ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 4.70% OFFER EXTENDED!* 185315-Ad-Strip-SandCastles-30Sept.indd 17/21/17 5:00 PM INFORMATION COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE REPORT: Immigration officials demonstrate ‘blatant lack of respect’ for law BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A “blatant lack of respect for the laws of the Cayman Islands” was revealed in the Im- migration Department’s response to an open records request for documents that took more than a year to process. “There is no excuse for it,” Acting Infor- mation Commissioner Jan Liebaers said in a ruling on the document request issued last week, adding that the department’s apparent contempt for the open records process shown in this case would be reason enough to pub- licly disclose the record. The Immigration Department responded on Monday: “The finding from the [informa- tion commissioner] on this particular Freedom of Information request highlights decisions and timelines that fall outside the standard we are expected to deliver. The department and the now Ministry of Human Resources & Immigration will adjust our procedures to en- sure we are in compliance with the FOI law going forward.” The case began in May 2016 when a local company requested information seeking de- tails of a fine levied against it by the Immi- gration Department’s enforcement section. The department initially denied access to the re- cord and then, according to the information commissioner, took no further action until late November, when an appeal was made to Mr. Liebaers’s office under the Freedom of Information Law. In December 2016, the ministry overseeing immigration at the time disclosed some of the records but withheld others, resulting in a protracted negotiation that ended in a dispute over whether legal advice given to the Immi- gration Department could be disclosed. Mr. Liebaers’s office convened a hearing on the matter to allow both sides in the dispute LEGAL ACTION LEADS TO MORE PERMANENT RESIDENCY GRANTS BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Five more permanent residence applicants who challenged years-long delays in the pro- cessing of their cases have been granted the right to remain in Cayman for the rest of their life, according to their attorneys. The five join three others who filed judicial review actions against the government over application delays of more than three years in some cases. A total of eight people have now sued the government and been granted res- idency rights. According to their attorneys at HSM Cham- bers, the judicial review actions remain active as potential monetary damages against the public sector are considered because of the lengthy delays. “This has been a difficult process and one which we can lament became necessary,” HSM Chambers partner Nicolas Joseph said in a letter sent to the firm’s immigration clients Sunday. “It is hoped and expected that all will learn from this and no future repetition will be required.” The judicial review applicants’ claims sought only to have their respective cases con- sidered. There was no outright demand made that they be granted permanent residency rights. Rather, the claims state that govern- ment representatives acted unreasonably and unlawfully in refusing to hear the applications for a period of years and that damages had oc- curred to those individuals as a result. Since the legal claims were filed and began working their way through the courts, the Im- migration Department and its Caymanian Eastern Caribbean on alert for Hurricane Irma SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Several countries are pre- paring for a serious impact from Hurricane Irma. An advisory from the U.S. National Hurri- cane Center on Monday showed Hurricane Irma heading toward the Leeward Islands and poten- tially striking Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba at some point over the next few days. The Cayman Islands still appears to be on the outer fringe of the storm. A hurricane warning was issued for Antigua and Bar- buda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Martin, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten and St. Barts, The Associated Press reported. Shamal Clarke, a meteo- rologist with the Cayman Is- lands National Weather Ser- vice, said Monday afternoon that residents of Cayman should continue watching the news to see where Hurri- cane Irma is tracking. But if it keeps its current trajectory, the storm will likely pass without major impact. “Based on information from the hurricane center, they ex- pect it to strengthen before it interacts with the land over the eastern Caribbean,” he said. “By the time it makes landfall over the lesser Antilles, they expect it to be a Category 4, and once it starts moving over land, they ex- pect the wind speed to drop.” If Hurricane Irma does grow to a Category 4 hurricane, that would mean it has reached wind speeds between 131 and 155 mph. The storm is slated to first travel over the Leeward Islands at about 8 a.m. Wednesday, Police dust off uniforms, hit the streets RCIPS Detective Sergeant Michelle Miller, who normally carries out her duties in plainclothes, donned her uniform last week as part of a monthly service-wide police initiative to make officers more visible on the streets and highlight community policing. Among her stops, she dropped in to visit Wellesley Howell, age 102, in his shoe shop on Shedden Road. For more on this story, see page 5. - PHOTO: KURT WALTON PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS I 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 - UNLOCKED (R) 12:30 I 2:55 I 5:20 I 7:45 I 10:10 THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD (R) 12:50 I 4:15 VIP I 7:10 I 9:55 VIP ANNABELLE CREATION (R) 1:30 VIP I 3:40 I 7:10 VIP I 10:00 DARK TOWER (PG13) 4:30 I 9:45 THE NUT JOB 2 3D (PG) 12:30 I 2:50 2D I 5:10 I 7:30 2D GIRLS TRIP (R) 1:40 I 6:55 I 10:00 THE GLASS CASTLE (PG13) 1:05 I 4:00 I 7:00 I 9:50 Little Cayman coral spawning proves restoration potential KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Muffled shouts of glee bubbled through dive masks in Little Cayman as scientists witnessed a spectacular dis- play of viability by the Cen- tral Caribbean Marine Insti- tute’s coral nursery. For the first time since its establishment five years ago, the nursery’s staghorn and elkhorn coral synchronously spawned in late August. Scientists patiently ob- served the nursery in Little Cayman’s shallows for six nights after the full moon, until the evening of Aug. 13. Within half an hour, thou- sands of coral gametes emerged, proving the poten- tial for nursery coral to build endangered reefs. While the project still faces outplanting chal- lenges in the wild, August’s spawning event shows how human-made nurs- eries can help restore nat- ural ecosystems. “What is most exciting is the branching staghorn corals and larger elkhorn corals, which are on the en- dangered species list, are thriving in the Little Cayman nurseries,” said a CCMI press release. “The good news is the corals may reproduce them- selves, making restoration of this species unneces- sary with time.” The project began with support from the Depart- ment of Environment and the Dart Foundation in 2012 with five small coral frag- ments from wild colonies. The fragments have since grown into thousands of coral pieces. Experiments on these specimens aim to es- tablish resilient coral that can thrive in the wild. In this latest experiment, scientists hoped to discover whether coral in a nursery setting and small, recently fragmented coral could suc- cessfully reproduce. While scientists theo- rized the smaller coral frag- ments would not spawn due to stress, all 60 small colo- nies spawned in the nursery, in addition to the 90 medium and large colonies. “These exciting and stun- ning results provide ex- tremely timely and impor- tant proof for further work that will continue later this winter when the ocean tem- peratures cool off,” the CCMI press release said. The viability of smaller coral colonies means larger corals may be fragmented, creating more pieces for res- toration and allowing sci- entists to better secure the pieces in nurseries. CCMI president Carrie Manfrino said the spawning took place at the same time as spawning events in the wild in Florida and Be- lize. She said the institute’s nursery in Little Cayman’s deep waters was not ob- served this season but will be of interest in the future. Expansion of Little Cay- man’s coral nurseries has been funded by the Dart Foundation, the Disney Con- servation Fund and Con- solidated Water. CCMI will host its annual Festival of Seas on Sept. 30. For ticket information, contact kholden@reefresearch.org. REQUEST TO PROCEED TO LIFT GUATEMALA PRESIDENT’S IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – Gua- temala’s Supreme Court is- sued a ruling Monday al- lowing a request to lift President Jimmy Morales’s immunity from prosecution to go before lawmakers for final consideration. The court’s decision on the request from prosecu- tors is related to allega- tions of illegal financing for Morales’s 2015 campaign. Investigations have tar- geted several political par- ties including his National Convergence Front. “There appears to be sufficient evidence to allow the transfer of the case to congress,” Su- preme Court spokesman Angel Pineda said. Congress must now form a five-member committee to examine the case and present its conclusion to the full body. For the im- munity of office that Mo- rales enjoys as president to be lifted, 105 of the 158 deputies would have to vote in favor. Prosecutors allege that about $825,000 in financing for Morales’ campaign was hidden and that other ex- penditures had no explain- able source of funding. The president has denied any wrongdoing. Last month chief pros- ecutor Thelma Adana and Ivan Velasquez, the head of a U.N. anti-corruption com- mission operating in Guate- mala, announced they were seeking to have Morales’ immunity withdrawn. Two days later the pres- ident ordered Velasquez’s immediate expulsion from the country, but that was swiftly overturned by the Constitutional Court. Colombia signs cease-fire deal with last guerrilla group BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) – Co- lombia’s government and last remaining major rebel group signed a bilateral cease-fire Monday ahead of Pope Francis’ visit this week, an agreement seen as a significant step to- ward negotiating a perma- nent peace deal. The deal struck in Quito, Ecuador, where talks with the National Liberation Army, or ELN, have been taking place since February, goes into effect Oct. 1. It runs through Jan. 12 and can be renewed if both sides agree. Under the cease-fire, the rebels agree to suspend at- tacks on infrastructure, kid- nappings and recruitment of minors. In exchange the government has vowed to boost protection for so- cial leaders who have re- cently come under attack and develop a program that would provide humani- tarian aid to rebels, among other measures. Reconciliation is ex- pected to be a central theme of the trip by Francis, who has lobbied for an end to Colombia’s decades-old civil conflict and who is fulfilling a promise to visit if peace was made with the much larger Revolu- tionary Armed Forces of Co- lombia, or FARC. “The pope is arriving amid a unique moment in our history, as we turn the page on an absurd con- flict and look to the future with hope,” President Juan Manuel Santos said Monday in a televised address. The government’s chief negotiator called the cease- fire, signed five years to the date after a frame- work agreement that kicked off peace talks with the FARC, “historic.” “This is the first agree- ment of this nature that the government has signed with this guerrilla group in more than 50 years,” Juan Camilo Restrepo said in a state- ment. “And it constitutes the first step toward advancing a definitive peace.” Over five decades of conflict involving the two rebel movements, the army and right-wing paramili- tary groups have resulted in more than 260,000 deaths, the disappearance of tens of thousands of people and the displacement of 6 million. Under the earlier deal between the government and the FARC, the group has turned over its weapons and is in the process of reorga- nizing as a political move- ment to compete in elections next year. But negotiations with the more ideological and less centralized ELN have been slower since ex- ploratory talks began more than three years ago. A CCMI scientist observes a coral nursery in Little Cayman. - PHOTO: PAUL MANEVAL Juan Camilo Restrepo, representing the Colombian government, left, and Pablo Beltran, representing the ELN, leave Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry building after a press conference to announce the signing of a temporary ceasefire. - PHOTO: AP3 LOCAL&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 C AP TURE Y OUR OCEAN HAVE YOU SNAPPED THE PERFECT PICTURE THAT SHOWCASES THE OCEAN OR OCEAN CONSERVATION IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS? WE WANT TO SEE IT! Enter our photography competition for the chance to have your photo displayed at an outdoor photography exhibition in Camana Bay. To enter, log on to www.caymancompass.com/contests by the end of September and upload your picture. Full terms and conditions can be found on the website. Fuel transshipment terminal proposed JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Texas-based energy com- pany Navasota has signed a joint venture agreement with the developer of the Iron- wood golf resort proposal in a deal that the two compa- nies hope will bring a fuel transshipment terminal to Cayman’s eastern districts. The proposal, similar to a deal put to the Cayman Is- lands government by the en- ergy company in 2015, would involve construction of a massive fuel storage depot that could service long-dis- tance cargo ships. It does not involve the construction of a port, however, but would service ships from offshore mooring buoys. Neither Navasota nor Iron- wood is proposing to operate the facility. They will seek to acquire the land and permits for the project before going out to bid for companies to build and operate the facility. Government would not be involved other than to deal with the applications through the usual planning and permitting processes. The project has an esti- mated cost of $400 million. The two companies believe they could attract major oil business to build and run the facility. They say the profit margin would come from selling fuel to large ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The spin-off benefits for Cayman would be cheaper fuel prices and the chance to shutter the Jackson Point fuel terminal on South Church Street, according to Frank Gi- acalone, director of Navasota. The proximity of that fa- cility to a residential area is a long-held concern that re- surfaced following a fire in a diesel tank there in July. Ironwood CEO David Mof- fitt said its subsidiary, Iro- neagle, has entered into a deal with Navasota on the terminal project. He said the proposal could help facilitate con- struction of a 10-mile exten- sion to the East-West Arterial Highway, considered crucial to Ironwood’s proposed golf course development. Ironwood will seek to se- cure rights of way for the fuel pipelines along the highway. The developer is still in talks with government over a joint proposal to build the road, and the parties plan to meet this week to discuss the new element of the deal. “The east-west corridor is an important infrastruc- ture project for Cayman,” said Mr. Moffitt. “It provides safe and convenient travel to the eastern districts, as well as making the area more acces- sible for tourism. Ironwood will benefit from the reduced travel time and Navasota will have the right of way re- quired for fuel lines that ulti- mately benefits everyone.” He declined to specify the proposed site for the develop- ment at this stage, but said it is a remote location near Breakers and surrounded by quarries, with no water lens. Mr. Giacalone said little progress has been made on the 2015 agreement with gov- ernment, and the partnership with Ironwood represents an opportunity to complete the “vision.” “By working together with Ironwood developers,” he said, “we believe our col- laboration will provide the needed structure to get both the east-west corridor and fuel transshipment terminal projects approved.” The proposal, similar to a deal put to the Cayman Islands government by the energy company in 2015, would involve construction of a massive fuel storage depot that could service long- distance cargo ships. Ironwood CEO David Moffitt Man chooses jail over rehab Drug user had previous convictions CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man who pleaded guilty to possession and consumption of ganja chose to go to prison in- stead of receiving treatment or counseling. Hartwell Delmore Ebanks, 49, told Magistrate Valdis Foldats on Monday: “Send me to Northward. Make me do my little time and come out.” Ebanks had first ap- peared in court for this matter in June. He entered guilty pleas to possession of 3.785 grams of ganja at a West Bay premises last Sept. 13. He was bailed so that a social inquiry report could be prepared. On Monday, the mag- istrate asked for a drug test before sentencing, but Ebanks did not want to pro- vide a urine sample for anal- ysis. The magistrate said the reason he wanted the test was to make sure Ebanks had not been using cocaine. The magistrate agreed that Ebanks had made ad- missions and had en- tered his guilty pleas at the first opportunity. Because of his previous drug convictions, Ebanks presented a difficult case to the court, the magistrate told him. His report indi- cated that he didn’t want to go to counseling and he had been adamant that he would not go to Carib- bean Haven, the residential treatment centre. The magistrate said he did not want to send Ebanks to prison, but sometimes, “People do it to themselves,” he commented. In Ebanks’s case, if he did not change his lifestyle, he would likely kill him- self through drug abuse, the magistrate told him. He said he was taking into account the defendant’s cooperation, early guilty pleas and difficult phys- ical situation. He therefore started with a three-month sentence but reduced it to two months. Ebanks earlier told the court he had almost lost his leg a few days ago. He did not elaborate, but ap- peared in court on crutches and with a surgical sock on his right foot. The magistrate marked the file, “Defendant requires medical attention.” CARIBBEAN CELEBRATION HELD IN NEW YORK AMID TIGHT SECURITY NEW YORK (AP) – One of the largest U.S. celebrations of Caribbean culture, a col- orful and joyful spectacle featuring thousands of rev- elers, musicians, dancers and costumed troupes, was held Monday amid a backdrop of tight security. The daylong party, fea- turing a morning festival called J’ouvert and an after- noon Caribbean Carnival pa- rade, brought out smiling throngs, bouncing to the steel-drum beat of Brook- lyn’s melting-pot Labor Day tradition. “I’m Guyanese, Trini, Pana- manian, Puerto Rican and Ja- maican,” reveler Imani Woods told WCBS, expressing enthu- siasm for a day of dancing and good food. The day’s curtain-opener, J’ouvert, which combines the French words “jour” and “ou- vert” and means daybreak, has been held for decades in the pre-dawn darkness, but there was serious talk of can- celing the party this year. Shootings near the march route have long been a con- cern. In 2015, an aide to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo was killed by a stray bullet.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” TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS We have reached the apex of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season. The catastrophic Hurricane Harvey, which is expected to be the most expensive storm in United States history, has left a path of destruction, death and flooding across Texas and the U.S. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of the storm, which devastated communities along the Gulf Coast. Many people here in the Cayman Islands have friendly or familial connections to the area, including the U.S.’s fourth-largest city Houston, and the shipping hub Port Arthur. Immediately following Harvey, another potentially dangerous storm, named Irma, is approaching the Carib- bean region, currently as a Category 3 hurricane. Irma has the time, the distance, and the warm-water condi- tions of the summer Atlantic to intensify dramatically. Few in Cayman need to be reminded of how vicious a September storm that starts with the letter “I” could be. (Historically, the date of Sept. 10 is the statistical peak of hurricane season; the terrible Hurricane Ivan made landfall in Grand Cayman on Sept. 11, 2004.) Irma is the ninth named storm of the season. On Sunday, the storm was heading toward Puerto Rico and the Lesser Antilles with maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour. Weather experts expect the storm to reach the eastern Caribbean sometime midweek, and the consensus among the models is that Irma will track northward toward the Bahamas and the U.S. Eastern seaboard. (Those same experts, though, concede that they cannot make accurate predictions of where, if anywhere, Irma will make landfall either in the U.S. or, more relevant to Cayman, in the Caribbean region. It is still too far away and atmospheric condi- tions are too volatile. Despite improvements in hurricane forecasting, about one-third of storms still abandon their predicted path in favor of a “road less traveled.” Storm fore- casting remains a very inexact “science.” Irma may dramatically change course or live its limited life at sea, never doing any damage to any land mass. As Kerry Powery, chief meteorologist for the Cayman Islands National Weather Service, told a Compass reporter last week, Irma might even fizzle out. So far, Cayman has been extremely fortunate this year. Our islands have not been included in the watch area for Irma established by the American National Hurricane Center in Miami. But those among us who suffered through Ivan or Paloma well know that fore- warned is forearmed. The time to prepare for a hur- ricane is now – days or even weeks before any storm reaches our horizon. Even visitors and new residents on island should know, after following Harvey’s destruction, that just as hurricanes can be slow to arrive, they can be equally slow to leave. After the storm finally does subside, it takes time to clear roads and restore essential services. It is important to plan accordingly (the Compass’s hurri- cane preparedness guide is a good place to start). Check and replenish your emergency supplies (water, non-perishable food, flashlights, first-aid kits, etc.). Review your plans for evacuation, seeking shelter or “hunkering down.” At the Compass, we will continue to monitor closely the path of Irma and keep our readers updated both in our print editions and, for even more timely informa- tion, on our website (caymancompass.com). Hurricane watch: Keeping our eyes on ‘Ms. Irma’ When workers cannot or will not compete, investment suffers Despite unemployment falling to a 16-year-low in the United States, wages are up only 2.5 percent from last year. That is better than in- flation but not by a lot, and employment gains have not been strong by histor- ical standards. So far this year the monthly pace of jobs cre- ation has averaged 184,000 and adjusted for the size of the potential workforce, only slightly more than half the pace accomplished during the Reagan years – when overall economic growth was simply much more robust. The Gipper’s strategy was quite similar to Presi- dent Trump’s – he cut taxes, spent more on infrastruc- ture and defense, deregulated business and engineered the 1985 Plaza Accord, which re- sulted in a 50 percent reduc- tion in the exchange rate for the dollar against the yen and other currencies. In those days, Japanese, not Chinese, imports aided by a cheap currency were waxing the ears of American workers. Skepticism is growing among economists – and more importantly business decision makers – that Mr. Trump and Republicans in Congress will appreciably lower the cost of investing in the United States. On healthcare, the GOP seems incapable of sub- stantially rolling back Med- icaid spending – even for adults without children who do not work and refuse to seek employment. Without substantial progress there, broader entitlement reforms needed to cut taxes and spend more on infrastructure seem unlikely. Much of the Trump ad- ministration’s deregulation agenda is held up by its in- ability to fill key positions on various boards and com- missions, and Democratic op- position to new legislation where required. On trade, China accounts for 60 percent of the $500 bil- lion dollar trade surplus but the Mar-a-Largo agenda is bogged down with rifle shot initiatives like opening the Chinese market for beef, soy- beans and credit card com- panies when a systemic solu- tion – in particular, reworking the 2001 bilateral agreement that facilitated China’s WTO membership – is needed. Mr. Trump’s trade chief, Wilbur Ross, has adapted such an approach with NAFTA but Mexico accounts for less than 13 percent of the U.S. trade deficit. Much of its success has not been from unfair trade practices but rather smart policies. A free trade agreement with the EU permits Mexican auto factories to sell duty-free in both the United States and Europe – that is something they cannot do from the United States. Companies like Li and Fung in apparel and house- hold items and Wipro in elec- tronics and IT specialize in outsourcing products de- signed by American com- panies. If U.S. policymakers create too much uncertainty about market access for Mex- ican products, those firms can help businesses quickly move production to Asia. Ford has figured this out without the aid of out- sourcing specialists. After submitting to pressure from Mr. Trump to cancel plans for more production in Mexico, it decided to make the new Focus in China. If Messrs. Ross and Trump want to solve the trade deficit, they need a radical solution for China – not Mexico. With more automation coming, many Americans often do not have the skills to do the jobs that are left. In factories, robots have been able to lift and weld fenders onto autos for quite some time now, but machines are now moving into tasks that require far more complex thinking and subtle dexterity – for example the handling of fabrics to sew button holes and attach sleeves to shirts. Large commercial bak- eries, for example, are be- coming “closed looped.” Soon the only humans will be those programming the ma- chines, keeping the books and delivering the bread. And new artificial intelligence programs, driverless vehicles and robots will soon replace many of those positions. In factories, on construc- tion sites and across supply chains, thousands of jobs go unfilled for programming, managing and maintaining sophisticated machinery and artificial intelligence, which require advanced tech- nical training. The president’s initiative to improve apprenticeship programs through public-pri- vate partnerships is critical. However, only about half of high school graduates com- plete a career- or college- ready curriculum, because many students avoid dif- ficult courses and take the minimum needed to grad- uate. Consequently, a signifi- cant share of graduates lacks the background to effectively absorb the needed training for either a blue- or white- collar position. American politicians and young people must up their game – by making America a better place to invest and getting more serious about school – if we are going to compete in this new age. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © 2017, The Washington Times. LETTER TO THE EDITOR SELLING LIQUOR ON SUNDAYS Regarding the August 30 article, “New Confusion in Li- quor Board Controversy”: Re- gardless of whether an error was made, surely the funda- mental question is whether gas stations in the Cayman islands are allowed to sell liquor on a Sunday. Clearly this request would set a precedent. In my opinion, this gas station should never have been allowed to sell li- quor in the first instance on any day of the week, due to its proximity to schools. The sale of liquor by gas stations is not a good idea. Nyda Flatley PETER MORICI Skepticism is growing among economists – and more importantly business decision makers – that Mr. Trump and Republicans in Congress will appreciably lower the cost of investing in the United States.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 Court begins process of putting public records online SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands court system has begun the process of digitizing its court records and hopes to have all existing public registers online by the end of 2017. Court administrator Su- zanne Bothwell said Monday that web developers are in the process of building the website and making it ca- pable of handling the in- flux of new court records. At the moment, visitors to www.judicial.ky can access cause lists, court rules, and court hours and locations. “It is intended that all ex- isting public registers will be viewable on the public side of the site,” Ms. Bothwell said in an email to the Cayman Compass. “A platform has to be built to facilitate this new service.” Earlier this year there was some confusion as to which court records were avail- able to the public and the methods by which they could be copied and published. The Cayman court system no- tified the public that only handwritten notes could be taken when inspecting public records in person, and they prohibited photocopying re- cords unless the visitor had permission from the clerk of court. Those changes to existing policy were short-lived, and the court indicated that it was concerned about outside publications making a profit by publishing the details of court records. The court maintained that wholesale reproduction of court records amounted to a violation of Crown copyright. The Grand Court Rules Committee met this summer to consider new rules gov- erning the access of public records, and according to Ms. Bothwell, it is currently awaiting feedback from the legal community. Once those rules have been final- ized, they will be announced to the public. Web developers are in the process of making court records accessible online. Volunteers needed for beach cleanup JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Volunteers are invited to help clean up some of Cay- man’s beaches this month. The fourth annual Dol- phin Discovery Grand Cayman and Dolphin Cove ecological cleanup, in co- ordination with the Ocean Conservancy Interna- tional Coastal Cleanup, takes place on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 8 a.m. to noon. It will focus on two areas in particular – Tiki Beach in West Bay and the South Sound Beach. Gloves and garbage bags, as well as refresh- ments, will be provided by organizers. After the cleanup, the trash collected will be sep- arated, weighed and re- corded to be submitted to Ocean Conservancy for fu- ture reference. Organizers said the idea behind the cleanup is to create awareness and change habits in order to reduce pollution on the beaches. At last year’s cleanup, volunteers collected about 1,910 pounds of trash. According to the Ocean Conservancy, more than 12 million people have been part of the world’s big- gest volunteer effort to pro- tect the oceans. Plastic has been found in 62 percent of all sea- birds and in 100 percent of sea turtle species, ac- cording to the organiza- tion’s statistics. Wall to be dedicated to heart survivors The Cayman Heart Fund plans to install a Heart Sur- vivors wall at the Cayman Islands Hospital and is seeking survivors to include in the project. The heart fund’s board of directors hopes the display will highlight cardiovascular disease and its effects. The wall, which will be unveiled on World Heart Day, Sept. 29, will celebrate the survival of people who have suffered a severe cardiovas- cular episode. The Health Services Au- thority has approved the plan to install the wall, which will be on the main floor of the hospital, near the Am- bulatory Unit. “The Cayman Heart Fund board members hope to save lives with the wall display by bringing important attention to the Heart Survivors and offering lifesaving facts and information,” organizers said in a press release. A committee is inviting nominations, which its mem- bers will review. “Survivors are extraordi- nary people! They know what it means to have to fight for your life. The Cayman Heart Fund is searching for those survivors, the ones who have overcome the odds and are still forging ahead,” the press release states. “We hope to save lives with our wall display by bringing important attention and awareness to our survi- vors’ struggles and offering lifesaving facts.” People are invited to share inspirational sto- ries that celebrate the life of a survivor. The criteria for nominees are: The individual must have survived a severe cardiovas- cular episode; he or she must demonstrate a passion for helping and inspiring others with cardiovascular disease; and the person must live in Cayman or help others who live here. Organizers said the nom- ination and support let- ters should “contain evi- dence and examples of the above criteria.” Each nomi- nation must also be accom- panied by a letter of support from the person nominating the individual, and include the nominator’s name, phone number, email address, de- tails of how they know the nominee, and an explana- tion of why the person is a Heart Hero. A wall celebrating cancer survivors already exists at the entrance of the hospital, featuring photographs of in- dividuals in Cayman who have battled the disease. To nominate a heart survivor and share an inspirational story, contact the Cayman Heart Fund for an application or visit caymanheartfund.com. Nominations can be emailed to info@caymanheartfund.com or sent by mail to Cayman Heart Fund, PO Box 30917, KY1-1205, Grand Cayman. MAN ATTACKED WITH HAMMER AT SHOPPING CENTER A man was hospital- ized over the weekend after he was struck with a hammer at a Savannah- area shopping center. According to police, a 31-year-old man attacked the man at Countryside Shopping Village around 6 p.m. Friday. The victim was hospital- ized for treatment of head in- juries and was later released. Police said the suspect turned himself in to police Saturday. He was arrested on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm, but he had not been charged as of Monday. Volunteers are invited to help clean up Tiki Beach and South Sound Beach on Saturday, Sept. 16. POLICE DUST OFF UNIFORMS, HIT THE STREETS IN WARRANT SWEEP BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Plainclothes detectives, scenes of crime officers and financial crimes investiga- tors hit the streets in their Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service uniforms during a community warrant sweep last week, getting a chance to mingle with the public while carrying out regular patrol duties. Although some of the offi- cers had not worn an RCIPS uniform or performed routine patrol duties in years, they took part in a community po- licing initiative that seeks to put more officers in touch with the “man in the street” on a monthly basis. The warrant sweep ended up with 37 arrests, in- cluding two for burglaries and one on a U.S. extra- dition warrant. “All of us were out in uniform, including our de- tectives, to be more vis- ible to the community as we cleared outstanding warrants for the court and enforced the laws we need to regu- late our roads,” said Supt. Robert Graham, who usu- ally does wear his uniform to work each day. Beat patrols in George Town, West Bay and Bodden Town were also conducted, during which officers spoke with residents about their crime concerns. “It never fails that every time you walk through an area and meet with people, you hear some- thing you didn’t know,” said Deputy Commissioner Kurt Walton, who patrolled sev- eral neighborhoods in cen- tral George Town during the warrant sweep. The monthly community patrols, called the ‘Uniform Day of Action,’ is being or- ganized by RCIPS Commis- sioner Derek Byrne as a way to give police officers a larger uniformed pres- ence on the streets and get more officers out to meet residents. Since his arrival in Cayman last year, Mr. Byrne has backed a much greater emphasis on neighborhood- oriented policing. He has proposed boosting the number of neighbor- hood officers to about 10 per- cent of the total RCIPS staff. Those are officers whose pri- mary responsibility is to pa- trol the various communities and make contact with resi- dents in each area with an eye toward building trust and getting more information if crime does happen. The warrant sweep ended up with 37 arrests, including two for burglaries and one on a U.S. extradition warrant.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days West Bay TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS OBITUARY Family, friends mourn loss of Julene Banks 50 years ago: West Bay-New York wedding celebrated In the Sept. 6, 1967 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, corre- spondent Darlene Owens wrote in her “This Week in West Bay” column: “There was a lovely wed- ding on Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Bedford Central Presby- terian Church in Brooklyn, New York, by Dr. Jackson, in which Thomas Carroll Jef- ferson, youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. George Jefferson of West Bay, took for his bride Bette Jean Lynch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lynch II of Bridgeton, New Jersey. The maid of honour was Edna Jefferson, sister of the groom, and best man was Andrew Jefferson, brother of the groom. Brides- maids were Audrey and Sita, sisters of the bride. Groomsmen were Kennard and Keith, brothers of the bride. The reception was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Will Spence in Brooklyn. On Sunday morning, the couple left for their honeymoon in the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania. “Mr. and Mrs. Pat Brod- erick and their four children arrived from their home in Jamaica, on Aug. 28, for a visit with relatives. “After spending her summer vacation at home, Miss Cheryl Jackson re- turned to the U.S. on the 28th. She is a student of Covenant College in Ten- nessee. Travelling with her was her father Mr. Wil- liam Jackson, who has gone to reship. “Mr. Floyd Deosca and three children re- turned to the U.S. on Aug. 28, where they will re- side permanently. “After visiting in New York for some time, Mrs. Olice Yates and daughter Robin arrived home on the 29th. “Miss Patricia Rivers ar- rived home on Sept. 2 after spending four weeks in Miami. Also on the same flight were Mr. Henry Ack- erman from New York on a visit and Mr. Asley Ebanks who is on vacation. “Miss Anna Dean Powery left for Jamaica on Aug. 30 to teach for one year. She is a graduate of Shortwood College. “Mr. Theophilus Ebanks passed away at the George Town Hospital on Aug. 30, at the age of 71 years, after undergoing surgery the day before. Left to mourn are three sons, Malcolm and Nelson at sea, Kivie at home; and three daughters, Lily, Eudell and Beulah. His wife Robertha Ebanks preceded him in death one year ago.” The following is an abridged version of the life story of Julene Banks, who passed away on Aug. 20. The story was read at her funeral service. Julene Doris Banks was born on Dec. 2, 1958, to Inez DaCosta, nee Jackson, and Wilbur DaCosta, who lived in Mt. Pleasant, West Bay, overlooking Uncle Sammy’s Pond. She grew up in a time when most of island’s men went to sea, leaving mostly women to care for the chil- dren. Ladies in surrounding homes provided a network of support for each other. One of these ladies who made a great impact on Julene’s life was neighbor Adelaide “Addie” Ebanks, who was considered by the seven DaCosta children as their next door grandmother. Another was Birdell Jackson, known as “Cousin Birdie,” who was a member of the West Bay Presbyterian Church and who almost singlehandedly built a small Sunday School up the road from Julene’s house. Julene’s paternal grandmother, Olga DaCosta, was also a great in- fluence on her life, as was her Great- Aunt Dons, who still resides in Tampa, and her paternal aunts Au- drey and Kadie. In 1969, when Julene was 11, her father returned from sea and sub- sequently purchased an ice-cream business. He moved his family from Mt. Pleasant to out “on the bay,” opposite the Church of God Full Gospel Hall, and expanded the business into the Silver Sands Cafe restaurant. Julene graduated from Triple C School in 1975 at the age of 16. While working at her father’s res- taurant, she caught the eye of Loxley Banks, who had recently returned from Florida. In 1976, she entered the Miss West Bay Beauty Contest, where Mr. Banks was the MC, and their romance began. They were married on April 10, 1981, in one of the largest weddings West Bay had seen. The famous Radley Gourzong and his Happy Boys were the mu- sicians for the evening, providing lively music on a specially built stage in their yard. Her first job outside of the family business was at the Caymanian Times newspaper’s advertising de- partment. Although she loved the customer service aspect of this job, she had to quit after becoming ill from the chemicals used in the pro- duction of the ads. Fulfilling her desire to travel, she was a flight attendant with Cayman Airways from 1981 to 1986. While working there, an event occurred which impacted her life down the line. She accompanied Miss Cayman Islands and the then director of tourism to represent Cayman at an international tourism conven- tion in Berlin. When they were given a tour of the Berlin Wall, she be- came acutely aware of the under- current of fear as they could see individuals peeking from behind their curtains. It was at this point that she recognized what a big dif- ference there was between oppres- sion and freedom. Shortly after this, in March 1986, she left Cayman Airways to study at the Truman Bodden Law School. She served as an articled clerk in the Grand Court and was admitted to practice as an attorney-at-law in the Cayman Islands in 1991. Be- tween 1991 and 1997, she was Crown counsel in the Attorney Gen- eral’s Chambers and assisted in de- veloping the Children Law, (1995). She contributed to the Monetary Au- thority Law and was a member of the Authority’s board for years. In 1996, she helped set up the National Drug Council, on which she served as chairman for three years, and as- sisted to create and implement the National Drugs Council Law. In 1995, she attended a three- month International Development Law Organization course in Rome. She shared countless times that this was a powerful experience for her as there were students attending from all religions, with the majority being Muslim, and the theological discus- sions that took place after hours were as stimulating as the required course work. After this, she recommitted her life to Christ and joined the John Gray Memorial Church, where she decided to help Cayman’s youth by working with them through the church. In 1997, she became pregnant after 16 years of marriage and took a leave of absence from government. Unfortunately, their daughter, Sarah, was stillborn. On recovering from this personal loss, she chose not to re- turn to government and next worked for a short time in the Council Office of the United Church of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, as council sec- retary. She then worked for a short time in the Monetary Authority but left to take up the full-time caregiving of her parents. Throughout her membership in the John Gray United Church, she served as elder, Sunday school teacher, vacation Bible school teacher, youth group leader, founder of the Christian Nurture Group (teens), Women’s Fellowship member, Se- niors’ Fellowship Committee member, and choir member. She also helped other women cope with pre-natal loss through the Our Angels Foundation. She was a lifetime member of the National Trust and a member of the West Bay District Committee. She sat on the steering committee of Carib- bean Haven and the National Com- mittee against Domestic Abuse from 2000 to 2003. More recently, she was a member of the Constitutional Com- mission for two years. In recognition of her service in each of the capacities she served, she was awarded the Cayman Is- lands Certificate and Badge of Honour in 2010. She was a founding and ac- tive member of the Cayman Islands Mental Health Commission, as well as one of is legal consultants. She was passionate about helping to improve mental health care in Cayman, after the death of her be- loved nephew Alex in 2010, whom she referred to as a kindred spirit. Julene believed that charity began at home and created a loving home environment with Loxley, which created a happy gathering place for family, co-workers and many others. She also loved to travel and the couple enjoyed trips to Europe, the Fiji Islands, Bar- bados, many areas of the USA, in- cluding Hawaii. Earlier this year,the couple cele- brated their 36th wedding anniver- sary with family and friends. Although Julene did not raise a biological child, several young people entered her and Loxley’s lives, the chief one being Casandra Hibbert-Morris. Julene brought her into their home and treated her as if she were her own from the time she was 17. Twenty months ago, Julene rec- ognized that she was not in great health and pursued medical assis- tance locally and overseas. Even with various treatments, her con- dition deteriorated and she suc- cumbed to cancer at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017. Her faith was ever steadfast and even through her suffering, it never wavered. Her family is so grateful that she was able to converse with visitors until she left the hospital on Saturday and that she was able to once more place her toes in the sand of Grand Cayman and look out to the sea that was so dear to her. She was preceded in death by parents Wilbur and Inez DaCosta, daughter Sarah, aunts Kadie and Audrey, and nephew Alex. She leaves to mourn her passing: hus- band Loxley Banks and his four sisters, Julia, Eileen, Sherilyn and Lona, and their families; four brothers, Willie, Wayne, Waide and Woody, and their families; two sisters, Jane Panton and Jewel Studenhofft and their fam- ilies; “adopted” daughter Casa- ndra Hibbert-Morris; and two god-daughters, Ruth Myles and Victoria King; the many members of the DaCosta and Banks fami- lies; and many friends across the Cayman Islands and the world who thought of Julene as that very special person in their lives. Julene Doris Banks, 1958-2017The 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 SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 OCTOBER 7, 2017 The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman www.breastcancerfoundation.ky info@breastcancerfoundation.ky Featuring Special Guest Speakers PRINT MEDIA SPONSOR Featuring Special Guest Speakers Rancic THANK YOU TO OUR GOLD SPONSOR Bill & Giulianna TUESDAY, SEPT. 5 DARKNESS TO LIGHT: Free training program, 6:30-9 p.m., for parents, teachers and others who work with or provide services to young people. 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, SEPT. 6 SICKLE CELL SUPPORT: The next Sickle Cell Support Group meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Cayman Islands Hospital Public Health waiting room. Dr. Anna Matthews, general practitioner, will lead the discussion. All are invited. For further information, contact the genetics coordinator on 244-2630 or email joy.merren@hsa.ky. THURSDAY, SEPT. 7 DCI EARLY CLOSING: The Department of Commerce and Investment in Grand Cayman, including its Business Licensing Counter on the first floor of the Government Administration Building, will close at 3 p.m. for a staff meeting. DCI’s main office will reopen on Friday at 8:30 a.m. and the counter will reopen at 9 a.m. SMALL BUSINESS OPEN HOUSE: 5:30–7:30 p.m. at Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. Free to attend. Open to all. CHAMBER COURSE: Time Management & Productivity. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. CAYMAN DRAMA SOCIETY: Opening night for comedy “Sistahs.” Performances are at the Prospect Playhouse on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays to Sept. 23. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Curtain 7:30 p.m. Tickets for all performances are $25 for adults, $15 for students/ children. Book tickets at www.cds.ky. FRIDAY, SEPT. 8 BRAC ALZHEIMER’S WALK: Observing World Alzheimer’s Month. Free registration, 6:30 p.m. Start 7 p.m. from Brac Beach Resort to Alexander Hotel and back. SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 BRAC LITERACY DAY: Sponsored by Rotary. Brac Library, 9 a.m.-noon. SEA SWIMS: The annual Foster’s Food Fair IGA 800m sea swim takes place at Governors Beach, 4 p.m. Registration at 3 p.m. CIASA members $15 adults, $10 children. Non-members, $20 adults, $15 children. Trophies for top three finishers in all age groups. The 400m swim for ages 12 and under takes place immediately after the 800m race. TUESDAY, SEPT. 12 SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers needed for weekly Sports Training. Tuesdays – Track, bocce, football. Wednesday – Lighthouse School swimming at Lion’s pool. Thursdays – Basketball. Saturdays – Adult swim. Golf is starting soon if interested. Contact Darrel Rankine, national director at soci@candw.ky or 916-2600 for further details. THURSDAY, SEPT. 14 CHAMBER COURSE: Effective Negotiation and Conflict Management Styles. 12:30–4:30 p.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. CHAMBER COURSE: Debt Collection – How to Avoid and Collect Bad Debt. 9–11 a.m. Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square. $175 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky. SATURDAY, SEPT. 16 CRISIS CENTRE GALA: Opa! My Big Fat Greek Gala, to benefit the Crisis Centre. Pappagallo’s, 7 p.m. Welcome cocktail, Greek food, live entertainment, silent auction. Tickets $150 per person or $1,250 for groups of 10. Contact lauren@bermanfisher.com. GENERAL INTEREST HIGH SCHOOL REUNION: The Cayman Islands High School Class of 1987 will celebrate their 30-year class reunion on Saturday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m. at the George Town Yacht Club, North Sound Road. Tickets are now on sale for $75 at Funky Tang’s or by calling Cassandra Ebanks Powery on 925-1930. Please purchase tickets by Sept. 25 so preparations can be made. BE A MENTOR: Training provided. Starting at the end of September for one year, mentor a Year 11 student at John Gray High School to help him or her achieve their potential in life and in school. It just takes one hour a week, Tuesday or Thursday lunchtime meetings from noon–1 p.m. in term time at the school. Contact Laura on 328-0300 or Karen on 325-0318. SCHOLARSHIPS: The Chevening Secretariat is accepting applications for U.K. government scholarships to study in the U.K. in 2018/2019. Applications for Chevening Scholarships are open until Nov. 7, with applications to be submitted via www.chevening.org/apply. AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM: The Savannah After School Enrichment Programme is enrolling primary-age students for their program, held at the Savannah United Church Hall, Mondays to Fridays, from 3–6 p.m. The program is particularly convenient for children who attend Savannah Primary and Bodden Town primary schools. For registration and fees, call the church office at 947-6071 or email info@savannahunited.ky. GAMEBIRD SEASON: The Department of Environment reminds hunters that the open season for blue-winged teal opens in September (three-bird bag and possession limit). For white- winged doves, the season opens in October (12 bird bag and possession limit). 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 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 Plaza Venezia, 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. 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS to present their case. During the hearing pro- cess, the Immigration De- partment never gave its reasons for withholding the remaining documents, as it is required to do, Mr. Liebaers said. “The department’s ap- proach runs afoul of the basic principles of the Freedom of Information Law,” Mr. Liebaers wrote in the ruling. “The FOI Law requires that a public au- thority which withholds any record from disclosure must provide legal reasons.” Not only does the FOI Law require such rea- sons, but section 19 of the Cayman Islands Constitu- tion Order, 2009, requires that all government entities must provide reasons for their decisions to show they are procedurally fair, lawful, proportionate and rational. “Given the clear viola- tion of these statutory ob- ligations and procedural steps, which were commu- nicated to the department, it is hard to imagine how any public authority can defend its position to withhold a requested record well over a year, in the end simply to refuse giving reasons for doing so,” Mr. Liebaers said, pointing out that the Immigration Department typically responds to more open records requests than any other government de- partment and should have known how to proceed. “Under these circum- stances, the department’s refusal to provide reasons for withholding the [docu- ments requested] can only be described as willful, egregious and unlawful,” Mr. Liebaers wrote. The in- formation commissioner pointed out that while the Immigration Department’s resources are strained in dealing with the backlog in applications for permanent residence and work permits, it is no excuse for what oc- curred in this case. “In my mind, the depart- ment’s refusal to provide rea- sons for withholding the re- quested record demonstrates a blatant lack of respect for the laws of the Cayman Is- lands, the Freedom of In- formation Law and the In- formation Commissioner’s Office,” Mr. Liebaers wrote. In the end, the depart- ment was not required to disclose the legal advice given to it, although it was earlier required to disclose the remainder of the re- cords it held. INFORMATION COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE REPORT: Immigration officials demonstrate ‘blatant lack of respect’ for law and if its path holds true, it would move over Puerto Rico later in the day. The British Virgin Island Bank Association issued a public notice Monday that all of its member banks will be closed on Tuesday after midday. Orlando Smith, the premier of the British Virgin Islands, issued a statement Monday afternoon alerting his constituents that they should be careful with Irma approaching. “Forecasters predict that the center of Irma will ap- proach the northern Leeward Islands late on Tuesday and could move near or over the BVI, Wednesday afternoon or evening bringing destruc- tive winds and rain in the area,” Mr. Smith said. “Fore- casters have also warned that any island that experiences the eyewall could face cata- strophic damage. “We cannot say with cer- tainty whether or not the BVI will experience these ef- fects, but every indication is that we will have some level of impact. Our best option is to be ready.” Ricardo Rosello, the gov- ernor of Puerto Rico, declared a state of emergency and ac- tivated the National Guard on Monday in preparation for the storm’s arrival. “Despite the economic challenges Puerto Rico is facing, the approved budget has $15 million for the emergency fund,” Mr. Ros- selló said in a statement, ac- cording to Reuters. By Thursday morning, the storm could be passing over the northern edge of the Do- minican Republic. Current models show it impacting Cuba on Saturday morning. At that point, Irma could arc northwest and hit Florida, but Mr. Clarke said it is dif- ficult to project a hurricane five days into the future. If the storm continues its present path, he said, Cayman residents will not have much to fear. “At the moment, the models indicate some gusty winds and not too much out of the usual,” he said. “It’s still a little bit far out, five days, and at some point over the next 24 hours the updates should show more of the im- pact it will have on us. As of now, it looks just like gusty winds and rainfall.” After Irma, there could be another hazard lurking. There is an elongated area of low pressure hundreds of miles west of the Cape Verde Is- lands, and the National Hur- ricane Center projects it as having a 30 percent chance of developing into a cyclone by Wednesday. That same projection in- dicates there is a 70 percent chance of a cyclone devel- oping by the weekend. “That one seems like it moves north over the At- lantic,” said Mr. Clarke. “It doesn’t seem like it gets over the Caribbean at the moment. It just kind of makes that turn a bit ear- lier than Irma.” Status and Permanent Res- idency Board have sig- nificantly stepped up the number of residence appli- cations being heard. Last week immigration staffers and board members met Monday through Friday trying to sort through about 50 applications in one week. The vast majority of the decisions made on permanent residence applications have come within the past five weeks. Between July 31 and Sept. 1, 106 people became permanent residents; another 53 were refused that status. “The efforts being un- dertaken in at least certain sectors of the Department of Immigration, and the ef- fectiveness of them, appear truly exceptional,” Mr. Jo- seph said. “They warrant recognition, congratulations, and support.” Since May the govern- ment has made decisions on about 200 residency cases, less than one-fifth of the backlog of more than 1,100 applications that piled up while officials delayed hearing those matters. A Cayman Compass re- view of the permanent resi- dence applications filed since the government changed the Immigration Law in Oc- tober 2013 found that while some cases were heard early in 2013 and 2014, none was heard after January 2015. Numerous legal ques- tions were raised about the process being used to grant residence in an August 2015 Grand Court ruling by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, who called the system as it existed then “opaque” and “prone to arbitrariness.” Some relatively minor ad- justments were made ear- lier this year to the points system used to grant per- manent residence. Premier Alden McLaughlin has sig- naled recently that govern- ment may be delving into the process again to make further adjustments. “We must strike the right balance to ensure that im- migration and work permit systems work more effi- ciently and are more trans- parent and fair to those seeking employment, in- cluding Caymanians and those wanting to become permanent residents,” Mr. McLaughlin told the Legis- lative Assembly last month during his Strategic Policy Statement address. “We will improve the Immigration Law and point system [for permanent residence] to try to get this balance right.” Legal action leads to more PR grants CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Eastern Caribbean on alert for Hurricane Irma CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Moscow court keeps top theater director under house arrest MOSCOW (AP) – A Moscow court ruled Monday to keep arguably Russia’s most re- vered contemporary the- ater and film director under house arrest, in a criminal case that has fueled fears of a revival of Soviet era-like crackdown on the arts. The Moscow City Court turned down Kirill Sere- brennikov’s appeal against a ruling last week to put him under house arrest, but agreed to allow him a two-hour walk outside the house each day. Serebrennikov was ar- rested last month on charges of embezzlement in St. Peters- burg, where he was shooting a movie, and taken to Moscow under armed escort. For many in Russia, par- ticularly in the arts scene, a photograph of the stunned- looking director, handcuffed and escorted to the court by three burly masked men, came as the ultimate proof that Soviet-style censorship has returned. Investigators are accusing the 47-year old director of scheming to embezzle about $1.1 million in government funds allocated for one of his productions and the projects he championed between 2011 and 2014. Serebrennikov dis- missed the accusations as “absurd and impossible.” The director was briefly detained and questioned in May but investigators stopped short of saying they suspected he was involved. An accountant and one se- nior manager who worked with Serebrennikov are in custody and another man- ager is under house arrest. Marina Davydova, a the- ater critic and a friend of Serebrennikov’s who saw him shortly before the arrest, said he had somewhat anticipated his arrest but did not con- sider fleeing Russia because of his work commitments. In the few months between the questioning in May and his arrest in August, one of Rus- sia’s most sought-after di- rectors staged one opera in Moscow, nearly finished an- other and began filming a movie in St. Petersburg. “Kirill is a creative pow- erhouse,” Davydova told The Associated Press. “They took his passport during the search. He cannot run away from work, he is constrained by it much more than (the ab- sence of a) passport. He is an idealist, he kept saying till the end: So, everything I built here – it’s all for nothing?” Serebrennikov’s cutting- edge productions, which range from drama to opera and movies, have been run- ning against a more conser- vative streak in Russia so- ciety. He’s focused on the little discussed subjects such as official lies, corruption and sex. Though bringing him critical acclaim, his work has been condemned by the more hard-line ele- ments within Russian so- ciety, who protested against the use of state funds to fi- nance his endeavors. In what was largely per- ceived as the first warning shot from his high-placed enemies, the Bolshoi Theater in July canceled a much-an- ticipated ballet about dancer Rudolf Nureyev just three days before the opening night. Despite the numerous reports suggesting other- wise, the Bolshoi denied that the Nureyev ballet, directed by Serebrennikov, had been scrapped because of its frank description of his gay rela- tionships, a taboo under a strict Russian law banning gay propaganda. Russian theater and film director Kirill Serebrennikov waits for the start of hearings in a court in Moscow on Monday. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 Trump vows to reduce income taxes President Donald Trump is calling the U.S. tax code ‘self-destructive’ and says he’ll work with Congress on a plan to simplify it and ‘dramatically’ reduce income taxes for Americans. South Korea simulates attack on North’s nuke site after test UN diplomats call for more sanctions against North Korea NEW YORK (AP) – U.N. Secu- rity Council members called for further sanctions against North Korea on Monday after a powerful nuclear test ex- plosion added another layer of urgency for diplomats wrestling with what to do about the North’s persistent weapons programs. Scheduled after North Korea said it detonated a hy- drogen bomb underground Sunday, the emergency ses- sion comes six days after the council strongly con- demned Pyongyang’s “outra- geous” launch of a ballistic missile over Japan. Less than a month ago, the council im- posed its stiffest sanctions so far on the reclusive nation. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said North Korea’s re- lentless actions show that its leader, Kim Jong Un, is “beg- ging for war,” and the time has come for the council to adopt the strongest diplo- matic measures. “Enough is enough. War is never something the United States wants. We don’t want it now. But our coun- try’s patience is not unlim- ited,” Haley said. Speaking one after the other, diplomats from France, Britain, Italy and elsewhere reiterated demands for the regime to halt its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs and urged fur- ther sanctions. “Pyongyang poses a clear threat to international peace and security,” said Sebas- tiano Cardi, the U.N. am- bassador from Italy, which heads the North Korea sanc- tions compliance com- mittee. He noted that North Korea is the only country to have tested a nuclear device in the 21st century. The North trumpeted “perfect success” Sunday in its sixth nuclear test blast since 2006. Monday’s Security council meeting was requested by the United States, Japan, France, Britain and South Korea. “We cannot waste any more time. And in order to do that, we need North Korea to feel the pressure, but if they go down this road there will be consequences.” Japanese Ambassador Koro Bessho told reporters ahead of the council meeting. French Ambassador Fran- cois Delattre said France was calling for the adoption of new UN sanctions, swift im- plementation of existing ones and new separate sanctions by the European Union. The council aimed to take a big bite out of the North Korean economy earlier this month by banning the North from exporting coal, iron, lead and seafood products. Together those are worth about a third of the country’s $3 billion in exports last year. The council could look to sanction other profitable North Korean exports, such as textiles. Another possibility could be tighter limits on North Korean laborers abroad; the recent sanctions barred giving any new permits for such workers. The U.S. also suggested some other ideas ear- lier this summer, including air and maritime restric- tions and restricting oil to North Korea’s military and weapons programs. Neither North Korea nor South Korea is a Security Council member. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Fol- lowing U.S. warnings to North Korea of a “massive military response,” South Korea fired missiles into the sea to simu- late an attack on the North’s main nuclear test site on Monday, a day after North Korea detonated its largest- ever nuclear test explosion. South Korea’s Defense Ministry also said Monday that North Korea appeared to be planning a future mis- sile launch, possibly of an ICBM, to show off its claimed ability to target the United States with nuclear weapons, though it was unclear when this might happen. The heated words from the United States and the military maneuvers in South Korea are becoming familiar responses to North Korea’s rapid, as-yet unchecked pur- suit of a viable arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles that can strike the United States. The most recent, and perhaps most dramatic, advance came Sunday in an underground test of what leader Kim Jong Un’s government claimed was a hydrogen bomb, the North’s sixth nuclear test since 2006. The United Nations Se- curity Council planned to hold its second emergency meeting about North Korea in a week on Monday to dis- cuss responses to the test. In Seoul, Chang Kyung- soo, an official with South Korea’s Defense Ministry, told lawmakers on Monday that it was seeing prepa- rations in the North for an ICBM test but did not pro- vide details about how of- ficials had reached that as- sessment. Chang also said the yield from the latest nu- clear detonation appeared to be about 50 kilotons, which would mark a “significant in- crease” from North Korea’s past nuclear tests. U.S. threatens to cut off trade In a series of tweets, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to halt all trade with countries doing busi- ness with North Korea, a warning to China, and faulted South Korea for what he called “talk of appeasement.” In response, Chinese For- eign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, told reporters in Beijing on Monday that China regarded as “unac- ceptable a situation in which on the one hand we work to resolve this issue peace- fully but on the other hand our own interests are sub- ject to sanctions and jeopar- dized. This is neither objec- tive nor fair.” South Korea’s military said its live-fire exercise was meant to “strongly warn” North Korea. The drill in- volved F-15 fighter jets and the country’s land-based “Hyunmoo” ballistic missiles firing into the Sea of Japan. The target was set consid- ering the distance to North Korea’s test site and the exer- cise was aimed at practicing precision strikes and cutting off reinforcements, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Each new North Ko- rean missile and nuclear test gives the country’s sci- entists invaluable informa- tion that allows big jumps in capability. North Korea is thought to have a growing ar- senal of nuclear bombs and has spent decades trying to perfect a multistage, long- range missile to eventu- ally carry smaller versions of those bombs. Diplomacy, sanctions fail Both diplomacy and se- vere sanctions have failed to check the North’s de- cades-long march to nu- clear mastery. In Washington, Trump, asked by a reporter if he would attack North Korea, said, “We’ll see.” No U.S. mil- itary action appeared im- minent, and the immediate focus appeared to be on ratcheting up economic pen- alties, which have had little effect thus far. In brief remarks after a White House meeting with Trump and other national se- curity officials, Defense Sec- retary Jim Mattis told re- porters that America does not seek the “total annihila- tion” of North Korea, but then added somberly, “We have many options to do so.” Mattis said the U.S. will answer any threat from the North with a “massive military response – a re- sponse both effective and overwhelming.” Mattis also said the in- ternational community is unified in demanding the denuclearization of the Ko- rean Peninsula and that Kim should know Washington’s commitment to Japan and South Korea is unshakeable. The precise strength of North Korea’s underground nuclear explosion has yet to be determined. South Korea’s weather agency said the ar- tificial earthquake caused by the explosion was five times to six times stronger than tremors generated by the North’s previous five tests. Sunday’s detonation builds on recent North Ko- rean advances that include test launches in July of two ICBMs. The North says its missile development is part of a defensive effort to build a viable nuclear deterrent that can target U.S. cities. North Korea has made a stunning jump in progress in its nuclear and missile programs since Kim rose to power following his father’s death in late 2011. The North followed its two tests of Hwa- song-14 ICBMs. which, when perfected, could target large parts of the United States, by threatening to launch a salvo of Hwasong-12 intermediate range missiles toward the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam in August. It flew a Hwasong-12 over northern Japan last week, the first such overflight by a mis- sile potentially capable of carrying nuclear weapons, in a launch Kim described as a “meaningful prelude” to con- taining Guam, the home of major U.S. military facilities, and vowed to launch more ballistic missile tests tar- geting the Pacific. In this undated image distributed by the North Korean government, leader Kim Jong Un is pictured at an undisclosed location, inspecting the loading of a purported hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile. South Korea’s Hyunmoo II ballistic missile is fired during an exercise at an undisclosed location on Monday. The military said it conducted a live-fire exercise simulating an attack on North Korea’s nuclear test site to ‘strongly warn’ Pyongyang over the latest nuclear test. - PHOTOS: APNext >