ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY MAY 11, 2017 High of 87 Low of 76 Moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 THE QUALITY OF CAYMAN CRIME: (NOT GOOD ENOUGH!) SPORTS | PAGE 13 ROLLER HOCKEY TEAMS COMPETE FOR FINALS Premier Health More claims get an automatic green light with BritCay! 57% of claims settled automatically first with BritCay. 95% claims settled in 5 days. British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Limited acts solely as an agent on behalf of Colonial Medical Insurance Company Limited and it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES 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 Rowdy biker crashes outside political meeting BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who was reported to be revving a motorcycle and shouting obscenities out- side a George Town political meeting Tuesday night ended up crashing the motorbike into a car, injuring the driver. The motorcycle rider ran off on foot along Crewe Road after the accident occurred at ap- proximately 8:45 p.m., Royal Cayman Islands Police said. The meeting was being held by Progressives party George Town Central candidate Marco Archer, who was supported by other party candidates and dis- trict residents during the event. At the time the distur- bance occurred, Premier Alden McLaughlin was speaking to the crowd. According to witnesses, the motorbike’s engine was so loud it drowned out the sound from the event speakers. According to police, the mo- torbike and a black Cadillac col- lided on Crewe Road near the in- tersection of Ella Ray Gardens. “As a result of the collision, the black Cadillac also collided into the rear of a Toyota Corolla [that was] parked on Ella Ray Gardens Drive,” police said. The Cadillac driver suffered what police described as non- life-threatening injuries. No one was in the Toyota. Rusted bolt blamed for Brac fire truck crash JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A rusted bolt was to blame for the mechanical failure that caused a fire truck to flip over on the runway at Cayman Brac, an accident reconstructionist has concluded. The fire truck was trav- eling at just over 27 miles per hour when it rolled over during mandatory speed testing at the Charles Kirkconnell Interna- tional Airport in January, ac- cording to a report by Collin Redden, a crash analyst hired to investigate the accident. His report highlights mul- tiple areas of rust on the truck, which was damaged beyond re- pair in the accident, that he sug- gests should have been spotted POLICE COMMISSIONER HEADS TO EAST END Community meeting follows quadruple fatal crash BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Royal Cayman Islands Police Commis- sioner Derek Byrne will meet with East End district residents Thursday night in the wake of some community backlash over a qua- druple-fatal car crash in the district on May 2. Mr. Byrne said Tuesday that the meeting, which was being scheduled anyway to in- form residents about the reopening of the new East End district police substation, would be a good opportunity for police to listen to com- munity concerns. “You’re in the heat of a moment after a very tragic occurrence out there, [with] lots of people upset,” Mr. Byrne said. “Things were said; I have to say they’re not substanti- ated in any way.” After the crash that killed three U.K. tour- ists and a 22-year-old Jamaican man, rumors began circulating on social media about a po- lice officer pursuing the Honda Accord that smashed into the tourists’ rental vehicle. In addition to the four deaths, an 11-year- old boy and a 26-year-old Jamaican man were seriously injured in the crash. Family mem- bers of the 11-year-old boy claimed he had in- dicated the Honda was “being followed” by po- lice after the boy and the two men had come in from a boat trip Tuesday evening. Commissioner Byrne said this week that those statements could not be substantiated, and that the officer who first responded to the incident was stationed in East End, which re- opened its substation on Monday, May 1 – the day before the fatal crash. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » This Panther 6X6 fire truck replaces the vehicle that flipped over during a speed test at the airport runway on Cayman Brac in January. - PHOTO: JAMES TIBBETTS VIA GIS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » An accident reconstructionist blames a rusted bolt for the accident involving a fire truck that rolled over during speed testing at Cayman Brac airport in January. Images of Tuesday night’s motorcycle crash are circulating on social media. The motorbike driver fled the scene on foot, according to the RCIPS.2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY MAY 11, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 HOW TO BE A LATIN LOVER (PG13) 1:00 I 3:55 I 7:00 I 9:40 THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS 3D (PG13) 1:30 2D I 3:25 VIP I 8:00 2D I 9:00 SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE (PG) 12:35 I 2:50 I 5:05 I 7:20 I 9:35 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 3D (PG13) 12:25 VIP I 2:00 I 4:35 2D I 5:40 6:30 VIP I 9:30 VIP BOSS BABY 3D (PG) 12:45 2D I 3:50 I 6:50 2D I 9:15 - THURSDAY - 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) Watercolours auction raises $22K for charity JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Watercolours Charitable Trust launched its 2018 watercolors calendar at Luca restaurant on Tuesday night, benefitting Cayman HospiceCare and the Na- tional Council of Voluntary Organisations. Now in its seventh year, the calendar is filled once again with beautiful artwork, recipes and local events. At the invitation-only event, the trust raised $22,400 by auctioning 13 original art- works donated by local artists to create the 2018 calendar. “Going once, going twice, and sold to the lovely lady over there,” announced auc- tioneer Vicki Wheaton as she sold a painting to one enthu- siastic bidder. The cover of the calendar, “Delicate Beauty,” a painting of hibiscus flowers by Caro- line Courtis, fetched $4,000, the highest bid of the night. January’s watercolor painting, “Tres Amigos” by Jacob Whewell, was another that fetched a handsome price. The painting of three fish swimming along, seem- ingly separated from their shoal, sold for $1,300 to Kent Green and Stacey Stewart Green. Ms. Green said she purchased the painting be- cause of her love of fish. Jan- uary on the calendar features a recipe for grilled lobster with cilantro-pepper butter. The live auction, plus the sale of the calendars, has been an enormous boost to both charities’ coffers over the last six years, according to Janice Wilson, NCVO chief executive. The $22,400 from the auc- tion does not include cal- endar sales. All proceeds from the sale of the calendar go to Cayman HospiceCare and the NCVO. The calendar is devel- oped by the trust and under- written by Greenlight Re. The popular calendar began with the vision and dedication of the late Annette Zalewski, who was the sole artist for the first three years, providing a range of Cayman landscapes to fill the pages. Over the years, other local artists joined Ms. Zalewski’s quest to create watercolors for the calendar. The 2018 Cayman Watercolours Calendar can be purchased from the Richard Arch Children’s Centre, stores islandwide, or online at www.caymanwatercolourscalendar.com for $15/US$20. REPORT: PUERTO RICO HAS WORST DRINKING WATER VIOLATION RATE SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has the worst rate of drinking water violations of any U.S. jurisdiction, with dangerous contami- nants ranging from lead to disinfectants to coliform bacteria, an environmental group said Wednesday. Nearly the entire is- land was supplied in 2015 with water from systems that violated the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act, ac- cording to a report from the Natural Resources De- fense Council, which used the most recent statis- tics available. “Most of these violations were for failure to test the water’s safety or failure to report issues to the public or health authorities as re- quired,” the group said. Officials said many of the violations have oc- curred for years, noting that there were nearly 34,000 vi- olations from 2005 to 2015. In 2015 alone, nearly half of more than 400 water systems across the island violated federal health standards, according to the environmental group. Karim Del Valle, a spokesman for Puerto Rico’s Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, said the agency had no imme- diate comment. The group said nearly the entire population of 3.4 million people was served by systems that vi- olated standards regu- lating the presence of lead and copper. It said all but one of the more than 600 violations were for failure to test for lead or report problems to the public or health authorities. Nearly 10 percent of the island’s 300-plus water systems that serve small, rural communities were la- beled serious violators in 2011 by the U.S. Environ- mental Protection Agency. Only one of those sys- tems was in compliance in early 2015, the Nat- ural Resources Defense Council said. The group urged the U.S. territory’s government and a fiscal control board over- seeing the administration’s finances to provide money for projects to improve the utility’s infrastructure. Puerto Rico’s govern- ment, however, is strug- gling to provide basic ser- vices amid a 10-year-old recession. The water and sewer authority holds roughly $5 billion of the island’s overall $73 bil- lion public debt load that the government is seeking to restructure. Brazil’s ex-leader faces corruption judge RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is getting ready to make a first appearance before the federal judge overseeing a probe of billions of dollars in kickbacks to politicians and other officials. Globo News shows im- ages of Silva’s chartered plane landing Wednesday in the southern city of Curitiba. Silva is to appear Wednesday before Judge Sergio Moro, who is overseeing the so-called “Car Wash” investigation that has led to the convictions of dozens of politicians since it began three years ago. Silva was president from 2003 to 2010. He is a defen- dant in several corruption cases and on Wednesday is to testify about al- legations he received a beachfront apartment as a kickback from a con- struction company. Silva denies wrongdoing in all the cases. Officials said many of the violations have occurred for years, noting that there were nearly 34,000 violations from 2005 to 2015. Auctioneer Vicki Wheaton seeks bids for a painting held up by John ‘Freddy’ Fredericks. – PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY Samruddhi Tagalpallewar stands next to her painting of a traditional Caymanian home. Buyers Stacey Stewart Green and Kent Green with young artist Jacob Whewell.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MAY 11, 2017 Ocean power moves a step closer JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Plans for a floating power plant that will harness solar energy stored in Cayman’s coastal waters are moving forward following the com- pletion of an environmental impact study. The owners of OTEC Cayman Ltd., in Grand Cayman this week for a re- newable energy conference, told the Cayman Compass their consultants have com- pleted the required environ- mental studies, which will be submitted to the Environ- mental Assessment Board in the coming weeks. A series of public meet- ings are expected in the summer as the company seeks approval for the pio- neering project ahead of a 36- month construction process. Derek Dyson, secretary for OTEC Cayman, said, “We are confident we have done ev- erything that has been asked of us from a regulatory per- spective. Hopefully, they will see it the same way and give us the green light.” The company signed a power purchase agreement with the Caribbean Utilities Company last year for 6.25 megawatts of energy. In the long term, they be- lieve the floating power plant, connected to a shoreside fa- cility by underwater cables, could be scaled up to provide up to 25 megawatts – around a quarter of Cayman’s peak power requirements. Ocean thermal energy conversion works by ex- ploiting the temperature dif- ference between the warm surface water and cold water piped from 4,000 feet below the surface, to power am- monia-driven steam turbines to create electricity. The company plans to station a power platform off North Side, linked to a shore- side substation that connects to the national grid. OTEC believes the Cayman Islands is an “op- timal location” because of the steep drop-off in depth that allows access to both warm surface waters and the cooler water found at depth close to shore. The technology has been around for some time and has undergone successful trials in China and Hawaii, but the Cayman project would be the first utility-scale commercial application of the technology. Eileen O’Rourke, president of Baltimore-based OTEC In- ternational LLC, said, “There is nothing magical about the process, but there are sig- nificant challenges, which are really about good design engineering and innovation to optimize the performance of the plant. We have a large portfolio of patents which are essentially about getting the best performance from this established system in the unique conditions that OTEC requires.” According to OTEC’s prin- ciples, its consultants, Ha- waii-based North Shore Consultants LLC and U.S.- based Cardno ENTRIX, have sought to address public concerns, highlighted in the scoping process of the en- vironmental impact assess- ment, including the visual im- pact of the power plant, the environmental threats posed by ammonia and the ability to withstand hurricanes. Barry Cole, director of technology and develop- ment for the firm, said the vi- sual impact would be equiv- alent to a medium-sized fishing boat. He said the power plat- form was designed to with- stand the most severe hurri- canes that had impacted the Cayman Islands and could be shut down in advance of a storm, if necessary. He said the procedures for handling ammonia meet international safety standards and contain contingency plans to prevent or mitigate the impact of po- tential leaks. Ultimately, the plant would seek to employ 12 people, working in shifts, as well as some shoreside support staff. Mr. Dyson said the Kilowatt hour price to CUC would be comparable to diesel and solar. OTEC says the facility will be able to supply power 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, poten- tially making it more reliable than more traditional renew- able energy sources such as wind and solar. The platform and pipes will be constructed in the U.S. and shipped to Cayman. Amid uncertainty about the length of the regulatory and approvals processes, the company is cautious about making predictions, though they believe the first OTEC-powered light switch could be turned on within five years. Mr. Dyson said, “We need about 36 months after the approvals are received, the process approved and finan- cial closing to build the plant, bring it here and do perfor- mance testing, and start the commercial operation and connect it into the grid.” The Caribbean Transi- tional Energy Conference takes place Thursday and Friday at the Kimpton Seafire Resort in Grand Cayman. KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com A change.org campaign that aims to ban plastic bags in the Cayman Is- lands needs about 200 addi- tional supporters to meet its signature goal. As of Wednesday af- ternoon, the petition had 1,296 signatures toward its goal of 1,500. Organizer Claire Hughes said the campaign hopes to raise awareness about pollu- tion in the islands and push government and business to take a greener approach to- ward single-use plastics. “The Cayman Islands should show the world that our marine environment is of the utmost importance to us by banning single-use plastic grocery bags completely,” the campaign page says. Ms. Hughes explained the environmental threat plastic bags pose to marine life, which may confuse the bags for food. She said the problem has been exacerbated in Cayman due to lack of recycling options and inadequate public education. To keep bags out of Cay- man’s waters, she said the islands need to go fur- ther than annual Earth Day cleanups and embrace a lifestyle change. “They’re [the plastic bags] just a convenience. We don’t need them. We’ve managed long enough without them. It’s a case of remembering your reusable bag or coffee cup,” she said. Ms. Hughes encouraged businesses to consider alter- natives to plastic, such as re- usable straws. Eventually, she hopes busi- nesses will be given incen- tives to switch from plastics to more ecological options. In the meantime, she said, indi- viduals can cut down plastic waste by buying reusable gro- cery bags, refusing plastic straws, and carrying reusable water bottles. The petition can be found at http://bit.ly/2pXhOAt or by searching change.org. “They’re [the plas tic bags] just a convenience. We don’t need them. We’ve managed long enough without them.” CLAIRE HUGHES, campaign organizer Online petition takes aim at plastic bags Claire Hughes hopes a change.org petition will raise awareness about plastic pollution in the Cayman Islands. This rendering shows the OTEC floating power plant planned for North Side. Environmental impact studies of the project will be submitted to the Environmental Assessment Board in the coming weeks. Bids sought for cruise project Bidders to design, build, finance and maintain dock JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Tourism officials are seeking bids from contrac- tors to pre-qualify for the project to design and build a new cruise terminal in George Town harbor. The process is taking place in tandem with a study by KPMG to deter- mine the precise funding formula for the project. The deadline for sub- missions is June 30, taking the procurement process well beyond the May 24 general election. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkcon- nell said the pre-qualifi- cation process would es- tablish which firms were interested in competing for the project as well as the exact cost. Mr. Kirkconnell said the bid process will involve commitments from cruise lines on passenger vol- umes to provide security to bidders on future revenue streams for the piers. He said the actual cost of the project would be known only after the bids are vetted. He said the final de- cision on whether to go ahead with the project would be up to whoever is in power at the end of June. “The June 2017 admin- istration will make the de- cision whether or not to send out tender packages to the pre-qualified propo- nents,” he said. He added that the gov- ernment, at that stage, would be armed with spe- cific information about the cost as well as the eco- nomic and environmental issues at play, following a four-year information gath- ering process. Prospective bidders must be able to demon- strate their ability to de- sign, build, finance and maintain two cruise piers capable of berthing four ships, complete land rec- lamation work for shore- side infrastructure and ex- pand the cargo facilities at the same site, according to an ad placed in Monday’s Cayman Compass. The funding formula will involve the bidders fi- nancing construction of the piers in return for a share of the annual rev- enue stream that the cruise facility generates, most likely in the form of a per- passenger fee. Part of KPMG’s role will be to draft the tender documents ahead of the final bid process.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. THURSDAY MAY 11, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS The quality of Cayman crime: (Not good enough!) The Cayman Islands is one of the world’s foremost offshore financial centers, home to complex multibil- lion-dollar corporate structures. Accordingly, you would think that the crimes committed here would tend to be really smart. Not so. Sure, every now and then we come across a truly sophisticated operation – such as the global FIFA scandal revolving around Jeffrey Webb, the CarePay shenanigans of Canover Watson (and alleged co-conspir- ator Webb), or the perfectly executed, textbook robbery of the Camana Bay jewelry store in February 2016. Those luminosities aside, the sorts of crimes we see happening here, more often than not, are straight- forward, smash-and-grab, stick-em-up affairs. And then, of course, there are crimes that are just plain dumb. Considering it’s political campaign season, we’ll start off by mentioning the defacing of candidate billboards and signs. Many of our readers between the ages of 6 and 10 might be in tune with the comedic vibe of scrawling beards, moustaches and sunglasses on the images of political candidates who have fallen into their personal disfavor, but we consider the practice – akin to applying a Sharpie to the inside wall of a bathroom stall – to constitute a decidedly low-IQ affair. Yes, scribbling devil horns and misspelled curse words can effectively get a message across, but does not necessitate the engagement of higher-order brain functions. On Tuesday night, Progressives incumbent Marco Archer was hosting a campaign event outside his party’s headquarters on Crewe Road. No less a luminary than our own Premier, the Hon. Alden McLaughlin, was at the microphone, saying nice things about his Cabinet colleague, candidate Archer. Meanwhile, a motorcyclist with the misguided aim of disrupting Mr. McLaughlin’s speech, zoomed by the event, gunning his engine so the noise would drown out the microphone – a bad idea, poorly executed. At first, the motorcyclist’s strategy was going according to plan – until he slammed his vehicle into a car which then hit another car. Emergency personnel responded, scraping his smashed motorcycle from the road. In the ensuing mayhem, the motorcyclist took off on foot, a real-life reminder of the following truism: “The trouble with trouble is that it always starts out as fun …” Then there is the story of the East End man charged with vandalizing the personal vehicle of a police officer, about 24 hours after the officer had responded to the scene of the tragic May 2 car crash that killed four people. In this case, not only is the alleged offense an unthinking one, but so, too, is the posited motivation for the action – that is, retaliation against the officer for his imagined involvement in a car chase that police deny ever occurred, for which no substantial evidence has been put forth, and which, if it had happened, would have been completely justified. Criminal brainlessness is not a new phenomenon in Cayman (or elsewhere). Here’s one of our favorites from the archives: In December 2014, four young men held up Blackbeard’s Liquor Store in Grand Harbor, using a distinctive gold-colored shotgun and making off with about $5,000 … but not for very long. This was far from a perfect crime. Within an hour of the robbery, all four bandits were located at or outside the nearby home of one of the men, Andrew Lopez, who had used his mother’s black SUV as the getaway vehicle (which was sitting in the driveway of the home when police arrived), and who at the time of the hold-up was wearing an electronic monitor (which enabled police to track his move- ments). At the property, police found the gold-colored shotgun, as well as proceeds from the armed robbery, which had been captured on the store’s CCTV. Going farther back, we are reminded of a story about a would-be burglar who broke into a waterfront bar in the middle of the night so he could help himself to alcoholic beverages without running up a tab. During the caper, he apparently started feeling a bit sleepy – when staff arrived the next morning, they found the mastermind snoozing on top of the beer cooler. Departing from specific examples and speaking generally, any illegal activity that involves littering or machetes – as opposed to shell companies or fountain pens – probably falls into the category of dumb crime. We are being lighthearted of course, but come on, Cayman, we can do better than this … even when we’re doing wrong. HUGH HEWITT Special to The Washington Post Long ago and far away, when I was a young spe- cial assistant first to At- torney General William French Smith and then to At- torney General Edwin Meese, the young staff would au- tomatically stand up when- ever William Webster, then head of the FBI, walked into a room. At Friday morning round-table briefings in the attorney general’s massive conference room, when Web- ster spoke, everyone leaned in. He had the bearing, the competence and the char- acter of the nation’s top and trusted cop. Last summer an old D.C. hand took me to one of those Beltway places of lore for lunch and a cigar and talked candidly about how shocked he was at then-FBI Director James B. Comey’s decision to publicly discuss the Hillary Clinton email investigation and to walk the public through a hun- dred details of the case and then conclude she should not be prosecuted. Agree or disagree with that decision, he said, it’s not what the FBI does. Ever. Agents present facts to prosecutors. They may nudge or even push in one direction or the other, but they don’t decide. My interlocutor, a former assis- tant U.S. attorney and then- senior official in numerous positions and companies, was not so much outraged by Comey’s actions at the time as puzzled, perhaps even shocked. Apparently, new Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosen- stein shared exactly that view and expressed it suc- cinctly in his three-page memo to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Confidence in the FBI would not come back until a new director was in place, and that, of course, requires that Comey be fired. Not a decision to be taken lightly, Rosenstein argued, but one he recom- mended that Sessions make. Sessions reviewed the rec- ommendation, concurred and forwarded a joint rec- ommendation to the presi- dent, who agreed. Anyone who thinks this is connected to a cover-up of “Russian collusion” has to believe that both Rosen- stein and Sessions would participate in such a corrupt scheme. I don’t. It is, in fact, absurd to think that. Reread the Rosenstein memo – a few times. There’s the story. Comey was wrong in July, wrong in subsequent state- ments, wrong as recently as last week and refused to admit error. The story is a straight-line one, and it’s about Rosenstein. In fact, just last week Comey said this in response to a question from Sen. Pat- rick Leahy, D-Vt., about whether Rosenstein should appoint a special prosecutor in the Russian investiga- tions: “That’s a judgment he’ll have to make. He is, as I hoped I was as deputy at- torney general, a very in- dependent-minded, career- oriented person, but it’d be premature for me to com- ment on that.” That’s Comey on Rosen- stein. Last week. Under oath. Which doesn’t mean that questions about the investi- gation of Russia’s attack on our election are any less se- rious or the need for a thor- ough inquiry into charges of collusion between Russia and anyone in the many cir- cles of President Trump is any less pressing. It just means that the FBI has to be led by someone like Webster to assure that both sides of deeply divided D.C. accept the results of all facets of the investigation. Moreover, at last week’s hearing Comey told Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., that there are 2,000 investiga- tions into would-be “vi- olent extremists” – half home-grown and in the “lone wolf” category, the other half in contact with foreign organizations (of whom about 300 are immi- grants to the United States). That’s a massive threat. The FBI is the chief bulwark against it as well as against all cybercrime from abroad (government-sponsored and private criminal activity) and organized crime at home. The director simply cannot lack the confidence of the deputy attorney gen- eral or the attorney general. So whom to turn to? Most definitely someone in the Webster mold, which means a current or former federal judge of stellar reputation for both character and com- petence, and perhaps with some charisma that could prove useful in rallying the FBI and the Justice Depart- ment. Someone like J. Mi- chael Luttig, former 4th Cir- cuit judge and now-general counsel for Boeing; U.S. Dis- trict Judge Richard J. Leon, who has handled scores of terrorism cases; or Stephen Larson, one of my law part- ners, a former federal judge and former head of the or- ganized-crime division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for California’s Central District. There are, in fact, plenty of superb candidates in the mold of these three that must bring stature and inde- pendence to the job. But first we have to en- dure a few days of over-the- top takes from the always overwrought mainstream media. This isn’t the “Sat- urday Night Massacre.” There are no tapes, no sub- poenas for presidential doc- uments, no resignations from the Justice Department, but instead recommenda- tions from the Justice De- partment. It’s four months into an administration, not four years. In short, the over- wrought media has toppled into hysteria again. © 2017, The Washington Post There are no tapes, no subpoenas for presidential documents, no resignations from the Justice Department, but instead recommendations from the Justice Department. Comey’s firing isn’t the ‘Saturday Night Massacre’ PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MAY 11, 2017 EDITION BOOKING DEADLINE Monday May 15th NO PUBLICATION Tuesday May 16th Thursday May 11th Wednesday May 17th Thursday May 11th Thursday May 18th Friday May 12th Friday May 19th Tuesday May 16th DISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAY Celebrate the long weekend DISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAY May 15th (345) 949-5111 • sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Please be advised there will be no newspaper on Monday, May 15th, Discovery Day. OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY PUBLICATION DEADLINES: Candidates face off in GT North forum SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Sharp differences in policy regarding waste man- agement and the proposed cruise ship berthing facility punctuated the George Town North candidate forum on Tuesday night. Two of the three candi- dates in the district – inde- pendent Karin Thompson and the Progressives’ Joey Hew – aired their differences at the Arts and Recreation Centre in a forum presented by the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce. The third can- didate, Pearlina McGaw- Lumsden of the Cayman Democratic Party, was invited but did not participate. The first issue presented, the future of waste man- agement facilities in George Town, brought out the first difference in policy. Mr. Hew, who currently serves as a councilor in the government’s Ministry of District Adminis- tration, Tourism and Trans- port, favors remediating the landfill. Mr. Hew said government has made plans for a state-of- the-art recycling and waste- to-energy facility that will re- duce incoming waste to the landfill by up to 95 percent, and he said it’s important to keep the future facility near the current landfill for rea- sons of practicality. “One of the key reasons why we would want to keep it in that area is we’ve al- ready established that area as a collection point,” he said. “The consumers for the en- ergy produced in the waste- energy plant are right there in the general vicinity. And that’s important that we can transport the energy and be able to sell the energy cre- ated there at the facility. I do support the facility re- maining where it is.” Ms. Thompson offered a stark contrast, referring to the landfill as an “ungodly sight.” She said plans to remedy the current facility have been in the works since 1992, but none of them has come to fruition, and it’s time for government to try a dif- ferent approach. “With the benefit of hind- sight and the passage of time, I must say it’s my view … that we have passed the stage of effective and sus- tainable remediation. I am in favor of having the land- fill removed and placed else- where,” she said. “I have no wish to encroach upon the good people of Bodden Town, but this is what I have to say tonight: If I have my say, if I have my way, no more dumping in our backyard.” The candidates agreed on education, saying that it is important to focus on stu- dents in primary schools, and they both think it is vital to focus more police resources in their district. However, they had very different ideas regarding the future of the cruise ship in- dustry along the waterfront. Mr. Hew said he supports a cruise berthing facility and the expansion of the cargo port. He said studies have shown that there will be consequences if the gov- ernment does not act. The cruise ships currently bring 1.7 million tourists a year, he said, and that number could drop to 1 million without a new facility. Furthermore, he said, the cost could be defrayed by partnering with the cruise lines themselves. “We have proposed a fi- nancial model where sev- eral of the cruise[lines] have a stake in the building of the piers,” said Mr. Hew. “The way they will get their money back is by the replacement of the tendering fees with the berthing fees. And the berthing fees will then pay the cruise[lines] back. It ties them in for the next 15 to 20 years, and if they do not use the piers, they do not get their money back.” Ms. Thompson countered by saying that the natural environment of Seven Mile Beach is too precious to the people of the Cayman Is- lands and to tourism to risk ruining it with increased development. Because of that, she said, she cannot support a new berthing facility or expansion of the cargo port. “I have the benefit of watching those ships anchor. In my sleep, I actually hear the chains as they’re low- ered,” she said. “Next to our people … our pristine wa- ters, our environment, our sea life is exactly what has brought the bread and butter to the tables of thousands of our people.” Neither candidate was in favor of legalizing casinos on Grand Cayman, and they both hoped that any mass ex- odus of foreign workers due to pension law could be alle- viated by domestic workers. But Ms. Thompson and Mr. Hew differed on how the changes in law will affect foreign workers in Cayman. “I honestly believe that when they leave, they’re en- titled to take whatever they have left behind,” said Ms. Thompson of the recent changes in pension law. “I also hope that the mass ex- odus that is envisaged will not necessarily become a re- ality. But you can’t close the cage after the lion is out.” “Pensions are crucial to our financial independence and retirement,” countered Mr. Hew. “The truth is the longer the funds remain in- vested collectively, the better the returns are for all of us. … We have to make these changes as we go along to be able to mature it and grow the pension as our popula- tion grows to ensure finan- cial independence for ev- eryone in the Cayman Islands once they retire.” KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Inmates at Cayman Is- lands men’s prison North- ward will soon have access to a new sports rehabilitation program aimed at training participants in football refer- eeing and coaching. The partnership between the Cayman Islands Football Association and the prison service will provide access to internationally recognized qualifications and the op- portunity to improve athletic skills under the guidance of CIFA volunteers. The 16-week program aims to provide participants with transferable skills when they reintegrate into the com- munity, said custodial man- ager Richard Barton. “The goal is to provide prisoners with pathways to reintegrate into commu- nity life in healthy environ- ments,” he said. Employment in sports can require years of formal training, Mr. Barton added. He hopes this program will provide a foundation for men interested in the sector. To achieve CONCACAF and FIFA licensing, the men will also need to complete first-aid and child abuse prevention certifications. Mr. Barton said these cer- tificates should provide extra support when the men seek employment. After the course, partici- pants will have the oppor- tunity to continue learning through additional training and certification options. “This program provides the foundation for the men to get involved in refer- eeing, coaching or playing in the Cayman Islands,” Mr. Barton said. “Elements of the training are definitely transferable and could assist inmates with securing employment with a wide range of em- ployers on release.” The program will start in June with a group of 15 men who are currently being screened for eligi- bility by CIFA to ensure they do not pose a safety risk to players or other volun- teers. Graduates will not be eligible to serve as official coaches or referees until after their release. To launch the partner- ship, Northward inmates and Prisons Director Neil Lavis presented CIFA President Lee Ramoon with prison-built benches and picnic tables for the CIFA Centre for Ex- cellence in Prospect. During the May 4 meeting, CIFA offi- cials delivered football equip- ment and toured the prison’s sports facilities. CIFA training offers opportunity for Northward inmates Karin Thompson and Joey Hew participate in a debate at the Arts and Recreation Centre on Tuesday night. - PHOTO: SPENCER FORDIN Prison service and CIFA officials meet at Northward to launch their partnership. - PHOTO: COURTESY OF HMCIPSDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Bodden Town THURSDAY MAY 11, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Vesper service lights up BT church The Bodden Town Sev- enth-day Adventist Church hosted an evening of music and worship late last month at its fourth annual musical vesper service. With the theme of “You are the Light,” the service on April 28 featured the Ad- ventist Chamber Orchestra under the direction of founder Bentley Vaughan. The following day there was a seminar by Junior Hines on the theory and rudi- ments of music. According to a press re- lease, the church, with about 150 members on the roll, in recent years has been dis- tinguishing itself in both choir and instrumental music under the leadership of such members as Mr. Vaughan and his wife Annette, Mr. Hines, and Rosemarie Wil- liamson, Keila Woods and Janice Williams. The release states that the service took the form of a se- ries of brief contemplations by Mr. Vaughan featuring Bible verses on aspects of the theme, along with the musical pieces. Junior Hines on the saxophone performed the hymns “This is my De- sire” and “Still” by lyricist Reuben Morgan. The orchestra, founded four years ago by Mr. Vaughan, includes 20 mem- bers playing flute, clar- inet, alto and soprano sax- ophones, guitar, viola, cello and piano. Mr. Vaughan began his music ministry in Barbados, where his family is known for their musical talent, ac- cording to a press release. A self-taught pianist and or- ganist at the Barbados-based Belleplaine Seventh-day Ad- ventist Church, Mr. Vaughan also had training under Vernon Andrews at the Uni- versity of the Southern Carib- bean in Trinidad. In Trinidad he was the music director for an Ad- ventist youth organization, the National Youth Council, during which time he founded the National Youth Chorale, a 70-member youth choir. In the Cayman Islands, when Mr. Vaughan is not en- gaged in local music devel- opment, he serves as en- gineering manager at the Department of Environ- mental Health. He and his wife have lived in Cayman for the past 20 years. Mr. Hines, a music teacher by profession, was taught piano and guitar at an early age by Mr. Vaughan. He has a bachelor’s degree in music performance (saxophone) and a master’s in teaching and music education from Mis- souri Baptist University. Both musicians continue to mentor and nurture the youth at the church and in the community, the press release states. 50 years ago: Family Week and a pro-bunkering stance In the May 10, 1967 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, Bodden Town correspondent Floris McCoy wrote: “Coming in to Bodden Town this week was Mr. Henry McCoy from West India Lines Co., Mr. and Mrs. Ransford Terry and Mr. Marcus Thompson whose ship called in. Also Mrs. Richard Arch and her little daughter and Mrs. Beryl Bodden, all in from Miami. “Leaving for Jamaica was Miss Andrea Solomon for a few days’ vacation. “Mrs. Grace Whittaker and son Carlos left for New York. She will be seeing her children but will not be staying too long. We wish all of them a pleasant trip. “On Tuesday night there was a get-together of the Bodden Town Citi- zens’ Association. “The evening began with a group singing, followed by a film showing the Queen’s West Indian tour in 1966. This film was good and those of us who did not go to Jamaica felt for- tunate to have seen all the outstanding events of the great occasion. “On Friday night a shower was given in honour of Miss Ella Mae McCoy. Ella Mae was very surprised on receiving some rice thrown on her. “She fell right in and started opening her many valuable gifts. She will be exchanging marriage vows with Mr. Andrew Carter on the May 17 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Goldwyn Wel- come at East End. “This is Family Week and it began on Friday at the Church of God with a film entitled ‘Strangers in the House.’ Tuesday night there was a social at the Town Hall, on Wednesday, a skit at the chapel, Thursday visitation, Friday 7:30 p.m. discussion will be led by the probation officer, Mrs. J. Hylton. All who can are welcome to attend.” In the same issue, a letter from Bob Soto re- futed the claims of a pre- vious writer opposing a proposed bunkering project in Grand Cayman. “First I would like to say that I have been a second engineer for seven years with National Bulk Carriers of Super Tankers. In this capacity it was my respon- sibility to take Bunkers of fuel in ports throughout the world, including places with beaches. Namely Aruba, one of the largest refineries in the world is lo- cated just a short distance from the tourist resort on the island. “I have never seen a drop of oil on the water around these locations, also I am sure hundreds of our seamen can tes- tify to the same. “I have supervised the unloading and loading of millions of gallons of Bunker C fuel and also crude oil and have never experienced any spillage. “I think that this bun- kering facility will be a great asset to this island as it will employ 30-40 persons in various capaci- ties, namely, tug boat cap- tains, engineers, mates, deck hands, pilots as well as personnel working in the shore plant. Also it will open up an outlet for seamen when ships call here shorthanded … “I urge all Caymanians to stand up and be counted now in favour of this bun- kering facility which can only serve to open up new opportunities for all Caymanians.” SAVANNAH CHURCH SERVICE KICKS OFF CHILD MONTH A church service at the Cayman Islands Bap- tist Church on Pedro Castle Road marked the launch of Child Month. The service on April 30 was led by Pastor Randy von Kanel and included a number of children’s choir and ministry perfor- mances. The sermon was given by 18-year-old Duvon- chez Chambers. Minister for Community Affairs, Youth and Sports Os- bourne Bodden noted in his remarks this year’s theme of “Our Children, Today and To- morrow,” and the month’s focus on the issues facing today’s teenagers, a press release states. Among the 22 child-cen- tred programs organized by the Department of Children and Family Services during the month are the #IAM2017 youth conference, a teen maze and a teen panel dis- cussion and a public edu- cation session on healthy relationships. Student honored At the service Mr. Bodden also announced this year’s Child Month awardee, Tazmar Dawkins, who was presented with a plaque. The Year 10 John Gray High School student received a laptop from the Ministry’s Chief Officer Dorine Whittaker for his outstanding community service record. According to the re- lease, Tazmar, as well as ex- celling at academics, ath- letics and music, is an active member of his church and a member of the Caring Min- istry and Church Hospi- tality team. He is also the church’s chief drummer and helps monitor preschoolers during break times. As a Youth Department member, Tazmar advertises upcoming events in Youth Services Programmes. He has been training with the Red Cross Peer Leadership Programme since November 2016, and is a member of the newly formed Leos Club at his school. He is also a member of the Under-17 Na- tional Basketball team and is raising money toward minor projects at John Gray. As a member of the JGHS band, he has represented the school at external music and speech choral performances. For more information about Child Month activities, contact Pat Hanlan at DCFS on 949-0290. Bentley Vaughan directs the chamber orchestra. Junior Hines performs on saxophone.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY, MAY 11 EAST END POLICE MEETING: Senior police officers will hold a community meeting 7-9 p.m. at the East End United Church Hall on Seaview Road (near Brazley’s Bar). Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne and senior staff of the RCIPS will be in attendance to discuss policing issues and community concerns. The meeting is open to the public. DCI CLOSING: The Department of Commerce and Investment in Grand Cayman, including its Business Licensing Counter on the first floor of the Government Administration Building, will close at 3 p.m. for a staff meeting. DCI’s main office will reopen tomorrow at 8:30 a.m., and the counter will reopen at 9 a.m. FRIDAY, MAY 12 VOTER ID CARDS: May be obtained at the East End Public Library, 3–6:30 p.m. See May 19 listing for details. BRAC CHILD MONTH: Game Night, Aston Rutty Centre, 7–9 p.m. POSTAL VOTING: The Elections Office reminds registered voters that they may request postal ballots or mobile voting until close of business today. People who will be away from Cayman on Election Day may request a postal ballot by filling out Form B, available on www.elections.ky, at portal. elections.ky/files/downloads/ forms/2016/FORMB.pdf. The completed form and proof of travel may be emailed to office@elections.ky. SPRING REGATTA: Happy hour and skippers’ briefing for the inaugural Cayman Islands 2017 Spring Regatta at Anchors, at the Cayman Islands Yacht Club (West Bay across from Kimpton Hotel). 5-7 p.m. SATURDAY, MAY 13 FLOW SEA SWIM: The annual Flow 800m Sea Swim takes place at Governors Beach. The loop course starts and ends there. Start is 4 p.m., with registration from 3-3:45 p.m. Registration entry fees are – CIASA members, $10 for children and $15 for adults; non-members, $15 for children and $20 for adults. SPRING REGATTA: Cayman Islands Yacht Club. Catboat racing from 10 a.m. to noon for the Premier’s Cup. J22s will sail into Governors Harbour at 2 p.m. for a spinnaker race finish. The Optimist Dinghy Youth Regatta will be held from noon until 4 p.m., with prize giving at 5 p.m. at Morgan’s Harbour. Face painting, henna tattoos, crafts, free sailboat rides for children age 5-17. The public is invited to watch the regatta from the Cayman Islands Yacht Club. For more information, call Cayman Islands Sailing Club Dinghy Representative Pamela Webster at 926-5404. VOTER ID CARDS: May be obtained at North Side Clinic, 9 a.m. to noon. LITTLE CAYMAN CHILD MONTH: Family Fun Day, Pirates point, 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. TRIPLE C 5K: All are invited to take part in Triple C School’s 75th Anniversary 5K walk/run, which starts and ends at the school. Adult/ Child Registration, 6:30 a.m., walk/run starts 7 a.m. Little Sprinters register 7:30 a.m., walk at 8 a.m. Pre-register at the school office and on www.CaymanActive.com $20 for adults or $25 on day of event. Child/student fee, $15. Little Sprinters, $10. Free T-shirt while supplies last. Breakfast provided, random prizes. Contact the school office at 949-6022 or www.triplecschool.org. TEA PARTY: The Mothers Union of the St. George’s Anglican Church hosts its annual tea party, A Spring Affair from 3 p.m. in the Church Hall. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children under 10. There will be prizes, surprises and entertainment for the whole family. The event is in aid of community outreach projects hosted by the Mothers Union. Call or text 325-0318 for tickets. RUM TAILS: Dog show and demonstrations, organized by One Dog at a Time. 1–4 p.m. at the distillery on Bronze Road, next to Animal House in George Town. Entry forms for the show are available from Cayman Animal Hospital or at the event. The dog show begins at 2:30 p.m., with categories including best rescue, best costume, best trick and more. There will be rum tasting tours, hot food, cakes and drinks for purchase, and an agility course. Dog shampoo and conditioner treatment for $10. SUNDAY, MAY 14 MOTHER’S DAY: Service for Mother’s Day at the Red Bay Church of God (Holiness) on Selkirk Drive will begin at 10 a.m. All are welcome. MOTHER’S DAY: The West Bay Wesleyan Holiness Church will have its Annual Mother’s Day Service and Program at 10:30 a.m. All are invited. MONDAY, MAY 15 MOTORCADE AND FUN DAY: The First Assembly of God Church celebrates its 25th Anniversary. Motorcade leaves the church grounds at 1 p.m. and travels to John Gray High School Playing Field via Crewe Road, Smith Road, Walkers Road and Academy Way. Everyone is encourage to wear the Anniversary T-shirt and come out for an afternoon of fellowship and fun. Football, basketball, dominoes, races and more. Refreshments will be served. It’s all free. CEMETERY CLEAN-UP: Another clean-up and painting of graves/tombs in another section of the Boatswains Bay Cemetery is planned for 7 a.m. Paint will be provided, along with some rollers and brushes and rakes. Residents are invited to join in and bring paint brushes or rollers please if possible. Call 929-9932. TUESDAY, MAY 16 SEAFARERS ASSOCIATION: Members are advised of a general meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Seafarers Hall, 11 Victory Ave. Prospect. A bus is provided from West Bay Town Hall at 6 p.m. A bus route has been added in George Town, leaving the Public Library parking area at 7 p.m., stopping at the Cayman Compass building and the Airport Foster’s. The bus is marked Bobo $1 Public Transport and is blue. There is no charge. THURSDAY, MAY 18 ARDYTH SMITH IN BLACK AND WHITE: The National Museum on Harbour Drive launches the Ardyth Smith exhibition. The event is free and open to the public. Miss Ardyth was an animal rights activist, community leader, historian, advocate for people’s rights and photographer. CHILD MONTH: Snuggle and Read. Cayman Academy School. 6–8 p.m. FRIDAY, MAY 19 VOTER ID CARDS: Today is the last day to collect the new voter registration cards. Cards may be collected from the Elections Office at the Smith Road Centre, 150 Smith Road, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. They replace all previously issued voter identification. To receive a card, voters must show a valid form of official identification, such as a driver’s license, passport or work ID. Contact 949-8047, office@elections.ky or www.elections.ky. BRAC CHILD MONTH: Family Dinner, Aston Rutty Centre, 7–9 p.m. CHILDREN’S LOGO: Young artists ages 4 to 18 are invited to enter the Department of Children and Family Services’ Logo Competition. Today is the deadline. Submissions should describe any of the following themes: building a protective environment for all children; preventing and responding to violence, mistreatment, neglect and abuse of children; promoting children’s rights. Entries must be at least 8 1/2 x 11 inches but no larger than 11 x 17 inches. Logos can be hand-drawn or photos and illustrations combined. Entries must be dropped off at the DCFS office, 7 Genesis Close, by 5 p.m. dcfs@gov.ky or visit the DCFS Facebook page. SATURDAY, MAY 20 DARKNESS TO LIGHT: A free Red Cross-training program for parents, teachers and others who work with or provide services to young people. From 9–11:30 a.m. Gain knowledge and skills to prevent child sexual abuse; recognize signs of abuse and learn how to react responsibly. Pre-registration is required. Contact vrm@redcross.org.ky. CHILD MONTH: Foster care recruitment drive, Grand Old House, 6–8 p.m. TEEN MAZE: a Child Month activity at UCCI. 10 a.m. BRAC CHILD MONTH: Teen Disco, Youth centre. 7–10:30 p.m. SUNDAY, MAY 21 THE BUSINESS OF ART: Presentations and workshops that explore how artists and creatives can build a business around their talent, from developing a presence in the art world to learning to sell work directly to the public or finding suitable representation. 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Regular attendance, $35. Practicing artist, $25. Students over 15 years, free. Lunch and refreshments will be provided throughout. Booking is essential. Email events@nationalgallery.org.ky or call 945-8111. CIMA CHARITY 5K & 10K WALK/RUN: As part of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority’s 20th anniversary, the public is invited to the 5K & 10K Walk/Run, 6 a.m., starting at Elizabethan Square. Cost is $20 for adults, $10 for children under 12. Proceeds benefit the literacy and numeracy programs of various government primary schools. To register, or for more information, visit www.cima.ky. GENERAL INTEREST HIGH SCHOOL PTA: The John Gray High School PTA seeks sponsors, vendors and volunteers for its June 24 Summer Fair and Raffle. The PTA is raising funds to assist students traveling overseas to represent the school and country in events such as track & field, swimming, fine arts, academics and more. The PTA invites applications from visual and performing artists, food vendors and volunteers. Email ptajghs@ gmail.com for registration forms. If you have a product that you would like to sell to student body and the wider public at the Summer Fair and Raffle, sign up. Booths are $50 and $75. CONTRACTORS REGISTRATION: The deadline for General and Civil Contractors to register with the Builders Board has been extended by a month. The deadline is now May 31, 2017. Registration deadlines for the other categories of contractors remain the same: Residential and Building Contractors, June 30, 2017; Trade Contractors, Aug. 31, 2017. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MAY 11, 2017 POLITICAL MEETINGS AND FORUMS THURSDAY, MAY 11 CHAMBER FORUM: George Town Central candidates, 7-9 p.m. George Town Town Hall. FRIDAY, MAY 12 ED CHISHOLM: North Side. 6:45 p.m. Yard meeting 141 Hutland Road at the home of Paul and Mary Ebanks. SATURDAY, MAY 13 PAUL HURLSTON: George Town South. 7 p.m. South Sound Civic Center. TUESDAY, MAY 16 NATIONAL DEBATE: Candidates from various districts at the Arts and Recreation Centre, Camana Bay. 7-9 p.m. ARDEN MCLEAN: East End. Pamela Dixon’s yard, Sea View Road. 8 p.m. EZZARD MILLER: North Side. Joyce Douglas’s yard. 8 p.m. WEDNESDAY, MAY 17 JOHANY (JAY) EBANKS: North Side. Rosita (Bina) Brown’s yard, Frank Sound. 7:30 p.m. THURSDAY, MAY 18 NATIONAL DEBATE: Candidates from various districts at the Arts and Recreation Centre, Camana Bay. 7-9 p.m.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY MAY 11, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS “That’s why the of- ficer was there, because he was patrolling his commu- nity,” Mr. Byrne said. “I hope the community will get a chance to meet with me and talk about these things.” Mr. Byrne placed part of the blame for the recent public and community re- lations difficulties experi- enced by the RCIPS on the police service itself, stating that the police generally need to do a better job of getting their message out. “There’s a bit more un- derstanding required in the community,” he said. “An encounter with the police shouldn’t be just in the situ- ational context.” Police recruitment One area the police need to improve, the commis- sioner noted, is in the re- cruitment of police officer candidates. In Tuesday’s graduation ceremony, just six new officers joined the force. Two auxiliary consta- bles who were already with the RCIPS were promoted at the ceremony. Typically, po- lice recruit classes have be- tween 12 and 15 officers. “It’s just difficult to re- cruit,” Mr. Byrne said, chalking up the trouble to a “combination of factors,” in- cluding partly to public out- reach efforts. “Are we doing enough to go out and sell ‘the product?’” Mr. Byrne asked. “Are we doing enough in terms of career guidance? There’s no reason why local people would not want to join [RCIPS]. We probably need to do a little bit more.” Mr. Byrne said he thought there was “plenty of talent” in Cayman for law enforcement purposes, citing as one example Police Con- stable Nicholas Manning, 19, who was one of the gradu- ates at Tuesday’s ceremony. “At 19 years old, you can see he’s got a fine ca- reer ahead of him,” the com- missioner said. The public meeting Thursday will be from 7-9 p.m. at the East End United Church Hall. The motorbike driver fled, leaving his vehicle at the scene, according to police. As of press time Wednesday, police officers were still searching for the man and no arrests had been reported. Mr. Archer said Wednesday that he was aware of the disturbance going on outside his meeting but was not really sure what it was all about. “I hope the bike rider and the driver of the [Ca- dillac] were not seriously injured,” he said. Premier McLaughlin’s senior political adviser, Roy Tatum, said he was right behind the motorcycle driver in his car sitting out- side the meeting when the incident occurred. “I didn’t hear what he shouted, but he certainly was trying to disrupt the meeting, no doubt about it,” Mr. Tatum said. The political adviser, who has been around a number of campaigns in the Cayman Islands, said he was “disappointed” to see such behavior at a public political meeting, adding his view that such occurrences were not the norm in Cayman. “We don’t want politics to slip to that kind of level,” Mr. Tatum said. Progressives party Gen- eral Secretary John Meghoo released a statement on the incident Wednesday after- noon: “The party is praying for the speedy recovery of an unsuspecting fe- male driver and continued strength for her family. We are particularly concerned about the reckless behavior of a heckler who tried to disrupt our meeting and whose subsequent disre- gard for the traffic laws resulted in injuries to the motorist. “We abhor this type of politically-inspired be- havior. The Cayman Islands have always held free, fair and peaceful elections and the party does not condone misbehavior in any form.” during maintenance. He indicates that the prin- cipal cause of the accident was that an axle stop, de- signed to stabilize the vehicle as it leans into a turn, failed because one of the bolts had sheared off due to rust. The vehicle entered the turn traveling only on its left wheels and rolled over, injuring two firefighters on board. A separate report by truck manufacturer Os- hkosh indicates the truck was 80 percent damaged in the accident. It was written off and re- placed with a new Panther 6x6 aerodrome fire truck, worth $599,328, handed over at a ceremony on the Brac last week. In his report on the acci- dent, Mr. Redden indicates the rust should have been spotted during routine main- tenance. He also indicates signs of rust at similar points on the second aerodrome fire truck stationed at the Brac and recommended that it be dealt with urgently. He said the vehicle leaned so far over on its left side that the truck’s locker box scraped the runway before it flipped over. He added that the “left rear [axle] stop started to fail due to the two lower bolts … one [of which] sheared due to the other bolt being rusted away.” He said rust was identified on several key areas of the chassis during his inspection. “This should have been noticed if the undercarriage was inspected correctly, if proper preventive mainte- nance is being carried out, especially since the fire sta- tion is located close to the sea where the salt air would significantly increase rust and corrosion if the proper preventive maintenance is not carried out.” He indicates there is no “robust preventative main- tenance program” as recom- mended by the appliance manufacturer and regu- latory bodies. Mr. Redden also rec- ommended more formal training for fire truck drivers on the Brac. He wrote, “The current system of driver training being used is that the experi- enced operators are showing the younger operators how to drive and respond to emergencies. “There should be training and certification for the op- erators in proper use and response of the appliances such as set out in National Fire Protection Association 1002 ‘Fire Apparatus Driver/ Operator Professional Quali- fications’ or guidelines from other regulatory or advisory bodies in this industry.” The reports were pub- lished on the government’s websites this week following a hand-over ceremony for the new aerodrome-certified truck on the Brac. The truck, made by Amer- ican manufacturer Rosen- bauer Minnesota LLC, will be housed at the Charles Kirk- connell International Airport. Minister for District Ad- ministration Moses Kirkcon- nell made opening remarks at the ceremony welcoming the new piece of equipment, before taking a ride on the new truck. “This new fire engine is another investment into public safety for the people of this island and the people who visit this island,” he said. “This government continues to invest and ensure the best possible air transport safety and the highest standards of overall operational safety for the Cayman Brac Airport.” “We are extremely grateful to have this fire engine now a part of our aerodrome fleet thanks to the Ministry of Home Affairs,” Chief Fire Of- ficer David Hails said. “It’s a fire truck like these islands have never seen. This new ve- hicle is designed with state- of-the-art equipment which can efficiently extinguish any aircraft fire, and will improve operation capabilities for the Cayman Brac Airport.” Michael Nixon, acting chief officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs, also at- tended the handover of the new fire engine to the fire of- ficers of Cayman Brac. “The men and women of the Cayman Islands Fire Ser- vice put their lives on the line every day, and we are happy to ensure they have the life- saving equipment they need to do their job,” he said. All officers who will work with the new truck have re- ceived operation and main- tenance training. The vehicle will have full LED lighting, a twin-agent fire extinguishing system, a driver’s cab with a panoramic view and the first on-board thermal imaging camera in the Cayman Islands. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Rowdy biker crashes outside political meeting Police commissioner heads to East End CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Rusted bolt blamed for Brac fire truck crash The crashed fire truck sits by the runway in January after it flipped over during a speed test. Police Commissioner Derek Byrne Bulgarians, Romanians face new Swiss job limits GENEVA (AP) – Switzer- land’s executive branch on Wednesday ordered a one-year cap on the number of workers from Bulgaria and Romania who can access Swiss jobs, after an influx from the two European Union member states in recent months. The decision by the seven- member Federal Council in- vokes rules of a deal be- tween Switzerland and the 28-member bloc, of which Switzerland is not a member. The deal generally allows for open-access work rights and freedom of circulation, but allows some exceptions based on how many people enter and other factors. Citizens of Romania and Bulgaria, as relatively new EU members, first obtained such enhanced access to jobs in Switzerland last July. But after a relatively high influx of Bulgarians and Romanians, mainly for sea- sonal construction jobs, the council ordered that net im- migration from the two coun- tries be set at 996 people over the coming year. The Swiss government said net inflows of Bulgar- ians and Romanians to- taled 3,300 people last year, twice the figure in 2015, even though inflows from the EU overall fell. They took jobs in sectors with relatively high jobless rates, it said, adding that the move adheres to a parliamentary decision in December to give prefer- ence to people already on Swiss unemployment rolls. Switzerland has rela- tively low unemployment, and has been a lure for many workers from the European Union: About one-fourth of the country’s population is foreign-born. But the small, wealthy Alpine nation has seen a growing resistance to migrants from abroad, partly underpinning the rise of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party – now the top party in parliament. Lukas Riedel, a spokesman of the Swiss state secretariat for migration, said the coun- cil’s decision Wednesday was similar to another carried out five years ago following the accession of eight other Eu- ropean Union members. “This is based on an agree- ment with the EU … and it’s temporary,” Riedel said. “This is not discrimination against Bulgaria and Romania.” George Ciamba, a top of- ficial in the Romanian For- eign Ministry, expressed regret over the decision, in- sisting that a relatively small number of Romanians had applied for Swiss work per- mits, according to a min- istry statement. Romanian officials be- lieved any such decision should be taken with an eye to keeping close bilateral re- lations between the EU and Switzerland, “with the goal of respecting the free circula- tion of people and the work- force and non-discrimination of European citizens,” he said. The deal generally allows for open-access work rights and freedom of circulation, but allows some exceptions based on how many people enter and other factors.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MAY 11, 2017 Damian Rose May 10th, 1993 – October 20, 2013 4 sad years have passed, Since you have been gone from us. We think of you every day. You will always be in our hearts. From you Dad and Mom, Brothers and Sisters, Aunts and Uncles, And the rest of the Family. German homes raided in search for IS German police raided homes in four states on Wednesday in connection with three people suspected of links to the Islamic State group, authorities said. Apartments and other locations were searched in Berlin, Bavaria, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, federal prosecutors said. Trump defends Comey firing Democrats, who criticized FBI director in November, oppose the move WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump defended his firing of FBI Director James Comey, asserting in a flurry of tweets Wednesday that Republicans and Dem- ocrats “will be thanking me.” Trump did not mention any effect the firing might have on the probe into con- tacts between his 2016 cam- paign and Russia. Instead, Trump tweeted that he will name a replace- ment “who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI.” In his brief letter Tuesday to Comey, Trump said the firing was necessary to re- store “public trust and con- fidence” in the FBI. The ad- ministration paired the letter with a scathing review by Deputy Attorney Gen- eral Rod Rosenstein of how Comey handled the investi- gation into Democrat Hillary Clinton’s email practices, in- cluding his decision to hold a news conference announcing its findings and releasing “derogatory information” about Clinton. While Comey has drawn anger from Democrats since he reopened the email inves- tigation in the closing days of last year’s campaign, they did not buy that justification for his firing. Comey’s prominent role in the 2016 presidential campaign raised questions about his judgment and im- partiality. Though the FBI did not recommend charges against Clinton for mishan- dling classified information, Comey was blisteringly crit- ical of her decision to use a personal email account and private internet server during her four years as secretary of state, and overstepped his role as investigator when he stated, “Although there is evi- dence of potential violations of the statutes regarding the handling of classified infor- mation, our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case.” Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, wrote in his letter to the president that the comments were in- appropriate, “derogatory” and unfair to the Demo- cratic presidential candi- date – “a textbook example of what federal prosecutors and agents are taught not to do.” He said Comey should have left it to the Justice Department to decide what to make public about the investigation. Just last week Clinton blamed Comey for costing her the presidency. Senate Democratic Leader says firing “a mistake” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who got a call from Trump on Tuesday ad- vising him that he was going to fire the director, told Trump that he thought dumping Comey was a mistake. However, last No- vember, after Trump was elected president, Schumer said of the FBI director, “I do not have confidence in him any longer.” Also last year, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told CNN: “Maybe [Comey’s] not in the right job.” But after Trump fired Comey, she said in a state- ment, “The President’s sudden and brazen firing of the FBI director raises the ghosts of some of the worst executive branch abuses.” Future of investigation in question For some, Tuesday’s abrupt firing throws into question the future of the investigation into the Trump campaign’s possible connections to Russia. Trump has ridiculed the investigations as “a hoax” and denied any campaign in- volvement with the Russians. To date, there has been no evi- dence of any collusion. Democrats likened Com- ey’s ouster to President Richard Nixon’s “Saturday Night Massacre” and re- newed calls for the appoint- ment of a special prosecutor, and some Republicans also questioned the move. In a flurry of tweets, Trump said Comey had “lost the confidence of al- most everyone in Wash- ington,” adding: “When things calm down, they will be thanking me!” Several Republicans joined in raising alarms of how the firing could af- fect probes into possible co- ordination between Trump associates and Russia to influence the 2016 presiden- tial election. In one of the stron- gest statements by Repub- licans, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, chairman of the Senate intelligence com- mittee, said, “I am troubled by the timing and reasoning of Director Comey’s termi- nation. His dismissal fur- ther confuses an already difficult investigation by the committee.” Trump will now appoint a successor at the FBI who will almost certainly have an impact on how the inves- tigation moves forward and whether the public will ac- cept its outcome. The director of the FBI is appointed by the president and with the advice and con- sent of the Senate. The posi- tion has a fixed 10-year term, but there are no statutory conditions on the president’s authority to remove the di- rector, the U.S. Congressional Research Service states. Trump meets with Russia’s top diplomat WASHINGTON (AP) – Pres- ident Donald Trump wel- comed Vladimir Putin’s top diplomat to the White House Wednesday marking his highest level face-to- face contact with a Russian government official since taking office. The talks come one day after Trump fired the FBI di- rector, who was overseeing an investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 pres- idential election. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived at the White House and entered from its exclusive West Executive en- trance, out of range for re- porters to ask questions. Before that session, Lavrov stopped at the State Depart- ment to see Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who said the get-together was a chance for the two to “continue our dialogue” and “exchange of views” that they started last month in Moscow. During that trip, Tillerson said rela- tions with Russia were at a low and needed to be rebuilt. A Russian plan to sta- bilize Syria after more than six years of civil war was the most urgent foreign policy topic on the Trump- Lavrov agenda. Putin asked Trump to meet with Lavrov when the two leaders spoke by phone last week, according to a person with knowledge of the call. The person insisted on anonymity in order to dis- cuss the private conversation. During his appearance with Tillerson, Lavrov feigned surprise when asked whether James Comey’s firing as FBI director cast a shadow over the U.S.-Russia talks. “Was he fired? You’re kidding. You’re kidding,” Lavrov told reporters sar- castically before waving his hand dismissively and leaving the room. Tillerson ignored questions about Trump and Comey. Less than a month into Trump’s presidency, he fired his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, saying Flynn misled senior administration officials about his pre-inau- guration talks with Sergey Kislyak, Russia’s ambassador in Washington. In a Senate hearing Monday, former acting At- torney General Sally Yates said she warned Trump’s White House in January that Flynn “essentially could be blackmailed” by the Russians because he apparently had lied to his bosses about his contacts with Kislyak. Trump has said he has no ties to Russia and is not aware of any involvement by his aides in any Russian elec- tion interference. He calls the various investigations a “hoax” driven by Democrats still bitter that their candi- date, Hillary Clinton, was de- feated last year. But his hopes for a pos- sible rapprochement with Moscow, so regularly re- peated during the campaign, have been derailed. Ties soured further in April after the U.S. blamed a Russian ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad, for a deadly chemical weapons attack on civilians and Trump ordered that some 60 cruise missiles be fired at a Syrian air base in response. After Tillerson visited Putin and Lavrov in Moscow on April 12, Trump said flatly, “Right now we’re not getting along with Russia at all.” Still, Tillerson’s meeting provided a blueprint for how the former Cold War foes might go about improving ties. A main focus is Syria, where both governments want to end a civil war that has killed up to 400,000 people, contributed to a global refugee crisis and al- lowed the Islamic State group to emerge as a global ter- rorist threat. The continued fighting between rebels and Assad’s military has compli- cated U.S. efforts to defeat IS. Lavrov was conveying a Russian plan to end the vi- olence, after hashing out an agreement with Iran and Turkey last week. It focuses on the creation of four de-escalation zones. Critical details need to be fi- nalized and the U.S. response has been cautious, with top officials such as Defense Sec- retary Jim Mattis saying they’re still studying the con- cept and its various unan- swered questions. The would- be safe zones would not cover areas where the U.S.- led coalition is fighting IS. The Russian diplomat has not visited Washington at all since 2013, a year before Rus- sia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region and two years before it intervened militarily in Syria to help Assad re- main in power. Trump will now appoint a successor at the FBI who will almost certainly have an impact on how the investigation moves forward and whether the public will accept its outcome. Then-FBI Director James Comey testifies May 3 on Capitol Hill in Washington, before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. - PHOTO: AP/CAROLYN KASTER U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the White House on Wednesday. - PHOTO: RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY VIA APNext >