High of 85 Low of 76 Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ‘PEANUTS’ LICENSE: ONE STORY, TWO VERSIONS LOCAL | PAGE 3 MISSING BOATER FOUND ALIVE AFTER FIVE WEEKS AT SEA ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY AUGUST 7, 2017 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY JUICY. TENDER. SEASONED. PRESELL + INSERT PRESELL + INSERT PRESELL + INSERT BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands public healthcare system is bracing for rapidly increased de- mand over the next 20 years as chronic health problems in the islands get worse and aging health facilities become outdated. The Health Services Authority recently put out bids for private sector interests to help it create a 20-year master plan as the “primary source of healthcare services to all residents in the Cayman Islands.” “The master plan will serve as both a broad roadmap for steering future develop- ment within a context of aging infrastructure, a growing population and the prevalence of chronic illness driving a need for an increase in clinical services,” request for proposal doc- uments released in late July stated. Some of the figures in the documents that identify the potential for Cayman’s population growth and corresponding increases in illness are staggering. For instance, the bid records note that Cayman’s estimated population in- creased from about 38,400 in 1999 to 60,413 in 2015 – a 57 percent increase in 16 years. Future population trends calculated in government-commissioned reports showed increases would continue, with the lowest calculated growth rate – about 2 percent per year – putting the islands’ population at 79,000 by 2026 and a 4 percent growth placing it at nearly 120,000. As the population grew over the past de- cade, government analysts noted a rise in chronic disease reported to health authorities. Between 2006 and 2016, government records indicate the total number of Jamaicans throughout the Cayman Islands celebrated their country’s 55th anniversary of independence this weekend. In addition to church services and street parties, a new association dedicated to those who have left Jamaica is being formed. Pictured at an event at Luca restaurant on Friday evening, before the official unveiling of the Jamaica Diaspora Cayman Association are, from left, Levi Allen, JDCA founding member, Joseph Marzouca, honorary Jamaican consul, JDCA founding members Gail Bell, Jo-Anne Stephens and David Stephens, honorary Jamaican Vice-Consul Elaine Harris, Earl Jarrett, CEO, Jamaica National Group, and Damion Hylton, managing director, JN Cayman. For more, see page 2. JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Officials agreed to consider implementing an emergency siren alert system for the fuel depot after meeting with anxious South Sound residents in the wake of a fire at the Jackson Point terminal. Seeking, in some cases de- manding solutions, around 60 residents packed into the South Sound Community Centre Thursday to share their frank opinions with fire and police chiefs and public safety officials. Nearly all condemned the level of communication on the night and asked for a swifter emer- gency alert system. Some wanted to know who would pay if their homes burned. Others demanded an open investigation into the cause of the fire and called for the results to be made public and for criminal prosecutions if Sol Petroleum was found to have breached safety standards. The fire, inside a diesel tank at the depot on Sunday, July 23, took more than eight hours to extin- guish and caused the evacuation of homes and businesses within a mile radius of the facility. Wesley Howell, chief officer Hospital plans for patient overload Diaspora celebrates Jamaican independence FLORIDA DROPS BATTERY CASE AGAINST MCKEEVA BUSH Speaker: “I committed no crime” BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com No charges will be filed against Cayman Islands Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush in relation to allegations that he inappro- priately touched a Florida casino wait- ress last month. Prosecutors in the State Attorney’s Office in Broward County, Florida, confirmed state- ments by Mr. Bush’s attorney Friday that no charges would be filed against the 62-year- old Legislative Assembly representative. The reason for the prosectors’ decision had not been made public as of press time Sunday. In a statement released late Friday, Mr. Bush said he believed Florida prosecutors had worked “diligently” on the matter following his arrest at the Coconut Creek casino in South Florida on July 17. “From that date forward, I have protested Anxious South Sounders seek action over fuel fire PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Jamal Walton, 18, made it to the semifinals of the Men’s 400 meters at the IAAF world championships in London on Sunday. Walton posted a time of 45.05 seconds on Saturday to get through to the semifinal, where he finished fourth in his heat in 45.16 sec- onds. For more, see page 16. WALTON WOWS AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY AUGUST 7, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456) SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - MONDAY - EMOJI MOVIE 3D (PG) 1:30 2D I 3:00 2D VIP I 4:15 I 6:30 2D I 8:45 ATOMIC BLONDE (R) 12:20 VIP I 4:30 I 7:10 I 9:55 VIP SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING 3D (PG13) 12:45 2D I 3:45 I 6:45 2D I 9:40 KIDNAP (R) 2:20 I 5:30 I 7:45 VIP I 9:50 GIRLS TRIP (R) 1:20 I 4:10 I 7:00 I 9:45 DUNKIRK (PG13) 12:30 I 3:00 I 5:15 VIP I 7:35 I 10:05 Cayman Islands celebrates Jamaican Independence Day Jamaican nationals in Cayman proudly waved their country’s colors of gold, black and green over the weekend in cel- ebration of 55 years of independence. The Cayman Islands, formerly an outpost of British colonial Jamaica before Jamaican indepen- dence in 1962, has long- standing ties with the Ca- ribbean Island nation. Accordingly, over the weekend, local officials launched the Jamaica Di- aspora Cayman Associ- ation to mark the anni- versary. The group will provide a support net- work for the more than 16,000 Jamaicans and Jamaican-Caymanians who now call the three- island chain home, said Elaine Harris of the Ja- maican consulate. “We want to engage with persons so they don’t feel as if they are isolated or unwelcome,” Ms. Harris said. “It’s all about en- gagement, celebrating our diversity and inclusivity.” At Luca restaurant on West Bay Road on Friday evening, the Jamaican Consulate hosted a cock- tail reception ahead of the official unveiling of the Jamaica Diaspora Cayman Association. The event, sponsored by JN Cayman, featured guest speaker Earl Jar- Favorite Jamaican foods draw a crowd Friday afternoon on Cardinall Avenue in George Town. - PHOTO: KEN SILVA Jamaica National Group CEO Earl Jarrett addresses the pre-launch event at Luca restaurant on Friday evening. Founding member Jo-Anne Stephens speaks at the pre-launch of the Jamaica Diaspora Cayman Association. CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Eduardo Swaby Gutierrez, who had pleaded not guilty by reason of self defense, was found guilty on Thursday of causing grievous bodily harm to a man by punching him and breaking his jaw. Justice Michael Wood, who heard the matter without a jury at the defendant’s re- quest, sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment and or- dered him to pay his victim $5,000 in compensation. The victim had told the court of four surgeries he had undergone so far, including a procedure by which doctors took a piece of bone from his hip to use to repair his jaw. Justice Wood noted that more than a year after the in- jury, the victim still had some difficulty speaking. The judge said the com- pensation could be paid from assets of Gutierrez that are currently the subject of con- fiscation hearings – approxi- mately $60,000 in two bank accounts and a relatively high-value vehicle. The hear- ings are the result of the de- fendant’s guilty plea in Sep- tember 2016 to possession of 269.9 pounds of ganja with intent to supply. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment. The two years for this new conviction are consecutive to the ganja sentence, for a total of four years. The judge said he was also making a rec- ommendation for deporta- tion after the sentences are served. Gutierrez, 33, is a Cuban national. The incident leading to the grievous bodily harm charge occurred in the early part of 2016. There was also a more serious charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, but the judge found him not guilty of intent. One allegation was that Gutierrez had used a “knuckle duster” when he punched his victim, but there was no ev- idence of one. Justice Wood said, “I do find it extraordi- nary that bearing in mind the police knew that [the victim] had a broken jaw, they didn’t conduct a search of the defen- dant’s property that night.” Gutierrez’s house was searched three months later, when he was arrested: “Un- surprisingly, nothing was found, certainly not a knuckle duster,” the judge commented. The dispute between the two men began after the vic- tim’s teenage son went to the shop owned by Guti- errez to get five dollars’ credit on his phone. He mis- takenly gave the attendant the wrong phone number. The victim then entered the store with his son and the boy’s brother and tried to get the credit reversed, which is something that can be done, the judge noted. The judge said he had found the teenage son to be not only an impressive wit- ness, but also an impartial one. He did not take his fa- ther’s side. He had tried to defuse the situation, saying it was his fault and they should forget about it. He did so to stop the argument that had developed. The teen had told the court he saw Gutierrez pull out a knife and then his fa- ther pulled out a pocket knife. His father then said, “Hold on, hold on – we don’t need to fight.” The boy said his father turned to him and his brother and told them to walk home. As his father turned, Gutierrez jumped with his fists in the air and hit his father in the jaw. He did not see if Gutierrez had anything in his hand when he delivered the punch. Justice Wood said he was satisfied that the punch oc- curred the way the boy said – as the victim was turning away from Gutierrez. “That is not self-defense. That is being offensive.” Businessman gets sentence of two years for breaking man’s jaw rett, chief executive of- ficer of the Jamaica Na- tional Group. Mr. Jarrett, who is chairman of the Ja- maica Diaspora Founda- tion, provided an overview of the contributions of the Jamaica diaspora and the opportunities that exist be- tween Cayman and Jamaica. In downtown George Town on Friday, many of Cayman’s Jamaican pop- ulation attended a street market and party on Car- dinall Avenue, where he Ja- maican national colors were strongly in evidence.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 7, 2017 For details and to book call 345-949-2311, contact a local travel agent or visit caymanairways.com *Quoted fares are roundtrip, and taxes & fees are additional Book by August 7, 2017 SALESALE Take flight Celebrating 49 years in the skies, with airfares on sale starting from just... *The quoted sale fares are based on roundtrip economy class purchase. Additional government and airport taxes and fees of up to CI$109.49 roundtrip apply for travel from Grand Cayman to New York, Miami, and Tampa, and up to CI$158.59 roundtrip for travel from Grand Cayman to Kingston, Montego Bay, La Ceiba, Roatan, and Havana. Government and airport taxes and fees are subject to change without notice. No minimum nor maximum stay requirements apply. All tickets must be purchased within one day of booking, and all segments must be confirmed. Fares are valid for travel from September 10, 2017 through November 9, 2017. All tickets must be purchased between August 4-7, 2017. Seats are limited for these sale fares and may not be available on every flight at the time of booking. The following change fees apply: CI$126 plus any fare difference for travel to any US gateway; CI$63 plus any fare difference for travel to all other international gateways; CI$21 plus any fare difference for flights between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. In case of no show, ticket has no value. For connecting flights to/from the Sister Islands, a through-fare of up to CI$65.94 roundtrip applies, with no overnight on Grand Cayman. MIAMI CI$ 59* TAMPA CI$ 125* LA CEIBA ROATAN MONTEGO BAY KINGSTON HAVANA CI$ 115* NEW YORK CI$ 150* Also ask about discounted airfares for the Sister Islands Missing boater found alive after five weeks at sea Edward Hendricks Hyde rescued off Mexican coast JAMES WHITTAKER, KAYLA YOUNG jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com, kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com After five weeks adrift at sea, Cayman Islands boater Edward Hendricks Hyde has been found alive off the coast of Mexico. There was no official confirmation of the status of his fellow boater Chad- wick Bodden, who was with him when they left Cayman on a 30-foot canoe-style boat on June 23. According to news reports in Mexico, Mr. Hendricks Hyde was found alone, adrift on his boat, by local fish- ermen on July 30. The boat had had engine failure. “I give thanks to all the people from the city. I’m grateful for all of the Mex- icans who saved my life. When I needed it the most, they were there for me. I thank God for them and ev- erything,” he told a reporter from La Pancarta de Quin- tana Roo newspaper in a brief video interview posted on its Facebook page. It is understood that family members of Mr. Hendricks Hyde, who is of Honduran descent but grew up in West Bay and went to John Gray High School, have flown to Mexico. Dwene Ebanks, a friend of both boaters, confirmed that it was Mr. Hendricks Hyde speaking in the Face- book video. He said he was overjoyed to see him alive. “I am very happy to see that Edward has survived this traumatic ordeal and I am thankful to God that he will have an opportunity to move beyond that and start a new journey. “With the same breath, I am saddened that Chadwick, from the initial reports, does not appear to have made it with him. No doubt, Edward will be traumatized over the next few days as he pro- cesses the entire event and I trust that the whole com- munity is praying for him as he processes this ordeal,” Mr. Ebanks said. Mr. Hendricks Hyde’s boat was spotted in the water around 7 a.m. on July 30 by fishermen three miles from Cozumel island at a spot known locally as Punta Piedra, journalist Victor Hugo Vargas from La Pan- carta de Quintana Roo told the Cayman Compass. The fishermen found Mr. Hendricks Hyde passed out in the boat, visibly dehy- drated, malnourished and badly sunburned. Private paramedic com- pany Costamed adminis- tered first aid to Mr. Hen- dricks Hyde while waiting on the National Migration Institute for intake. He was later taken to the Cozumel general hospital, where he remained for four days. Mr. Hendricks Hyde told Mexican media that he sur- vived by eating bits of shark that he captured. Mr. Bodden and Mr. Hen- dricks Hyde, also known as Edward Rivers, were re- ported missing on June 30 after they did not re- turn from a trip to 60 Mile Bank. They had set off on June 23, telling friends and family they would be back by June 28. Police said Thursday that they were looking into re- ports from Mexico about the boater found adrift but could not confirm his identity. “We can confirm that in- formation was received that earlier this week a man was found adrift in a boat in Gulf of Mexico,” police said in a statement. “He is in very poor health and en- quiries are continuing with regard to the confirmation of his identity as one of the two missing men.” According to news reports in Mexico, Mr. Hendricks Hyde was found alone, adrift on his boat, by local fishermen on July 30. The boat had suffered engine failure. Edward Hendricks Hydes thanks God and the people of Mexico in an interview with a newspaper after his rescue. - PHOTO: LA PANCARTA DE QUINTANA ROORANDOLPH J. MAY Talk of the “deep state” is much in the air these days. To some, the deep state refers to what they see as a conspir- atorial intelligence commu- nity leaking secrets. To others, the deep state refers to what they see as an out-of-control bureaucracy out to bury – or at least trump – President Trump’s initiatives. I am not especially enam- ored of the “deep state” label or of overwrought conspiracy theories. And I don’t much take to hyperbolic bureaucrat- bashing or indiscriminate at- tacks on all federal regulations. Indeed, there are many regula- tions, especially in the health and safety areas, that serve important public purposes. But surely there is a case to be made for the proposition that as Chief Justice John Rob- erts put it in 2013 in his City of Arlington v. FCC dissent, “the danger posed by the growing power of the administrative state cannot be dismissed.” In that case, Chief Justice Rob- erts argued, on separation of powers grounds, that the deference regularly given by courts to statutory interpre- tations by federal administra- tive agencies – even to agency interpretations regarding their own jurisdictional boundaries – has led to an administrative state that “wields vast power and touches almost every as- pect of daily life.” Making the power-wielding all the more problematic is the fact that in many in- stances, the same agency of- ficials possess authority to promulgate regulations (a leg- islative function), police com- pliance with the regulations (an executive function), and adjudicate disputes brought to enforce the regulations (a judi- cial function). James Madison, famously wrote in Federalist No. 47 that the “accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and ju- diciary, in the same hands may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” No doubt, if he were able to con- template today’s administrative state, he would turn completely over in his grave. Examples of the wielding of such “vast power” by bu- reaucrats in the modern ad- ministrative state are fairly limitless, of course. Here, to il- lustrate, I want to discuss just one paradigmatic example of an agency rule subject to abuse – what the Federal Communi- cations Commission calls its general “conduct” rule which it adopted in 2015 as part of a set of regulatory mandates to police the practices of in- ternet service providers. This regulation prohibits internet providers from “unreasonably interfering” with or “unreason- ably disadvantaging” either competitors or consumers. You do not need a degree in metaphysics – or in law – to figure out that these malleable terms don’t establish clear rules of the road. Rather they are so inherently vague that the FCC itself was not embar- rassed in its official order to call the internet conduct rule a “catch-all standard.” And shortly after the conduct reg- ulation was adopted, the FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler con- ceded “we don’t really know” what it means. The rule-of-law and due process problems should be self-evident regarding a reg- ulation the agency concedes is a “catch-all” and which the agency’s chairman admits he doesn’t know what it means. Such a regulation, which has the force of law, invites abuse and favoritism in its enforce- ment, an executive function, and in its imposition of sanc- tions, a judicial function. It’s more than a bit troublesome when the very same officials who adopt a vague regula- tion may then selectively ini- tiate regulatory proceedings to sanction those they determine have run afoul of it. A Madiso- nian nightmare. Lo and behold, not long after the FCC adopted the in- ternet conduct regulation it initiated an investigation of the “free data” plans of Ver- izon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, sup- posedly to determine whether these offerings somehow “un- reasonably” disadvantaged competitors. No matter that these innovative offerings, which exempt access to cer- tain web sites from the car- riers’ data usage caps, are very popular among consumers. Fortunately, within days after Mr. Trump appointed him the new FCC chairman, Ajit Pai ordered the investiga- tions terminated. A few weeks later, he proposed eliminating the conduct regulation, calling it “a roving mandate to micro- manage the internet.” Aside from offending rule of law and due process norms, a major practical problem with regulations like the FCC’s conduct rule – and there are many others like it still on the agency’s books – is that inno- vation is stifled when busi- nesses are discouraged from experimenting. Service providers may wish to explore news busi- ness models that may meet evolving consumer demand by differentiating their ser- vices, but they may pull back because they fear having sanc- tions levied for crossing a vague line in a regulation the agency calls a catch-all. In his monumental work, “The Constitution of Lib- erty,” F.A. Hayek observed, with regard to regulations, that “their over-all cost is al- most always underestimated,” while “the prevention of new developments” is never fully considered. Certainly, Hayek’s critique applies to the FCC’s attempt to micromanage the dynamic environment inhabited by in- ternet providers. There’s no need to conjure up the “deep state” to justify worrying, along with Chief Justice Roberts, about “the growing power of the admin- istrative state.” Randolph J. May is president of the Free State Foundation. © 2017, The Washington Times, LLC The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 Whodunit? Fans of Sherlock Holmes mysteries will surely be intrigued by the following sequence of events. But first, let us introduce you to the cast of char- acters: Peanuts. Not an actual person but the name of a convenience store at the Rubis gas station in Red Bay. Gary Rutty. Well-known Cayman businessman and proprietor of Peanuts. Woodward (“Woody”) DaCosta. Acting chairman of the Liquor Licensing Board, Grand Cayman. Mr. DaCosta’s “day job” is host of a local call-in radio show. Marva Scott-Dunbar. Longtime recording secre- tary of the Liquor Licensing Board, which operates under the auspices of the Department of Commerce and Investment (DCI). An assortment of lesser players. Board members, politicians, attorneys, etc. Our drama begins in December 2016, when the Liquor Licensing Board granted Mr. Rutty a “package license” to sell alcohol at Peanuts Monday through Saturday but, importantly, not on Sundays. The license was granted despite strong objections from liquor store owners, most vocally Robert Hamaty of Tortuga Rum Company. Mr. Hamaty, who had asked the attorney general to clarify the legality of granting liquor licenses to gas stations, had called Cayman’s liquor law “a joke.” A few months later, at its late-March quarterly meeting, the Liquor Licensing Board considered another application from Mr. Rutty, this one to make possible the sale of alcohol at Peanuts on Sundays. (The Liquor Board retains ultimate discretionary power regarding Sunday sales of alcohol, regardless of the issuance of a “retail license.”) Following its March 28 meeting, recording secretary Marva Scott-Dunbar sent notifications to the Compass, other media, the DCI and to Gary Rutty, through his attorney Cline Glidden, that Peanuts’ application for a retail license had been approved. For the next months, things went smoothly at Peanuts. Sales were brisk, and customers seemed especially pleased with the convenience of being able to purchase alcohol on Sundays. However, Acting Chairman DaCosta, while not taking issue with the above, tells the story differently. He said the board did NOT approve the retail license for Peanuts at its March 28 meeting. Consid- eration of the application, he emphasized, was “con- tinued,” and the licensing session was not concluded but adjourned to reconvene at a future date. Mr. DaCosta told the Compass the announcement of the board’s granting the retail license was sent in error by the recording secretary to the media, the DCI and participating parties. Further, Mr. DaCosta explained that the March 28 did indeed reconvene in mid-June when board members participated in an “electronic meeting,” allowable by law. In effect, this was not a “new unscheduled meeting” but a continuation of the March 28 session. In any event, it was at this “electronic meeting,” Mr. DaCosta said, that the decision was reached “by consensus” of board members to turn down the retail license application for Peanuts. Mr. DaCosta was less clear, at least to our under- standing, why either he or his board did not correct immediately the widely disseminated announcement that Peanuts had been granted the retail license. In fact, and apparently without objection from the board, Peanuts began selling alcohol on Sundays at its Red Bay outlet. Likewise, the DCI website for April, May and June continued to list Peanuts as holding two licenses from the Liquor Board – a package license granted in March 2016 and a retail license granted in March 2017. For many years, whenever the Compass required timely and accurate information regarding the workings and decisions of the Liquor Board, we have relied on the knowledge and professionalism of its secretary, Marva Scott-Dunbar. During her career, Ms. Scott-Dunbar has been a consummate civil servant for at least 30 years. We, and we presume the public, would welcome the opportunity to hear Ms. Scott-Dunbar’s voice on all of these matters. Unfortunately, when we reached out to her, we learned that she had been removed from her 10 year-plus tenure with the Liquor Licensing Board. Apparently the DCI has transferred Ms. Scott- Dunbar to another department. – EDITORIAL – ‘Peanuts’ license: One story, two versions 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. MONDAY AUGUST 7, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS The danger posed by the growing administrative state PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 7, 2017 ADVERTORIAL The Best Dressed Chicken wins top export award. McCook’s Pen, St Catherine—Twenty-five years ago, Jamaica Broilers Group (JBG) made its first export shipment to the Cayman Islands. Then, it was 10 cases of Whole Frozen Grade A chicken sent by airfreight to Foster’s Supermarket. Today, the company exports approximately four containers of poultry products each month, to the island’s leading supermarkets and grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and food distributors. Just this month, JBG was named Champion Manufacturer in Category 2 (exports up to US$5 million) in the National Export Awards, largely the result of the growth of its Cayman market. “There is no doubt the growth of The Best Dressed Chicken in the Cayman Islands is driven by the goodwill of Jamaicans who live there. They’ve always been enthusiastic about our products, and their word of mouth endorsement has served to inspire new customers who didn’t have the legacy relationship with the product,” said Trevin Nairne, Export Manager, The Best Dressed Chicken. Aside from parlaying its connection to the highly influential Jamaican community, the company has also sought to expand its position through customer-centric innovation. “Best Dressed Free Range Chicken has found a home in the Cayman market. Like all our other products this is hormone free, but the difference is this chicken is raised in open conditions, with constant access to the outdoors, and is hand fed,” explained Mr. Nairne. Apart from the Free Range chicken, Cayman customers can choose from a wide selection of The Best Dressed Chicken products, including the flagship whole bird, mixed parts and individually quick frozen chicken parts. Large US poultry producers are also present in the market, but the company is confident the quality of its products and its Jamaican heritage both contribute to its breakthrough position in the market. “Our business has more than doubled since we started using the Best Dressed Chicken; and I also welcome the strong one-to-one connection and immediate on-the-ground contact with Company representatives,” said Fred Dallas, Managing Director, Popeye’s, Cayman. In the wake of the growth of The Best Dressed Chicken, the company will soon introduce Reggae Jammin’ burgers and hot dogs to the market, as well as its Hamilton’s Smokehouse premium brand of sausages. As part of expanding its position with restaurants and hotels, The Best Dressed Chicken has hosted an annual industry awards event recognising excellence in food service industry which includes a charity component by way of support for Feed our Future, a not-for-profit focussed on eliminating childhood hunger in the Cayman Islands. Nairne says the company sought to demonstrate a deep interest in the wider Cayman community. “There are more than 400 restaurants in Cayman, so a lot of what happens on the island is driven by the culinary experience. We participate in events like Taste of Cayman, which features some of the most famous chefs in the world, and the annual Cayman Jerk Festival. It’s important for us to show we want to have a meaningful impact on the life on the island. For us, it’s not just about selling chicken, but rather about building a community around the brand,” said Mr Nairne. Concerns over illegal turtle meat trade JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Impaled with hooks and laid on its back in a tool shed, an endangered green sea turtle was saved from the butcher’s knife at the 11th hour last week. Department of Envi- ronment enforcement offi- cers investigating reports of poaching in the eastern districts made the dis- covery on Thursday. They were able to remove the hooks with bolt cutters, and the 400-pound female turtle was treated for its wounds by a Cayman Turtle Centre veterinarian and re- turned to the sea, injured but alive. The homeowner of the premises where the turtle was found was de- tained for questioning. It is the fifth confirmed poaching incident this year, and environment officials warn that targeting turtles for their meat is a “serious and growing problem.” Janice Blumenthal, a re- search officer with the De- partment of Environment, said turtle nesting num- bers are higher than usual this year, and environ- ment officers and volun- teers are seeing more evi- dence of poaching. “Our turtle population is still critically low and if our native nesting female turtles are poached, we will lose our chance at seeing the popula- tion recover,” she said. “We have found evidence of five turtles being taken this year and there are likely to have been additional un- documented incidents.” She said Thursday’s rescue was possible only be- cause a member of the public had tipped off the Depart- ment of Environment. She urged people not to buy black market turtle meat, and said the Department of Environment is working with the turtle farm to make it easier to target the illegal turtle meat trade. “A major problem is that legal farmed turtle meat cannot currently be dis- tinguished from illegal wild meat on the black market,” she said. “Cayman Turtle Centre has agreed to package all turtle meat products in sealed, labeled, tamper-evident bags so that DoE conservation officers and police officers can dis- tinguish between farmed and wild meat. This would be a major step forward in enforcing the law.” She said anyone caught with wild turtle meat or eggs could be prosecuted under the National Con- servation Law. “Any turtle meat sold in- formally, door to door, is likely to come from poached turtles, which may be among the last few breeding turtles in our nesting population,” she said. Turtles are a prime target for poachers during nesting season when they come onto the beaches to lay their eggs. In this case, however, it appears the turtle was caught at sea. “The hooks had been at- tached to a rope and thrown like a grappling hook to cap- ture the turtle. It appeared that she had been hidden in the shed to await being butch- ered,” said Ms. Blumenthal. Officers Carl Edwards and Alan MacKay at- tended the scene. The turtle was bleeding from wounds to its flippers and neck. The officers rushed it to the DoE headquarters, where staff used heavy-duty bolt cut- ters to remove the hooks. Cayman Turtle Centre veterinarian Dr. Ana Mal- abia treated the wounds and the turtle was tagged, mea- Turtle poaching ‘a growing problem’ Delwin McLaughlin, DoE operations manager, and DoE officer Carl Edwards tend to the stricken turtle. DoE officers Carl Edwards and Alan MacKay use bolt cutters to remove hooks from the turtle. sured, and released by DoE research staff and interns. Ms. Blumenthal said its injuries would make it more vulnerable at sea, but that the wounds were survivable. She added, “We hope she will con- tinue to nest on our beaches for many years to come. “It is estimated that less than 1 in 1,000 sea turtles survive to maturity and our nesting population is still crit- ically small. Every one of our nesting turtles is critical in allowing our popu- lation to survive and recover.” Anyone who is aware of turtle meat being bought or sold illegally can call in an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers on 800-TIPS, Crimes in progress should be reported im- mediately to 911.6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY AUGUST 7, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Kiwanis ‘Breakfast for Dinner’ raises funds for children’s meals The black tie and ball gown dress code typically followed at local charity galas was replaced by pa- jamas and nightgowns on Saturday night at the fourth annual Kiwanis “Break- fast for Dinner” fundraiser in the Grand Cayman Mar- riott ballroom. Guests who each paid $100 a ticket were encour- aged to don sleepwear for the event, which featured a three-course “breakfast,” silent auction, a raffle, and a fashion show courtesy of Silhouette boutique. Even Miss Cayman Islands Anika Conolly dressed the part – in se- quined pajamas, complete with sparkling crown. Kadi Petney, one of the organizers of the dinner and past president of Ki- wanis, said it was a great success. “We had 122 people at the event and just as in past years, it was a casual, fun affair, highlighting an impor- tant cause – our ‘Buy a Kid Breakfast Program.’ The money raised will be distributed to the partic- ipating local schools so they can continue to en- sure that no child goes without a proper meal.” Cheyenna Hoaglund, president of the George Town Primary School PTA, spoke to the room about her firsthand experience with the program, empha- sizing the positive impact it has made and the need for future support. Vicki Wheaton, Kadi Pentney and Sue Day get into the spirit of the ‘Breakfast for Dinner’ event. William Peguero, Mitchell Wright, David Bree and Damian PentneyEmma Dulles, Truman Bodden and Kadi Pentney Showing off their nightwear as daywear are, from left, David Bree, Riyaz Nooruddin, Emily Nooruddin, Alison Lebitschnig, Diana Creciun, Kelli Koutney, William Koutney, Anna Wu and Asha Chita. - PHOTOS: YANET SWABY Derri Lee and Miss Cayman Anika Conolly Emma Dulles, Kelli Koutney, Lexi Bodden, Amanda Bodden, Pierre Yves Beaudet and Robi Bodden Kadi Pentney, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, Miss Cayman Anika Conolly, Nuvia Manderson and Daniella McGowan pose with some snuggly toys. Sue Day tries to take a nap, as Jerrica Watt, Lauren Duran, Daniella McGowan and Caridad Ramos pose in their nightdresses and dressing gowns.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 7, 2017 in the Ministry of Home Af- fairs, said officials would “fall on our sword” and accept re- sponsibility for poor commu- nications on the night. He said Hazard Manage- ment staff were looking at the possibility of interrupting radio and television broad- casts with emergency alerts. He said a trial of sending text messages to all Flow and Digicel subscribers in an emergency situation had proved ineffective, with some users not receiving the mes- sages until days later. Officials are investigating setting up a “Wireless Emer- gency Alert” system, used in the U.S. to automatically send missing persons alerts to cellphone users. Mr. Howell said it is more sophisticated and more reliable than text messaging, but would require some work to set up. Several residents vented their frustrations about the level of communications on the night – both the speed of informing residents that there was a fire and evacua- tion and the level of updates through the night about if or when they could return home. Multiple residents sug- gested a siren system that would alert them immedi- ately to any emergency at the fuel terminal. “Get a tornado siren. Get that up tomorrow. You have to have something that will wake you in the middle of the night,” one woman told officials. Mr. Howell acknowledged the evacuation had been dif- ficult to handle and said the ministry would look at new procedures, potentially in- cluding sirens. “There are 600 homes within that area so the sheer math of officers going door to door – we rec- ognize that is not efficient and we are looking at other methods,” he said. Fire chief David Hails said the call to evacuate the area within a mile radius was made by the senior fire of- ficer on scene at the outset. He said the officer had “erred on the side of caution” using his judgment. Officials agreed to inves- tigate, on a more scientific basis, what area should be evacuated in emergency situ- ations at the depot. Keith Sahm, general man- ager of Sunset House, said there should also be estab- lished protocols on what to do and where to go for infor- mation in that situation. He said he and others had struggled to get reliable information amid a swirl of rumors on Facebook, in- cluding a photo of a fuel tank engulfed in flames, which turned out to be from an- other country. Mr. Sahm, a former U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer, said there should have been regular, accessible updates on the night. “Facts are what keep people calm. When every- body goes to pandemonium, it is because there is an ab- sence of facts and people are spreading rumors,” he said. Lawyer Steve McField was among those to call for the fuel station to be moved. Citing a 1979 report, he said experts had been recom- mending for decades that it be placed in a more remote part of the island. “What we are doing is al- lowing this hazard to grow and grow, like we did with the dump,” he said. “That is a hazard to our health; this is a hazard to our lives. I am going to be an advocate for moving this out of the neighborhood.” Fire chiefs remained ret- icent about discussing the cause of the fire, despite claims from residents, in- cluding from one neighbor of the facility who said he had seen workmen welding on the tank hours be- fore the fire. Under pressure from resi- dents, officials from regulator OfReg said they would make their report public. Mr. Hails said it was too early to speculate on the cause of the fire. He said the fire services investiga- tion could take weeks, even months, and would involve draining the tank of fuel and inspecting it from the inside. He said, when complete, it would be passed to the po- lice, who would decide if any criminal investigation needed to take place. Thursday’s meeting was organized by George Town MLA Barbara Connolly. my innocence and repeat- edly stated that I committed no crime,” Mr. Bush said. “I have expected and antici- pated that a thorough re- view of the allegation would prove [the] same. “The last few weeks have been very difficult for both me and my family, and the support we have received has helped us get through these difficult times. “To my detractors, my only hope is that you never have to go through what me and my family have over the past few weeks, but if you do, hopefully those around you will not rush to judg- ment and say or write dis- paraging comments before the truth prevails.” Broward County State At- torney’s Office spokesman Ron Ishoy issued a brief statement after the Cayman Compass asked questions about it Friday. “The Broward State Attor- ney’s Office in Fort Lauder- dale filed paperwork Friday afternoon – an announce- ment of no information – noting that it will not file a charge of misdemeanor bat- tery against William Bush,” Mr. Ishoy said. “An explana- tion of that decision will be available in the coming days.” Mr. Bush’s Florida at- torney, Keith Seltzer, said such a decision could only have been made after a careful review of all the evi- dence available in the case. “I am certain that the prosecutor determined that there was no evidence that a crime was committed and therefore no likelihood of obtaining a conviction for a battery offense, should they have elected to proceed fur- ther,” Mr. Seltzer said. Mr. Bush was arrested by Seminole Police, the force that has responsibility for the Coconut Creek casino, after officers took a state- ment from a casino wait- ress who made various al- legations. After Mr. Bush’s arrest, he was released on a US$1,000 cash bond and no court date was given. Mr. Seltzer said that ac- cording to Florida criminal law, the state has 21 days following the date of an ar- rest to decide whether to file formal charges and pro- ceed with a court hearing. In this case, he said, the state dropped the matter before Mr. Bush was for- mally charged. Mr. Bush said Friday that he wished to put the whole matter to rest. “It is my desire to put this unfortunate incident be- hind us and get back to con- tinuing to work with our government to make Grand Cayman the great place to reside and the wonderful, beautiful tourist destina- tion,” Mr. Bush said. hypertension cases grew by 85 percent, diabetes by 65 percent, chronic lung disease by 86 percent and cancer cases by 126 percent. The incidence of mental disorders in the islands grew by 67 percent. In 2012, the government Ministry of Health predicted that by 2020, heart disease, cancer and diabetes would account for 60 percent of the illnesses in the Cayman Is- lands. At the time, the min- istry noted that 37 percent of teenagers in the islands were classified as “overweight or obese” and were likely to face future health risks. “Our national health systems will be severely stressed and there be will significant negative economic and social consequence,” the report noted. In addition, a comprehen- sive review of the Cayman Islands health system com- pleted last year by the au- ditor general’s office noted that chronic illness rates in the islands may be “masked” by a large influx of relatively young and relatively healthy work permit holders in the islands. These non-Cayma- nian workers, who cannot come to work here unless they are in relatively good health, could make reported percentages of chronic illness in the local population look smaller, auditors found. Against this backdrop, the existing islands’ public health facilities – the Cayman Islands Hospital, Faith Hospital in Cayman Brac and the district health clinics – were all built be- tween the 1970s and the 1990s, during a time when Cayman’s overall population was far less. “The aging … infrastruc- ture of [these] facilities have led to ongoing building performance and mainte- nance issues where major upgrading and/or replace- ment [is] required,” the bid documents state. While two new health facilities have opened on Grand Cayman in recent years, including the 104-bed Health City Cayman Islands medical center, the Health Services Authority antici- pates it will remain the “pre- dominant healthcare pro- vider” in the islands over the next two decades. The successful bidder will create a master plan de- termining critical clinic ser- vice needs through 2026, the optimization of existing public healthcare facili- ties and the level of finan- cial investment needed for public healthcare. Bids for the health services master plan are due Sept. 8. The fire, inside a diesel tank at the depot,on Sunday, July 23, took more than eight hours to extinguish and caused the evacuation of homes and businesses within a mile radius of the facility. Florida drops battery case against McKeeva Bush Anxious South Sounders seek action over fuel fire Hospital plans for patient overload Long-time South Sound resident Mary Thompson gave officials her frank opinions on the fire and its handling. Fire, police and public safety officials met with South Sound residents Thursday. - PHOTOS: JAMES WHITTAKER The Cayman Islands Hospital in George Town is one of the public health facilities run by the Health Services Authority. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 LOCAL NEWS that West Bay Road is one of the busiest in the Cayman Islands, even at 1:30 a.m., when this incident occurred, because of the hotels and restaurants there. She referred to the ag- gravating features cited by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran at the sentencing hearing last month. They included a prolonged course of bad driving (captured by CCTV cameras along West Bay Road), and Nairne’s disre- gard for the rules of the road. When interviewed by po- lice in February 2016, Nairne said he was driving at or near the speed limit of 40 mph and when he applied his brakes, they failed. How- ever, examination of the ve- hicle afterward showed that the brakes had been in working condition. Justice Carter quoted Justice Charles Quin, who said that a speed of 92 mph in another road death case was “terrifyingly ex- cessive” and nobody should be driving that speed any- where in Cayman. In Nairne’s case, the 127 mph was more than triple the posted limit of 40 mph, she pointed out. This fla- grant violation had to be one of the most serious in- stances of bad driving lo- cally, she indicated. The judge accepted that Nairne’s remorse was sin- cere. He had been in a close relationship with Ms. Perry. It was to his credit that Ms. Perry’s mother and brother had written letters asking that he not be sent to prison. He had been providing fi- nancial support for Ms. Perry’s child. Nairne him- self had been injured in the incident. The maximum sentence for causing death by dan- gerous driving is 10 years, the judge noted, with a starting point of six years and a range of five to nine years. She said Nairne’s speed warranted an in- crease in the starting point to eight years. She said Nairne’s allega- tion about his brakes had caused her some concern since there were no mechan- ical defects in the vehicle before the crash. She con- sidered the other aspects of the case and found that the aggravating features out- weighed the mitigation. On that basis, she gave a discount of 25 percent for Nairne’s guilty plea, bringing the sentence down from eight years to six. Nairne is to be disqual- ified from driving for five years after release from prison, she added. After court adjourned, defense attorney Nicholas Dixey confirmed that the sentence will be challenged in the Court of Appeal. ‘Imitation firearm’ was a flashlight, magistrate told CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com John Michael Schirn ap- peared in Summary Court on Friday after being ar- rested shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday by po- lice responding to a report of a burglary in progress at a West Bay Road condo- minium complex. Schirn, 29, was charged with burglary with intent to steal and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to resist arrest. Crown counsel Greg Wal- colm said the imitation firearm was in fact a flash- light, but when the defen- dant held it in his hand he shouted at the officer who had been chasing him, “I have a gun! I have a gun!” The officer was put in fear that the object was a gun, but then observed it more closely and realized it was a flashlight, the court heard. He pulled his baton and advanced toward the defendant, who told him, “You best don’t hit me with that” and then ran again. The officer caught him. Mr. Walcolm explained that police had received a report of an ongoing bur- glary at the Silver Sands Condominiums. After they arrived around 2:30 a.m. and parked beside the manag- er’s building, they observed two males jump out through a window of the man- ager’s office. One man was dressed in black and wore a mask; he ran toward the beach, with one of the officers in pur- suit. He escaped. The other man, who wore an orange long-sleeved hoodie, ran toward George Town. He jumped over a wall and went through a prop- erty, then went over a fence and onto another premises, Mr. Walcolm said. At another property, it was very dark. The officer pulled out his flashlight and saw the defendant moving. The defendant stood up, backing way, and that was when he was seen holding the item the officer thought was a firearm. After Schirn was cap- tured and told he was under arrest, he told the officer he had too much to lose. He said words to the effect, “We can work something out. Let me see your face. Maybe I know you.” Mr. Walcolm said the Crown was considering a charge of attempting to pervert the course of jus- tice as a result. Schirn gave a no com- ment interview after being given the opportunity to speak to an attorney, he said. Investigations were still at an early stage, he noted. CCTV had been requested from the condo complex. Testing had not yet been completed on a crowbar re- covered at the scene and an orange-handled screwdriver which fell from the defen- dant’s person as he was es- caping. The manager of the premises had been unable to say immediately whether anything had been stolen, but a follow-up statement was expected, he told Mag- istrate Angelyn Hernandez. A scenes-of-crime report was also awaited. For the above reasons, Mr. Walcolm said, he ob- jected to bail. Defense attorney Philip Rule pointed out that Schirn’s flashlight was turned on at the time he held it and told the officer he had a gun. He applied for bail, telling the court that his client worked five- and-a-half days per week and could report to po- lice on weekends. The magistrate denied bail, but pointed out that the case should progress within the next week, so she did not close the application. She set mention of the matter for Thursday, Aug. 10, at noon by video link. MONDAY AUGUST 7, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Bail denied in burglary case Six years for 127-mph road death Sentence will be appealed, defense attorney confirms CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Conroy Warrenton Nairne, 33, was sentenced on Friday to six years’ im- prisonment for causing the death of 21-year-old Jessie Perry by dangerous driving in September 2015. Justice Marlene Carter reviewed the undisputed facts before passing sen- tence. Nairne had been driving at 127 mph when his Audi hit the curb at a bend in the road by Public Beach on West Bay Road and be- came airborne. The Audi collided with boulders and a traffic sign and was approximately 14 feet in the air when it hit a tree by the beach. The Audi burst into flames and landed on its roof, with the two oc- cupants inside. Witnesses pulled them from the car and called 911, tending to them until the emergency medical team arrived and took over. Ms. Perry, a mother of one who was celebrating her 21st birthday, was Nairne’s passenger. She sustained second- and third-degree burns over 80 percent of her body. She was airlifted to a specialist burns unit in Ja- maica, where she died from her injuries on Sept. 21, one week after the collision. Justice Carter pointed out The Audi burst into flames and landed on its roof, with the two occupants inside. Jessie Perry BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A tropical wave that pelted Cayman with high winds and some rain Sunday was expected to turn into a tropical depression or trop- ical storm as it moves to- ward Mexico this week. However, forecasters say that the storm’s develop- ment was likely to occur after the wave passed over the Cayman Islands vicinity. As of midday Sunday, the wave was moving west- northwest over the Carib- bean Sea. It was expected to reach Mexico’s Yucatan Pen- insula either late Monday or early Tuesday. U.S. National Hurricane Center forecasters gave the wave a 80 percent chance of turning into a storm within 48 hours of Sunday morning and an 90 percent chance of forming within the next five days. Winds just below trop- ical storm force - (40 miles per hour) were mea- sured just northeast of the wave’s center. Local forecasters ex- pected clouds and showers in the Cayman area, with some becoming heavy downpours on Sunday and Monday. Fifteen- to 20-knot winds were expected to make for rough sea con- ditions, bringing wave heights to 4 to 6 feet. Small craft were advised to exer- cise caution in open waters through Monday. If the wave does form into a tropical storm, it will be called Franklin, the sixth named storm of the Atlantic 2017 Hurricane Season. Tropical wave passes CaymanThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 8 killed in attack on Nigerian church Authorities say at least eight people are dead and 18 others critically wounded after gunmen attacked a church in southern Nigeria. Garba Umar, police commissioner of Anambra state, said a lone gunman attacked St. Philip Catholic Church early Sunday. No group has claimed responsibility. CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY AUGUST 7, 2017 Military quashes attack at Venezuela base CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Ruling party chief Di- osdado Cabello said Ven- ezuelan troops quashed a “terrorist” attack at a mili- tary base Sunday, shortly after a small group of men dressed in fatigues released a video declaring themselves in rebellion. Cabello reported on Twitter that troops quickly contained the early morning assault at the Paramacay base in the central city of Va- lencia. Military officials said seven people were detained. The announcement came after the group of men, some armed with assault rifles, announced they were dis- avowing the government of embattled President Nicolas Maduro and said any unit re- fusing to go along with their call for rebellion would be declared a military target. “This is not a coup d’etat,” a man who identified him- self as Capt. Juan Caguari- pano said in the video. “This is a civic and military action to re-establish the constitu- tional order.” Cabello, a former mili- tary man and vice presi- dent under the late President Hugo Chavez, called the at- tackers “mercenary terror- ists.” Socialist party loyalists also regularly use the term “terrorist” to describe oppo- sition leaders and protesters. The South American na- tion has for months been in the throes of a political crisis with protests that have left more than 120 dead, nearly 2,000 wounded and over 500 detained. The po- litical standoff heightened this week with the installa- tion of an all-powerful con- stitutional assembly that opposition members fear Maduro will use to tighten his grip on power, install a one-party state and remove foes from office. Caguaripano, the leader of the alleged plot, has a history of rebellion. In 2014, while a captain in the national guard and amid a previous wave of anti-gov- ernment unrest, he released a 12-minute video denouncing Maduro. He later reportedly sought exile after a military tribunal ordered his arrest, appearing in an interview on CNN en Espanol to draw attention to dissatisfaction within the ranks over Vene- zuela’s demise. He returned to Venezuela to lead Sunday’s uprising, said Giomar Flores, a muti- nous naval officer who said he is a spokesman for the group from Bogota, Colombia. Videos circulating on so- cial media showed a po- lice convoy speeding down a road amid the sound of ap- parent gunfire. The Paramacay base, surrounded by a residen- tial neighborhood in Va- lencia, is one of Venezuela’s largest and houses some of the country’s most important armaments including Rus- sian-made tanks. Cabello is the first vice president of the ruling so- cialist party and a member of the constitutional as- sembly. He has been a vocal proponent of using the leg- islative super-body to strip lawmakers in the opposition- controlled National Assembly of the immunity from prose- cution that comes with office. While in the military he took part in a failed 1992 coup led by Chavez, and he has held various high- ranking positions in the gov- ernment. U.S. officials have accused him of involve- ment in drug trafficking, a charge he denies. On Twitter Sunday, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said the fact that Cabello had announced the news of the attack “shows who’s in charge of security forces” in Venezuela. Maduro is widely consid- ered to still have the backing of the military, though it is difficult to know whether any discord may be brewing among the rank and file. The rebellion took place a day after the constitutional assembly voted unanimously to remove the nation’s chief prosecutor, a longtime gov- ernment loyalist who has become one of Maduro’s most outspoken critics. Del- egates shouted “traitor” and “justice” as they proceeded with her removal. Luisa Ortega refused to recognize the decision to oust her and vowed to continue fighting “with my last breath” against what she considers unconstitutional overreach by the government. The assembly later swore in as her replacement Om- budsman Tarek William Saab, who was recently sanc- tioned by the Trump admin- istration for failing to pro- tect protesters from abuses in his role as the nation’s top human rights official. Also Saturday prominent opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was returned home to serve his sentence under house arrest, days after being hauled back to prison in the middle of the night in a move that drew international condemnation. The activist’s wife Lilian Tintori said in a message on Twitter that she and her hus- band remained committed to achieving “peace and freedom for Venezuela.” Lopez was released from prison July 8 and placed under house arrest after serving three years of a 13- year sentence on charges of inciting violence at oppo- sition rallies. Many human rights groups considered him a political prisoner. But he was taken back into custody last Tuesday along with former Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma in what many believed was a renewed crackdown on the opposition following the elec- tion of delegates to the con- stitutional assembly. The Paramacay base, surrounded by a residential neighborhood in Valencia, is one of Venezuela’s largest and houses some of the country’s most important armaments including Russian-made tanks. Welcome boost from China increases global pressure on N. Korea MANILA, Philippines (AP) – A global pressure campaign on North Korea propelled by sharp new U.N. sanc- tions received a welcome boost Sunday from China, the North’s economic life- line, as Beijing called on its neighbor to halt its missile and nuclear tests. The Trump administration cautiously embraced China’s apparent newfound coopera- tion, while putting it on no- tice that the U.S. would be watching closely to ensure it did not ease up on Pyongyang if and when the world’s at- tention is diverted elsewhere. But there were no signs the U.S. would acquiesce to Chi- na’s call for a quick return to negotiations. The diplomatic wran- gling sought to build on the sweeping new North Korea sanctions passed by the U.N. Security Council a day earlier – the strongest in a genera- tion, the U.S. said. As diplo- mats gathered in the Philip- pines for an annual regional meeting, President Donald Trump was cheering the move from afar. He touted the “very big financial impact” of the sanctions and noted op- timistically that both China and Russia had joined in the unanimous vote. “It was a good outcome,” U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in character- istically understated fashion as he met with South Korea’s top diplomat. For the U.S., it was a long-awaited sign of prog- ress for Trump’s strategy of trying to enlist Beijing’s help to squeeze Pyongyang diplomatically and eco- nomically. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, meeting with North Korea’s top dip- lomat during the gathering in Manila, urged the North to “maintain calm” despite the U.N. vote. “Do not violate the U.N.’s decision or provoke inter- national society’s good- will by conducting missile launching or nuclear tests,” Wang said, in an unusually direct admonition. Though Beijing repeated its call for the United States and North Korea to resume talks, the U.S. said that was still premature, and rejected yet again a Chinese call for the U.S. to freeze joint mil- itary exercises with South Korea in exchange for the North halting nuclear devel- opment. Pyongyang views the military exercises as re- hearsals for an invasion. The U.S. also warned it planned to rigorously mon- itor China’s compliance with the new penalties. Susan Thornton, the top U.S. dip- lomat for Asia, said Beijing had historically cooperated with sanctions after flagrant North Korean violations but then slipped back over time. “We want to make sure China is continuing to im- plement fully the sanctions regime,” Thornton told re- porters in Manila. “Not this kind of episodic back and forth that we’ve seen.” Infusing the diplomatic gathering with dramatic in- trigue was the presence of Ri Yong Ho, North Korea’s for- eign minister, the odd man out at a meeting dominated by concerns about his na- tion’s nuclear proliferation. Indeed, the U.S. was floating a proposal to temporarily kick North Korea out of the 27-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations Re- gional Forum, although other member nations are divided about that idea. Would Tillerson trade pleasantries with his North Korean counterpart as they cross paths at the regional gathering, or potentially even sit for a meeting? It was a question driving the hallway chatter at the gathering, but the U.S. summarily shot down the prospect. Though Tillerson has em- phasized the Trump admin- istration’s willingness to sit down with North Korea for negotiations, he hass said that will not happen until the North agrees to abandon its nuclear aspirations. Even with new U.N. sanctions in place intended to drive Pyongyang back to the table, conditions still aren’t ripe for talks, U.S. diplomats said. The diplomatic wrangling sought to build on the sweeping new North Korea sanctions passed by the U.N. Security Council a day earlier – the strongest in a generation, the U.S. said. Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, left, is greeted by his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi before their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 50th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Sunday in Manila, Philippines. - PHOTO: APNext >