ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY MARCH 9, 2017 High of 84 Low of 73 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ‘FALSE NEGATIVE’: THE DANGER OF INACCURATE HIV TESTS SPORTS | PAGE 16 NORCECA BEACH VOLLEYBALL TOUR TO RETURN IN APRIL Personal Insurance In 1984, customers knew us as BritCay. In 201 , they and the next generation still do. Your insurance cover with BritCay is supported by a group of companies managing $390 million in insurance and pension contributions. More cover, more benefits, more security. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE CO. LTD. BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp New immigration regulations seek to clarify residence applications BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com All pending applicants for permanent res- idence in Cayman – of which there are now more than 900 – will receive the maximum 15 points awarded for their current job, regard- less of what job they hold. That change, along with a number of others affecting the permanent residence ap- plication process, is set down in regulations to the Immigration Law made public Wednesday. According to the document, the regulations were agreed in Cabinet on Feb. 28. Regulations made in Cabinet do not re- quire a vote of the full Legislative As- sembly to take effect, but they can be sub- ject to annulment via a “negative resolution” process in the House. “We undertook to amend the regulations to get the Permanent Residency applica- tions going again, and we have now done so,” said Premier Alden McLaughlin. The Immigration Regulations govern how applicants for permanent residence are judged in their bids to remain in Cayman for the rest of their lives. The new regulations had not been discussed in Legislative Assembly by press time Wednesday. Premier McLaughlin has said a number of times that his government would move ahead with changes to the perma- nent residence application process before the next general election in May. The Cayman Islands government is facing significant legal pressure to resolve the backlog of, at last count, at least 916 applica- tions for permanent residence filed since Oct. 26, 2013. At least two legal actions have been filed challenging the length of time it was taking government to hear those applications. Both of those matters are still before the courts. WORK PERMIT APPLICATIONS RARELY REFUSED BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com About 5 percent of the work permit appli- cations submitted to the Cayman Islands gov- ernment were rejected during the previous budget year, according to records made public last month by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Those figures include permit applications made on behalf of non-Caymanian workers to the Immigration Department as well as to the Work Permit Board, which hears the more contentious applications or appeals of certain work permit denials. The ministry’s records for the 2015/2016 budget year, the latest available data, note that more than 18,000 work permit applications were approved during the year – about 74 per- cent of all those filed. Another 5,200 (about 21 percent) were “de- ferred,” meaning they were sent back for ad- ditional information or just delayed during a board’s hearing for various reasons. Some of those applications may have been reconsid- ered and approved or rejected later in the year. Only about 1,300 were refused, either by immigration staff or by the Work Permit Board. Toward the end of 2016, Cayman had just fewer than 24,000 non-Caymanians employed here on work permits. That number includes non-Caymanian workers here on government contracts, those Gov’t pushes Legal Practitioners Bill forward BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com In a surprise move Wednesday afternoon, the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly began debate on the latest draft of the Legal Practitioners Bill. The bill, which was not ex- pected to be heard until at least next week, was moved up in the order of consideration by the Progressives-led govern- ment. Premier Alden McLaughlin cited more than 100 proposed amendments to the legislation that had been filed by opposi- tion members which needed to be considered. “This is going to take days, if not a week, to deal with,” Premier McLaughlin said. “[There is a] huge amount of public con- cern … in Cayman, in London … about what is happening in Cayman about the legal profes- sion and the financial services A year after boat tragedy, hope endures JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Friends and family of five boaters missing at sea for a year gathered on Seven Mile Beach Tuesday in a tearful tribute to their lost loved ones. More than 100 people congregated on public beach, under cabanas decorated with balloons and photographs of the missing five, including two children. As the sun set, lanterns were re- leased into the night sky to mark the somber anniversary. Family members say they still hold on to a glimmer of hope that the three men and two boys may yet be found alive. “There is always hope. Until there is a body, there is hope,” said Kerry Whittaker, brother of Edsell Haylock, one of the five PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » More than 100 friends and family members of five boaters missing at sea for a year remember their lost loved ones. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY MARCH 9, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 640-FILM (640-3456) *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - THURSDAY - LOGAN (R) 12:30 | 3:35 | 6:40 | 9:40 RINGS (PG13) 12:45 | 3:45 | 7:05 | 10:10 THE GREAT WALL 3D (PG13) 12:40 2D | 3:40 | 7:00 2D | 9:45 THE SHACK (PG13) 12:35 | 3:55 | 6:50 | 9:50 JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 (R) 12:55 | 3:50 Life Extension Gym and Sauna 949-3753 “Tired of waiting? train here ” Man who stabbed woman gets sentence reduced Injuries not as serious as in other cases CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Meleton Rosales Maick, who stabbed a woman last year for no explainable reason, had his sentenced reduced on Tuesday from six years to four-and- a -half years. Maick had been charged with at- tempted murder, but the Crown ac- cepted his guilty plea to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The degree of harm caused was a basis for his appeal, as argued by at- torney Crister Brady. Mr. Brady sub- mitted that the sentence was excessive compared to other sentences in which the injuries were more serious and the matter had gone to trial. One case he cited involved a secu- rity guard who had stabbed a patron at a nightclub. A jury found him guilty and his sentence was six years. Mr. Brady noted another case in which a woman sustained life-threat- ening injuries after being stabbed by her ex-boyfriend; she spent five weeks in hospital and needed months to re- cuperate. That defendant pleaded guilty and received a sentence of seven years. In Maick’s case, the wounds were not serious, Mr. Brady pointed out; the woman was treated in hospital and released the next day. Further, Maick had taken responsibility from the start, he said, and had no previous convictions. The Court of Appeal agreed that the sentence was manifestly excessive. Justice Dennis Morrison gave the decision after conferring with Justices John Martin and Sir Richard Field. He began by summing up the Crown’s case. The wounding occurred on Jan. 21, 2016, at a West Bay residence around 10 p.m. The victim had known Maick about a month. There was no relationship be- tween them, but Maick had been coming to her father’s house as a visitor. Her own house was in the same yard. On the day of the wounding, he brought her a bag of gifts, which she refused. He then said she should keep them for him. Later, when he returned, she was in her house with her son and his friends and Maick seemed to react negatively to this. He left, but came back when she was alone and he asked her to give him the bag. He took a knife from her kitchen and lunged at her. He put the knife to her neck and she put up her hand. The knife cut the side of her neck and the webbing between her thumb and forefinger. The woman fell to the floor and pre- tended to be dead. Maick left and she was then able to call for help. Taken to hospital, she required a blood trans- fusion because she had lost so much blood. The injury to her neck was superficial, but there was a deep lacera- tion to her left thumb. Meanwhile, police officers found Maick at his own premises, hiding in a closet. He told them the devil made him do something bad, as he was drunk. In passing sentence in Grand Court, Justice Charles Quin had taken into ac- count the fact that the attack was com- pletely unprovoked, distinguishing this case from the nightclub incident. Senior crown counsel Nicole Petit had called Maick’s attack on the woman unpro- voked and inexplicable. Justice Quin took as his starting point nine years and then gave Maick a one-third discount for his guilty plea. Justice Morrison said the Court of Appeal will not disturb a sentence im- posed in the court below unless it can be shown that the sentence was mani- festly excessive or wrong in principle. He noted that the court just last week had upheld a sentence of five years and three months for a stabbing. In Maick’s case, he said, the judge had used a starting point significantly outside the guidelines. The more appro- priate starting point would have been six years, but the appeal court accepted as a special factor the unprovoked attack on a defenseless woman and therefore raised the starting point to seven years. A one-third reduction for the guilty plea resulted in a sentence of four- and- a-half years. The appeal was allowed and this new sentence was substituted. The Cayman Compass invites all candidates to visit the Compass Centre to meet with journalists Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more informa- tion call 949-5111. ELECTIONS 2017 NOTICE PANAMA CITY (AP) – Former Panamanian dic- tator Manuel Noriega is in critical condition after undergoing two brain surgeries. Noriega, 83, under- went the first procedure Tuesday morning to re- move a benign tumor from his brain. But after that surgery, doctors discovered a hemorrhage that forced them to go back in that afternoon, his daughters and lawyer said. He was listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit of Santo Tomas public hospital in Panama City, attorney Ezra Angel said Tuesday night. Angel said doctors had succeeded in stopping the bleeding during the second procedure and Noriega was returned to intensive care. “He is sedated,” the lawyer said. “His condi- tion is critical after un- dergoing a (second) open brain surgery in less than eight hours.” Officials at the hos- pital did not comment or return calls. Earlier Tuesday, Norie- ga’s daughters, Thays and Sandra Noriega, said their father was returned to the operating room after doc- tors detected bleeding fol- lowing the first operation to remove the tumor. The tumor was detected in the months after Noriega returned to Panama in De- cember 2011 and was im- prisoned for corruption and the killings of political opponents during his reign in the 1980s. Doctors have said it grew unexpectedly recently and threatened the life of the former dictator, who has also suffered from vas- cular ailments and uses a wheelchair. Noriega was transferred from prison to house ar- rest Jan. 29 to prepare for the procedure, which was originally scheduled for mid-February. The former general ruled Panama with an iron fist in 1983-89. He was ousted by a U.S. inva- sion in 1989 and jailed for years in the United States on drug charges. He was then imprisoned in France for money laun- dering, before being re- turned in 2011 to Panama, where he had already been convicted in absentia. EX-PANAMA DICTATOR IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER BRAIN SURGERIES SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – A federal control board warned on Wednesday that Puerto Rico’s government needs to take “major emergency ac- tions” to avoid shutting down because its cash flow is critically low. The comments published in a letter to Gov. Ricardo Rossello are the sharpest yet made by a board that re- cently began overseeing the U.S. territory’s finances. The board released an audited financial statement that found this year’s govern- ment expenses could be un- derstated by $360 million to $810 million. It warned that Puerto Rico could face a $190 million cash deficit by July. “Without major emer- gency actions, the Common- wealth soon will be unable to pay essential services, in- cluding pensions, education, healthcare and public safety in a matter of months,” wrote board chairman Jose Carrion. The warning comes ahead of a meeting on Monday where the board is ex- pected to approve a fiscal plan that many believe will be amended to include aus- terity measures. The board recommended in its letter that Puerto Ri- co’s government take four key steps immediately. Among those is a furlough for gov- ernment workers, teachers and other public employees to save as much as $40 million. The furlough for govern- ment workers would be four days a month while those for teachers would be two days a month. The board also ad- vised the government to slash professional services contracts by 50 percent and cut healthcare costs by ne- gotiating drug prices and re- ducing the rates of health plans and providers. The board also urged Puerto Rico’s Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Ad- ministration to take imme- diate control of all the gov- ernment’s accounts, revenues and expenses. The public corpora- tion was created last year and has fiscal and administrative autonomy. The letter sparked con- cern among Puerto Ricans and riled government offi- cials, including Public Affairs Secretary Ramon Rosario. “This administration is not considering furloughs for its public employees in the fiscal plan,” he told reporters. “To the board: Do not shoot from the hip.” The letter was released on the same day that the Spanish-language daily El Nuevo Dia published a column by Carrion warning that medium- and long- term measures will not be sufficient. “Puerto Rico has run out of money and time,” he wrote. “This is only going to get worse as the clock keeps ticking.” Gov. Rossello submitted a revised fiscal plan last week that contains several me- dium- and long-term mea- sures to cut costs and gen- erate revenue. The plan lacks aus- terity measures the board is seeking, such as cutting gov- ernment payroll by 30 per- cent and slashing the public pension system by 10 percent. Board: Puerto Rico needs to take emergency action on finances Gov. Ricardo RosselloThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 9, 2017 The scholarship will be awarded for the 2017 academic year, commencing this September. Applicants must: • Have Caymanian status • Be 18 years of age or older • Be accepted into a law degree course leading to a commonwealth qualification • Provide CV and/or school transcript • Provide two character references • Provide a Police Clearance Certificate issued within the last 6 months To be considered, please complete the application form at www.conyersdill.com/pages/graduates-and-students. The recipient will be chosen following a successful interview with the Scholarship Committee. Applications should also include a formal cover letter to the attention of Keisha Syms: Keisha.Syms@conyersdill.com. Application Deadline: 31 March 2017 The scholarship will be awarded to Caymanians interested in obtaining a Legal Support and Administration certificate. Applicants must: • Have Caymanian status • Be 18 years of age or older and of good character • Demonstrate financial need • Be accepted at UCCI for the Fall 2017 term or already enrolled as a student at UCCI • Provide CV and/or school transcript • Provide two character references • Provide a Police Clearance Certificate issued within the last 6 months To be considered, please submit a formal cover letter to the attention of Keisha Syms: Keisha.Syms@conyersdill.com. The recipient will be chosen following an interview with the Scholarship Committee. Application Deadline: 31 March 2017 conyersdill.com BERMUDA BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CAYMAN ISLANDS DUBAI HONG KONG LONDON MAURITIUS SINGAPORE NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR OUR LEGAL EDUCATION AWARD APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR OUR UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS SCHOLARSHIP 2017_02_CAY_CC_LEGAL_EDU_AND LEGAL_SUPPORT_ADMIN_CERT_FINAL_10_333X15.8975.indd 13/2/2017 2:19:37 PMThe 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. THURSDAY MARCH 9, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS There are few things more frightening than knowing you have HIV … unless it’s having HIV and not knowing it. As reported in Tuesday’s Compass, the news that the Health Services Authority discovered three cases of “false negative” HIV tests from private healthcare facilities in the Cayman Islands is cause for great concern. Cayman’s top public health officials – Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Samuel Williams-Rodri- guez and Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr. Elizabeth McLaughlin – were correct to publicize the existence of the “false negatives” and to provide information on how to obtain accurate HIV tests. Too often, government’s instinct is to downplay (if not outright cover up) incidents that might reflect neg- atively on the country. On the other hand, in the past we have expressed concern about government’s “over- playing” of certain health news, such as fears over Ebola and Zika. However, in regard to the erroneous HIV tests, officials made the right call. “These ‘false negative’ persons pose a public health risk to the Cayman Islands,” they said. “As such, there is a need for the standardization of kits used in HIV- testing in healthcare facilities.” In case the situation is not clear, what happened is that three people in Cayman went to private health clinics and underwent testing for HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). The results were “negative” – meaning they were cleared of carrying the disease. Unfortunately, the results were wrong. As part of a standard verification process, the samples for the three people were re-tested by HSA, with the results being HIV “positive,” and confirmed by HSA’s refer- ence laboratory in the United States. Although HIV is a serious condition, the good news is these three people are now armed with the knowl- edge necessary to seek effective medical treatment for themselves, and to prevent further transmission of the virus. Inaccurate HIV tests have surfaced as a signifi- cant problem outside of Cayman. In late January, the Mexican government seized nearly 47,000 Chinese- made HIV testing kits that officials said “could give false negatives and put at risk the lives of patients who didn’t receive medical treatment,” according to the Associated Press. (That being said, we don’t have enough information to determine whether the false negatives in Cayman resulted from “bad testing kits,” clinician error, or other causes.) While three false negatives in Cayman may not seem like a large number, it is significant in the context of the prevalence of HIV in this country. For example, over the past decade, about six new cases of HIV are diagnosed on average each year in Cayman. As of 2015, there were 66 people living with HIV in Cayman, plus 19 HIV patients off-island whom the HSA is tracking. The incidence rate of HIV in Cayman is relatively low, compared to large nations such as the United States and United Kingdom. A primary reason for that may be because HIV tests are a mandatory requirement for work permit applications and other immigration documents, meaning about half of Cayman’s population (i.e. the expatriate half) is being tested on a regular basis. The more than 900 permanent residence applicants are tested every six months as they await decisions from government on their applications. Of course, no matter how often people are getting tested, that lends little security if the results of the tests aren’t accurate. All of our healthcare providers, both public and private, should be providing tests (for HIV or any condition) that can be trusted. ‘False negative’: The danger of inaccurate HIV tests LETTER TO THE EDITOR Liquor sales at gas stations I am publicly calling for an investigation by Minister Wayne Panton into the cab- inet order 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010 regarding the pro- hibition of gas stations ob- taining liquor licenses. At the Liquor Licensing Board meeting held Dec. 5, 2016, Prentice Panton, David Khouri and myself appeared before the Board to object to an application brought by Gary Rutty/Peanuts Ltd. for a grant of a package li- quor license within the pre- cincts of a gas station in Prospect, the details of which are already well known to the Board. The basis of the objec- tion, was twofold: 1. That the previous Chairman, Campbell Law had acted ultra vires when he incor- rectly made the grant for the license unilat- erally under Section 13 of the Liquor Licensing Law (2016 Revision) in- stead of a consideration before the full Board under Section 12; and 2. That the grant was pro- hibited by the exis- tence of an Order in Cabinet which had ex- isted at least since 2002 prohibiting grants to gas stations. It was my contention that the prohibition was a sep- arate order, separate from lifting the moratorium and that it was not automati- cally revoked when the pe- riod, lifting the moratorium, had expired. We further con- tended that for the prohibi- tion to be revoked it would have required a subsequent gazette order. The Board dis- agreed with us and made the grant in favor of Garry Rutty/Peanuts Ltd. However, we had asked for the matter to be referred to the Attorney General as a matter of national impor- tance considering that it went against long established practice, that saw a moral in- congruity with gas stations serving alcohol and gas in the same establishment, not to mention that in the event that our arguments proved to be correct, the action of the Board would have been ultra vires and the license and any subsequent license so granted would be void. These reasons are separate from the obvious economic fallout that the 75 package liquor license retail industry would suffer, when all gas stations (backed by powerful petrol franchises like Esso and Sol) inevitably applied for liquor licenses to match their competition Rubis, and there are 27 gas stations in the Cayman Islands. As far as I am aware no steps have been taken since the December meeting to refer the question for the Attorney General’s consideration. It is important to do so because it is primarily a legal ques- tion that requires a legal de- termination which the Board, with all due respect, is not able to adequately address since no member of the Board is legally trained. The matter should not therefore be left up to chance since the subse- quent decisions of the Board can be possibly compromised if future decisions are ever challenged in a court of law. The previous Chairman, Campbell Law, purported to make the grant to Garry Rutty/Peanuts Ltd. under section 13 of the Liquor Li- censing Law (2016 Revision); it is important to note that the advertisement for the December meeting that ap- peared in the Oct. 20, 2016, edition of the Cayman Com- pass indicated that the grant had already been made and that what was to occur at the Dec. 5, 2016, meeting was a ratification of that decision. Although the notice indi- cates that the application was made under Section 12, the text of the advertisement clearly says that the grant had already been consid- ered by the Chairman in ad- vance of the Dec. 5 meeting and that it was to be con- sidered for ratification at the next session. This would have been in direct violation of the law, which requires all new li- censes to be considered be- fore a full hearing of the Li- quor Licensing Board, and therefore any grant outside of that hearing would be ultra vires and the license void. These issues are of such national importance that they require a full investiga- tion by you, Minister Panton, and a determination by the Attorney General in his ca- pacity as legal advisor to the government. I therefore call on the Li- quor Licensing Office/The Department of Commerce and Investment to refer these matters outlined above to his offices for urgent review and consideration. Robert Hamaty 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” Tortuga Rum Company president Robert Hamaty has concerns about gas stations being allowed to sell liquor.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 9, 2017 RCIPS lacks ‘analytical understanding’ of cybercrime BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com In boardrooms, busi- nesses and homes across the Cayman Islands, threats from internet and email scams generally referred to as cybercrime are in- creasingly becoming a major concern. However, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice lacks both an operational plan and a “proper analytical understanding” of these types of crimes, according to a re- port made public last month by the government’s Ministry of Home Affairs. The RCIPS was contacted for comment about the min- istry’s evaluation, which was completed more than six months ago, and noted steps have been taken to improve the situation since. Following a December 2015 government directive issued to the Information and Communications Tech- nology Authority and the e- government initiative, a po- lice spokesperson said RCIPS developed a cybercrime strategy in consultation with those two entities and repre- sentatives from the local fi- nancial services industry. “Since then, we’ve been enhancing our skill set and improving our technology in- frastructure,” a police state- ment indicated. The ministry’s annual re- port for the 2015/16 fiscal year stated, “Phishing, trolling, malware, online scams, revenge pornog- raphy and the proliferation of child abuse imagery are each largely unreported and unrecorded. Moreover, the RCIPS currently lacks a stra- tegic framework and opera- tional action plan for tack- ling cybercrimes. “Consequently, crimi- nals are continuing to ex- ploit technology and the tools to preserve anonymity online [at] a disproportion- ately faster rate in compar- ison to the speed with which the RCIPS has introduced the skills, resources and the tools to combat cybercrime.” The issue is well recog- nized in Cayman and has been discussed extensively at various financial industry conferences in recent years. In December 2015, pre- senters at the Cayman Cap- tive Forum noted estimates that cybercrime and data breaches caused US$450 bil- lion in damages worldwide in 2014, with just $2.5 billion paid in premiums to insure against computer crime. That gap was expected to widen by 2020, when losses from cyber-related crimes were estimated to hit US$3 trillion, according to information given at the captives forum. The ministry, which is re- sponsible for funding the RCIPS operations each year, said it is imperative that the Cayman police service incor- porates new policing mea- sures in order to “keep pace” in the modern era. “Cybercrime investiga- tions differ significantly from traditional criminal in- vestigations,” the ministry’s annual report reads. “They have a greater requirement for operating in online en- vironments through open source analysis and covert means, and obtaining and analyzing data – and po- tential digital evidence – to drive investigations and sup- port prosecutions.” Demand for such spe- cialized work is expected to increase in the future, as cybercriminals become even more tech savvy, the report noted. Child abuse The RCIPS has received some specialized training during the last budget year to deal with child por- nography and exploita- tion crimes that occur on the internet. The RCIPS received an $8,750 grant from Hedge Funds Care in late 2015 to bring in a U.K. trainer in child exploitation investiga- tion procedures. Former RCIPS Detective Inspector Mike Cranswick said at the time that local police did not know how big the internet-child abuse issue was in Cayman, but that it would be “dangerous to ignore it.” Scam training The Cayman Islands gov- ernment has recently em- barked on its own cyber- crime training for employees. In one such example from early February, about 3,000 government employees got a bogus “phishing” email pur- porting to be a traffic sum- mons from the Cayman Brac courthouse. All employees who received it were sup- posed to report it to the government as part of the training procedure. All staff who were chosen to participate were noti- fied at the end of the day that it was part of a training exercise the government was conducting. CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three people appeared in Summary Court on Wednesday, charged with carrying on a business on a beach without holding a valid trade and business license. One of them pleaded guilty. Seymour Silburn, 64, admitted car- rying on the business of Seymour’s Jerk Chicken at Seven Mile Beach on Sept. 15, 2016. He told Magistrate Valdis Foldats he was in the process of obtaining a trade and business license. The magistrate put his case for mention again on Tuesday, March 28. Also adjourned to that date were charges against Sheila Bodden and Eric Ebanks. Ebanks, 48, is charged with car- rying on the business of E and D Rentals at Seven Mile Beach on Sept. 15, 2016. Defense attorney Phillip Ebanks asked the Crown for further disclosure before his client would enter a plea. Bodden, 40, is charged with the sale of handcrafted goods, non-pre- cious jewelry and souvenirs at West Bay Public Beach in the vicinity of the Public Dock on Sept. 22, 2016. Crown counsel Greg Walcolm gave her papers regarding her case and told the court she wanted time to look at them. Each defendant’s court file con- tained a copy of a ticket issued by an enforcement officer from the De- partment of Commerce and Invest- ment. This department is the li- censing body under the Trade and Business Law, 2014. Seymour Silburn, 64, admitted carrying on the business of Seymour’s Jerk Chicken at Seven Mile Beach. Beach vendors chargedDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Bodden Town THURSDAY MARCH 9, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 YEARS AGO Administrator John A. Cumber pays a well received informal visit In the March 8, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspondent Floris McCoy wrote: “Leaving Bodden Town this week was Mrs. Ol- iver, her children and mother. She is a frequent visitor here but our new visitor enjoyed the island very much and the chil- dren made new friends. At the end of their vacation they did not very much like leaving. “There was an informal group at the Sea View Restaurant on Thursday afternoon to greet our MLAs and His Honour the Administrator. They came in to us looking relaxed after quite a tour of the other eastern districts. “They were welcomed with a lovely tea. After ev- eryone was seated, there was opportunity to talk and, of course, we saw the Administrator as an ordi- nary person and quite easy. “One thing of special mention around our table was electricity. I was im- pressed with the way ev- eryone was alert and interested in this subject. We do not need Bodden Town lighted adequately and satisfactorily simply for luxury, but a necessity. We hope in the near future that this will be a reality. “After talking together for a while, Mr. Anton Bodden expressed words of welcome to all, after which His Honour ex- pressed thanks for the hospitality, and to those who attended. “On Thursday night the Youth Club met and en- joyed an evening of singing and good fellowship together. Leaders present felt that it was well worth their time and effort and the President, Bill Jackson, requested that the young people should come out to plan for future meetings. “This week’s meeting may have to be cancelled because of the Conven- tion in George Town but we do look forward to the following week. “Mr. and Mrs. Don Arm- strong Jr. were here vis- iting with the Armstrongs. They spent one week and enjoyed it very much. They returned home on Sunday.” Ag Show serves up a fitting backdrop for Youth Cook-Off finals It was an extra-spe- cial win for team Bodden Town as the teen culinary duo clinched the top prize in their home district at this year’s National Youth Cook-Off finals. Team Bradley, con- sisting of Clifton Hunter High School students Bradley McLaughlin and Tarec Francis, both 15, were crowned the National Youth Cook-Off Champions 2017 on Wednesday, March 1, at the 50th annual Agri- cultural Show at the Stacy Watler Pavilion in Lower Valley, a press release states. In the weeks leading up to the event, the team trained under chef Thomas Tennant of the Brasserie. As well as placing first overall and winner of the Best Chili, Team Bradley also received the Tanya Foster Trophy for winning the title of Best Young Chefs. The exciting contest was the culmination of a year- long quest to find the best district youth culinary team, with young chefs competing in district cook-offs to de- termine who would advance to the finals. Starting at 1 p.m., the dis- trict champions received the prizes from their winning rounds before a large crowd of spectators. The six teams each had the support of a master-chef trainer before heading to the finals. They had to prepare an appetizer, main dish, dessert and drink using a number of required ingredients, as well as a chili dish, to be evaluated by a panel of five judges. For the big win, Bradley and Tarec prepared a home- made chili with crispy bottler chips and shredded cheese for their appetizer, pan- seared lionfish with mango salsa and white rice for their entrée, “Tropical Delight” mini cassava cake with strawber- ries and pineapple for their dessert, and homemade tam- arind nectar for their drink. “The final of the National Cook-Off Competition 2017 was a thrilling end to a very competitive contest. Each team that got to the final cer- tainly earned their spot and pulled out all the stops to try and win the title,” said the acting head of the Youth Ser- vices Unit, James Myles. “This event is attracting ever-increasing crowds, and participation is keener each year. Its popularity is also evident from the number of sponsors who signed up.” Kerry Forbes-Akinnibosun of the Cayman Islands Agri- cultural Society was pleased by the level of commitment shown at the final. “It was highly gratifying to see the contestants being put through their paces, yet working so well in their re- spective teams. Everything went smoothly, which is a true testament to the hard work put in by the Youth Ser- vices Unit in organizing the event,” she said. While the five judges de- liberated, chef Elardo Mc- Donald from the Wyn- dham Reef Resort wowed spectators by creating an angelfish ice carving. The top three teams were then announced by head judge, president of the Cayman Culinary Society and executive chef of Blue Cilantro, chef Vidyadhara Shetty. Hot on the heels of Team Bradley’s top spot were Team Straight Outta Spot Bay representing Cayman Brac, made up of Eugenio Myles and Ronaldinho Vassel in second, and Team Girl Power, representing George Town, made up of Ayanna Davis-Eden and Tya Bovell in third place. “This year the competi- tors have taken the food one step up. The dishes were tasty, the presentation was wonderful and the competi- tion only continues to grow and become better each year,” said chef Shetty. “The cooking skills have improved and we would like to see even more students and kids get involved in the competition. We would es- pecially like to see more young students enrolling in culinary studies, including the UCCI culinary pro- gram and receiving training from our wonderful restau- rants and hotels.” Youth Cook-Off finalists: George Town: Team Girl Power – Ayanna Davis- Eden and Tya Bovell (Triple C School), trained by master chef Maureen Cubbon (Food Revolution) Bodden Town: Team Bradley – Bradley McLaughlin and Tarec Francis (Clifton Hunter High School), trained by chef Thomas Tennant (The Brasserie); North Side: Team Mo – Mohyndra Brown and Amber McLaughlin (Clifton Hunter High School), trained by chef Jennifer Dodd (The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman) East End: Team Jaeda – Jaeda Kirchman and Kristin Kirchman (Clifton Hunter High School), trained by chef Elardo McDonald (Wyn- dham Reef Resort) Cayman Brac: Team Straight Outta Spot Bay – Eugenio Myles and Ronald- inho Vassel (Layman E. Scott High School), trained by chef Thushara Jayalath Siri- wardana (Grand Old House) UCCI School of Hospi- tality Management: Team UCCI – Henricho Swaby and Mikayla Hydes trained by chef Narayan Thapaliya (Grand Old House). Winners Bradley McLaughlin and Tarec Francis of Team Bradley make some final preparations.Some of the youth cook-off finalists.DISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days Bodden Town CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 9, 2017 PAWS in the Sand fundraiser in BT helps animals in need PAWS in the Sand, an an- nual event that raises money for animals in need in the eastern districts, was held at the White House in Bodden Town on Saturday night. More than 200 guests were on hand to raise money for the Protection of Animal Welfare Society, known as PAWS, first filling the water- front patio to review silent auction and raffle items be- fore enjoying a buffet dinner, live auction and entertain- ment under the stars, a press release states. Founded in 2010 by Gi- useppe and Susanna Gatta, Alex Stewart and Marleine Gagnon, PAWS works to al- leviate the suffering of ani- mals in need, particularly in the eastern districts, through a variety of charitable ini- tiatives including commu- nity dog washes, a spay and neuter program, financial as- sistance to families with pets in need, heartworm treat- ment, animal rescue, feral cat shelters and a community thrift shop in Bodden Town, the release states. Ticket sales were strong for this year’s fundraiser, or- ganizers said. “It just goes to show that the people in the community can see the value of the work we are doing and are keen to support us in our mission to promote animal welfare,” Mr. Gatta said. Andrew Bacon, who has served as auctioneer for the past four events, was un- able to attend. Filling in for Mr. Bacon, Kelly Rooney did her part to promote the PAWS thrift shop by wearing a dress purchased from the store. “I was thrilled to help out for such a worthy cause,” she said. “I was not great as an auctioneer as it was my first time. I now have even more respect for those who do it on a regular basis.” Highlights of the live auction included a hanging piece of Talavera pottery in the shape of a parrot, a nine-pound wheel of Stilton cheese, thick cuts of sirloin, five slabs of salmon, and a dinner for eight prepared in- house by Chef Keith Griffin with the ingredients and wine provided by Ristorante Pappagallo and The Light- house restaurant. Ms. Rooney said one of her favorite moments of the evening was her daughter attempting to bid on an item for her. “She tried to help me out by bidding $550 for five salmon fillets – that was hi- larious,” he said. “Those were difficult, I mean how much can you say about salmon?” The crowd was enter- tained by the Paraguayan mu- sical stylings of the Cayman Trio, a group consisting of Carlos Rodas and his daugh- ters Daniella and Rosa. And, once again, crowd favorite New York singer “Queen” Angela Adams joined the trio to deliver their ren- dition of the late Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” before shifting gears to perform “Cabaret” by Liza Minnelli. As always, the crowd waited ex- pectantly for the live enter- tainment performed by Mr. Gatta and friends, organizers said in the press release. “The music started low as a man spoke in thick, Irish brogue and the audience waited in silence until Mr. Gatta, Ed Chisholm, Derek Haines, Andrew Kronick, Keith Griffin, Vico Testori, Radames Tognazzo, Chris- tian Crescente and Mark Ed- munds ascended to the stage dressed somberly in black apart from their floppy ears and wagging tails,” the press release states. The troupe de- livered a spirited, comedic and crowd-pleasing take on “Riverdance” in a perfor- mance directed by Sue Howe. “It is always such an amazing feeling to have the crowd respond the way they do. It is a bit of fun on our part, and although we prac- ticed seriously as always, we know that even if we mess up a bit here and there, the au- dience loves it even more,” said Mr. Gatta. Noting the serious cause behind the event, PAWS board member Hannah Reid said that the previous year had been a difficult one for all local animal charities with a high number of an- imal abuse and neglect cases. “There were a few terrible cases that made it to the at- tention of the media and the wider public but, unfortu- nately, that is only a fraction of what local animal charity volunteers see on an almost daily basis,” said Ms. Reid. Mr. Gatta added, “PAWS stands together with the other local animal welfare groups working to make a difference because we all feel very deeply the pain and suffering of abused and neglected animals and we cannot stand by idly when the voiceless are in need.” Currently, PAWS has sev- eral dogs in foster care waiting for “forever homes.” Information on the charity and pictures of the animals PAWS is seeking permanent adoptions for can be found at www.facebook.com/ PAWSProtectionOfAnimal WelfareSociety. PAWS can be contacted on 916-1731 or 916-3957, or by email at paygatta@candw.ky. The Roverdance troupe: from left, Christian Crescente, Keith Griffin, Andrew Kronick, Derek Haines, Ed Chisholm, Mark Edmunds, Giuseppe Gatta, Vico Testori and Radames Tognazzo. - PHOTOS: MICHELLE O’SHEA HAYES St. Matthews University staff and students supported the event. The students sold raffle tickets and showcased the animals that need homes. PAWS President Giuseppe GattaThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY MARCH 9, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS awaiting word on perma- nent residence applications and individuals working at Cayman Enterprise City, which operates under sepa- rate work permit rules. The number does not include those who have already re- ceived permanent residence or the non-Caymanian spouses of Caymanians. Overall, the 23,739 permit holders listed in early December represent a slight decline from 24,077 recorded in early July 2016. According to Immigra- tion Department statistics provided to the Cayman Compass under the Freedom of Information Law each quarter since January 2010, the territory has seen a steady increase in work permits granted in the past six years. Work permits and gov- ernment contracts have increased from a low of about 18,500 in fall 2010 to about 20,360 in July 2014. The numbers increased again in January 2015 to 21,400, and then to 22,232 in July 2015. Caymanian status Separate applications made for Caymanian status (akin to local citizenship for non-Caymanians) during the government’s 2015/16 budget year were approved at a rate of 58 percent, according to ministry records. The Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board approved 1,221 status applications and deferred another 716. Another 177 applications were refused by the board. The application figures from that board were not believed to include any ap- provals or denials of perma- nent residence applications, of which there are now more than 900 pending. The ministry’s annual re- port states that legal delays with those residence appli- cations have resulted from an August 2015 Grand Court ruling penned by Chief Jus- tice Anthony Smellie. “The government has not since issued a policy steer on which the Cayma- nian Status and Permanent Residency Board and the Department [of Immigration] can be guided in terms of process and procedure,” the report states. No bail on Brac charges Defendant to appear in court again on Monday, March 13 CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Travis Kelvin Ebanks, 37, appeared in Summary Court on Wednesday, charged with seven offenses alleged to have occurred in Cayman Brac over the weekend. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden told Magistrate Grace Donalds that she had not yet received any papers in the case, but on the face of it the charges related mainly to driving offenses. Crown counsel Darlene Oko pointed out that three of the charges were not traffic- related and the Crown was objecting to bail. Ebanks, of a Shedden Road address, faced two sets of charges. One set alleges the taking and driving away of a Honda Saber without the owner’s consent, driving without insurance and driving without a license. The second set of charges alleges theft of the Honda Saber and causing damage to it. Further, Ebanks is charged with possession of an unspec- ified amount of ganja as loose vegetable matter wrapped in transparent plastic and in a brown paper bag. The final charge in this set is escaping lawful custody. A press release from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service indicated that police had bailed Ebanks for the first set of charges on Sat- urday, March 4, and then ar- rested him on Sunday, March 5, for the second set. Ms. Bodden said she ex- pected to receive papers from Ms. Oko later in the day and on that basis was con- tent to have the matter ad- journed so that she could make a bail application. The magistrate put the matter to Monday, March 13. Security companies charged for failing to pay overtime, holiday pay Cases adjourned for further mention CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Representatives for two security companies charged with failure to pay overtime and holiday pay to their em- ployees appeared in Sum- mary Court on Wednesday. K-9 Security Services Ltd. was represented by at- torney John Furniss, who told the court he knew there were “ongoing discus- sions” between the company owner and the Department of Labour and Pensions. The company faces 52 counts relating to public hol- iday remuneration and 53 counts relating to overtime pay. The offenses are al- leged to have occurred be- tween September 2015 and February 2016. A cursory check of the file showed sums ranging from $100 to $864 allegedly not paid for holiday work. Simi- larly, overtime allegedly not paid ranged from $111.50 to $3,241.25. Magistrate Valdis Foldats pointed out that the sum- mons had been issued to the company owner, who there- fore should have attended court. Mr. Furniss said he had not seen the summons, but said he would speak to his client about it. The magistrate agreed to stay a warrant of arrest. The matter was set for mention again on Tuesday, May 9. Scott Security Ltd. was represented by attorney Laura Larner, who ad- vised the court that she was holding for Laurence Aiolfi. She asked for further disclo- sure and the matter was set for Tuesday, March 21. The company is charged with failing to pay over- time amounting to $7,672.50 and holiday pay in the sum of $614.88. The offenses are al- leged to have occurred be- tween January 2013 and December 2015. Scott Security is also charged with failing to comply with a request to pro- duce documents to the di- rector of Labour and Pen- sions in March 2016. 74+21+5+xTotal: 24,576 Approved: 18,068 Refused: 1,307 Deferred: 5,201 58+34+8+xTotal: 2,114 Approved: 1,221 Refused: 177 Deferred: 716 – SOURCE: DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Work permit applications rarely refused industry in general. “More important than our individual political po- sition … is the concern about the future of these island and our people. Fi- nancial services is 60 per- cent of our gross domestic product and 40 percent of government revenues. It employs thousands of our people. “The longer it carries on, the more damage is done,” the premier said. A number of allega- tions have been made con- cerning the legislation in the past two weeks, in- cluding accusations re- peated on Wednesday that Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton had a direct conflict of interest in pre- senting the bill to the Legis- lative Assembly. Mr. Panton, a former managing partner at Walkers law firm, was identified Wednesday as the co-owner/landlord of the building the firm now oper- ates from in George Town. East End MLA Arden McLean alleged that these “conflicts” should prevent Mr. Panton from speaking or voting on the legislation. “You want politics, poli- tics it is,” Mr. McLean said after his claims prompted groans and protests from the government benches. Mr. Panton denied any conflicts in the matter and said he had taken legal ad- vice outside of the Legis- lative Assembly on these matters. That advice, Mr. Panton said, indicated he had no need to recuse him- self or abstain from voting in the debate. Speaker of the House Ju- liana O’Connor-Connolly ruled that Mr. Panton ap- peared to have no direct pe- cuniary interest related to the Legal Practitioners Bill. Mr. Panton told the Cayman Compass before the Legislative Assembly meeting convened that the same bill proposed during the assembly’s October 2016 session would be brought back for a vote during the current meeting. Mr. Panton said a number of amend- ments will be proposed during the committee-stage review of the legislation. The Legal Practitioners Bill brought to the Legis- lative Assembly in October was 126 pages. Mr. Panton said extensive behind-the-scenes consul- tations have been going on with legal industry stake- holders on the bill, which seeks to modernize the 1969 legislation that gov- erns the practice of law in Cayman. He said many of the changes suggested by stakeholders who partici- pated in the review have been added to the bill. The crux of the dispute over the bill centers on law firms that wish to expand their presence in overseas financial services markets to remain competitive in what has become a global industry, on the one hand, and on the other hand, Cay- manian-born attorneys who fear they will be left behind in that expansion and be- lieve that globalization will lead to outsourcing. Opposition to the legisla- tion among Caymanian at- torneys has been building since the latest draft of the bill was made public last year. Legislators received a letter from attorney Sammy Jackson stating concerns about “mounting resistance” to the proposal in October, which stressed what Mr. Jackson said was a lack of transparency in rela- tion to the plan. The Legal Practitioners Bill seeks to create a new self-regulatory body called the Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association, with eight attorneys ap- pointed as members, five of whom must be Caymanian. The association was to be responsible for promotion and training of Caymanian attorneys and ensuring that attorneys are suitably qual- ified. The bill also seeks to create a separate business staffing plan regime for local law firms. Legislation governing the practice of law and law- yers’ conduct is consid- ered critical to prepare for the mid-2017 Caribbean Fi- nancial Action Task Force review of the Cayman Is- lands’ protections against money laundering and ter- rorism financing. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Gov’t pushes Legal Practitioners Bill forward Caymanian status applications July 2015 - June 2016 Work permit applications July 2015 - June 2016The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 9, 2017 The changes to the regu- lations regarding permanent residence application scoring are expected to allow the Caymanian Status and Per- manent Residency Board to resume hearing those applica- tions shortly, something it has not done since at least Jan- uary 2015. The applications were delayed indefinitely over concerns about how occupa- tions were being scored, in a system that Chief Justice An- thony Smellie called “opaque” and “prone to arbitrariness.” The new regulations are an attempt to resolve and clarify those matters. The changes include: The deletion of the former permanent residence appli- cation scoring where appli- cants were awarded points based on “the ratio of Cayma- nians to non-Caymanians” in the labor market. Now all ap- plicants will be awarded the full 15 points, regardless of what job they hold. ■■ Points for on-the-job ex- perience will be awarded based on how many years and months an em- ployee has worked in that field. For instance, if a person has worked for six years and six months, they would re- ceive six full points for the six years and half a point for the six months, giving them a total of 6.5 points for experience. ■■ Points awarded for prop- erty investment are to be given for “equity injec- tions” into that property not made with borrowed funds. A section stating that points would only be given for “major in- vestments” in the prop- erty has been deleted. ■■ Evidence of an appli- cant’s savings at a local financial institution must now be provided for only one year, instead of the past five years. ■■ Applicants between the ages of 61 and 65 will now be given six points in the “age” category on their application, rather than 0 points, reflecting the change in Cayman’s retirement age from 60 to 65. All applicants will be scored on the age at which they applied for permanent residence. ■■ All changes made in the new regulations will be retroactive. ■■ Other areas of the per- manent residence points system remain un- changed. A successful applicant still has to achieve a total of 110 points. No changes were made to the his- tory/culture test section (worth up to 20 points), or the community in- volvement section (also worth up to 20 points). Points awarded for an ap- plicant’s salary were also un- changed from the 2013 ver- sion of the regulations. Slight changes to the “close Caymanian connec- tions” scoring were made, but only affect a relatively small number of Cuban nationals who were granted leave to remain by Cabinet and who never had their immigration status regularized. missing boaters. Mr. Haylock, Gary Mull- ings, Nicholas Watler and brothers Kamron Brown, 11, and Kanyi Brown, 9, never returned from a fishing trip to 12 Mile Bank on March 6 last year. Their upturned vessel was discovered 20 miles offshore on March 7, but no trace of its crew was ever found. Gabriella Ebanks Watler, sister of Nicholas Watler and niece of Gary Mullings, said, “We know our family is out there somewhere and we just want them to know that we love them and we will not give up. “We would like for the community to continue to pray for the safe return of our family members and for Ed- sell Haylock, who was a close friend to my uncle Gary.” She said the families of the missing five wanted to thank the community for their sup- port over the past year and for coming out Tuesday. “Not a day goes by that I haven’t cried, but my faith has never dropped,” she added. Mr. Whittaker, one of the organizers of last night’s memorial, said it was im- portant for the family and friends to mark the anni- versary by sharing stories and memories. Now he and other family members are pushing for a system of registering and licensing leisure boats in Cay- man’s waters to help prevent more lives from being lost. He wants the Port Au- thority to require boats to be registered in a central system, with a photograph of the boat and captain. He said the system would be similar to that used for motor vehi- cles and would require boat owners to meet certain basic safety standards, including having life jackets and flare guns on board. “We don’t want it to be for monetary purposes or to become a political thing. It is to save lives, that is the bottom line. “People go missing from this island like there is no tomorrow. “We do it for commercial vessels that carry tourists, why not for locals? “We know we don’t have a coast guard to go out and rescue people. Now they say firefighters are going to do it. That is great, but we think the registry would help as well.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A year after boat tragedy, hope endures New immigration regulations seek to clarify residence applications CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The changes to the regulations regarding permanent residence application scoring are expected to allow the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board to resume hearing those applications shortly, something it has not done since at least January 2015. At least 19 dead in fire at Guatemala child shelter GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – Fire swept through a crowded children’s shelter near Gua- temala City early Wednesday and officials said at least 19 people died and dozens were injured. Photos from inside the shelter showed blue sheets covering sneaker-clad bodies and bits of foam mat- tresses in what appeared to be a smoke-stained dormitory room. Weeping, distraught relatives waited outside the walled facility for news of their children. The spokesman for Gua- temala’s volunteer fire de- partments, Mario Cruz, told the Emisoras Unidas radio station that firefighters were still extinguishing parts of the morning blaze. But he said that so far 19 bodies have been found and about two dozen people were being treated for injuries. The national police de- partment said 38 people had been injured and the country’s Health Min- istry said that 14 were in serious condition with severe burns. Dr. Carlos Soto, the di- rector of the Roosevelt Hos- pital where some were being treated, said the most se- vere cases, all apparently girls, had suffered life- threatening burns. The shelter has been criticized for overcrowding, alleged abuse and es- capes in the past. The prosecutor for chil- dren’s rights, Abner Paredes, told Emisoras Unidas that at least 15 people had died but that information was still being collected. He said initial re- ports suggested the fire started when some started setting fire to mat- tresses in the shelter, known as the Virgin of the Assumption Safe Home. There were reports of es- cape attempts Tuesday at the shelter, which was created to house children who were victims of abuse, homeless- ness or who had completed sentences at youth deten- tion centers and had no- where else to go. While the shelter was built to house 500 children and adolescents, it held an estimated 800 at the time of the fire. Friends and family members say a prayer for five boaters missing at sea for a year. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY JURY STILL OUT IN SYED CASE The jury in the trial of former UCCI president Hassan Syed will enter a third day of delibera- tions Thursday. The two men and five women of the jury have been considering their verdicts on each of the 12 charges facing Syed since Tuesday morning. Syed is accused of lying about his qualifications to get the UCCI job and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars of the college’s money on personal purchases. He has denied the offenses.Next >