ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2017 High of 85 Low of 74 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ‘ACHIEVEMENT GAP’: CAYMAN’S ECONOMICS VERSUS EDUCATION BUSINESS | PAGE 11 CITIZENS IN G20 COUNTRIES FAVOR GOV’T COOPERATION OVER TAX COMPETITION COURT CLAMPS DOWN ON OPEN RECORDS POLICY SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com An apparent change in policy is making it more difficult for people to access Cayman Is- lands court documents. A sign posted on the third floor of Kirk House – where the docu- ments are kept – informs visitors that they are allowed to access court records but not per- mitted to make any copies of the documents. The text of the sign – posted on the door to the records room – leaves little room for interpretation: “With immediate effect, and in accordance with the Grand Court Rules, please note that the Court Searches are restricted to the in- spection of documents only. The taking of ref- erence notes is permitted. Photocopies or the capture of documents by other means other than notation is not allowed.” Previous policy allowed visitors to pay for photocopies of official public records. Shiona Allenger, acting clerk of court, recently con- firmed to a Cayman Compass reporter that was still the case. But a recent visit to Kirk House by another reporter indicates that might not be the whole story. The Compass reporter visited Kirk House Tuesday without identifying himself as a jour- nalist, and he was allowed to access court doc- uments for the normal fee of $20. But when he wanted to make copies of the documents, the cashier told him that he was allowed to take notes on court documents but was not al- lowed to make copies unless he was party to West Bay South candidates face off at forum KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com West Bay South candidates faced off Monday evening on economic development, educa- tion and foreign employment during the latest Chamber of Commerce candidate forum. Cayman Democratic Party candidate John Jefferson Jr. and independents Tara Rivers, Laura Young and Burns Rankin an- swered two hours of questions from the Chamber and the public at John Gray Memorial Church. Debate opened with dis- cussion of a five-star re- sort proposed for West Bay South by Dart, one of the eve- ning’s sponsors. Chamber of Commerce mod- erator Chris Kirkconnell said the resort would include 225 rooms and 80 residences. An economic impact study indicates the project would contribute $600 million to the economy during its five-year development and create 1,250 jobs once complete, Mr. Kirkconnell said. Ironwood developer vows: ‘We will get it done’ Golf project still on course despite delays, says Moffitt JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Plans for an 18-hole Arnold Palmer golf course and resort in the eastern districts are still on track despite a lull in activity on the project since the death of the golf legend, developer Ironwood says. Ironwood has hired Lee Hudson, the project manager on the Kimpton resort, and moved into new administrative offices in Caribbean Plaza. Mr. Hudson, who was also project manager on the Ernie Els-designed Albany course in the Bahamas, said clearing on the site, off Frank Sound Road, would likely begin in late summer. David Moffitt of Ironwood said the death of Mr. Palmer last year and discussions over the hoped-for highway exten- sion associated with the project Vaccination Week kicks off Amanda Hurlston holds her daughter Jahzario Bodden, 3, as she gets a vaccination from nurse Anniekay Price at the Cayman Islands Hospital on Tuesday. Cayman is marking the 15th anniversary of Vaccination Week through April 29. For the full story, see page 7. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Lee Hudson, project manager for the Kimpton resort, has joined Ironwood. – PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 UNFORGETTABLE (R) 1:00 I 3:30 I 7:30 I 10:00 THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS 3D (PG13) 12:30 VIP I 3:40 VIP I 6:50 VIP 9:40 I 9:50 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 GIFTED (PG13) 1:15 I 4:00 I 7:15 GOING IN STYLE (PG13) 12:40 I 3:55 I 7:20 I 9:45 BOSS BABY 3D (PG) 12:45 2D I 3:50 I 6:50 2D I 9:45 - WEDNESDAY - 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) PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – A motorcade carrying Hai- ti’s prime minister struck two teenage boys, killing one, as officials drove into the country’s third largest city on Monday to see flood damage left by heavy rains. Serge Daniel, a govern- ment delegate who was traveling in Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant’s motor- cade, said one of the vehi- cles accidentally struck two adolescents who darted into the road on a motorbike. The motorcade con- tinued to its destination as the badly injured teenagers lay on the road, sparking a tire-burning protest by fu- rious locals in the south- west city of Les Cayes. Les Cayes police spokes- woman Guerline Dimanche said officers rushed the boys to a public hospital, where one was declared dead on arrival. Mayor Jean Gabriel For- tune said Lafontant, a phy- sician who was approved last month as Haiti’s No. 2 official, agreed to put the survivor on a government helicopter for treatment in the capital of Port-au-Prince. It was not clear if the motorcade was speeding or if the boys were driving recklessly. Late in the afternoon, Lafontant’s office issued a statement saying he was grieved by the accident and sent his condolences to the relatives of the boys. Monday’s trip was meant to show government solidarity with victims of downpours that have sat- urated much of Haiti, trig- gering flooding in low-lying areas and causing at least two deaths in the strug- gling southwest region that was slammed by Hurricane Matthew last year. Interior Ministry spokesman Guillaume Al- bert Moleon said that a 19-year-old man in Camp Perrin was swept away when he tried to cross a rising river with his motorbike. HAITI PM’S MOTORCADE HITS 2, KILLING 1 GALVESTON, Texas (AP) – The Coast Guard was searching a section of the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday for a crew member missing from a Royal Carib- bean cruise ship. The cruise ship Lib- erty of the Seas was 170 miles southeast of Galveston when the un- identified 39-year-old Fil- ipino crew member was reported as missing at 4:30 a.m. Monday. A Coast Guard statement says the crew member had been last seen at 1:30 a.m. Monday on the ship’s closed-cir- cuit television. COAST GUARD SEARCHING FOR CRUISE CREW MEMBER JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nell Connor will be fondly remem- bered for her joy of life and the happi- ness she brought to others. She loved to dance and her laugh was contagious. Miss Nell, as she was known, passed away at her Breakers home on April 25. She was 96. Dubbed the “Queen of Breakers,” Miss Nell, known by many in Grand Cayman and the community of Breakers, died six months short of her birthday. She was a strong woman, proudly stating that she had never visited a doctor, and she began her days with a seaside stroll. “Miss Nell was an icon and in- stitution of Breakers and Cayman,” said Minister Osbourne Bodden, MLA for Bodden Town. He said she provided postal services, offered craft products, good company and food to many over the years. “She was the glue of the Breakers community where all met up and chatted, and she kept tabs on all goings- on. She was a very wise woman and al- ways had sage advice. I will miss her greatly, and I pray that her soul finds eternal rest,” said Mr. Bodden. Miss Nell died a few days after re- turning home from a short stay in the hospital. “I knew she was failing from Sunday, but she was still eating and drinking and in good spirts,” her sister Eloise Seymour said. “The passing of Miss Nell marks the end of another chapter of ‘the people Time Forgot,’” said Giuseppe Gatta, manager of the Lighthouse restaurant, adding that Miss Nell was very dear to him and his wife Susan. “We shared many birthdays with her, and the recipe of Miss Nell’s conch chowder is still on our menu to this very day and will remain forever. “Breakers has lost the last pioneer and icon; it will never be the same. She was like the grandmother to me that I never met. May you rest in peace.” Mr. Gatta said she would often tell him, “don’t cry when I’m gone; think of me and smile.” Growing up in Breakers, Ms. Sey- mour said her sister had a happy-go- lucky childhood. She loved the ocean, fishing and dancing. “My lips have never touched a drop of liquor,” she would say. “Every night she would go dancing, from one end of the island to the other … she was called the Dance Hall Queen. She had a very happy life and enjoyed it too,” Ms. Seymour said. When not taking care of her home or working, Miss Nell loved to dance in her front yard and when birthday celebra- tions came around. She was greatly ad- mired in the community for her stamina, as she politely and gracefully invited visitors to join in the celebrations. She had a very sharp tongue, and like most elderly Caymanians, never failed to tell it like it is, but also made people feel special and invited. Miss Nell went to school in Bodden Town, but in her later years attended a little schoolhouse in Breakers. In her youth she assisted her mother, who was a midwife; she accompanied her brother to cut firewood and sewed clothes for herself and her siblings. “She never had any children of her own, but would baby-sit for others under the shade of a weeping willow tree in her front yard,” said her sister. She married Earley Vibert Connor on April 4, 1946 and moved to Breakers from East End. Her husband passed away Sept. 29, 2002. Miss Nell was rarely alone. Family, friends, Lighthouse employees and tour- ists were often seen gathered in her yard. Her quaint home next to the parking lot of the Lighthouse restaurant was always a popular spot for tourists, who would stop by to buy her conch shells or hand- made whisk brooms and baskets. Miss Nell was appointed as postal agent for the Breakers post office in 1963, running it out of her home in Breakers for 35 years. She retired in February 1999. At her retirement party, she produced her original appointment letter for the job, which was dated May 25, 1963. She commented at the time, “There was no post office in Breakers, so I just took my house and did the job.” In all those years as postal agent, she would say she never made a mistake. Miss Nell was an ardent churchgoer. In 2014, she received an award during the Heroes Day celebrations for her con- tributions to the promotion and preser- vation of the Cayman Islands’ cultural heritage prior to 1960. When she was 94, Miss Nell slowed down a bit, no longer taking long walks along the beach or spending evenings fishing. But with her wits still about her, she would spend hours happily telling stories of her adventures of some 60- odd years ago. Miss Nell is survived by sisters Mar- garett and Eloise, brothers Joseph and Lebert, and a host of family and friends. The funeral service for Miss Nell will be announced at a later date. “Miss Nell was an icon and institution of Breakers and Cayman.” OSBOURNE BODDEN, MLA for Bodden Town Nell Connor, ‘Queen of Breakers,’ dies at 96 Miss Nell at 94 enjoys the company of others at her home in Breakers. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Miss Nell celebrates a birthday with family and friends at her home in Breakers.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2017 william.forsythe@caymancaptive.ky Applications should be submitted by pdf only, no later than 19th of May 2017 to: The above Foundation is currently offering a scholarship for a maximum of four years to a Caymanian High School graduate. Preference will be given to those candidates who intend to pursue a career in the nancial services industry upon graduation from university. However applications from all disciplines will be accepted. Candidates should be prepared to begin their university degree programme in the 2017 school year. The choice of university must be approved by the Foundation. Applicants should possess a minimum of ve good passes at CXC or ICGSE or equivalent. Evidence of educational achievements and, if possible university acceptance should accompany the application. In addition, a brief biography and a narrative as to the reason for the choice of University/Course should be included. Additional details and an application form can be obtained at www.caymancaptive.ky “A scholarship from IMAC has been a tremendous opportunity of which I will always be grateful for. It has enabled me to pursue a degree at a top university to compete against some of the most intelligent students in the UK. Similarly, becoming a doctor means so much to me and this journey would have been a nancial burden without the generosity of the IMAC scholarship. Through IMAC I have embarked on a path where I can offer so much more to the people of the Cayman Islands than I would if I had not had this opportunity. Name: Whitney General Degree: Medicine (MB ChB) and BSc in Health Sciences at the University of Bristol S C H O L A R S H I P CURRENT RECIPIENTCURRENT RECIPIENT Whitney GENERAL INSURANCE MANAGERS ASSOCIATION OF CAYMAN EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Volunteer cullers have begun registering to compete for a $1,000 twice-monthly prize in Grand Cayman’s green iguana raffle. The Department of Envi- ronment began inviting resi- dents to register for the raffle on Wednesday. Starting May 1, regis- tered participants will re- ceive a raffle ticket number for every 10 iguanas they cull, mark and report. The raffle will be drawn twice per month, starting mid-May, with the initial prize set at $1,000. Prizes could rise each time depending on par- ticipation levels, according to DoE officials. The DoE’s guidelines for raffle entrants states, “Raffle terms will place strict obli- gations on participants to re- spect property rights, cull the iguanas humanely, and dis- pose of carcasses properly. Reporting of culled iguanas must be done by marking the carcasses, photographing them and sending the photos to the cull manager.” For raffle registration, contact cull manager Sonya Carlesso at 925-1807 or on sonya.carlesso@gov.ky. Iguana raffle registration opens Commonwealth officials to observe voting BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands’ first election in more than 50 years under the “one man, one vote” system will be observed by international officials from the Commonwealth Parlia- mentary Association. The observers will be on island before the May 24 election date and will ob- serve political campaigning and electoral administration, as well as voter registration and accessibility. During election day, ob- servers will oversee the voting process itself, counting and tabulation of votes and any post-election complaints. A group of Commonwealth observers attended Cayman’s 2013 general election and generally gave the territory a “clean bill of health” as far as its democratic processes were concerned. Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell said he wel- comed the observers for the 2017 vote. “The changes to Cay- man’s electoral system makes the mission particularly rel- evant to ensure indepen- dent scrutiny of the process,” Mr. Howell said. One key concern from the 2013 Commonwealth associ- ation election report, equality of voting, was at least par- tially addressed through the formation of single-member districts where each eligible voter gets to cast one vote only. In Cayman’s earlier multimember voting system, an elector could vote for be- tween one and six candi- dates, depending on the dis- trict in which they lived. However, Commonwealth observers also noted that the size of the voting districts under ‘one man, one vote’ should be relatively similar – within about 10 to 15 per- cent variance. Under Cay- man’s new voting map, the smallest district, Cayman Brac East, is three times smaller than the largest dis- trict, Bodden Town East. In addition, concerns about both candidate and voter eligibility raised by the Commonwealth observers in 2013 continue to trouble the territory. At least one human rights complaint was filed earlier this year regarding an issue that international observers flagged up four years ago. The issue involves legal requirements that a voter be a resident in the Cayman Is- lands for periods amounting to not less than two years in the four years before the final registration date before the general election date. “This requirement … might have prevented a number of otherwise eligible Caymanians from exercising their right to vote,” the CPA report stated. That require- ment was never changed. There were legal changes made to how candidate el- igibility claims were han- dled before the May 24 elec- tion, and those changes were put to the test recently in court challenges against three candidates. Two of the three were disqualified for various reasons. Although the candidate el- igibility claims were decided well before the general elec- tion date this time around, several elected politicians and political hopefuls have noted Cayman’s Constitution Order, 2009, is somewhat unclear in stating who can run for office. The six-person election ob- server team led by Malta MP Mario Galea in 2013 noted certain candidate restric- tions appeared to be “unrea- sonably limiting” the right of all Caymanians to stand for elective office. For instance, Mr. Galea noted the pecu- liar wording that a person can be disqualified if “he or she is by virtue of his or her own act under and acknowl- edgement of allegiance, obedi- ence or adherence to a foreign power or state.” “The lack of clarity in the Constitution Order, 2009, on what constitutes his or her own act led the Elections Of- fice … to make different de- cisions in similar cases,” the Commonwealth observers’ initial report noted. The requirements of res- idency in the territory be- fore elections is also a problem, Commonwealth ob- servers noted. “While to a large ex- tent these requirements are reasonable, some of them – namely the required du- rations of residence in the Cayman Islands before the nomination – appear to be unreasonably limiting the right to stand for elective office,” the Commonwealth report noted. Wesley HowellMario Galea Participants will receive a raffle ticket number for every ten iguanas they cull, mark and report.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. ‘Achievement gap’: Cayman’s economics versus education From the mid-1960s to today, it could be said that the Cayman Islands deserves very high marks in “economics” … and very poor marks in “education.” Certainly by the early ’70s, the direction of Cayman’s future development had become very clear, toward a reliance on the financial services and luxury tourism sectors. Yet, despite a practically infinite amount of resources, our leaders never honed in on, as a paramount issue, the gap between the education being provided in Cayman, and the education required to fill the kinds of jobs materializing in Cayman and to which many Caymanians aspire. Over the decades, because of inadequate preparation from our public school system, far too many Caymanians were never enabled to take full advantage of the so-called “Cayman miracle” developing in their own country. Like any commodity, confronted with a shortfall in the local supply of skilled or qualified workers, businesses have been compelled to import from overseas. Currently, in a country with a population of some 60,000 people, approximately 24,000 are here on work permits. Even as Cayman’s public schools churned out class after class of graduates who were not prepared to compete for jobs in the local economy, government after government doubled-down on the existing educa- tion model, keeping many of the same people in leader- ship positions and building up a sprawling bureaucracy. A massive amount of financial resources was directed to projects that didn’t directly contribute to academic proficiencies, most notably the $110 million-plus Clifton Hunter High School campus in Frank Sound. Even to this day, the “highlight” of this Progressives government’s education record is the sparkling new John Gray High School gymnasium, which may cost around $8 million. (We hedge our language because officials refuse to say how much they have actually spent on the gym. The May 24 elections are rapidly approaching, after all.) For the government to spend of millions of dollars on a gym – when just a few yards away new graduates are walking across the commencement stage without being ready for the workplace – is revealing about public educa- tion priorities. Now that it is political campaign season, “education” and “jobs” have resurfaced as top topics on most can- didates’ agendas, nominally. Very few candidates have provided much detail on their plans for education and jobs beyond naming them as issues. However, on Friday night, Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush elaborated somewhat on two education ideas, one we support and one we do not. Mr. Bush advocated giving principals greater autonomy to run their schools. That’s an excellent proposal. Our government’s strategy should be to hire strong, qualified and experienced principals, hand them the reins to their schools – and then ask them to check back in, in about a year or so. Fundamentally, principals should be given the power to hire, fire, discipline and promote good or bad teachers, regardless of nationality, with minimal (i.e. nonexistent) red tape from the ministerial bureaucracy or boards of appeal. Second, Mr. Bush said he supports the concept of public-private partnerships for education – a measure that his two opponents for West Bay West, independent Paul Rivers and Progressives’ Daphne Orrett, also sup- ported in some form or another. They shouldn’t. The private sector should not contribute significant resources to Cayman’s education system unless the private sector is given a proportional voice in decision- making. Simply writing checks is not a solution. At this point, Cayman’s government schools don’t need more money – what they need to do is to reallocate the money they already have. Additionally, why should the private sector put more money (on top of tax revenue) into public educa- tion, when so many non-Caymanian children of private sector employees are not even allowed to attend public schools? Is the government planning to adjust that seg- regationist policy? The private sector should not be looking to “rescue” Cayman’s public schools. If the government stream- lines its own bureaucracy, and empowers principals and teachers alike, then Cayman’s public schools will rapidly find themselves in a superior situation from which no such “rescue” will be considered necessary. WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS So I was up in Alaska GARRISON KEILLOR Special to the Washington Post Up to Alaska last week to visit old friends and re- live fragrant memories of previous trips. Landing on a short uphill grass strip near a native village and later taking off on that strip and off the edge of a cliff. Fishing in a fjord near Juneau as a dark enormity rolled up from the deep, a humpback 30 feet off starboard. En- countering a moose while biking around Anchorage. Hiking the Iditarod trail and seeing the body of a moose who broke through the ice of a lake and drowned. Going to the state fair in Palmer and mingling with Alaskans in a state of euphoria pro- duced by sunlight. It is a state that one re- members long afterward. Last week I sat in a little cafe in Anchorage and got into conversations by the simple device of asking di- rections. In a state that of- fers so much solitude, people are happy to talk. I met a couple who’d lived for many years in the mountains east of there, raised two kids, got divorced, and now live a few blocks apart in the city. “We’re still best friends,” she said cheerily and he gave her a wan look. He is still in love with her, he said, and wants to get back together, and she isn’t interested. Instead of di- rections, you get a novella. I met a Tlingit woman who gave me her unvarnished views on Alaska politics and an old trucker who hauled materials for the pipeline, and finally quit, fed up with the rules and regulations. His first truck was a White, a good truck, and he wound up driving a Peterbilt, which he hated. “Never buy a truck that is on the assembly line on Friday and they finish it on Monday,” he said. He was once fined $250 in Arizona for speeding and the highway patrol sent him a picture of his truck taken by a roadside camera on the desert that also recorded his speed and he sent them a photo of $250 ar- ranged on his kitchen table. I was sitting in my hotel room in Anchorage Wednesday morning, when someone yelled, “Open up! Open the door!” I opened the door. Two uniformed officers stood there. It wasn’t me they wanted. They were yelling at the door next to mine. One cop had a revolver drawn, aimed at the next door. Another cop yelled, “Open the door now! And keep your hands where we can see them!” Police can yell really loud and their dic- tion is quite clear. An officer with an assault rifle stepped into my room and said that they had a war- rant out for a man next door and that he had announced he had a gun. The officer opened the door to my bal- cony and suggested I go into the hall. So I stepped out, barefoot, without glasses, in jeans and a T-shirt. Seven officers stood in the hall, including a slight young woman cop, and four of them had guns drawn, including her, and were focused on the door next to mine. They were on high alert. I slipped past the uniforms and none of them glanced at me. The one closest to the door yelled again, “Open the door! Now!” I’m a civilian. I lead a ca- sual jokey life. I mess around. I wouldn’t know how to bring that steady intensity to bear on a closed door. That’s just a fact. I can do panic; I don’t do high-focus readiness. If I am responsible for your security, you are in serious trouble. They got their man. He surrendered and was hand- cuffed and I got a glimpse of him in the hall, a skinny guy with a hangdog ex- pression, wanted for drug dealing. He had been dealing them out of the hotel room. Whatever drugs he himself was on were not a kind that make you smarter. Nobody I talked to in Alaska began a sentence with “I was reading an article the other day that said that ... “ – everything they said was from their own experience. This is different from the world I live in, of people tuned in to media. I can say from my own experience that an armed man dealing drugs in the next room is a danger to me and that I maintain my ca- sual jokey way of life thanks to public servants whose training enables them to bring highly focused attention to bear. That’s what I know. © 2017, Garrison Keillor, distributed by The Washington Post News Service with Bloomberg News. 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” FROM THE WEB “Report: Firefighters battle staff shortages,” April 25 Here is a novel idea: Have volunteer firefighters! This is used in small communities all over the U.S. and Canada. It creates pride in the country and gets more people engaged. If that works, you could try volunteer lifeboat opera- tors like they do in the U.K. How about we get our own citizens engaged in our country rather than rely on foreigners to save us?! If we can not find Cay- manians to support the po- lice and fire, we should never complain about expats again! J. Bodden “Pensions Law changes could spur exodus of up to 2,500 workers,” April 24 It is their money. Give it to them. It is the moral thing to do. This is nothing more than a service provider grab/lock in. They are not protecting anyone but themselves. Paul Peene What has the government done again this time? Put the cart in front of the horse again. Ron Clair Ebanks5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2017 Voter ID nightmare for West Bay woman Saga began 17 years ago BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com For the fifth time in the past two decades, Celecia Bancroft will be casting a general election vote under a name that is not le- gally her own. Ms. Bancroft has tried a number of times since the year 2000 to change this situ- ation, but she has never been allowed to do so. When May 24 arrives, Ms. Bancroft will vote in the district of West Bay South, under the name Celecia Fahy, as she has done in every elec- tion since 2000. “It’s just an antiquated system,” she said Monday during an interview with the Cayman Compass. “I’ve come across a number of women on social media over the past year who are all [upset] be- cause they changed their names because they were told they had to, and then found out they didn’t have to.” Her tale begins in 2000, when Ms. Bancroft got mar- ried and also moved voting districts from West Bay to George Town. She said she was informed at the Elec- tions Office that because she was married, she needed to change her last name to her husband’s surname – Fahy – in order to receive an up- dated voter ID card. “The Elections Office said that … you automatically lose your name and get your husband’s name,” she told the Compass. “I questioned it, but they would not allow me to change [voting] districts and fill out the paperwork unless I used my married name.” Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell, who just took over the Elections Of- fice for the 2017 general elec- tion, said there simply is no such rule. “There is no legal require- ment for women to vote using their husband’s last name,” Mr. Howell said. “If their of- ficial documents were previ- ously switched to a married name, or if they choose to use a marriage certificate to register with their husband’s last name, they will be regis- tered as such.” In 2007, Ms. Bancroft/Fahy was divorced and took her di- vorce petition to the Elections Office to try and change her name on the voters list, even though she had never legally changed it from her maiden name on her passport or on her drivers’ license. The Elections Office told her at that time that she needed a “deed poll,” essen- tially a legal change of name document which usually costs around $500 to $1,000. She asked a local attorney to draw up such a document. The attorney informed her there was no need to apply for a change since her last name had never legally been anything other than Bancroft. She let the matter go, keeping the George Town voter ID card with the “Ce- lecia Fahy” name on it. “I’ve never been able to change it,” she said. Last year, Ms. Bancroft moved back to West Bay and was contacted by an Elections Office represen- tative in October during a door-to-door voter registra- tion exercise. “[The Elections Office worker] said I need to change your voting district [from George Town back to West Bay],” Ms. Bancroft said. “I said ‘yes you do, and it would be nice if you could change my name to my actual name. “She said ‘I can’t do that.’” Under the new one man, one vote system, all voters must cast ballots in the con- stituency where they re- side. The voter ID cards specify those locations so that Elections Office workers at the polling stations know who can vote there and who cannot. However, a new problem presented itself for Ms. Ban- croft: “I have no ID in that name [Celecia Fahy]. If I don’t have a voters card …. I can vote using another ID, but your ID has to match the name on the [voters] list. “It’s now one month be- fore voting, how am I going to clear this up in time?” Ms. Bancroft met with Elections Supervisor Howell on Monday to discuss the sit- uation and review her voter information. She said Mr. Howell was very helpful, is- sued a new voter card for her district – West Bay South – and told her she would be able to vote on May 24. However, the ID still dis- plays the name “Celecia Fahy.” A name that – according to the woman it describes – does not legally exist in the Cayman Islands. “At least, right now, this year, I can vote,” Ms. Ban- croft/Fahy said. “There is no legal requirement for women to vote using their husband’s last name.” WESLEY HOWELL, elections supervisor Starting next month, the Cayman Islands Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Li- censing will begin issuing new electronic license plates, and there are a few pointers the department has for new plate recipients. For the 2,400 or so drivers who now have temporary “paper” tags on their vehicles, the department notes that those temporary tags must be brought in, along with the vehicle logbook and wind- screen coupon when the new electronic licenses are in- stalled. The department an- ticipates replacing all 2,400 temporary tags in May. For the remainder of the currently licensed vehicles, their old metal plates will be replaced with the elec- tronic ones starting in June, or whenever the vehicle would normally be required to renew its registration. Anyone licensing a new vehicle after May will be re- quired to pay the typical $75 fee for the license plates and all other registration fees. The new electronic plates will be issued at all three DVDL locations: George Town (Crewe Road); West Bay (Reverend Blackman Road); and the new South Coast Plaza in Breakers. The department advises customers that both front and rear license plates must be installed on the vehicles. The new windscreen cou- pons must be installed in the center of the screen inside the vehicle. The coupon must be fitted directly below the rearview mirror. The department said it would issue an instruction manual for drivers receiving the new plates. DVDL ANNOUNCES RULES FOR COLLECTING, USING NEW LICENSE PLATESDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Sister Islands WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS DG’s 5K Challenge kicks off on Brac The 2017 Deputy Gover- nor’s 5K Challenge kicked off last weekend on the Brac with an enthusiastic turnout and great weather. According to a press re- lease, almost 150 people took part in the walk/run on Sunday, April 23, including a number of participants who traveled from Grand Cayman for the fitness fundraiser which this year is aiming to raise $60,000 for the YMCA of the Cayman Islands. “It was an excellent day, everybody had a good time and it was great to see so many of the Brac commu- nity turn out for a good cause, as well as the partici- pants from Grand Cayman,” said Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, who person- ally led the 5K. “I am looking forward to the second half of the event next Sunday, and I invite as many people as possible to come and join me.” The release states that defending overall fastest fe- male champion Lizzette Year- wood, CEO of the Health Ser- vices Authority, retained her title from last year, with Gil- lian Roffey of Grand Cayman placing second and Dr. Trudy Harper-Smith of Cayman Brac in third. In the men’s category, Stephen Wilson of Grand Cayman placed first, with Rowan McLean of Grand Cayman coming in second and Devin Conolly of Cayman Brac coming in third. The YMCA will use the money raised to build a ropes challenge course in Grand Cayman aimed at pro- viding practical examples of ways for young people to improve communication, awareness of themselves and others, and to gain lead- ership skills. “In addition, the course will allow participants to overcome fears, insecurities, depression and antisocial be- havior,” the release states. The Grand Cayman leg of the event takes place on Sunday, April 30. Registration and full details are on www.caymanactive.com/dg5K. Entry is $25 for ages 18 and older and $10 for ages 17 and younger. Registration closes at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 28. 50 years ago: Retired Navy Cmdr. Roy Stoor visits family In the May 3, 1967 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Cayman Brac correspondent Lilian Ritch wrote: “A few weeks ago Cayman Brac had the priv- ilege of welcoming for the first time a gentleman of distinction in his service to his country and the Com- monwealth in the days of growing Empire. I refer to Lieutenant Commander Roy A. Stoor R.N. (ret’d) who spent 3 weeks with his daughter and son-in- law Capt. and Mrs. Sedley Ritch. From the vantage point of the Ritch’s home on the Bluff at Cotton Tree Bay, he enjoyed the full beauty and warmth of our island; he just could not stop commenting on the blueness of the Caribbean water and the glory of the starry skies at night. “With the beauty of nature, was combined the friendliness on all sides and many thrilled as he re-lived his experiences in the Battle of Jutland and other assignments in both World Wars. Of particular interest to him is the Cable & Wireless installation, as he participated in some of the birth pangs of the tro- pospheric scatter system of which our installation is a prototype. “Lieutenant Com- mander Stoor as a young man was Commanding Officer for the wireless station of the Royal Navy, Coleyville, Manchester, Ja- maica which was set up during World War I. While serving there he mar- ried Miss Violet Webb of Coleyville, and two chil- dren were born to the mar- riage, Jane (Mrs. Ritch) and Billy, who is a frequent visitor here. “Proposed harbour de- velopment scheme on Cayman Brac: What would be called an embryonic phase of a new develop- ment was carried out at the proposed site during the last three weeks when bor- ings were made to obtain samples of subsoil for anal- ysis and study as an inves- tigation of the feasibility of the proposed harbour. Five borings were drilled in the pond and one on the iron- shore at the West End tip of the island. “Carrying out the survey were Mr. Neville Levy, field supervisor of Soil Testing and Engineering Ltd., of Kingston, Jamaica, an en- gineering consulting firm who contract drilling and soil investigation, and Mr. James E. White of Stan- dard Dredging Corp., New York, USA, whose business is dredging and soil rec- lamation. Mr. White took notes of the land condi- tion of the proposed har- bour and entrance channel which, with the analysis of subsoil samples, will be a basis of the feasibility of the scheme … ” RETREATS OFFERED ON LITTLE CAYMAN Debbi Truchan, owner of D’Art of Living, is of- fering “life-clarifying” re- treats on Little Cayman. Ms. Truchan, who has lived on Little Cayman for 18 years, describes the is- land as the “perfect place to immerse yourself in the ocean of its tranquility in order to glean new pearls of wisdom … with her D’Art of Living offering “creative, perceptive and spiritual activities.” The first retreat, slated for May 15-19, is focused on women, Ms. Truchan said. She is inviting women who “need to chill out and re-balance” them- selves and who are looking to “refresh and gladden” their spirits, to join her retreat. Ms. Truchan said she is combining her art, cooking and commu- nity involvement, while using her training as a facilitator of the Virtues Project, to offer retreats. “With the interna- tional women’s year theme of Be Bold for Change, I challenge my- self and others to boldly grasp this theme and dis- cover what your true pas- sion is,” she said. The retreats will be held at Casa Cassiopeia property on Little Cayman (www.beachhouse.ky). During the retreats, photographer Melissa Wolf will also be carrying out private photo shoots. “Although this first retreat is for 12 women, more are to be offered – for couples, fathers/ sons, mothers/daugh- ters, friends and spe- cific groups, such as cor- porations, teachers and special interests,” Ms. Truchan said. For more information or requests, visit www.d-artofliving.com or contact Ms. Truchan at 925-6442 or d.artofliving@candw.ky. More than 150 participants take up the Deputy Governor’s Challenge. - PHOTOS: JAMES TIBBETTS Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, #1, joins the walkers.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2017 18402_HR-Ad-JrPage-Compass-YachtPage 1 4/10/17 12:34:04 PM Cayman not eligible for Challenge funding JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands could still be involved in entrepre- neur Richard Branson’s Ten Island Challenge, though the territory is not eligible for grant funding from the re- newable energy initiative. Infrastructure Minister Kurt Tibbetts said govern- ment has been in regular talks with experts from Mr. Branson’s program, which provides guidance and finan- cial support to island nations that commit to converting to green energy. He said there is no fi- nancing available to the Cayman Islands through the initiative. “It is still on the table. We have had several discussions with the technical people there,” Mr. Tibbetts said. “One of the benefits of being as- sociated with the Ten Island Challenge is that several of the countries that are part of that receive grants … That was the big excitement about the Ten Island Challenge. “The Cayman Islands is not considered to be a part of that, so anything we need then to do we have to ask how much it costs. “It’s not that it can’t be beneficial, [but] we have to ensure it is worth it from a cost standpoint.” Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell first revealed ambitions for the Sister Is- lands to be part of the chal- lenge in June last year, high- lighting the possibility that they could eventually transi- tion to 100 percent reliance on renewable energy sources. “The vision for Little Cayman and the Brac is that they would be branded as part of the Ten Island Chal- lenge,” he said at the time. Mr. Tibbetts, speaking at an event this week to an- nounce the Caribbean Tran- sitional Energy Confer- ence to be held in Cayman next month, said that is still the ambition for the Sister Islands. The Dart group, now one of the major landowners in Little Cayman after purchasing Point of Sand, The Paradise Villas hotel, Hungry Iguana restaurant and another 600-acre prop- erty in the last few years, is also interested in helping bring renewable energy to the island. Pilar Bush, executive vice president of marketing and communications at Dart, speaking at the same confer- ence, said, “We are looking at how could we introduce more sustainable sources of en- ergy for our businesses and maybe other businesses and residences of Little Cayman. “It is early days but we are having conversations with government, with the Department of Tourism and the administration for the Sister Islands, We are cer- tainly looking at it, having acquired those properties last year. In terms of Little Cayman, it makes sense for us and we are studying it and we look forward to being able to make an announce- ment in the future about what can be done and what will be done.” VACCINATION WEEK OFFERS FREE CLINIC FOR CHILDREN The Cayman Islands and several other members of the Pan American Health Or- ganization are marking the 15th anniversary of Vaccina- tion Week in the Americas and the 40th anniversary of the Expanded Program on Immunization. Vaccination Week, which runs through April 29, marks one of the biggest achieve- ments in disease elimina- tion in the Western Hemi- sphere. The week’s theme and social media campaign is “#GetVax to celebrate a healthy tomorrow.” On Saturday, the Cayman Islands Public Health Depart- ment will hold a free clinic from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for all children who need vaccina- tions. Adults who need tet- anus boosters and healthcare workers requiring vaccines may also attend. Dr. Samuel Williams-Ro- driguez, acting medical of- ficer of health, said Cayman “offers a rigorous vaccina- tion program. Our schedule includes procurement of vac- cines approved by PAHO. All vaccines used in the Cayman Islands are safe and are administered in accor- dance with guidelines from the World Health Organiza- tion and PAHO.” Nurse Angela Graham, manager of Cayman’s Ex- panded Program on Immu- nization, said in a press re- lease, “As a matter of priority, we will continue to promote vaccination through advo- cacy, education and com- munication activities during this week.” Since Vaccination Week in the Americas began in 2003, more than 240 million people of all ages have been vac- cinated. Several life-threat- ening diseases – including polio, diphtheria, measles, rubella, pneumonia and tet- anus – have been eradicated due to vaccines and medical breakthroughs. Vaccinations in the Ca- ribbean helped to eradi- cate smallpox in 1971 and polio in 1991. The last endemic case of indigenous measles was re- ported in 2002. The last docu- mented case of rubella in the Americas came in 2009. “There are still some chil- dren who do not complete their vaccine schedule, thus leaving themselves and other vulnerable groups at risk,” said Ms. Graham. “We are en- couraging parents to make and keep appointments with healthcare providers to en- sure their child is up-to-date on all shots.” Current immunization schedule The current immuniza- tion schedule prescribes that by the age of 15 months, chil- dren should have the fol- lowing vaccines: ■■ Three doses of hepa- titis B; (at birth, six weeks and nine months) ■■ One dose of BCG (Ba- cillus Calmette-Guerin – tuberculosis vac- cine); (at six weeks) ■■ Three doses of rota- virus; (six weeks, four months and six months) ■■ Three doses of the combined DT&P (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough), IPV (inactivated polio vaccine) and Hib (haemophilus influenza type b) at two, four and six months) ■■ Three doses pneumo- coccal vaccine (Pre- vnar) at two, four and six months ■■ One dose of vari- cella (chickenpox) and a booster of pneumo- coccal (at 12 months) ■■ One dose of MMR (mea- sles, mumps and ru- bella); and a booster dose of combined DT&P and Hib (at 15 months) ■■ A second dose of MMR is administered at age 18 months. For more information, including a complete list of vaccines, see www.caymancompass.com.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS contributed to delays. “The plan was to start in November last year. I think from the funding component, Arnold Palm- er’s involvement was part of that, so with his passing they paused for a second and we had to reset from November.” He said Mr. Palmer’s family has indicated they are fully committed to completing the project. Mr. Hudson, who came on board this month, said, “Mr. Palmer’s passing has affected the project in that it has ingrained in his children a burning desire to get this done. The family is committed to doing this project as part of his legacy.” The deadline for a deal to be done on the road passed in December last year, triggering a package of duty concessions for the developer. Mr. Mof- fitt said he is still hopeful that the road will get built, and he is ready to return to the negotiating table after the election. But he said the golf course and resort are proceeding, either way. “We still would like the road; we are open to dis- cussions about how to do it. Whatever administra- tion is there after May we can work with,” he said. Mr. Hudson said pre- liminary surveying and mapping of the site has taken place, but the real work of creating the golf course will not start till the end of the year. “We are carrying out investigations to help conservation efforts when we begin clearing. We will go through the site and make sure our conservation commit- ments are being met. I am learning a lot about or- chids,” he said. “After we get it cleared, there is a ton of surveying that goes on, then we have got to start excavating the lakes, and that gives us the fill to start molding the golf course. We are moving 1.5 million cubic yards of dirt to create this golf course.” Mr. Hudson will be re- sponsible for managing the golf course and in- frastructure develop- ment, while Joe Impar- ato’s City Services will build the clubhouse and hotel. Mr. Moffitt acknowl- edged the delays had been frustrating. “We have had our share of setbacks, there is no question about that. “We have a great project. Cayman has been waiting for someone to do a championship golf course like this for quite a while. “We have assembled a great team and we will get it done.” Incumbent candidate Ms. Rivers said she would sup- port the project, but only after an environmental impact as- sessment has been completed. “I would not support any initiative that would cut off the nose to spite the face,” she said. She emphasized that the project should priori- tize Caymanian employment, a theme that was repeated throughout the night. Ms. Young said she sup- ports the project, under the condition that Cayma- nians would be the primary beneficiaries. Mr. Rankin and Mr. Jef- ferson echoed the call to give Caymanians priority for em- ployment in such a project. “When that hotel is fin- ished, I want to see Cayma- nians opening those doors, not people from another juris- diction. I have nothing against them. I’d like to know the labor minister here has some- thing in place so that when the hotel opens, local Cay- manians get first preference, then work permit holders,” Mr. Rankin said. On the topic of public safety, the West Bay Police Station was described by several candidates as “de- plorable” and in need of ad- ditional funding to im- prove conditions. Community policing re- ceived the greatest scrutiny, criticized by Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Rankin and Ms. Rivers for lack of friendliness and com- munity connection. All of the candidates sup- ported increasing foot patrols along Seven Mile Beach and West Bay Road. Mr. Jefferson said foot pa- trols could boost public con- fidence in police, as well as reduce drug sales and other illicit activity in tourist areas. “The people don’t trust the police. They drive by in their air-conditioned cars,” Mr. Jef- ferson said. “They don’t spend much time here.” Mr. Rankin said an issue with the police force is the use of foreign officers. He called for a police academy, focused on local talent and more intensive training. “We have an international police force. Some people can’t speak our language. Some don’t care. It’s just a job,” he said. He repeated the same criti- cism of Cayman’s teachers, in- dicating that foreign teachers do not provide the same care for local children as Cayma- nian teachers. “Most teachers here today are here for rum, sun and fun,” he said. However, teachers were among the few professionals he thought should have access to earning Caymanian status, alongside doctors. Regarding other work permit holders, he said, “We never promised you Caymanian status. We promised a job for seven years and that’s all I would give you.” Mr. Rankin stood alone in opposition to a public-private partnership to collaborate on education. Mr. Jefferson described the current education system as in crisis. He supported the idea of a public-private part- nerships as an alternative to the status quo. “There are too many Cay- manians that cannot afford to send their children to private schools, so you have to have a public education system that works. At the present time, it isn’t working,” he said. Ms. Rivers said as edu- cation minister she has sup- ported such partnerships. She said any decisions made for schools must be data driven and evidence based. Regarding construction of a cruise berthing facility, Ms. Rivers said Cayman must take on such development if the country intends to keep pace with the tourism industry. “To say we are unsure or ambivalent is not a position we can afford to take as gov- ernment,” she said. Ms. Young and Mr. Rankin supported building the fa- cility in Spotts or Red Bay, rather than in George Town. On the Pensions Law, Ms. Rivers opposed Mr. Jeffer- son’s suggestion that foreign workers should be able to take a check with them when they leave the islands. She said this idea goes against the concept of a pension. “Everybody that under- stands the principle of a pen- sion understands that pen- sions are for retirement and retirement is wherever you are. Those persons can get that money in a lump sum upon retirement or they can get payments from the Cayman Islands however they choose,” she said. Mr. Rankin disagreed with investing pension funds abroad and said such money should be kept local. “That money could be in- vested here in the Cayman Islands Development Bank for small business or a na- tional housing corpora- tion that could be earning money,” he said. the suit. Another court em- ployee, who identified him- self as a supervisor, said that individuals may make copies but only after receiving per- mission from the clerk of court, Ms. Allenger. OffshoreAlert, a U.S.- based publication that spe- cializes in the exposure of in- ternational financial crime, ran into the same problem on Monday. A researcher for OffshoreAlert went to Kirk House and was confronted by the new notice. Publisher David Marchant said he has no doubt the policy is aimed at his company. Mr. Marchant said Off- shoreAlert has made a reg- ular practice of publishing on its website all writs from the British Virgin Is- lands High Court, the Ber- muda Supreme Court and the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. And now, he said, is not the time nor the place for the Cayman Islands to be setting a dif- ferent precedent. Mr. Marchant said, “I know of no civilized country whose court you can’t go into and copy writs. And even in less developed offshore jurisdictions like St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, you can go in and copy writs. This puts Cayman at odds with the civilized world, and there’s only one reason this change was implemented. And that’s to protect the du- bious clients of Cayman Is- lands companies. “The Grand Court has sent a message saying, ‘We welcome dubious cli- ents to the Cayman Islands, and the interest of clients of the Cayman Islands is at best secondary and at worst insignificant.’” Mr. Marchant went on to say that his company spends thousands of dollars in court fees and costs each year in order to bring financial mal- feasance to light, and he said he could not fathom why any court or any country would be against the kind of trans- parency his organization works to promote. He said, “OffshoreAlert has a history of helping to put people in prison and putting them out of busi- ness. That’s what we do. And what sort of jurisdiction doesn’t want clients and po- tential clients to know about legal disputes? “This sheds a very unflat- tering light on the Cayman Islands. You can put out all the press releases you want saying, ‘We’re magnificent.’ The proof of the pudding is in the eating. And in this in- stance, it suggests otherwise. It suggests you’re ashamed of what goes on in your ju- risdiction. You don’t want anyone to know about the disputes that go on in your jurisdiction. It’s shameful.” OffshoreAlert will comply with the policy, but Mr. Marchant said he will do everything in his power to let people around the world know that the Cayman Is- lands is not interested in transparency as much as it is interested in safeguarding public information from con- cerned citizens. Ironwood developer vows: ‘We will get it done’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 West Bay South candidates John Jefferson Jr., Tara Rivers, Burns Rankin and Laura Young debate during a Chamber of Commerce candidate forum. - PHOTO: KAYLA YOUNG CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 West Bay South candidates face off at forum Court clamps down on open records policy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 David Moffitt of Ironwood said the death of Mr. Palmer last year and discussions over the hoped-for highway extension associated with the project contributed to delays. “I know of no civilized country whose court you can’t go into and copy writs.” DAVID MARCHANT, publisher, OffshoreAlertThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2017 Israeli PM cancels talk with German FM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly canceled talks Tuesday with the German foreign minister over the visiting diplomat’s plans to sit down with an Israeli rights group, sparking a rare diplomatic feud with one of Israel’s closest and most important allies. New offices, usual high quality legal representation 4th Floor, Harbour Centre, 42 North Church Street Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands Lloyd Samson Prathna Bodden Jonathon Hughes 949-0123 info@samsonlaw.ky www.samsonlaw.ky Brexit districts in Tory sights as May seeks bigger majority Theresa May’s Conserva- tives will be targeting pro- Brexit districts as they seek to boost their majority in the June 8 snap election. Of the 60 constituencies that are in theory most winnable from the main Labour oppo- sition, more than two-thirds voted to leave the European Union last year. The Tories were 6.5 per- centage points ahead of La- bour in the 2015 general election. With polls now showing the Conservatives about 20 points ahead of Labour, that represents a shift in the vote of perhaps 7 points from Labour to the Tories since the last election. A swing on that scale could boost their majority to well over 100 in the 650-member House of Commons. Those districts that sup- ported Brexit are more likely to back May’s policy aimed at a new deal with the EU that pulls Britain out of the bloc’s single market. And in eight of those 60 Labour seats – many of them in the Eng- lish Midlands – more than two-thirds of voters wanted to quit the EU. The premier’s early campaign visits have re- flected that effort. She started off in Bolton in northwest England and was in Dudley in the West Midlands over the weekend. Target constituencies in each town voted heavily for Brexit – and the Conservatives need swings of less than 6 percent. Apart from her own district, May also went to Enfield North in north London and on Tuesday to Bridgend in South Wales, both constituen- cies that voted “Remain” only by a very narrow margin. The most tightly con- tested seats in the last elec- tion were pro-Brexit dis- tricts and are in the north and Midlands of England, as well as in Wales, with only a handful in London and the south. May headed to seats in Wales on Tuesday on her latest campaign trip. It may be a tougher task for the Tories to woo sup- port in more pro-EU con- stituencies, despite Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s lack of clarity on his own Brexit policy. These six districts – five in London and one in Brighton – are theoretically just as winnable for May’s party as the Brexit areas, but they all backed “Remain” by about two-thirds or more. Unexpected opportunity in Scotland But there may be an unex- pected opportunity for more Tory gains in Scotland, where the Scottish National Party won 56 of the 59 House of Commons seats in the 2015 election – and the Conserva- tives just one. Two polls over the weekend showed a surge in Tory support, building on a pattern that saw the Conser- vatives become the second- largest party in the Scottish Parliament last year. If the polls are right, the Tories could take seven to nine seats from the SNP as- suming a uniform swing across Scotland, according to Anthony Wells of the U.K. Polling Report website. As well as helping the Tories to- ward the big majority May says she needs to ensure sup- port for her Brexit plans, it would be a psychological blow in her battle to prevent Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon from calling a new independence referendum. Support for Tories surges A YouGov poll Monday from Wales had good news for May, too. It showed the Tories surging 12 points since the start of the year to 40 percent support, put- ting them on course to gain 10 districts from Labour and take a majority of the 40 seats in the principality for the first time since the 1850s. Even for the Tories to be potentially in such a posi- tion “indicates that we are on the brink of something truly seismic,” Roger Scully of Car- diff University said on his blog. Seven “Leave” districts in Wales, including both in Newport, the third largest city, are among the 60 most winnable. Bridgend needs a swing of just 2.5 points. In some places, though, the Tories will be on the defensive. The resurgent anti-Brexit Liberal Democrat party al- ready took the pro-EU Tory seat of Richmond Park in southwest London in a by- election last year. Now it has its eyes on more of the same. There are six Tory-held dis- tricts that voted “Remain” that the Lib Dems can cap- ture with a swing of about 6 points or less. All were in Lib Dem hands until 2015. In two of these seats – Twickenham and Bath – more than two-thirds opposed Brexit. And Twickenham, the Lib Dems are fielding former Business Secretary Vince Cable, who held the seat until 2015, while former Energy Secretary Ed Davey is run- ning in Kingston. Richmond Park is next door to both. Meanwhile, three pro- EU groups launched a cross- party campaign Monday to target 40 seats across the country. The strategy is two- fold: Oppose lawmakers sup- porting a so-called hard Brexit in 20 key seats – 18 of them Tories – and in the other 20 give added support for candidates with a proven track record fighting Brexit. © 2017, Bloomberg Pro-EU slogans and banners rest on the perimeter fence of the Houses of Parliament in front of Big Ben during a Unite for Europe march last month in central London to protest Brexit. - PHOTO: BLOOMBERG/LUKE MACGREGOR UN chief says Yemen aid conference draws $1.1B in pledges GENEVA (AP) – International donors have pledged $1.1 bil- lion for war-torn Yemen, the U.N. secretary-general said Tuesday, appealing to the fighting sides to grant access to humanitarians and revive diplomatic efforts to end a conflict that has killed over 10,000 civilians. Antonio Guterres ended a daylong Yemen aid con- ference by hailing the “clear generosity and solidarity” of governments and civil society after two years of intensified conflict in the Arab world’s poorest country. The conference, co-spon- sored by the United Nations, Switzerland and Sweden, raised pledges for over half of the $2.1 billion sought by the U.N. this year in an ap- peal that was only 15 percent funded previously. After years of shortfall in funding for Yemen, Guterres praised a “very encouraging signal” that the target could be met this year. He said the pledges must now be “trans- lated into effective sup- port” for Yemenis. “We basically need now three things: Access, access, access,” for humanitarian ac- tors to reach all Yemenis in need, he said. The war has pushed Yemen to the brink of famine, obliterated the health system, led to broad human rights violations and impeded imports of crucial food, resources and medicines. Aid groups want improved access to civilians, a halt to deadly airstrikes by a Saudi- led, U.S.-supported coalition that has been fighting Shiite rebels known as Houthis, and more respect for in- ternational law. U.N. officials say the world’s largest humanitarian crisis is in Yemen, where 17 million people are classified as food insecure, with 7 mil- lion of those facing critical food shortages. The war pits the coalition of mostly Sunni Arab coun- tries against the Iran-backed Houthis and allied army units loyal to a former president. The Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and other areas in 2014, forcing the internationally rec- ognized government to flee. Unlike the Syria war, Ye- men’s conflict has not pro- duced a flood of refugees – making it a relatively con- tained crisis that has made fewer international headlines. Violence and administra- tive blockages have impeded the flow of aid and resources into the country. U.N. officials did not im- mediately provide a full breakdown of the pledges – or specify how much was new. The United States said it was committing nearly $94 mil- lion in additional assistance, bringing its total to $526 mil- lion since the 2016 fiscal year. U.N. officials say the world’s largest humanitarian crisis is in Yemen, where 17 million people are classified as food insecure, with 7 million of those facing critical food shortages.Next >