ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 High of 90 Low of 80 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 SOME ADVICE ON ‘ADVISORY COUNCILS’: PLEASE, DON’T DO IT LOCAL NEWS | PAGE 2 HUNDREDS TURN OUT FOR FREE HEALTH, CANCER SCREENINGS $ $ GOVERNMENT GETS THROUGH 15 MONTHS OF PR BACKLOG BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Thanks largely to marathon hearings that started on July 31, the Cayman Islands Immi- gration Department has finished considering the vast majority of backlogged permanent residence applications filed between October 2013 and December 2014. Most of those applicants were waiting be- tween two-and-a-half and three years to have their bids to remain in Cayman reviewed. As of last week, the department, along with newly appointed members of the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board, began hearing applications that were filed in 2015. According to immigration consultants and de- partment insiders, it is hoped the backlog of 2015 applications can be heard by the end of this year. The government still has considerable work ahead to finish the entire backlog of MARIA LIKELY TO BECOME HURRICANE MEXICO CITY (AP) – The hurricane-battered is- lands of the Caribbean are facing yet another storm threat: Forecasters said Sunday that Tropical Storm Maria is likely to hit the Lee- ward Islands as a strengthening hurricane by Monday night. Hurricane watches were in effect for many of the very islands still trying to cope with the devastation left by Hurricane Irma, including St. Martin, St. Barts and Antigua and Barbuda. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Maria was likely to grow into a hurricane on SKELETAL REMAINS FOUND IN BODDEN TOWN Police have confirmed that skel- etal remains have been found at a house undergoing renovation work in Bodden Town. The bones were discov- ered by a member of the public, who notified police last week. For more on this story, see page 8. RCIPS helicopter returns from Turks and Caicos aid mission KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officers described resilience in the face of devastation in Cayman’s fellow overseas territory, the Turks and Caicos Islands. Four RCIPS helicopter crew deployed to the northern Caribbean islands on Sept. 8, as the tail end of Hurricane Irma passed over the territory. The RCIPS aircraft was one of the first foreign aid missions to reach the islands. The Cayman officers indicated that for 36 hours, their helicopter was the only vis- ible outside aid in the territory and pro- vided one of the few functional means of communication between the islands. Advanced planning through the U.K.’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Crisis Management Department in London al- lowed the RCIPS crew to deploy just hours after the storm hit, said chief pilot Cap- tain Nigel Pitt. The team hunkered down at the Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba that Friday night and then flew out at first light to the island of Providenciales, more com- monly called Provo, in Turks and Caicos, where recovery work began. “We come over the land and think, OK, this is where all of the junk yards are. Then as we’re coming towards the airport, we re- alize very soon, that wasn’t the junk yards,” Mr. Pitt said. “These are the people who are all out and removed from buildings. It was very colorful. Everyone is out. All of the clothes are out. They are trying to dry all of their clothes.” Officers spent six days on the ground, assisting with security measures and rees- tablishing communications networks. The storm took out all local communications systems on the islands and emergency sat- ellite phones proved difficult to operate. Mr. Pitt said local telecommunications and elec- tricity providers were busy restoring sys- tems, but much work remained to be done. “Communications was the biggest thing they don’t have. In the Cayman Islands, we have HF [high frequency] radios in all of these containers for the Red Cross that have been tested. They were relying on sat- ellite phones and they handed them out the day before. People didn’t know how to use them. They weren’t reliable to communi- cate,” Mr. Pitt said. Officers flew to every island in the ter- ritory, completing 44 flights and 26 hours in the air to assist in welfare checks, trans- portation of personnel, food and water de- livery, and two medical evacuations. They reported no deaths. Crew also accepted personal messages from residents, to contact outside friends and family. Sergeant Neil Mohammed said the helicopter was the fastest and only way to transport aid workers and government personnel in the days after the storm. “It was the first overseas deployment for us. We were very concerned about our Police Commissioner Derek Bryne, fourth from left, poses with RCIPS staff who returned Friday following the force’s first overseas mission in the wake of Hurricane Irma, and other police personnel. - PHOTOS: ALVARO SEREY The RCIPS helicopter returns with four crew members from the force’s first foreign aid mission to Turks and Caicos. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 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. - MONDAY - IT (R) 12:30 VIP I 3:50 | 6:30 VIP | 7:05 | 9:40 VIP THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD (R) 7:05 I 9:45 GIRLS TRIP (R) 4:00 I 9:55 DARK TOWER (PG13) 1:30 THE NUT JOB 2 3D (PG) 12:30 2D I 2:50 I 5:10 2D I 7:30 2D I 9:50 AMERICAN ASSASSIN (R) 12:55 I 3:40 VIP I 7:10 I 10:05 MOTHER! (R) 1:05 I 3:55 I 6:55 I 10:00 Visiting Gynecologist will be available for consultation at Dr. Vivek's o ce at Smith Road Plaza from 14-29 September, 2017 For appointments please call (345)746-6082 www.drbarryrichter.com KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Healthcare professionals offered a rare opportunity Saturday for residents to ask questions and discuss healthy living in a casual environment. Hundreds benefitted from free health screenings and advice at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort for the fifth “Conquering Cancer” symposium, hosted every other year by the Cayman Is- lands Cancer Society. “This is the health fair where the doctors are giving talks to real people, the con- sumers and other organi- zations. Charities and busi- nesses that are health related come here to be exhibi- tors and help the commu- nity in every way to learn more and raise awareness for cancer, and just better gen- eral health,” said the Cancer Society’s operations manager, Jennifer Weber. Local and visiting clini- cians offered screenings for oral, breast and prostate can- cers, as well as testing for body mass index, choles- terol and glucose. Dr. Sook Yin explained that while medical staff could not diagnosis illnesses at the fair, they were able to start important and perhaps life-saving processes. “The whole fair is basi- cally about getting doctors to meet with patients out of the context of being in an of- fice. This takes the stigma away by just talking in gen- eral. People don’t want to go see a doctor because they are scared of what they might be told,” Dr. Yin said. “We want to get them at stage one. At stage one, you cut the lump out and that could be it.” Ms. Weber shared the story of one woman who learned how to do a breast self-exam at the 2015 fair. The knowledge led to a successful breast cancer diagnosis. A lump found during a home exam prompted her to request a mammogram voucher from the cancer so- ciety, making the test more affordable and accessible. “While we are never happy that anybody has cancer, it did make us feel like, ‘wow, you are exactly the reason why we do this event.’ Had she not met that vol- unteer and checked herself, she might not have detected it for some period of time,” Ms. Weber said. Dr. Yin said awareness programs have been suc- cessful at increasing early detection. Each October, during Breast Cancer Aware- ness Month, she said there is a spike in diagnosis, due to greater focus on the issue. This year’s event felt some disruption from Hurri- cane Irma, as doctors based in Florida struggled to se- cure flights for the trip. As a result, several local doctors from Health City and CTMH Doctors Hospital stepped in on short notice to pro- vide public presentations on cancer prevention. “We had lots of over- seas hospitals (as spon- sors). Unfortunately, they’re all in Florida, in Miami. So all of them were severely impacted by Hurricane Irma. So up until yesterday, we didn’t know who was coming and who was not,” Ms. Weber said. One Florida oncologist who made the trip, Dr. Omar Rashid of Holy Cross Hos- pital, provided insight on life- style choices and cultural in- fluence on cancer risk. “Diet is so cultural. In terms of Caribbean foods, you think, how can I live and enjoy being in the Cayman Islands, for example, and at the same time be healthy? There are subtle little changes you can do, being aware of the value of certain things like carbohydrates,” Dr. Rashid said. “People worry about sugar, for example. It’s the high energy sugars that are bad for you, like in sodas, as opposed to whole grains or beans. You can eat fish but when you eat fish that’s been fried, it’s not going to help you. Fish that has been blackened with a lot of barbecuing is not helpful. Smoking is not good.” He encouraged the public to establish an on- going relationship with their doctor to assess cancer risk and complete recom- mended screenings. During the health fair’s opening ceremony, govern- ment officials declared the day Cancer Awareness Day in the Cayman Islands. The event will be officially recog- nized in future as a day for national cancer education. Hundreds turn out for free health, cancer screenings Webster sentencing postponed again CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A sentencing hearing for Errington Webster, found guilty of indecency charges involving a girl in her early teens, has been postponed again, until Nov. 9. Webster has been in cus- tody since a jury returned guilty verdicts on three counts of indecent assault on the girl, and one count of gross indecency. The girl re- corded the indecent act on her cellphone and the jury viewed that video as part of the Crown’s evidence. The jury returned their verdicts on June 20 and sentencing was set for Aug. 25 so that a social inquiry report and victim impact report could be prepared. In August, Justice Charles Quin acknowledged that sentencing was not straight- forward. He indicated that Webster, 55, faced the pos- sibility of a long term of imprisonment, a cost order and a request for conditions after release from custody. Crown counsel Dar- lene Oko, who conducted the prosecution’s case, sug- gested devoting half a day to the sentencing hearing. The judge said all three as- pects of the hearing were significant and would prob- ably take a full day. Sentencing was then scheduled for Sept. 14, but all parties accepted that this date might not give enough time to reflect on the issues. Defense attorney Steve McField also advised the court of his com- mitments. After subsequent discussion with counsel, at Justice Quin’s request, the November date was set. In Webster’s case, the re- quested cost order relates to expenses incurred because he called an expert wit- ness who explained the de- fense of automatism – Web- ster acting involuntarily and being unable to exercise any control over his actions. This condition was said to have been brought about by the interaction of his blood pres- sure medication with grape- fruit juice and other ingre- dients in a “belly fat flush” drink he had been taking the day the girl took the video. The Crown had to incur extra costs in calling a psychi- atrist and a forensic toxicolo- gist to reply to this testimony. The request for a condi- tions of release order would be to protect the public or a particular member of the public from sexual harm, which could be physical or psychological. JURY NOTICE All Grand Court jurors who are in the July–October ses- sion are advised that the report date of Monday, Sept. 18, has been changed. Jurors are now to report for duty on Tuesday, Sept. 19. at 9:45 a.m. Call the Jury Information line at 244-3899 for the most up-to-date information or email jury@judicial.ky. Health professionals offered free glucose and cholesterol testing during Saturday’s health fair. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY Dr. Sook Yin, Governor Helen Kilpatrick, Betty Ann Duty, Jennifer Ahearn, Health Minister Dwayne Seymour and Miss Cayman Anika Conolly gather at the Conquering Cancer health fair at the Marriott hotel on Saturday. - PHOTO: VICKI LEGGE Doctors Omar Rashid, Sook Yin and Vivek Patel offered visitors health tips and insight. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 NOTICE THE DORMANT ACCOUNTS LAW, 2010 (Section 6) Name of financial institution: CICSA Cooperative Credit Union Ltd Address of financial institution: P.O. Box 1450 58 Huldah Ave, George Town Grand Cayman KY1-1110 Change of name, if any, of the financial institution: None The public is hereby given notice that CICSA Cooperative Credit Union Ltd holds the following dormant accounts: The public is also hereby given notice of the following – 1. Unless one or more of the following transactions are effected on a dormant account listed above on or before 31 December 2017, the monies in the dormant account will be transferred to the general revenue of the Islands without further notice – a) increase or decrease the amount held in the financial institution; b) present the passbook or other record for the crediting of interest or dividends in respect of the items enumerated in section 4(6)(a) and (b) of the Dormant Accounts Law, 2010; c) correspond in writing with the financial institution concerning the monies; d) in the case of a trust, make a claim under the trust; or e) otherwise indicate an interest in the monies as evidenced by a memorandum concerning the monies written by the financial institution. 2. Subject to the Dormant Accounts Law, 2010, on the transfer of the monies in the dormant account to the general revenue of the islands, the dormant account holder will no longer have any right against the financial institution to repayment of the monies transferred, but the dormant account holder will have against the Government such right to repayment of the monies transferred that the dormant account holder would have had against the financial institution. 3. Any interested person should contact the financial institution mentioned above to establish if that person is a dormant account holder. Corinne Glasgow Chief Executive Officer Dated this 10th day of July 2017 “Interest paid by a financial institution on monies held in the financial institution shall not be regarded as a transaction which increases the amount held in the financial institution pursuant to section 4(5) of the Dormant Accounts Law, 2010”. Member Number Date Opened Member Number Date Opened Member Number Date Opened Member Number Date Opened Member Number Date Opened Member Number Date Opened 8681-Jan-99379124-Apr-962157615-Feb-023034625-Apr-036690214-Feb-08736195-Feb-09 21751-Jan-99516710-Jun-992172521-Dec-013134418-Jun-03673067-Mar-08746909-Apr-09 28901-Jan-99732821-Apr-062402631-Oct-06394386-May-046737111-Mar-087699225-Aug-09 344414-Jan-0097877-Feb-002402625-Apr-02649077-Nov-076802311-Apr-08784692-Dec-09 34804-Feb-00133911-Jun-012591624-Sep-02665711-Feb-08699067-Aug-088075431-Mar-10 353515-Sep-951928110-May-022770622-Jul-03666705-Feb-087064929-Sep-088076231-Mar-10 808957-Apr-1048521-Jan-99254945-Aug-02410128-Jul-045454420-Apr-06The 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. MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS The territory’s Constitutional Commission is calling for the creation of “Advisory District Councils” to act as intermediaries between elected representatives and their constituents. This is one call that lawmakers should let ring, and ring, and ring … without picking up. Back in 2011, when current Premier Alden McLaughlin was Leader of the Opposition, he put the kibosh on a legislative proposal by then-Premier McKeeva Bush (now Speaker of the House) to create the advisory councils. At the time, Mr. McLaughlin’s PPM party argued the councils would serve as political props for Mr. Bush’s United Democratic Party. As recent history teaches us, politics not only makes strange bedfellows, but also makes for strange politics. Somehow, the advisory council idea crept into the 2017 election manifesto of Premier McLaughlin’s party, now with the idea of giving each council a budget and spending authority “to fix the small irritants in their communities that matter most to them and which may be overlooked by central government or simply take too long to correct.” Small irritants? Have we turned into a country of com- plainers? Already in place are the roles of a “complaints commissioner” (the post is currently vacant), an “infor- mation commissioner,” a “human rights commissioner,” and let’s not forget the “anti-corruption commissioner.” On top of all that, when citizens have a “small irritant,” they are best advised to take it up with the department – we have dozens of them – that may themselves be doing the irritating. Last week, we welcomed the island’s first “ombudsman,” Sandy Hermiston, who will try to make some sense of all this. Premier McLaughlin was correct back in 2011. He should flop back from this recent flip. Supporters of the councils say they will make the 19 MLAs more accountable to the public. We support the goal, but not the proposed means. We highly doubt that “greater accountability” will be achieved by creating yet another level of government. How much government do Caymanians want? Perhaps that is the wrong question. We will rephrase it. How much government do Caymanians need? Already, the Cayman Islands are awash in legislators (who are awash in portfolios), chief officers, councils, com- missions, consultants, tribunals, working groups, dozens and dozens of boards, thousands of civil servants, more than 20 “statutory authorities,” a bunch of government- owned money-losing businesses and other assorted col- lections of committees and advisory bodies. Good Heavens! Adding another variety of appointed (i.e., unelected) citizen panels (especially ones with money to spend) would constitute at best useless appendages and at worst breeding grounds for parochialism and insularity. Certainly, district councils would add a “protective layer” distancing elected representatives, who don’t need to be protected, from their voters. It would further shift the focus of the body politic in two undesirable directions – inward and divided along lines of artificial “mini-dis- tricts,” rather than the ideal – outward and unified. We do not have hordes of people in the Cayman Islands – perhaps 65,000. Our 19 members of the Legislative Assembly in 2017 stood before 21,226 registered voters, only about 18,400 of whom actually cast ballots. For perspective, the average U.S. congressman repre- sents 450,000 registered voters. The average U.K. par- liamentary constituency contains about 70,000 eligible voters. And in the Cayman Islands, elected members, on average, represent about 1,100 potential voters in their home “mini-districts.” (Some have far fewer: North Side and East End are each home to about 700 voters; Cayman Brac East has about 500.) Given the nature and culture of our islands, elected representatives are on a first-name basis with many, if not most, of their constituents. They interact with them regularly in churches, watering holes, supermarkets, and at petrol pumps. And let’s not forget the “constit- uent offices” that elected members lease (at taxpayers’ expense) and political party headquarters. In particle physics, we certainly know what “matter” is, and we think we know what “anti-matter” is, which leads us to this question: Is it possible that Cayman can possibly have more government “representatives” than we have people? It certainly appears we’re headed in that direction. Some advice on ‘advisory councils’: Please, don’t do it The Paul Ryan problem Nice guys are no match for the ruthless ways of their opponents RICHARD RAHN It is tough to play hard- ball with your friends. Have you ever known someone who was exceptionally smart, very personable and highly accomplished, but was not particularly good at man- aging a large number of inde- pendently minded people? I have. His name is Paul Ryan. Speaker of the House Ryan has a job that he did not seek and said he did not want. Unlike most members of Congress, Mr. Ryan is very knowledgeable about most of the issues he deals with – he is a bit of policy wonk. He has a solid understanding of economics, and especially tax economics. Yet for all his knowl- edge and experience, he (and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell) has lost control of the schedule. Many times, we all heard Mr. Ryan and Mr. McConnell say if they won a majority of Repub- licans in the Congress and the White House they would get things done in an orderly fashion. In particular, they said they would go back to “regular order,” which meant that the Budget Act would be complied with. The budget is supposed to be passed by a date certain in the spring, and the various appropri- ations chairmen and their committees are supposed to work out the spending in each of their specific areas (e.g., defense, state, treasury, etc.) by a date certain before the new fiscal year. This is in contrast to what has been happening in recent years where the budgets are not agreed to or passed late, and all of the spending bills get lumped into one huge bill or a continuing resolution. This sets up the reoccurring threat of a “government” shutdown. If each bill were passed on time and separately, indi- vidual government depart- ments could shut down but not the whole government. I like Paul Ryan, as most everyone who meets him does (he once told me the first time we met was when he was a 17-year-old intern for Jack Kemp). He is a gen- uine, nice and decent man with real principles – the type of person you would like to have as a friend or neighbor. But he now has a job where you need to be very tough with your friends, which could mean re- moving them from positions of power within the Con- gress, or taking away dis- cretionary benefits. Lyndon Johnson understood how to use power when he was Senate majority leader. He was not particularly well- liked and not a nice man, but he got things done. Managing largely inde- pendent people is tough, es- pecially when you cannot fire them or cut or increase their pay. (Those of us who have tried to manage college faculty know the problem.) Mr. Ryan and Mr. McConnell made a huge mistake when they let the calendar (reg- ular order) get away from them. Imagine if they had said to their colleagues, “We are serious about getting things done on time, and if they are not done on time, we will cancel the recesses and stay in session until they are done.” Like every family, members of Congress like to plan their vacations, reserve the hotels or resorts and lock up their airline tickets. You can well imagine what their spouses and children would say to them if they announced the family vacation was can- celed because they had not done their job on time. Paul Ryan is not the type of guy who would want to spoil anyone’s vacation, but because he gave in on one of those things within his con- trol – the calendar – he found himself in a big pickle, with the debt limit and budget all coming together at the same time. President Trump, who is not as nice as Mr. Ryan but a get-it-done fellow, made a deal with the Democrats, which would have never been necessary if Mr. Ryan and Mr. McConnell had done their jobs on time. Students, members of the military, and workers in the private sector are usually penalized, or worse, for not meeting crit- ical deadlines. Why should members of Congress and their leaders get a free pass? Both Mr. Ryan and Mr. McConnell are too beholden to the traditional way of doing things, unlike their op- ponents. The official revenue “scoring” office in Congress has had a dismal record with Obamacare and with tax cut projections. Their models do not sufficiently account for how much people’s be- havior changes over a period of years because of change in tax rates, both positive and negative. Yes, a tax cut increases the deficit in the short run, but I am willing to bet that any corporate rate cut down to 15 percent will “pay for itself” within 10 years owing to increased economic growth. Paul Ryan understands this, but at the moment appears to be holding himself hostage to the flaky numbers from the congressional tax office. Mr. McConnell continues to defend the filibuster even though it is almost certain the Democrats will get rid of it whenever they regain con- trol of the Senate. Mr. Mc- Connell and Mr. Ryan may be old-school gentlemen, but their opponents are not. Draining the swamp will not come from people who do not want to offend the Wash- ington establishment. Will Paul Ryan decide that ful- filling promises he and other made is ultimately more im- portant than being popular with the Washington elite? Richard W. Rahn is chairman of Improbable Success Productions and on the board of the American Council for Capital Formation. © 2017, The Washington Times, LLC. RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 Road User BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, Cayman Brac Tel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life Our comprehensive cover is now even more generous. Free roadside assistance comes with your Road User comprehensive insurance from BritCay. 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CALL 949-8699 or visit www.britcay.ky cgigrp $250* CERTIFICATE WITH BUILDINGS INSURANCE *$250 BritCay gift certificate applies to new buildings insurance policies only . 10-year sentence for bullets was unlawful, judge says Ruling expected to impact sentence for Jay Calvert Ebanks, who pleaded guilty CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A decade-long sentence was “clearly unlawful” for possession of unlicensed am- munition, Justice Michael Wood said after hearing a recent appeal on behalf of a woman who received a 10-year jail term on the basis that it was the man- datory minimum. Justice Wood heard ar- guments from defense at- torney Margeta Facey- Clarke in June; he dismissed the appeal against convic- tion, but allowed the appeal against sentence. He substituted a sentence of three months for posses- sion of four rounds of am- munition, but made it con- secutive to a three-month sentence for possessing ganja with intent to supply. The ef- fect was a total sentence of six months. The defendant, Kimesha Walters, had been in custody 14 months. She had pleaded guilty to the ganja charge, but not guilty to the ammunition. The definition of firearm in the Firearms Law 2008 includes “any ammunition capable of being used in any firearm.” The section dealing with mandatory minimum sen- tences, however, specifically refers to machine guns, sub- machine guns, rifles, shot- guns, “or any other lethal barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other missile can be discharged.” Ammunition by itself is not in this list, Ms. Facey- Clarke pointed out. Therefore, 10 years for four rounds of ammuni- tion “is unknown to law and is an illegal sentence,” she submitted. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright conceded that the 10-year minimum did not apply to ammunition, but he opposed the appeal against conviction. Justice Wood agreed that Magistrate Grace Don- alds had correctly identi- fied and applied the burden and standard of proof. She had considered and rejected the idea that the defendant’s DNA could be on the bul- lets because of secondary transfer, and there was other evidence supporting the DNA evidence. The judge’s order and the counsels’ written submis- sions were made public on Wednesday, Sept. 13. That was just in time to serve as an authority in the sentencing of Jay Cal- vert Ebanks, who was sched- uled for sentencing on Thursday, Sept. 14. On Aug. 25, a jury found Ebanks not guilty of pos- sessing an unlicensed firearm with two rounds of am- munition in it. Police ob- tained a search warrant and on Aug. 25, 2016, found the loaded gun in the toilet tank in Ebanks’s mother’s bed- room suite. Another man’s DNA was found on the gun, but not Ebanks’s. Police also found 10 bullets in Ebanks’s bedroom. They were of a dif- ferent caliber and would not have fit the gun; he said he had found them while walking his dog and he pleaded guilty. Ebanks pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, 2017, to having possession of the bullets without a license. After the not guilty verdict for possession of the gun, he was still kept in custody be- cause he had not been sen- tenced for the bullets. On Thursday, Mr. Wain- wright drew Justice Charles Quin’s attention to the ruling of Justice Wood. He also pointed out that Ebanks was entitled to credit for his guilty plea. He said Ebanks’s of- fense had crossed the custody threshold, but he had been in custody since his arrest. Defense attorney Laurence Aiolfi suggested that Ebanks “has served his sentence sev- eral times over.” Justice Quin said he wanted to give a written de- cision because this was an important case. He initially remanded Ebanks in continued cus- tody until Monday morning, but after further submis- sions by Mr. Aiolfi, the judge agreed to give Ebanks bail until sentencing. Justice Wood’s order and the counsels’ written submissions were made public on Wednesday, Sept. 13. New program offers theological certification KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new theological educa- tion program will start this month, offering non-denom- inational leadership training in Christian ministry work. Courses range from intro- ductory certification to a doc- torate of ministry. The Centre for Theological Leadership Training plans to offer its first three-semester certification course in theo- logical leadership on Sept. 26. “This course is meant for anybody in a leadership po- sition in churches, as well as those who want to learn about the Bible,” said the training center’s director, the Rt. Rev- erend P.J. Lawrence. “It’s a very timely, needed program.” Classes will meet three times a week. The first se- mester will cover the Old and New Testaments, church his- tory, gospel, evangelism and Christian leadership in the Caymanian context, among other topics. Doctorate seminars, for those with more than 10 years of ministry experience, begin Oct. 23 at the University Col- lege of the Cayman Islands. Doctorate applicants should have a diploma or degree in theology. Work- shops will be offered for those who need supplemen- tary coursework. The doctorate program is three years and will be pre- sented through a series of five-day workshops and sem- inars. The October seminar will focus on leadership and mission work, and developing writing and research skills. Reverend Lawrence, who will teach the classes along with two other instructors, has an extensive background in ministry work across the world. He first came to the Caribbean in 1990 as part of the United Church in Ja- maica and the Cayman Is- lands. He served as director of the church in the Cayman Islands from 2000-2006. After filling similar roles in India and Mauritius, Reverend Lawrence has returned to Cayman to be close to family. Instructor Mike Bow- erman said the coursework will have offerings for ev- eryone, from laypeople to pastors and ministers. “Basi- cally, it’s to enable them to be better equipped and trained as Christian church leaders so they do a more effective job,” Mr. Bowerman said. The center describes its mission as providing “theolog- ical education for ministerial formation and transforma- tional leadership by equipping the people of God in higher learning and critical thinking.” The Centre for Theolog- ical Leadership Training is a partner of the ACTS Academy of Higher Education in Ban- galore, India. The academy is affiliated with Switzerland’s International Council for Higher Education. For more information about class costs, dates and availability, call Reverend Lawrence at 922-3902 or visit www.ctlt.ky. Classes will meet three times a week. The first semester will cover the Old and New Testaments, church history, gospel, evangelism and Christian leadership in the Caymanian context, among other topics. The recent appeal of a sentence for possession of unlicenced ammunition served as authority in a separate firearms case.6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Check out these photos and others by visiting caymancompass.com. Clad in togas and tuxedos, supporters of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre gathered at Ris- torante Pappagallo restaurant in West Bay Sat- urday night for the “Opa! My Big Fat Greek Gala!” fun- draiser. Guests were invited to don full Grecian attire or traditional black tie, and there were plenty of togas and floral garlands in evidence. Brian Tang and Melissa Lim The Gala Committee poses in Greek finery: Lauren Christie, Nancy Harrison, Julie Hughes, Ania Milanowska, Karen Scott, Tinda Blackmore and Ronan O’Keeffe - PHOTOS: MAGGIE JACKSON The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre team: Natalie Baldwin, Ania Milanowska, Valeria Banks, Camila Ferreira and Evelin Mena Andrew Barker, Bicrom and Vicki Das, Daniella and Marco Calleja Chris Glasgow, Erin Caruana, Sarah Lewis, Rachel Gaunt and Susan Jones Doris Castro, Gardolene Carter and Melissa Durant Killian Everard and Jess DeegenaarsBella Ghinea and Ronnie James Hughes Elaine Cudlipp, Tamarin Wilson, Cameron Macleod and Katie Euter Sue and Tallis Wessels7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 Rubis Top Student rewards young people with financial support KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Young nominees in the Rubis Top Student chal- lenge faced steep compe- tition this year. Nomina- tions came in from every school in the Cayman Is- lands for the second year of the awards program, demon- strating the islands’ breadth of young talent. In the end, only a few points separated the grand prize winner from nine fellow finalists. The program, launched last year in Cayman, rewards students ages 7-12 with grant money to support their passion in sports, music, art and academics. Xhalecia Grayson, 11, of Wesleyan Christian Academy took home the top prize, $5,000, for her dedication to singing, music and school. She will represent the Rubis corporate office this year. “I wanted to buy a com- puter and speakers so I would be able to write my own music and everything. Overall, winning the $5,000 was kind of surprising be- cause there were a lot of good people in there, so I thought someone else could win it in- stead of me. So it was very surprising,” she said after the awards ceremony at the Na- tional Gallery of the Cayman Islands on Thursday eve- ning, Sept. 14. “[I’m] excited because I al- ways wanted to get a laptop so I could be able to do the things I wanted to do. I wanted to be able to get extra lessons at the Cayman Music School.” Nine other students were awarded $1,000 each. Final- ists included Amina Sureta, Amiah Myles, Garson Gar- diner, Jade Barnard, Moriah Praise Padua, Rianna Rankin, Draecen Burton, Rian Vivas and Lindsay Hydes. Each student will rep- resent a Rubis store on is- land for the year as part of their prize. Three students from Light- house School were also recog- nized. Jevano Style, Sharyah Williams and Devano Style were honored for their in- terest in music. These stu- dents will benefit from a Rubis grant to support a music program at the school. “When we received the submissions, we were so overwhelmed that these kids stepped out of their comfort zones and did the particular program for us, that we de- cided to award all three of them tonight. We’re going to give the Lighthouse School a grant toward a music pro- gram,” said Jermaine Sharpe, head of sales and mar- keting for Rubis. Minister of Culture Dwayne Seymour praised the students for strong submis- sions and talents. “You have all demon- strated that you excelled in your areas of interests, whether it’s academics, sports or culture and arts. I’m very impressed by each of the entries. I also want you to know how proud you have made your parents, families, teachers and classmates,” Mr. Seymour said. “You are a shining ex- ample of the quality of stu- dents we have in schools across the Cayman Islands.” The students received words of praise from several other government officials, including Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, as well as encouragement by video from notable Caymanians, such as Miss Cayman Islands Anika Conolly. Acting Minister of Educa- tion Barbara Conolly encour- aged initiatives like the Rubis Top Student awards to sup- port youth development. “I’m a firm believer that youth need opportunities to develop their God-given tal- ents. As a community, it is our job to provide those expe- riences. I commend Rubis for making talent development more accessible for the stu- dents selected and lightening the financial burden to their families,” Ms. Conolly said. Following the awards cer- emony, attendees were treated to a Rubis’s 5th anniversary celebration and Chamber of Commerce after-hours party with music and food on the National Gallery lawn. Cayman Enterprise City suing two tenants Seeking $178K in allegedly unpaid rent KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Enterprise City is suing two of its ten- ants, Byzantium Interna- tional Ltd. and Bardi Ltd., for allegedly not paying some US$178,000 in rent. According to CEC’s claim, the special economic zone entered into an agreement with Byzantium and Bardi on March 8, 2015 for the compa- nies to lease CEC’s Flagship Building in central George Town for US$9,378 per month. Later that year, Byzantium and Bardi – the former firm is a precious metals brokerage and the latter is a biotech- nology consulting company – asked to move into a smaller space in order to save money, states the claim form posted on the financial services web- site OffshoreAlert. Although the licensing agreement did not permit such a move, CEC told the companies that it would allow them to lease a smaller space at a reduced fee “as a gesture of goodwill,” ac- cording to the claim form. CEC stated that in Jan- uary 2016 it notified Byzan- tium Managing Director John Buck that it found another client to move into the Flag- ship space and offered the companies a smaller space at US$4,104 per month. “As far as our space, it is UN [sic] important where it is, as we will only be using when on island,” Mr. Buck responded, according to the claim form, “so put us in the closet if you need to.” Despite receiving the lower licensing fees, the two companies are still in arrears for more than US$178,000, states CEC, a special eco- nomic zone sanctioned by government to provide in- vestment incentives to busi- nesses that open offices there. Along with that amount, CEC is seeking interest and costs from Byzantium and Bardi. Ten Rubis Top Student winners and three students honored from Lighthouse School pose with Rubis representatives after Thursday’s awards ceremony. - PHOTOS: KAYLA YOUNG Xhalecia Grayson, 11, holds her trophies after winning the top award for $5,000 during the second annual Rubis Top Student.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS brothers and sisters in the overseas territories. Some of us knew some of the police officers over there, so we were quite eager to get out there and see what was happening there,” Mr. Mohammed said. “We were welcomed and the entire population, from the governor to the person working on the [airport] ramp, were very apprecia- tive. They were also kind and helpful. It just made our job so much easier.” He described the de- struction as being similar to Ivan, with most struc- tures damaged and many homes left without roofs. “Fortunately in Turks, I didn’t see any of the wide- spread looting or general unrest that is seen on the streets of some of the other islands. We were very for- tunate that all we encoun- tered was a lot of damage and people who are pres- ently homeless and living under the elements at this time,” he said. Mr. Pitt agreed that the impact in Grand Turk and South Caicos, two of the hardest hit islands in the territory, did not appear to be as severe as in Barbuda, Anguilla or the British Virgin Islands. He hoped the mission would better inform officers on disaster relief and pro- vide insight for future events in the Cayman Islands. “It could have been us. It could have been an- other Ivan and we’d ex- pect the same sort of help,” Mr. Pitt said. The Royal Canadian Navy Frigate HMCS St. John’s was deployed to take over helicopter operations Thursday. The RCIPS crew briefed its Canadian coun- terpart before flying back to Grand Cayman, where the team landed safely Friday afternoon. more than 1,100 residency applications filed between Oct. 26, 2013 and mid-June 2017, when officials resumed hearing those cases. A number of legal con- cerns raised during 2014 and 2015 regarding how the gov- ernment was processing the applications served to delay hearings for about two-and- a-half years. Decisions have been made in 235 residency cases so far. In addition, another 19 ap- plications have either been withdrawn by the applicant or thrown out because they were filed late. That combined number, 254, represents about one quarter of the entire perma- nent residency backlog. So far, about 62 percent of all the applications heard by government have been ap- proved, but there is a marked difference from the approvals made during the initial board hearings in June and July and the determinations later on in which Immigration De- partment staff was involved. Since July 31, when the department began almost daily reviews of the resi- dency applications, nearly 70 percent of those have been approved. During the two months prior, the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board – holding one meeting per week – denied about 70 percent of applications it considered. In an open letter posted on various social media sites, former board chairman Waide DaCosta stated he was “not a proponent” of the per- manent residency scheme the legislature approved in late 2013. Mr. DaCosta said, not- withstanding a “cumbersome application process,” he be- lieved it was easier for ap- plicants to obtain residency under the new system. The October 2013 resi- dency system requires appli- cants to obtain a total of 110 points to succeed, compared to the former system that re- quired only 100 points. The total number of per- manent residence applica- tions filed each year also dropped sharply after the current Immigration Law came into force. Since the Immigration Department staff began re- viewing the residency bids, between 30-40 applica- tions have been decided each week. The board was getting through five or six cases each week. If the current hearing schedule proceeds, the entire backlog should be cleared up by next summer. Sunday and swell into major hurricane status by mid- week as it heads for Puerto Rico, the Dominican Re- public and Haiti. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph Sunday afternoon. It was cen- tered about 405 miles south- east of the Lesser Antilles and was heading west-north- west at 15 mph. The Hurricane Center said hurricane conditions should begin to affect parts of the Leeward Islands by Monday night, with storm surge raising water levels by 4 to 6 feet near the storm’s center. The storm is likely to bring 6 to 12 inches of rain across the islands, with more in isolated areas. Meanwhile, long-lived Hurricane Jose was moving northward off the U.S. At- lantic Seaboard, kicking up dangerous surf and rip cur- rents. But it was not expected to make landfall. It was centered about 355 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Caro- lina, and was moving north at 9 mph. It had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. In the Pacific, Tropical Storm Norma’s threat to Mexico’s Los Cabos area ap- peared to be easing. Fore- casters said the storm was weakening and its center was likely to remain offshore. The storm had winds of about 45 mph and it was centered about 140 miles south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas. That area was hit two weeks ago by Tropical Storm Lidia, which flooded streets and homes and killed at least four people. The Baja California Sur state government readied storm shelters and can- celed classes for Monday as well as calling off a Mex- ican Independence Day mil- itary parade in the state capital, La Paz. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lee slipped back to tropical depression force in the Atlantic and Tropical Storm Otis was gaining force fall out in the Pacific. Neither threatened land. Maria likely to become hurricane CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Damaged boats litter the Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour, Thursday, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Virgin Gorda, in the British Virgin Islands. – PHOTO: GUILLERMO HOUWER VIA AP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 RCIPS helicopter returns from Turks and Caicos aid mission CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Government gets through 15 months of PR backlog Pilot Nigel Pitt said one of the top priorities in Turks and Caicos was re-establishing communications systems. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY Skeletal remains found in Bodden Town Police are investigating the discovery of skeletal re- mains at a house in Bodden Town, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has confirmed. A member of the public notified police last week that bones had been found at the site. The remains will un- dergo forensic tests to de- termine how long they have been in the ground and how old they are. Over a number of days last week, Scientific Support Branch officers were at the scene of the house on Bodden Town Road, sifting sand and dirt. RCIPS spokeswoman Jacqueline Carpenter is- sued a statement Friday, saying: “Earlier in the week a member of the public no- tified the RCIPS about some skeletal remains found on a property in Bodden Town. “The RCIPS, assisted by Customs, has carried out a search of the grounds and recovered additional bones; these will undergo forensic anthropological testing to establish the age of the bones and next investiga- tive steps, if any.” Officers worked under- neath two white tents at the seaside house, which had been damaged in Hur- ricane Ivan. The house has recently been undergoing renovation work. A member of the public notified police last week that bones had been found at the site. Irma’s damage a reminder of Florida economy’s vulnerability WASHINGTON (AP) – Florida’s economy has long thrived on one import above all: People. Until Irma struck this month, the state was adding nearly 1,000 residents a day – 333,471 in the past year, akin to absorbing a city the size of St. Louis or Pittsburgh. Every job-seeker, retiree or new birth, along with billions spent by tourists, helped fuel Florida’s propulsive growth and economic gains. Yet Hurricane Irma’s de- structive floodwaters re- newed fears about how to manage the state’s popula- tion boom as the risks of cli- mate change intensify. Rising sea levels and spreading flood plains have magnified the vul- nerabilities for the legions of people who continue to move to Florida and the state economy they have sustained. Florida faces an urgent need to adapt to the envi- ronmental changes, said Jesse Keenan, a lecturer at Harvard University who re- searches the effects of rising sea levels on cities. “A lot is going to change in the next 30 years – this is just the beginning,” Keenan said. People might need to live further inland, Keenan said, and employers might have to relocate to higher ground, with the resulting competition between offices and housing driving up land prices. It would become harder to ad- equately insure houses built along canals. Traffic delays could worsen across parts of Florida as more roads flood. Developers might shift away from sprawling sub- urban tracts toward denser urban pockets that are better equipped to manage floods. At the same time, the be- lief remains firm among some developers and econo- mists that for all the threats from rising water levels, the state’s population influx will continue with scarcely any interruption. The allure of lower taxes and easier living, the thinking goes, should keep drawing a flow of resi- dents and vacationers. “Irma doesn’t change the fact that there is no state in- come tax,” said Sean Snaith, director of the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Economic Competitiveness. “In a few months, when the first Alberta Clipper starts blowing down cold weather across the United States and it’s 80 degrees and sunny down here, the memories of Irma will be blown away.” Certainly, the influx of people has been testament to that appeal. After slowing when the housing bubble burst in 2007, the population has marched steadily up- ward. The number of Florid- ians, now above 20 million, is projected to hit 24 million by 2030, with more than half the increase coming from retiring baby boomers. Many of them first experienced Florida as tourists. More than 112 mil- lion people visited the state last year – a 33 percent in- crease over the past decade. All of which means that compared with Hurricane Andrew 25 years ago, Irma struck a far more densely packed state.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 Beer flowing in Munich: Millions head to Oktoberfest Mayor Dieter Reiter inserted the tap into the first keg Saturday with two blows of his hammer and the cry of ‘O’zapft is’ – ‘It’s tapped.’ About 6 million visitors are expected at the 184th Oktoberfest. Visitors can expect to pay about $13 for a big mug of beer – 25 cents more than last year. Do you need beautiful, durable 100% Rustproof Patio or Pool Furniture? We have lots of it in Sling or Strap sets. Many colors to choose from. Available at Cayman Home and Garden Ltd. Eucalyptus Building #4 Shedden Road PH/Fax 949-8638 or 916-1018 FREE DELIVERY FREE DELIVERY Unit #125 Cannon Place GT (Formerly Mirco Centre) caymankarateacademy@gmail.com www.caymankarateacademy.com Telephone: 926-5425 Back to School SPECIAL 1 Week Trial Program Including Uniform for $ 29 UK lowers official terrorist threat level after 2nd arrest LONDON (AP) – The British government lowered the country’s official terrorist threat level Sunday after a second man was arrested in connection with the attack on a London subway train where a bomb partially exploded. The downgrading of the threat level from “critical” to “severe” means authorities no longer believe an attack is imminent. The “severe” clas- sification, the second highest level of alert, is based on the assessment that an attack is “highly likely.” Home Secretary Amber Rudd said the easing of the alert indicates that po- lice and security services are making “good progress” in the sprawling investi- gation into the attack on a subway train that injured 30 people during the rush hour Friday morning. Rudd cautioned that the investigation was ongoing. Police announced the second arrest early Sunday, offering the clearest indi- cation yet that authorities do not believe the person who planted the homemade bomb acted alone. The first person arrested was an 18-year-old man who was taken into custody Sat- urday in the departure area of the port of Dover. The Met- ropolitan Police force said a 21-year-old man was arrested Saturday shortly before mid- night in the west London borough of Hounslow. The force said the second suspect was being held under the Terrorism Act and ques- tioned at a south London police station Sunday, but has been neither charged nor identified. Police on Sunday also launched an urgent search of a property in the south- western suburb of Stanwell that authorities said was linked to the latest arrest. They continued searching a home in Sunbury, another southwestern London suburb where neighbors were evacu- ated on Saturday. During the attack on a stopped train at the Parsons Green station, a bomb hidden in a plastic bucket inside a supermarket freezer bag only partially exploded, sparing the city much worse carnage. The two arrests indicate police and security services believe the attack was part of a coordinated plot, not the act of a single person. “We are still pursing nu- merous lines of enquiry and at a great pace,” Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism co- ordinator Neil Basu said. Residents of the Sun- bury neighborhood where an armed police search started Saturday were evacuated in a rush and kept away for nearly 10 hours before they were allowed to return to their homes. The property belongs to an elderly couple who have for years taken in foster children, including refu- gees from conflict zones in Syria and Iraq. The pair – Ronald Jones, 88, and his wife, Penelope Jones, 71 – have been hon- ored by Queen Elizabeth II for their work with children in need of a stable home. A friend, Alison Griffiths, said the Joneses are “great pillars of the community” who have taken in several hundred children in the last 40 years. Neighbors said two young men had been staying with them recently. Police have not provided details about the extensive search, which began several hours after an 18-year-old suspect in the subway bombing was arrested at Dover’s ferry port. A man walks into Parsons Green subway station after it was reopened following a terrorist attack on a train at the station in London, Saturday. – PHOTO: AP FOUR U.S. TOURISTS ATTACKED WITH ACID IN FRANCE PARIS (AP) – Four young American women were at- tacked with acid Sunday in the French city of Mar- seille by a woman who has been arrested, the Marseille prosecutor’s office said. Two of the tourists were injured in the face in the attack in the city’s main Saint Charles train station and one of them has a possible eye injury, a spokeswoman for the Mar- seille prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press in a phone call. She said all four of the women, who are in their 20s, have been hospitalized, two of them for shock. The spokeswoman said the 41-year-old female sus- pect did not make any ex- tremist threats or decla- rations during the attack. She said there were no ob- vious indications that the woman’s actions were terror-related, but added that officials could not be 100 percent sure about ruling out terror links at such an early stage of the investigation. The spokeswoman spoke on condition of ano- nymity, per the custom of the French judicial system. She did not release any further details about the suspects or the vic- tims, including where in the United States the tour- ists were from. The Marseille fire de- partment was alerted just after 11 a.m. and dis- patched four vehicles and 14 firefighters to the train station, a department spokeswoman said. Two of the Americans were “slightly injured” with acid but did not require emergency medical treat- ment from medics at the scene, the spokeswoman said. She requested ano- nymity in keeping with fire department protocol. A spokesman for the United States embassy in Paris said the U.S. consulate in Marseille was in contact with French authorities about the attack investiga- tion and the condition of the American women. U.S. authorities in France are not immedi- ately commenting fur- ther on what happened to protect the privacy of the American tourists, em- bassy spokesman Alex Daniels said. Marseille is a port city in southern France that is closer to Barce- lona than Paris. In previous incidents in Marseille, a driver deliber- ately rammed into two bus stops last month, killing a woman, but officials said it was not terror-related. In April, French police say they thwarted an immi- nent “terror attack” and ar- rested two suspected radi- cals in Marseille just days before the first round of France’s presidential elec- tion. Paris prosecutor Fran- cois Molins told reporters the two suspects “were get- ting ready to carry out an imminent, violent action” on French territory. Boris Johnson fuels speculation about UK leadership bid LONDON (AP) – British For- eign Secretary Boris Johnson has fueled speculation that he hopes to eventually suc- ceed Prime Minister The- resa May by spelling out his Brexit goals days be- fore her major policy speech on the topic. Johnson, a former jour- nalist, wrote a 4,000-word article in the Saturday edi- tion of The Daily Telegraph newspaper to explain how Brexit can bring a “glorious” future to Britain and help it become “the greatest country on Earth.” He says Britain shouldn’t seek to stay in the European Union’s single market or the customs union, and should seize the oppor- tunity to make its own way. The timing of his Brexit broadside is important be- cause May is scheduled to detail her own Brexit views at a much-touted speech in Italy on Sept. 22. Johnson making his own views known first may be seen by many as a challenge to her authority, which has been weakened by a poor result in the June 8 election that cost her Con- servative Party its majority in Parliament. Johnson sought to quiet speculation later Saturday by tweeting: “All behind Theresa for a glorious Brexit.” Johnson was an avid campaigner to have Britain leave the EU in the 2016 Brexit referendum. He used the newspaper ar- ticle to again raise the widely discredited idea that leaving the EU could allow Britain to add 350 million pounds ($475 million) a week to the Na- tional Health Service and ar- gued that lifting regulations and reforming tax rules would allow Britain to prosper. May has been able to hold onto her job despite her poor electoral perfor- mance, but has been facing increasing pressure as Brexit negotiations with the EU have stalled over the question of how much Britain must pay to leave the 28-nation bloc. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, whose oppo- sition party fared well in the general election, said through a spokesman that Johnson’s Brexit views exposed the deep rifts within May’s Con- servative government. “Boris Johnson has laid bare the conflicts at the heart of Theresa May’s gov- ernment over Brexit and cut the ground from beneath the prime minister’s authority,” Corbyn’s spokesman said. “In the process he has exposed the Tories’ real Brexit agenda – a race-to-the-bottom in reg- ulation and corporate tax cuts to benefit the wealthy few at the expense of the rights of the rest of us.”Next >