High of 91 Low of 80 Seas: Moderate to rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 AN IDEAL LEADER FOR CAYMAN’S EDUCATION COUNCIL BUSINESS | PAGE 12 RISK INSURANCE FACILITY PAYS CARIBBEAN $50M AFTER IRMA, MARIA ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 WEST BAY COUPLE SEEKS REVIEW OF ELECTION BANKRUPTCY TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Gordon Hewitt and Velma Powery-Hewitt of West Bay will appear in Grand Court in November, seeking judicial review of a 2015 decision that left the couple bankrupt after their failed challenge to the 2013 election of MLA Tara Rivers. The court will hear the case Nov. 17, fol- lowing a Sept. 8 writ by Mr. Hewitt seeking a formal review of Chief Justice Anthony Smell- ie’s two-year-old decision demanding court costs of $138,666.79 plus another nearly $77,000 in additional costs, for a total of al- most $215,666 mandated by the courts. In his writ, provided through Miami’s Off- shore Alert, Mr. Hewitt repeated his 2013 chal- lenge to Ms. Rivers – that he “sought to over- turn the election of Tara Rivers … and remove her from office on the ground that she did not meet the qualifications required for election as mandated in the Constitution” – and said “the decision [had been] unreasonable and in breach of the rules of natural justice.” He cited Mr. Smellie’s original decision WEBB GETS TIME TO SELL U.S. HOMES BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former FIFA Vice President Jeffrey Webb has asked a U.S. court for more time to pay off US$1.7 million owed as part of an asset forfeiture agreement made after his 2015 guilty plea to racketeering and money laun- dering charges. The lion’s share – US$1.43 million – has already been obtained from the sale of two U.S. properties, according to Webb’s New York attorneys. However, arrangements could not be made for repayment of the remaining US$270,442.70 in time to meet the initial deadline, which was Monday. Webb’s attorney, Edward O’Callaghan, sought and obtained an extension through Jan. 23, 2018, to pay the remainder. According to court records, Webb owns another four properties in the U.S. state of Foster’s IGA plans Camana Bay move BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Foster’s Food Fair IGA intends to open a new supermarket in Camana Bay, pending Planning Department approval for the new 60,000-square-foot store. Foster’s Managing Director Woody Foster said Tuesday that if the planning ap- plication is approved, the current Foster’s supermarket location at the Strand shop- ping center along West Bay Road will close. Mr. Foster said the company would also eventually shutter the smaller Bay Market Foster’s store at Camana Bay. “It’ll take a couple of years” to close the Strand operation, Mr. Foster said Tuesday. The new Camana Bay market would be the largest Foster’s IGA location. The com- pany has also sought permission to build a four-level parking structure nearby that can accommodate 325 vehicles. In addition, the application seeks a 50-foot-wide pedestrian walkway to run between the supermarket and the parking garage. The project is expected to take two years to complete. A joint press release from Dart Real Es- tate and Foster’s IGA said outdoor seating is planned throughout the area and that solar panels would be installed on the parking structure and the supermarket building. According to Mr. Foster, “We have en- joyed great success with our Bay Market lo- cation at Camana Bay and we are excited to open a new supermarket where there is more space for shoppers.” Mr. Foster said the family business would remain committed to “everyday of- ferings and pricing structure.” He said the new store would also offer more brand This artist’s rendering shows the proposed walkway between the new supermarket on the right and the parking garage on the left. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » This aerial view shows the proposed parking structure on the lower right and the supermarket on the upper left, with the Fidelity roundabout to the north.2 LOCAL&REGIONAL WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 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. - WEDNESDAY - VICTORIA & ABDUL (PG13) 1:00 I 3:55 I 7:25 I 9:50 KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (R) 12:20 VIP I 12:45 I 3:35 I 6:30 6:40 VIP I 9:35 IT (R) 12:55 I 3:30 VIP I 6:50 I 9:50 VIP THE NUT JOB 2 3D (PG) 12:30 2D I 5:05 2D I 9:55 GUN SHY (R) 2:50 I 4:10 I 7:30 I 10:00 AMERICAN ASSASSIN (R) 1:35 I 4:35 I 6:55 I 10:00 NOTICE TO ALL LICENSED PLUMBERS AND PLUMBING COMPANIES Water Authority - Cayman would like to advise all licensed plumbers and plumbing companies that, due to legislative changes, the Water Authority will no longer issue or renew plumber licences effective 1 September, 2017. This function is being transferred to the Planning Department. All plumbers who currently hold an Apprentice, Journeyman or Master Plumber Licence issued by the Water Authority will remain licensed through the expiration date stated on the licence. All renewals and new licence applications will be conducted through the Planning Department. For more information, please contact Tanya Vasquez-Ebanks at the Planning Department via tanya.vasquez-ebanks2@gov.ky or (345) 244-6515. Civil servants read to Lighthouse students Civil servants cele- brated International Lit- eracy Day on Sept. 8 by reading aloud to students at the Lighthouse School and donating 23 books to the school’s library. Seven volunteers from the Portfolio of the Civil Ser- vice and the Internal Audit Service took part in the first such initiative of its kind at the school, reading to 25 stu- dents, ages 6 to 10, according to a press release. Headed by the deputy di- rector of the Internal Audit Service, Lauren Knight, the volunteers read to students with autistic spectrum dis- order, mild learning disabili- ties and severe learning dis- abilities. Students answered questions about each book during the session to pro- mote understanding. “Our students got a lot out of the initiative,” said Prin- cipal Elroy Bryan. “Interna- tional Literacy Day is a won- derful opportunity for this kind of outreach and rein- forces the love of reading and learning we want to in- stil. The students had been looking forward to this all week and volunteer reading was a great success.” Ms. Knight, the event or- ganizer, said, “Ultimately, our goal was to support the school’s teachers and parents in fostering a love of the written and spoken word. I believe Interna- tional Literacy Day is a fun and useful way of pro- moting this.” Lauren Knight reads ‘Giraffes Can’t Dance’ to Lighthouse School students on International Literacy Day. NEW LEADERSHIP FOR SOCIAL SERVICES MINISTRY The woman responsible for administering govern- ment’s parole and pris- oner rehabilitation pro- grams has been named the new acting chief officer for the Ministry of Com- munity Affairs. Teresa Echenique, the director of the Department of Community Rehabilita- tion, has been brought in to replace Dorine McGee (formerly Dorine Whit- taker). Ms. Whittaker leaves the government service this week, taking early re- tirement after 32 years in the civil service. Ms. Ech- enique’s appointment took effect on Monday. Ms. Echenique has been director of community re- habilitation since 2003. She has degrees in social work as well as a master’s in business administration. “I am very pleased to ap- point a young and capable Caymanian to this post,” Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said Tuesday. MARIA HALTS U.S. VISITORS’ VACATIONS MIAMI (AP) – Hundreds of visitors have abandoned their vacation plans and left North Carolina’s Outer Banks ahead of Hurricane Maria as it moves northward in the Atlantic, churning up surf and bringing the possi- bility of flooding. The hurricane that bat- tered the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico last week has weakened slightly with maximum sustained winds Tuesday morning near 75 mph. The U.S. National Hur- ricane Center said Maria is expected to keep gradually weakening and is forecast to become a tropical storm Tuesday night or Wednesday. In North Carolina, more than 200 visitors already have left Hyde County’s Oc- racoke Island amid a man- datory evacuation order im- posed early Monday on that fragile barrier island jut- ting into the Atlantic. Au- thorities warned that high winds and flooding were pos- sible threats as Maria passed well offshore. Neighboring Dare County also ordered an evacuation of visitors from neighboring Hatteras Island starting at midday. Schools in the county were closed Tuesday. Tourists packed up and drove off Monday – some after only one day of what was supposed to be a week- long vacation. On Hatteras, Jay Wrenn and his wife packed up their car for the five-hour drive back home to Burlington, North Carolina. They had arrived at their rented cottage in Ro- danthe on Sunday with a week’s worth of groceries. By noon Monday the macaroni salad they had made was in the trash. U.S. FEDERAL AGENT CHARGED IN COCAINE SCHEME MIAMI (AP) – Authori- ties say a Department of Homeland Security agent took bribes to help a Co- lombian cocaine trafficker avoid charges. A Department of Justice news release says Homeland Security Investigations Spe- cial Agent Christopher Cic- cione was indicted by a fed- eral grand jury in Florida on Monday on charges of con- spiracy, corruption and ob- struction of justice. The indictment say Cic- cione was the case agent for a large-scale organized crime and drug enforce- ment task force that re- sulted in indictments of Cali Cartel cocaine traf- fickers, including Jose Pie- drahita Ceballos. Court records say Cic- cione of Phoenixville, Penn- sylvania, accepted about $20,000 in cash, dinner, drinks and prostitution in exchange for getting the in- dictment against Piedra- hita dismissed. 3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 Shoppers Nıght Out UP TO 75% OFF WIN $ 500 GIFT CARD ONE NIGHT ONLY! SPECIAL OFFERS MUSIC, FOOD & REFRESHMENTS RAFFLE PRIZES FEATURED BRANDS INCLUDE: CAMANABAY.COM where life blossoms THURSDAY OCTOBER 5 5-8 pm Prisoner challenges ‘unlawful’ transfer to UK Convicted killer Osbourne Douglas says move breaches human rights JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Caymanian prisoner is challenging a decision to transfer him to the U.K. for “national security” reasons, claiming the decision impacts his right to a family life. Osbourne Douglas denies he poses any security threat and has filed a writ in the Grand Court asking for a ju- dicial review of the decision to move him to London’s Belmarsh prison. Lawyers for Douglas say the transfer makes it vir- tually impossible for his family, including his 7-year- old daughter to visit him, and is a breach of his right to a family life, guaran- teed in the Cayman Islands Bill of Rights. Douglas, who is serving a 34-year sentence, and his brother Justin Ramoon were convicted in September last year of the July 2015 murder of Jason Powery, who was shot outside the Globe Bar in George Town. The brothers were both transferred to the U.K. in June under a 19th cen- tury statute known as the Co- lonial Prisoners Removal Act. “This removal was autho- rized by the U.K. and Cayman Islands governments in the interests of national secu- rity and the public safety of the people of the Cayman Is- lands,” a statement issued by the government indi- cated at the time. Now Douglas has filed a writ against the Governor of the Cayman Islands and the Director of Prisons, claiming the action was unlawful on human rights grounds and seeking to have the deci- sion reversed. Ramoon is also expected to challenge his own transfer but nothing had been filed with the court by press time Tuesday. The court filing on be- half of Douglas states, “Prior to his transfer the applicant had been held in maximum security at HMP Northward. He did not consider him- self at risk of any harm from others and he did not pose a risk of harm to the public.” It says Douglas’s family, including his daughter, mother, brother, sister and partner, visited him regu- larly at HMP Northward and were in frequent phone con- tact, sometimes several times a day. Since his transfer to the U.K., he has not seen or spoken to his family, the writ indicates. “For obvious reasons, it will not be practicable to re- ceive regular visits from his family in future,” it states. The court filing cites a previous judgment from the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled that a decision to incarcerate a Ukrainian prisoner hun- dreds of miles from his family breached his right to a family life. In that judgment, the court indicated, “Detaining an individual in a prison which is so far away from his or her family that visits are made very difficult or even impos- sible may in some circum- stances amount to an inter- ference with family life, as the opportunity for family members to visit the pris- oner is vital to maintaining family life.” The writ indicates that the distances in this case are far greater than in the Ukrainian case and that the time and expense of traveling from Grand Cayman to London will make family visits pro- hibitively expensive. It also argues that the decision was procedurally unfair because Douglas was not given written reasons or a chance to make rep- resentations on his behalf and there is apparently no process for him to appeal the decision. FINANCIAL SERVICES FOCUS OF PREMIER’S TRIP TO EU, UK Premier Alden McLaughlin led a government delega- tion to the United Kingdom and Brussels on Monday to promote Cayman’s financial services sector. “As a leading interna- tional financial centre, it is important for Government to discuss current global fi- nancial services develop- ments with persons who are central to these initiatives,” Mr. McLaughlin said in a public statement. “All participants benefit from the updates and per- spectives that we discuss but, certainly for Cayman, these visits provide prime oppor- tunities to underscore our strong record in regard to global regulatory standards.” Mr. McLaughlin is accom- panied on the trip by Min- ister Tara Rivers, MLA Austin Harris, Chief Officer Dax Basdeo, political adviser Roy Tatum and Department of Fi- nancial Services Director Mi- chelle Bahadur. The delegation will return to Cayman on Oct. 8. The trip coincides with the fourth round of Brexit negotiations in Brus- sels between the European Union and the U.K. Cayman’s Ministry of Fi- nancial Services and Home Affairs did not clarify whether the Caymanian dele- gation would be participating in these talks. The four-day meeting began at the European Commission headquarters Monday with opening com- ments from U.K. Secretary of State for Exiting the Eu- ropean Union, David Davis, and European Commission Chief Negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier. “We expect this to be a busy week, one that will set us on the important path to- wards our future partner- ship,” Mr. Davis said. “We hope to make prog- ress on issues like the on- ward movement of U.K. citi- zens in the EU, and voting rights in local elections. We both want to avoid changes to the way citizens enjoy their rights and our proposals will deliver that.” Osbourne Douglas, in plaid shirt, is pictured at a crime scene walk-through near the Globe Bar during his trial last year.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. MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG As attention focuses on the UN General Assembly in New York, it’s important to remember that in a global economy, America’s relation- ship with the world does not depend solely on the state of politics along Pennsylvania Avenue. The ties that bind nations together today are deeply connected to trade and investment. Diplomatic rela- tions are often grounded in economic relations, and while chief executives are not dip- lomats, they can be voices for cooperation on a wide range of issues in which the private sector can play a constructive role, from security to climate change. That dialogue cannot replace official diplomatic channels, but it can help af- firm America’s commitment to our allies in concrete ways. Actions taken by private com- panies can often carry more weight than words spoken (or tweeted) by public officials. Since January, the Trump administration has been sig- naling a retreat from the in- stitutions that have played a central role in preserving world order and advancing economic progress over the past seven decades. The presi- dent’s failure to affirm Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty at last spring’s NATO summit, his decision to pull out of the UN’s Paris climate agreement, his proposed cuts to foreign aid, and his snail-paced filling of the highest-ranking State Department positions have left world leaders questioning America’s commitment to global engagement. They have also diminished the ability of the U.S. to exercise soft power. It is my hope, and the hope of many business leaders in both parties, that the Trump administration will reverse course and recognize that the U.S. is stronger as a nation when it leads on the global stage, including through in- ternational institutions, than it is when it retreats from it. But we are not holding our breath. Instead, we are seizing the opportunity to remind world leaders that the private sector can repair and strengthen ties that the public sector allows to fray. This week, leaders of more than 100 companies – many of them U.S.-based – will convene in New York for the first Bloomberg Global Business Forum. More than 50 heads of state, who will be in town for the UN General Assembly, will join them for discussions about how gov- ernment and business can work more closely together to create jobs, raise living stan- dards and promote security. While trade policy plays an important role in breaking down barriers between na- tions, the simple act of in- creasing dialogue among companies and countries can raise awareness of existing opportunities for, and obsta- cles to, new investment. Such talks can also lead to public- private partnerships aimed at tackling difficult – and poten- tially profitable – challenges, from improving agricultural efficiency to building modern infrastructure (where current trends indicate a $15 trillion shortfall in the estimated $94 trillion needed in global infra- structure in the next 15 years). Governments cannot and will not close the gap on their own – and on a wide array of issues, from public health and safety to broadband ac- cess and anti-poverty efforts, they are inherently limited in what they can get done. To address these and other is- sues, partnerships with com- panies will be necessary – and also beneficial, because the private sector is often better at allocating resources productively, controlling costs, and using cutting-edge technology to solve problems. It is important that we find ways to encourage gov- ernments to build stronger partnerships with the pri- vate sector, and to encourage business leaders to think about the larger public chal- lenges facing societies. When political alliances are strained, public-private part- nerships can pick up the slack, as is now happening with cli- mate change. When Donald Trump announced he was pulling the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement, chief ex- ecutives from every major in- dustry announced that the de- cision would have no impact on their drive to curtail emis- sions and increase investment in cleaner forms of energy. They recognize that such ac- tions are in their long-term fi- nancial health, and many have joined mayors, governors and university leaders in signing on to “America’s Pledge,” an ef- fort to meet and even exceed the emissions-reduction goal that the U.S. set in Paris. Business leaders have a long tradition of supporting global engagement, through both their work and philan- thropy. Bringing chief exec- utives around a table with heads of state carries ben- efits for both groups. And with so much ambivalence at the White House, and with challenges around the world growing in number and com- plexity, private sector leaders should pull up their chairs and get down to the business of using markets, and part- nerships, to build a stronger, more stable world. Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News. © 2017 Bloomberg View. WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Education leaders merit “honor roll” recognition for their inspired selection of Ernst & Young’s Dan Scott as chairman of the Cayman Islands government’s Education Council. Mr. Scott is an ideal choice to bring much-needed new energy, integrity, accountability and the highest standards to the council’s work, and thereby to our schools. In his “day job,” Mr. Scott serves as Ernst & Young managing partner for the Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands. The son of legendary Cayman Brac educator Layman “Teacher” Scott (the Brac high school is named after him), Mr. Scott is intimately familiar with education as it relates to the demands of a 21st century workplace. He understands what skills and competencies our young people need in order to thrive in Cayman’s knowledge-based economy. He is joined on the council by deputy chairwoman MLA Barbara Conolly, Cayman Islands Monetary Authority Managing Director Cindy Scotland, and Maples attorneys Maxine Bodden and Christina Bodden. They and returning Education Council members should be empowered and prepared to make bold decisions to dramatically improve our schools and give our children the chance to excel – setting them up for a lifetime of success. We agree with Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly in her wish for a council that is “less political” and more focused on getting results from Cayman’s education system – both public and private. The council must have the freedom and the explicit mandate to pursue any and all options that will ensure that Cayman’s students emerge from our schools able to compete in high-demand, high- income industries. By virtue of his standing in the business community, wherever Mr. Scott chooses to lead on education matters, the private sector will likely follow. He is that highly regarded. Cayman’s businesses, and those who lead them, have long been willing to make greater contributions to Cayman’s educational system. However, they have been somewhat reluctant because of government’s entrenched educational and administrative policies and bureaucracy. Last year’s revision to Cayman’s education law unified the National Curriculum and opened the door to results- oriented innovations, including the establishment of charter schools. These two dynamics, together, offer fertile ground for much-needed qualitative change that will align our young Caymanian graduates with workforce needs. A word of caution to government officials: Don’t expect the private sector to devote energy, resources and time to public education and then prohibit its leaders from having a meaningful say in how that education is delivered, while at the same time prohibiting their families from using the public school system. You can’t accept their equity (sweat and financial) while refusing their advice and their (non- Caymanian) children. We, along with hundreds of local educators, applauded Minister O’Connor-Connolly’s fiery vow to shake up our government schools system – which for far too long has failed far too many Cayman students. Mr. Scott is a highly successful businessman, a truly devoted family man, a man of unquestionable character and integrity. He will bring a strategic perspective to the challenge of overhauling a massive and sclerotic educa- tional bureaucracy, and should act as a practical-minded complement to Ms. O’Connor-Connolly’s passionate advocacy for teachers and Cayman’s youth. He’s just the man for the job. An ideal leader for Cayman’s Education Council Business leaders can solve global problems 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” This week, leaders of more than 100 companies will convene in New York for the first Bloomberg Global Business Forum. Michael Bloomberg5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 Appeal under way to help horses affected by hurricanes POLICE RECOVER CAR STOLEN AFTER ARMED BAR ROBBERY Equestrian organizations in the Cayman Islands, the Americas and Canada have joined to help provide hurri- cane relief for horses on Ca- ribbean islands affected by the recent storms. The Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation, Equestrian Canada, U.S. Equestrian and the Pan American Equestrian Confed- eration have set up the Carib- bean Equine Relief Fund, a fundraising and equine relief effort for horses affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation be- came aware of the need for equine hurricane relief after Irma, when the Cayman Is- lands Humane Society passed along an urgent re- quest for horse feed from a veterinarian in Tortola, BVI, a press release states. “Realizing that the cost of providing feed and sup- plies to horses located in the British Virgin Islands would be more than it could afford, the Cayman Islands Eques- trian Federation turned to its counterparts in the Pan American Equestrian Con- federation for help. The re- sponse was immediately pos- itive, and the foundation for the Caribbean Equine Relief Fund was formed. Shortly thereafter, Hurricane Maria hit the Caribbean, increasing the need for the fund,” the press release states. “We intend to take direct action as well as to partner with other animal/equine welfare organizations to de- liver the most broad, effective, sustainable and cost-effective response possible within our available funding,” said the initiative’s co-organizer, Mark Samuel, who is chairman of Fédération Equestre Inter- nationale’s Group IV, which comprises Canada, the U.S., Antigua, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Haiti, Ja- maica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Virgin Islands. The fund organizers said their efforts are focusing on the Caribbean, where there is an “urgent need for hay and feed, potable water, vet sup- plies, veterinary care, fencing and portable stalls.” Organizers said that horses on St. Thomas, St. Croix, Puerto Rico, Tortola, Barbuda and other islands “are in dire need of help.” “While the human toll is massive, one of the goals of the fund is to ensure the wel- fare of horses whose owners have lost everything,” the release states. Eve van den Bol, presi- dent of the Cayman Islands Equestrian Federation, said, “We are calling upon our equine communities to come together and step forward, as they are able, in support of these horses and horse people in dire need. Time and finances are critical re- sources at this moment.” Donations to the fund can be made through both U.S. Equestrian and Eques- trian Canada, as accounts serve the same fund. Orga- nizers said 100 percent of the money raised will go toward the cost of providing feed and medical supplies to the horses, ponies and donkeys in the Caribbean. To donate, visit www.equestrian.ca/ donate or www.usef.org/donate. A foreign transaction fee may apply. A gunman who held up Da Station Bar in Shamrock Road, Prospect, made his getaway in a stolen car, police confirmed Tuesday. Police recovered the stolen Honda CR-V after a search involving the police he- licopter and armed officers. According to police, the robber was masked and had a gun, which he used to threaten the staff at the bar during the holdup about 12:20 p.m. Monday. Police said the gunman escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash in a car stolen from the location. The Air Operations Unit and armed officers were dispatched to the scene. The helicopter crew later found the empty car in the Prospect area. Organizers said that horses on St. Thomas, St. Croix, Puerto Rico, Tortola, Barbuda and other islands “are in dire need of help.” A man collects his horse, which survived Hurricane Maria, as he walks to his destroyed home, in Montebello, Puerto Rico, in the aftermath of the storm. - PHOTO: AP ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CLOSES FOR STAFF MEETING The Department of Envi- ronmental Health will close its Grand Cayman offices at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27. for a staff meeting. The Cayman Brac office and the George Town landfill will both operate with limited staff from 12:30 p.m. until their normal closing hours. Businesses that need to dispose of large amounts of waste at the landfill are asked to do so before 12:30 p.m. However, the 24-hour public drop-off site will remain open for residential customers. All Environmental Health offices and the George Town landfill will resume normal business hours on Thursday, Sept. 28.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS exculpating Ms. Rivers in 2013, noting the challenge had been brought in the na- tional interest and as a matter of Constitutional law, meaning costs ought to be absorbed by government and the judiciary. “The challenge was brought without animosity or personal vindictive- ness,” the couple said this week in joint remarks to the Cayman Compass, citing the Chief Justice’s introduc- tory statement on the case, that Constitutional analysis “is seldom a straightforward exercise of identifying and applying the literal or ordi- nary meaning of words, as competing arguments in this case illustrate.” Adjudication, Chief Jus- tice Smellie said in his state- ment, involves “the question … of what approach should be taken when the words are ambiguous or undefined and so invite more than one interpretation.” In June 2013, Mr. Hewitt challenged the candidacy of Ms. Rivers in the May 22 general election, in which she won one of four West Bay seats in the Legislative Assembly, edging out fifth- place Ms. Powery. Mr. Hewitt claimed the U.S. passport carried by Ms. Rivers compromised her loy- alty to the Cayman Islands and that her recent resi- dence and employment in London violated a Constitu- tional requirement that elec- tion candidates live seven consecutive years in the Cayman Islands. A three-day July trial be- fore the Chief Justice found against Mr. Hewitt, clearing the path for Ms. Rivers’s as- sumption of a seat in the LA and subsequent appoint- ment as Minister for Edu- cation, Employment and Gender Affairs by Premier Alden McLaughlin. Ms. Rivers was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly in May 2017, and appointed Minister of Financial Services and Home Affairs. When Justice Smellie an- nounced his decision in Au- gust 2013, he acknowledged the case had been in the public interest and reserved judgment on costs, waiting nearly two years to decide that Mr. Powery was liable. After at least six hearings, the court last October de- clared the couple bankrupt, placing a lien on their home. In his Sept. 8 writ, Mr. Hewitt cited challenges to 2017 candidates Nickolas DaCosta of Cayman Brac West and Little Cayman, and Alric Lindsay of George Town South. Mr. Hewitt said the ac- tion against Mr. DaCosta had been brought under the same Constitutional Section 61 as his action against Ms. Rivers, but the courts had “made no order as to costs.” Unspecified costs were granted in the case of Mr. Lindsay, but, Mr. Hewitt said, were “only awarded … on the basis that there was no grounds established and in the view of the Honourable Chief Justice of the Grand Court that application should never have been brought.” variety gourmet foods, but would maintain “core offer- ings” at the store. “We are thrilled that Foster’s Food Fair is ex- panding their relationship with us,” said Dart Real Es- tate President Jackie Doak. “Customers will enjoy a larger supermarket, com- plete with natural light, covered walkways and cov- ered parking.” The fate of the Strand shopping center in the heart of the Seven Mile Beach tourism dis- trict is unclear. Part of the center was offered for sale in 2015 for US$15 million, however that price did not include the Foster’s IGA building, which the Foster family owns. It also did not in- clude the Kirk Freeport office space. Mr. Foster said the family does not intend to sell their portion of the Strand center building, but he did not state what he intended to do with the building once the super- market moved out. “I’ve got a few ideas in the pipeline, but we’ve haven’t decided yet,” Mr. Foster said. RE/MAX real estate owner-broker Kim Lund confirmed Tuesday that at this stage, the Strand sale offering does not include either the Foster’s or Kirk Freeport premises. “Our client owned 24 other stores in the Strand and those are the ones that we are selling,” Mr. Lund said. Georgia, but their potential sale is not straightforward. “The title to each of these four remaining Georgia prop- erties must be transferred to him from the current title holders, which are corpo- rate entities over which Mr. Webb has no control,” Mr. O’Callaghan’s letter to the court states. The attorney further noted that he has discussed the potential sale of the properties with the indi- vidual who does control the corporate entities and the person “does not dispute” Webb’s ownership of the homes. However, time will be needed to make arrange- ments to transfer title to Webb so he can sell at least two of the four Georgia prop- erties, attorneys said. Once those properties are sold, the remaining forfeiture amount presently due will be paid, Mr. O’Callaghan said. The owner of the cor- porate entities referred to in court records was not identified. As part of a plea in No- vember 2015 to U.S. racke- teering, money laundering conspiracy and wire transfer conspiracy charges, Webb agreed to forfeit more than US$6.7 million in total, fed- eral prosecutors said. Webb’s guilty plea was announced as federal investi- gators expanded their world- wide probe into the FIFA or- ganization, charging 16 more people – mostly representa- tives of Central and South American football associa- tions who were not named in the case’s original indictment filed in May 2017. The existing 92-count indictment supersedes, meaning encompasses and replaces, the 47-count in- dictment in May, in which 14 FIFA and sports mar- keting officials were charged with soliciting and ac- cepting bribes in exchange for awarding the commer- cial rights to certain football tournaments to sports mar- keting companies. Webb is expected to be sentenced in January for his role in the racke- teering scheme. West Bay couple seeks review of election bankruptcy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Webb is expected to be sentenced in January for his role in the racketeering scheme. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Webb gets time to sell US homes CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Foster’s IGA plans Camana Bay move Watson confiscation hearing set for January BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The confiscation hearing for Canover Watson has been set for January 2018, nearly two years after he was found guilty of two counts of de- frauding the government, as well as three corruption-re- lated offenses in connection with the CarePay case. Watson’s effort to appeal his February 2016 conviction failed earlier this month. He was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment on Feb. 5, 2016. As part of the conviction, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran said the Crown would seek to recover from Mr. Watson’s personal assets the money his scheme siphoned from the government’s health services. That confiscation hearing will proceed on Jan. 18 and 19, Mr. Moran said. Since Watson’s sentencing, there appears to have been little progress – at least pub- licly – on any follow-up in- vestigations in the case. The CarePay investigation re- vealed how Watson used his position on the Health Ser- vices Authority board to di- vert two health authority contracts to business part- ners, including prominent Caymanian businessman Jef- fery Webb, skimming nearly US$350,000 for himself in the process. The new Camana Bay market would be the largest Foster’s IGA location and the company has also sought permission to build a four-level parking structure nearby that can accommodate 325 vehicles. Saudi Arabia to allow women to drive for the first time RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) – Saudi Arabia on Tuesday an- nounced that women will be allowed to drive for the first time in the ultra-conserva- tive kingdom next summer, fulfilling a key demand of women’s rights activists who faced detention for de- fying the ban. The kingdom was the only the country in the world to bar women from driving and for years had garnered nega- tive publicity internationally for detaining women who defied the ban. The move, which has been welcomed by the United States, represents a signifi- cant opening for women in Saudi Arabia, where wom- en’s rights have steadily and slowly gained ground over the years. Saudi women re- main largely under the whim of male relatives due to guardianship laws. King Salman and his young son and heir, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, have tested the waters though, al- lowing women into the coun- try’s main stadium in the cap- ital, Riyadh, for national day celebrations this month. The stadium had previously been reserved for all-male crowds to watch sporting events. The king and his son have also opened the country to more entertainment and fun. Women’s rights activ- ists since the 1990s have been pushing for the right to drive, saying it represents their larger struggle for equal rights under the law. Some ultraconservative clerics in Saudi Arabia, who wield power and influence in the judiciary and education sectors, had warned against allowing women to drive. They argued it would corrupt society and lead to sin. Women in Saudi Arabia have long had to rely on male relatives to get to work, run errands and simply move around. The more af- fluent have male drivers and more recently, in major cities, women could ac- cess ride hailing apps like Uber and Careem. The state-run Saudi Press Agency and state TV reported the news late Tuesday eve- ning, saying King Salman decreed that both men and women to be issued drivers’ licenses. Women, however, will not be allowed to obtain licenses immediately. A committee will be formed to look into how to implement the new order, which is slated to come into effect in June 2018. Saudi Arabia authorities announced Tuesday that women will be allowed to drive for the first time from next summer. - PHOTO: AP7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 Congratulations! Mourant Ozannes established the Chantal Whittaker Memorial Scholarship to honour the memory of their beloved former colleague. Chantal was a star within the firm and her personal commitment to mentoring, fostering community spirit and helping young people to develop and grow, left a legacy which the firm strives to continue. The scholarship programme provides Caymanian students with up to four years of financial assistance towards their law degree or other relevant legal qualification. Scholarship students also have the opportunity to work at the firm each summer with a personal mentor in various practice groups. This provides them with a broad range of experience which should assist them to progress their legal careers. For more information on our student opportunities, please contact or visit: Mourant Ozannes is proud to announce our 2017 scholarship recipients, David Ramsaran and Gabrielle Myers. We welcome Adam Barrie, our previous scholarship recipient, who has now joined the firm as an Articled Clerk. @MourantOzannes #MO-Student facebook.com/mourantozannescareers mourantozannes.com/careers cayman.hr@mourantozannes.com BVI | CAYMAN ISLANDS | GUERNSEY | HONG KONG | JERSEY | LONDON Schlorship Advert_ITPC Conference_V2.indd 125/09/2017 13:49:44 Cayman sends second relief flight to Anguilla SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The second relief mission from Cayman to Anguilla took off on Tuesday, bringing medical professionals and vi- tally needed supplies to one of the islands directly af- fected by Hurricane Irma. Cayman previously flew aid to Anguilla shortly after Irma struck, and a team of 11 medical professionals had toiled there for the last two weeks. Two doc- tors and two nurses were flown in on Tuesday to re- lieve the original medical team and to bring the first re- sponders back home. Gene Thompson, director of Health City Cayman Is- lands, was on Tuesday’s relief flight and spoke of the ur- gency with which the people of Anguilla and other stricken areas need assistance. “They need all of our help, all of our support and all of our prayers,” he said. “An- guilla, Turks and BVI are all our brothers and sisters, and it’s our obligation to help them, especially in times of trouble. We know what it’s like. We’ve experienced it. And we’ve developed a very close relationship, especially with Anguilla.” Anguilla’s hospital was damaged by the storms, losing its maternity ward and the roofing in some of the other departments. McCleary Frederick, di- rector of Hazard Manage- ment Cayman Islands, went on the first flight to Anguilla and traveled again to be part of the relief mission on Tuesday morning. Some areas of Anguilla, he said, are a perfect flash- back to Hurricane Ivan. The people have no water and no electricity, and they need any small bit of as- sistance they can get from Cayman and beyond. “Hopefully in the next three months or so, they should be pretty much back to normal,” Mr. Frederick said of Anguilla. “That’s when they expect to have elec- tricity back in most places. All the schools are damaged to some extent, so schools are expecting to open on the first or second of October. They’re working really hard to do that. If you can get the kids back to school, get some sense of normalcy, then the parents can get back to doing what they need to do to help with the recovery.” Dr. Fiona Robertson, who is one of the medical pro- fessionals on the trip, will stay for two weeks in An- guilla, assisting local doctors and helping to restore nor- malcy. Dr. Robertson worked through previous hurricanes Paloma, Ivan and Gilbert, and she looked forward to aiding the community. “What we do is go in and help the people that are dealing with their stuff,” she said. “They’ve got broken houses. They’ve got no roofs. … It’s really to help the teams over there do their job and have time off if we can get them to leave. Sometimes they don’t want to leave. It’s just extra hands on deck.” Jennifer Richardson, one of two Anguilla residents who were previously flown off the island to receive medical at- tention, was set to return to her home on Tuesday’s flight. Her daughter, Denise Hug- gins, a resident of St. Vin- cent, said she was thrilled with her treatment and ready to go home. “She’s been living there for many years, and then she got really sick, so she was brought here for surgery,” said Ms. Huggins. “I just want to thank the government and the people of the Cayman Islands. I really appreciated what they did for her. Now she’s much better and she can go home.” Beyond the medical sup- plies, the Cayman relief mis- sion is also bringing Ice and Water Shield, a waterproof adhesive material that will be used to cover Anguilla’s parliament and court build- ings and partially cover the police station. The flight is also bringing water and med- ical supplies. “They’re getting up and running again and a lot of that is thanks to the assis- tance we were able to provide beforehand,” Cabinet Secre- tary Samuel Rose said of the previous Cayman relief mis- sion. “Last night, they had a farewell celebration for the medical staff that went there. They’ve been well received, well taken care of. I commend their bravery, because with [Hurricane] Maria bearing down on Anguilla, they wanted to stay and continue because they realized they were making a difference.” “They need all of our help, all of our support and all of our prayers.” GENE THOMPSON, director of Health City Dorothy Connor, far left, and Jennifer Richardson, second from right, wait with their daughters Lilia Connor and Denise Huggins at the Owen Roberts International Airport Tuesday to return to Anguilla after being treated in Cayman. - PHOTOS: ALVARO SEREY The Cayman relief flight to Anguilla brought supplies and a new medical team to spell the doctors and nurses who had gone on the first flight.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Happy 101st Birthday in Heaven. Capt. Marvin Ebanks Sept.27, 1916 – Dec. 20, 2014 Forever loved and missed by your family and friends. New Angolan leader takes oath Angolan President Joao Lourenco has taken the oath of office at a ceremony attended by his predecessor, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who stepped down after ruling the oil-rich but impoverished country since 1979. Water, some food scarce as Puerto Rico emerges from storm EU official: No sufficient progress in Brexit talks LONDON (AP) – European Council President Donald Tusk said Tuesday that Brexit talks haven’t yet made suffi- cient progress to begin ne- gotiating a new relationship between Britain and the Eu- ropean Union. But he’s now “cautiously optimistic” about the way ahead. After meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May, Tusk said he believed Britain had finally abandoned an un- realistic “having a cake and eating it” approach to Brexit. Britain triggered a two- year countdown to Brexit in March, but since then talks have made little prog- ress. Negotiators are meeting in Brussels this week for a fourth round of discussions, as EU officials warn Britain that time is running out. Britain wants to start dis- cussing future trade and se- curity relations with the bloc, but EU officials say that cannot happen until there has been “sufficient progress” on the terms of the divorce. In a bid to break the logjam, May made a concil- iatory speech in Florence, Italy, last week, saying the U.K. would be willing to pay into EU coffers during a two- year transition phase after it formally leaves the bloc in March 2019. Tusk said Tuesday that he felt Britain had finally aban- doned an unrealistic belief that it could have its cake and eat it – leave the EU while keeping all the advan- tages of membership. “I feel cautiously opti- mistic about the construc- tive and more realistic tone in the prime minister’s speech in Florence and of our discussion today,” Tusk said after meeting May at 10 Downing St. “There is no sufficient progress yet, but we will work on it,” he added. Other EU officials also gave a cautious welcome to May’s speech, but say more detail is needed. Chief ne- gotiator Michel Barnier said Monday he was “keen and eager” to understand how May’s words would be turned into a negotiating strategy. The EU says it will not discuss future relationships until it has guarantees on Britain’s outstanding finan- cial commitments, the rights of more than 4 million EU and British citizens affected by Brexit and the status of the Irish border. EU leaders are scheduled to assess at an Oct. 19-20 meeting whether Britain has made “sufficient prog- ress” on the divorce arrange- ments for negotiations to move on. It’s likely they will decide it’s too soon and will reassess the decision until a meeting in December. In another sign of Brit- ain’s more conciliatory tone, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tried to reassure eastern Europeans that they will remain welcome after Brexit. When Britain leaves the bloc it will end the auto- matic right of EU nationals to live and work in the U.K., and that has left many worried for their futures. Johnson told Roma- nia’s Agerpres news agency that some 500,000 Roma- nians currently in Britain are “hugely valued members of our society.” “We would be crazy to let them go back to Romania, we want to ensure … their rights are protected,” said Johnson, who is on a visit to the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Supermarkets are gradu- ally re-opening in hurricane- ravaged Puerto Rico but the situation is far from normal and many customers are going home disappointed. Most food stores and res- taurants remain closed. That is largely because power is out for most of the island and few have generators or enough diesel to power them. The shops that were open Monday had long lines outside and vast empty shelves where they once held milk, meat and other perishables. Drinking water was nowhere to be found. Mercedes Caro shook her head in frustration as she emerged from the Su- perMax in the Condado neighborhood of San Juan with a loaf of white bread, cheese and bananas. “There is no water and practically no food,” she said. “Not even spaghetti.” Maria Perez waited out- side a Pueblo supermarket in a nearby part of San Juan, hoping to buy some coffee, sugar and maybe a little meat to cook with a gas stove that has enough propane for about a week more. “We are in a crisis,” she said. “Puerto Rico is destroyed.” The fact that some stores and restaurants have re- opened for the first time since Category 4 Hurricane Maria roared across the island Sept. 20 is welcome in a place where nearly everyone has no power and more than half the people do not have water. Governor Ricardo Ros- sello and other Puerto Rican officials said some ports have been cleared by the Coast Guard to resume ac- cepting ships, which should allow businesses to restock. But the situation remains far from normal. SuperMax opened on a re- duced schedule for several stores in the San Juan area as well as in the hard-hit towns of Caguas and Dorado. Wal- greens has reopened about half of its 120 locations in Puerto Rico on a limited basis. Walmart says it has a “handful” of its 48 stores and Sam’s Clubs open but the process has been slowed by the power outages, port clo- sures and the near total col- lapse of communications. Two Medinia supermar- kets opened in the coastal town of Loiza. But Manager David Guzman said he had to impose restrictions on cooking gas and other prod- ucts that were running low and might not be restocked soon. “We are restricting so we can give something to ev- eryone, to extend what we have left,” he said. Therese Casper was among several dozen people waiting for a Walmart in the Santurce section of San Juan to open its doors, but that did not happen Monday. She and her husband were looking for something to get rid of all the moisture that had accumu- lated in the apartment they rented three weeks ago when they moved to Puerto Rico from Denver, Colorado. They have been getting by in their dark, sweltering apartment on instant oatmeal and any- thing else they can cook on a propane stove as they wait for a flight back home. “I tell my husband it’s like camping. It’s ‘Survivor’ Puerto Rico,” Casper said. “It’s not what we bargained for.” Stores are still packed with dozens of brands of shampoo and other consumer products, but those aisles were largely empty as people rushed to buy the basics, using cash sparingly since that is also in short supply and credit card transactions aren’t being processed at all places. Ruth Calderon, a re- tiree, filled her basket with processed sausages that she planned to cook up with rice and share with an older neighbor who cannot leave her apartment. “I’m sur- viving,” she said with resig- nation. “I have what I need.” Others also described helping neighbors and there are no signs of widespread hunger, at least not yet. “There is a tradition here of people helping each other especially during disasters,” Doris An- glero said as she looked for what was available in an Old San Juan supermarket. Some disappointed shop- pers were also sharply aware that there are others on the island in a worse situ- ation. Caro began to weep as she talked about her four grandchildren in Rincon, the western town that has been largely cut off from aid ship- ments as well as contact with the outside world. “Not knowing is so hard,” she said, Most food stores and restaurants remain closed. That is largely because power is out for most of the island and few have generators or enough diesel to power them. Drinking water was nowhere to be found. Tusk said Tuesday that he felt Britain had finally abandoned an unrealistic belief that it could have its cake and eat it – leave the EU while keeping all the advantages of membership. European Council President Donald Tusk delivers a statement at 10 Downing Street after meeting British Prime Minister Theresa May in London on Tuesday. - PHOTO: AP A man counts money in the aisle of a supermarket where he had hoped to buy water but found only cans of juice, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Monday. - PHOTO: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 2018 National Heroes Day Awards PIONEERS IN SPORTS NOMINATIONS CLOSING SOON! These awards will honour those who have signicantly contributed to Sports in the Cayman Islands. The 2018 National Heroes Day Committee has dened sports as “all forms of competitive organized activities or games, either physical or mental, conducted through individual or group participation, whether amateur or professional. Sport is usually governed by a set of rules or customs which serve to ensure fair competition and allow consistent adjudication of the winner.” Nomination forms are available online at www.ministryofhealth.gov.ky. Completed forms must be submitted by Saturday, 30 September 2017 Email: NHD@GOV.KY for more information 2018 Email: NHD@GOV.KY for more information 3 DAYS LEFT CEREMONY th 29 September 2017 Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort .00 Event starts at 6:00pm - CI$75 INDUCTION Dick Bonin - American Combat Diver who made Scubapro the world's premiere manufacturer Kurt Schaefer - Austrian Pioneer of Underwater Film and Photography Krov Menuhin - Australian Underwater Film Maker, Director, Cameraman Gardener Young - Bahamian Dive Pioneer Inventor of the Resort Course PADI - The world’s largest SCUBA diving training organization Local Honourees: Jason Wyatt Washington - Dive travel, environmental protection Kent Dalmain Eldemire - Conservation and promotion THE 2017 ISDHF INTERNATIONAL INDUCTEES: 2017 For more information contact: events@caymanislands.ky includes dinner Tickets on sale at the Department of Tourism and CITA Tel: 1 345 949 0623 Macron: Europe is too slow, blind to dangers of nationalism PARIS (AP) – Calling Europe slow, weak and ineffective, French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said the EU should embrace a joint budget, shared military force and harmonized taxes to stay globally relevant. With Brexit looming, Ma- cron warned the rest of Eu- rope against the dangers of anti-immigrant nation- alism and fragmentation, saying that goes against the principles of a shared Eu- rope born from the tragedy of world wars. “We thought the past would not come back … we thought we had learned the lessons,” Macron told a crowd of European students at the Sorbonne university Tuesday as he seeks to make France’s mark on Europe’s future. After a far-right party en- tered the German parliament for the first time in 60 years, Macron said this isolationist attitude has resurfaced “be- cause of blindness … because we forgot to defend Europe.” “The Europe that we know is too slow, too weak, too in- effective,” he said. To change that, he pro- posed a joint budget for Eu- ropean countries sharing the euro currency that would allow investment in Euro- pean projects and help sta- bilize the eurozone in case of economic crisis. This budget would at some point need to come from national budgets of countries sharing the euro currency, for instance using domestic taxes on businesses. While re-elected German Chancellor Angela Merkel has signaled openness to some of Macron’s ideas, one potential ally in her new gov- ernment is deeply skeptical about a eurozone budget. Macron’s office says he wants his Europe strategy to play a role in Germany’s coalition- building talks. The euro has fallen steadily since news that Merkel won the German national election with a weakened hand. To reduce inequalities across the EU, Macron also suggested greater harmoniza- tion of EU tax policies – no- tably on corporate taxes, and taxing Internet giants where they make money and not where they are registered. Macron is also proposing that every EU country guar- antee a minimum wage and payroll charges. Macron said, “I be- lieve deeply in this innova- tion economy,” but insisted that “we must have this de- bate” about making taxa- tion more fair. Macron also proposed a shared European military in- tervention force and defense budget. He suggested the cre- ation of a European intelli- gence academy to better fight against terrorism, and a joint civil protection force. He wants to open the French military to Eu- ropean soldiers and pro- posed other EU member states do the same on a voluntary basis. To deal with Europe’s mi- gration flux, Macron wants a European asylum agency and standard EU iden- tity documents. Macron’s policies have met resistance at home, and riot police held back a few dozen protesters outside the Sorbonne. Macron does not want to wait for Britain to leave the EU in 2019 to tie Euro- pean economies closer to- gether. He’s well-placed to kick-start those efforts: at just 39, he came of age under the EU, and won a strong electoral mandate this year. And he’s already held one-on- one meetings with 22 of the union’s 27 other leaders to market his EU strategy. His biggest challenge may be the German political cal- endar. The outgoing govern- ment goes into caretaker status in a few weeks and is not going to be taking any major decisions on the future of Europe, and it may take months for Merkel to form a viable coalition. The pro-business Free Democrats, a key potential partner for Merkel, is against a joint budget because the party says that would re- sult in automatic, uncon- trolled money transfers from Germany to struggling euro- zone partners. Merkel herself said Monday she would not rule anything out and that she is in touch with Macron about his plans. “What is impor- tant to me above all is that we could use more Europe, but that must lead to more competitiveness, more jobs, simply more clout for the Eu- ropean Union,” she told re- porters in Berlin. Macron plans to dis- cuss his proposals with all leaders of EU member states that are interested in the integration process by the end of the year. French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech on the European Union at Sorbonne University in Paris on Tuesday. - PHOTO: APNext >