ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY JUNE 12, 2017 Arrests made for exotic pet smuggling ‘Possum’ escapes on CAL flight from Miami JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Customs officers investi- gating an attempt to smuggle an exotic pet, known as a sugar glider, into Grand Cayman, found numerous other animals in- cluding snakes and a lizard in a follow-up search of a property on the island. Two people, a 31-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, were arrested last week after the sugar glider, a type of possum, got loose on a Cayman Airways jet from Miami, startling pas- sengers. It is understood that the animal was being illegally transported in a passenger’s hand luggage when it escaped, just as the plane landed, on Wednesday night. A later search of a property in Grand Cayman resulted in the confiscation of further ex- otic animals, including snakes and a lizard, not usually found in Grand Cayman. Multiple sources have told the Compass that one of those ar- rested is a close relative of a cur- 25th annual Sea Swim draws thousands SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The normally placid scene of Seven Mile Beach was transformed to a car- nival Saturday, when thousands of participants and spectators flooded the area for the 25th edition of the Flowers Sea Swim. More than 1,000 swimmers took part in the mile-long event, and hun- dreds of people flooded the beaches to cheer them on and witness history. Twin course records were set, as Jordan Wilimovsky (16:22) and Ashley Twichell (17:41) swam the fastest races in Flowers Sea Swim history. “I’m stoked,” said Mr. Wilimovsky, a 23-year-old American, moments after emerging from the water fol- lowing his record-setting swim. “It’s super fun to come out here and do this race every year.” The course for the swim was flipped on Friday due to concerns about the current. The swimmers made their way from Royal Palms to the Westin Grand Cayman instead of starting out at the Kimpton Seafire, and both winners said the conditions helped propel them to their record- setting times. “It helps you coming in,” said Mr. Wilimovsky, who also won the Sea Swim in 2015. “The waves are pushing us. My coach was joking that it was kind of like a lazy river. You just kind of take it up the beach.”Frank Flowers Sr., Dara Flowers-Burke and Frank Flowers Jr. shortly after completing their swim on Saturday. – PHOTO: MAGGIE JACKSON PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14 » Morethan1,000swimmersatthestartoftheirmile-longracetothefinishlineneartheWestinresort.– PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY The swimmers line up 1,000-deep shortly before entering the water for Saturday’s mile-long event. PROMINENT SWIMMERS AT FLOWERS SEA SWIM Swimmers of global distinction were among the 1,000-plus field in Saturday’s Flowers Sea Swim. Olympians Allison Schmitt and Megan Jendrick took part, along with Penny Palfrey, who set a world record by swimming from Little Cayman to Grand Cayman. See Page 16 for the full story. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY JUNE 12, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS SATURDAY, JUNE 17th, 8PM A Contemporary Evening Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 THE MUMMY 3D (PG13) 1:20 2D VIP I 5:00 I 7:00 2D VIP I 9:00 2D CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS (PG) 12:30 I 2:40 I 4:00 I 6:20 BAYWATCH (R) 1:20 I 4:05 I 7:00 I 10:00 A FAMILY MAN (R) 1:00 I 3:55 I 6:45 I 9:45 WONDER WOMAN 3D (PG13) 12:45 I 3:55 2D VIP I 8:10 I 9:30 2D VIP PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES 3D (PG13) 12:35 2D I 3:30 I 6:30 2D I 9:45 - MONDAY - 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) Police seek Scranton shooting witnesses Police held a crime-scene walk-through Friday night on the one-week anniver- sary of a suspected gang- related shooting in cen- tral George Town. Officers held an appeal for witnesses outside the Rooftop Bar on Mary Street, Friday afternoon, and re- turned to the neighborhood in the early hours on Sat- urday, seeking information from patrons of nearby bars about last week’s incident. Detective Constable Kenval Bryan urged anyone who had seen a confronta- tion inside the bar or a man jumping from the balcony to come forward. Police received two re- ports of shots fired in the early hours of Saturday last week, the first on Mary Street and the second at a nearby home in Scranton. They believe an initial confrontation took place in- side the Rooftop Bar. One man fled the scene, jumping from a second floor balcony on to a parked car below. He was pursued by three men and at least one shot is believed to have been fired as he ran toward Shedden Road. According to police, the same three men fol- lowed the intended victim to a home on Myles Lane, firing multiple shots. One of the bullets lodged in a mattress where someone was sleeping, but no one was injured. Detective Bryan said po- lice were focusing their search for witnesses on the area around Mary Street, where there are several bars. “At 2 a.m. people would have been exiting the various bars and walking along the roadway. This is the area that we believe creates the greatest likelihood of witnesses. “Quite frankly this is a very serious incident that has a tremendous impact on out community, any as- sistance that can be given is very important. “This is a random act of violence that could have af- fected you or someone you know,” he said. “If we don’t get help from the public, it is much harder to do our job and bring these people to justice.” Anyone with information can call DS Stewart on 936-0475 or call Detectives Stewart and Bryan at George Town Police Station on 949-4222. “This is a random act of violence that could have affected you or someone you know. If we don’t get help from the public it is much harder to do our job and bring these people to justice.” DETECTIVE CONSTABLE KENVAL BRYAN PC Powry says police are appealing for witnesses to come forward in an incident outside Rooftop Bar on Mary Street. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER Jury hears Errington Webster interviews Defendant denies all charges, denies asking girl for photos CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The five women and two men serving as jurors in the trial of Errington Webster last week heard taped inter- views police conducted with him concerning three charges of indecent assault and one charge of gross indecency. Crown counsel Darlene Oko, who is conducting the case for the prosecution, pro- vided jurors with a transcript of the two interviews so they could follow along. The charges against Web- ster relate to actions alleged to have occurred between April 1 and June 25, 2016. The complainant is a girl who was 13 at the time. Webster, who was report- edly planning to stand for election, denied in the inter- views that he had touched the girl in any indecent way. Asked about a video the girl said she had taken in his vehicle of him touching himself, Webster re- plied, “That’s incorrect … I don’t recall it. It didn’t happen as far as I’m concerned.” Asked about what the girl had said he wanted her to do, Webster replied, “I don’t know anything about it.” He told officers that as he was driving that day, he had felt a pain in the back of his neck. The girl was with him and he thought she had “jooked” him, using a word for a sharp hit. When he got home, he felt the pain again and found him- self on the garage floor with the door between his legs. He said he learned after the fact about the negative effect of his blood pressure medication with the grapefruit juice he had consumed that morning. An officer commented that Webster looked very alert in the video, not passed out and not in a state of delu- sion. Webster replied, “If it happened I must have been out of my mind.” Later in the interview, when the officer brought up the girl’s report that Webster had asked her to have a baby for him, he disagreed. He said the girl had wanted him to have intercourse with her and he had told her, “Child, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” He agreed that he did not tell anyone about this, neither the girl’s mother nor his wife. He said he did tell his wife “after the fact” about pictures the girl sent him via cellphone. He said she sent one “naked” photograph, but he never asked for it. “As soon as I seen it I erased it,” he told police. He said he told the girl she should not do things like that because they could go all over the world. Other Crown witnesses included two specialist police officers who explained how texts and images were down- loaded from the phones of the girl and Webster, and then how that data was analyzed. The final witness on Friday was the compliance officer for Royal Bank of Canada’s Red Bay branch. A video from the bank shows a truck driving into the branch parking lot and a man getting out, then being seen at the ATM. The officer produced re- cords to show that there were three transactions on June 25, 2016, involving the ac- count held jointly by Webster and his wife. One of them was a withdrawal of $300. The jury has already heard the girl’s evidence that on the day she recorded the video, she first went with Webster to town and he stopped at the bank. She said when she asked how much money he withdrew, he told her $300. The trial was scheduled to continue on Monday. Webster said he did tell his wife “after the fact” about pictures the girl sent him via cellphone. The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service said Friday that it is seeking a man named Troy Pearson, age 35, who evaded arrest during an operation on May 22. The Drugs and Serious Crime Task Force and Cus- toms Enforcement are searching for Pearson, who is said to have assaulted a cus- toms officer and a police of- ficer during a joint operation in which a large quantity of drugs were recovered. The police raided two homes on May 22 – one in Savannah and one in George Town – and arrested two women and a man after significant quantities of ganja were found. Police are cautioning anyone who may encounter Pearson to exercise caution and to alert authorities as soon as possible. Anybody with information can call 911 or DC Greg Banks at 938-1741. An alternate means of providing information – contacting the RCIPS Confidential Tip Line at 949-7777 or the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 800- TIPS (8477) – is available for sources who wish to remain anonymous. POLICE SEEK DRUGS SUSPECT Troy Pearson3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 12, 2017 It’s easy to renew your Kittiwake vessel license & annual pass for the upcoming licensing year of July 1st 2017 - June 30th 2018! you can experience uninterrupted enjoyment of the Kittiwake! Annual passes are CI$25 and annual private licenses are CI$50 (includes 2 annual passes) Current pink boat license decal and annual passes expires on June 30, 2017 Visit www.kittiwakecayman.com for the vessel license agreement. Contact CITA for any inquiries on 345-949-8522 or at kittiwake@cita.ky The CITA Office and Visitor Centre located at 1320 West Bay Road is open Monday - Friday from 9AM - 4PM. FAST TRACK YOUR CAREER!! Train locally to compete globally! Intermediate Certificate in Financial & Management Accounting Diploma in Accounting & Business Advanced Diploma in Accounting & Business ACCA Qualification Get a Solid Foundation in Accounting! Get AAT Qualified AAT Foundation Certificate in Accounting AAT Advanced Diploma in Accounting AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting New Student Induction – Aug. 24th Classes begin week of Sept. 4th Upcoming Modules: (only 3 modules to be completed over a 12 to 18-month period) Accounting Fundamentals IFA Core Modules Accounting Certifications – from ACCA (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants – over 100 years strong ) OFFICE TEL FAX E-MAIL WEBSITE Unit 201 Alissta Towers 943-IMPT (4678) 943-4679 Info_impt@candw.ky www.impttraining.com ICSA® Certificate in International Finance & Administration Starts week of Aug. 28 th Starting week of Sep.4 tt AAT QUALIFICATIONS (From the Association of Accounting Technicians) FAST TRACK YOUR CAREER!! Train locally to compete globally! Intermediate Certificate in Financial & Management Accounting Diploma in Accounting & Business Advanced Diploma in Accounting & Business ACCA Qualification Get a Solid Foundation in Accounting! Get AAT Qualified AAT Foundation Certificate in Accounting AAT Advanced Diploma in Accounting AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting New Student Induction – Aug. 24th Classes begin week of Sept. 4th Upcoming Modules: (only 3 modules to be completed over a 12 to 18-month period) Accounting Fundamentals IFA Core Modules Accounting Certifications – from ACCA (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants – over 100 years strong ) OFFICE TEL FAX E-MAIL WEBSITE Unit 201 Alissta Towers 943-IMPT (4678) 943-4679 Info_impt@candw.ky www.impttraining.com ICSA® Certificate in International Finance & Administration Starts week of Aug. 28 th Starting week of Sep.4 tt AAT QUALIFICATIONS (From the Association of Accounting Technicians) FAST TRACK YOUR CAREER!! Train locally to compete globally! Intermediate Certificate in Financial & Management Accounting Diploma in Accounting & Business Advanced Diploma in Accounting & Business ACCA Qualification Get a Solid Foundation in Accounting! Get AAT Qualified AAT Foundation Certificate in Accounting AAT Advanced Diploma in Accounting AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting New Student Induction – Aug. 24th Classes begin week of Sept. 4th Upcoming Modules: (only 3 modules to be completed over a 12 to 18-month period) Accounting Fundamentals IFA Core Modules Accounting Certifications – from ACCA (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants – over 100 years strong ) OFFICE TEL FAX E-MAIL WEBSITE Unit 201 Alissta Towers 943-IMPT (4678) 943-4679 Info_impt@candw.ky www.impttraining.com ICSA® Certificate in International Finance & Administration Starts week of Aug. 28 th Starting week of Sep.4 tt AAT QUALIFICATIONS (From the Association of Accounting Technicians) FAST TRACK YOUR CAREER!! Train locally to compete globally! Intermediate Certificate in Financial & Management Accounting Diploma in Accounting & Business Advanced Diploma in Accounting & Business ACCA Qualification Get a Solid Foundation in Accounting! Get AAT Qualified AAT Foundation Certificate in Accounting AAT Advanced Diploma in Accounting AAT Professional Diploma in Accounting New Student Induction – Aug. 24th Classes begin week of Sept. 4th Upcoming Modules: (only 3 modules to be completed over a 12 to 18-month period) Accounting Fundamentals IFA Core Modules Accounting Certifications – from ACCA (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants – over 100 years strong ) OFFICE TEL FAX E-MAIL WEBSITE Unit 201 Alissta Towers 943-IMPT (4678) 943-4679 Info_impt@candw.ky www.impttraining.com ICSA® Certificate in International Finance & Administration Starts week of Aug. 28 th Starting week of Sep.4 tt AAT QUALIFICATIONS (From the Association of Accounting Technicians) Anglin’s minimum murder term 34 years CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Chad Anglin, convicted in 2014 for the murder of Swiss banker Fred- eric Bise, was ordered on Friday to serve 34 years imprisonment before he can apply for conditional release. Justice Alexander Henderson im- posed the term after considering whether there were any excep- tional aggravating or extenuating features to raise or lower the min- imum 30-year sentence set by Cay- man’s legislators. That minimum came into effect in February 2016. The Conditional Release Law says that anyone con- victed of murder before then must come before a trial judge to receive a time-specific term rather than the previous indeterminate sen- tence of imprisonment for the rest of his or her life. In reaching his conclusion for Anglin, who is now 37, Justice Hen- derson found that no extenuating circumstances had been revealed. He found three aggravating circum- stances and explained them in the context of the facts of the case. The judge noted that the victim was homosexual. Early in the morning of Feb. 8, 2008, he went to a jerk chicken stand in West Bay, where he met Anglin. The two men and a third man, Anglin’s cousin, went to Mr. Bise’s residence. The next morning, Mr. Bise’s body was found in the trunk of his car, which was on fire. “He had suffered multiple blows with a blunt object to his head and face and had been strangled or suf- fered severe blows to the neck. Ex- pert evidence suggested that Mr. Bise died before being placed in the car. The evidence also showed that another man had recently had sex with him.” That summary by Justice Hen- derson went on to note that Anglin was convicted on a mixture of cir- cumstantial and direct evidence. His DNA was found at the scene, a friend gave evidence of an incrimi- nating statement by him, his alibi was contradicted by CCTV from the jerk stand. The judge agreed that Mr. Bise’s computer, phone and credit card had been stolen from him, but he said the evidence did not permit a conclusion that theft was planned before the murder – it could well have been an “opportunistic act committed spon- taneously after the killing,” he said. Therefore, he did not find that this had been a murder for gain. Fur- ther, there was evidence that Anglin’s cousin had retained the stolen arti- cles; nothing implicating Anglin in the theft was exceptional. The cousin was later found guilty and sentenced to 20 years for being an accessory to the murder after the fact. Justice Henderson did regard as exceptional the fact that Mr. Bise’s body was set on fire and found in a partially burned condition. The at- tempt at destruction was an aggra- vating feature unusual enough to be exceptional, he said. A further aggravating factor was Anglin’s status on bail at the time of the killing. Regulations to the Con- ditional Release Law state that the court must treat that fact as an ag- gravating circumstance. The regula- tions also require the court to con- sider any previous convictions. In 2001, Anglin was convicted of five counts of indecent assault. “In- decent assault is a form of violence committed for a sexual purpose,” Justice Henderson said. “The murder of Mr. Bise was committed within the context of a homosexual encounter. These previous convictions … are of sufficient relevance and proximity that I take them into account as an aggravating circumstance.” The judge pointed out that An- glin was sentenced 10 months after the murder for two counts of as- sault causing actual bodily harm; he had pleaded guilty and received a term of three years. In 2011, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years for indecent assault and wounding. The judge questioned whether he should take into consideration these later offenses or only those that occurred before the murder. In his view, he could take them all into account. “That conclusion ac- cords more closely with the overall intent of the legislation, which is to arrive at a minimum term that re- flects appropriately the three legis- lative objectives of retribution, de- terrence and rehabilitation,” Justice Henderson said. He considered Anglin’s prior crim- inal history to be a substantial ag- gravating factor that justified a con- siderable increase in the minimum term and he arrived at 34 years. The judge also dealt with two preliminary issues. First, Anglin was not present at his sentencing hearing. Prison officers said he re- fused to leave his cell; he also re- fused to participate via video link. In a handwritten letter dated May 25, 2017, Anglin had said he would not participate in proceedings until he was given a lawyer who “will follow instruction.” The judge said he was satis- fied that on all occasions, Anglin had been given sufficient notice of hearing dates. His refusal to attend was willful and the judge was satis- fied that Anglin’s consent had been given to having proceedings con- ducted in his absence. Second, Anglin did not have an at- torney. The judge noted that Anglin had rejected two. He had not been denied his right to legal counsel; he had refused to take advantage of it. The judge had appointed attorney Jonathon Hughes as “friend of the court” to make submissions on be- half of the defendant. It was Mr. Hughes, in fact, who successfully ar- gued against the “murder for gain” aspect of the case. The judge considered Anglin’s prior criminal history to be a substantial aggravating factor that justified a considerable increase in the minimum term. Frederic Bise’s vehicle burns outside a home on Mount Pleasant Road in 2008.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” WASHINGTON – Sensing that his Scottish enemies had blundered at the Battle of Dunbar in 1650, Oliver Cromwell said, “The Lord hath delivered them into our hands.” Philip K. Howard, were he the exulting type, could rejoice that some of his adversaries have taken a stand on indefensible ter- rain. Because the inaccu- rately named Center for American Progress (CAP) has chosen to defend the im- pediments that government places in its own path re- garding public works, it has done Howard the favor of rekindling interest in some- thing he wrote in 2015. A mild-mannered Man- hattan lawyer of unfailing gentility and civility, Howard is no fire-breathing Crom- well. Rather, he is a combi- nation of Candide and Sisy- phus, his patient optimism undiminished by redundant evidence that government re- sists commonsensical legal and regulatory reforms of the sort he pushes up the moun- tain of bureaucracy when not serving as senior counsel at the white shoe law firm of Covington & Burling. In September 2015, Howard, founder and chair of the reform advocacy group Common Good, published a paper “Two Years Not Ten Years: Redesigning Infra- structure Approvals.” In it, he argued that time is money, and that America is wasting enormous amounts of both with an infrastructure ap- proval system that is an “ac- cident of legal accretion over the past 50 years”: “America could mod- ernize its infrastructure, at half the cost, while dramat- ically enhancing environ- mental benefits, with a two- year approval process. Our analysis shows that a six- year delay in starting con- struction on public projects costs the nation over $3.7 trillion, including the costs of prolonged inefficiencies and unnecessary pollution. This is more than double the $1.7 trillion needed through the end of this de- cade to modernize America’s infrastructure.” The nation that built the Empire State Building in 410 days during the Depres- sion and the Pentagon in 16 months during wartime re- cently took nine years just for the permitting of a San Diego desalination plant. Five years and 20,000 pages of en- vironmental assessments and permitting and regulatory materials were consumed be- fore beginning to raise the roadway on New Jersey’s Bayonne Bridge, a project with, as Howard says, “vir- tually no environmental im- pact (it uses existing foun- dations and right-of-way).” Fourteen years were devoted to the environmental review for dredging the Port of Sa- vannah, which has been an ongoing process for almost 30 years. While faux environ- mentalists litigate against modernizing America’s elec- trical grid, transmission lines waste 6 percent of the elec- tricity they transmit, which equals 16 percent of 2015 coal power generation and is equal to the output of 200 average-sized coal-burning power plants. In 2011, ship- pers using the inland wa- terway system of canals, dams and locks endured de- lays amounting to 25 years. In 2012, the Treasury Depart- ment estimated that traffic congestion wasted 1.9 billion gallons of gasoline annually. Diverting freight to trucks be- cause of insufficient railway capacity quadruples fuel con- sumption. And so on, and on. Twenty months after Howard published his ar- ticle, the CAP’s response shows how far we have de- fined efficiency down: It cel- ebrates the fact that federal environmental statements av- erage only 4.6 years. Actually, that would be bad enough if such reviews were all or even most of the problem. Actu- ally, there are other kinds of reviews and other layers of government involved, as with the Bayonne Bridge – 47 per- mits from 19 federal, state and local agencies. The CAP says that “the principal restraint facing state and local governments contemplating megaproj- ects is money, not environ- mental review.” But, again, this ignores myriad other time-consuming reviews and the costs, in both construc- tion and social inefficiencies, driven by lost time. Today’s governance is il- luminated by presidential epiphanies (e.g., “Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated”). Barack Obama had one concerning infrastructure: “There’s no such thing as shovel-ready projects.” This is partly be- cause, as Stanford political scientist Francis Fukuyama says, America has become a “vetocracy” in which intense, well-organized factions liti- gate projects into stasis. Intelligent people of good- will can dispute, as the CAP rejoinder does, Howard’s cost-benefit calculations. But the CAP partakes of the hy- perbole normal in today’s en- vironmental policy debates: It includes Howard among “hardcore opponents of en- vironmental review” who “consider federal laws that protect the environment fun- damentally illegitimate.” Even the title of the CAP’s response to Howard’s arguments for more pertinent and effica- cious environmental reviews is meretricious: “Debunking the False Claims of Environ- mental Review Opponents.” Opponents? Including Howard? Hardly. David Burge, who tweets as @iowahawkblog, satirizes this slapdash style of progres- sive argumentation: “To help poor chil- dren, I am going to launch flaming accordions into the Grand Canyon.” “That’s stupid.” “WHY DO YOU HATE POOR CHILDREN?” George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2017, Washington Post Writers Group When Cayman Islands politics begin to veer into “silly” (or even dangerous) territory – for example, when law- makers talk about shutting off work permits, flirt with the idea of independence or make accusations about being “tailed” by law firms – we are usually able to soothe our nerves with the thought that, ultimately, it is the United Kingdom who is behind the steering wheel, and we in Cayman are in the backseat, enjoying the ride. But what is a loyal crown colony supposed to do, if it looks like Mother Dearest, herself, may be going a bit daft? Last week’s snap election in the U.K. demonstrates that British voters (and lawmakers) don’t seem to be entirely certain of their political bearings. Next to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn – whose party exceeded expectations and deprived the Conservatives of an outright majority in Par- liament – the person most pleased (albeit privately) with the results from Thursday’s vote might be former Prime Minister David Cameron. As readers will recall, Mr. Cameron’s tenure on Downing Street was brought to an abrupt end by his historic polit- ical miscalculation of calling for a referendum on Brexit in 2016 – a proposal he opposed but, as it turned out, U.K. voters supported. Following the self-inflicted humiliation of his successor at the polls, at least now Mr. Cameron has a contemporaneous commiserator. Ignoring the lessons from Mr. Cameron’s grand Brexit blunder, Primer Minister Theresa May marched head on into a similar political crevice. When she called for the national election, her apparent intent was to consolidate further the Conservatives’ hold on power, to coalesce the country behind the Brexit decision and to deal a decisive blow to the then-reeling Labour Party and its quirky, hard left leader Mr. Corbyn. So much for Mrs. May’s “best laid schemes.” As we are writing this, Prime Minister May is attempting to broker a deal to salvage a Conservatives- led coalition government (while the specter of an internal party coup by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson looms in the background). If those discussions go awry, then Labour will have the chance to form its own govern- ment. If not now, Mr. Corbyn also has his sights trained on the middle term, in the expectation that Prime Minister May will be unable to keep permanent any government she does manage to cobble together. Mr. Corbyn said, “I can still be prime minister. This is still on.” If any of the above sounds familiar, it should. The mixed results in Britain, and the ensuing wrangling for power behind closed doors, is not unlike what happened during the May elections in Cayman, although on a much larger stage. Much of that has to do with the nature of the parlia- mentary system of governance bequeathed to us from the U.K., and also human nature inherited from birth. Where many politicians, pollsters and professional prog- nosticators (including Prime Ministers Cameron and May) go wrong is in their belief that they can not only gauge accurately the prevailing pulse of public opinion, but can predict with confidence how individuals will act weeks or months in the future. Part of the difficulty is that before the future gets here, events intervene – brutal acts of terrorism, political mis- statements, the weather on election day, what voters had for breakfast, etc. – that can tilt narrow electoral margins one way or the other. Most people, including voters, don’t act according to how they “think.” They act according to how they “feel” at a given moment. “The next election” is never a safe bet for an incumbent politician because, even in times of relative prosperity, the impulse of many voters is to “throw the bums out of office” … regardless of who those bums are, what they’ve actually done, or how long they’ve been there. Often in our little islands, we look to the U.K. for wisdom, impartial expertise and calm steadying guidance. Our first instinct should be, rather, to appeal to ourselves for accountability and self-reliance. Put another way, Mother may know best … but not always. British elections: When Mother loses her grip MONDAY JUNE 12, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Get the shovels in the ground GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE 5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 12, 2017 COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS Making a difference Thank you, Dinner Martin for helping us build a stronger community! The YMCA of the Cayman Islands Corporate Founders campaign is raising funds to firmly root the Y locally and establish a solid foundation for lasting impact. We are dedicated to building strong communities by focusing on character development and the core values of honesty, caring, respect, responsibility, and faith. To learn more, contact Vanessa Hansen at vhansen@ymcacayman.ky ymcacayman.ky (345) 926.9622 IT’S MY Y’ FOR GIVING BACK! RUBY LEVEL FOUNDER “Dinner Martin Attorneys is a strong supporter of the Cayman Islands YMCA. The YMCA has a long history of building healthier communities and we want to assist them in every way possible to help individuals achieve physical, social and mental health. Dinner Martin knows that youth are a priority in the community and we believe the YMCA programs provide kids with valuable opportunities.” Culture minister opens exhibition JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com An exhibit by Simon Tatum was formally opened at the Cayman Islands Na- tional Gallery by newly appointed Culture Min- ister Dwayne Seymour Thursday evening. Mr. Seymour congratu- lated the local artist and said he was proud of Mr. Tatum, especially because he is a Bodden Towner like himself. The contemporary exhi- bition titled “Looking Back and Thinking Ahead” fea- tures Mr. Tatum’s Memory Tank Series, consisting of 14 sculptures that resemble tra- ditional Caymanian house graves. The tanks, filled with water, contain individually sculpted ceramic busts sur- rounded by arrangements of artificial flower bouquets. “Each tank – although unique in its assemblage – functions with the same purpose, to memorialize the development of the Cayma- nian people though colonial influences, and encourage the discussion of Cayma- nian ideals through its post- mortem mementoes,” ex- plained Mr. Tatum. Mr. Tatum said he was excited to bring his Uni- versity of Missouri project back with him and feature it at the Gallery. He hopes it can stay as a permanent feature so the Caymanian people can see it. In addition to the tanks, Mr. Tatum’s exhibition pres- ents a series of screen prints made from acrylic ink and graphite powder placed on newsprint. The photo- graphs are sourced from the Cayman Islands National Ar- chive, private collections and advertisement imagery used within various tourism pam- phlets and magazines. National Gallery Director Natalie Urquhart said Mr. Tatum is a remarkable young graduate and is inspiring to them at National Gallery. Mr. Tatum completed his undergraduate degree in visual art from the Uni- versity of Missouri this summer, and the exhibition draws from Mr. Tatum’s final project, as well as his experi- ence participating in the Ca- ribbean linked residency this past August in Aruba. Thanks to the support from NGCI, he was able to travel and work in Aruba with other Caribbean artists, curators and residency staff, all influencing the works in his showcase. Mr. Tatum’s work has been featured in several group exhibitions that in- clude, “Open Air Prisons: Las Antillas para los Antil- lanos” at the LACE Gallery in Los Angeles, California; “Tidal Shift – Explorations of Caymanian Identity” at the National Gallery; and the “Caribbean Linked IV” exhi- bition in Oranjestad, Aruba. His series “Discover and Rediscover” was the sub- ject of a solo exhibition at the University of Mis- souri art gallery. The exhibition at the Na- tional Gallery is open to the public until June 16. “Each tank … functions with the same purpose, to memorialize the development of the Caymanian people though colonial influences and encourage the discussion of Caymanian ideals through its post-mortem mementoes.” SIMON TATUM, artist Culture Minister Dwayne Seymour speaks with artist Simon Tatum. - PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY Simon Tatum with his works, which resemble traditional Caymanian house graves.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days George Town MONDAY JUNE 12, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Triple C students take to the skies Students from Triple C School took to the sky to compete in the Destination Imagination Global Finals at the University of Tennessee. The school’s “The Unti- tled” team included Sydni Ebanks, Isaiah Webster-Scott, Simba Gurure, Ezrie Tibbetts, Madison Chin and Elijah Knight. Students from “The Sarcastic 7” team included Ayanna Davis-Eden, Gabriella Pierson, Andon Hislop and Darien Ebanks. Both teams competed in the scientific and fine arts categories at the DI Global Finals. “During my time in DI, I’ve learned how to work well with other people and how to use my creativity in everyday life,” said Grade 8 student Ayanna. “On our recent trip, one of my highlights was the “Evening under the Stars” event which was a huge out- door concert with amazing music.” Simba, a Grade 8 student, expressed his love for science said, “In DI I’ve learned the importance of teamwork and cooperation. On our trip, I enjoyed trading pins with people from all around the world.” What became Destina- tion Imagination was incor- porated in 1982, and gained its current name in 1999. Since then, they have had over 1 million participants. Their goal is to help student teams learn to be creative in every aspect of their lives, and their team challenge pro- grams are developed annu- ally to ensure they are rel- evant and align to National Education Standards, STEM standards, ELA Common Core Standards and Math- ematics Common Core Stan- dards. Team challenges cover the following areas: Fine Arts, Technical, Scientific, Improvi- sation, Engineering, and Ser- vice Learning. The annual event at- tracted 17,000 attendees, in- cluding 8,000 student partic- ipants in 1,700 teams. This year’s competitors come from twenty countries, including China, Australia, Canada and Singapore. Triple C’s contingent also including teachers and chap- erones. The school was part of eight teams from the Cayman Islands that qualified at a re- gional competition at the Cayman International School. Rachel Banta, Middle School Social Studies teacher and sponsor, said both teams showed excellent sportsman- ship. “Although they did not end up at the podium, the students should be proud of the effort they put in against powerhouse teams from China and the United States. One of the highlights of the trip was pin trading with people from around the world. Another was our Uni- versity of Tennessee campus tour,” she said. This is Triple C’s second year competing in Destination Imagination, and the second year attending Global Finals. This is the first year that the school was able to take two teams to compete. “During my time in DI, I’ve learned how to work well with other people and how to use my creativity in everyday life.” AYANNA DAVIS-EDEN, Grade 8 student 50 YEARS AGO Permanent Secretary visits Cayman In the June 14, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Compass, “George Town Notebook” corre- spondent Frances Bodden wrote: “Mr. and Mrs. Derek Wight spent the week-end in Miami, re- turning on the 5th after a business and pleasure trip. “Among the departures North- bound on the 5th were Mr. Rayal B. Bodden Jr. of Miami who was on a brief visit with his parents Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Bodden, Sr., and Mrs. Carol Watler on a 17 day va- cation in Miami. “Returning to Kingston on the 7th were Mrs. Leila Webster after an enjoyable visit. She hopes to re- turn again in the near future. “Mr. Anninos, Mrs. Lomas and Mr. Adams spent a busy two days on the island. “Arriving from Jamaica on the 7th to spend a week as guests of Mr. and Mrs. B. St. Aubyn at Windsor House were Mr. and Mrs. Earle Maynier. Mr. Maynier was for many years a Permanent Sec- retary in the Government of Ja- maica, and was also a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Govern- ment of Trinidad. On indepen- dence in 1962, he was appointed as Jamaica’s first High Commis- sioner to Canada. He retired from his post in 1965 and is now living in Jamaica. He is a member and Chairman of many Statutory Boards and Committees. “Mrs. Maynier is a Barrister-at- Law and practiced her profession in Trinidad. She was also Resi- dent Tutor in Trinidad of the Uni- versity of the West Indies and is now part-time Assistant Regis- trar at the University of the W.I. in Kingston. She has for many years taken a deep interest in educa- tional matters. “Mr. and Mrs. Darwin Bush and family of South Sound returned to Fort Lauderdale for a few months. “Mrs. Merle Stewart of Walkers Rd. left on her way to Philadel- phia to visit her husband Mr. Renton Stewart. “A welcome party at the Beach Club Colony was given on the 6th by Mr. and Mrs. Neil A.J. Cruick- shank for Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Seaman and Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Minty. Mr. Seaman is the new manager of the Royal Bank of Canada and Mr. Minty is here for a few months in connection with the Royal Trust Co. Mr. and Mrs. Cruickshank returned to Kingston on the 7th after an enjoyable visit. Mr. Cruickshank acted as man- ager of the Royal Bank of Canada for a while.” Triple C team ‘The Untitled’ takes the stage. From left, Isaiah Webster-Scott and Ezrie Tibbetts. - PHOTOS: PAUL TIBBETTS Ezrie Tibbetts, Grade 7, carries the Team Cayman Islands sign at the opening ceremony.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JUNE 12, 2017 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K CIMPA Conference_10.333 x 7.8975.pdf 3 6/1/17 9:20 AM Police warn about ‘cash flipping’ scam The Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice is notifying the public about a ‘Cash Flipping’ scam pervading Cayman. A group of individuals appear to be using social network sites to advertise a fraud- ulent means of investment that yields profits of up 2,000 percent of the orig- inal investment. The ‘Cash Flipping’ culprits appear to be targeting victims via social network profiles on Instagram and other sites, and then they send direct messages from profiles purporting to be from U.S.-based investment companies that promise siz- able and immediate profits for small up- front investments. The victims of the scam have been promised a return of 10 or 20 times their investment amount. The victims are then put in touch with user profiles pur- porting to be Caymanian investors that can vouch for the credibility of the in- vestment. But many of those are fake ac- counts with hijacked photographs. Victims have been encouraged to send money via Moneygram and Western Union to locations like Jamaica and other offshore jurisdictions. Once the money has been sent, victims are told they need to send a further outlay of as much as CI$350 or $500 for adminis- trative fees and other spurious charges. After further deposits, victims have found they are blocked from being able to message or otherwise contact culprits on the social network site. No return on their investment materializes. Two formal complaints have been sent to the Financial Crime Unit of the RCIPS, and a number of people have shown up at Moneygram and Western Union windows with questions about the scam’s veracity. The RCIPS FCU strongly cautions all members of the public to beware of any solicitations via any social media to in- vest in stocks or other assets. Images like this have been sent in an attempt to entice Caymanians into making fraudulent investments. BODDEN TOWN RESIDENTS, POLICE WORK TOGETHER TO REDUCE CRIME The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has reported a significant drop in the number of burglaries in the Bodden Town area. The de- crease is attributed to safety mea- sures conducted by police and com- munity members. The first two weeks of May saw 25 burglaries, an alarmingly high number for the district, but the Bodden Town police received rein- forcements from the Criminal In- vestigation Department to pursue investigation and apprehension of burglars. Bodden Town police offi- cers and CID detectives have made seven arrests for burglary as of June 7, with five of those coming in the last two weeks. Much of the downturn in bur- glary arrests comes from an in- crease in activity and vigilance in the Bodden Town community by or- dinary citizens responding to prop- erty crime in their area. “We have seen residents in Bodden Town re- ally come together in different neighborhoods throughout the dis- trict to form neighborhood watches and generally just support each other and feel more secure,” said Rudolph Gordon, Neighbourhood Inspector for the Eastern Districts. “They have passed a lot of useful in- formation and observations on to us, some of which has helped us make arrests. Fighting crime is a joint effort between police and the community, and we can have great results when we work together.” There has been an active What- sApp group called the “Mijall Watch Squad” which has started work on distributing watch flyers and regu- larly trading messages on all hap- penings in the area. Colin Taylor, a resident in the Mijall Road area, said the group has made a large dif- ference in his community. “Knowing that your neighbors are on the alert makes you feel more se- cure,” said Mr. Taylor, a member of the new group, “And I notice that I am also more aware. I used to drive straight into my driveway after work, but now I circle the neighborhood just to see what is going on first.” The National Roads Authority has installed street lamps and cut hedges in the area in response to requests from the neighbor- hood watch group. While burglaries have decreased in Bodden Town, they have in- creased in other parts of the is- land, including residences in South Sound and commercial businesses in George Town. Neighborhood officers are hoping to facilitate new neighbor- hood watches around the island, and they are also urging residents to be aware of weaknesses in secu- rity of their homes and businesses. The following tips can help en- sure safety and security at home and in your workplace: ■■ Ensure that doors are properly carpentered, with hinges on the inside and a proper lock jamb ■■ If going off island, arrange for someone to check the property daily ■■ Keep hedges low so neighbors can see what is happening. The ‘Cash Flipping’ culprits appear to be targeting victims via social network profiles on Instagram and other sites, and then they send direct messages.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY JUNE 12, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Pinnacle Media and CayFilm have joined to bring you an exclusive gift package worth $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! $2,000! 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Mr. Moran was responding to a question from Magistrate Adam Roberts after a Colombian national with Cayman ties pleaded guilty to being concerned in the importation of 1.814 kilos of cocaine. Alan Lau- rems Taylor Dominguez acknowl- edged his involvement along with three Venezuelan nationals who had pleaded guilty the previous day to the same charge. The of- fense was committed between May 1 and June 3. It was after attorney John Furniss indicated he would be ap- plying for bail that the magis- trate asked what was the method of importation. Mr. Moran said two of the Ven- ezuelans had flown to Cayman via Cuba. They had swallowed approx- imately 55 packages of cocaine in liquid form. On their arrival here, they were brought to a “safe house” on Seven Mile Beach, where the liquid cocaine was put back into powder form. The prosecutor called it a so- phisticated and very well executed importation. He objected to bail on several grounds, including the fact that investigations were ongoing, there were other suspects, and he feared that Dominguez might inter- fere with the course of justice. The three Venezuelans may have been in Colombia and Dominguez had visited there as recently as De- cember, Mr. Moran noted. He accepted that Dominguez, 46, had returned to Cayman volun- tarily, having traveled recently to Canada and Bahamas. Mr. Moran said it was clear that this defen- dant had come back “to exon- erate his wife.” He described Dominguez as a man of means who would be ca- pable of leaving the country. He also told the court that Domin- guez had disposed of his cell- phone, which might have con- tained evidence. No other details were given of the offense, either on Friday or Thursday when the Venezuelans who pleaded guilty were named as Lesme Romualdo Perez Ruiz, 51; Jose Leonardo Parra Ferrini, 32; and Yoandry Jose Morales Molina, 22. It was not stated publicly who the swallowers were or who was alleged to have processed the liquid cocaine. Mr. Furniss agreed that Domin- guez did not have a right to bail after his guilty plea, but said the court still had a discretion to grant bail. He explained that his client had been in the Bahamas for a le- gitimate purpose, a visa applica- tion. When he was made aware that his wife had been arrested he spoke with police in the Bahamas to help him get an earlier return date to Cayman. Dominguez worked in construc- tion here and had ties here in ad- dition to his wife, Mr. Furniss re- ported. “If he intended to separate himself from his commitments, he could have gone back to Colombia, but he chose to come here,” the at- torney emphasized. He suggested an electronic monitor and daily re- porting to police, or even a 24-hour curfew until sentencing. As to Dominguez’s phone, it was said that he inadvertently left it on a charger either in Ba- hamas or Miami. The magistrate said he was highly suspicious of Dominguez not having his phone. Notwithstanding his Cayman ties, he was a foreign national who was not entitled to bail because of his guilty plea. This defendant was remanded in custody to return to court on June 29 along with the other three who pleaded guilty. Joanna Dunne brings experience from Hong Kong and Middle East Attorney Joanna Dunne was called to Bar of the Cayman Islands on June 2, when Forbes Hare head of lit- igation Chris Young presented her credentials to Justice Charles Quin. Ms. Dunne joined the Forbes Hare team in 2011 in the British Virgin Islands and has broad-based contentious and non-contentious experi- ence, Mr. Young said. She also speaks and reads Mandarin. Ms. Dunne trained with Clifford Chance in their London and Greater China offices. She practised as a Registered Foreign Lawyer at Ince & Co in Hong Kong followed by a move to the Middle East to work as a legal consultant, before starting with Forbes Hare. “We are delighted to wel- come someone with Joanna’s ability and enthusiasm to the Cayman team,” Mr. Young said later. “Joanna brings some ex- cellent and unusual experi- ence that I am sure will be put to good use for the firm and its clients, particularly in the Greater China region.” He noted that Forbes Hare is growing in Cayman fol- lowing the addition of Sonia Starvis and Bhavesh Patel in 2016, and Alistair Abbott ear- lier this year. He expressed confidence that Ms. Dunne will play an important role in the future of the firm. Challenging environment Ms. Dunne provided some insight into her reasons for coming to Cayman. “Forbes Hare continues to strengthen its reputation and is well-re- garded in the offshore legal world, and I look forward to being part of the expansion of our Cayman offering. The cur- rent environment is a chal- lenging one for offshore ju- risdictions; however, Forbes Hare is going through an ex- citing phase of growth and this is a great time for me to join the team here,” she said. Forbes Hare was estab- lished in 2005 and the Forbes Hare Group now employs over 40 staff across five of- fices in the BVI, the Cayman Islands, London, New Zealand and Singapore. The firm’s core practice areas are litigation and insolvency, corporate, fi- nance, investment funds and private client and trusts. Ms. Dunne trained with Clifford Chance in their London and Greater China offices. Forbes Hare attorney transfers to Cayman Justice Charles Quin, left, and attorney Chris Young welcome Joanna Dunne to the Bar of the Cayman Islands. rently serving member of the Legis- lative Assembly. However, by press time Sunday afternoon, the Customs Department had not released the names of any of those arrested. The animals, the species of which have yet to be determined in some cases, were handed over to the De- partment of Agriculture as customs officers continue to investigate. A third individual was arrested on suspicion of drug related offenses following the search of a second property on Thursday. The exotic pet find has sparked concerns among animal welfare groups and environment officials, who fear potential disease and eco- system impacts could stem from the unregulated movement of non-indig- enous animals. Cayman Airways CEO Fabian Whorms said the airline was con- ducting its own investigation and would be seeking to determine how the pet had got through security at Miami Airport undetected. Mr. Whorms told the Compass, Friday, “I can confirm that on KX 107 on June 7, 2017, a small animal being transported by a passenger separated from the passenger and wandered for a brief period through the aircraft cabin until it was cap- tured by the supposed owner with the assistance of our cabin crew. “We are very concerned about this incident which caused consid- erable distress to our passengers and crew and would like to sincerely apologize to our passengers for this unanticipated experience.” Collector of Customs Charles Clifford said in a statement that the animal had been identified as a type of possum, known as a sugar glider. A sugar glider is a small noc- turnal possum, with a body about six inches in length (plus another six inches for the tail), and weighing between 4 and 5 ounces. The mar- supial is endemic to Australia and the southwest Pacific region and can “glide” through the air like a flying squirrel. Mark Thompson was on the flight from Miami to Grand Cayman, Wednesday, when the inci- dent occurred. He said, “I saw a little grey crea- ture rush by my leg. At first I thought it was a mouse.” He said the flight attendant and one of the other passengers chased after it and eventually got hold of it. “Some people on the plane were a bit shaken. It didn’t seem like such a big deal to me at the time, though I’m pretty sure you need permits for that kind of thing.” He later saw a couple being ques- tioned at the customs desk with the animal in a small plastic cage. Sugar gliders are popular as ex- otic pets and are legal to own in Florida. However the import of any live animal into the Cayman Islands requires a permit from the Depart- ment of Agriculture, while the Na- tional Conservation Law also reg- ulates the import of invasive or alien species. Frederic Burton, the Depart- ment of Environment’s terrestrial resources manager, said the find was concerning. “If it can get loose on Cayman Airways, it can get loose in Cayman. Escaped pets are the start of so many environmental nightmares – take the green iguanas as the ob- vious and most topical example. This is a tropical/subtropical spe- cies, from the opposite hemisphere. It was introduced from Australia to Tasmania, so is capable of being invasive and can deal with a wide range of climates.” Lesley Agostinelli, of the Cayman Animal Rescue Enthusiasts, said the animal welfare charity had heard anecdotal reports of exotic pets being brought illegally into Cayman in the past. She said it was dangerous for the animal to be transported without proper procedures being followed. “We don’t know how many an- imals have been brought in like this. How many made it and how many didn’t? “You also have to question how much the owners know about the needs and care of these animals. Given that they are illegal to own, it is unlikely they have access to proper veterinary care. “This type of wildlife movement is extremely concerning for the com- munity for a number of reasons, not least because we have enough trouble already with poorly looked after domestic pets, let alone high- maintenance exotic animals.” Arrests made for exotic pet smuggling CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >