings would carry legal weight in subsequent administra- tive proceedings. According to the bill: “The findings of fact in the final investigation re- port are binding on the complainant and the po- lice officer against whom the complaint was made, in any related adminis- trative or civil proceed- ings, including police dis- ciplinary matters.” The final report of the ombudsman can be appealed to the Grand Court via the judicial re- view process, but only in disputes over fact or ju- risdiction (i.e., whether the ombudsman had the authority to hear a par- ticular complaint.) The bill replaces a section of the 2010 Po- lice Law that sought to create a Police Public Complaints Authority to field and oversee ci- vilian complaints. That authority was never cre- ated, largely because of cost concerns. NEW OMBUDSMAN GIVEN POWER TO INVESTIGATE POLICE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Hit-and-run victim’s family offers forgiveness CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 TOURISM FIGURES Record year possible despite slight dip Ombudsman to replace commissioners CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 POLICE SEIZE 15TH FIREARM OF YEAR The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service seized its 15th illegal firearm during an operation in George Town on Friday. The 9mm handgun and 30 rounds of ammunition were found during a search of a suspect vehicle. No one was arrested in connection with the weapon, police said in a press release. Deputy Police Commis- sioner Anthony Ennis said recovery of illegal firearms remains a “strategic pri- ority” for the RCIPS. Seven of the weapons were found during the first half of 2016. “Officers have worked diligently to exhaust all leads and remove il- legal firearms from the streets,” Mr. Ennis said. “We still need more infor- mation from the public about where these guns are and how they are getting here. If you see something, say something.” RED BAY JERK STAND ROBBED Police are searching for two armed robbers who officers said held up a jerk stand in George Town late Saturday. No one was injured. According to a 911 re- port, two men approached the business just after 11 a.m., holding what ap- peared to be handguns, and demanded cash. Police said the men left with the cash drawer and ran away through the bush, headed in the direction of the Lighthouse School. Both suspects wore scarves or bandanas over their faces, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice said in a press release. Tourism Minister Moses KirkconnellThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21, 2016 Denmark imam convicted A Danish court has convicted an imam of violating Denmark’s racism laws and has given him a 14-day suspended jail sentence. The City Court in Odense says Mohammed al-Khaled Samha held a speech in September 2004 in which he described Jews as ‘children of apes and pigs.’ Anne Brenda Dawson 21st Dec 1943 – 16th May 2006 We cannot send a birthday card your hand we cannot touch But God will take our greetings to the one we love so much Happy birthday in heaven Mother From your Children, Grandchildren & Great-grandchildren 21st Dec 1943 – 16th May 200621st Dec 1943 – 16th May 2006 EST. 1984 Police uncertain they have right suspect in Berlin attack Terrorist attack kills 12, wounds 50 BERLIN (AP) – Germany must assume a truck plowing through a crowded Christmas market in Berlin was a “terrorist attack,” Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday, while authori- ties expressed uncertainty over whether they had ar- rested the correct suspect. Twelve people were killed and nearly 50 others injured when the truck drove into the popular Christmas market filled with tourists and locals outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church near Ber- lin’s Zoo station late Monday. Police detained an asylum- seeker from Pakistan shortly afterward, but he denied in- volvement, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said. The man had entered Germany on Dec. 31 last year and arrived in Berlin in February. Berlin police chief Klaus Kandt said Tuesday it was not clear whether the man de- tained was really the driver. “We haven’t been able to confirm it yet,” he told reporters. Berlin police urged people to remain “particularly vig- ilant” and to report “suspi- cious movement” to a special hotline. In a statement widely broadcast on German televi- sion, Merkel described her- self as “shocked, shaken and deeply saddened.” “There is still a lot that we don’t know about this act with sufficient certainty,” she said. “But we must, as things stand, assume it was a ter- rorist attack.” Merkel, who has been crit- icized for allowing in large numbers of migrants, ad- dressed head-on the pos- sibility that an asylum- seeker was responsible. “I know that it would be particularly hard for us all to bear if it were confirmed that a person committed this act who asked for protection and asylum in Germany,” Merkel said. “This would be particu- larly sickening for the many, many Germans who work to help refugees every day and for the many people who re- ally need our help and are making an effort to integrate in our country.” Authorities arrested a man about 1½ miles from the crash site on suspicion of having been at the wheel of the truck. Footage showed the suspect, his head covered in a white sheet, being pushed into a police car shortly after the attack. Berlin’s Tagess- piegel newspaper reported that the man was known to police for minor crimes. A spokesman for Ber- lin’s office for refugee af- fairs said police conducted a large-scale search overnight at a large shelter for asylum- seekers at the city’s now-de- funct Tempelhof airport. Four men in their late 20s were questioned but nobody was arrested, Sascha Langenbach told The Associated Press. Among the dead was a man in the truck, who suc- cumbed as paramedics treated him, Berlin police spokesman Winfried Wenzel said. Police said later that the man was a Polish national, but did not give further de- tails of who he was or what happened to him. The Polish owner of the truck said he feared it may have been hijacked. Ariel Zurawski said he last spoke with the driver, his cousin, around noon, and the driver told him he was in Berlin and scheduled to unload Tuesday morning. “They must have done something to my driver,” he told TVN24. Germany has not so far experienced any mass-casu- alty attacks by Islamic ex- tremists, but has been in- creasingly wary since two attacks by asylum-seekers in the summer that were claimed by the Islamic State group. Five people were wounded in an ax rampage on a train near Wuerzburg and 15 in a bombing outside a bar in Ansbach, both in the southern state of Bavaria. Both attackers were killed. Those attacks, and two others unrelated to Islamic extremism in the same weeklong period, contrib- uted to tensions in Germany over the arrival last year of 890,000 migrants. De Maiziere said that as far as officials know, the Is- lamic State group has not claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack in Berlin. Far-right groups and a nationalist party seized on it, blaming Merkel for what had happened. “Under the cloak of helping people Merkel has completely surrendered our domestic security,” Frauke Petry, the co-chairwoman of the Alternative for Germany party, wrote. Manfred Weber, a member of Merkel’s conservative bloc and leader of the European Parliament’s biggest political grouping, cautioned against sweeping verdicts but said it was important to en- sure that extremists did not enter the country. The German government said Merkel spoke Tuesday with President Barack Obama, who expressed his condolences. In Washington, White House National Secu- rity Council spokesman Ned Price said the United States was ready to help in the in- vestigation and response. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said Islamic extremists must be “eradicated from the face of the earth” and pledged to carry out that mission with all “freedom-loving partners.” The attack came less than a month after the U.S. State Department warned that ex- tremist groups including Is- lamic State and al-Qaida were focusing “on the up- coming holiday season and associated events” in Europe. The Islamic State group and al-Qaida have both called on followers to use trucks in particular to attack crowds. On July 14, a truck plowed into Bastille Day rev- elers in the southern French city of Nice, killing 86 people. Islamic State claimed respon- sibility for that attack, which was carried out by a Tunisian living in France. A police officer positions concrete blocks at an entrance to the Striezelmarkt Christmas market in Dresden, Germany, on Tuesday. In the wake of events in Berlin, Dresden police are increasing security measures for the Striezelmarkt in Dresden. – PHOTO: ARNO BURGI/DPA-ZENTRALBILD/DPA VIA AP BERLIN ATTACK MAY MAKE MERKEL’S RE-ELECTION QUEST ROUGHER BERLIN (AP) – Chan- cellor Angela Merkel al- ready knew that her cam- paign for a fourth term as Germany’s leader will be her most difficult yet. The deadly truck attack on a Christmas market may have made it tougher – and is already polar- izing opinion. A nationalist party that has assailed Merkel’s ac- ceptance of migrants leapt on events in Berlin well before authorities even concluded that the inci- dent was an attack, with a prominent member pro- claiming the 12 victims to be “Merkel’s dead.” Monday’s attack also threatened to rekindle ten- sions between Merkel and Bavarian conservative al- lies, who have sniped at her migrant policies and demanded a cap on the number of newcomers Germany will accept, and whose supporters are an important source of votes. A suspect in the truck attack, who was arrested Monday night and denies involvement, came from Pakistan and registered as an asylum-seeker in Ger- many last year. Merkel said it would be “particu- larly sickening” if the as- sailant were confirmed to be an asylum-seeker – both for Germans who help ref- ugees and “for the many people who really need our help and are making an effort to integrate in our country.” Leaders around Eu- rope and beyond are watching Merkel’s polit- ical fortunes closely, after she emerged as a beacon of tolerance and defender of Western liberal values amid encroaching popu- lism elsewhere. Electoral math still very much favors Merkel emerging as chancellor again from a parliamen- tary election expected next September. Her conservative Union bloc has a tidy lead in polls over her center-left ri- vals, who look unlikely to muster a majority for a new left-wing coalition. The na- tionalist, anti-migration Al- ternative for Germany, or AfD, has surged over the past year, but its often-pro- vocative rhetoric remains a turnoff for most Ger- mans – its poll ratings have peaked at around 15 per- cent – and no other party will deal with it. Merkel’s calm handling of crises has been an asset over 11 years as chan- cellor. But the past year has shown that her personal popularity is vulnerable to at least short-term hits from migrant-related inci- dents, with polls showing dips after sexual assaults and robberies in Cologne last New Year’s Eve and after a pair of summer at- tacks in Bavaria com- mitted by asylum-seekers and claimed by the Is- lamic State group. Only the assailants died in those attacks; Ger- many had, at least perhaps until now, been spared a mass-casualty Islamic ex- tremist attack. Before Germany votes, three state elections are scheduled for the spring – the most important in May in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state. AfD will hope for big gains in those votes after a successful 2016.Next >