ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY MARCH 30, 2017 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 Now ... meet your candidates for the 2017 elections Sixty-three contenders registered their nominations Wednesday as candidates in the May 24 elections. Each voter will cast a ballot for one candidate in the district in which the voter resides. The following is the full list of candidates, their af- filiations and the districts in which they are standing. West Bay North ■■ Bernie Bush, CDP ■■ Sarah Orrett-Ebanks, IND ■■ Mervin Smith, IND West Bay West ■■ William McKeeva Bush, CDP ■■ Daphne Louise Orrett, Progressives ■■ Paul Desmond Rivers, IND West Bay South ■■ John Jefferson, Jr., CDP ■■ Burns Rankin, IND ■■ Tara Rivers, IND ■■ Laura Young, IND West Bay Central ■■ Capt. Eugene Ebanks, CDP ■■ Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, IND George Town North ■■ Joseph Hew, Progressives ■■ Pearlina McGaw-Lumsden, CDP ■■ Karin M. Thompson, IND George Town West ■■ Jonathan Bardowell Piercy, CDP ■■ Ellio Anthony Solomon, IND ■■ Dennie Warren, Jr. IND ■■ David Charles Wight, Progressives George Town Central ■■ Marco Archer, Progressives ■■ Kenneth Bryan, IND George Town South ■■ Michael Thomas Adam, CDP ■■ Barbara Elizabeth Conolly, Progressives ■■ Paul W. Hurlston, IND ■■ Alric Jeremy Lindsay, IND ■■ Catherine Rosita Tyson, IND George Town East ■■ Theresa Elizabeth Bodden, CDP ■■ Roy Michael McTaggart, Progressives ■■ Sharon Elaine Roulstone, IND ■■ Kenrick Herbert Webster, IND Red Bay ■■ Frank McField, IND ■■ Alden McLaughlin, Progressives ■■ Denniston Leitch Tibbetts, CDP Prospect ■■ Austin Harris, Jr., IND ■■ Matthew Leslie, IND ■■ Lucille Seymour, Progressives Savannah ■■ Heather Bodden, Progressives ■■ Anthony Eden, IND ■■ Kent McTaggart, IND Newlands ■■ Raul Gonzalez, Jr., IND ■■ Gurney Wayne Panton, Progressives ■■ Mario Rankin, IND ■■ Alva Horatio Suckoo, Jr., IND Bodden Town West ■■ Stafford Berry, CDP ■■ Maxine Bodden Robinson, Progressives ■■ Gilbert Allan McLean, IND ■■ Christopher Selvin Saunders, IND Bodden Town East ■■ Arnold Thomas Berry, IND ■■ Osbourne Vendryes Bodden, Progressives ■■ Robert Anthony Bodden, CDP ■■ Dwayne Stanley Seymour, IND North Side ■■ Edward Owen Chisholm, Progressives ■■ Johany (Jay) Ebanks, IND ■■ Justin Ebanks, IND ■■ Ezzard Miller, IND East End ■■ John B. McLean, Jr., IND ■■ V. Arden McLean, IND ■■ Isaac Rankine, IND Cayman Brac East ■■ Rudolph Lenbergh Dixon, IND ■■ Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Progressives Cayman Brac West and Little Cayman ■■ Nickolas DaCosta, IND ■■ Moses Kirkconnell, III, Progressives ■■ Maxine Avon Moore, IND ELECTIONS Record-setting Nomination Day: 63 hopefuls compete for 19 seats COMPASS STAFF A record 63 candidates will contest the Cayman Islands general election on May 24 after a frantic day of nominations across the country generated some surprises. Premier Alden McLaughlin, who registered to run in Red Bay, was one of several candi- dates to confound expectations as the election cards fell into place late in the day. The premier, who had previously announced his intention to run in George Town Central, acknowledged that the new single-member constituencies had sparked a game of “cat and mouse” between the two main parties – his Progressives and the Cayman Democratic Party – as well as some of the independent groups. As the clock ticked toward the 3 p.m. deadline for the submission of nominations, many of the Progressives’ candidates had still not emerged. Mr. McLaughlin said the decisions on who would run where had been made much earlier, but the strategy on the day was to wait it out and not give opponents the chance to pick and choose their districts based on the Progres- sives’ decisions. Some interesting races emerged in the 19 single-member districts – Mr. McLaughlin against Denniston Tibbetts, the brother of his political mentor Kurt Tibbetts, in Red Bay; Finance Minister Marco Archer against independent Kenneth Bryan in George Town Central; and Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton against his former colleague Alva Suckoo and independent candidate Mario Rankin, both running as indepen- dents, in Newlands. There were fewer surprises in West Bay, where CDP leader McKeeva Bush and his team were out in force. Mr. Bush said the country needs change. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 12 » Premier Alden McLaughlin registers as a candidate in Red Bay at the Seafarers Hall. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER Cayman Democratic Party leader McKeeva Bush registers his nomination in West Bay West. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY MARCH 30, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 - THURSDAY - GET OUT (R) 12:35 I 4:10 I 7:20 I 9:50 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D (PG) 12:55 I 3:50 2D I 6:50 I 9:45 2D KONG: SKULL ISLAND 3D (PG13) 1:00 2D I 4:10 I 7:05 2D I 9:55 POWER RANGERS (PG13) 12:30 I 3:30 I 6:45 I 9:35 LOGAN (R) 12:30 | 3:35 | 6:40 | 9:45 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. *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456) Life Extension Gym and Sauna 949-3753 “Are you sorrowful or thankful ” Airline staff show off socks for a cause Employees at Cayman Airways donned colorful socks on March 21 to support World Down Syndrome Day. Staff at the airline’s headquarters in George Town embraced the ‘Rock Your Socks’ global initiative to help raise awareness of Down syndrome and to raise money. The company matched staff contributions, donating a total of $266 to the Special Needs Foundation Cayman. SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) – El Salvador’s brutal street gangs have been in- volved in every kind of crim- inal activity imaginable: drugs, extortion, prostitution, murder, kidnapping. But even authorities were surprised when a woman es- caped the Mara Salvatrucha gang and told prosecutors its members had kidnapped her and forced her into a “black widow” arranged marriage. After the wedding, her new husband was killed in order to collect an insurance policy. The gang’s hook for her prospective husband was also novel: They advertised the woman as a U.S. citizen who could get her husband a coveted entry visa to the United States. Hers is not the only such case. Prosecutors have lo- cated and are protecting an- other woman who was forced into the same scheme. They say that in the two cases, in 2014 and 2016, insurance policies worth $62,000 and $30,000 were either taken out or collected. They also are investigating two sus- pected cases involving in- surances policies of about $15,000 apiece. Prosecutors say their ef- forts at determining the scope of the scam are com- plicated by the fact that Mara Salvatrucha may be using its own female members – who are much less likely to talk – in the frauds. Or a more sin- ister possibility is that the gang is killing the women as well after the policies on their slain husbands are collected. Mara Salvatrucha is one of the three main crime or- ganizations in El Salvador, and so far it is the only one that authorities have seen involved in the insurance scheme. The country’s in- surance association said it could not discuss the cases because they are still under investigation. The suspected crimes in- volve a huge amount of plan- ning and sophistication, and illustrate the control the gangs have over some neigh- borhoods, experts say. “It was a very sophisti- cated, well-planned opera- tion,” said Violeta Olivares, the head of the prosecu- tor’s office for human traf- ficking. “We have two women who were recruited under the same circumstances, and who were forced through threats, physical and psy- chological violence and even sexual violence, to marry two men whom they didn’t know.” The scheme came to light when the first “bride” escaped her captors and went to pros- ecutors, who have granted her protection. Her name has been withheld by authorities for fear of gang reprisals. Her nightmare began when she got what she thought was a domestic-help job from a woman called Es- meralda Aravel Flores Acosta. But when she arrived at the house she was supposed to clean, she realized it was a Mara Salvatrucha safe house. “You are going to have to stay here whether you like it or not,” the house’s gang oc- cupants told her, according to Olivares. “You are going to marry a stranger, and you’re going to tell him you have U.S. citizenship.” And she did. The gang dressed her in white and took her to a town in western El Salvador, where they had her marry a man named Marvin Reyes. Before the marriage, gang members told Reyes to take out a life insurance policy, arguing that U.S. immigra- tion authorities wanted to see such a policy before granting him a visa, prosecu- tors said. The gang also prob- ably charged Reyes for the “privilege” of marrying a U.S. citizen, but authorities don’t know how much. Then, about a month after the wedding, the woman was informed that her husband had met a violent death. The gang ordered the “widow” to go to the morgue to claim the body and then go to the insurance office to claim the policy benefits. All the time, she was accompanied by gang members. Eventually, the woman managed to flee the gang and contacted prosecutors, who raided the house where she had been held and found $4,000 in cash. Police have arrested three women in the case. They are facing charges of human trafficking and con- spiracy to commit homicide and fraud, and could face 20 years in prison. Other par- ticipants in the scheme are being sought. The Associated Press was unable to contact Reyes’s family, because prosecu- tors declined to reveal his relatives’ names and con- tact information. Activists say it is difficult to know how many women have been victims of the scam because so many women in El Salvador disappear. “Women disappear and they are found days or months later,” says a report by the nonprofit advocacy group Talk To Me About Respect. “Some have suffered abuse and extreme violence, while in other cases, only their life- less bodies are found.” Salvador gang arranged ‘black widow’ killing for insurance JAMAICAN LOTTERY SCAM ATTORNEY WANTS OUT (AP) – The court-ap- pointed lawyer for a Ja- maican man accused in North Dakota of master- minding a multimillion- dollar lottery scam says he cannot work with his client. Lavrick Willocks is charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering. Authorities say the scam bilked more than 70 mostly elderly Americans out of more than $5.6 million. Defense attorney John Goff filed a motion Tuesday to withdraw from the case, saying he can no longer “communicate effectively” with Willocks. 2 dead, 13 injured in Mexico prison riot MEXICO CITY (AP) – State of- ficials say inmates rioted at a psychiatric block in a prison in northern Mexico, broke into a prison pharmacy and took drugs that caused the deaths of two of them. Thirteen more were injured in Tuesday’s riot, in- cluding one guard. The complex chain of events at the prison in Ca- dereyta, in Nuevo Leon state, started earlier this week when inmates protested a new program to inspect vis- itors with a type of X-ray machine to prevent contra- band being smuggled into the facility. That caused a smaller disturbance Monday. But on Tuesday the state security spokesman said about 56 inmates at a psychi- atric block burned about 200 cells and furnishings. Some then broke into the prison pharmacy, where two of them overdosed on medications stored there.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 30, 2017 The secret is out. Blue is the new green. doctorshospitalcayman.com The secret is out. Blue is the new green. doctorshospitalcayman.com BritCay limits Health City coverage to cardiac care KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Insurance provider BritCay announced Wednesday that it will only authorize and reimburse for cardiac-related procedures at Health City Cayman Islands, effective April 1. Other procedures will not be covered, the company said. Health City Cayman Is- lands director Gene Thompson said the announcement came as a surprise. “This has come [as] a total surprise to us, without any warning or notice. We have provided excellent care at very competitive prices and continue to do that” Mr. Thompson said. Non-cardiac proce- dures will not be covered at Health City by BritCay unless “deemed emergent and pre- certification/authorization has been obtained.” Procedures already sched- uled and authorized before April 1 will be allowed to proceed, BritCay said in a press statement. The insurance provider said it contracted Health City in 2014, when the hos- pital opened, for tertiary- level cardiac care. Since then, the hospital has expanded its services, offering a pro- cedures and treatments, in- cluding orthopedics, pedi- atrics, pulmonary, oncology and neurology. “BritCay must now ensure that all services provided at Health City Cayman Is- lands are compliant with our contractual requirements. It will take us some time to do this evaluation,” the company said. Health City Cayman Islands opened in 2014, mainly offering cardiac-related services and procedures. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY NEW CIVIL SERVICE COLLEGE MANAGER APPOINTED Lance Barnes has been appointed as a manager of “leadership learning” at the Cayman Islands Civil Service College. Mr. Barnes has been helping deliver Institute of Leadership and Management and Institute of Certified Pro- fessional Managers learning programs since 2015, ac- cording to a government press release. The former e-government project manager took up his new post earlier this month. As the college’s primary ad- ministrator and faculty member of the Leadership and Management develop- ment program, his new role will entail facilitating other online learning programs throughout the college, “as well as being responsible for the delivery and coor- dination of leadership and management training across the entire civil service,” the release states. “My immediate goal is to work in conjunction with the Civil Service Strategic 5-Year Plan in delivering a world- class civil service which en- tails training and develop- ment across the entire civil service,” he said. “This will involve talent development/ management which will im- prove the chances for succes- sion planning. I’ll also try to improve collaboration across the civil service to foster partnership in understanding shared and individual goals.” An adjunct lecturer in human resources and strategic management at the International College of the Cayman Islands, Mr. Barnes said he wants to create a framework “through which managers will take on the responsibility of becoming leaders rather than focusing only on the management of their daily tasks. He reports to the Civil Service College’s Director of Human Capital Development Andrea Fa’amoe. Ms. Fa’amoe said, “Mr. Barnes is eminently quali- fied for the position. He has a wealth of management skills, coaching and mentoring at an executive level. These to- gether with strong analytical and interpersonal skills allow him to interact with individ- uals from different cultural backgrounds easily. His wide range of experience, dedica- tion and objective mindset, has established a solid framework to develop and implement training needs across the civil service.” Lance BarnesThe 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. To each and every one of the candidates who sub- mitted their nominations yesterday to stand in the May elections, we publicly applaud you. It takes a significant measure of courage to put one’s reputation, history and ideas into the public spotlight for evaluation, scrutiny and criticism. And that’s just from the voters. Meanwhile, opponents will be lobbing their own observations, opinions and counter-narratives – some true, some false, some in between – in the spirit of competition, gamesmanship and ambition. As our veteran lawmakers know well, and our first-timers will find out soon enough, “Politics ain’t beanbag.” Running for office carries risks – the risk of losing … and the risk of winning. (The 1972 movie “The Can- didate,” about the campaign of a neophyte politician against an incumbent U.S. senator, closes with Robert Redford’s title character, who just pulled off an improb- able victory on Elections Day, uttering to his campaign manager the famous line: “What do we do now?”) In the Cayman Islands, being a lawmaker does include attractive salaries and benefits; some candi- dates may be entering the fray just for the emolu- ments. However, we think that the vast majority of candidates (incumbents and challengers) are running for all the right reasons – that is, to represent their communities, to serve their country and hopefully to make Cayman a better place for everyone. The “pregame events” to the 2017 elections are over. Nomination Day marked the official beginning to Cayman’s quadrennial exercise in democracy. In the coming weeks, candidates and their respective teams will be unveiling their platforms, stumping for votes and attempting to convince their constituencies that they would best represent them and their interests. As in every campaign everywhere, we expect a certain degree of good old-fashioned “mudslinging” and ad hominem attacks. We discourage such dis- course and would recommend the higher road. Voters, we hope, will reward those candidates who embody dignity and decorum in their campaigns. Certainly at the Cayman Compass, we will focus on policies over personalities. As the country’s foremost media house, we take our role seriously to provide timely, clear and credible information. Outside of our daily editorial and opinion page, we keep our personal viewpoints to ourselves. We don’t allow our journalists to interject their own biases, prejudices or preferences into their news stories. Further, our news content will remain free from outside influence and partisan slant, as we strive to give Cayman’s voters the information they need in order to make wise decisions on Elections Day, May 24. Put another way, the “news pages” of this news- paper are not for sale – at any price. (The only thing for sale at the Compass, other than the newspaper itself, is display and classified advertising.) In addition to the regular pages of our daily news- paper, we will publish two separate special supple- ments that will introduce the candidates to voters and provide information on the voting process in advance of Elections Day. On the Web, Compass journalists have built (and will continue to build up) the Elections section of our site, www.CaymanCompass.com/Elections-2017, which is the country’s premier online clearinghouse for elec- tions-related coverage. On the site, users can find all of our published news stories on the election, a map of the 19 new electoral districts and a comprehensive candidates guide that includes photos, biographical data, contact informa- tion and video interviews, organized in a way that is as clear and common-sense as possible. The new “one man, one vote” system is complex and unfamiliar to voters. Our goals are to cut through the potential confusion, to give candidates propor- tionate opportunities to make themselves heard, and above all, to help Caymanians prepare for their most important civic duty – to vote. Elections 2017: Welcoming our new candidates THURSDAY MARCH 30, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR Address iguanas with air guns In reading your article on the proposed cull of the in- vasive iguanas, I am unsure if you were just against the method or if in fact you were generally against the actual cull. I agree that as usual the powers that be, against the outcry from the farmers and for that matter all home- owners, wait until a crisis be- fore taking action. Maybe an idea could be to corral them and send them back to the home of their origin. I have never heard anyone complain of the cull of our other invasive species, li- onfish, which is not only destroying our reef fish but also in danger of causing coral destruction not only here but in the U.S. and Caribbean. Even now, rather than simply give responsible citi- zens a permit for an air rifle to dispose humanely of these pests, officials have compli- cated this with the scheme you have outlined in your ar- ticle. I realize you may ask, “Who are responsible citi- zens?” A simple check on age, ability and criminal record could be verified. I for one would gladly do such a ser- vice without asking for any payment and so would many “responsible” citizens. On another matter, our traffic situation is being ad- dressed with vigor by the NRA. I do commend them. However, I am at a loss that the Linford Pierson Highway is being downgraded with another roundabout. As you know, you can build 10 new lanes, but if you come down to a two-lane bottleneck or a roundabout, you are back to square one. I thought this road was supposed to be a “Bypass” with limited access. Again, can anyone say what it is with the two homes in the middle of the access? It would nice if the public could get an update occasionally. Patrick C. Broderick Sr. How to manage our algorithmic overlords CATHY O’NEIL Humans are gradually coming to recognize the vast influence that artificial intel- ligence will have on society. What we need to think about more, though, is how to hold it accountable to the people whose lives it will change. Google tells us what to believe. Facebook tells us what’s news. Count- less other algorithms are standing in for human con- trol and judgment, in ways that are not always evident or benign. As Larry Sum- mers recently noted, the im- pact on jobs alone (in large part from self-driving cars) could be greater than that of trade agreements: So who will monitor the algorithms, to be sure they’re acting in people’s best interests? Last week’s Congressional hearing on the FBI’s use of facial recog- nition technology for crim- inal investigations demon- strated just how badly this question needs to be an- swered. As the Guardian reported, the FBI is gath- ering and analyzing peo- ple’s images without their knowledge, and with little understanding of how reli- able the technology really is. The raw results seem to indicate that it’s especially flawed for blacks, whom the system also disproportion- ately targets. In short, people are being kept in the dark about how widely artificial intelligence is used, the extent to which it actually affects them and the ways in which it may be flawed. That’s unacceptable. At the very least, some basic information should be made publicly available for any al- gorithm deemed sufficiently powerful. Here are some ideas on what a minimum standard might require: ■■ Scale. Whose data is col- lected, how, and why? How reliable are those data? What are the known flaws and omissions? ■■ Impact. How does the algorithm process the data? How are the results of its decisions used? ■■ Accuracy. How often does the algorithm make mistakes – say, by wrongly identifying people as criminals or failing to identify them as criminals? What is the breakdown of er- rors by race and gender? Such accountability is particularly important for government entities that have the power to restrict our liberty. If their pro- cesses are opaque and unac- countable, we risk handing our rights to a flawed ma- chine. Consider, for ex- ample, the growing use of “crime risk scores” in deci- sions about bail, sentencing, and parole. Depending on the data and algorithm used, such scores can be as preju- diced as any human judge. Transparency, though, is just a starting point. It won’t tell us what to do if blacks are systematically getting harsher sentences, or if poor people are automati- cally being branded as sus- pected criminals. At best, it will start a political and moral conversation with the designers of the algorithms, or among members of Con- gress – one that will force us to revisit our most fun- damental concepts of jus- tice and liberty. O’Neil is a mathematician who has worked as a professor, hedge-fund analyst and data scientist. She founded ORCAA, an algorithmic auditing company, and is the author of ‘Weapons of Math Destruction.’ © 2017, Bloomberg View [R]ather than simply give responsible citizens a permit for an air rifle to dispose humanely of these pests, officials have complicated this with the [raffle] scheme. 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”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 30, 2017 Commission: Voter registration rules may not comply with human rights BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Current rules that re- quire Caymanian voters to be resident in the islands for at least two out of four years before the last regis- tration date before an elec- tion may not comply with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission reviewed the issue after it received a complaint from a voter last September. The complaint was filed after the voter went to court on Sept. 12 to challenge a decision by the Elections Office in 2012 that prevented the voter from participating in the May 2013 general election. The decision also precluded the person from voting in the 2017 gen- eral election based on their residency outside the is- lands for more than two of the past four years before the last voter registration date. The last voter registra- tion date for the May 24 elec- tion was Jan. 16. Without commenting on the merits of the spe- cific complaint, the Human Rights Commission noted that section 90 of the Con- stitution Order, 2009, which requires citizens over age 18 to be resident in the islands “no less than” two years out of the four years immedi- ately preceding the registra- tion date “may be incompat- ible with the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights.” “The commission found that whilst the case law dem- onstrated an allowance for restrictions on voter reg- istration eligibility where residency is not maintained, all cases examined have a far shorter or immediate reinsti- tution of eligibility once the individual returns to the ju- risdiction,” the Human Rights Commission review of the matter stated. Commission members said they requested advice on the issue after consulting with the Cayman Islands Constitutional Commission. Government documents, including emails obtained by the Cayman Compass, state the voter’s claims during the Sept. 12 court hearing were that the voter was reg- istered as an elector in the mid-1980s. The voter then spent a number of years living outside the Cayman Islands but was allowed to vote via postal ballot in the May 2005 and May 2009 gen- eral elections. The voter argued that the date they registered to vote was a “single date” and alleged their removal from the reg- ister of electors in July 2012 was therefore wrong in law. In a Sept. 19 email to the voter involved in the registra- tion challenge, Supervisor of Elections Wesley Howell con- tended that the person’s un- derstanding of how voter reg- istration works in Cayman was not correct: “The legal provisions for removing persons not living in the Cayman Islands for the spec- ified number of years from the register of electors goes back many years.” Mr. Howell stated that Magistrate Nova Hall, in her capacity as electoral re- vising officer, agreed with the Elections Office’s interpreta- tion of the matter. According to the Elections Law, the registration date is the first day of January, April, July or October next occurring after the previous register of elec- tors comes into force. “The registration date is not a single point in time and, for [the voter], it is not back in 1986, as the regis- tration date happens four times a year as per the Elec- tions Law,” Mr. Howell wrote on Sept. 19. “[The voter’s] re- moval from the register in 2012, at the July 1, 2012 reg- istration date was, in fact, correct and was in keeping with the Elections Law and the Cayman Islands Constitu- tion [Order 2009], as the date of registration for which [the voter] failed to maintain … eligibility is July 1, 2012.” In the Human Rights Commission complaint, the voter alleges the Elections Office acted outside the scope of the Cayman Islands Con- stitution Order (2009) and that officials were being “over-reaching and exces- sively punitive” in misinter- preting the law to use resi- dency to remove an already registered elector. “The constitution speaks to residency at the initial date of registration when an eligible Caymanian first reg- isters to vote, something that is permanent and a once-in- a-lifetime process for all in- tents and purposes, if the Caymanian is not disqual- ified under the conviction clause [for a criminal of- fense],” the complaint states. “The right to vote is such a sacred right that the Cayman Islands government cannot put a tether on Caymanians and effectively say that they can go but not too far or too long,” the complaint states. Legal concerns raised over CCTV cameras, drone use Data protection pushed through last-minute BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The potential for legal li- ability and human rights vi- olations apparently forced the Cayman Islands govern- ment’s hand on the approval of a Data Protection Bill in the waning hours of its last Legislative Assembly meeting. The bill’s last draft was published in April 2016 and it was placed on the assem- bly’s agenda for a vote 11 months later in the midst of a jam-packed March meeting during which 36 other pieces of legislation were being considered. Various amend- ments were made to the 2016 bill during the legisla- tive committee’s review ear- lier this month. The Cayman Islands has no legal mechanism to regu- late the use of closed circuit television cameras in public areas, despite installing those cameras in 2011, al- though it has a “code of prac- tice” in place which is not le- gally binding. Since that time “there has been a significant increase [in] the use of CCTV within the islands,” according to the Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission. “Without the implementa- tion of a comprehensive data protection law to address the diverse circumstances in which CCTV is used, policies or codes of practice on their own are generally not con- sidered a sufficient legal framework to support the careful balance needed be- tween human rights and the operation of CCTV,” the com- mission noted in its 2016 annual report. Some specific problems were raised with the govern- ment’s use of CCTV cameras. For instance, at the Light- house School in George Town district, CCTV cameras are used “to enhance the safety of students, staff and others on school premises and to deter destructive acts to property,” according to the Department of Education. The Human Rights Com- mission was particularly worried about the retention of images captured by the CCTV cameras without data protection or legal policies regulating the cameras. “The commission remains of the view that without such regulations, the use of CCTV will remain unlawful under both the constitution and the European Conven- tion of Human Rights,” the report noted. Another issue raised by the commission is the use of drones by the Cayman Is- lands prisons service to con- duct surveillance on individ- uals who toss illegal drugs over the Northward prison perimeter fence. In addi- tion to the prisons, the Civil Aviation Authority noted it had received “numerous” re- quests for the public use of small unmanned aircraft from residents. “The commission’s con- cerns relate not to the rights of those committing or plan- ning crime, but the possible invasion of privacy that the devices could post to nearby members of the public, neigh- bors and landowners when the drones are deployed out- side the prison,” the Human Rights Commission noted. Similar concerns were raised by the commission about the Royal Cayman Islands Police use of a thermal imaging or FLIR camera on board its he- licopter, with the specific problem again raised re- garding the retention of those images. The concerns about the lack of legal regulation for CCTV in the Cayman Islands were raised six years ago by Acting Information Commis- sioner Jan Liebaers. “CCTV is operating in a legal vacuum,” Mr. Liebaers said at the time. “The code of practice [for CCTV] re- fers to the fact that the system would be governed by data protection.” The government has at- tempted to pass data pro- tection legislation since 2010 and had failed to do so until this month. The implemen- tation of data protection re- gimes, which will have a huge impact on Cayman Islands business, is expected to be staggered, with government agencies coming into compli- ance first and sections of the private sector following after. The data legislation seeks to protect personal privacy rights and instructs pri- vate sector businesses and government agencies on how they must handle per- sonal records. The two previous attempts to pass data protection leg- islation ended largely be- cause of an uproar from the Cayman business community after its members saw the cost of implementing such a plan for their operations. Two admit carrying ganja to prison Sentences adjourned pending social inquiry reports CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two people pleaded guilty on Tuesday to sep- arate, unrelated cases in- volving ganja with intent to supply at Northward Prison. Before Magistrate Valdis Foldats, Tarrick Crawford replied “Guilty” to three different charges: pos- session of 5.17 pounds of ganja at Northward Prison on Aug. 16, 2016, with in- tent to supply it to an- other; possession of a pro- hibited weapon – a flick knife – on the same date at the same place; crim- inal trespass – entering the premises of Her Maj- esty’s Prison at Northward without having any lawful business thereon. No details were given to the court at this time. Crawford, 22, was rep- resented by attorney Lau- rence Aiolfi, who agreed to a social inquiry report be- fore sentencing. The mag- istrate said he would ask for an update of psychiatric and psychological reports on file for this defendant. He set sentencing for May 29. In the second ganja case in Summary Court on Tuesday, Daniella Anita Tib- betts, 24, pleaded guilty to possession of 85.4 grams of ganja at Northward Prison with intent that it be supplied to another. The offense occurred on Aug. 6, 2016. The magistrate or- dered a social inquiry re- port for her also. Defense attorney John Furniss asked that sentencing take place on June 5. Northward Prison A CCTV camera mounted on a pole in George Town. The Human Rights Commission has raised concerns about the placement of some of the cameras on Grand Cayman. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Bodden Town In the April 5, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspondent Floris McCoy wrote: “Mr. H.L. Barnes returned to New York after a few months at home. “Nurse Solomon returned to Jamaica to further her studies in nursing. We wish for her great success. “Jota, an Okinawan who spent some of his vacation with Mr. Churchill Wood re- turned to New York. “Mr. Roy Bodden, student at Mico Training College spent his Easter vacation at home. Mr. Bodden spent much of his time studying. He is now completing his final work and our wishes for a very successful term go with him. “Mr. Edward Oliver of Wilton, Connecticut is spending some time at his residence here in Bodden Town. “Mr. Haldane Bodden and Miss Janet Bodden, his sister, returned from Jamaica. “Mr. Henry McCoy left to take the office as Steward on the Inagua Gulf. Coming home on Friday was Mr. Marcus Thompson, whom Mr. McCoy replaced. “Mrs. James Lawrence spent one week in Philadelphia with her husband. She returned home on the 25th. “Mr. Neevil McCoy and Mr. William Wood left on Sunday. Mr. McCoy will be taking the of- fice of first assistant engineer and Mr. Wood junior third on the S.S. Ore Venus. They were both here to spend Christmas and we wish them a good year. “Mr. Wilford Moore returned to his job. He is an employee of Na- tional Bulk Carriers. “We would like to congratulate Mr. Dwight Carter and Mr. Harding Watler on their success in the re- cent passes of the GCE exams. “The Bodden Town Youth Club met and had elections. The new president is Miss Andrea Solomon. Mrs. Armstrong is still working with the Club and reports a good meeting on Friday night. Offi- cers in charge would ask the pre- teenagers to please not attend the Youth Club. “The United Church had their annual Easter Programme on Easter Sunday night. There was a variety program of singing, reci- tations and a play entitled, ‘When the Morning Comes.’ This was a good programme and we con- gratulate the children for doing so well and the leaders who gave their time to work with them. “There was a lovely gathering at the Bodden Town Church of God on Sunday night when the young people put on their Easter play ‘He is Risen.’ This was the Easter message once again in ac- tion and in words. Everyone did an excellent job and we congrat- ulate them, also the leaders who worked with them. “Dangerous driving on the Bodden Town road! Many of us have observed that since the road signs were placed reminding drivers that this is a 25 mph zone, the incidence of speeding has increased. “People of Bodden Town, our children’s lives are in great danger. It is typical of Cayman that no great precautions are taken until something serious has happened. “Two boys were walking on the road on Sunday night. One was knocked by a car and this I heard a lady say: ‘If someone hadn’t been on the road with my children it could have been one of them.’ I hope everyone in this town real- izes that it could have well been one of our own instead of a little George Town boy. “Children watch for the cars. The old proverb says ‘Look be- fore you leap.’ Parents please let this be a matter of concern to warn your children every day, and careless drivers remember a good lawyer may save you some time from prison, but you will always have it on your conscience when some little child has been ushered into eternity because of your care- lessness and lack of concern. “Mr. Harding Watler senior came home for a few days. “Coming home looking fresh and jolly as usual was Miss Car- olyn Hislop, who spent her Easter vacation in Freeport, Bahamas. “On the same flight was Mrs. Selkirk Watler, who spent a few days in New Jersey.” THURSDAY MARCH 30, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 years ago: Visitors welcomed and dangerous driving highlighted Logwood cleared from back of Bodden Town Mission House National Trust volunteers were at the Mission House site on Saturday, March 25, clearing logwood trees from the site. According to the Trust, logwood is an invasive spe- cies, once cultivated for dye- making, that is harmful to na- tive vegetation. As previously reported in the Compass, the Trust notes that logwood is a common tree on Grand Cayman, where it was introduced in the 1700s as an agricultural crop. Early settlers planted logwood as a cash crop, as the heartwood of the tree was used to extract a bright red to almost black dye. The tree is shallow rooted and many hundreds of trees were blown over by Hur- ricane Ivan. The trees pro- duce large clusters of fragrant yellow flowers that swarm with bees. The trees are spiny and grow into dense, impene- trable thickets. Logwood is now naturalized and is invasive, spreading rap- idly and displacing other na- tive trees and plants. Today log- wood can be found in almost every low seasonally-flooded area of Grand Cayman. “The Trust is attempting to remove it from all of its properties including the Mis- sion House, so plants that truly belong will have room to grow,” said Trust marketing manager Danielle Watler. “This project has been spon- sored by a grant from the Euro- pean Union’s voluntary scheme for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Territories of Eu- rope overseas initiative, in part- nership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the U.K.,” she continued. “This is one of many ongoing opportunities for Trust mem- bers to get involved through volunteering that doesn’t re- quire long-term commitments, high-cost donations or corpo- rate work-groups.” For more volunteer opportunities with the Trust, email community@ nationaltrust.org.ky or call 749-1121. Logwood is a common tree on Grand Cayman, where it was introduced in the 1700s as an agricultural crop. Early settlers planted logwood as a cash crop, as the heartwood of the tree was used to extract a bright red to almost black dye. Trust volunteer Danielle Bouchard tackles a thicket. Volunteers at the Mission House grounds. - PHOTOS: PAUL WATLER Logwood grows quickly into dense spiny thickets. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 30, 2017 THURSDAY, MARCH 30 ASTRONOMY CLUB: Public astronomy viewing at Pedro Castle, 7:15 p.m., weather permitting. Please park outside and walk in. Call Richard on 925-4917 for more details or to check cancellation if more than 50 percent cloud cover. CHAMBER COURSE: Overcoming Challenges to Success; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square; $150 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, MARCH 31 SPRING FLING: St. Ignatius School Fair, 3-6:30 p.m. on the school grounds. $5 ticket for prize draw. Games tickets are $1 each. Lots of food, games, fun and prizes. ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SHOW: This ‘60s Rock ‘n’ Roll Show features music of the Beatles, Beach Boys and Rolling Stones. All funds go to help aspiring pilots obtain their license through the Zak Quappe Memorial Scholarship Fund. Music by Sea ‘n B Band. Prospect Playhouse. Show time 8 p.m. Doors open 7 p.m. Tickets $15, available at www.cds.ky or calling 938-1998. FLOWER SHOW: The Garden Club celebrates its 60th anniversary with a flower show at the South Sound Community Centre today 1-6 p.m. Tomorrow, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission and all are invited. WATER AUTHORITY SCHOLARSHIP: Today is the deadline to apply for the Water Authority – Cayman’s $30,000 annual scholarship. The offer is to a qualified Caymanian to obtain an undergraduate academic or technical/vocational degree or diploma in a field of study relevant to the Authority’s work. See www. waterauthority.ky/community- connect-scholarships. SATURDAY, APRIL 1 PLASTIC OCEAN: Film screenings are free and open to the public. National Gallery. 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Refreshments including popcorn will be served. Donations welcome. The National Gallery has a new temporary access road via Harquail Drive, off Lawrence Boulevard. For more information about the event email info@nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945 8111. To view a map of the temporary access road visit www.nationalgallery.org.ky. WALK FOR AUTISM: 6:30 a.m. Camana Bay, Nexus Way. Lighthouse School presents an autism awareness walk to raise money for its essential ASD programs. Registration is $15 for adults, $10 for kids, and free for children under 12. The buildings at Camana Bay will also light up blue to help spread awareness. YOUNG MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR: The public is invited to this event at the Prospect Playhouse. The competition begins at 6:30 p.m., doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets available at the door: $5 for adults and $2 for children. TUESDAY, APRIL 4 DARKNESS TO LIGHT: A free Red Cross-training program for parents, teachers and others who work with or provide services to young people. From 6:30-9 p.m. Gain knowledge and skills to prevent child sexual abuse; recognize signs of abuse and learn how to react responsibly. Pre-registration is required. Contact vrm@redcross.org.ky. SUNDAY, APRIL 9 PADDLE FOR HEART CHALLENGE: A 3-mile paddle event in the watercraft of your choice. All proceeds for Hart for Hearts. Check-in noon to 1:30 p.m. Race starts 2 p.m. at Hemingways. $25 per adult, $15 under 16. Register online at www.CaymanActive.com. Those registered must provide their own watercraft. GENERAL INTEREST CAYMAN NATIONAL CHOIR: The choir invites singers to join for rehearsals every Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Cayman Prep. The choir is preparing for a 40th anniversary concert on June 1. New members welcome – tenors and basses especially. For more information, contact Graham Morse at 925-6353. DG 5K CHALLENGE: Registration for the Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge is open at www.caymanactive. com/dg5K. Led by Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, the event aims to raise $60,000 for the YMCA of the Cayman Islands. The DG’s 5K Challenge will be held on Cayman Brac on Sunday, April 23; on Grand Cayman, Sunday, April 30. The charity event is open to all ages and fitness levels. LABOR FORCE SURVEY: The Economics and Statistics Office is collecting data on employed and unemployed persons in Cayman, as well as people not in the labor force. The public is asked to cooperate and provide information. Interviews are confidential. For more information contact the Economics and Statistics Office at 516-3329, 949-0940 or visit www.eso.ky. FISH FRY: St. Ignatius School Canteen. Snapper or cod, plus sides, $7 to $12. 5-8 p.m. Dine in or carry out. Proceeds support religious education and youth programs. ADULT ACTING CLASSES: Offered through the Cayman Drama Society. April 9, sketch workshop. May 7, method acting. June 4, the actor’s voice. $40 per class. Contact training@cds.ky. SINGLE-MEMBER CONSTITUENCIES: The Elections Office invites voters, potential candidates and their agents to learn more about recent changes to the Elections Law that have created 19 single-member electoral districts. Email office@elections.ky to ask questions or request short presentations for groups. PRESCHOOL FUNDING: Government funding to assist with preschool attendance is available for eligible Caymanian children who will be between 3 and 4 years old before Sept. 1. Email ecap@gov.ky or call 244-5724 for more information. Collect application forms from Government Administration Building, Department of Education, early childhood centers, District Health Centres or the Public Health Department at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Deadline to apply is April 28. VOTER ID CARDS: Elections officials will start issuing voter ID cards from April 1. The revised voters’ list is scheduled to be out on March 31 with all the verified changes and new registrations. This will be formalized in the final list of voters on April 1. MARITIME CULTURE: The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands’ exhibit celebrates Cayman’s maritime heritage and identity. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Admission is free. Families can download a free copy of the “Upon the Seas” exhibition guide at www.nationalgallery.org.ky. Guides include information about the artists, exhibition themes, discussion points and art activities. Guides available on arrival. The exhibit runs until April 20. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed evenings. Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for track/field, football and bocce. No experience necessary, just a smile and patience. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15–11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30–7 p.m. Saturdays, volunteers needed for Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30–10:30 a.m. Deck support and in-water swimming assistance needed. For more information, contact Penny McDowall at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. OPEN STUDIO: Every Thursday 10 a.m. till noon and every Monday 1-4 p.m. at Watler House Studio on grounds of Pedro Castle. Offered by Visual Arts Society to adults/youth who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere. Contact info@visualartcayman.com. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Center is owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay every Wednesday, noon till 8 p.m. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale. Email info@visualartcayman.com. OPEN CANVAS: Wednesdays. Visual Arts Society supports this event at KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay. 7-11 p.m. No fee, easels provided. Contact info@ongart.com or jar.was@gmail.com. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. For more information, call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-Step Recovery Group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Mondays, 7 p.m. For details, contact Virginia Castillo at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at the Catboat Club clubhouse, North Church Street. All are invited to attend. For more information, call 924-4170 or email info@adacayman.com. TOASTMASTERS CLUB: Cayman has three chapters of Toastmasters International, geared toward development of public speaking and leadership skills. Grand Cayman club meets at George Town Public Library, 3rd floor, 6-7:15 p.m. every Thursday. Eloquent Speaker club meets 2nd and 4th Tuesday 6:30–7:45 p.m. at Savannah United Church Hall. Eminent Orators club meets 2nd and 4th Monday 6–7:30 p.m. at Cayman Academy Canteen. Contact George R. Ebanks at 916-0687/322-9369 or georger.ebanks@gmail.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY MARCH 30, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Garden Club members show off some of their floral designs on hats at a club meeting. The Garden Club celebrates its 60th anniversary with a flower show at the South Sound Community Centre on Friday and Saturday, March 31 and April 1.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 30, 2017 US launches drug addiction task force After being dropped from President Donald Trump’s transition team, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is taking the lead of a White House commission to combat drug addiction. He and President Trump hosted a drug abuse listening session at the White House on Wednesday to roll out the effort. Britain files for divorce from the European Union LONDON (AP) – The United Kingdom filed for divorce from the European Union on Wednesday, overturning four decades of integration with its neighbors, demol- ishing the notion that EU expansion is inevitable and shaking the foundations of a bloc that is facing challenges to its identity and its place in the world. Britain’s top envoy to the EU, Tim Barrow, hand-de- livered a letter to European Council President Donald Tusk formally triggering a two-year countdown to the final split. “Today the government acts on the democratic will of the British people,” Prime Minister Theresa May told lawmakers in the House of Commons, adding, “This is an historic moment from which there can be no turning back.” There is “no reason to pre- tend this is a happy day,” Tusk told reporters, empha- sizing that the priority now is to minimize costs for EU citizens and member states. To Britain, he said: “We al- ready miss you.” But for Britons who voted 52 to 48 percent to leave the bloc in a referendum nine months ago, it was a time for celebration. “I voted for Brexit and today is the day that vote starts to count,” said Charles Goodacre, a former taxi driver, in the northern Eng- land city of Sunderland. “Things have been bad round here for a while and we needed a change.” Former U.K. Indepen- dence Party leader Nigel Farage, who campaigned for years to take Brexit from fringe cause to reality, said Britain had passed “the point of no return.” “I can still, to be honest with you, scarcely believe today has come,” he said. Others worried Britain was taking a leap in the dark. “No one knows. No one knows how this is going to go,” said Nicola Gibson, who works in London’s financial district. “It’s a gamble, it’s a risk. It’s a bit like Trump. It’s such an uncertain place at the moment.” Those who campaigned for Britain to stay in the EU say they will now fight for a divorce settlement that preserves what they see as key benefits of EU member- ship, including free trade in goods and services and the right to live and work any- where in the bloc. Prime Minister May’s letter May’s six-page letter to Tusk was polite and concil- iatory, stressing that Britons want to remain “committed partners and allies to our friends across the continent.” She said the two sides should “engage with one an- other constructively and re- spectfully, in a spirit of sin- cere cooperation.” But there was a hint of steel in May’s assertion that without a good deal, “our co- operation in the fight against crime and terrorism would be weakened.” That could be seen by some in Europe as a threat to withdraw British security cooperation if the U.K. does not get its way. The loss of a major member is destabilizing for the EU, which is battling to contain a tide of nationalist and populist sentiment and faces unprecedented antip- athy from the new resident of the White House. It is even more tumul- tuous for Britain. For all the U.K. government’s confident talk of forging a close and friendly new relationship with its neighbors, it cannot be sure whether businesses will freely be able to trade, students to study abroad or pensioners to retire with ease in other EU states. Those things have become part of life since the U.K. joined what was then called the European Economic Com- munity in 1973. Settlement deadline is March 2019 The trigger for all the economic and constitu- tional uncertainty is Article 50, a previously obscure clause of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty that allows a member state to withdraw. As in many divorces, the first area of conflict is likely to be money. The EU wants Britain to pay a hefty bill – Jean-Claude Juncker, presi- dent of the EU’s executive Commission, put it at around 50 billion euros (US$63 bil- lion) – to cover pension li- abilities for EU staff and other commitments the U.K. has agreed to. Britain acknowledges it will have to pay something, but is sure to quibble over the size of the tab. Trade a key issue Negotiations will also soon hit a major contraction: Britain wants “frictionless” free trade, but says it will restore control of immigra- tion, ending the right of EU citizens to live and work in Britain. The EU says Britain can’t have full access to the single market if it doesn’t ac- cept free movement, one of the bloc’s key principles. Both Britain and the EU say a top priority will be guaranteeing the rights of 3 million EU citizens living in Britain, and 1 million Britons living elsewhere in the bloc. The two sides also appear to disagree on how the talks will unfold. EU officials say the divorce terms must be settled before negotiators can turn to the U.K.’s future rela- tionship with the bloc, while Britain wants the two things discussed simultaneously. The U.K. has raised the prospect it could walk away without a deal if talks falter, though May said in her letter that both sides should “work hard to avoid that outcome.” Profound implications across Britain Brexit has profound impli- cations for Britain’s economy, society and even unity. The divisive decision to leave the EU has given new impetus to the drive for Scottish inde- pendence, and undermined the foundations of Northern Ireland’s peace settlement. People in UK, Europe react to Brexit triggering with joy, sorrow LONDON (AP) – Across the United Kingdom and throughout Europe, there was joy and sorrow Wednesday as Prime Minister Theresa May formally triggered a two-year process that will end with Britain exiting the European Union. The country voted 52 to 48 percent to leave in a June referendum. Here are some of their voices: Mike Piper, 70, retired, of Dover, England: “All I want to do before I die is see my country free from the shackles of Europe.” Nigel Dentoom, runs a commodities trading company in London: “Obviously there will be a couple of difficult years in negotiation but I think the U.K. and London in particular will end up being the largest financial center be- cause of its time zone and the resource and the intellectual capital and the infrastructure that we have here.” Telecommunications pro- fessional Frederic Royer, a Frenchman who works in London: “We are a little upset. A little disappointed. I hope it will not affect London and that it will continue to grow and be a big city like it was before.” Janet Freeman, 66, a re- tired secretary in Sunderland, England: “I voted for Brexit, so it’s good it’s going to start. I have become a bit concerned about what it might mean for jobs, but I think we will make the best of it. It’s not right we were controlled from Europe, we need to control our own destiny.” City of London worker Nicola Gibson: “No one knows how it’s going to go, so it’s just a question on keeping an eye on the next few days. Is it going to affect me per- sonally? Probably not. I shall still go about my daily busi- ness. I shall still work. I shall still carry on having holidays. And we’ll see what happens.” Polish engineer Piotr Wi- erzbicki, 64, while flying from Poland to England: The British “shot themselves in the foot and will also lose Scotland now. It will be bad for their economy and it will be bad for the EU.” Anti-Brexit protester Ron Daniel of London: “I don’t accept Brexit. I don’t ac- cept the democratic choice of Brexit. It’s racist. It’s about deporting people.” Charles Goodacre, 62, former taxi driver in Sunder- land, England: “I’m glad this day has finally come. This is what the people voted for. I voted for Brexit and today is the day that vote starts to count. Things have been bad round here for a while and we needed a change. There’s been a lot of arguments about what happened but we can now get on with it.” Juergen Clemens of Berlin: “It doesn’t worry me, but it will have an im- pact on the economy but the German economy as well as the everyday German on the street are strong enough to cope with it.” “Today the government acts on the democratic will of the British people. This is an historic moment from which there can be no turning back.” PRIME MINISTER THERESA MAY Britain’s UK Independence Party (UKIP) MEP Ray Finch, right, celebrates the official triggering of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, in Brussels on Wednesday. - PHOTO: AP/THIERRY MONASSE EU Council President Donald Tusk holds British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit letter, which was delivered by Britain’s permanent representative to the European Union Tim Barrow. - PHOTO: YVES HERMAN VIA AP A pro-European Union membership supporter holds a European flag opposite Downing Street in central London on Wednesday. - PHOTO: AP/MATT DUNHAMNext >