ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY AUGUST 15, 2017 High of 91 Low of 82 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 STATUES VS. STATUTES: LAW AND ORDER MUST PREVAIL ON THE BRAC SPORTS | PAGE 17 CAYMAN U-15 TEAM WINS OPENING CONCACAF MATCH 4.70% OFFER EXTENDED!* 185315-Ad-Strip-SandCastles-30Sept.indd 17/21/17 5:00 PM Immigration swamped with work permits Nearly 19,000 submitted through July BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A much larger number of work permit ap- plications than a year ago are being han- dled by a reduced Immigration Depart- ment staff, leading to longer-than-usual delays in acquiring permission to work for non-Caymanians. According to figures given to the Cayman Compass late last week, 18,847 work permit applications were submitted to the depart- ment between Jan. 1 and July 31. Those ap- plications do not only include annual permit grants and renewals, but cover a wide range of temporary permits, work permit extensions, special economic zone permits and amend- ments to business staffing plans. The Immigration Department reported that roughly the same number of permit applica- tions were processed for all of 2016. The processing, which can depend on the specific details of each case, is taking be- tween six and 10 weeks, on average, according to private sector firms that assist businesses with work permit applications. The Immigra- tion Department’s stated goal is have a permit “turned around” in 14 days once an applica- tion is received. More than 1,700 of the 2017 permit applications remained to be processed as of last week. “[That number] represents approximately six weeks of decisions,” a statement from the department noted. That figure does not factor in any permit applications submitted during the next six weeks. As of mid-July, there were 24,880 ac- tive work permits in the Cayman Islands, in- cluding government contracts and individ- uals awaiting word on permanent residence applications. The Immigration Department is also strug- gling with an administrative staff shortage, according to statements made last week. NEW RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN TRADEMARKS LAW JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com MacDonald’s restaurant in Grand Cayman is the subject of an apocryphal tale that has taken on the status of urban legend on these shores and beyond. Cruise ship tourists are frequently told the David and Goliath story of how the little Caribbean restaurant stood up to the American fast-food giant McDonald’s to protect its brand and stop it from getting a foothold in the Cayman Islands. However, the story of how and why Mc- Donald’s never made it to the islands is more mundane. “We have never tried to stop them,” said Chris Hew, the current owner of the restau- rant, opened by attorney James MacDonald in the 1970s. “There were a few different efforts to bring McDonald’s franchises here. I think it just didn’t make sense from a business point of view. “We wouldn’t have made a ruckus about it. Our only concern was that they might try to make us change our name.” Any such concerns should be alleviated by a new law, which came into force Aug. 1, al- lowing businesses in the Cayman Islands to protect their names, brands and logos. McDonald’s has garnered a reputation, in the past, for aggressively protecting its trade- marks and logos and the possibility that they could enter the Cayman market and force the local restaurant to change its name re- mains a nagging worry. The company has Damaged art investigation under way in Cayman Brac KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Brac police are in- vestigating a report of property damage filed Saturday by artist Ronald “Foots” Kynes, alleging vandalism against his artwork. Mr. Kynes found two cement sculptures, “LGBT” and “Eva in Eve,” smashed Saturday morning on his property on South Side Road West. He had last visited the lot Friday evening. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said the sculp- tures were found “lying on the ground and damaged” but did not characterize the incident as vandalism. Due to the weight of the sculptures, Mr. Kynes sus- pects more than one person pushed over the works, which he estimates weigh around 3,000 pounds each. The sculptures have been at the center of public contro- versy for their depictions of les- bian and religious iconography. Mr. Kynes was arrested on July 18 for alleged “obscene publica- tions” after refusing to comply with police orders to remove the works from public view. He has not been charged and remains on police bail until Sept. 6. Police described the South Side Road West property as a Campers focus on photography Photographer and documentary film producer Ward Scott shows some young camera enthusiasts a few tricks of the trade. Mr. Scott dropped by the camp at Cayman Islands Baptist Church on Friday to teach about photography and discuss filmmaking. For more, see page 2. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY AUGUST 15, 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. - TUESDAY - ARMED RESPONSE (R) 1:25 I 5:05 I 6:35 I 9:25 EMOJI MOVIE 3D (PG) 1:35 2D I 2:50 2D I 4:20 I 7:05 2D SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING 3D (PG13) 12:45 2D I 3:45 I 6:45 2D I 9:40 DARK TOWER (PG13) 12:30 VIP I 2:50 VIP I 4:00 I 7:40 VIP 9:10 I 10:00 VIP GIRLS TRIP (R) 1:25 I 4:15 I 7:00 I 9:45 DUNKIRK (PG13) 12:20 I 5:10 VIP I 7:20 I 9:50 Charges relate to machete wounds CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Randon Odell Davis was remanded in custody Monday after appearing in Summary Court on charges of attempted murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The charges relate to an incident on Friday, Aug. 11, in the Watler’s Road area of George Town. Davis, 19, is charged with attempting to cause the death of a named individual by an unlawful act with malice aforethought – specifically, by striking him in the head and back with a machete. The wounding charge re- lates to the same victim and the same location, but alleges that Davis inflicted grievous bodily harm unlawfully and maliciously. Defense attorney Jona- thon Hughes applied for bail. Crown counsel Greg Walcolm objected. Magistrate Philippa McFarlane withheld bail be- cause of the nature and seri- ousness of the charges. The matter was trans- mitted to Grand Court, where Davis is scheduled to appear on Friday, Aug. 25. A press release from police indicated that the victim was still in hospital on Monday in stable condition. Police and other emergency per- sonnel were dispatched to the Watler’s Road address by 911 just before 11 a.m. on Friday. Davis, a resident of North Side, left the scene before po- lice arrived. However, the re- lease stated, he was later spoken to by officers and decided to turn himself over to police. Court denies bail in attempted murder case Guy Harvey’s research institute reveals ‘startling’ findings JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The shortfin mako shark is one of the fastest fish in the ocean. But the shark’s staggering swimming speed, of up to 60 mph, has not stopped it from falling victim to overfishing, according to a new study from Guy Harvey’s Research Institute. A satellite tagging project found the rate at which mako sharks were being killed by fishermen was 10 times higher than previ- ously believed. Of 40 sharks tagged by Mr. Harvey’s research team, based out of Florida’s Nova South- eastern University, 30 percent were captured in fisheries. Previous data on shark kills has depended on self-re- porting from fishermen and is of questionable reliability, according to Mahmood Shivji, senior author of the study and director of the institute. He said real-time tracking of mako sharks using sat- ellite tags to see how many were captured showed mor- tality rates far in excess of what was being reported by the fishing industry. “From a conservation and protection point of view, this is huge,” said Bradley Wetherbee, a research sci- entist from the University of Rhode Island’s Depart- ment of Biological Sciences and a member of Mr. Har- vey’s institute. “It’s vital that we have the most accurate data pos- sible to aid decision-makers in managing marine life pop- ulations sustainably. If they have inaccurate information, it is much more difficult to make the correct decisions for properly managing pop- ulations. Everyone wants the populations managed in a sustainable way.” Michael Byrne, the pa- per’s lead author and post- doctoral fellow at the Guy Harvey Research Institute, said mako sharks roam large swathes of ocean, entering the territorial waters of nu- merous countries. “The tracking data also showed these mako sharks en- tered the management zones of 19 countries, underscoring how critical it is for coun- tries to work together closely to manage and conserve these long-distance oceanic trav- elers,” he said. Mr. Shivji said he hopes the data will help fuel smarter conservation and management programs. “We have to have sustainable ap- proaches to fishing,” he added. “Sharks might get a bit of a bad rap in the media, but these apex predators are vital to the overall health of our oceans. You remove them from the equation and, quite honestly, we don’t know how far those ripples will be felt. One thing we do know is it won’t be inconsequential.” Mako sharks face fishing threat Campers focus on world of photography JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Children attending YMCA summer camp got some insight into the world of photography by a Cay- manian documentary film- maker in London. Ward Scott, a former Cayman Compass photogra- pher, was on island visiting his mother when he took time out to teach the kids about photography during an im- promptu visit with campers at the Cayman Islands Bap- tist Church on Pedro Castle Road on Friday, Aug. 11. The children were inter- ested in how Mr. Scott got started in photography and the film industry. “I was in Cub Scouts when a photogra- pher came by and showed us how to take photographs and develop them in the dark- room,” he told the children. “My mom bought me a camera at 8 years old at a garage sale, and that was it,” he said. He also told the children his mother was a profes- sional photographer who was a huge influence in his life when it came to photography. Mr. Scott lives in London and has been working on sev- eral documentary film proj- ects, including “The History of Africa,” which can be seen on BBC World. Camp site coordinator Catherine Jackson said the themes for the day for the 24 campers were “Choose your own adventure” or “Be a sports fanatic.” During the day, she said, campers also got involved in other activities, including basket weaving and bad- minton, and playing a game called “the human knot.” She said Aug. 25 is the last day of camp, and an end of camp summer bash is planned. More than 150 campers are attending YMCA Cayman Islands summer camp. There are three camp sites: Camana Bay Sports Complex, the Field of Dreams and the Cayman Islands Baptist Church. YMCA campers participate in a game called ‘the human knot.’ - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY One week left to Stuff the Bus Two young donors help ‘Stuff The Bus’ with school supplies for children in need. The campaign, coordinated by Caribbean Alliance Insurance Company, is collecting the supplies for children ages 6-16 through Saturday, Aug. 19. The supplies will be given to the Department of Children and Family Services, the Needs Assessment Unit, the Crisis Centre, the Family Resource Centre and the Special Needs Foundation for distribution. Items can be dropped in boxes at Cost-U-Less, Hurley’s Media Group office in Camana Bay and the Caribbean Alliance office at 203 Alissta Towers. For more information, visit the StuffTheBusCayman Facebook page or call Caribbean Alliance on 949-9744. AT LEAST 4 PEOPLE SHOT, KILLED AT ACAPULCO RESORT ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) – At least four people have been shot and killed in the Pacific resort of Aca- pulco, which has become a hot spot in Mexico’s rising drug violence. An Associated Press journalist saw the four bodies, including a man who lay on a central av- enue in Acapulco in broad daylight Sunday with a pink towel over his face. Pedestrians watched from a footbridge as police se- cured the scene. The deaths came as Mexico’s violence reached new heights with 2,234 murders in June, the coun- try’s deadliest month in at least 20 years, according to government data. For the first six months of 2017, authorities nationwide re- corded 12,155 homicide in- vestigations, or 31 percent more than the 9,300 during the same period last year.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY AUGUST 15, 2017 National Heroes Day to focus on sports Ceremony scheduled for Jan. 29, 2018 Next year’s National He- roes Day celebration in the Cayman Islands will honor those who have made signifi- cant contributions to sports in the territory. Recipients will be rec- ognized at the National He- roes Day ceremony at He- roes Square in George Town, scheduled for Monday, Jan. 29, 2018. Members of the nomina- tions committee held their first meeting on Aug. 9 to begin planning the event, which will honor people in five categories. The meeting was at- tended by Minister for Cul- ture Dwayne Seymour, Acting Minister for Sports Barbara Conolly, Councilor for Sports David Wight and Councilor Capt. Eugene Ebanks. “There are many local con- tributors in sports that these awards could be bestowed upon,” Mr. Seymour said in a press release. “I look for- ward to working with ev- eryone as we plan this great event and go through the nominations from the public.” The committee – com- prised of government officials and representatives from local sports groups – will accept nominations from Sept. 1-30. Award categories Early Pioneer: An indi- vidual, alive or deceased, who made significant con- tributions to the early de- velopment and/or delivery of sports in the Cayman Is- lands before 1960. Pioneer: An individual, alive or deceased, who has made significant contri- butions to sports between 1960 and 2006. Emerging Pioneer: An in- dividual who has made signif- icant contributions to sports from 2007 to present. Memorial Scroll: A de- ceased person who was a leader or notable contributor to the development and/or de- livery of sports. Long Service Award: A living individual who may not have been a leader, but a long-serving person in the sports community, who has contributed for 10 years or more. National Heroes Day was established as a public hol- iday in the Cayman Islands in 2003. Over the years, res- idents of the Cayman Is- lands have been recognized for their contributions to the fields of health, agricul- ture, tourism, seafaring, cul- tural heritage and education. The 2009 National Heroes Day focused on the contri- butions of women to na- tional development. Cayman also has na- tional heroes – Sybil Ione McLaughlin, James Manoah Bodden, Thomas William Farrington, Sybil Joyce Hylton, Ormond Panton, Desmond Watler and Mary Evelyn Wood. Three-car crash injures two Three vehicles collided late Sunday in George Town, causing one to flip over and sending two people to the hospital. The crash happened just before 9 p.m. on West Bay Road near the intersection with Lawrence Boulevard at the southern end of the Seven Mile Beach corridor. According to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice, a white Toyota collided with the back of a Dodge truck and then careered into a front door of a Kia. The truck flipped over into the middle of the road after it was struck, police said. Two people were taken to hospital with what were described as minor inju- ries from the wreck. Police closed the busy section of road for about three hours Sunday night while the crash scene was cleared. Members of the National Heroes Day nominations committee are pictured at their meeting on Aug. 9. TWO-VEHICLE COLLISION AT TRAFFIC LIGHT Police arrested a driver on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and resisting arrest following a two-car crash at the traffic light at Eastern Avenue early Sunday morning. The collision between a Kia Sportage SUV and an Audi A4 car occurred shortly before 1 a.m. at the junc- tion with Godfrey Nixon Way, police said. “During enquires at the scene, police had reasonable suspicion to arrest the driver of the Kia Sportage, a 35 year- old man of George Town, for driving under the influence of alcohol and subsequently for resisting arrest,” according to the police statement. Both vehicles sustained major damage in the collision. The committee – comprised of government officials and representatives from local sports groups – will accept nominations from Sept. 1-30.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” We’d prefer it if this summer blockbuster didn’t have any more sequels. And yet, here we are, giving another “thumbs down” review to the latest installment of the ongoing saga involving controversial Cayman Brac artist Ronald “Foots” Kynes, his disgruntled neighbors and local police officers. In an ideal environment, the conflict between Mr. Kynes and Brackers displeased (or even disgusted) by some of his recent sculptures would be hashed out via a civil discussion of the issues, including free speech, artistic license and prevailing community standards. Unfortunately, for the second time in several weeks, issues have arisen that threaten to elevate this local drama onto the international stage. As the Compass reported on Monday, sometime last weekend, someone defaced and damaged two sculptures installed on Mr. Kynes’s property. This occurred less than a month after neighbors com- plained about the sculptures, which depict nude women in sexual embraces, leading members of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service to arrest the artist on suspicion of an obscenity violation. Mr. Kynes has not been charged with a crime, but remains free on police bail until Sept. 6. We will continue to refrain from making aes- thetic judgments about Mr. Kynes’s creations. Legally speaking, what constitutes “obscenity” is for a court to determine – not us, not Brac residents and certainly not the criminal miscreants who trespassed on Mr. Kynes’s land and destroyed his property. What concerns us, and should concern the police, elected representatives and Governor Helen Kilpatrick is Mr. Kynes’s assertion that this was the eighth time his work has been vandalized and that his complaints to police have been downplayed or outright ignored. Monday morning, following a Compass request for comment, the police issued a news release indicating an investigation has been launched. Let us be clear: Police have a duty, not an option, to investigate all credible complaints of criminal activity. In a community as small as Cayman Brac, with a popula- tion of less than 1,900, this case could presumably be solved with a little bit of effort and a few pointed ques- tions to people “in the know.” There’s no need to call in Inspectors Javert or Clouseau for backup. Public officials, led by the Sister Islands’ elected representatives, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly and Moses Kirkconnell, should send a clear message to the District Administrator, the Brac police, residents of the Brac, and all of the Cayman people, condemning the recent vandalism and making clear that such lawless behavior will not be tolerated. Further, this is becoming an issue in which Governor Kilpatrick may have to intervene. The Sister Islands are connected to Grand Cayman and, collec- tively, the Cayman Islands are linked to the United Kingdom. Governor Kilpatrick is charged specifically with overseeing the RCIPS, including the contingent that polices the Brac, the same officers who, on some- one’s authority, arrested Mr. Kynes. The relative popularity of Mr. Kynes and his work in the Brac is not at issue. Regardless of the sentiments of the populace, “street justice,” including vandalism, is never compatible with actual justice, which our police are sworn to execute faithfully. The Cayman Islands is, and must remain, a juris- diction where the rule of law applies equally to all. No exceptions – no matter what the neighbors might say. Statues vs. statutes: Law and order must prevail on the Brac Troops stuck at customs can’t fight The D-Day landings in 1944 were the most complex mili- tary operation in history, but at least the GIs didn’t need to get their passports stamped on Omaha Beach. It sounds ab- surd, but today U.S. and NATO forces have to contend with such formalities, and more be- sides, as they go about their business of defending Europe. Obviously, in the event of war, these bureaucratic im- pediments would be lifted. But so far as possible they should also be lifted for the purpose of preparing for war. Better co- ordination and compatibility among the allies requires a good hard look at the current arrangements. Under U.S. leadership, NATO’s military partners re- cently completed Operation Saber Guardian in Eastern Eu- rope, involving 25,000 troops over 10 days, it was the largest such exercise this year. For militaries that have spent more than a decade focused on fighting terrorists in Afghani- stan and the Middle East, it was a vital refresher course in conventional warfare. It also helped assure the Eastern Eu- ropean members that the West has their back. Along the way, forces ran into all manner of speed bumps, literal and metaphor- ical. For example, when the commander of U.S. forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges, was flying from Bulgaria to Romania to oversee a live-fire exercise on the Black Sea, he was told to land at a Romanian air base and clear customs. He endured a similar situation in- volving passports in Hungary. Forces moving eastward were unable to use roads and bridges with strict vehicle weight limits. Others ran afoul of summer-travel rules and noise ordinances. Some air- ports, railways and tunnels proved unable to handle newer military planes and trucks. In general, NATO’s 28 members require an average of 15 days for diplomatic clearance before troops or military equipment can move across their borders. All this has led Hodges to call for a “military Schengen Zone,” modeled on the Eu- ropean Union agreement al- lowing unhindered travel across borders. At a NATO meeting in June, Dutch De- fense Minister Jeanine Hennis- Plasschaert called for this to be done. It isn’t straightfor- ward: For one thing, some EU members aren’t part of NATO. But Schengen is an apt model. As Hodges puts it, NATO needs “something that would allow a military convoy to move across Europe as fast as a migrant is able to move across Europe.” Nobody wants war, but projecting a credible re- sponse is a vital part of de- terrence. The Kremlin can hardly feel imperiled by a NATO force hemmed in by customs officials. © 2017, Bloomberg View. TUESDAY AUGUST 15, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR Target a broader segment of the tourism market My husband and I have been coming to the island for 25 years, at least once each year. We’ve seen good progress and we’ve seen progress that we think is not so good. Loving the island means we also read the Compass online every day to keep informed. When I saw the article about the new five-star hotel and multi-million dollar condos proposed on Pageant Beach, I did not rejoice. We walk the beach every evening (at different times during the year) and maybe with the ex- ception of the Christmas hol- idays, as we pass the high- rise condos we rarely see more than one or two lights on. During the day, we do not see many enjoying the sun, sand and sea on their beaches. Clearly most of the owners of these very high-end condos are using them as a place to park their money for investments. Other than their ungodly monthly maintenance fees, they are not here often to con- tribute to the local economy in groceries, restaurants, stores, water sports, taxis, etc. How many very high-end condos and five-star hotels does the island really need? There is the Ritz, the Kimpton, the proposed Four Seasons, and now the Pageant Beach project. At first blush, one could say they will do wonders for the employment opportu- nities for the local population. After or even during construc- tion, will these new projects re- ally be hiring high numbers of Caymanian staff? Our obser- vations at other places is that it is unlikely. What is the satu- ration point? When does Seven Mile Beach lose its charm and become just another row of multi-story buildings? Cruise passengers spend four to eight hours on the is- land. Many will spend more lo- cally during that one day than absentee condo owners. If they fall in love with SMB and start looking into making it a week’s vacation spot, they are shocked at the cost of hotels. They can, and do, go elsewhere in the Ca- ribbean to find comparable beaches for a lot less. We understand the econo- mies of scale (spread the cost over 10 rather than seven sto- ries) and know the high cost of SMB property results in land developers having to build high-end properties to cover their expenses and make a profit. Thankfully, there are still a few older condo proj- ects available (which offer rea- sonable rates), but is it only a matter of time before they, too, disappear and are transformed into more high-end condos and five-star hotels? Grand Cayman has, in our opinion, focused its tourism on the high-end and on cruise passengers. The middle- to upper-middle-class tourists who would spend money in all areas of the economy have never been the target audience. They struggle to find reason- ably priced accommodations. They are slowly but surely being squeezed out. Yes, stay-over numbers may stay steady or increase for a while, but eventually, when the only product avail- able is high-end, will that volume of tourists continue to arrive? Other islands are broadening their target mar- kets and encouraging develop- ment that meets the needs of all classes of tourists. It will be a sad day when, upon approach by airplane, all you see is high-rise condo and hotel buildings stretching the length of Seven Mile Beach. Cindy Smith5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY AUGUST 15, 2017 Home Options BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, Grand Cayman KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, P.O. Box 254, Cayman Brac KY2-2101 Tel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. insurance, health, pensions, life Be insured and be prepared! 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According to records published Monday by the Cayman Islands Immigration Department, 27 residency applications were granted during four days of hearings between Aug. 7 and Aug. 10; five applications were denied. Another three applica- tions were withdrawn and another three were delayed. The 27 residence applica- tion approvals last week rep- resented more than half of the total approvals the Immi- gration Department has re- corded since mid-May. Before last week’s hearings, 26 resi- dence applications were ap- proved, compared to 32 that had been refused. More than 1,100 people applied between late October 2013 and last month seeking permission to remain in Cayman for the rest of their life. So far, fewer than 10 per- cent – about 90 applications – have been decided. However, immigration of- ficials have stepped up the number of hearings held within the past two weeks to consider the outstanding applications and, using a combination of staff mem- bers and the Caymanian Status and Permanent Res- idency Board, have sped things along. “The Cayman Islands De- partment of Immigration ad- ministrators and the Cayma- nian Status and Permanent Residency Board continue to devote significant resources and time to process the PR application backlog,” a state- ment from the department sent last week says. Of the 90 residence appli- cations that have been heard since May, 53 – about 59 per- cent – have been granted. An- other 37, representing 41 per- cent, have been denied. Another 14 applications were either withdrawn by the applicant or filed too late to be legally heard by the board or immigration staff. Officials have deferred 42 applications since the pro- cess began, delaying those decisions until a later date. The 27 residence application approvals last week represented more than half of the total approvals the Immigration Department has recorded since mid-May. Fewer than one-tenth of permanent residence applications have been processed. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Another dog – the second in three months – has been brought to the Cayman Is- lands Humane Society with an extensive burn injury. The most recently injured dog, Rufus, was brought in last Tuesday and immediately sent to Island Veterinary Ser- vices for treatment. The Humane Society took the dog from its owner, who told them that the dog had been “bitten” on Aug. 4. The owner brought the dog to the Humane Society without previously consulting a vet- erinarian, and the dog was treated for its burns and neu- tered on Aug. 8. The Department of Ag- riculture released a press statement Monday afternoon that indicated that animal welfare officer Erik Bodden began an investigation on Aug. 8. The DOA will be taking the lead on the inves- tigation, with support from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. “At this time, it appears that the dog’s burns are chemical in nature and may be the result of a misguided attempt to control external parasites,” said the DOA in the press release. “The source of these burns continues to be investigated, as well [as] allegations of neglect.” Rufus, who is believed to be about one year old, has ex- tensive second-degree burns from the top of his head to the middle of his back. “From my experience of doing this treatment, it’s going to take between six to eight weeks to clear,” said Claire Leadbeater, who is on the Hu- mane Society board. “He’s still going to have lots of scars. He’s lost a lot of fur.… The one lucky thing is he doesn’t have heartworm disease.” Ms. Leadbeater said the dog appeared to be mal- nourished, and a foster home will take care of him during his recovery. The animal’s wounds are reminiscent of those of Dora, a dog with ex- tensive burns who underwent life-saving surgery at Island Veterinary Services in May. Dora has recovered and is awaiting adoption. The police made an arrest in that case, but the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has not brought a case. Ms. Leadbeater said the Humane Society has seen three burned dogs in a little more than a year. “It’s horrendous each time. It doesn’t get any easier,” she said. “When I saw the photos, I was shocked again. Even after seeing Dora, and prior to that we had a boy called Monty with similar burns.” Julie Arnall-Murray, a vol- unteer at the Humane So- ciety, filed a freedom of in- formation request last year to determine the frequency of animal abuse cases doc- umented and prosecuted in the Cayman Islands. That report indicated that 225 cases had been in- vestigated by animal con- trol and welfare officers at the DoA in 2016, and one of those cases had resulted in criminal charges. Anyone with information about the case can call the DoA at 947-3090. HUMANE SOCIETY DEALS WITH ANOTHER BURNED DOGDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days West Bay TUESDAY AUGUST 15, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS ‘JUNIOR’ PARROT ON DISPLAY A baby parrot has joined its parents at an exhibit at the Cayman Turtle Centre’s aviary. The parrot, which has tem- porarily been named “Junior” until its gender can be deter- mined, was born in June to Sweetpea and Leo, a pair of Cayman parrots. On Aug. 2 the chick flew out of the nest box and joined its parents in the exhibit, “much to the delight and intrigue of our park guests visiting the aviary,” said Geddes Hislop, curator of the terrestrial exhibits and ed- ucation programs at the center. He said that aviary staff suspect the chick is female, but they will have to wait a bit longer before confirming that. “At this equivalent of a tod- dler stage, Junior will spend a lot of time napping, usually in the broadleaf tree near the parrot nest box. Otherwise it will be busy harassing its par- ents for food,” he said. The chick will be on dis- play in the aviary until it is fully weaned and independent, which should occur when the bird is 8–10 months old. At that point, it will be moved to an isolation enclosure to pre- pare it for release into the wild. Junior’s sisters, the parrot triplets from the 2016 nesting season, are still in isolation undergoing their pre-release preparations, and should be released into the wild within the next couple of months,” Mr. Hislop said. Police join West Bay residents in cleaning up King Road area Members of the West Bay community joined police offi- cers Wednesday in a cleanup of the King Road area, where they removed old, abandoned vehicles and demolished der- elict buildings. According to a press re- lease from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the initiative grew out of consul- tations between the Neigh- bourhood Policing De- partment and community members about how to beau- tify the neighborhood and prevent crime. “This is a project that has been in the making for over a year, to gather the resources and support of the residents and businesses,” said PC Eu- gene Myles, the police of- ficer assigned to the district of West Bay, “and everyone is quite excited that it has fi- nally become a reality.” An excavator and dump truck provided by a local business owner were used to demolish old buildings and remove debris, with the con- sent of the property owner. Residents contributed to the fuel costs for the machinery, police said in a statement. The area commander for West Bay Police, Inspector Lloyd Marriott, said, “We welcome this level of part- nership and collaboration between the citizenry and the police to address is- sues that are of major con- cern to the community, and encourage others with sim- ilar issues to form an alli- ance with the police to make the community an attractive place for us and our children to live and grow.” The cleanup initiative continues in other areas of West Bay. 50 years ago: Jackson-Palmer wedding celebrated In the Aug. 16, 1967 edition of the Cayma- nian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, in her “This Week in West Bay” correspondent Dar- lene Owens wrote: “There was a very quiet marriage ceremony per- formed at the home of Mr. Byron Powery on Sunday evening, Aug. 6, when Mr. Jack Harwood Jackson took as his bride Miss Jean Julie Isabelle Palmer of England. Rev. George Hicks offici- ated. The bride’s attendant was her friend Barry Coady and Cardinal DaCosta was best man. After the cere- mony, invited guests then proceeded to the Coral Cay- manian Hotel where a re- ception was held. “We wish for the new couple a happy and prosperous marriage. “Mr. Henry Rivers re- turned to his job in Miami on the 31st. He was accom- panied by his daughter Pa- tricia, another successful candidate of the Common Entrance Examination who has gone on a two-week holiday to Miami. “Mrs. Joseph Welds and daughter Sharon arrived from Jamaica on the 31st where Mrs. Welds went to have her eyes checked on. “Arriving on the 31st for a visit with their grandpar- ents Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Hydes, were Masters Tom and Preston Ebanks who reside in Jacksonville. “Mrs. Alexa Anderson and three children returned to Jamaica on Aug. 2 after spending two weeks with her mother. She was ac- companied by her sister Naomi who has gone for medical aid. “After spending a long vacation with his family, “Mr. William Rivers, ‘Dicky’, returned to the U.S. to re- ship in the N.M. Union. “Mrs. Wordsworth Powery and son Burton left on July 31 on a short visit to the U.S. “After visiting relatives, Mrs. Louise Ackerman and daughter Patricia re- turned to N.Y. on the 2nd; they were accompanied by Clara Fae Bush who has gone for a visit. “Also on the same flight was Mr. Garfield Powery, who has returned to the U.S. to reship in the N.M. Union.” ‘Junior’ is getting used to its home at the aviary. Neighbourhood Policing Officer Eugene Myles stands with Environmental Health Officer Dionis Simmonds at the site of a cleanup in West Bay. A derelict house is demolished on King Road.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY AUGUST 15, 2017 TUESDAY, AUGUST 15 SEAFARERS ASSOCIATION: A general meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Seafarers Hall, 11 Victory Ave., Prospect. Buses will be provided from West Bay Town Hall at 6 p.m. A bus route has been added in George Town, leaving the public library parking area at 7 p.m., stopping at the Cayman Compass building and the Airport Foster’s. The blue bus is marked Bobo $1 Public transport. There is no charge. MOONLIGHT & MOVIES: “The Secret Life of Pets” (2016, PG) shows at Camana Bay’s Gardenia Court. Free. 7 p.m. THURSDAY, AUGUST 17 QUIZ NIGHT: 7 p.m. at Fidel Murphy’s. Jonny Kern will host. Proceeds benefit the Cayman Islands Humane Society. CHAMBER COURSE: Providing Exceptional Customer Service. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. FRIDAY, AUGUST 18 CHARITY DEADLINE: SMP Partners invites applicants for their Charity of the Year initiative. Applicants should describe the work of the charity, number of volunteers involved and why it should be chosen. Email smpgives@smppartners.ky by end of business today. LIQUOR LICENCES: Today is the deadline to submit applications for liquor license renewals, including music and dancing licenses. Application forms can be downloaded from the Department of Commerce and Investment’s website www.dci.gov.ky. For more information, contact Shelise Jeffery on 244-2202. For Sister Islands operations, contact Lolita Bodden at 948-2400 or Dave Tatum at 244-4401. SATURDAY, AUGUST 19 TIME ATTACK: At Uncle Clem’s off Airport Road. Participants must register Friday, Aug. 18, at Parker’s parking lot, 7 p.m. STUFF THE BUS: Deadline to collect school supplies for families with children needing assistance. Drop off new items at boxes inside Cost-U-Less or Caribbean Alliance Insurance Office at 203 Alissta Towers. Supplies needed include pencil pouches, pencil erasers, No. 2 pencils, blue or black pens, 24-packs of crayons, wide- rule single subject notebooks and 150-page packs of wide- rule loose leaf paper. DARKNESS TO LIGHT: Free training program, 9-11:30 a.m., for parents, teachers and others who work with or provide services to young people. Cost is free. Gain knowledge and skills to prevent child sexual abuse, recognize signs of abuse and learn how to react responsibly. Pre-registration is required. Contact vrm@redcross.org.ky. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23 NON-PROFIT LAW: An information session on the new Non-Profit Organisations Law will be held 10-11 a.m. in Room 1038, Government Administration Building. Presented by the Ministry of Financial Services. For more information contact wilbur.welcome@gov.ky. SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT: 8 p.m. at Seven Mile Public Beach Park. Organized by Family Empowerment Group. Call 916-6182. TUESDAY, AUGUST 29 PERTINACITY, PAGEANTS & POLITICS: Former Miss Cayman and attorney Theresa Lewis Pitcairn discusses “A purposeful life beyond the crown.” 6 p.m. Part of the speaker series at the National Museum on Harbour Drive. $10 general admission, $6 members, includes entry to exhibits. Wine and refreshments follow. Reserve a seat by contacting shenicemcfield@museum.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: Dealing with “Problem People.” 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. www.caymanchamber.ky. NON-PROFIT LAW: An information session on the new Non-Profit Organisations Law will be held 2-3 p.m. in Room 1038, Government Administration Building. Presented by the Ministry of Financial Services. For more information, contact wilbur.welcome@gov.ky. THURSDAY, AUGUST 31 CHAMBER COURSE: Business Master class – Strata Management. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $175 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. BRAC WORKSHOP: The Family Resource Centre holds a three-day domestic violence intervention workshop at the Brac Reef hotel. The free training is Aug. 29-31, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The workshop is for front-line professionals who interact with domestic violence victims and their families. Contact FRC at 949-0006 or email frc@gov.ky. SUMMER CAMPS, VBS BRAC CHOIR CAMP: Aug. 14-18. Primary students, 9 a.m.–noon; secondary students, 1–4 p.m., $50. Contact Janelle@sparkcayman.com or 946-0137. SUMMER OF ART: The National Gallery offers this series every Tuesday and Thursday from 2-4 p.m. in the Susan A. Olde Art Studio until Aug. 17. Space is limited to 20 students per session on a first-come, first-served basis (no pre-registration necessary). Sessions are free and all materials are provided. Summer camps and large groups can book art sessions and tours separately. For more information, visit www.nationalgallery.org.ky or email education@ nationalgallery.org.ky. GENERAL INTEREST FIRE OFFICERS TRAINING: New recruits with the Cayman Islands Fire Service are conducting exercises at the training grounds behind Owen Roberts International Airport. The exercises are causing large clouds of smoke. The public should not be alarmed as these are controlled burns and part of the recruitment training. Exercises continue for the next two weeks. ANNIVERSARY DINNER: Tickets for Wesleyan Christian Academy’s 40th anniversary dinner buffet are on sale. The dinner will be at Schooner’s restaurant at the Cayman Turtle Centre on Sept. 17. Tickets are available to all past/present attendees of WCA and their families, $20 adults, $15 children. Inquiries may be made to 949-3394 or 949-1121. LAW SCHOOL PROGRAMS: Applications are being accepted for one of the new postgraduate programs offered by the Truman Bodden Law School – the Master of Laws in international finance, law and regulation, and the postgraduate diploma in international finance, law and regulation. Full details on the admissions procedure are available at www.lawschool.gov.ky. NATIONAL GALLERY: All are invited to view the new temporary exhibition “Mediating Self,” a display of works from the Cayman Islands National Collection that illustrates the ways in which our bodies are used to create and navigate our personal and collective identities. Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. HUMANE SOCIETY THRIFT SHOP: The shop has moved to Venetia Plaza, next to China Village. The thrift shop is open Tuesday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed on Sunday and Monday. Phone 945-5596. DVDL REPLACES TEMP PLATES: The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing is replacing all Temporary Registration Plates. Customers who have been contacted by the department are asked to collect their new registration plates. They are reminded to bring the temporary registration plates, windshield coupon (if not expired) and log book. CONTRACTORS REGISTRATION: The deadline for residential and building contractors was June 30; trade contractors’ deadline is Aug. 31. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. LOST DOGS: The Department of Agriculture and veterinary students of St. Matthew’s University provide an online list of dogs housed at the Department of Agriculture Animal Rescue Shelter in Lower Valley. Anyone missing a dog can check www.smustudents.webs.com. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed evenings. Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers are needed. Tuesdays at the Truman Bodden Complex at 5:30 p.m. for track/field, football and bocce. No experience necessary. Wednesdays at Lions Pool 10:15–11 a.m. You do not have to swim, just be able to walk in water chest-deep. Thursdays at First Baptist Church for basketball, 5:30–7 p.m. Saturdays, Adult Special Olympic swim conditioning at CIS pool 9:30– 10:30 a.m. Contact Penny McDowall at 516-2578 or pjmcdowall@gmail.com. OPEN STUDIO: Every Thursday 10 a.m. till noon and every Monday 1-4 p.m. at Watler House Studio on grounds of Pedro Castle. Offered by Visual Arts Society to adults/youth who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere. For more information, email info@visualartcayman.com. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. ARTISANS MARKET: Camana Bay every Wednesday, noon till 8 p.m. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand-crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale. For details, email info@visualartcayman.com. OPEN CANVAS: Wednesdays. Visual Arts Society supports this event at KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay. 7-11 p.m. No fee, easels provided. For more information, send an email to info@ongart.com or jar.was@gmail.com. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. For more information, call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The Fire Service is currently training recruits, and exercises are causing large clouds of smoke near Owen Roberts International Airport. The public should not be alarmed as these are controlled burns. Exercises continue for the next two weeks. – PHOTO: CHRIS COURTThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY AUGUST 15, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS “The [department] has 11 vacant positions in the permanent residence and work permit processing sec- tion and the department has made positive progress in re- cruiting qualified personnel for most of those vacancies within the last few weeks,” responses sent to Cayman Compass questions stated. That number of vacan- cies represents about one- third of the people des- ignated to handle permit applications within the Im- migration Department, offi- cials said Monday. Premier Alden McLaugh- lin’s office reported that five full-time and one part-time immigration staff worker were hired last month to deal with a backlog of 1,100 permanent residence appli- cations. Those are separate from work permits. The pension ‘exodus’ Managers in Cayman’s tourism sector publicly dis- cussed fears of “skyrocketing turnover” after a law passed by the previous government set a cut-off date for when private sector workers can receive cash refunds from their retirement accounts. The cut-off date depends on when an employer makes the final pension contribu- tion payment into a workers account and, according to hospitality sector managers, will encourage many workers to leave Cayman to col- lect money already saved in those accounts. Changes made last year to the National Pensions Law prevent workers from re- ceiving cash refunds from their pension accounts after December 2019. In order to receive such a refund under the current pensions scheme, the employee must have stopped making contribu- tions to the retirement fund for at least two years and must also have left the is- lands for at least six months. That means, to collect the re- fund, most workers would have to quit their current job and have made their final pension contribution as of Dec. 30, 2017. The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce has estimated some 2,500 workers will leave the islands to col- lect their pensions, leaving a void in the jobs market that cannot be filled even if all currently unemployed Cay- manians – 1,406 as of Oc- tober 2016 – were hired for those positions. A significant number of the jobs will likely have to be filled by foreign workers, a process that is now taking between six and 10 weeks, including a large part of the peak tourist season in the islands. “Recruitment will be your biggest battle,” said Valerie Hoppe, human resources manager at the Marriott Beach Resort told employers in December. “If you’re a large employer … you may be looking at upwards of 80-100 people leaving.” Temporary workers About 43 percent of the work permit applications so far this year are for tempo- rary workers – those whose working permission is usu- ally limited to three, six or nine months. More than 8,000 tempo- rary permit applications have been submitted since Jan- uary, immigration officials said, giving no reason why so many of those permits have been sought. Another 1,200 per- mits have been issued to extend those temporary work licenses. Full year work permits processed so far this year include about 7,500 permit grants or renewals, usually given to full-time non-Cay- manian workers planning to stay here for a specific contract period. vacant lot. Mr. Kynes said the lot is a property he bought in 2007, and he has displayed his work there since 2013. He said at least 13 pieces of art are displayed at the site now, including signs criticizing law en- forcement, government and locals who have pushed back against his work. The damaged sculp- tures had been displayed on the property for three months, he added. The legal designation of the South Side Road West property has been in question for years. Mr. Kynes said there were no stipulations placed on the property when he bought it. Afterward, he said, he was informed the prop- erty was considered “land for public purposes,” im- posing limits on how the lot could be used. After Mr. Kynes’s ar- rest last month, police in- correctly identified the property as “public space.” A correction later clari- fied that Mr. Kynes’s art is displayed “on his prop- erty that is in plain view of the public.” Police ask anyone with information on the incident to call the Cayman Brac Police Station at 948-0331 or the confidential tip line at 949-7777. been embroiled in legal dis- putes with other businesses across the globe that use the moniker, most recently Irish burger chain SuperMac. “McDonald’s has liter- ally registered the McWorld,” Pat McDonough, the CEO of that company complained in a recent interview with the Irish Times. Mr. Hew said that was his main concern when he sought to gain trademark protection for the Mac- Donald’s restaurant in the Cayman Islands more than a decade ago. Ultimately, the process proved difficult and expen- sive and he abandoned it. Until Aug. 1 of this year, any business seeking to pro- tect its trademark had to go through the European Union Intellectual Property Office or via the U.K. Under the new legisla- tion, according to Sophie Da- vies, an intellectual property attorney with HSM IP, busi- nesses will be able to apply directly in the Cayman Is- lands to protect their brands. Mr. Hew said he would be looking to do so. His concern is not to block McDonald’s from coming here, but to protect his businesses’ right to use the name. Ms. Davies advises any business for whom its name and logo are im- portant to register under the new Trademarks and Designs Law. “We see a lot of dis- putes involving trade- marks,” she said. “This law brings Cayman’s trade- marks legislation up to date and in step with interna- tional standards. “Previously you had to go through a more costly and complex process of protecting your trademark in [the] EU or U.K. first be- fore re-registering it in the Cayman Islands. And you couldn’t do that if another company had already regis- tered the same brand name in the EU or U.K. first. Under the new law, you can pro- tect your brand directly in the Cayman Islands so long as you are the first to file for protection.” “You can now file directly in the Cayman islands to protect your brand. It’s im- portant to do so if your name or your logo is important to your business,” she added. Mr. Hew has had pre- vious experience with trade- marks disputes. Another family business, Pools R Us, changed its name to Pools By Us after a complaint from the toy retailer Toys ‘R’ Us. He believes the new law will be welcomed in Cayman if it makes it easier and clearer to register and pro- tect business names. With new rights come new responsibilities, and Ms. Davies cautions that local businesses will also have to be more careful not to impinge on interna- tional brands. Multinational companies will be able to file for trade- mark protection in Cayman directly and will now also be able to consider obtaining design rights protection via the extension of a U.K./EU registered design. Anyone selling fake smartphones or designer handbags, for example, has a greater chance of being prosecuted. “The rights and remedies are much clearer now and easier to enforce,” Ms. Davies said. “I think brands will look at the size and scale of the problem to see if they think it is worth the cost of taking action here.” Businesses are required to apply for a new trade- mark through a registered trademarks agent. Details of registered agents can be found at www.ciipo. ky/e-library/list-of-agents. British cybersecurity expert pleads not guilty to US charges MILWAUKEE (AP) – A British cybersecurity researcher credited with helping curb a recent worldwide ran- somware attack pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges accusing him of cre- ating malicious software to steal banking information three years ago. Marcus Hutchins entered his plea in Wisconsin fed- eral court, where prosecu- tors charged him and an un- named co-defendant with conspiring to commit com- puter fraud in the state and elsewhere. Authorities ar- rested the 23-year-old man on Aug. 2 at McCarran Inter- national Airport in Las Vegas, where he was going to board a flight to his home in Ilfra- combe, England. He had been in Las Vegas for a cybersecu- rity convention. Hutchins is free on $30,000 bail, but with strict conditions. His bond has been modified so that he can stay in Los Angeles near his attorney and travel anywhere in the U.S., but Hutchins is not allowed to leave the country. He is currently staying at a hotel in Milwaukee. A judge had already or- dered him to surrender his passport and barred him from using any device with access to the Internet. Hutchins’s attorney, Adrian Lobo, did not respond to several phone messages from The Associated Press over the last week. The legal troubles Hutchins faces are a dra- matic turnaround from the status of cybercrime-fighting hero he enjoyed four months ago when he found a “kill switch” to slow the outbreak of the WannaCry virus. It crippled computers world- wide, encrypting files and making them inaccessible unless people paid a ransom ranging from $300 to $600. Prosecutors allege that before Hutchins won acclaim he created and distributed a malicious software called Kronos to steal banking pass- words from unsuspecting computer users. In addition to computer fraud, the indict- ment lists five other charges, including attempting to in- tercept electronic commu- nications and trying to ac- cess a computer without authorization. The indictment says the crimes happened between July 2014 and July 2015, but the court document does not offer any details about the number of victims. Prosecu- tors have not said why the case was filed in Wisconsin. The name of Hutchins’s co- defendant is redacted from the indictment. Marcus Hutchins Authorities arrested the 23-year-old man on Aug. 2 at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, where he was going to board a flight to his home in Ilfracombe, England. Immigration swamped with work permits CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Damaged art investigation under way in Cayman Brac New rights and responsibilities in trademarks law CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 AMERICANS SENTENCED IN PANAMA FOR 5 MURDERS PANAMA CITY (AP) – Amer- ican William Dathan Holbert was sentenced to 47 years in prison by a court in Panama for robbing and killing five other Americans in a Carib- bean tourist destination, au- thorities said Monday. Holbert’s ex-wife Laura Reese was sentenced to 26 years for her role. Authorities said Holbert admitted killing five people between 2007 and 2010 in Bocas del Toro province in order to steal their property. Holbert’s lawyer, Claudia Alvarado, suggested an appeal was likely. Holbert and Reese were arrested while trying to enter Nicaragua from Costa Rica in 2010. That year, the bodies of four adults and one child were found buried on the property of a hostel Holbert owned. Holbert killed a U.S. cit- izen named Mike Brown, his wife and young son in 2007. In 2010, he killed Cheryl Lynn Hughes, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, who ran a small hotel in Panama and Bo Icelar, former owner of a Santa Fe, New Mexico, gallery.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY AUGUST 15, 2017 Venezuela crisis looms over Pence’s Latin America trip Trump names hate groups, denouncing violence WASHINGTON (AP) – Under relentless pressure, President Donald Trump on Monday named and condemned “re- pugnant” hate groups and declared that “racism is evil” in a far more forceful state- ment than he’d made ear- lier after deadly, race-fueled weekend clashes in Charlot- tesville, Virginia. Trump’s initial failure on Saturday to denounce the groups by name – instead he bemoaned violence on “many sides” – prompted criticism from fellow Republicans as well as Democrats. This time, the president described mem- bers of the KKK, neo-Nazis and white supremacists who take part in violence as “criminals and thugs” in a prepared statement he read during an unscheduled ad- dress from the White House. “Racism is evil,” he said, singling out the hate groups as “repugnant to everything that we hold dear as Americans.” “Those who spread vi- olence in the name of big- otry strike at the very core of America,” he said. In his remarks he also called for unity. “We must love each other, show affection for each other and unite together in con- demnation of hatred, bigotry and violence. We must redis- cover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans,” he said. Trump also, for the first time, mentioned Heather Heyer by name, as he paid tribute to the woman killed when a car plowed into a group of anti-racist counter- protesters in Charlottesville. The president left the White House room after his state- ment without acknowledging reporters’ shouted questions. Trump noted that the Jus- tice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the car crash that killed Heyer. “To anyone who acted criminally in this weekend’s racist violence, you will be held fully accountable. Jus- tice will be delivered,” he said. His attorney general, Jeff Sessions, said earlier Monday that the violence “does meet the definition of domestic ter- rorism in our statute.” Sessions told ABC’s “Good Morning America,” “You can be sure we will charge and ad- vance the investigation toward the most serious charges that can be brought, because this is an unequivocally unacceptable and evil attack that cannot be accepted in America.” Trump gave his state- ment after meeting with Sessions and FBI Director Christopher Wray. In the hours after the inci- dent on Saturday, Trump ad- dressed the violence in broad strokes, saying that he con- demns “in the strongest pos- sible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides.” That was met with swift bipartisan criticism. Virginia Gov. Terry McAu- liffe, a Democrat, said he spoke to Trump in the hours after the clashes and twice told the president “we have to stop this hateful speech, this rhetoric.” He said he urged Trump “to come out stronger” against the actions of white supremacists. Republicans joined Demo- crats in criticizing the pres- ident for not specifically calling out white nationalists. Sen. Cory Gardner of Colo- rado said Sunday on NBC, “This isn’t a time for innu- endo or to allow room to be read between the lines. This is a time to lay blame.” The White House scram- bled to stem the tide of crit- icism, dispatching aides to the Sunday talk shows and sending out a statement that more forcefully denounced the hate groups. But the White House did not attach a name to the statement. Usually, a state- ment would be signed by the press secretary or another staffer; not putting a name to one eliminates an individ- ual’s responsibility and often undercuts the significance. White nationalists had as- sembled in Charlottesville to vent their frustration against the city’s plans to take down a statue of Confederal Gen. Robert E. Lee. Counter-pro- testers massed in opposition. Alt-right leader Richard Spencer and former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke at- tended the demonstrations. Duke told reporters that the white nationalists were working to “fulfill the prom- ises of Donald Trump.” Trump’s initial comments drew praise from the neo- Nazi website Daily Stormer, which wrote: “Trump com- ments were good. He didn’t attack us. He just said the nation should come together. Nothing specific against us …. No condemnation at all.” The website had been pro- moting the Charlottesville demonstration as part of its “Summer of Hate” edition. CARTAGENA, Colombia – Mike Vice President Pence opened his week-long trip to South and Central America here Sunday with a stern message for neighboring Venezuela’s autocratic government to end “the tragedy of tyranny” and to restore democracy. Pence vowed to increase economic and diplomatic pressure on Venezuela and work with Colombia and other regional democracies to isolate the government of President Nicolás Maduro. He also sought to reassure the region after President Donald Trump warned last week of a “possible military option” in Venezuela, a com- ment that stoked anti-Amer- ican sentiment by reviving dark memories of U.S. inter- ventionism on the continent. “Venezuela is sliding into dictatorship, and as Presi- dent Trump has said, the United States will not stand by as Venezuela crum- bles,” Pence said. Noting that the United States reserves “many op- tions for Venezuela,” Pence added, “President Trump is a leader who says what he means and means what he says, but the president sent me here to continue to mar- shal the unprecedented sup- port of countries across Latin America to achieve by peace- able means the restoration of democracy in Latin America, and we believe it is achiev- able by those means.” Pence’s comments came at a joint news conference with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Sunday evening at the oceanfront presidential compound in Cartagena, where Santos later hosted Pence and his wife, Karen, for a casual dinner. Colombia is one of the United States’ closest allies in the Western Hemisphere, yet, as he stood next to Pence, Santos denounced Trump’s threat of military action, and told the visiting vice presi- dent that such a possibility “shouldn’t even be considered” and would be “unacceptable.” “Every country in Latin America would not favor any form of military intervention, and that is why we are saying we are intent on looking into other measures, some of which are already under way and others to be implemented in the future,” Santos said. Pence’s six-day visit to Co- lombia, Argentina, Chile and Panama is expected to be dominated by the turmoil in Venezuela, although he also is planning to highlight trade and security partnerships throughout the hemisphere. Maduro’s autocratic gov- ernment seized power last month and has cracked down on dissent, precipitating an economic collapse and drawing international scorn. Pence said he and Santos discussed during a private meeting additional economic sanctions and other mea- sures to increase pressure on Venezuela. Trump’s bellicose threat, delivered Friday from his private golf course in New Jersey, generated banner news headlines across Latin America because it harked back to a generation of Amer- ican imperialism. “It is one thing for the U.S. president or vice president to discuss sanctioning the re- gime and our support for the return of democracy,” said Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Re- lations. “It is something else to discuss U.S. interven- tion, which only strengthens Maduro’s hand and makes it harder for other regional countries to work with us.” Pence arrived in South America to add his voice to the coalition of nations trying to isolate Venezuela and pressure Maduro to change course. In a watershed de- velopment, 11 Latin Amer- ican countries and Canada signed a hard-hitting resolu- tion last week that calls the Venezuelan government ille- gitimate and demands a re- turn to democracy. “Vice President Pence now needs to assure regional al- lies that the United States respects their diplomatic ef- forts and will not engage in unilateral measures that are guaranteed to be coun- terproductive,” said David Smilde, a senior fellow at the Washington Office on Latin America and a Venezuela ex- pert at Tulane University. Pence plans to spend less than 24 hours in Co- lombia. He was to fly midday Monday to Buenos Aires, where he will meet Tuesday with Argentina’s president, Mauricio Macri, and give a speech about regional trade and security partnerships to representatives of the Ar- gentine and Latin American business community. Pence then will visit San- tiago, Chile, on Wednesday, where he will meet with President Michelle Bachelet and deliver remarks that eve- ning to representatives of the Latin and Central American business community. © 2017, The Washington Post “Venezuela is sliding into dictatorship, and as President Trump has said, the United States will not stand by as Venezuela crumbles.” U.S. VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, is welcomed by Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos at the presidential guesthouse in Cartagena on Sunday. - PHOTO: AP Fugitive surrenders to British police Romanian police say a fugitive businessman sentenced to seven years in prison for real estate fraud has been detained by British police. Police said Gabriel Popoviciu, who was sentenced on Aug. 2 in Bucharest, handed himself in Monday after Romanian police found him at a London address. President Donald TrumpNext >