EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TITLE OF EDITORIAL SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER TO VOTE ELECTION 2017 CAYMAN WEEKENDER ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY JANUARY 6, 2017 The Pac Man cometh! EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 COE WOOD KIOSKS: CAYMAN’S OTHER ‘BEACH VENDOR’ ISSUE Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. High of 85 Low of 73 11 MADE WITH 100% BEEF SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY (COMING SOON) BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A default notice seeking nearly $34,000 in ar- rears was issued last month against the Cayman Islands home owned by former FIFA Vice Presi- dent Jeffrey Webb, according to public land re- cords examined by the Cayman Compass. Webb, 52, faces sentencing in U.S. fed- eral court in May following his guilty plea to racketeering and money laundering con- spiracy charges connected with the corrup- tion and bribery scandal that rocked world football in 2015. According to local land records, a restriction was placed on the property in July 2015 after an asset freezing order against Webb was is- sued by the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York State. The Caymanian busi- nessman later agreed to forfeit some US$6.7 million as part of his plea agreement. In July 2016, a further restriction was placed against the Savannah property stating that “no dealings will be permitted” with the property until Dec. 2, 2016. Two weeks after that deadline, attorneys DEFAULT NOTICE ON WEBB’S HOME SEEKS NEARLY $34,000 Consultants hired to look at rate system JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Consultants have been hired to re- view taxi rates in the Cayman Is- lands amid debate about the fair- ness of prices. Options, including the use of taxi meters, will be considered as part of the review. The Cayman Islands Tourism Associ- ation raised concerns last month about high prices and lack of consistency of fares, saying it was threatening the is- land’s reputation among visitors, while some drivers have disputed the Public Transport Unit’s fare structure. Durk Banks, director of the Public Transport Unit, said the board is le- gally required to set rates, He said it is aware of the concerns over prices and in September put out a request for proposals for an evaluation of the fare structure. “The consultants will provide an in- dependent evaluation of the existing Taxi fares under review JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A fire truck flipped over on the runway at Cayman Brac’s airport during what of- ficials described as a “mandatory speed test” Thursday morning. Two firefighters were injured in the ac- cident, which caused the temporary clo- sure of the Charles Kirkconnell Interna- tional Airport. An accident investigator from Grand Cayman was flown into the Brac by he- licopter Thursday afternoon to assess the scene. The injured men were flown to hospital in Grand Cayman on the return flight, according to a senior firefighter. Bystanders said the truck flipped com- pletely before coming to a rest on a grassy verge on the edge of the runway. The roof was crumpled and the side of the vehicle was sheared off by the im- pact. It was still in place, surrounded by scattered debris, midway through Thursday afternoon as investigators as- sessed the scene. There were no flights scheduled in the immediate aftermath of the incident, which happened at 11:37 a.m., and it re- mained unclear at press time whether Thursday evening’s flights into the Brac would be able to land. Fabian Whorms, CEO of Cayman Air- ways, said the greater concern in the medium term was the loss of fire truck Fire truck flips on Brac runway US COURT: EX-COACH COMMITTED FOR EXTRADITION PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 2 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A U.S. federal court last week ordered that a Cayman Islands track coach be committed for extradition on indecent assault and other crim- inal charges. Ato Modibo Stephens, 37, now awaits the final decision of the U.S. secretary of state on his extradition. Those orders are typically granted in accordance with court rulings in such cases. Stephens faces two charges of indecent as- sault, one charge of gross indecency and one charge of misuse of an Information and Com- munications Technology Authority network in relation to an underage female. Cayman Is- lands prosecutors charged him with those of- fenses in June, but court records state that Stephens had left the jurisdiction in February The Cayman Islands police helicopter responds to the scene of the crash at Cayman Brac’s airport Thursday. Taxis queue up for passengers at Owen Roberts International Airport. - PHOTO: BASIA MCGUIRE2 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY JANUARY 6, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Enjoy a Cimboco breakfast of *Two Eggs (Done to your liking) *Your Choice of Apple Smoked or Canadian Bacon *Herb Roasted Potatoes *Honey Wheat Toast For ONLY $5.00!!! Finish it o with a cup of Java for $1.99 Start your day o right! Mon-Fri * 7:30-11:00am *Except Holidays with DJ Flex Free lessons with Kirk starting 9.30pm Every Tuesday FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR 50% Off Tapas and Selected Wines Harpist Extraordinaire Eugenio Leon Serenades Tableside TONIGHT Friday January 6th Serenades Tableside TOMORROW Saturday, Jan 7th Barefoot Man and Sea N’B Starting live from 7:30pm-10:30pm Come for dinner Stay for Dancing Or come to our beautiful Oceanside Bar and listen to the Sweet Sounds of Barefoot Man Call 949-2231 or email: info@wharf.ky 525-8850 Alvin Sluchinski All the best for CAYMAN ISLANDS SURFERS PARADISE BEACHFRONT ESTATE South Sound Luxury BeachFront 3 bed 3.5 Bath Designer Furnished with Pool. Lin Tibbetts Real Estate Professional 345-548-0000 Lintibbetts@yahoo.com Holiday traffic enforcement nets 27 DUIs BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A month-long traffic crackdown during the holiday period ended with more than two dozen arrests for drunken driving and hundreds of other citations for traffic offenses. The Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service reported Thursday that 27 DUI arrests were made be- tween early December 2016 through Jan. 2, 2017. In addition to the drunk drivers, police cited 30 people for speeding, gave 39 tickets for cellphone driving, 32 tickets for failing to wear seat belts and 65 citations for expired registration. Another 10 arrests were made for driving while disqualified. RCIPS Sgt. Lenford Butler cred- ited the work of many volunteer organizations during the holiday season for their help in putting to- gether anti-drunk driving initia- tives, encouraging people not to drink and drive. The RCIPS traffic unit also in- creased its presence, partly through the use of volunteer special consta- bles for traffic enforcement duties. “Generally speaking, we had a quiet New Year’s Eve with no serious accidents,” Sgt. Butler said. “I am glad to say this all appears to have had an impact.” The 2016 holiday campaign marked the first time the RCIPS traffic unit has supplemented its ranks with a significant number of volunteers. Fifteen special constables with the RCIPS, who are unpaid volun- teer officers, have joined the reg- ular police traffic unit to staff road- blocks, traffic checkpoints and perform routine traffic stops over the next few weeks. Special Constables Commandant Chris Duggan said the volunteer unit has been assisting police of- ficers with traffic patrols over the last year or so, and members have undergone some training in the use of radar guns and breatha- lyzer machines. “We’ve identified about 15 officers who all went through the training [for traffic enforcement].” Mr. Duggan said, adding it is prob- ably a bit more complex than most people might think. “It’s a whole process writing up a simple traffic ticket so it can go to court.” The volunteer constables have been getting some “on-the-street” experience as well since late last year, but Mr. Duggan said this is the first time they have been used in a holiday enforcement effort. The RCIPS Traffic Management Unit has conducted some form of holiday traffic crackdown every year for at least the past decade. Newly appointed unit inspector Ian Yearwood said the public will generally notice more roadblocks and other high-visibility interdic- tion efforts. Those efforts are ex- pected to continue through 2017. “Generally speaking, we had a quiet New Year’s Eve with no serious accidents.” SGT. LENFORD BUTLER A police officer checks driver speeds along West Bay Road in December. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY taxi rates focusing on mod- ernization and rate stan- dardization,” he said. He said the consultants, appointed in December, would provide guidance, strategic recommendation, industry trends and data to the board, adding that their recommendations will be reviewed in consultation with taxi drivers and other stakeholders before a new system is implemented. Members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Associa- tion spoke out about what they see as unfair and in- consistent pricing, at a meeting in December. Several restaurant and tourist attraction man- agers raised concerns about fares which they said vary wildly depending on who is driving the cab. Matthew Bishop, CEO of Island Companies and Cayman Distributors and one of the directors of the association, said the group wants taxi drivers to be able to earn a good living and be ambassadors for the in- dustry. But he said there needs to be clarity and con- sistency over prices. “Whether it is the reality or not, people are certainly feeling ripped off. There have been comments on TripAdvisor and it af- fects the reputation of the destination.” Other business owners said there needs to be a simple system, such as the use of taxi meters, to en- sure prices are implemented consistently. Mr. Banks acknowledged that some drivers have been suspended for overcharging or related offenses. He did not have an exact figure, but said he believes it is “less than 10” is the past year. He said the review is meant to find a system that is fair to drivers and to businesses. “The PTB appreciates the role taxis play in our tourism product. The PTB is committed to reviewing the pricing structure to en- sure the Cayman Islands tourism product remains competitive.” He said the review would consider all options, in- cluding meters. Tender documents from the original request for pro- posals indicate that the con- sultants will also be asked to look at whether a central dispatch for all taxi opera- tors, or an alternative such as a Cayman taxi app, could be viable options. They will also look at rates by region as well as fees from tour- ist’s home countries and how these factors impact perceived value for money. Cayman’s unusual prac- tice of charging signifi- cantly varying fares for the same route depending on how many passengers are in the cab has also come under scrutiny. Mr. Banks said current legislation allows drivers to charge a 20 percent sur- charge for every additional passenger when there were more than three people in a cab. He declined to say if there are any plans to change this policy until the review is complete. Some taxi drivers have disputed the PTB’s legal right to set fares, suggesting they have previously been set by a driver’s association and approved by the board. Mr. Banks said the PTB sets the fares as per the Public Passenger Vehicles Regula- tions (2014 Revision). Taxi fares under review CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 6, 2017 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. FRIDAY JANUARY 6, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Coe Wood kiosks: Cayman’s other ‘beach vendor’ issue What can a quartet of wooden kiosks on the beach teach us about the Cayman Islands government? A lot, actually. Every year, talented and animated storytellers draw crowds to public spaces in Cayman for “Gimistory” events, captivating their audience with tales both old and new. Although the kiosks at Bodden Town’s Coe Wood Beach could not physically speak (even before they were unceremoniously demolished last month), they, too, have a story to tell — and it involves protectionism, the influ- ence of powerful people, public project management, bureaucratic delay and political timing. We’ll start our tale, as all good tales do, at the begin- ning: In 2012, the United Democratic Party govern- ment turned its attention toward “enhancing” Coe Wood Beach, building a boat ramp and car park. In August 2012, ministry officials appeared before the Central Planning Authority to seek approval for the four wooden kiosks (totaling 824 square feet), a project “initiated by represen- tatives of Bodden Town to help tourism and the economy,” according to Deputy Chief Officer Tristan Hydes. At the meeting, project supporter Twyla Vargas said, “The residents have plans to do good things out there. There will be a fish shop, breadkind, juices, arts and crafts, tourist information.” Also appearing before the planning board was another concerned citizen, Osbourne Bodden, who owns the neighboring gas station, liquor store and fish fry. Mr. Bodden said that while he did not object to the kiosks themselves, “We would however object strongly if these would be used to sell items to compete with our existing businesses, that in these tough economic times are really struggling, despite what public perception may be.” In the end, the planning board said regulating economic competition was not its remit, and granted its approval for the kiosks. Flash forward to March 2013 – with the general elec- tions a mere two months away. Following the ouster of Premier McKeeva Bush, the new People’s National Alliance government was in charge. The new govern- ment held “official” celebrations for the Coe Wood Beach enhancements. (Never mind they had actually been com- pleted the previous year.) But behind the photo op, there was a problem. During its meeting on March 20, 2013, the planning board resolved to issue an “Enforcement Notice” against the government – because it had constructed the kiosks without obtaining the necessary building permit. In other words, because officials didn’t follow their own rules, the new kiosks were illegal. So the doors to the kiosks were closed, padlocked and otherwise made unavailable for use by vendors and craftspeople. In May 2013, the Progressives party took control of government, powered by a sweep of the four Bodden Town seats, including a victory by Mr. Bodden, who had earlier expressed his concerns about the kiosks. For three-and-a-half years, the kiosks have remained dormant and deteriorating, locked and empty. Coe Wood Beach itself never developed into a “family friendly” destination, and is a popular haunt for adults seeking a place to sleep, drink or – particularly after the sun goes down – engage in criminal activity. Now, several months before the May 2017 elections, the kiosks became the focus of government activity once more. The kiosks have been demolished and removed, and according to now-Minister Bodden, they will be replaced with better kiosks. According to our story in Thursday’s Compass, “Mr. Bodden said he has been working over the past three- and-a-half years at getting the huts removed but he did not want to move them until designs for replacement kiosks were in place.” Time will tell if an official opening for the new beach kiosks will be held in time for the ongoing campaign season. After reading the above, can anyone blame our unli- censed vendors on Seven Mile Beach if they are less than confident in government’s ability to follow through on its promises to “regularize” their legal status and construct kiosks for them there? Considering that the Coe Wood Beach kiosks had an estimated price tag of $15,000, can anyone blame us if we are less than confident in government’s ability to execute major projects, such as the downtown cruise dock or the George Town Landfill solution, each of which will cost hundreds of millions of dollars? 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” What Trump can learn from Reagan CASS SUNSTEIN The last time progressives were this alarmed about a presidential transition, there were just two Star Wars movies, “Dallas” was the most- watched show on TV, and Ronald Reagan, dismissed by many as an actor and an ex- tremist, was about to become commander-in-chief. At the time, I was a young lawyer in the Department of Justice, fortunate enough to witness important aspects of Reagan’s first year up close. Reagan and his team did two exceedingly smart things early on, providing a remark- ably stable foundation for the first term of his transforma- tive presidency. First, they reassured an anxious civil service. Within the Justice Department, for example, no one doubted that important policies were going to shift, sometimes in dramatic ways. But Wil- liam French Smith, Rea- gan’s incoming attorney gen- eral, made it clear to career staffers that he deeply ad- mired their traditions and their professionalism. Far from giving federal employees a sense of opposition and suspicion, he said (and dem- onstrated every day) that he liked and respected them. Theodore Olson, the new head of the Office of Legal Counsel, where I worked, did the same thing – and more. Charming and warm, he of- fered an immediate sense of humility, emphasizing how much he had to learn. Within a month, lawyers who had faithfully served a Democratic administration had become fiercely loyal to Smith and Olson, and were proud to work for them. That was critical for the new pres- ident, because he had to de- pend on thousands of career staff for both information and execution. Second, Reagan and his team sent unambiguous sig- nals about the primacy of law. Many of Reagan’s supporters wanted him to venture some pretty dramatic changes – for example, overruling Roe v. Wade (which protects the right to abortion) by congres- sional enactment; stripping the federal courts of jurisdic- tion in controversial areas; getting federal judges out of the business of school de- segregation; and restoring school prayer. Early on, however, the White House made it clear to the government’s law- yers that it wanted objec- tive legal advice. Even more important, the ultimate authorities (including the president) bowed to that ad- vice, even if it turned out to be a firm “no.” If the Department of Justice said that a partic- ular course of action was le- gally unauthorized, the White House wouldn’t pursue it. Aside from Smith and Olson, one White House offi- cial was especially important here: Edwin Meese. Feared by the left, deeply conserva- tive, and an architect of the Reagan Revolution, Meese had been a law professor at the University of San Diego. He didn’t (and doesn’t) much like the rulings of left-wing judges. But he was (and is) committed to the rule of law – and to legal limits on the pres- ident’s authority. He played a central role in affirming those limits, even when conserva- tives thought Reagan should be far more aggressive. None of this is meant to idealize the Reagan admin- istration, or to suggest that it was always faithful to the law. The Iran-Contra contro- versy, involving the appar- ently unlawful sale of arms to Iran, is the most promi- nent counterexample. But in its all-important first year, the White House and cabinet made one thing clear: The Reagan Revolution would occur within conventional legal constraints, even if those constraints imposed obstacles to what the revolu- tionaries sought to do. The lessons for the Trump administration are obvious enough. To date, the na- tion’s civil service hasn’t ex- actly been reassured. That’s a problem: More than most, his administration will need those career staff if it wants to succeed. His cabinet and senior officials would be well- advised to do what Smith and Olson did. The Trump team will also have to resolve an assortment of legal questions. Which en- vironmental regulations can be eliminated, and how? What exactly is required by fed- eral conflicts-of-interest laws? What kind of authority can the president exercise over the supposedly independent agencies, such as the Federal Communications Commission and the Securities and Ex- change Commission? These questions, and many more, will put immediate pressure on three people: Trump’s attorney general (Senator Jeff Sessions, sup- posing he gets confirmed), White House Counsel Donald McGahn and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus. A large lesson of Reagan’s first year is that while it’s always tempting to say yes to your boss, the most helpful answer, and the one that best protects him, is often the one he doesn’t want to hear. Complying with legal con- straints and showing respect for career staff are ways of avoiding serious trouble – and both are indispensable if you want to turn the nation in new directions. Sunstein is a Bloomberg View columnist. © 2017, Bloomberg ViewFROM OUR FAMILY On behalf of beloved husband John and the entire Smith Family, we would like to extend our gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the wonderful people who paid their respects and expressed their deepest condolences during our time of sorrow, with notable thanks to: • St. Ignatius Parish, Father Naveen and all program participants • Funeral services in Cayman (G.M. Bodden Funeral Service) and Charlotte, NC (Harry and Bryant) • SeaHarvest Restaurant for hosting the Celebration of Life • The R.C.I.P.S. and CIMRA motorcycle riders • The truly incredible people of our beautiful Cayman Islands Most of all, thank you to all the nieces, nephews and children who loved Michelle and who let her into their hearts, giving her life so much joy and ful llment. Your Angel is watching over you from heaven. You will always be in my heart wherever your travels take you. I Love You, Mum. SAFE TRAVELS MEESH! IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEARLY BELOVED CAYMANIAN ANGEL 1975 2016 --- THE RAVEN --- QUOTH THE RAVEN “NEVERMORE” BY EDGAR ALLAN POEThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 when he became aware police were informed of the accusations against him. The case ended up before the U.S. court in the Southern District of Florida (Miami) for extradition proceedings after Stephens was arrested there in August on the Cayman charges. The British government sought to extradite Stephens to Cayman via a long-standing treaty it main- tains with the U.S. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jona- than Goodman ruled on Dec. 27 that the government had probable cause, based on evidence provided by the British and Caymanian au- thorities, to justify Stephens’s extradition. “The evidence before this court is sufficient to justify the fugi- tive’s committal for trial, on felony charges, had the offenses … oc- curred in the United States,” Mag- istrate Goodman wrote in a four- page decision on the matter. Stephens’s extradition was cer- tified on all four counts, according to the court records. Stephens’s attorney had argued that one of the offenses – the misuse of an ICTA network – had no analogous charge in the U.S., but the court re- jected that defense. Stephens has been surrendered to the custody of U.S. marshals pending the secretary of state’s final decision. FRIDAY JANUARY 6, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS We’re pleased to announce the addition of Robert Stanier to the PwC Cayman Islands firm as a partner in our risk advisory and assurance practice and his appointment as banking sector markets leader for PwC firms operating in the Caribbean. Robert recently joined PwC Cayman from the PwC US firm’s national risk management and compliance solutions practice. He’ll be responsible for advancing risk advisory and assurance solutions across the Caribbean and Bermuda. “We’re delighted to welcome Robert to the team,” said Frazer Lindsay, CEO of PricewaterhouseCoopers Caribbean Region Ltd. “Robert’s deep expertise will be instrumental in helping our clients meet the changing regulatory and risk landscape that businesses are dealing with in Cayman and globally.” Robert brings a broad range of experience across many aspects of risk advisory and risk assurance. His expertise includes the development and implementation of enterprise and operational risk programs, corporate governance, cyber security, internal audit and process improvement. He has more than 16 years of executive experience leading enterprise and operational risk organisations and engagements for some of the largest and most recognised global financial services companies. We’re also pleased to announce that cyber resilience expert Assaad Sakha has joined our risk advisory team from PwC Canada as a senior manager. Assaad has more than 12 years of experience in information and cyber security. “Assaad’s exceptional technical knowledge in information and cyber security will be fundamental in assisting clients in this important area,” Bob said. “I’m thrilled to have him join our growing team.” We would also like to congratulate risk assurance services colleagues LaNishka Farrington- McSweeney, who leads our anti-money laundering initiatives, and Cora Schwendtke for recently being awarded the widely recognised CAMS® credential by the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists® (ACAMS®), the world’s leading organisation of professionals in the anti- money laundering field. PwC expands services to help companies manage risk, cyber security and compliance issues If you would like to discuss how Robert and his team can assist with risk, security and compliance solutions to help your company meet its strategic objectives, please contact us at +1 (345) 949 7000. © 2016 PricewaterhouseCoopers, a Cayman Islands partnership. All rights reserved. www.pwc.com/ky Assaad Sakha LaNishka Farrington- McSweeney Cora Schwendtke Robert Stanier CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 US court: Ex-coach committed for extradition support at the airport. Air safety regulations require at least two fire trucks to be on standby before a jet can land, and the accident leaves the fire service with just one working truck at the airport. Government officials said the accident occurred during speed testing of the fire trucks Thursday morning. “Cayman Brac Firefighters with the Cayman Islands Fire Service Aerodrome Unit were conducting a mandatory speed test on the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport runway when the fire truck they were driving turned over,” ac- cording to a statement. “The two firefighters who were inside the fire truck have been transported to the local hospital for evaluation and treatment.” Ronnie Dixon, a senior officer at the fire service, said the vehi- cles have to be tested on a regular basis to ensure they meet the re- quirements to provide support at the international airport. He said it was not immediately clear what caused the truck to flip, and the accident will be investigated. Staff from the Cayman Is- lands Airports Authority, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the Fire Service, other aviation officials and the Public Works Department were on site mid-afternoon. Acting Deputy Chief Fire Officer Witney Tatum and a qualified ac- cident reconstructionist were flown to the scene by helicopter to investigate. Albert Anderson, CEO of the Cayman Islands Airports Authority, told the Compass the airport was closed to allow officials to carry out their investigations. Speaking at 3 p.m. Thursday he said he ex- pected the Twin Otter planes to be cleared for landing by evening and the truck to be moved in time for the Saab to land, at least by Friday morning. The airline has three jet flights scheduled over the weekend and Mr. Whorms said the Twin Otter planes and the Saab prop plane would likely be called into service to ensure passengers were not too inconvenienced. He said the airline is monitoring the situation and would reshuffle its fleet and schedule as required. Fire truck flips on Brac runway CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 It was not immediately clear what had caused the truck to flip and the accident would be investigated. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service helicopter touches down on the tarmac from Grand Cayman following the accident Thursday.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 6, 2017 for Fidelity Bank sought $33,746.70 they claimed was owed on the property since Nov. 2, 2016, according to the land records. “By this letter, we give you notice to pay the arrears immediately,” the notice stated, indicating “the total amount under the charge” on the home – nearly $300,000 – was still owed, in addition to interest payments accruing at $42.99 per day. If full payment of the arrears was not received within seven days of the notice, the bank stated, the property would be adver- tised for sale and could be sold within three months of the demand notice. The Campbells law firm, which is representing Fi- delity in the matter, declined to comment on Thursday. According to public property records dating to 1998, Webb received the land transfer for consider- ation of “natural love and affection” from a relative and so was charged nothing for the home. In November 2002, a $390,000 charge was taken on the property via a loan from British Amer- ican Bank Ltd. British American changed its name to Fidelity Bank (Cayman) Limited more than a decade ago. Webb worked at Fidelity, first as an employee and later as a consultant. He left the bank in late 2012, ac- cording to officials. Webb pleaded guilty in November 2015 to seven counts of criminal con- duct in relation to what prosecutors said was a de- cades-long bribery racket. Webb pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and three counts of money laun- dering conspiracy. The scheme described by U.S. prosecutors claimed that Webb and others at FIFA – world football’s governing body – solic- ited bribes from sports marketing companies in exchange for directing lu- crative broadcasting and commercial rights deals for various football tourna- ments to the bribe-payers. Dozens of U.S. banks were used to make the bribe pay- ments to Webb and others, prosecutors said. Webb faces up to 20 years in prison on the rack- eteering charge alone. FIFA’s Ethics Committee also found Webb guilty last year of violating general rules of conduct, rules of loyalty, rules for disclosure and financial reporting, con- flicts of interest and bribery and corruption. He has been banned for life from “all football-related activities on a national and interna- tional level.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Jeffrey Webb If full payment of the arrears was not received within seven days of the notice, the bank stated, the property would be advertised for sale and could be sold within three months of the demand notice. Three vehicles were involved in a collision Thursday afternoon in George Town that sent one woman to the hospital. As of press time, the Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service was still investigating the crash, which happened around 2 p.m. near the junction of Smith and Crewe roads. The person’s injuries were not be- lieved to be life-threatening, according to early reports. One injured in 3-car crash The scene of Thursday afternoon’s crash in George Town.- PHOTO: BASIA MCGUIRE Default notice on Webb’s home seeks nearly $34,000DISTRICT DAYS 8 District Days East End North Side FRIDAY JANUARY 6, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS In the Jan. 11, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Com- pass, North Side correspondent Nettie McCoy wrote: “Christmas passed very peace- fully in our District. Services were held in all the churches, also New Year services. The annual Garden Party was the highlight of the season. Crowds of people attended and a very enjoyable time was spent together. The proceeds were quite good. The Minister and Of- ficebearers would like to say a big thank you, not only to our own local people, but to all who helped make the day a success. A good spirit was manifested throughout the whole day. “Many of those who spent Christmas holidays here have now returned to their various homes and jobs. Mr. Mellino McCoy and his friend from Canada returned on the 29th, also Mrs. Sarah McCoy and Miss Dell McCoy. Travelling to New York with them was little Karen Range to join her parents Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Range. Wilbur himself spent Xmas here and returned on the 6th. “Mr. and Mrs. Vybert Ebanks and Mr. David Ebanks also have returned after spending the hol- idays at home. “Others arriving home for their vacation were Mr. Weddie Conolly, Mr. Trenvic Miller and Mrs. Richard Chisholm. Mrs. Robert Ryder also came in for the New Year to visit the family. “The Motor Vessel Chemical Trader called in on the 8th for a short time giving crewmembers Mr. Bryan Miller and Mr. Quinston Conolly of this district an opportu- nity to see their families. “Leaving on the 8th were Lo- vene Miller and Lewis McField. Lewis has gone to take his little son Dennie to St. Christopher’s School in Jamaica. Mr. Niven Miller has gone to Jamaica for medical aid.” 50 YEARS AGO Christmas, New Year services mark the holiday season JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Queen Elizabeth II Bo- tanic Park on Frank Sound Road holds its plant sale on Saturday, its first fund- raiser of the year. This year’s assortment of more than 500 plants, which have been propagated at the garden’s nursery, includes ground covers, vines, flowering shrubs and small trees, as well as a selection of plants new to the island. “We will have a wide range of plants that will range in price from $5 all the way up to $500 for two very special palm trees, and everything in between,” said park man- ager John Lawrus. He said garden volunteers and staff will be on site to an- swer any questions, assist in plant selections and help carry and load plants in vehicles throughout the day. While visiting the Botanic Park, for a small fee customers can stroll through Heritage Garden, enjoy the Tea House’s panoramic views and the lake area, which forms a natural habitat for the blue iguana and is a breeding ground for a variety of rare aquatic birds and animals native to the Caribbean. When Queen Elizabeth II opened Grand Cayman’s Bo- tanic Park in 1994, only the Woodland Trail was complete. In the years since, the grounds have been developed into what the park describes as a world- class facility. The Botanic Park is owned jointly by the Cayman Islands government and the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, a nonprofit, statutory body dedi- cated to preserving natural en- vironments and places of his- toric significance for present and future generations. At Saturday’s plant sale, cash, debit and credit cards will be accepted at checkout. Located at the park’s nursery, the sale runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the nursery is free. The next big event is the park’s Family Fun Day, which will be held on Sunday, Jan. 22. Botanic Park offers plants for sale A very special Christmas at Health City Young Health City patients from Sierra Leone, Haiti and Fiji got a welcome Christmas treat last month thanks to a party organized by a local youth group to mark the holidays. At the party, held on Dec. 22, Barefoot Man and Santa joined the members of IMPACT345, the Thompson family and friends, who with Dr. Devi Shetty and the Health City Cayman Is- lands staff and their founda- tion, Have a Heart Cayman, are celebrating over 150 children’s lives being saved through their program, which provides free surgeries for life-threatening con- ditions to needy children from all over the world. Throughout the year, members of the IMPACT345 teen service group spend time visiting the chil- dren being helped by the Have a Heart foundation, as well as pro- viding them with backpacks filled with clothing, school supplies, toiletries and toys, a press re- lease states. Beginning in November, IM- PACT345 members began a Christmas drive to collect gifts for the Have a Heart kids, as well as for local children and families. According to the release, Island Heritage, CIMA and various indi- viduals made donations to make the drive a success. Gifts were delivered at the Christmas party at Health City and several local children in need received toys, and seven local fam- ilies received $200 grocery gift cards for Christmas. Barefoot Man kicked off the Christmas party in the lobby at Health City with Christmas songs, with doctors and staff joining in once they heard the music. Ac- cording to reports, the favorite of the night was “Feliz Navidad” as everyone knew the words and sang along. Santa, aka Josh Leggatt, ar- rived after Barefoot’s perfor- mance to give out the gifts to the children, and they all received photos with Santa. Games, food and fun followed as the IMPACT345 teens cele- brated Christmas – and successful cardiac surgeries – with the chil- dren and their families. IMPACT345 began when founder Holly Thompson began visiting the first Have a Heart pa- tients in October of 2014, and the group has grown from there. It consists of teens from various schools around Grand Cayman, and the volunteers are added to the weekly email newsletter so that they will be aware of up- coming activities for which they can volunteer when they are able. The group also helps out and supports other charities in Cayman as opportunities arise. Formed in 2014, Have a Heart Cayman is committed to facili- tating life-saving cardiac pro- cedures for children from around the world. Their stated mission is to help as many children as possible. Santa handed out presents to the young patients.Youngsters Caljeena from Haiti and Abdula from Sierra LeoneMycko from Haiti was all smiles after receiving a present. Shoppers show off their purchases at a previous plant sale.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY JANUARY 6, 2017 Bombings in Baghdad kill 27 Several attacks in and around Baghdad, including a suicide car bombing in a busy commercial area after nightfall on Thursday, killed at least 27 people in a particularly brutal day in the Iraqi capital. Official: Russia meddled in US election WASHINGTON (AP) – Ameri- ca’s top intelligence official said Thursday that Russia undoubtedly interfered in America’s 2016 presidential election but stopped short of using the explosive descrip- tion “an act of war,” telling lawmakers such a call isn’t within the purview of the U.S. intelligence community. In a joint report that roiled the presidential cam- paign last fall, the Homeland Security Department and the intelligence community said the U.S. was confident of for- eign meddling, including Russian government hacking of Democratic emails. In its assessment, the intelligence community has said Moscow inter- fered to help Republican Donald Trump win. “We stand actually more resolutely on the strength of that statement than we did on the 7th of October,” James Clapper, the director of na- tional intelligence, told the GOP-led Senate Armed Ser- vices Committee. Pressed by Sen. John Mc- Cain, R-Arizona, on whether the actions constituted an “act of war,” Clapper said that was “a very heavy policy call” more appropriate for other entities in the U.S. gov- ernment to decide. Clapper pushed back against a barrage of criti- cism leveled against U.S. in- telligence agencies by Trump in recent days and the pres- ident-elect’s apparent em- brace of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. During an exchange with Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mis- souri, Clapper said “there is an important distinction here between healthy skepticism” and “disparagement.” He said the intelligence community is an organization of human beings and isn’t perfect. But he said U.S. spy agencies also don’t get the credit they de- serve for foiling terrorist plots and other successes too secret to discuss. Clapper said Assange is “holed up” in the Embassy of Ecuador in London, unable to leave without being arrested for breaching his bail con- ditions. Swedish authorities have investigated Assange for a possible rape, which he has denied. Assange has “put people at risk” by leaking classified information, Clapper added. President Barack Obama has received a report on the Russian interference and other foreign meddling in the U.S. election, according to Clapper. He and other senior U.S. intelligence officials said Russia poses a major threat to U.S. government, military, diplomatic and commer- cial operations. Clapper said lawmakers will be briefed on the Rus- sian hacking report next week and an unclassified ver- sion is tentatively scheduled to be released to the public shortly after that. CIA Director John Brennan said in a Dec. 16 message to employees that the FBI agreed with the agen- cy’s conclusion that Russia’s goal was to support Trump in the election. Brennan wrote that he also had spoken with Clapper and said “there is strong consensus among us on the scope, nature, and in- tent of Russian interference in our presidential election.” Clapper on Thursday declined to discuss whether Russia’s interference was aimed at backing Trump win. But he said Russia’s hacking “did not change any vote tallies.” McCain, the chairman of the Armed Services com- mittee, said “every American should be alarmed” by Rus- sia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election. There is “no escaping the fact that this committee meets today for the first time in this new Congress in the aftermath of an unprecedented attack on our democracy,” McCain said. The hearing comes a day before Trump receives a briefing by the CIA and FBI di- rectors – along with Clapper – on the investigation into Rus- sia’s alleged hacking efforts. Trump has criticized their findings and even seemed to back Assange’s conten- tion that Russia did not pro- vide him with hacked Demo- cratic emails. But in new tweets early Thursday, Trump backed away from Assange. Trump blamed the “dishonest media” for portraying him as agreeing with Wikileaks founder, whose organization has been under criminal in- vestigation for its role in classified information leaks. “The media lies to make it look like I am against ‘Intel- ligence’ when in fact I am a big fan!” Trump wrote. In fact, Trump has been dismissive about the cer- tainty of the intelligence community’s assessment of Russian hacking with a re- minder of past failures, spe- cifically their reporting on the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in the lead-up to the war. Since then, Trump has de- rided the intelligence profes- sion on Twitter, which has been widely reported by The Associated Press and other news organizations. Appearing before the Armed Services Committee were Clapper; Marcel Lettre, the undersecretary of defense for intelligence; and Adm. Michael Rogers, National Security Agency chief and the top officer at the U.S. Cyber Command. Obama struck back at Moscow in late December with penalties aimed at Rus- sia’s leading spy agencies, the GRU and FSB, that the U.S. said were involved. The GRU is Russia’s military in- telligence agency. The FSB is the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB. But Trump easily could rescind the sanctions. So far, he has publicly refused to accept the conclusion that Russia is responsible for the attacks. Trump this week es- calated his criticism of U.S. intelligence professionals, such as Clapper, by tweeting, without evidence, that an up- coming briefing on the sus- pected Russian hacking had been delayed until Friday, and said, “perhaps more time needed to build a case. Very strange!” Intelligence officials said there had been no delay. The penalties imposed by Obama came after he pledged a “proportional” response to the hacking of the Demo- cratic Party and presiden- tial nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman. Emails stolen during the campaign were released in the final weeks by WikiLeaks. National Intelligence Director James ClapperPresident-elect Donald Trump (AP) – A pre-dawn fire has been extinguished on an oil production platform in the Gulf of Mexico, and there is no sign of pollu- tion in the area, authorities said Thursday. The blaze was reported about 2:30 a.m. Thursday on the platform about 80 miles south of Grand Isle, Louisiana, and was extin- guished nearly four hours later, the Coast Guard said in a statement. There were no reports of injuries. Four workers aboard the platform evacuated into the water and were rescued by the crew of the 130-foot Mary Wyatt Milano, a supply vessel, the Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard and the Interior Department’s Bu- reau of Safety and Envi- ronmental Enforcement are investigating. Houston-based Renais- sance Offshore LLC owns the platform. Crew members aboard the Mary Wyatt Milano and three other vessels battled the blaze. An HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane from Mobile, Alabama, also responded, said Coast Guard Chief Petty Of- ficer Third Class Travis Magee. Clean Gulf, an oil spill re- sponse organization, was on its way to the platform early Thursday. Clean Gulf is a nonprofit oil industry co- operative that responds to spills and provides equip- ment to help clean them up, according to its website. An oil platform exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010, killing 11 workers. Millions of gal- lons of oil spewed into the Gulf for weeks before the oil well could be capped. There were no reports of injuries. Four workers aboard the platform evacuated into the water and were rescued, the Coast Guard said. FIRE EXTINGUISHED ON PLATFORM IN GULF OF MEXICO Racial motive not suspected in assault CHICAGO (AP) – Chicago police do not believe a man beaten in an assault broadcast live on Facebook was tar- geted because he was white despite profanities made by the accused as- sailants about white people and Pres- ident-elect Donald Trump, a police spokesman said Thursday. Charges are expected soon against four black suspects, Chicago po- lice spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. He acknowledged that the sus- pects made “terrible racist statements” during the assault, but that investiga- tors believe the victim was targeted because he has “special needs,” not be- cause of his race. Guglielmi said it’s possible the sus- pects were trying to extort something from the victim’s family. Investigators said the victim was with his attackers, including one who was a classmate, for up to 48 hours, and the attack left him traumatized. Video from Chicago media out- lets shows the man with his mouth taped shut as a woman and other people cut off his shirt and hair with a knife. One person pushes the man’s head with his or her foot. The video appears to show someone off-camera using profanities about “white people” and Trump. The victim is a suburban Chi- cago resident who Police Superinten- dent Eddie Johnson said has “mental health challenges.” In a news confer- ence Wednesday, Johnson described the video as “sickening.” “It makes you wonder what would make individuals treat somebody like that” he said. The investigation began Monday after officers found a man who “was in distress and was in crisis” walking on a street on the city’s West Side, Capt. Steven Sasso said. The man was taken to a hospital and it was later discovered that he had been reported missing from an unidentified suburb. At about the same time, police took several people into custody at a nearby address where they found signs of a struggle and property damage. Investigators determined that the missing man had been at the same address. When asked Wednesday about the racial comments on the video, Cmdr. Kevin Duffin said the four people in custody were “young adults and they make stupid decisions.” Investiga- tors will have to determine whether the racial remarks were “sincere or just stupid ranting and raving” when considering a potential hate crime charge, Duffin said. The victim was with his attackers for 24 to 48 hours before police found him, and the episode has left him shaken, according to Duffin. “He’s traumatized by the incident and it’s very tough to communicate with him at this point,” he said. The victim was a classmate of one of the attackers and initially went with that person voluntarily, Duffin said. Police haven’t identified the individ- uals in custody, but said three are Chi- cago residents and one is from sub- urban Carpentersville. Guglielmi said the suspects are all age 18 or older, and that police were working with prosecutors on Thursday “to build the strongest case.” Investigators said the victim was with his attackers, including one who was a classmate, for up to 48 hours, and the attack left him traumatized. Police: Charges ‘soon’ in beating aired on FacebookNext >