ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017 High of 90 Low of 76 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 5 to 7 feet. A small craft warning is in effect for Grand Cayman. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 DIAL ‘1’ FOR WHISTLE-BLOWING SPORTS | PAGE 21 HUNDREDS WATCH CAYMAN DEFEAT MEXICO Little follow-through on crime reports JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nearly a dozen reports on crime and the causes of crime have been produced for the Cayman Islands government since 2001, but very few of the recommendations have been followed, according to youth worker Michael Myles. Amid a crime wave that has seen four rob- beries, a home invasion and multiple drug ar- rests in the past week, Mr. Myles, the former at-risk youth officer for the Cayman Islands, warns that the territory is facing a multi- generational problem that successive govern- ments have failed to deal with. He says tougher sentencing, more po- lice and bigger prisons will be ineffective, unless something is done to deal with the root causes of crime, including poor par- enting, poor education standards, teen pregnancy, and the generational issue of “children following parents to prison.” Mr. Myles said multiple reports had con- sistently identified the same solutions, ranging from early intervention programs for children involved in petty crime to transitional housing for offenders released from prison. Unless Cayman follows some of the re- ports’ recommendations, he said, the island will continue to face serious crime problems. “Nobody should be asking for another re- port or forming another committee,” he said. “We have had enough of that. We need to start doing some real work and putting into place some of these programs that all these experts have recommended.” In his government role, Mr. Myles compiled a list of 600 children in the school system who had behavioral issues and were considered at risk of getting involved in crime. “I could take you to any school in the Cayman Islands and show you dozens of WEBSTER GUILTY OF INDECENCY CHARGES CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former political candidate Errington Web- ster was found guilty Tuesday afternoon on three counts of indecent assault on a girl of 13 and one count of gross indecency. Jurors took just under two and a half hours to find Webster guilty of the charges. He was remanded in custody. Defense at- torney Steve McField requested bail pending sentencing, but Justice Charles Quin said the seriousness of the offenses warranted imme- diate custody. Mr. McField also asked for a pre-sentence social inquiry report. Justice Quin said he would also order a victim impact statement. Sentencing was set for Aug. 16, but will be brought forward if reports can be com- pleted earlier. Family members, one of whom wept loudly, shared hugs and a few words with Webster NO ‘IMMEDIATE’ PR SOLUTION Hundreds of Cayman Islands res- idents hoping for a decision on their permanent residence applications will wait well beyond this week to learn their fate. Attorneys with HSM Chambers law firm, as well as immi- gration advisers, say it will take sev- eral months, perhaps even more than a year, for government to sort through the backlog of residence applications. For more, see page 8. Fraud hotline reports ‘anonymous,’ gov’t says BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands govern- ment has set up its own hotline for reporting fraud or wrong- doing by its employees, separate from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service or the soon-to- be-formed independent om- budsman’s office. The ombudsman’s office will be assigned responsibility for fielding whistleblower com- plaints, once the law giving it those powers takes effect in Feb- ruary 2018. However, neither that office, nor its legal enforce- ment powers regarding whistle- blowing, are in force now. The hotline reporting service, operated by local accounting firm KPMG, allows anyone to report incidents of fraud or to “blow the whistle” on suspected unethical acts or maladminis- tration within the government. Tips can be phoned in to a 1-800 number or emailed to a secure address that KPMG operates. “Whistleblowers who use Windy weather continues High winds and rough seas were likely to continue Wednesday on Grand Cayman, while forecasters kept an eye on a new tropical storm in the southwestern Caribbean. Winds of 15 to 20 knots were expected early Wednesday, but were due to lessen slightly during the evening hours. Wave heights of between 5 to 7 feet kept a small craft warning in effect. Tropical Storm Bret was not expected to pose a direct threat to the Cayman Islands Wednesday. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 CARS 3 3D (G) 1:15 2D VIP I 1:25 I 3:05 I 4:40 2D 7:00 2D VIP ROUGH NIGHT (R) 3:20 I 5:30 I 8:00 I 10:10 THE MUMMY 3D (PG13) 12:30 2D I 3:55 I 6:35 2D 10:00 2D VIP ALL EYEZ ON ME (R) 1:00 I 4:00 VIP I 7:30 WONDER WOMAN 3D (PG13) 12:50 I 5:20 2D I 8:30 2D I 9:15 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (PG13) 12:25 I 4:00 I 7:00 I 9:50 - WEDNESDAY - SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456)GALLERIA PLAZA |OPEN 10AM - 5PM | 943-7847 FANTASTIC REDUCTIONS With up to 50% Off on MANY RUGS ACCESSORIES and selected furniture (to make space for new stock) On Friday 23rd & Saturday 24 th of June 2DAY CLEARANCE SALE First utility-scale renewable energy project opens in Bodden Town TAD STONER, JEWEL LEVY tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com, jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Acknowledging that con- sumer costs for solar energy will initially be higher than for diesel-generated elec- tricity, Caribbean Utilities Company on Tuesday com- missioned Cayman’s first commercial-scale renewable energy plant and the first non-CUC industrial-sized power source. Located on 22 acres near Bodden Town’s Pease Bay Pond on an old vege- table farm, the 21,690-panel project will pump 5 mega- watts of electricity per day through an interconnection linking the North Carolina- owned farm and the CUC- owned transmission and dis- tribution grid. Project manager Emil Neef threw the ceremonial switch at 10 a.m. He was joined on the dais by CUC President and CEO Richard Hew; Utility Regulation and Competi- tion Office CEO Paul Morgan; Councilor at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Health and Cul- ture Austin Harris; and Man- aging Director David March of North Carolina’s Entropy In- vestment Management. Calling the development “a watershed,” Mr. Hew was nonetheless reluctant to name consumer costs for the new power initiative. Under the terms of the 18-month- old “power purchase agree- ment” between the company and Entropy, CUC will pay US$0.17 cents for each kilo- watt hour, adding its own “base rate” costs of between 9 cents and 10 cents. Initially, Mr. Hew said, “the consumer is going to pay a little bit more,” but cited volatile oil prices in a trou- bled Middle East, declining costs of solar technology and the fixed price of solar supply as ultimately cre- ating stable, and even lower, consumer prices. Solar, he said “is nearly down to the cost of diesel today, and is definitely close enough that the difference is worth paying.” “The amount of energy coming from here is minus- cule, so you are not really going to see it,” he added. Local demand approxi- mates 100 MW of electricity. Mr. March, who acquired the project from the Pitts- burgh-based International Electric Power, designated in October 2013 by Cayman’s Electricity Regulatory Au- thority to create the island’s first utility-scale renewable- energy scheme, thanked his local contacts working under local subsidiary Entropy Cayman Ltd, saying “this project is the epitome of part- ners and teamwork, designed and built by Caymanians.” He declined to com- ment on construction costs for the farm, pegged by an- alysts at approximately $4 million, saying only that “I prefer to keep that somewhat proprietary.” Mr. Hew said fresh con- tracts would be sought in the future for both wind and solar power, predicting that successive renewable proj- ects would reduce consumer costs significantly. “We expect the next deal to be a lot cheaper,” he said, citing “a learning process going forward.” By 2025, CUC hoped to generate 25 percent of all Cay- man’s power through renew- able energy, conceding “that may seem like a long time,” but pointing out that “gener- ating 25 percent of all energy” with solar would “require 20 projects of similar size” to Bodden Town, consuming “500 acres of land – or rooftops – and costing $250 million.” That sum, he said, did not include costs of battery storage necessary to “main- tain the stability and re- liability of services” and power supplies. While diesel fuel would continue to generate most of Cayman’s power in the fore- seeable future, he said, CUC’s Consumer Owned Renew- able Energy program – by which individually owned re- newable energy systems fuel businesses and households – would retain an impor- tant role in expansion of re- newable energy. “Rooftop solar is not there yet,” he said, “but will have a role to play in the future.” In a surprise announce- ment, Mr. Hew said the com- pany was preparing to raise CORE’s current limit, previ- ously capped at 6 MW, to 9 MW for both business and individuals. The program reached capacity in March, forcing CUC to suspend the scheme while awaiting a long-overdue Integrated Re- source Plan, forecasting long- term trends for power con- sumption and supply. “We are anticipating growth in the future of up to 9 MW,” he said. CITA implores government, police to prioritize crime control The Cayman Islands Tourism Association has called on government and law enforcement to step up crime-response efforts fol- lowing a recent rash of bur- glaries and robberies. The association called the crime wave “a grave concern” for the tourism sector, and implored government to pri- oritize community response. CITA said previous dis- cussions with government tourism officials and the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service were stymied by the force’s transition to the leadership of then-newly ap- pointed commissioner of po- lice, Derek Byrne. “Given that new lead- ership is now in place for government, the RCIPS as well as CITA, it is impera- tive that we resume discus- sions and take action to halt and reverse the unacceptable trends in burglaries, personal assaults and vehicular acci- dents,” said CITA’s recently elected president Theresa Leacock-Broderick. “Our concerns span from simple criminal opportunist acts to road and marine acci- dents and include emergency response issues.” Conversations between CITA and tourism industry representatives revealed areas of concern and rec- ommendations for change, the association said. Sep- arate meetings were held with Police Constable Jona- than Kern to address areas of opportunity. One CITA suggestion pro- poses expanding community information networks. CITA formed an instant messaging network among its members in November to alert man- agers and security personnel of crime concerns. The asso- ciation would now like to ex- pand the network to include additional RCIPS represen- tatives assigned to specific tourist zones. “We trust that the RCIPS’s full attention and resources are now being applied to ap- prehending the perpetra- tors of these recent series of criminal activities, and immediately deterring fur- ther offenses,” Ms. Leacock- Broderick said. “However, we hope that with these recent crimes, the commissioner of police and the government will be re- ceptive to CITA’s specific con- cerns and recommendations. We look forward to construc- tive dialogue.” Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell echoed the call to reinforce efforts by the police service. “Undeniably, safety is a primary appeal of Cayman as a vacation destination and it differentiates Cayman from other jurisdictions in the region. However, while it is imperative that the RCIPS react swiftly and comprehen- sively, preventative measures must also be proactively en- hanced and maintained,” Mr. Kirkconnell said. An RCIPS spokesperson said long-term solutions will require recognition of under- lying social problems. “We welcome CITA’s strong support for the RCIPS and enforcing the peace while recognising that this will require a comprehensive collaboration between key stakeholders, including ad- dressing quality-of-life issues that breeds into more serious crime if left unaddressed or allowing it to become the norm,” the spokesperson said. David March, managing partner of Entropy Investment Management, describes how the project works during the official opening of the solar farm on Tuesday. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017 Act now to get your business featured in the 2018 directory. Call (345) 949-7027 to find out more. Cayman. List in the original search engine. Get noticed in Cayman Islands’ most comprehensive local print directory. 70,000 copies distributed to homes and businesses across Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. 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” If you spot corruption or other illegal activity in the Cayman Islands, “Who you gonna call?” Where to begin … With minimal mental effort, we can easily list more than a dozen real-life options for someone hoping to blow the whistle on misbehavior, misconduct or misdeeds in Cayman. Depending on the underlying details, here’s a directory: • Local police stations • RCIPS Financial Crimes Unit • RCIPS Professional Standards Unit • Office of the Ombudsman (once the appointment is filled) • Human Rights Commission • Labour Tribunal • Gender Equality Tribunal • Office of the Auditor General • Internal Audit Unit • Customs Department • Department of Immigration • Department of Environment • Department of Agriculture • Crime Stoppers • The Chamber of Commerce (which partners with Crime Stoppers to offer monetary rewards in excess of $1,000) • (Must we go on? …) Accordingly, please pardon our lack of enthusiasm (and perhaps surplus of skepticism) over this week’s announcement that government has contracted with a private accounting firm to provide yet another way for “whistleblowers” to blow their whistles. As we report in today’s newspaper, the hotline reporting service, operated by accounting firm KPMG, will allow anyone to report suspected fraud, corruption or dishonesty in Cayman’s government. Similar to Crime Stoppers, the KMPG overseas hotline allows tipsters to remain anonymous, which officials say will help protect them from retaliation or negative consequences for turning perceived malefactors. The intent, according to a statement from govern- ment, is to “promote good governance, maintain a culture of honesty and high ethics.” We’re skeptical. We fail to see how anonymous calls to an overseas hotline run by a private accounting firm will further those ends any better than the many systems that are already in place. The proposed role of the new hotline is relatively minor. If it’s a non-criminal complaint, the message is for- warded to the Internal Audit Unit. (See list, above.) If it’s criminal, it goes to police. The problem is not that there are no avenues for reporting — we are entangled in laws, regulations, regulators and more than 100 departments of government, staffed by 6,000-plus public servants. A Sherpa to guide citizens through the maze of government would be welcome. Frankly, we don’t see how “privatizing” the complaints process will be preferable to promoting (or better yet, pruning) existing reporting mechanisms, and holding the public officials responsible to high standards. There seems to be an implication that the many civil servants and government officials currently tasked with anti-corruption activities are unable, or unwilling, to do the job. When the much-discussed Office of the Ombudsman is finally established and staffed, does the KPMG private hotline – paid for by government in a three-year contract – become redundant? Further, what protections are in place to ensure that overseas operators safeguard the anonymity of Cayman tipsters – or, even more important, protect the innocent who might be targeted by false, malevolent and, yes, anonymous, accusations? Hotlines, ombudsmen and commissioners aside, if you ever have a serious criminal complaint to report about anyone, inside or outside of government, may we suggest you do something quite simple: Dial 911. Dial ‘1’ for whistle-blowing WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Statehood shouldn’t be easy MIAMI HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD Can’t hear the clamor from the U.S. Capitol to make Puerto Rico the 51st state? Neither can we. The desire for statehood was a big winner in the commonwealth’s ref- erendum held last weekend. However, only 23 percent of those eligible bothered to cast a vote. So the clamor from the island wasn’t deaf- ening, either. Still, Ricardo Rosselló, Puerto Rico’s governor, an- nounced that an over- whelming majority of voters wanted to turn the financially bankrupt island into the 51st state of the union. He said it was a call to “end the colonial relation- ship with the United States,” and that it is a “clear and strong message” for the world and the U.S. Congress, which would have to ap- prove the move. However, Rosselló and statehood supporters don’t have it easy – and they shouldn’t. First, Sunday’s refer- endum is not binding. It was more an exercise of electoral temperature-taking than a mandate to convert the is- land into an American state. Second, the referendum was more a triumph of elec- toral apathy than of state- hood. Only 23 percent of the voters went to the polls for such a significant question. Carlos Vargas Ramos, of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter Univer- sity in New York, said atten- dance at the referendum was the lowest in Puerto Rico since 1967. Even supporters of the island becoming a U.S. state came out to vote in lower numbers than in pre- vious plebiscites. Regardless, Rosselló said that his government will move ahead with the goal of making the island a state of the Union, and announced that it will create a commission for the purpose of Congress vali- dating the election result. It would be “highly con- tradictory for Washington to demand democracy in other parts of the world and not to respond to the legitimate right of self-determination exercised today” in Puerto Rico, the governor said. He’s overselling it. There’s been no outcry in the Capitol to bring an island loaded with debt into the fold. Why should there be? The Trump administration is in isolationist mode. And if there were more of a chance that the residents of the new 51st state were staunch Re- publicans, the Capitol conver- sation might have a chance of getting started. Puerto Rico remains an economic mess. The reces- sion has lasted for a decade and has caused almost half a million Puerto Ricans to emigrate to the continental United States. Many have set- tled in Orlando and Miami. The island’s debt per capita is greater than that of any U.S. state. At the same time, the elimination of fed- eral tax incentives has ag- gravated the economic difficulties. Puerto Rico does not have to pay federal income tax, but it does have to pay Social Se- curity, Medicare, and local taxes. The island receives fed- eral funding below that re- ceived by the states. The commonwealth model may have worked well for decades, but it has also cre- ated a culture of dependence on the United States that has slowed its economic develop- ment beyond tourism. Statehood should not be the equivalent of throwing a drowning swimmer a life- saver. Puerto Rico must ably address its economic dis- tress and pursue statehood by assuring Congress and the rest of United States that it would be a strong and ca- pable addition, not a chroni- cally needy one. © 2017, Associated Press LETTER TO THE EDITOR Lawmakers setting a frugal example? I was just trying to stay calm whilst reading of MLAs’ unconscionable “con- stituency allowances.” Just imagine that simple greed has prompted our “repre- sentatives” to share some $2.5 million of our money amongst themselves over the past four years, without having to account for how it was spent! It is especially disap- pointing to note the dis- graceful amounts of money claimed by our two Sister Is- lands representatives. They have apparently been col- lecting $15,000 between themselves each month, sup- posedly for constituency and “travel requirements.” This amounts to $720,000 over the last four years. Three-quar- ters of a million dollars on top of two already-inflated salaries is pretty good going for what is considered to be a part-time job! I have a suggestion for the next four years, based upon the wonderful example set by our Premier in 2009, when he decided to forego his “constit- uency allowance.” If all of the MLAs withstood the temp- tation of greed and limited any “constituency needs” to a bare minimum, the country would save some $2.5 million over the next four years. Has anybody an idea how this money could be better spent? With respect to Moses and Juliana, isn’t it possible for Cayman Airways to simply give each one an annual “pass” for inter-island travel? Brackers do not think kindly of Government frit- tering away money in an unnecessary, unmonitored fashion. I sincerely hope rep- resentatives, in exercising their Christian conscience, will simply claim a min- imum monthly allowance for their negligible “constituency” needs going forward. J.L. Bodden5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017 WE’RE HERE CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENTS. NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN. Do you know of an accountant who has been instrumental in Cayman? Do you know someone who has worked hard? Someone who deserves to be recognised? Let us know! RISING STAR AWARD The Rising Star Award recognises those members with under 10 years’ post qualification experience who have been committed and made a contribution to their profession. This individual will have also demon- strated a commitment to their community through volun- teer services and support, and have significant career achievements. OUTSTANDING MEMBER AWARD The Outstanding Member Award recognises those members with over 10 years’ post qualification, and are CIIPA members in good standing. They will have had significant career achievements and demonstrate commitment in the community or volunteer services. Our outstanding member will have contribut- ed to the development of young professional accountants and made a signifi- cant contribution and commitment to the profession. PIONEER AWARD Past recipients of the Pioneer Award include Chris Johnson, Mike Austin, Paul Sleep and Dr. the Honourable Linford Pierson. The Pioneer Award will recognise an individual with a minimum of 25 years’ post qualification, be a CIIPA member in good standing, and be instrumental in the develop- ment of CIIPA into the organisation it is today. In addition, they will have had significant career achievements, demonstrated a commitment to the community, and the development of young professional accoun- tants. HAVE SOMEONE IN MIND? Visit CIIPA.KY/DIAMOND-GALA to download and complete a form. For more information, contact Tallyn at 1-345-749-3360. Submissions must be sent to tallyn.mctaggart@ciipa.ky. Do you know of an accountant who has been instrumental in Cayman? Do you know someone who has worked hard? Someone who deserves RISING STAR AWARD The Rising Star Award recognises those members with under 10 years’ post qualification experience who have been committed and made a contribution to their profession. This individual will have also demon strated a commitment to their community through volun teer services and support, and have significant career OUTSTANDING MEMBER AWARD The Outstanding Member Award recognises those members with over 10 years’ post qualification, and are CIIPA members in good standing. They will have had significant career achievements and demonstrate commitment in the community or volunteer services. Our outstanding member will have contribut ed to the development of young professional accountants and made a signifi cant contribution and commitment to the profession. Past recipients of the Pioneer Award include Chris Johnson, Mike Austin, Paul Sleep and Dr. the Honourable Linford Pierson. The Pioneer Award will recognise an individual with a minimum of 25 years’ post qualification, be a CIIPA member in good standing, and be instrumental in the develop ment of CIIPA into the organisation it is today. In addition, they will have had significant career achievements, demonstrated a commitment to the community, and the development of young professional accoun Webb to sell US home, seeks travel permission Attorneys want July 11 sentence date put off again BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Georgia, USA mansion that both Cayman Islands and U.S. prosecutors allege was bought with the proceeds of fraudulent activity is being sold by its owner, Caymanian businessman Jeffrey Webb, his attorneys confirmed Monday. The proceeds of the sale of the house at 2116 Adel Drive in Loganville, Georgia will be turned over to the Amer- ican federal court as part of an asset forfeiture agreement Webb made when he pleaded guilty to U.S. racketeering, money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges in connection with the ongoing FIFA bribery investigation. Webb and his family plan to relocate to another house in Georgia “in an effort to conserve their financial re- sources,” his attorney Ed- ward O’Callaghan wrote in a June 19 letter to the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York. The home’s purchase price and the location of Webb’s new residence were not disclosed in federal court documents. House valued at US$931,000 The three-story mansion valued in 2015 at US$931,000 in the small town east of At- lanta had a swimming pool built on the property with the proceeds of bribes fun- neled through several inter- national bank accounts, front companies and intermedi- aries, U.S. federal prosecutors have alleged. The 9,851-square-foot home, which is listed as having six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, is owned by Webb and his wife, At- lanta-area physician Kendra Gamble-Webb, according to Rockdale County, Georgia, tax records. It is one of several properties Webb owns in the state of Georgia that were po- tentially subject to asset for- feiture proceedings. U.S. prosecutors alleged Webb received millions in bribes between 2012 and 2015 when he served as a regional vice president for world foot- ball’s governing body, FIFA. Webb was arrested along with six other FIFA officials in Zurich, Switzerland on May 27, 2015 in connection with a scheme that prosecutors said awarded the commercial rights for international foot- ball matches and tournaments to sports marketing compa- nies in exchange for kickbacks given to FIFA officials. Sentencing extension requested Webb pleaded guilty to seven counts in the FIFA in- dictment in November 2015. His sentencing date for those charges has been pushed back several times since then, with the latest date – July 11 – also in question after Mr. O’Callaghan requested an ex- tension until January 2018. A separate criminal scheme in Cayman, involving the public hospital patient swipe-card system, CarePay, also funded a portion of the home purchase, Crown pros- ecutors claim. The CarePay case also provided details of how football cash Webb con- trolled was shifted around for other purposes. According to testimony in the 2016 trial of Webb associate Canover Watson, US$250,000 was transferred to Webb’s Wells Fargo bank account in Georgia from a company called Black Hold- ings on April 6, 2011. This money, it was alleged at trial, originated from the Cayman Islands Football Association of which Webb was presi- dent at the time and where Watson served as treasurer. This money ultimately went to help pay off a por- tion of Webb’s home loan in Georgia, both Crown pros- ecutors and Watson alleged during the CarePay trial. Watson was convicted in February 2016 of fraud and corruption offenses related to the CarePay scheme. Webb was charged in the case, but has never appeared in Cayman to face trial because of his arrest and guilty plea in the FIFA probe. Travel request In addition to the sen- tencing date deferral re- quest, Webb’s attorneys have also sought to allow him “light travel” within the continental U.S. Mr. O’Callaghan has asked federal prosecutors to allow Webb to travel anywhere within the state of Georgia, as opposed to the 50-mile ra- dius from his current home. The attorneys further re- quest that Webb be allowed to take domestic flights within the U.S. to visit with immediate family and friends who live outside Georgia. Some of the family mem- bers are not well enough to travel, Mr. O’Callaghan wrote. The court had not as- sented to any requests for travel modifications or to Webb’s request to delay sentencing as of press time Tuesday. ‘Scoundrel’ Webb, once touted as the man who would replace former FIFA President Jo- seph ‘Sepp’ Blatter at the top of world football’s governing body, has apparently fallen out with his mentor. Author David Conn wrote in The Guardian newspaper that during a recent interview he did with the ex-FIFA boss, Blatter “singled out” Webb as “the most breathtaking scoun- drel” of all those in the FIFA corruption scandal. On the morning of May 27, 2015, Webb was the first one to be arrested by Swiss au- thorities who were working in tandem with U.S. agents in the FIFA investigation, Blatter recalled to Conn. “How can you be misled by that or by yourself to say this man is a correct man?” Blatter recalled. “I was al- ready thinking that he could be tomorrow the presi- dent of FIFA, a good person, a strong man.” The house in Loganville, Georgia, owned by Cayman’s Jeffrey Webb is being sold, according to his attorneys. - PHOTO BY KEVIN D. LILES/KEVINDLILES.COMDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Sister Islands WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 50 years: Police step up probe in LC skeleton case In the June 21, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, re- porter R.M. Walters wrote the following: “The Cayman Islands Police, under command of Chief of Police Mr. R.S. Be- sant, are stepping up inves- tigations into the mystery of the human skeleton in Little Cayman. “The skeleton was found by workmen digging to make a foundation for a cesspool for the home of American film star Burgess Meredith. “Since the discovery, a great deal of speculation as to the identity of the in- dividual has been in the air. Rumours coming from Cayman Brac imply that the skeleton is that of a 17-year-old youth who has been missing for the last 20 years and that at the time of his disappearance, foul play was suspected. “The rumours further suggest that the lad had gone to Little Cayman with others on a fishing trip and that he was involved in a quarrel over the ownership of a catboat found on the beach. He was reported last seen drifting away in his catboat. Despite a very ex- tensive search, the catboat was never found. “A shirt with blood stains was found on Little Cayman after the young- ster disappeared but no alarm was given because an extensive search at sea had been made. “Since the publicity of the unearthing of the skeleton in the Cayma- nian, people, especially in Cayman Brac, have revived interest in the case. The po- lice have, therefore, been getting helpful tips. “Chief Besant is now taking over the probing of the mystery. He will visit the grave on Thursday and will send additional sample exhibits to the government pathologist in Jamaica for expert opinion on the time and cause of death. “Chief Besant has al- ready taken 22 statements and more witnesses remain to be interviewed and their testimony recorded. “The police hope to set a local crime-solving record by untangling the mystery of the skeleton. “If it is ascertained that it is that of the missing youth and if foul play can be established, then the culprit or culprits will be brought to justice after a lapse of 20 years!” Leadership Cayman gains ‘Sister Islands Perspective’ The Leadership Cayman class made its annual trip to the Brac and Little Cayman recently for a “Sister Islands Perspective” seminar. Arriving on the Brac on June 9, the class toured the Charles Kirkconnell Interna- tional Airport before heading to the Le Soleil d’Or resort, where they visited the prop- erty’s 20-acre organic farm and ate lunch. Next they toured the Dis- trict Administration Building and the Cayman Brac Power & Light utility company. For the evening seminar, the class engaged in conver- sations with Brian Payne, general manager of Cayman Brac Goat Farm/Bluff Farms, and Jonathan Tibbetts, gen- eral manager of Cayman Brac Power & Light. After dinner, the class was invited to the Cayman Brac constituency meeting, where they met with MLAs Moses Kirkconnell and Juliana O’Connor-Connolly. On June 10, the class vis- ited Bluff Farms, where they toured the goat farm. The class also toured the Bluff area, including the lighthouse. Class members then went to Little Cayman and toured the Central Caribbean Ma- rine Institute on June 11. “The Sister Islands sem- inar was packed full of events and discussions to en- lighten participants of what these islands offer the com- munity, tourism industry and environment,” said seminar mentor Robert Tate. “In light of the numerous activities, the three-day excursion felt like a week’s worth of tours.” Class member and sem- inar moderator David Watt added, “Being able to expe- rience the passion and pride that the residents of the Sister Islands have for how they contribute to the overall suc- cess of the Cayman Islands is immensely inspiring, and being able to experience this with the Leadership Cayman class is something that will stay with me forever.” The Leadership Cayman class of 2017 has one more seminar before their graduation from the pro- gram on June 24. Leadership Cayman is a six-month experience de- signed “to promote and en- hance community leadership through an in-depth intro- duction to social, economic, business and political is- sues in the Cayman Islands,” according to the Chamber of Commerce, which orga- nizes the program. Leadership Cayman members met Sister Islands MLAs Moses Kirkconnell, front row, fourth from right, and Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, front row, third from right, during their trip to Cayman Brac. Members of the 2017 Leadership Cayman team meet some young goats on the Brac.Nikita Durrant gives a baby goat a cuddle at Bluff Farms on the Brac.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 kids who, if nothing is done, will be the next generation of criminals, the next gang members and armed rob- bers,” he said. Currently, he said, gov- ernment and the pri- vate sector organizations lack the tools to change that trajectory. The answers, said Mr. Myles, are no mystery. They are there in black and white in 11 reports commis- sioned since 2001. He highlighted three re- ports, in particular – “In- quiry into the Causes of So- cial Breakdown and Violence Among Youth in the Cayman Islands (2001),” “Pre-disposing Factors of Criminality in the Cayman Islands (2006)” and the “IPAC Report: Review of the Assessment and Treat- ment of Criminal Offenders in the Cayman Islands” – as pro- viding a clear blueprint to ad- dress the root causes of crime. The key recommendations from those reports were con- solidated by Mr. Myles in a 2015 memo, compiled at the behest of the National Secu- rity Council, following two murders early that year. Programs earmarked for implementation include a youth diversion and early in- tervention program for young people involved in petty crime, a community parenting program and a national youth database for sharing informa- tion on all at-risk youth with police, social services and ed- ucation leaders. Other needs include tran- sitional housing for youth coming out of care, improved mental health services in schools and in the commu- nity and halfway houses for adult prisoners leaving Northward Prison. Mr. Myles left govern- ment earlier this year to take up a role with Hope Academy and to dedicate more time to the Youth Anti-Crime Trust, a nonprofit, which, with the assistance of private sector sponsors, is beginning to im- plement some of the pro- grams recommended in the crime reports. Youth ACT, through its sponsors, is underwriting the cost of introducing the SNAP program, developed by Cana- da’s Child Development Insti- tute, which seeks to identify children with behavioral is- sues and help them develop self-control and conflict man- agement skills. That is just one pro- gram amid dozens of rec- ommendations to come out of the reports. “We have paid for report after report that have told us how to successfully reduce crime and steer young people away from it,” said Mr. Myles. “They all tell us that we can’t police our way out of this problem. Only when we im- prove poor parenting, poor ed- ucation, employment, training, teenage pregnancy, poverty, we will see less drug abuse and less gun crime.” Mr. Myles worked at the Marine Institute, the prede- cessor to the Bonaventure Boy’s Home, before joining government. He still keeps track of the boys who came through the home in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Whenever there is a gang shooting, he usually recog- nizes the name – whether it is the victim or the shooter. “So many of them are ei- ther dead or in jail,” he said. Each one has an almost equally tragic back story – a drug addicted mother, a father in prison, an abusive parent. The cycle continues. “It is their children I am dealing with now,” says Mr. Myles. “There is only so much we can do for the people who are already out there robbing gas stations and shooting up houses. There is a lot we can do for the next generation to pre- vent them going down the same path. We have been given a road map, we need someone to get on with it.” Six recommendations from the reports National Youth Data- base – An integrated data- base system to collect and store information on at-risk children and their fami- lies to be used by all agen- cies which provide them with services. Youth Diversion Pro- grams – A 12-week diversion program was proposed for youth arrested for relatively minor offenses. The program would involve drug and al- cohol education, anger man- agement, family intervention and academic support fo- cusing on math and English. Community Parenting Program – Fund the Family Resource Centre to develop a national parenting pro- gram and deliver services at times convenient to parents and children. Children with Incar- cerated Parents program – Fund Youth ACT to “address re-offending behavior and the generational issue of fol- lowing parents to prison.” National Youth Com- mission – Use the commis- sion to develop a licensing policy for youth, sports and community organizations and fund the expansion of effective programs, while discontinuing those that are ineffective. Stop Now and Plan – The “SNAP” intervention pro- gram for children with be- havioral issues at school provides anger and conflict management skills for chil- dren and also seeks to train parents. It is being intro- duced this year through a partnership between gov- ernment and nonprofit Youth ACT, which is funding the implementation and training, through sponsor- ship by Sol Petroleum and Rotary Sunrise. CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017 before he descended into the cells at the court building. Justice Quin began his summing up at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday and sent the jury out to begin deliberations at 1 p.m. They returned their ver- dicts at 3:20 p.m. In his summing up, the judge reminded the five women and two men that they had heard two weeks of evidence pertaining to the counts of indecent assault and the one count of gross indecency – an act the girl re- corded on her phone in June 2016. Webster, 55, pleaded not guilty to all charges, saying the first three never happened. For the gross in- decency, defense attorney brought an expert witness, psychiatrist Dr. Marc Lock- hart, who explained his con- clusion that Webster was in a state of delirium at the time of the act. Justice Quin explained the defense of automatism as Webster acting involun- tarily and unable to exer- cise any control over his ac- tions. This condition was said to have been brought about by the interaction of his blood pressure medica- tion with grapefruit juice and other ingredients in a “belly fat flush” drink he had been taking the day the girl took the video. Crown counsel Dar- lene Oko called a psychi- atrist and a forensic tox- icologist to reply to Dr. Lockhart’s testimony. Justice Quin pointed out that experts are called to as- sist jurors because they pro- vide scientific information which would not be part of the ordinary person’s expe- rience. They are entitled to state their opinion, but their evidence is only part of the whole, the judge explained. If after careful consider- ation jurors did not accept the experts’ evidence, they were free to reject it. Jurors remained “the ultimate ar- biters,” he said. Justice Quin reminded them of Webster’s good character and the work he had done in his community. Ms. Oko had asked the defendant how he could have given the girl over $1,000 when he received a pension of $1,300 per month. Webster had replied that he had savings. He said he had given money to a lot of people; he wanted to win their votes. Webster was an un- successful candidate for Bodden Town in the 2013 elections. He apparently planned to run in 2017; he had told Dr. Lockhart that the video of him touching himself “must have been fabricated to get me out of the election.” Justice Quin also gave the jury directions on lies and credibility, since the Crown alleged that the de- fendant was lying and the defense alleged that the complainant was lying. He suggested that jurors look at the plausibility of what was said, whether it was consistent in itself, consis- tent with other evidence, and whether it was biased. He suggested that jurors also consider the demeanor of Webster and the girl as they gave their evidence. Since the trial began, Justice Quin had reminded jurors every day to pay no attention to any media re- ports about the matter. After the verdicts were delivered, Inspector Kevin Ashworth of the police’s Family Support Unit said police welcomed the ver- dicts and acknowledged the bravery of the teenaged girl for testifying in the case. He encouraged any other young people who have experi- enced any form of abuse to follow her example and con- tact the Department of Chil- dren and Family Services, the police, or any other trusted source. He described the case as a challenging and complex one, adding that the service of justice is paramount in any cases involving crimes against children and that investigators are working with the Multi-Agency Safe- guarding Hub, together with the Office of the Di- rector of Public Prosecu- tions to pursue such cases. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Webster guilty of indecency charges Little follow-through on crime reports CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 REPORTS ON CRIME AND CAUSES OF CRIME SINCE 2001 ■■ Inquiry into the Causes of So- cial Breakdown and Violence among Youth in the Cayman Islands (2001) ■■ Pre-disosing Factors of Crim- inality in the Cayman lsands (June 2006) ■■ Risk and vulnerabilities facing Children in the Cayman Is- lands (November 2006) ■■ Report of the Joint Task Force on Crime (November 2007) ■■ The Voice of Young Cayma- nians, Position Paper (2009) ■■ Crime Reduction Strategy and Recommendations (May 2011) ■■ A response to increasing vio- lence in the Cayman Islands (2011) ■■ IPAC Report: Review of the Assessment and Treatment of Criminal Offenders, Cayman Islands Government (January 2012) ■■ A report on the adolescent health and sexuality survey Cayman lslands (2013) ■■ WHO-aims report on mental health system in the Cayman Islands (2014) ■■ Report of Criminal Justice Advisor Cayman Islands (April 2015) * Compiled by Michael Myles Errington Webster Michael Myles says the 11 reports commissioned since 2001 on crime and the causes of crime provide a clear ‘roadmap’ for the country to start to get to grips with the issues it faces. Their recommendations just need to be followed. SNAP, an early intervention program for children with behavioral issues, was launched after Youth ACT secured private sector sponsorship. Michael Myles, center, says not enough programs recommended in various crime reports have been implemented.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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! 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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) these platforms will have complete anonymity and will therefore be protected,” a government statement re- leased last week noted. “All claims or allegations made will be investigated by the Internal Audit Service.” The tip lines operate similarly to Cayman Crime Stoppers, where callers or emailers are assigned a number that tipsters can use to contact the line again to keep track of their report, while remaining anonymous. Ministry of Home Af- fairs officials said Tuesday that the whistleblower ho- tline is not an attempt to circumvent either crim- inal reporting to the police or reports of wrongdoing to the ombudsman’s office, when that office is set up later this year. Ministry Chief Financial Officer Vinton Chinsee said the new ombudsman’s office may wish to make use of the tip line facility, which is paid for by government in a three- year contract. If so, it could just take over the manage- ment of it, he said. “In order for the govern- ment anti-fraud policy to be most effective, you need a whistleblower mechanism where people can anony- mously file reports as well [creating] a mechanism to in- vestigate these reports,” Mr. Chinsee said. “Even after the Whistleblower Law comes into effect, this mechanism will be needed.” Mr. Chinsee said the three-year contract for oper- ation of the whistleblower/ fraud hotline was bid out, but that KPMG was the only local firm that expressed in- terest in providing the tip- line service. All other bidders were from overseas, he said. If a tip is received, hot- line operators will report it to the government’s Internal Audit Unit. Mr. Chinsee said anything of a criminal nature that is reported will be sent immediately to police. How- ever, he said, there may be other matters reported that while not criminal, could still cause concern. “Someone using their gov- ernment vehicle to tow their private boat to a launch ramp for a weekend trip might not be criminal, but it is an eth- ical issue,” he said. The Internal Audit Unit has the power to investigate non-criminal matters. Since the Whistleblower Law was passed in November 2015, the Cayman Islands government has been unable to enforce its terms because the legislation has never been put into force. The toll-free tip line for whistleblower/ fraud reports is 1-800-534-1111 and claims can be sent by email to fraud@kpmg.co.za. Law firm: Permanent residence solution not ‘immediate’ Delays likely to continue for hundreds of applicants BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Hundreds of permanent residence seekers who have been waiting for years to learn whether they will be granted that status are un- likely to receive word for many months, according to local immigration advisers. The newly formed Min- istry of Immigration an- nounced last week that the Caymanian Status and Per- manent Residency Board would start hearing appli- cations sometime this week, bringing an “immediate res- olution” to the outstanding 900-1,000 permanent resi- dence applications. However, from a practical standpoint, it is expected to take some time for Immigra- tion Department staff and the board to consider all the applications individually. “The [government news] release describes the reso- lution as immediate,” HSM Chambers partner Nicolas Joseph wrote in an email Friday to the firm’s clients who are applying for per- manent residence. “Unfortu- nately, for many of you, the delays will continue. “There will be no reso- lution unless and until an application has been dealt with in full accordance with the law and regulations. With the best will in the world, for some of you that will take several months. For those that have already been waiting for more than a year, that will be several months too late.” The HSM correspondence indicates that a number of applicants, some of whom applied as far back as late 2013, may feel the damage has already been done by unexplained delays in hearing their cases. “We still do not know why there has been any delay in relation to many candi- dates who did not need to rely on any factors in doubt to achieve the prescribed 110 points,” Mr. Joseph wrote. “The loss and damage occa- sioned by some of you has reached the point where it is unfair and unreason- able for you to be expected to simply waive your legal entitlements.” Three men being rep- resented by HSM have al- ready sued the government over damages derived from 30-month to 42-month de- lays in hearing their applica- tions. Those cases have not been resolved. The Immigration Depart- ment previously announced that all applicants for per- manent residence, or their legal or business representa- tives, would be contacted to provide an “update” to those records before the applica- tions are heard by the board. Once that update is provided, the department indicated, the board would do its best to hear their application within the next 30 days. Immigration advisers noted last week that it is im- portant for people to make application information as current as possible, partic- ularly if the person has not done so since their applica- tion was filed. The applicants from late 2013 who recently filed updates could have their cases heard by next week, the board indicated. Residence applications will be heard in the order in which they were received, so applicants who filed in October 2013 would go first, followed by November 2013 and so on. The Immigration Depart- ment advised applicants who are updating their permanent residence documents to wait until they are contacted by government representatives. If the updates are filed too early, the information may be out of date by the time the application is considered by the board, officials said. Reviewing close to 1,000 permanent residence appli- cations will take significant time, according to Immigra- tion Ministry Chief Officer Wesley Howell. Many of the applications are hundreds of pages long with detailed in- formation about each appli- cant’s job, education, training, salary, personal finances, community involvement ac- tivities and investment in the country, among a host of other areas. Mr. Howell said certain measures would have to be taken to “overcome various human resources and other challenges,” associated with processing the documents. “The Department of Im- migration has reassigned staff members and has re- cruited Caymanian univer- sity graduates to advance the processing of applica- tions,” he said. These addi- tional workers will review the applications initially and prepare them for the board’s review, he said. Im- migration staff will also shadow board members for training purposes. The ministry has not clarified whether the Immi- gration Department would make decisions on any of the residency applications as it is now allowed to do, or whether the board would be required to hear all applica- tions filed since October 2013. “Someone using their government vehicle to tow their private boat to a launch ramp for a weekend trip might not be criminal, but it is an ethical issue.” VINTON CHINSEE, Ministry of Home Affairs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Fraud hotline reports ‘anonymous,’ gov’t says Between 900 and 1,000 applications for permanent residence are outstanding. - PHOTO: CHRIS COURTThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017 www.seidegrees.com Regional Office: 27499 Riverview Center Blvd., Suite 223, Bonita Springs, Florida 34134, USA • Tel +1 239 444 4399 • Fax +1 239 444 4398 info@SEIdegrees.com APPLY NOW FOR SEPTEMBER 2017 INTAKE 100% FLEXIBLE 100% ONLINE 100% RELEVANT NEW MBA/MBM Exceptional value — earn an accredited UK MBA or MBM for under US$10,000 • Can be completed in 18 months • Specialisations: Banking, Entrepreneurship, Events, Finance, Health Management, Hospitality & Tourism, HRM, Info. 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Organizers even considered relaxing the strict dress code to allow men to take off their jackets. Two Macron ministers quit, turning up heat on French justice chief Two of Emmanuel Ma- cron’s ministers, both early backers of his bid for the presidency, resigned from his Cabinet, underlining the challenge of maintaining a government without a hint of scandal and increasing pressure on Justice Minister Francois Bayrou. Richard Ferrand, who helped Macron set up his po- litical party, said Monday he would give up his role as re- gional development minister. Defense Minister Sylvie Gou- lard handed in her resigna- tion Tuesday morning, saying in a statement she did not feel she could remain part of the government while in- vestigators are looking into whether she and other Eu- ropean deputies from the centrist MoDem party mis- used allowances to pay for party activities. At stake is both the public perception of the new admin- istration and the fate of Ma- cron’s one-time rival Bayrou, the leader of MoDem, who provided a key endorsement for Macron during the pres- idential campaign but has also drawn controversy for his old-style partisan be- havior and treatment of the press. Macron’s party Sunday won 308 seats in the National Assembly and MoDem took 42, meaning Macron does not need Bayrou’s group for a majority in the 577-seat body. “If Sylvie Goulard is leaving it’s because of the questions related to MoDem in the European Parliament, so it raises the question of the possible departure of all ministers from that party,” said Thomas Guenole, a pro- fessor at the Sciences Po In- stitute in Paris. “This comes at a time when MoDem it- self is weakened. Francois Bayrou’s endorsement of Macron was critical during the campaign, but he is no longer vital.” The intense scrutiny of ethical issues in French public life is unprecedented after scandal brought down Republican candidate Fran- cois Fillon when he looked set to win the presidency. Re- ports that Fillon had given his wife and children fake jobs as parliamentary assis- tants over the course of de- cades, funneling about $1 million into family coffers, caused his poll ratings to plummet and helped propel Macron to victory. Ferrand has been under pressure since prosecutors opened a preliminary probe into whether the former So- cialist’s partner benefited from a real estate transaction with a mutual insurer that he ran in 2011, before becoming a member of parliament. Fer- rand has denied any wrong- doing and has been asked by Macron to lead his party in the Assembly. Throughout his cam- paign, the 39-year-old presi- dent promised he’d “renew” French politics by enacting a series of laws to ensure eth- ical conduct in public life. He said any minister facing criminal charges would have to resign. Goulard said she doesn’t want to find herself in that position. “In the event that the pre- liminary probe on MoDem leads to a verification of the employment conditions of my assistants at the Euro- pean Parliament, I want to be free to demonstrate my good faith,” she said in a state- ment. “That is why I have asked the president of the republic and the prime min- ister to let me play no further part in the government.” Le Monde reported on its website that Bayrou said Goulard’s decision was “strictly personal” and didn’t put Modem’s participation in the government in doubt. Bayrou last week was rep- rimanded by Prime Min- ister Edouard Philippe for having called reporters at a radio station asking them to not report on the probe into MoDem’s EU parlia- ment assistants. As justice minister, Bayrou is responsible for promoting a new law providing a strict framework for ministers and parliamentarians. “For now public opinion is vigilant but not naive, they don’t expect everything to change in a snap,” said Ade- laide Zulfikarpasic, a director of BVA Opinion in Paris. “On the other hand, if it’s still the case two years from now, that will be a problem.” Philippe said Tuesday that he will announce the new cabinet members before 6 p.m. Wednesday. As is the custom in France, the entire cabinet resigned after the par- liamentary election, though most ministers are expected to be remain in place. © 2017, Bloomberg LISBON, Portugal (AP) – Emer- gency services in Portugal said Tuesday they were making headway in control- ling a major wildfire that killed 64 people in the cen- tral area of the country, but the welcome news came as another blaze nearby grew in size and amid re- ports that a water-dropping plane had crashed. The Civil Protection Agency said about 1,200 firefighters and nine water- dropping aircraft were fighting the deadly wild- fire in Pedrogao Grande, which was raging for a third consecutive day about 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Lisbon. Officials said the blaze was mostly contained, though still burning fiercely. Later in the day, an official with Portugal’s Air Accident Office said a Canadair water- dropping plane has crashed in central Portugal while fighting the wildfires. Maria Jose Andre told The Associ- ated Press that the Civil Pro- tection Agency, which is over- seeing firefighting operations, informed her office that the plane had crashed. Her office immediately sent a crash investigation team to the area but that she had no details about the plane, its crew or where the crash happened, she said. Officials with the Por- tuguese government and the Civil Protection Agency said they could not con- firm the crash. “We are investigating if (the reports) are true,” Secre- tary of State for the Interior Jorge Gomes said. Civil Protection Agency spokesman Fausto Coutinho says authorities had received reports of a plane crash near where wildfires are raging and dispatched a he- licopter to check. Some firefighting re- sources were being diverted to Gois, about 20 kilometers from Pedrogao Grande, where almost 800 firefighters and four planes were battling the flames. Commander Vitor Vaz Pinto told reporters said the Gois wildfire was “very fast and very explosive” and had forced the evacuation of 11 hill villages. Portugal struggles to contain fatal fires, probes plane crash A Spanish firefighting plane flies over the fires in the Pedrogao Grande area of Portugal. – PHOTO: AP Defense Minister Sylvie Goulard Territorial Cohesion Minister Richard FerrandNext >