ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY APRIL 3, 2017 High of 86 Low of 75 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 PERMANENT RESIDENCE: THE PROGRESSIVES’ EXPLOSIVE LEGACY WORLD | PAGE 9 COLOMBIA: 193 DEAD AFTER RIVERS OVERFLOW, TOPPLING HOMES Also Available RED BAY SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA 61 OF 63 CANDIDATES FILE INTERESTS BY DEADLINE BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The vast majority of the candidates for election to the Legislative Assembly filed their register of interest forms by the March 29 deadline, according to a review done Thursday by the Cayman Compass. The two candidates in the field of 63 that did not file, Frank McField, who is running in Red Bay, and Katherine Wilks, who is con- testing a seat in West Bay, said they would do so by Friday. There were also a number of deficien- cies flagged up by Legislative Assembly staff, which manages the register, where candidates were requested to file additional information that had not been addressed as of Thursday. The register of interests seeks a declara- tion from all candidates in a general election which gives information about their employ- ment, shareholdings or directorships in com- panies and landholdings. If a candidate is successfully elected, they then have to file up- dates to the form each year. The register acts as a public notification of any interests lawmakers or future lawmakers might have that could impact the way they cast their votes on any topic that comes before the Assembly. “[The register form] is still the same old completely inadequate one,” said George Town North candidate Karin Thompson, who filled out a detailed interest declaration form on Wednesday. Ms. Thompson, the former chairwoman of the Commission for Standards in Public Life, INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES FORMING PACT Some candidates for the May 24 General Elections are in the process of forming the Cayman People’s Alliance. Ezzard Miller confirmed that the can- didates on stage with him for a public meeting in the Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre were involved in the al- liance: Arden McLean, Anthony Eden, Alva Suckoo, Gilbert McLean and Paul Hurlston. The term was made public when Arden McLean referred to it during his campaign launch in East End on Wednesday night. For the full story, see page 3. Auditors: GT Landfill worth less than $0 BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment cannot quantify how great a financial loss it will incur to remediate the George Town landfill, if and when such a project is completed, and the lack of any cost estimates has led auditors to conclude the ter- ritory’s environmental liabilities are “understated.” “Government did not have in place a process to properly de- termine the cost to remediate the George Town landfill and, as a result, they arbitrarily set the land value of the landfill at $0,” said Angela Cullen, performance audit director at the Auditor General’s Office. The problem with consid- ering the landfill property es- sentially worthless, according to auditors issuing their opinion on the government’s 2015 Concern over national rollout of GM mosquito project Wolbachia experts offer alternative, say protesters JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Opponents of the use of genetically modi- fied mosquitoes in the Cayman Islands say an application to use the technique island wide is “premature.” The Mosquito Research and Control Unit has applied for a new import permit and outlined a proposal for a two-year program to fight the disease-spreading Aedes aegypti mosquito across the Cayman Islands. The U.S. based Institute for Responsible Technology, represented locally by HSM at- torney Kerrie Cox, who also led a court ac- tion on behalf of local protesters, is asking government to consider other options. It is pushing an alternative technique, using bacteria called Wolbachia, and is funding a visit to the island from researchers from Michigan State University, who devel- oped the technique. Mr. Cox said the researchers are willing to bring the program to Grand Cayman for free. The attorney said he was surprised that an application had already been submitted by the MRCU to extend the GM mosquito program, a partnership with British biotech firm Oxitec, outside of West Bay. He said, “The trial in West Bay has not yet been completed as far as we are aware, and the results need to be published and peer re- viewed in scientific journals. The recommen- dation by the World Health Organization in March 2016, was for carefully planned pilot Triple C pre-kindergarteners ponder careers Under the theme Community Workers, Triple C School’s pre-kindergarteners presented their future careers on March 31. Teacher Antoinette Cowan said the exercise helps the 5 and 6 year olds better understand the world in which they live. For the full story, see page 7. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 3, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 - MONDAY - GHOST IN THE SHELL 3D (PG13) 12:55 I 1:00 2D I 3:50 I 4:15 2D 6:50 I 7:10 2D I 9:45 I 9:50 2D BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D (PG) 12:40 2D I 3:40 I 7:05 2D I 9:55 KONG: SKULL ISLAND (PG13) 12:45 I 9:45 BOSS BABY 3D (PG) 12:30 I 3:30 2D I 6:45 I 9:35 2D POWER RANGERS (PG13) 3:35 I 6:55 GET OUT (R) 12:35 I 3:55 I 7:20 I 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) New powers to target ‘fraud tourists’ JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Financial Crime detectives say new powers to arrest and charge people in possession of fake credit cards will help them stop scam art- ists at the border. Government amended the Penal Code during the last session of the Legislative Assembly in March to create the new crime of “possession of articles for use to defraud.” The move follows a series of crimes involving tourists who have arrived in Cayman with cloned cards intending to rip off banks, or in some cases with secret camera equipment to steal PIN numbers from ATM users. Detective Sergeant Orville Wil- liams said the legislation would allow customs agents to detain people at the border if such ma- terials, which can include stacks of reprogrammed gift cards, were found in their luggage. Until now, he said, police have had to wait for the scammers to strike before they can act. DS Williams said the Cayman Is- lands was a target because it does not have the “chip and pin” security system on its cards and because the strong economy means fraud- sters can get more money from cash machines here. A standard scam typically in- volves using computer software to reprogram retail store gift cards with data stolen from people’s credit or debit cards elsewhere. He said con-artists have arrived in Grand Cayman with stacks of 50 or 60 gift cards, which they then use to take money from ATMs. “Customs officers now have the right to question them, if they see anything suspicious,” said DS Wil- liams. “If someone arrives with a huge stack of gift cards they can let us know and we can check that out. If they have skimming machines or cameras in their luggage, they can be arrested and charged.” The law carries penalties of up to seven years imprisonment. It also creates a separate offense of making or supplying articles for use to de- fraud, which carries a maximum jail term of ten years in prison. In one case last year, a visitor from eastern Europe fitted a secret camera to an ATM machine. He was tracked through CCTV images, but initially denied the of- fense, claiming it was not him on the grainy camera footage. Detective Williams said police were able to use images from his own camera, which clearly showed his face in high definition, and he reversed his plea. In another case last year offi- cers confiscated 68 reprogrammed gift cards from a Bulgarian visitor as well as nearly $3,000 cash in the lining of his suitcase. A different case involved a gang of visitors from Romania who made nearly 400 ATM withdrawals using the same method, successfully stealing more than $16,000 before they were caught. Anhill Carsana, a computer fo- rensics examiner with the police, said the tough sentences handed down in those cases should serve as a deterrent to criminal gangs tar- geting the islands. “The financial industry is one of our main pillars. We can’t have these guys coming in and doing what they want,” said DS Williams. “The new law was an extra tool to help police fight this type of crime.” “As it was before, you had to wait for them to commit an offence be- fore you could do anything. Now we can get them at the border before they do anything.” Introducing the amendment in the LA last month, Attorney Gen- eral Sam Bulgin, said the crime had become a major problem in recent years, with a “number of foreign na- tionals convicted.” He cited Romanians and Bulgar- ians among them and indicated gov- ernment had put additional visa re- strictions in place against some of those countries. During the debate, East End leg- islator Arden McLean called for much tougher action saying Roma- nians should be banned from the country as a result of credit card fraud by some of its citizens. “If we see the Romanians are the ones doing it, put them on the prohibited country list. Let them stay over there. “Keep your people home and we will stay out of your way and you out of ours.“Everyone is putting up walls and we can’t put one provi- sion in one law?” “We can put up walls too – might not be physical ones like our good friends to the north, but this is our country. We need to protect it.” The Financial Crime Unit indi- cates that visitors have come from multiple countries, including Bul- garia, Romania and Malaysia, to commit credit card fraud in the Cayman Islands. DS Williams said it was a global phenomenon that had affected countries across the world for years and was now beginning to become more common in the Caribbean. Butchered eagle ray found in EE Illegal catch reported to DoE JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A fisherman made the gruesome dis- covery Friday of an eagle ray, with its wings sliced off, floating in the shallows off East End. Joel Jefferson said it appeared as though the ray’s wing-like pectoral fins had been cut off and the animal thrown back in the water and left to die. “The first thing I thought was that a shark had got it. Then I saw how clean the cuts were. “It is particularly shocking because eagle rays aren’t really even a food source. If someone takes an extra fish or a lobster, I don’t approve of it, but you can understand why. Cutting up an eagle ray like this doesn’t serve any purpose, that’s what makes it particu- larly egregious.” Like sharks, eagle rays are protected by the National Conservation Law. Mark Orr, chief enforcement of- ficer with the Department of Environ- ment, said, “Nobody is supposed to catch them, and if fishermen do catch them by accident, they are supposed to put them back unharmed.” He acknowledged it would be diffi- cult to catch the perpetrators, but said the DoE would be making additional checks in the area. Mr. Jefferson said he believed most fishermen were aware of the laws and did their best to protect the environment. He believes the DoE is under re- sourced and that more conserva- tion officers are needed to keep tabs on illegal activity in and around Cayman’s waters. “That’s something we can fix,” he said. “You can have all the laws in the world, but without enforcement you are whistling in the wind.” Possession of stacks of reprogrammed gift cards, like these, is now a criminal offence punishable by up to seven years in prison. - PHOTOS: JAMES WHITTAKER Computer foresnics examiner Anhill Carsana shows a hidden camera found fitted to an ATM machine in the Cayman Islands. Iconic and graceful, eagle rays are a big attraction to scuba divers and snorkelers in Cayman. This file photo shows a spotted eagle ray at the North Sound sandbar. - PHOTO: ELLEN CUYLAERTS3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 3, 2017 +1.954.659.5080 l flgps@ccf.org clevelandclinic.org/flgps Make your connection to world class care. Our Global Patient Coordinators connect people from over 100 countries to a world renowned name in healthcare. Independent candidates forming pact Arden McLean, Ezzard Miller refer to it in campaign launches CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Some independent candi- dates for the May 24 General Elections are in the process of forming a Cayman People’s Alliance. The term was made public when Arden McLean referred to it during his cam- paign launch in East End on Wednesday night and Ezzard Miller used it in his cam- paign literature in North Side on Thursday night. Mr. Miller later con- firmed that the candidates on stage with him for a public meeting in the Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre were in- volved in the alliance: Arden McLean, Anthony Eden, Alva Suckoo, Gilbert McLean and Paul Hurlston. He said he and the others had attended Arden McLean’s campaign launch and en- dorsed him for election to fill that district’s seat in the legislature. After 19 people are elected as members of the Legislative Assembly, a ma- jority will form the govern- ment and determine who will be premier. Work in progress Mr. Miller explained that the alliance was a work in progress and still devel- oping. He said other candi- dates were joining and he expected that a press re- lease would be issued in the coming week. His own reference was contained in a letter to North Siders that was distributed at his campaign launch. He wrote, “I will be working with Cayman People’s Alli- ance to offer a more deter- mined, qualified and people- centred leadership for the Cayman Islands. This group of like-minded individuals offers a platform that aims to put Caymanians at the forefront of our economic development.” From the podium on Thursday night, he suggested one specific measure: “We need to be prepared to put moratoriums on work per- mits.” He pointed out that when he was in government in 1992 they sent a directive that there were to be no more permits for condominium managers, and it worked. He said there was a time when all the Seven Mile Beach hotels were man- aged by Caymanians, but not today. He elaborated on a statement from his letter: “We need to restore Cayma- nians to being first among equals in our country. We need to reignite the Cayma- nian belief that if we work hard and apply our Cayma- nian ingenuity, we should be given the opportunity to par- ticipate in our economy and to ultimately succeed.” Retired senior civil ser- vant Donovan Ebanks chaired the meeting and introduced the speakers. Mr. Eden, who is vying for the Savannah seat, spoke of Mr. Miller’s reputation for researching issues and sug- gested he would make a good minister for health. Mr. Suckoo, contesting the seat for Newlands, re- minded the audience that Mr. Miller and Arden McLean were the movers of the motion that led to the appointment of boundary commissioners that led to the necessary legislation that made “one man, one vote” a reality. Gilbert McLean, cam- paigning in Bodden Town West, spoke of Mr. Mill- er’s ability to take criticism and keep fighting. He said the government of 2013- 2017 had not been very open: “If Ezzard and Arden were not in LA, we wouldn’t know what was hap- pening,” he asserted. Arden McLean praised Mr. Miller’s experience and te- nacity. “The only person I’ve seen change Ezzard’s mind is Anthony Eden,” he shared. When the Legal Practitioners Bill was being debated re- cently and a private meeting of legislators was suggested for differences to be ham- mered out, Mr. Miller had been adamant that every- thing should be public, he said, but Mr. Eden had per- suaded him that 17 Cay- manians should be able to sit down and talk things through. Then, he related, Mr. Miller declared, “We’ve got to go private!” Sidney Ebanks, who is not a candidate, also spoke in support of Mr. Miller. Mr. Hurlston, a first- time candidate who is con- testing the seat for George Town South, did not address the gathering. He reportedly joked that he would give his time to Arden McLean. “This group of like-minded individuals offers a platform that aims to put Caymanians at the forefront of our economic development.” EZZARD MILLER, independent candidate for North Side All of the post offices on Grand Cayman will close for a staff function at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 4. The post offices on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman will operate as normal. On Tuesday, April 25, post offices on all three is- lands will be closed all day for staff development, ac- cording to an advisory from the Cayman Islands Postal Service. POST OFFICE CLOSURES Independent Candidate Ezzard Miller, right, watches as Brian Tomlinson signs his nomination form.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. WASHINGTON – Repeal-and- replace (for Obamacare) is not quite dead. It has been declared so, but what that means is that for now, the president has (ap- parently) washed his hands of it and the House Republi- cans appear unable to reconcile their differences. Neither condition needs to be permanent. There are ide- ological differences between the various GOP factions, but what’s overlooked is the role that procedure played in pro- ducing the deadlock. And pro- cedure can easily be changed. The House leadership crafted a bill that would meet the delicate requirements of “reconciliation” in order to create a (more achievable) threshold of 51 rather than 60 votes in the Senate. But this meant that some of the more attractive, market-oriented re- forms had to be left out, rel- egated to a future measure (a so-called phase-three bill) that might never actually arrive. Yet the more stripped-down proposal died anyway. So why not go for the gold next time? Pass a bill that incorporates phase-three reforms and send it on to the Senate. September might be the time for resurrecting repeal- and-replace. That is when in- surers recalibrate premiums for the coming year, precipitating our annual bout of Obamacare sticker shock. By then, even more insurers will be dropping out of the exchanges, further reducing choice and service. These should help dissipate the pre-emptive nostalgia for Obamacare that emerged during the current debate. At which point, the House leadership should present a re- peal-and-replace that includes such phase-three provisions as tort reform and permitting the buying of insurance across state lines, both of which would significantly lower costs. Even more significant would be stripping out the heavy-handed Obamacare cov- erage mandate that dictates what specific medical benefits must be included in every in- surance policy in the country, regardless of the purchaser’s desires or needs. Best to mandate nothing. Let the customer decide. A 60-year-old couple does not need maternity coverage. Why should they be forced to pay for it? And I do not know about you, but I don’t need lacta- tion services. This would satisfy the House Freedom Caucus’ cor- rect insistence on dismantling Obamacare’s stifling regulatory straitjacket – without scaring off moderates who should un- derstand that no one is being denied “essential health bene- fits.” Rather, no one is being re- quired to buy what the Jona- than Grubers of the world have decided everyone must have. It is true that even if this revised repeal-and-replace passes the House, it might die by filibuster in the Senate. In which case, let the Senate Democrats explain themselves and suffer the consequences. Perhaps, however, such a bill might engender debate and re- vision – and come back to the House for an old-fashioned House-Senate conference and a possible compromise. This in and of itself would constitute major progress. That is procedure. It’s fix- able. But there is an ideolog- ical consideration that could ultimately determine the fate of any Obamacare replacement. Obamacare may turn out to be unworkable, indeed doomed, but it is having a profound ef- fect on the zeitgeist: It is uni- versalizing the idea of uni- versal coverage. Acceptance of its major premise – that no one be de- nied healthcare – is more wide- spread than ever. Even House Speaker Paul Ryan avers that “our goal is to give every Amer- ican access to quality, afford- able healthcare,” making uni- versality an essential premise of his own reform. And look at how sensitive and defensive Re- publicans have been about the possibility of people losing cov- erage in any Obamacare repeal. A broad national consensus is developing that healthcare is indeed a right. This is histori- cally new. And it carries im- mense implications for the fu- ture. It suggests that we may be heading inexorably to a govern- ment-run, single-payer system. It’s what Barack Obama once admitted he would have pre- ferred but did not think the country was ready for. It may be ready now. As Obamacare continues to unravel, it will not take much for Democrats to abandon that Rube Goldberg wreckage and go for the simplicity and the universality of Medicare-for- all. Republicans will have one last chance to try to convince the country to remain with a market-based system, prefer- ably one encompassing all the provisions that for procedural reasons, had been left out of their latest proposal. Don’t be surprised, how- ever, if, in the end, single-payer wins out. Indeed, I would not be terribly surprised if Donald Trump, reading the zeitgeist, pulls the greatest 180 since Disraeli dished the Whigs in 1867 (by radically expanding the franchise) and joins the single-payer side. Talk about disruption? About kicking over the furni- ture? That would be an Amer- ican Krakatoa. Charles Krauthammer’s email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com. © 2017, The Washington Post Writers Group When the Progressives passed their Immigration Law in fall 2013, they handed the Cayman Islands a ticking time bomb of uncertainty and legal liability. It is unclear whether the Progressives Cabinet’s belated tweaks to permanent residence regulations will be enough to defuse this dangerous piece of ordinance, or whether it will detonate and deconstruct Cayman’s entire immigration system. In the process the country’s Freedom of Information Law may suffer mortal collateral damage. At the center of this scenario are a pair of rulings by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie. In August 2015, the chief justice issued a landmark decision regarding two permanent residency applicants. In his ruling, the chief justice included two crucial criticisms – that the “PR points system” (particularly the different weights given to different occupations) was problematic and “arbitrary,” and that the nearly 10 years the two PR applicants spent waiting for decisions amounted to “uncon- scionably long delays.” Following the ruling, the government commissioned a consultant’s report from Ritch & Conolly law firm, which was completed in mid-2016, and presumably contains an analysis of weaknesses (and perhaps solutions to those weaknesses) in Cayman’s immigration system. On the last day of February this year, the Progressives Cabinet made long-overdue changes to immigration regu- lations, with the promise that the backlog of 900-plus per- manent residence applications would finally be cleared. More than a month later, the Immigration Department has signaled it is about to begin considering PR appli- cations, albeit with no apparent substantive action, no specific timeline and, most importantly, no actual decisions. In the meantime, the deleterious effects of the Pro- gressives’ PR freeze are rippling through the broader legal system – and individual’s personal lives. In a Feb. 7 judgment in a family court case, Justice Richard Williams described the PR situation as a “regret- table current state of affairs” and a “deficient part of the immigration process.” In that case, the delays in processing PR applications from a couple – who had since filed for sepa- ration – introduced complexities in the division of assets and custody of their children. Law firm HSM Chambers has described Cabinet’s changes as “largely cosmetic” tweaks that would give nearly all applicants more “points” on their applica- tions but do not address more fundamental issues. HSM is leading two high-profile court challenges concerning the government’s PR delays, which are still pending before the courts and are likely not be decided before the May 24 elections, but which represent real financial threats to Cayman’s public treasury. The changes Cabinet made to the Immigration Law in February were probably informed by the 2016 report from Ritch & Conolly. In regard to statements about the “Ritch Report,” we employ qualifiers such as “presum- ably” and “probably” out of necessity – because neither we, nor anyone else outside of Premier Alden McLaughlin and a small circle of officials, knows what the report actually says. In late January, Chief Justice Smellie issued a ruling that accepted as an assumption the premier’s argument that the Ritch Report constituted legally privileged advice, and then determined that, as such, it would not be “appropriate” to compel the government to turn the report over to Information Commissioner Jan Liebaers – who had sought the document precisely in order to deter- mine if it contained legal advice. Mr. Liebaers is now seeking to challenge that ruling in the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal. If the chief justice’s decision stands, in our view it opens up a gaping loophole in Cayman’s FOI Law. Any time a government minister wishes to keep a public record from going public, he could simply label it “legal advice” and refuse to allow anyone, even the information commissioner, from verifying if that assertion is correct. Further, as we reported Friday, “Mr. Liebaers said since the chief justice’s ruling was made public, a number of government entities have been attempting to deny the information commissioner’s office access to records, even without a ministerial certificate of exemption similar to the one issued by Premier McLaughlin.” It’s too early to tell, but depending on various outcomes in court, Cayman could soon be welcoming many hundreds of new permanent residents, parting ways with millions of tax dollars in legal fees, and waving goodbye to FOI. Permanent residence: The Progressives’ explosive legacy MONDAY APRIL 3, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS The road to single- payer healthcare Charles KrauthammerKrauthammer 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 • MONDAY APRIL 3, 2017 Judge gives 12 and 15 years for illegal firearm possession Revolver and pistol were loaded, an aggravating factor CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com In Grand Court on Friday, Walter Jordan McLaughlin was sentenced to 12 years im- prisonment after a jury found him guilty of possessing an unlicensed .38 revolver. The same jury found Keith Rohan Montaque guilty of possessing the .38 revolver and a 9mm pistol. He received two sentences of 15 years, to be served concurrently. In passing sentence, Jus- tice Paul Worsley said it was an aggravating factor that both firearms were loaded when police found them in a house occupied by both men at the time of the officers’ search in February 2015. “The rise in gun crime over recent years has been a curse to the peace-loving community of Cayman,” the judge said. The mandatory minimum sentence is 10 years unless there is some exceptional cir- cumstance. The judge found none. He agreed with defense attorneys that the guns were not out on the street, they were not used to threaten anyone, they were not used in the course of a crime. These facts, however, were not mit- igating; they were only an absence of further aggra- vating features. McLaughlin, now 29, was represented by attorney Alice Carver. Montaque, now 28, was represented by attorney Lee Halliday-Davis. The jury had not been told that this was a retrial. The men had been tried in October 2015 after pleading not guilty. After the prosecution’s case was completed, defense attor- neys successfully argued that there was no case to an- swer because, although the defendants’ DNA had been found on one or both of the guns, there was no evidence as to how or when it came to be there. They pointed out that it could have happened through secondary transfer (such as shaking hands with someone who then touches the gun) rather than di- rect transfer. Justice Seymour Panton agreed and the men were acquitted. In August, 2016, se- nior Crown counsel Candia James argued in the Court of Appeal against that deci- sion. The higher court judges agreed and ordered a retrial. They said Justice Panton’s approach was erroneous in law because it failed to give weight to other, circumstan- tial, evidence. For this second trial, there was much evidence that was agreed. Police went to the residence with a search war- rant around 5 a.m. on Sunday Feb. 8, 2015. McLaughlin lived there with his father; Mon- taque had been staying there about four days and sleeping there, in a middle bedroom, every other night; he was there when police arrived. Officers discovered the guns in the lining of a box spring under the mat- tress in the room where Montaque slept. The officers who discov- ered the guns did not touch them. Two other officers were called to deal with the guns and they did not have any dealings with the defendants. The guns were swabbed and tested. No fingerprints were recovered from either gun. The revolver was found to have the DNA of both men; the pistol had Montaque’s, but not McLaughlin’s. In her summing up, Ms. James pointed out that the guns were not in an area where someone could have casually deposited them. She agreed that nobody saw ei- ther defendant holding a gun. But “there is no reliable evi- dential reason to ignore what is staring you in the face – the obvious, inevitable con- clusion is that their DNA is there because they handled the guns,” she said. In reply, Ms. Carver ar- gued that there were multiple opportunities for secondary transfer of the defendants’ DNA, such as from sheets or towels, and it was not known how many people had keys to the house. Ms. Halliday-Davis pointed out that because Montaque had occupied the middle bedroom did not mean that no one else had. Justice Worsley empha- sized the jurors’ need to be sure of guilt before they could convict. Neither defen- dant gave evidence, but that was their right, he pointed out. “Do not assume simply because they kept quiet that they are guilty,” he said. There was no explana- tion as to why their DNA was on one or both guns, the judge noted. Montaque had been inter- viewed by police and said he knew nothing about the guns. McLaughlin was interviewed with his attorney present and exercised his right to make no comment. Justice Worsley said the jury was entitled to con- clude that the defendants’ silence at their trial was because they could not an- swer the prosecution’s case. But, he cautioned, jurors could only reach that con- clusion if they were sure that the case was so strong it called for an answer; and that the only sensible expla- nation for not giving evidence was that they had no defense to put forward. After the jury’s unanimous verdicts, Ms. Carver and Ms. Halliday-Davis spoke in miti- gation. Both pointed out that the men had been released from custody after Justice Panton acquitted them; they had found jobs and stayed out of trouble, but were taken back into custody after the Court of Appeal’s decision. They asked for credit for that time and the judge agreed. Ms. Carver pointed out that 10 years for a firearm conviction means a full 10 years, with no opportunity for early release on license. Ms. Halliday-Davis asked the judge to consider that for a man of 28, 10 years is a long, long time. The men had faced a third charge involving possession of a pouch with eight rounds of live .38 ammunition found in the living room of the house. No fingerprints were recovered from the ammu- nition and no forensic tests were conducted on the pouch. On this charge the jury found both men not guilty.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days George Town MONDAY APRIL 3, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 years ago: Administrator Cumber tackles district concerns at meeting In the April 5, 1967 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, news from George Town included: “The last of the public meetings arranged by His Honour the Administrator was held in the Town Hall, George Town on the 29th. “Touching on many sub- jects which have been re- ported in our pages from time to time, e.g. roads, air- strip, education, communi- cations, medical services, etc. His Honour brought his audience up to date with relevant information. “He indicated that tech- nical experts from the Thompson Foundation were expected early in April to discuss the possibilities of a radio station, perhaps even- tually to cover TV also. “A piece of very encour- aging news was that two private surveys in Grand Cayman and the recent in- vestigations of Mr. Delphy, a Hydro-geologist from the United Nations staff, in all three islands, have con- firmed that there is in fact an adequate supply of water below ground. Not only should this prove sufficient to meet normal domestic and agricultural needs but, in the centre of Grand Cayman, there is enough to cover an irrigation scheme should this prove necessary at some future date. “Looking ahead to legislation which may be considered necessary in the future, His Honour men- tioned the advisability of the Assembly giving thought to protecting some land for Caymanians which would not be available for sale to expatriate purchasers. “He also indicated that an official and accurate land survey was something which would be of benefit in ensuring that eventu- ally all landowners would have a watertight title to their property. “As in the other dis- tricts, His Honour an- swered questions and was, perhaps inevitably, called upon to explain facts re- garding constitutional pro- posals at present under dis- cussion as well as on other varied subjects. “One or two questioners were interested in the six houses Government is pro- posing to build for civil ser- vants from overseas. Capt. Eldon asked His Honour to confirm that the money spent on these would be an investment and in the long run a saving of Government funds, as at the moment a lot of money is being paid in rent for homes for these officers. His Honour agreed with this view and in reply to Mr. A.B. Bush, who said he had been asked by members of the public why we had to find houses for people who were earning good salaries, the Administrator reminded those present that expert help was difficult to obtain. The salaries which a small island Government like ours were able to offer are much lower than other countries offered. As we absolutely need people like a doctor, a dentist, a judge etc. then we must either find them a house or make the salaries much more attractive, which would probably prove more expensive in the end. “During the discus- sion His Honour pointed out the fact that an At- torney-General was an ur- gent necessity.” Pines History Wall honors its supporters JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new History Wall featuring wooden plaques bearing the names of individuals and businesses who made significant contributions to George Town’s seniors residence was unveiled at The Pines Retire- ment Home on Wednesday. Olive Miller, The Pines’ first man- ager and a long-time resident said it was indeed a historic day for The Pines as she welcomed guests to the event, including Governor Helen Kilpatrick. “This morning I was listening to the radio and they kept saying this is a historical day and I kept saying to them, yes, yes and you don’t know how historical. Brexit [has] started, it is Nomination Day, 63 people were nominated, and The Pines re- tirement home is unveiling its wall of history, it is the right day to do it,” said Ms. Miller to the delight of everyone gathered. The History Wall is located in the downstairs foyer of The Pines. The Pink Ladies, the Veterans, along with Scotia, Royal, Bar- clay’s, Washington International and Northwest banks, and nu- merous private individuals are among the names listed on the wall. The plaques were found by a staff member at the original Pines home, which was built on land belonging to the late Ellen Nixon. Before Ms. Miller discussed the wall, she explained how the home earned its name. “I heard some people [saying] it’s called The Pines so old people can go there and pine their lives away; that’s the last thing we want any- body to think,” said Ms. Miller, who noted she lives there and it is a wonderful place to live. She explained that in the 1980s when they started to build the home and the council was discussing what to call it, the name first sug- gested was “the Home for the Aging,” but they didn’t think it would have staying power. Heber Arch, a board member, brought up a particular place on Seven Mile Beach with lots of pine trees and lots of shade and where families went to have fun. “We wanted it to be a place just like The Pines on the beach, where old people would be sheltered from the sun and the difficulties of old age and where they could have fun and families would be able to come and meet them,” Ms. Miller said. Throughout the years they have tried to maintain that ethic. “That’s why its called The Pines today,” Ms. Miller said. The History Wall came about one day when Ms. Miller wondered what had happened to all the plaques that had been on the wall in the old building. She asked the maintenance man about it, who the next day came to her with a cardboard box with the plaques and various other things from the old building. Along with friend Carol Hay, Ms. Miller decided to build the History Wall to display the plaques. Rotary Central came on board with donations, and also as- sisted by creating a beautiful tree painted on a huge roll of canvas, Ms. Miller said. Ms. Miller hopes everyone will be as delighted as she was when she saw it. “‘It’s a living wall and not a dead history wall,’ Ms. Hay keeps telling me,” Ms. Miller said. “Every day of the year you make history in a place like this, [and] as the years go on and in the next 33 years, we hope we fill up the other half of the wall.” Wrapping up her talk, Ms. Miller said it was her third attempt at pre- serving the history of The Pines. Her first attempt was when she was manager. From her first day on the job, she kept a scrap- book of everything that was written about The Pines, however the book was unfortunately destroyed during hurricane Ivan in 2004. She bought a large memo- rial book and a marble-top table on which to display it in the foyer, noting all the people who had passed away at The Pines and in the community in whose name dona- tions were given. The memorial book disap- peared and was never to be seen again, she said. The table was found some years later, and Ms. Miller said she do- nated it to the National Museum. The History Wall is her third at- tempt at preserving the home’s his- tory. She hopes somebody will be in- terested enough to see that it is not destroyed, and she had witnesses to back up her wish. Pines Manager Lynda Mitchell, in her presentation, thanked the people involved in the creation of The Pines’ new logo, and overseeing the makeover of the website. Theo Bullmore, vice chairman and treasurer of The Pines, thanked guests and invited them to tour the building. Olive Miller hopes everyone will be as delighted as she was when she saw it. Pines Chairman David Marshall speaks at the unveiling of a new History Wall at the Pines Retirement Home on Wednesday. - PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY Governor Helen Kilpatrick along with Pines Chairman David Marshall and resident Olive Miller discuss the History Wall in the company of guests.District Days George Town DISTRICT DAYS 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 3, 2017 Triple C ‘plants seeds of inspiration’ Dressed the part, Triple C School’s pre-kinder- garteners took to the stage to present their future ca- reers on March 31. Professions included po- lice officers, doctors, me- chanics, engineers, veter- inarians, firefighters and even cowgirls. Teacher Antoinette Cowan said that throughout the year the pre-kinder- garten students are exposed to different themes with the aim of helping them to understand the world in which they live. This year the students em- barked on a Career Day Expo and an exhibition under the theme Community Workers. This activity was done in order to help the students to be aware of the people who help them and to appreciate the fact that each community worker is important. “Teaching Pre-Kinder- garten students about com- munity helpers connects them to their neighborhood and helps them to appre- ciate the hard work of the people in their community,” said. Ms. Cowan. “They get to dramatize different roles and expand their knowledge as they learn the functions of each worker. “They learn public speaking skills as they in- troduce themselves and talk about their jobs. It was indeed a collaborative approach as our super moms and dads came on board and helped us in the preparation process,” she added. Elementary Vice Principal Jennifer Allen said, “It was great to see the each of the students so excited to share their career choice. This is a great time to expose little ones to all the different ca- reers that work together to form our community. It gives them the opportunity to ex- plore what makes each ca- reer special and think how they can make a differ- ence one day when they join the workforce. “I would like to think that we are planting seeds of inspiration for our future doctors, lawyers, ballerina dancers, actors, and one day we will get the opportunity to see them bloom.” “They learn public speaking skills as they introduce themselves and talk about their jobs. It was indeed a collaborative approach as our super moms and dads came on board.” ANTOINETTE COWAN, teacher Hannah and Marriah Rankine Kai Ebanks Jeremy Ebanks Jessie Ebanks Sophia Tomkins Dhruv Kundnani, Tahlia Cowan and Arriah Albury Harrison McLaughlinGiana CaumCarys MorganThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY APRIL 3, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Dr. Wayne R. Porter MD F.A.A.D. Dermatologist call : 946-9020 between 9am to 5pm Dees Plaza #282 on Crewe Road, GT He will be in office from April 3rd to April 7th, 2017 deployment [of genetically modified mosquitoes] accom- panied by rigorous indepen- dent monitoring and evalua- tion. A general rollout across the whole of Grand Cayman is well beyond that recommenda- tion and as such, the applica- tion is premature.” The MRCU character- izes the West Bay program as phase one of an operational rollout, rather than a trial. It says preliminary results show “without doubt” that the technique is working and it is seeking permission from the National Conservation Council for a national rollout. Bill Petrie, director of the unit, told the Cayman Com- pass that the aim is to begin the next phase of the release in February next year, pending government approval. However, the permit re- quest could face an indepen- dent risk analysis – similar to the environmental impact as- sessment process – under new guidelines drafted by the Na- tional Conservation Council. Mr. Cox said he was pleased that the council had established guidelines that could lead to an external anal- ysis of the mosquito program. He said his principal client, IRT, which appears to be a single-person organization run by Jeffrey Smith, a California based consumer activist who has campaigned against ge- netically modified foods, is urging the Cayman Islands government to consider an al- ternative method. They have highlighted the “Eliminate Dengue” program, a not-for- profit international collabo- ration, which infects mosqui- toes with a naturally occurring bacteria, Wolbachia, reducing their ability to spread disease, as a viable, safer alternative to GM mosquitoes. Mr. Cox said the approach was also backed by the WHO and was being led by non- profit organizations rather than private companies. He said he had met with researchers at Michigan State University, who developed the technique, and they were willing to supply the program in the Cayman Islands for free. “Their goal is to simply pro- vide a solution to mosquito- borne diseases and help coun- tries develop a self-sustaining, long-term mosquito con- trol program without on- going costs payable to pri- vate companies.” He added, “As Wolbachia is already present in the envi- ronment, we suggest that this option presents a safer alter- native to genetically modified organisms and its application as a vector control strategy is achieving results in excess of 95 percent in the reduc- tion of mosquito populations,” said Mr. Cox. “This technique has already been approved by regulators in the U.S., China, Singapore, Cuba, Mexico, Peru and Brazil.” Professor Zhiyong Xi and David Dewitt of MSU are plan- ning to visit Grand Cayman and give a presentation of the MSU program at the end of April, Mr. Cox said. “We had hoped that Dr. Petrie would have been able meet them on their visit but he is unable to do so due to his attendance at a Health Con- ference. However, we will be inviting the DOE and mem- bers of the NCC to attend, so that they are fully aware of the Wolbachia alternative and its successful use in other countries. We hope that MRCU and the regulators have an open mind about considering an alternative to the GMM program and potential long- term costs savings.” Mr. Petrie, the director of the MRCU, previously told the Cayman Compass, the unit had looked at the Wolbachia technique, which he said was also a bio-technology method. “Both are very interesting from a biological point of view. They are using modern bio- logical methods and are fairly similar in concept.” He said the Wolbachia method had drawbacks be- cause it involved the release of females rather than just males, which do not bite, and was not “self limiting” in the same way as the genetically modi- fied mosquito method, where the progeny of the adapted mosquitoes don’t survive to adulthood. He acknowledged that there had been subsequent trials with the bacteria, which had eliminated some of those problems, and said it was a technique that could po- tentially be reconsidered for Cayman in the future. raised the issue of public dis- closures by politicians four years ago following the last general election. “I think, personally … there is no doubt in my mind that the [declaration of interests] form itself is inadequate,” Ms. Thompson said in December 2013. “It lends itself … to abuse, and I don’t want to say ‘abuse’ lightly, but I think it is an appropriate word.” Aside from what Ms. Thompson described as gen- eral confusion concerning what forms were to be filed, when they should be filed and according to what law they should be filed, the informa- tion required on the register of interests form was gener- ally lacking, she said. “It ba- sically allows individuals to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or ‘not applicable’ and then sign off,” she said. The Progressives-led gov- ernment approved the Stan- dards in Public Life Bill in early 2014, but that legisla- tion was never put into effect, largely because of complaints from appointed board mem- bers that disclosure require- ments were too onerous. There were also concerns among government workers over which staff members needed to file a register of interests form and which did not. A revamped amend- ment bill was approved by lawmakers last year, requiring elected politicians, senior gov- ernment workers and ap- pointed board members to submit disclosures of per- sonal business interests and finances for public review, however that legislation has not been put into effect. “The great challenge we’ve had with this bill is trying to strike the right balance,” Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin said at the time. “If we wind up with disclosure requirements which are so onerous that people are unwilling to volunteer to these [boards and commissions] po- sitions, then we will have to completely revamp the system that we have.” Under the amended legislation, appointed board members will not have to de- clare memberships in any professional group, charity or special interest organization. Interest disclosure require- ments for appointed board members will also extend only to their immediate family – spouses and dependents – and are to be declared only when the board member holds prop- erty or manages anything on behalf of that person or if that person manages something for the board member. Disclosure requirements for politicians and senior gov- ernment workers were largely unchanged from the 2014 bill. The legislation does not apply to the judiciary. Flower Show in full bloom Plant lovers flocked to the Garden Club of Grand Cayman’s Flower Show at the South Sound Community Park on Friday, March 31. Stunning arrays of orchids, other flowering plants and floral arrangements were on display, and visitors browsed the wide range of plants for sale. The Garden Club, founded in 1957, promotes interest in and knowledge of gardening and all things related to the enjoyment of the natural beauty of the Cayman Islands. Concern over national rollout of GM mosquito project CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 financial statements, is that it could end up being worth less than $0. “The presumption [is] that remediation cost would completely elimi- nate the actual land value,” Ms. Cullen said. “However, we raised concerns on this point, as there is the possi- bility that the cost to reme- diate the landfill could ex- ceed the land value, which would mean that there are costs [liabilities] not re- flected in the 2015 finan- cial statements.” A consultant’s report re- leased in September 2016 recommended a $538 mil- lion, 25-year investment in the landfill’s remediation, although not all of those costs would be borne by the public sector under the proposal and not all would be incurred directly at the George Town landfill site. The report, penned by U.K. consultants Amec Foster Wheeler, noted that those costs aren’t as staggering as they might initially seem. Amec compared the cur- rent costs of maintaining the present remediation and management tech- niques for waste on the is- lands – largely just land- filling waste – and noted that would cost $418 mil- lion over the same 25-year period. The extra invest- ment on the landfill so- lution might cost govern- ment less than $5 million a year, the Ministry of Health noted at the time. The landfill is not the only environmental hazard site that requires remedia- tion, according to auditors. Another site in Frank Sound was noted as having poten- tial financial liabilities in the report which was made public last month in the Legislative Assembly. The issue with the Frank Sound property in- volves arsenic contamina- tion, according to auditors. “Management has rep- resented that there is no process in place to prop- erly assess and account for its environmental li- abilities,” Auditor Gen- eral Sue Winspear wrote in her opinion on the gov- ernment’s 2014/15 financial statements. “[The two sites identified] are the remedi- ation and clean-up of the George Town landfill site and [the] Frank Sound site. I believe that the liabilities … are more likely than not to be understated.” The understatement of the environmental liabil- ities was one of several matters auditors raised that led government’s en- tire public sector finan- cial statements to receive an “adverse” audit opinion – meaning the figures pre- sented had significant gaps and errors in the informa- tion. The financial state- ments received that adverse opinion in 2014/15 for the second year in a row. How- ever, it actually represented an improvement from prior years, when Cayman’s gov- ernment had its finan- cial statements disclaimed due to a lack of informa- tion provided. The auditor general’s office has said in recent months that most indi- vidual government agencies are submitting far better quality financial statements than they ever have under the accrual accounting system Cayman has used since 2004. Most entities are either receiving “clean” audit opinions or audits with just a few missing pieces of nec- essary information. “[There is a] general trend of continued improve- ment seen in the quality of financial reporting by gov- ernment entities during 2015/16,” Ms. Winspear’s quarterly report issued in December said. However, some wider problems across the public sector, particularly with government liabilities for pension and healthcare and in government revenue col- lections, have not been re- solved, auditors noted. These issues have been re- vealed by Finance Minister Marco Archer over the past two years. He has said gov- ernment is doing what it can to address them one-by-one. Auditors: GT Landfill worth less than $0 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “There is the possibility that the cost to remediate the landfill could exceed the land value.” ANGELA CULLEN, manager, Auditor General’s Office 61 of 63 candidates file interests by deadline CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 3, 2017 Spain to get telescope if Hawaii doesn’t An agreement has been reached for a giant telescope to be built in Spain’s Canary Islands if it cannot be put atop a Hawaii mountain. Hawaii’s Mauna Kea remains the preferred location, but some Native Hawaiians are fighting to keep the telescope off a mountain they consider sacred. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com Jillian Stone (née Cox) Jilly passed away gracefully at home on the 28th of March 2017. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Johnny, and her younger brother, Mike. She will be dearly missed by her children, Charles, Googie, Ian and Frosty, her grandchildren, Isobel, Lily, Max, Madeleine, Charlotte, Alex, Stewie, and Graham, and her many friends. Jilly was kind and fun-loving, with a generous spirit, a great sense of humour and a deep love of her family. Jilly’s family invites you to a memorial service for her at 4pm, on the 5th of April 2017 St. George’s Anglican Church, Courts Road, off Eastern Avenue, Grand Cayman. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Cayman HospiceCare Jillian Stone (née Cox) Jilly passed away gracefully at home on the 28th of March 2017. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Johnny, and her younger brother, Mike. She will be dearly missed by her children, Charles, Googie, Ian and Frosty, her grandchildren, Isobel, Lily, Max, Madeleine, Charlotte, Alex, Stewie, and Graham, and her many friends. Jilly was kind and fun-loving, with a generous spirit, a great sense of humour and a deep love of her family. Jilly’s family invites you to a memorial service for her at 4pm, on the 5th of April 2017 at St. George’s Anglican Church, Courts Road, off Eastern Avenue, Grand Cayman. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Cayman HospiceCare. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com Colombia: 193 dead after rivers overflow, toppling homes BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) – An avalanche of water from three overflowing rivers tore through a small city in Co- lombia while people slept, destroying homes, sweeping away cars and killing at least 193 unsuspecting residents. The incident triggered by a sudden, heavy rainstorm happened around midnight Friday and into early Sat- urday in Mocoa, a provin- cial capital of about 40,000 tucked between mountains near Colombia’s southern border with Ecuador. Muddy water quickly surged through the city’s streets, toppling homes, rip- ping trees from their roots and carrying a torrent of rocks and debris down- stream. Many residents did not have enough time to flee. According to the Red Cross, 202 people were in- jured and 220 believed missing. President Juan Manuel Santos declared a state of emergency and said the death toll will likely rise but warned against specu- lating about how many are dead. Late Saturday, he said the toll had reached 193. “We don’t know how many there are going to be,” he said of the fatalities when he ar- rived at the disaster zone to oversee rescue efforts. “We’re still looking.” Eduardo Vargas, 29, was asleep with his wife and 7-month-old baby when he was awoken by the sound of neighbors banging on his door. He quickly grabbed his family and fled up a small mountain amid the cries of people in panic. “There was no time for anything,” he said. Vargas and his family huddled with about two dozen other residents as rocks, trees and wooden planks ripped through their neighborhood below. They waited there until daylight, when members of the mili- tary helped them down. When he reached the site of his home Saturday, nothing his family left be- hind remained. “Thank God we have our lives,” he said. As rescuers assessed the full scope of the damage, many residents in Mocoa continued a desperate search for friends and relatives. Oscar Londono tried in vain throughout the night to reach his wife’s parents, whose home is right along one of the flooded rivers. He decided it was too dan- gerous to try to reach them in the dark. So he called over and over by phone but got no answer. Once the sun began to rise he started walking toward their house but found all the streets he usually takes missing. As he tried to orient himself he came across the body of a young woman dressed in a mini-skirt and black blouse. He checked her pulse but could not find one. “There were bodies all over,” he said. When he finally reached the neighborhood where his in-laws live he found “just mud and rocks.” Rescue workers with the military oriented him toward the mountain, where he found his relatives camped with other survivors. “To know they were alive,” he said, “it was a re- union of tears.” Santos said at least 22 people were seriously injured and being airlifted to nearby cities, as the small regional hospital in Mocoa struggled to cope with the magnitude of the crisis. Herman Gra- nados, an anesthesiologist, said he worked throughout the night on victims, cleaning wounds. He said the hos- pital does not have a blood bank large enough to deal with the number of patients and was quickly running out of its supply. Some of the hospital workers came to help even while there are own relatives remained missing. “Under the mud,” Granados said, “I am sure there are many more.” The Red Cross planned to set up a special unit in Mocoa Saturday afternoon to help relatives search for their loved ones. “In this moment, it’s chaos,” said Oscar Forero, a spokesman with the Colom- bian Red Cross. “There are many people missing.” Rescuers suspended the search late Saturday night due to darkness but vowed to continue at first light Sunday. Santos blamed climate change for triggering the av- alanche, saying that the ac- cumulated rainfall in one night was almost half the amount Mocoa normally re- ceives in the entire month of March. With the rainy season in much of Colombia just be- ginning, he said local and national authorities need to redouble their efforts to pre- vent a similar tragedy. Venezuela walks back move to strip congress’ power CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuela’s president and Su- preme Court backed down Saturday from an unprec- edented move to strip con- gress of its legislative powers that had sparked widespread charges that the South American country was no longer a democracy. President Nicolas Maduro asked the Supreme Court in a late-night speech to review a ruling nullifying the branch of power that set off a storm of criticism from the opposi- tion and foreign governments. The court on Saturday rein- stated congress’ authority. It was a rare instance of the embattled socialist pres- ident backing away from a move to increase his power. Opposition leaders dismissed the reversal as too little too late. They said the clarifica- tion issued by the judges only proved yet again that Maduro controls the courts and there is no longer a real separation of powers in Venezuela. “The dire situation we’re living through in Venezuela remains the same. There is nothing to “clarify” when it comes to respecting the Constitution,” said mod- erate leader and former presidential candidate Hen- rique Capriles. At the same time, critics celebrated the reversal as proof that cracks are begin- ning to show in Maduro’s control of a country spiraling into chaos, with his ap- proval ratings dipping below 20 percent amid the wors- ening economic and humani- tarian crisis. Opposition leaders re- cast a planned Saturday pro- test as an open air meeting. Hundreds of supporters joined congress members in a wealthy Caracas neigh- borhood to celebrate the rare victory. Later, soldiers fired tear gas on activists who at- tempted to march on govern- ment offices downtown and blocked their path with bar- ricades and armored cars. Some of protesters jumped atop the military vehicles and made triumphant gestures. “It’s not clear exactly how wounded the government is. This is the first time since the opposition won the National Assembly in 2015 that they have managed to get the pres- ident to reverse a decision. So this is huge,” said Javier Corrales, who teaches Latin American politics at Amherst College in Massachusetts. Saturday’s revision un- does most of the original court decision, but will still allow Maduro to enter into joint oil ventures without congressional approval. Su- preme Court president Maikel Moreno met with dip- lomats in the morning and warned that the court would not “remain passive” in the face of attacks on the coun- try’s right to self-rule. Maduro issued his in- structions to the court after an emergency night meeting of the National Se- curity Council Friday night that was boycotted by con- gress leaders. The three-hour meeting capped an extraordi- nary day in which Venezuela’s chief prosecutor and long- time loyalist of the socialist revolution launched by the late President Hugo Chavez broke with the administra- tion and denounced the court ruling. Luisa Ortega said it was her “unavoidable histor- ical duty” as the nation’s top judicial authority to decry what she called a “rupture” of the constitutional order. Colombian soldiers carry a victim on a stretcher, in Mocoa, Colombia, Saturday, after an avalanche of water from an overflowing river swept through the city as people slept. – PHOTO: COLOMBIAN ARMY VIA APNext >