BritCay Let’s go to the beach! The management and staff at BritCay wish you, your family and friends a happy Easter. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED 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 Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2017 POLICE CONDUCT ARMED RAID IN FOSTER’S SHOOTING CASE BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Armed police stormed a residence off the East-West Arterial on Wednesday after- noon in an operation connected to the in- vestigation of the April 8 robbery of an ar- mored truck outside Foster’s grocery store near the airport. According to witnesses, one man was taken into custody at the scene. A police spokesperson confirmed late Wednesday that the raid at The Blossoms complex in Doubletree Lane was connected to the probe into the armored truck robbery, but that the man taken into custody had been arrested on suspicion of ganja posses- sion only. No charges had been filed by press time Wednesday. The raid was the latest development in the investigation by the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service into the armed robbery outside Foster’s on Saturday night, when a security guard was shot twice. The guard remains hos- pitalized in stable condition. In addition to the raid, police confirmed Wednesday that a vehicle used as the getaway car in the armed robbery at Foster’s Food Fair- IGA Airport parking lot was sold in January, but that the transfer was never recorded by the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Li- censing, according to police. The white Honda CR-V that appeared on closed-circuit camera images outside Foster’s on April 8 was tracked to Admiral’s Landing in Red Bay, George Town, on Monday eve- ning, April 10, by Royal Cayman Islands Police investigators. Police have since confirmed that it was used in the robbery. A “significant amount” of cash was taken in that heist, according to Fos- ter’s Managing Director Woody Foster. “Further enquiries into the vehicle’s New gas station to bypass Sol and Rubis JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new gas station, scheduled to open early next month, will be the first to source its own fuel for road vehicles from overseas, bypassing bulk suppliers Sol and Rubis. Dow Travers has partnered with Cayman Islands businessman Adrien Briggs to open the new Refuel gas station opposite the airport post of- fice in George Town. Mr. Travers said sourcing fuel independently would allow the new facility to offer lower prices and bring in more environmentally friendly fuel. Plans are already in place for a second gas station, with the same business model and branding. He said the company also wants to set up a mobile delivery service but was prevented from doing so by the new Dangerous Substance Law, which he said is anti-competitive. After years of public con- cern over high prices at the pump and recent debate over potential Campers set to hit Cayman beaches for Easter TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s beaches are filling up with tents, kitchen equipment, furniture, crates of food and drink, barbecues and radios, as residents get ready for the traditional Easter camping season. As “traditions” go, Easter camping is rel- atively recent, only about 50 years old ac- cording to most accounts. Attorney and West Bay-resident Cayma- nian Julene Banks says the tradition started with celebrations of Good Friday, Holy Sat- urday, Easter Sunday and Monday. “Friday and Saturday were sacred days,” and Sunday services were “nearly obligatory,” she said. “On Easter Monday, there was al- ways a service, and a lot of celebration on the beach. A lot of the churches would have an Easter Monday picnic.” As a younger generation grew older, she said, and religious observance grew less compulsory, “they said, ‘we’ve got a long weekend and we’ll be partying on Monday, so why not have a long party all weekend?’” Diana Whittaker at the Bodden Town Church of God picks up the tale: “It used to be so wonderful. We’d take the children to the beach and you had to be very careful, but the smaller ones could enjoy swimming.” Easter Monday started “with breakfast The first rule of camping is ‘location, location, location.’ Several campers had staked their spots at Governors Beach by Wednesday in preparation for the long Easter weekend. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14 » Dow Travers said his main motivation is to bring more environmentally friendly fuel to the Cayman Islands. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 15 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman’s Most Affordable Brunch & Breakfast till 3pm, Holiday Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Holiday Monday! Cimboco - A Caribbean Café 94-PASTA (947-2782) Located in the Marquee Plaza 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. © y x - THURSDAY - - FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY & MONDAY - Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema @cbcinema6cbcinema6 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456) 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. SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE 3D (PG) 12:30 I 3:30 2D I 6:40 I 9:35 2D GHOST IN THE SHELL 3D (PG13) 12:55 I 4:15 VIP I 7:15 I 9:50 VIP BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D (PG) 12:50 2D I 3:40 I 7:20 2D I 9:55 GOING IN STYLE (PG13) 12:40 I 3:55 I 7:10 I 9:45 LIFE (R) 1:00 VIP I 3:55 I 7:05 VIP I 10:15 BOSS BABY 3D (PG) 12:45 2D I 3:50 I 6:50 2D I 9:45 THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS 3D (PG13) 12:30 2D & VIP I 1:00 I 3:40 2D & VIP 6:50 2D & VIP I 9:40 I 9:50 2D & VIP SUN: 3:40 2D & VIP I 4:00 I 6:50 2D & VIP 8:00 I 9:50 2D & VIP SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE 3D (PG) 12:35 2D I 3:45 I 7:00 2D I 9:55 SUN: 4:00 2D I 10:05 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (PG) 12:50 I 4:00 SUN: 7:15 GOING IN STYLE (PG13) 12:40 I 3:55 I 7:20 (NO SAT) I 9:45 (NO SAT) SUN: 3:00 I 6:45 I 9:35 SPARK: A SPACE TAIL (PG) 4:00 I 7:10 SUN: 3:50 I 6:55 I 9:50 SILENCE (R) 7:30 BOSS BABY 3D (PG) 12:45 2D I 3:50 I 6:50 2D I 9:45 SUN: 2:40 I 7:05 2D I 9:30 KIDS CLUB: FREE WILLY (PG) SAT ONLY: 10:00 CULTURE AT THE CINEMA: TWELFTH NIGHT (18+) SAT ONLY: 8:00 Festival organizers seek to build film industry in Cayman KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Organizers of the Cayman Islands International Film Festival, known as Cay- Film, have their sights set on transforming the is- lands into a premier film- making destination. To further local film edu- cation, Canadian writer and producer Lee Chambers will join CayFilm’s schedule, June 30-July 3, with a film produc- tion workshop. In addition to screening his action-crime mystery “The Pineville Heist,” Mr. Chambers will present a two-hour, interactive perfor- mance aimed at providing humorous insight into the film industry. Festival director Tony Mark said he hopes the workshop will provide as- piring filmmakers a realistic look at working on a set. Mr. Mark has a vision of developing Cayman’s film talent to support a viable, international industry. He would like to see Cayman’s short filmmakers begin to work on full feature works. “One of the things I am working really hard on, be- sides the film festival, is to get films to be made down here. I really want to build a film industry here in Cayman,” Mr. Mark said. “We’re working on building a film school that is going to be able to train locals to be the infrastruc- ture so that if a company comes down here, they’re able to hire local filmmakers and construction, electri- cians, hair and makeup and costumes.” He described Cayman as a great place to make movies, not only for its natural scenery, but for its safety and proximity to Miami. “We’re getting close to being able to provide what Hollywood and the world needs for a film loca- tion,” he said. Mr. Mark expects an- other star-filled lineup for this summer’s festival, whose theme focuses on film, food and fashion. French chef Eric Ripert has already been confirmed to host a ce- lebrity dinner at his Ritz- Carlton, Grand Cayman res- taurant, Blue. The festival will also honor Pixar co-founder Loren Carpenter during a family- oriented day. Last year’s guests in- cluded actress Zoe Sal- dana, six Oscar winners, and some of the cast and crew of “Star Wars.” Mr. Mark said the fes- tival received more than 500 submissions for this year’s event. He encouraged bud- ding filmmakers to apply to future festivals. “We want to showcase local films. We have some amazing films already that we’re going to be showing and we’d love to get some more. Everyone has a story to tell. If you can get that camera or even an iPhone, you can make a movie,” he said. This year’s festival will in- clude daily film screenings, question-and-answer ses- sions with filmmakers, and a celebrity gala. Film catego- ries include narrative, screen- play, documentary, anima- tion, underwater film and music videos. Canadian director Lee Chambers will host a film production workshop at this year’s festival. CayFilm director Tony Mark EASTER GARBAGE COLLECTION SCHEDULE There will be no sched- uled garbage collections on Good Friday, April 14, and all landfills will be closed to the public that day, the De- partment of Environmental Health has confirmed. “Residents should make provisions to manage their waste until collected,” the department advised in a press release. In Grand Cayman, regular solid waste operations, in- cluding residential collec- tions, will resume on Sat- urday, April 15. On Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, regular solid waste operations will resume on Easter Monday, April 17. For more information, call the Department of Environmental Health’s Grand Cayman office on 949-8793 or Cayman Brac office on 948-2321. Former Rio mayor in Olympics investigation RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Former Rio de Janeiro Mayor Edu- ardo Paes, the moving force behind organizing last year’s Olympics, is being investi- gated for allegedly accepting at least 15 million reals (US$5 million) in payments to facilitate construction proj- ects tied to the games. Paes is one of dozens of top politicians implicated in a sweeping judicial corrup- tion investigation in which construction giant Ode- brecht illegally paid billions to help win contracts. Paes’s name appears in documents published Tuesday by Brazil’s top court, and could stand trial if the country’s attorney general decides to prosecute. In a statement Wednesday from his spokeswoman, Tereza Fayal, the former mayor strongly denied the allegations made in sev- eral plea bargains signed by former and present Ode- brecht employees, calling the accusations “absurd and untruthful.” “He vehemently denies that he has accepted bribes to facilitate, or to benefit, the interests of the Odebrecht company,” the statement said. Paes stepped in force- fully about two years before the Olympics opened, shortly after International Olympic Committee Vice President John Coates called Rio’s prep- arations “the worst” he’d ever seen and woefully behind schedule. The IOC repeatedly credited Paes with speeding up preparations and cutting through red tape.3 ELECTIONS 2017 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2017 NS candidates spar over education Miller: ‘Education system is not that bad’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The state of Cayman’s public education system took center stage in a debate among three of the four gen- eral election candidates for North Side district, in one of the few community issues that appeared to divide the political hopefuls. The fourth candidate, Johany “Jay” Ebanks, did not participate in Tuesday night’s candidate forum since his campaign launch party was scheduled on the same night. Both Progressives party candidate Ed Chisholm and independent Justin Ebanks appeared to oppose social promotion in schools, with Mr. Ebanks arguing for more aptitude testing to catch stu- dents who are falling behind and Mr. Chisholm seeking some emphasis on trade schools and diversified op- tions for students. “It is no longer accept- able to say that it’s OK, you’ve gone through the years of school and you can graduate,” Mr. Chisholm said. “We need to make sure those students are fully equipped to face the world. Not everyone is going to be a banker, not ev- eryone is going to wear a tie. A plumber can be ex- tremely successful.” Mr. Ebanks said the sec- ondary school curriculum, in particular, had fallen “a bit behind its time” and that Cayman needs to pre- pare its students to com- pete on a global scale – not just in North Side or Grand Cayman. “Over the years, children are passed through the ed- ucation system not quite grasping what is needed. This is what’s holding them back when they get to secondary level,” Mr. Ebanks said. Mr. Miller, the two-term incumbent in North Side, sharply disagreed with both challengers on the subject. Mr. Miller said he viewed the most important issue in the country as Caymanian own- ership, not education. “Everybody talks about education because it is a convenient whipping horse, but the educated Caymanians are not getting opportuni- ties in their own country,” Mr. Miller said. Mr. Miller said it is far more difficult in modern- day Cayman to start a busi- ness than it was in the days when he returned to the is- lands from college. Also, he said, there are few Cayma- nian “heroes” running busi- nesses for the younger gener- ation to look up to. “[Younger Caymanians] have no hope, they see no opportunity,” Mr. Miller said. “Their education is not rec- ognized. All we hear in the media and other places is the education system is so bad. Our education system is not that bad. We have some very, very good students coming out of that education system. “We need to get back to where Caymanians feel they have first choice in employ- ment in their country.” Mr. Ebanks argued that the focus of local education should move with the ever- evolving job market. “The financial industry is no longer the big world eco- nomic power; technology is now exceeding that … and healthcare may soon exceed technology,” he said. “Our young Caymanians need to be looking for careers, not jobs.” Mr. Chisholm said im- mediate interventions are needed in situations where Caymanian children are struggling in the earlier grades. He said particular at- tention needs to be given to report cards. “If the children in your school are not passing, then I think we need to be looking at that system,” Mr. Ch- isholm said. “We need to hold teachers accountable.” Tuesday’s forum was the second of an anticipated 19 district candidate forums to be hosted by the Cayman Is- lands Chamber of Commerce in the run-up to the May 24 general election. The candi- date forum for political hope- fuls in Bodden Town East was held Wednesday night. The next forum, for Prospect candidates, will be held at Prospect Primary School Hall on Wednesday, April 19, at 7:15 p.m., with independents Austin Harris and Matthew Leslie, and Lucille Seymour of the Progressives party. From left, North Side candidates Ed Chisholm, Ezzard Miller and Justin Ebanks field questions from Chamber of Commerce President Kyle Broadhurst Tuesday night at Clifton Hunter High School as Chamber CEO Wil Pineau looks on. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER Incumbent Miller facing ‘approachability’ issues Opponents say they will work ‘with anyone’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com After two overwhelming victories in 2009 and 2013 in North Side district elections, independent incumbent Ez- zard Miller is facing multiple challengers this year who ap- pear to be questioning his ability to work with other elected politicians. During a Chamber of Commerce-sponsored can- didate forum Tuesday night, independent Justin Ebanks and Progressives party can- didate Ed Chisholm were careful not to criticize Mr. Miller, but both mentioned how “approachable” they were and pledged to work with any government that is elected on May 24. In his closing statement on the night, Mr. Miller sought to address the cam- paign against him. “This campaign about me doing nothing for anyone, not being approachable or con- cerned with North Side is not based on facts,” Mr. Miller said. “I could easily dispute it by publicizing what I do, or what I did, and who I did it for, but that’s not my style. I have never turned anyone away from my house or re- fused to help any person.” One of the questions from the audience of about 50 in the Clifton Hunter High School auditorium for the candidate forum was how the political hopefuls intended to work with the newly elected government. Mr. Ebanks, a 33-year-old salesman in his first political campaign, said he has “no personal qualms” with any of the elected members. “I am willing to work with anybody … that is why I got into politics,” Mr. Ebanks said. “I don’t think opposition creates much dialogue that’s constructive.” Mr. Chisholm also said he would work with any government that is elected … whether Progressives- led or independent or “other members of the Legisla- tive Assembly.” “This is not about the in- dividual, this is about the district,” Mr. Chisholm said. “I’m not in this for Ed.” Mr. Miller responded by stating that although he spent the last eight years in the assembly’s opposi- tion benches, his input in de- bating and amending var- ious pieces of legislation had been effective. “Some people interpret working with government as agreeing with everything the government wants to do,” Mr. Miller said. “That’s not what I’m about. “I’ve always been a con- structive critic of any govern- ment …. I strongly believe in participatory democracy,” he said. “I’m the only member of the Legislative Assembly who provides a facility for their community to get in- volved in the governance of their country [referring to the North Side District Council].” Mr. Miller said he would accept a position in the in- coming government, in- cluding a ministerial posi- tion, if it was in a subject about which he had knowl- edge, such as healthcare. Mr. Miller is a pharmacist. How- ever, that minister’s seat would have to be accepted with “the right individuals” in the government. Both Mr. Chisholm and Mr. Ebanks, who would be first-termers if they are elected, said they would not seek a ministerial appoint- ment in their first “go round” in public office. All three candidates said they would work with who- ever is elected in North Side, even if they should lose the upcoming election. “I will do what I need to do to benefit my district,” Mr. Chisholm said. “You have to, you have to be able to work with people.” Mr. Miller quipped that he was heartened by that state- ment and similar statements by Mr. Ebanks. “I welcome these two people saying they’re going to work with me,” Mr. Miller said. “I don’t know where they were the last two years.” FINAL NUMBER OF CAYMAN VOTERS: 21,226 Cayman’s 2017 general election will set an all-time record for the number of eligible voters, but there are about 240 fewer voters than the Elections Office reported in January. According to figures re- leased Wednesday, after voter challenges and claims were heard last week, a net loss of 239 voters was recorded, put- ting the final number of eligible Cayman Islands voters at 21,226. In Jan- uary, the Elections Office reported there were 21,465 eligible voters. The final voter number of 21,226 is about a 15 percent increase in the number of voters who were registered ahead of the May 2013 general election, the last one held in the Cayman Islands. It is a nearly 40 percent increase over the 15,163 people registered for the July 2012 one man, one vote constitutional referendum. The May 24 election will be the first one held in the territory since the 1950s under the one man, one vote single-member constituencies arrange- ment. Voters in Cayman’s 19 districts will be able to choose just one candidate on the ballot. According to Elections Office numbers, the largest voting district, Bodden Town East, has more than three times the number of voters (1,513) than the smallest constituency, Cayman Brac East (484). The five largest constit- uencies are Bodden Town East (1,513), Bodden Town West (1,441), West Bay South (1,340), Savannah (1,336) and George Town East (1,267). The smallest five voting districts are Cayman Brac East (484), Cayman Brac West/Little Cayman (578), East End (692), North Side (716) and West Bay Central (1,057). “Some people interpret working with government as agreeing with everything the government wants to do. That’s not what I’m about.” EZZARD MILLER, North Side MLA The final voter number of 21,226 is about a 15 percent increase in the number of voters who were registered ahead of the May 2013 general election, the last one held in the Cayman Islands.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. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS The Easter holiday in the Cayman Islands has finally arrived – and not a moment too soon. The timing of the four-day weekend could not be more fortuitous. The respite it provides will help to fortify Cayman’s population for the pair of upcoming seasons – that is, of political campaigning, and of summer – that will bring with them rising temperatures, in terms of rhetoric and weather. But all of that is yet to come. For now, the wisest, healthiest and most pleasant course to pursue is one of relaxation and reflection, basking in Cayman’s warm sand and cool water, and also in the presence of family, friends and loved ones. Many residents will be celebrating this time of “togetherness,” and taking full advantage of what the entire country hopes will be gloriously sunny and breezy conditions, by participating in the popular local tradition of Easter camping on our islands’ beaches. Perhaps some of our campers, while sitting in the shadow of their tent and listening to the rolling lilt of the waves, will enjoy reading today’s front page story on the origins of the custom in which they are partaking. After making more than a dozen phone calls to local historians and founts of Caymanian knowledge, our journalist Tad Stoner has managed to reconstruct a plausible source of Cayman’s Easter camping tradition, which appears to have grown out of the far older custom of Easter Monday church picnic celebrations. From relatively modest beginnings, Easter camping in Cayman (as our cartoonist Caymanman likes to parody in his submissions) has developed into a far more elaborate affair. Yes, it is true that some campsites are more like “tent metropolises,” replete with generators, televisions, refrigerators, banquets, beverages and other comforts more usually associated with the home than the beach. (We’re still on the lookout for an in-tent central air-condi- tioning system!) We hope and fully expect that campers who read the Compass on the beach will take care to dispose of the newspaper properly, along with all the other leave- behinds that are generated during their “staycations” on our public land. As the old saying goes, “Leave it better than you found it.” For people who won’t be spending the weekend beneath the stars, there are other upcoming community activities. For example, on Saturday morning, Camana Bay is hosting the annual Chalkfest, where artistic children and adults will turn the pavement in the Market Street area into a broad canvas for colored creations. The event includes entertainment and an artisans market, with admissions proceeds benefitting the National Gallery Outreach Program. On Monday, there’s the annual Gressy Fishing Tour- nament in Barkers, and on the other side of Grand Cayman, Webster Memorial United Church is putting on a family fun day at Bodden Town’s Coe Wood Beach, including food, refreshments and an Easter egg hunt. The Easter bunny, we’re sure, will be visiting many individual homes so families can have their own egg hunts as well. Of course, beyond the dyed eggs, chocolate and candy, the foundation of Cayman’s Easter observances is spiritual rather than commercial. Most Christian churches identify Easter as the most important period on the reli- gious calendar. (For example, according to a decree dating back to 1215, the Roman Catholic Church mandates that followers receive communion at least once a year, during Easter if possible.) Meanwhile, members of the Jewish community are observing Passover during this time, from Monday, April 10, through Tuesday, April 18. Whether you’ll be spending the weekend in a place of religious worship, on the beach, around town or in your own living room, we at the Compass wish you a most happy and peaceful Easter holiday. Wishing everyone a happy and peaceful Easter holiday Tortuous tales of 1040 taxes Americans have loved to hate those levies for more than a century THOMAS V. DIBACCO If you’re about to spend some eight to 22 hours to pre- pare your federal income tax Form 1040 (that’s the range the Internal Revenue Service and experts estimate) before the April 18 deadline, well, good luck. Remember what genius Albert Einstein said: “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.” And if you need more solace from the past to sustain you in the task, here’s a smorgasbord of famous and not-so-famous insights. My favorite quote is at- tributed to former Secre- tary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon, who served 10 years, 11 months in the post under Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover. Only two other men served longer, which meant that Mellon had a long time to think about the annual squeeze on our purses. “An income tax,” said Mellon, “is the price which the government charges for the privilege of having tax- able income.” Really? Humorist Will Rogers noted that the yearly rite of getting sprung financially “has made more liars out of the American people than golf has.” Novelist Herman Wouk followed a similar track. “In- come tax returns,” he said, “are the most imaginative fiction being written today.” Then there’s the insight by former IRS Commissioner Mortimer Caplin. “There is one difference,” he pointed out, “between a tax collector and a taxidermist; the taxi- dermist leaves the hide.” And three-time Demo- cratic Party presidential can- didate William Jennings Bryan said in 1896: “The in- come tax is just. It simply in- tends to put the burdens of government justly upon the backs of the people.” An intriguing story about tax collection concerns Con- gress writing the first bill in 1913 after the 16th Amend- ment authorizing the in- come tax was ratified in that year (recall that former Con- gressman and IRS critic Ron Paul, in a classic understate- ment, noted that “1913 wasn’t a very good year”). Some sen- ators wanted to give teeth to the enforcement aspect by appropriating $1.2 mil- lion for the Bureau of In- ternal Revenue. Still others wanted civil service require- ments for employees. Both suggestions underwent major compromises. Total appro- priations amounted to only $800,000, and civil service re- quirements were scotched on the grounds – note this – that revenue positions required only “honesty, character, in- telligence, good common sense of a reasonable sort, and also a reasonable degree of education.” But a century ago in 1917, revenue agents really didn’t want your money on the due date of March 1. To be sure, Form 1040 had to be filed on that date, but Mark Eisner, the head honcho for collec- tion at 1150 Broadway in New York City, put it this way: “We can’t decline to take your money if you bring it in here,” announced Eisner to the press, “but you will cer- tainly find that the clerk at the counter will try to dis- courage payment if you ap- proach him, and unless you insist, he will persuade you to take your money home and send it after you receive a bill. The reason is, of course, that these advance payments make a lot of unnecessary bookkeeping for us.” Finally, if you’re hoping for a miracle – that the IRS will forgive all taxes – well, that actually happened during World War II in 1943 when Rosie the Riveter and GI Joe faced their first tax. Because there was no with- holding system yet, that meant that average taxpayers would have to come up with the dough all at once. Congress and the pres- ident were in a pickle until one Beardsley Ruml, chairman of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, en- tered the scene. An economist who danced to a different beat, he suggested that the government forgive all taxes except for the high-rollers. “Things would move along,” argued Ruml. “just the same as time moves on under day- light savings.” Not surpris- ingly, Ruml became a candi- date to replace Uncle Sam as the nation’s popular symbol. Chimed in an important congressman: Nothing will be lost “until the day of Judg- ment, and at that time no one will give a damn.” Not surprisingly, most taxes were forgiven. As for what’s in store for us in next year’s 1040, I turn to baseball sage Yogi Berra. “It’s difficult to make pre- dictions,” opined Yogi, “espe- cially about the future.” Thomas V. DiBacco is professor emeritus at American University. © 2017, Washington Times Humorist Will Rogers noted that the yearly rite of getting sprung financially “has made more liars out of the American people than golf has.” The U.S. Internal Revenue Service was founded on July 1, 1862.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2017 POWERED BYDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Bodden Town THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Seniors feted at pre-Easter celebration Cayman’s seniors from across the three islands gathered for a spe- cial pre-Easter service and open-air luncheon in Savannah on April 10. The event recognized the con- tributions of seniors to the islands’ development, a press release states. It was hosted by the Department of Children and Family Services and the Adventist church’s com- munity services department. The large group of seniors included five from Cayman Brac and one from Little Cayman. “May you feel the hope of new beginnings, happiness and His peace and love during this joyful Easter holiday,” Department of Chil- dren and Family Services Director Felicia Robinson said during the church service at the Savannah Ad- ventist Church, which preceded the luncheon at Pedro St. James Castle. Attending on behalf of the gov- ernment were Minister of Commu- nity Affairs, Youth and Sports Os- bourne Bodden, the ministry’s chief officer Dorine Whittaker, Ms. Rob- inson and the department’s acting deputy director, Cassandra Fearon. Representing the Adventist Church were President Shion O’Connor, who was the guest speaker at the church service, and the church’s di- rector and assistant director for community services, Pastor Caple Thompson and Angela Hall. In her remarks at the church ser- vice, Ms. Robinson noted that the Easter season is characterized by a sobriety, a freshness, a gentle soft- ness and purposeful reflection on life and new beginnings, as well as endings, and is a time of forgiveness and second chances. According to the release, she in- vited attendees to close themselves off for spiritual maintenance, an exercise that should entail con- templating how we define family, friends and neighbors, and how we treat, support and value those who come into our lives. She asked the congregation to think about indi- vidual and collective legacies. Ms. Robinson said she hoped that congregants’ hearts would be filled with gratitude for their expe- riences, blessings, hopes and op- portunity to still fulfil dreams, and for the “many sacrifices you have made … and most of all to celebrate with each other because you are still alive.” Mr. O’Connor commended the Ministry of Community Affairs for bringing together those who con- tributed to building up the Cayman Islands. He reminded the congrega- tion that once they were sheltering under God, they need not worry about the future. The pastor ap- pealed to listeners not “to let go of God’s hands” in challenging times, but to give God thanks in all times, good or difficult. At the conclusion of the ser- vice, seniors were bused to Pedro St. James for lunch, catered by the de- partment and hosted by the church’s community services leaders, vol- unteers and students of Cayman Academy. Sound and music arrange- ments were provided by Dwayne Euter. During the luncheon, the stu- dents gave out hugs, waited on ta- bles and provided entertainment, including an Easter pageant and in- strumental and vocal performances. At the conclusion of the lunch, Ms. Fearon thanked the volunteers and sponsors. She added that the department’s ability to provide these celebratory senior citizen events is enhanced by the partnership with the church’s Conference, high- lighting Ms. Hall’s mission to honor and to give back to the seniors. At the conclusion of the service, seniors were bused to Pedro St. James for lunch, catered by the department and hosted by the church’s community services leaders, volunteers and students of Cayman Academy. Seniors from all three islands attended the packed event. In the April 19, 1967 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspondent Floris McCoy wrote: “Leaving this week for Port Richey, Florida were the Donald Armstrongs. They spent three months in Bodden Town and enjoyed the island so much that they are looking forward to re- turning shortly. “Mrs. Delma McLean and daughter Sharlane returned from Jamaica after being there for a few weeks. “Mrs. Roy Smith, formerly Trivilene Moore, returned home from New Jersey. “Mr. Ransford Terry re- turned home on April 16. “There was a good group at the Town Hall on Wednesday Night when the Youth Club had their usual evening of fun and fellow- ship along with which was a surprise farewell social for Mrs. Armstrong who has helped them along. Words of thanks and appreciation were expressed by President Andrea Solomon, Miss Ev- elyn Wood and Miss Floris McCoy. Mrs. Armstrong commended the group for good cooperation and ex- pressed gratitude for kind words said to her. “On Friday 7th there was a dinner sale at the Town Hall. This was arranged by the Woman’s Guild of the United Church. Then on Friday there was a sale at the Town Hall by the Church of God. Both these sales were successful and were efforts put forth to help the churches financially. “On the 7th, the Rev. Dewey Johnson of West Bay took the evening service in the Bodden Town Church of God Chapel. Everyone was glad to have him and many were blessed by his outstanding message. Rev. John Lord of George Town was the visiting preacher at the morning service in the United Church. Many were blessed and they express their thanks.” 50 YEARS AGO: Armstrongs recognized for community service JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Bodden Town fish- ermen using the Coe Wood Public Beach marine channel and boating facil- ities now have a new table for cleaning fish. For some time, fish- ermen in the community were suggesting that a table to clean fish along with some kind of sun shade would be nice to have. Before the construc- tion of the new table, fishermen were using an old wooden electrical spool to clean their fish. “It was something I wanted done a long time ago, but for various reason it wasn’t. “I decided to bite the bullet and pay for this to be done out of my own pocket, and contractor Hugh Bush Sr. gave a good price to do it,” said Bodden Town MLA Os- bourne Bodden. Mr. Bodden said he bought the lumber materials needed and Mr. Bush designed the table and built it with help from workers. “I’m very happy with it. Now the fishermen have some place to clean their catch properly,” he said. Mr. Bodden also said he has plans to build a small dock for fishermen to tie up their boats, and he is looking at covering the existing cleaning table in Frank Sound. “I trust the fishermen will appreciate it,” he said. Fishermen get a cleaning table Hugh Bush Sr. and workers build the new fish cleaning table. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYDISTRICT DAYS 7 District Days East End North Side CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2017 Students gain gardening insight A group of students from Clifton Hunter High School made a study visit to the Queen Elizabeth II Bo- tanic Park as part of their mini-gar- dens practical project last month. As part of the project, the seven students, five from Year 8, one from Year 9 and one from Year 11, de- signed and created their own mini- gardens with guidance from Depart- ment of Education School Inclusion specialist teachers Nigel Cox and June South-Robinson. Mr. Cox and Ms. South-Robinson led the visit to the park on March 28, with the sup- port of school counselor Susan Lees. All the students taking part in the project work with the School In- clusion Team, which is part of the Cayman Islands Behaviour Support Service. The service provides spe- cialist support in all the government schools and works with students who the school feels will benefit from some additional input in order to thrive and achieve their potential. Mr. Cox told the Cayman Com- pass that the students’ involvement in the mini-gardens project had been prompted by an invitation from the Garden Club of Grand Cayman to participate in its 60th annual show. During the visit to the Bo- tanic Park, the students met with park manager John Lawrus, who gave an informative introduction to several aspects of the park and a practical demonstration of how plants are helped to develop in the plant nursery. “The mini-garden project was used as an opportunity for stu- dents to work in teams to show their creative and practical skills, whilst developing their self-man- agement skills, organizational skills and boosting their self-confidence,” said Mr. Cox. “This fits … alongside the reg- ular group work and one-to-one work which the students undertake with the specialist staff from the [service].” Mr. Cox noted that this is the first time that a group from Clifton Hunter has become involved in such a project. “We seized the opportunity to partner with the Botanic Park, who provided many of the plants we used,” said Mr. Cox. During the visit, the students were shown areas of the park, which provided inspiration for their own creations, and they were able to learn important basic scientific principles, which will help them to care for their own mini-gar- dens as they continue to grow. “Importantly, students have also learned about the importance of caring for the plants’ natural hab- itats in order to support the local ecosystems,” said Mr. Cox. “Material used by the students to make containers for the mini- gardens, with a little help from technology teachers at the school, were entirely recycled or re-used, which added to the environmentally friendly message of the project.” The five mini-gardens were en- tered into the Garden Club of Grand Cayman’s Children’s Com- petition at the Club’s 60th anniver- sary show, which was held at South Sound Community Centre on March 31 and April 1. Mr. Cox said visiting the Garden Club Show was also an ideal oppor- tunity to practice the social skills the students have been learning as part of their school’s “Respect 24/7” initiative, which is part of the Ed- ucation Department’s strategy for Positive Behaviour Interventions and Supports, for which both Mr. Cox and Ms. South-Robinson are area coaches. All the hard work paid off as the Clifton Hunter students were awarded two first prizes, one third prize and two Highly Commended ribbons for their mini-gardens. “Both the school and the park are keen to develop this partnership, and next term the students will be making further visits to the park in connection with the development of the park’s exciting large-scale Chil- dren’s Garden,” said Mr. Cox. “All the students say they have enjoyed the experience and they are looking forward to working in part- nership with the Botanic Park on the Children’s Garden. We are also hoping to continue our link with the Garden Club and are exploring pos- sibilities in that regard. In the mean- time, ideas for next year’s mini-gar- dens are already being discussed.” “[It] was an opportunity for students to work in teams to show their creative and practical skills, whilst developing their self-management skills, organizational skills and boosting their self- confidence.” NIGEL COX, school inclusion specialist teacher Clifton Hunter students tour the Botanic Park nursery with park manager John Lawrus. On the park tour, the Clifton Hunter High School students stopped by the traditional Cayman cottage. 50 years ago: Motor Vehicle Law changes raise issue of poor roads In the April 19, 1967 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, the following letter took on changes to the Motor Ve- hicle Law impacting the eastern districts: “Dear Sir, In your issue of April 12 appeared an article of an amendment to the Motor Vehicle Law. That amendment was made by the Executive Council and not by the Assembly. When a law is made or amended it should cover all the people and not part of them. This amendment is to reduce the speed of vehi- cles one and one half tons and over, to 30 mph in the 50 mile zones. I would like to point out a few things. I think if the Executive Council had taken a view of the matter as I see it they wouldn’t be penalizing the innocent and setting the wicked free. You may say this is personal, but I am speaking for others and in the interest of the people, particularly of the eastern districts. “Let me point out a few things about the road zoned area. The road between the two villages of North Side and Old Man Bay would, I presume, be in the 50 mile zone. Owing to its condition once can hardly drive over 10 mph. From Old Man Bay to Breakers is also in a 50 mph zone, but one can hardly exceed 20 mph from Breakers to Bodden Town for the same reason. Out of Bodden Town to Crewe Road (except for Savannah, 25 mph) is the tarmac sur- faced road, but in its present condition one can hardly trust to drive 50 mph. “I transport schoolchil- dren, and because of the condition of the roads I have to leave at 7 a.m. to get the children in Town for 8:30 a.m. With the amendment of the Law I will have to leave at 6:30 a.m. and get back home at 6 p.m. instead of 5:30. “The Public Works trucks hauling marl to North Side are making about six trips a day per truck. They will now make about four trips per day. Is that helping the suffering and encour- aging development? “I would love to see a better Cayman, be we won’t until the laws are honestly and justly administered to all. I am 100% in favour of anything that can be done to curb the crime of reck- less driving, but my feel- ings are that this could have been achieved through the courts. Then, I am sure we would have a better Cayman, because we would have less drivers. “If the Executive council had got the figures for five years ago on wrecked cars, damaged and destroyed property, and homes that have been robbed of loved ones, and then see how much of this destruction was caused by vehicles over 1 1/2 tons, they would see that it is not half of 1% of the total I am sure. Again I say, why penalize the innocent and let the wicked go free in a reckless rage, seeking whom they shall destroy. “Yours Truly, Craddock Ebanks.”8 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Rupert Lloyd Anderson Christie July 12, 1927 – April 15, 2012 Five years have passed since that sad day when you passed away. You are gone, but not forgotten. Your loving wife, children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters. Anderson Christie July 12, 1927 – April 15, 2012July 12, 1927 – April 15, 2012 Your loving wife, children, Your loving wife, children, The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Mrs. Essegee Gwendolyn Nixon affectionately known as “Ms. Essie” regret to announce her passing on Saturday 8th April 2017. A funeral service will be held at 2:30 PM Saturday 15 April 2017 at Elmslie United Church. Viewing will be from 1:30 PM prior to the service. Interment will follow in Prospect Cemetery. The Family of the Late Cavell Naomi Serrant nee Bodden wish to announce that she passed away peacefully on Tuesday the 4th of April 2017 A Seaside Celebration of her Life will be held on Friday the 21st April 2017 at the South Sound Community Centre Beach at 4:30pm Visitation between 1pm – 3pm at Bodden Funeral Home Interment at the Creek Cemetery on Saturday 29th April 2017 at 10:00am Please wear bright colours Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. William Irvin Bodden regret to announce his passing on Sunday, 9th April 2017. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM Sunday, 16 April 2017 at Bodden Funeral Home, 117 Walkers Rd. Viewing will be from 1:30 PM prior to the service. Interment will follow in Prospect Cemetery. Investigation helps shut down child pornography sites JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Cayman Islands police investigation led to two inter- national child pornography websites being shut down and prompted criminal in- vestigations as far away as France and Russia. Detectives in Grand Cayman uncovered a cache of indecent images of chil- dren on the cellphone of a man who was convicted of a string of sexual offenses. The images were traced, through a new partner- ship with the U.K.-based In- ternet Watch Foundation, to previously undetected sites hosted in Europe. The intelligence enabled internet watchdogs in those coun- tries to remove the material from the web and prompted law enforcement to begin in- vestigations into those cre- ating the images. One of the sites, hosted in France, contained cate- gory A images, the most se- rious offense category, in- volving children between 7 and 10 years old. The international inves- tigation began with the dis- covery of the images on the cellphone of Michell An- derson Gambao Garcia, a Colombian air conditioning repairman working in Grand Cayman. Garcia was jailed for 12 years in September 2016 for sexually assaulting a 5-year- old girl and for raping a teenager who was uncon- scious. He was also charged with possession of more than 1,000 pornographic images. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service analyst who worked on the case sought assistance from the Internet Watch Foundation after dis- covering multiple websites and other material on the suspect’s phone, according to a police statement this week. The foundation used its connections to have one of those sites, previously un- known to international in- vestigators, removed from the internet within four days. An- other 16 of the sites reported by the RCIPS had already been closed down as a result of other reports. “This is the type of speed and impact that good in- ternational cooperation can have,” said Pete Lansdown, detective superintendent with the RCIPS. “The IWF’s assistance not only saves us valuable investigative time, it enables law enforcement globally to work together much more effectively to stop the circulation of these images. This contributes to- ward stopping the crimes of sexual abuse they depict.” The case was highlighted in the Internet Watch Foun- dation’s annual report pub- lished this week. It was also noteworthy because of the use of a “gateway site” – a seemingly innocuous in- ternet “storefront” used to disguise the real purpose of the web page. In its report, the IWF highlights its support of Cayman’s intelligence ana- lysts during the investiga- tion and confirms that the investigation led to the dis- covery of two new websites. “Some of the sites showed child sexual abuse material and included ‘dis- guised websites’ … [which] can look like legal adult content unless you’ve fol- lowed a specific and pre- determined pathway to ac- cess the site. People use this method to make it dif- ficult to find and investigate the criminal images,” the report notes. Joanne Delaney, the RCIPS intelligence analyst who worked on the case, said the partnership with the foundation helped police to have an impact beyond Cayman’s borders. “By reporting that web- site, we were able to stop that site being used as a ‘gateway’ site. It has been incredibly satisfying for me to know that this referral had such a result.” On June 1 last year, po- lice in Cayman launched an initiative with the IWF and local media and commu- nity partners to host IWF reporting portals on var- ious local websites, through which referrals about child sexual abuse imagery could be made. Since then, 56 re- ports from Cayman have been received. The reports have been submitted pri- marily by the police fol- lowing investigations. How- ever, there have been four reports made anonymously by the public. The IWF portal can be found at www.rcips.ky. Two-year sentence for child pornography CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A magistrate sentenced Trevorne Daley to two years’ imprisonment this week for possessing child pornography. Daley, 26, previously pleaded guilty to a number of charges that involved 100 videos, found on his cell- phone, laptop and iPhone. Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin said police received a report in April 2016 from a woman who had seen a con- versation on her pre-teen son’s phone with someone named Trevorne. Her son told her Trevorne was a man who liked him. The mother called the number and asked about the conversation. Daley said it must have been his nephew, also named Trevorne. She checked further and then went to po- lice. Officers arrested Daley at his workplace in May and took custody of his phone and other electronic equipment. Ms. Fargin said the phone message to the boy was part of the process known as “grooming,” but there is no such offense in Cayman. How- ever, in checking the contents of Daley’s communication de- vices, the officers found the il- legal material. Ms. Fargin described the contents of the video that was the subject of the first charge. The video featured a child between the ages of 3 and 5. Ms. Fargin explained that the contents were Cat- egory A in terms of the ex- plicit activity seen. A is the most serious, followed by B and C, she said. The videos Daley admitted possession of included 20 Category A, 55 Category B, and 25 Category C. He also admitted possessing two still images in Category B. The ages of the children in the various videos were an aggravating feature, Ms. Fargin advised. The max- imum sentence in Cayman is 15 years, she noted. Attorney Keva Reid spoke in mitigation for Daley. A foreign national on a work permit, Daley had been in Cayman for five years and had no previous convic- tions. He was remorseful and ashamed to be before the court, Ms. Reid said. She described Daley as appearing naive and not knowing that possession of the material was so serious. The magistrate said he had read the defendant’s social inquiry report, his psycholog- ical and psychiatric reports. He said Daley had been open with the professionals in de- scribing the abuse he had suffered. He did not accept that Daley was naive – he knew what sexual abuse was. The magistrate said child pornography is, in fact, child torture, child abuse and child exploitation, with the root of such pornography being the sexual abuse of children – creating a record that is then shared with others. “If the court can reduce the market, the court may reduce the abuse of children,” he said. The quantity of videos and the ages of the children raised the starting point to three years. With a one-third credit for the guilty pleas, the final sentence was two years. Daley will receive credit for time in custody.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2017 The Family of the Late Minard Steve Foster Cert. Hon. Sadly announce his passing On April 6, 2017, in Ft Lauderdale, Fla. at age 78 years, 6 months Leaving Wife: Thalia Children: Robert, Shane, Lee, Dax, Jules Grandchildren: Taylor, Jade, Paige, Harisson, Jordyn, Bayley, Kirstie, Cairan, James, Daniel, Selena, Nicholas Great-Grandsons: Ash, Gauge Sisters: Mary Foster-Munn, Eleanor (Elel) Bodden Service of celebration will be held at First Baptist Church (opposite Lions Center) On April 16, 2017 at 3:00pm Interment follows at Garden of Re ections Cemetary Cayman Brac Memorial Service Will be held on April 22, 2017 @ 11:00am at Cayman Brac Seamen’s Center In lieu of owers, donations can be made in his memory to: Cayman Brac & Little Cayman - Veterans & Seaman’s Association - Cayman Hospice CareNext >