ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY OCTOBER 10, 2017 High of 90 Low of 78 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STATISTICS AND THE TRUTH WORLD | PAGE 11 SPAIN WARNS IT WILL ACT IF CATALONIA SECEDES www.butterfieldgroup.com BOOK TODAY: • Call 1 800 433 7300 (MileSAAver Awards have limited availability) • Book between 10 October and 10 November 2017 • Travel between 10 October and 15 November 2017 or from 10 April and 23 May 2018. BOOK ROUND-TRIP TRAVEL TO THE USA OR CANADA USING 20,000 MILES FOR MILESAAVER AWARDS* OR RECEIVE A 15% DISCOUNT ON AANYTIME AWARDS WHEN BOOKING ON AMERICAN AIRLINES WITH YOUR BUTTERFIELD / AADVANTAGE® MASTERCARD® BOOK ROUND-TRIP TRAVEL TO THE USA OR CANADA USING 20,000 MILES FOR MILESAAVER AWARDS* OR RECEIVE A 15% DISCOUNT ON AANYTIME AWARDS WHEN BOOKING ON AMERICAN AIRLINES WITH YOUR BUTTERFIELD / AADVANTAGE® MASTERCARD® Don’t have a Butterfield / AAdvantage Mastercard Credit Card? Apply for one today by calling us on 949 7055, visit us online or at any of our three Banking Centre locations. Travel further on fewer miles. *Terms and conditions apply. Must be a Butterfield / AAdvantage® MasterCard® Personal or Business Cardholder. Travel is originating in the Cayman Islands to the US and Canada. See website for details. *Terms and conditions apply. Must be a Butterfield / AAdvantage® MasterCard® Personal or Business Cardholder. Travel is originating in the Cayman Islands to the US and Canada. See website for details. *Terms and conditions apply. See website for details. 185009_1-Ad-Strip-ReducedMiles-OPage 1 10/5/17 3:34:48 PM AUDIT: TOURISM DEPARTMENT USED UNSIGNED CONTRACTS BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Delays in contract negotiation led to a situation during the government’s 2015/16 budget year where some Department of Tourism contracts were not signed until months after they took effect, according to an internal audit. The problem was not widespread, but the Internal Audit Service noted in a March 2017 report that three tourism department con- tracts “were signed at least two months after the provision of agreed services” had begun. Two of the contracts involved “musician fees,” one for an agreement that began June 30, 2015, that was not signed until September 2015, and another that began Jan. 1, 2016, and went unsigned until March 24, 2016. A third contract for public relations ser- vices was not signed until Oct. 29, 2015, after it started on Sept. 1, 2015. “When we queried this, we were informed that there were significant delays in the con- tract negotiation process, including reaching agreement on deliverables [the services pro- vided],” the report stated. Auditors generally warned the department against proceeding with services rendered for unsigned contracts for a number of reasons, chiefly that legal disputes could arise and that those contracts could become unenforceable in the event of a dispute. The department agreed with the findings on the musicians’ contracts and said it recog- nized that “contracts should reflect the dates the services were in effect.” It said the public relations services contract was originally bid on June 2, 2015 – but that only one bid was re- ceived and the contract had to be retendered, CUC TO START ‘DEMAND BILLING’ FOR COMMERCIAL CLIENTS IN JANUARY The Caribbean Utilities Company announced on Monday that it plans to implement “demand billing” in Jan- uary, charging commercial customers depending on their consumption pat- terns. The new billing system will re- ward consumers who shift consump- tion from traditional peak hours to alternative periods: early morning, late night and weekends. For more see page 3. Divers see silver lining as Kittwake topples JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Grand Cayman’s most famous and pho- togenic shipwreck, the USS Kittiwake, was toppled on its side as the island felt the impact of a glancing blow from Hurricane Nate at the weekend. Though the storm passed almost 300 miles from Cayman, it brought rolling southern swells that were enough to snap the ship’s anchor chains, leaving the 251-foot-long, 2,200-ton vessel on its side. The site was understood to be closed to tourists Monday as divers from Divetech as- sessed the damage. Jason Washington, of Ambassador Divers, snorkeled the site on Sunday to get a preliminary look at the impact. He found it tilted on its side, with the port side The Kittiwake wreck lies on its side at the edge of the reef following the passage of Hurricane Nate. - PHOTO: JASON WASHINGTON/IDIVE Rough seas brought by the passage of Hurricane Nate also damaged the West Bay dock. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY OCTOBER 10, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS I Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema @cbcinema6cbcinema6 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456) SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - TUESDAY - BLADE RUNNER 2049 3D (R) 12:25 2D VIP I 12:30 I 6:35 2D VIP 6:55 I 9:20 2D LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE 3D (PG) 12:50 2D I 4:15 I 10:25 2D KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE(R) 12:30 I 3:40 I 6:40 I 9:40 AMERICAN MADE (R) 3:50 I 6:55 I 10:05 IT (R) 12:45 I 3:20 I 7:00 I 9:50 THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US (PG13) 1:20 I 3:55 VIP I 4:00 I 6:40 I 10:05 VIP Police called to school fight JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Armed police were called to John Gray High School to help deal with a playground fight involving four stu- dents, the school’s principal has confirmed. Jon Clark, head of the high school, said police had been called to the scene be- cause of the number of stu- dents involved, the large crowd that had gathered, and a report that a knife may have been involved. One student suffered a minor injury to his head and three other stu- dents were arrested after the incident. It is understood that no one has been charged with any offense; however, the school suspended for a brief period some of the students involved. The report that a knife was involved was not substantiated. Mr. Clark said the in- cident, on Sept. 28, had started as a fight be- tween two boys and esca- lated from there. He said the boys and their parents had been through a mediation session and he believes the issues have been resolved. In a separate incident the following Monday, Oct. 2, three former students climbed the fence at the school, apparently looking for one of the boys involved in Friday’s incident. One student was struck by one of the intruders before they fled the school campus, according to Mr. Clark. He said incidents like this were now rare at the school and insisted prob- lems with student behavior were improving. The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service con- firmed in a statement that it had sent an armed unit to the scene on Sept. 28 and that three juveniles were arrested.The fight broke out at John Gray High School. Privy Council to hear case about former judge’s impartiality KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com In January 2012, former Grand Court Justice Peter Cresswell appointed liqui- dators over the BTU Power Company, a Cayman-regis- tered company whose share- holders included several Qa- tari government entities. However, Mr. Cress- well did not disclose that he had also been appointed as a judge of the Qatar In- ternational Court around the same time, according to Cayman Islands Court of Appeal records. That non-disclosure led to challenges that have made their way up to the London- based Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which will hear arguments in De- cember over whether all of Mr. Creswell’s decisions in the case should be set aside. The case stems from a dispute between the Qatari shareholders and manage- ment of the BTU Power Com- pany, which partially owned a power station in Tunisia and a water desalination plant in Abu Dhabi. The shareholders had ac- cused BTU Director Wael Almazeedi of misman- aging company funds and engaging in other wrong- doing, and filed a petition in Nov. 2011 for Mr. Cress- well to appoint liquidators over the firm. Mr. Cresswell granted the petition in Jan. 2012, ordering liquidators from Deloitte to wind up BTU. During the liquidation, Mr. Almazeedi argued that he was owed US$672,635, but the liquidators disputed that claim. Mr. Cresswell again sided with the liquidators, and ordered in February 2014 that Mr. Almazeedi should pay some US$287,000 in court costs. But during that time, Mr. Cresswell was also a judge of the Qatar International Court, according to the Cayman Islands Court of Ap- peal records. Mr. Almazeedi said he discovered this in June 2014, and told liqui- dators in September of that year that he wished to chal- lenge “jurisdiction to hear this matter.” Mr. Almazeedi indeed ap- pealed Mr. Cresswell’s liq- uidation order, and his at- torney, James Guthrie QC, argued at an April 2015 Court of Appeal hearing that another judge should have presided over the matter in- stead of Mr. Cresswell. Mr. Guthrie also pointed out at the time that one of BTU’s shareholders, Ali Shareef Al Emadi, was appointed to be Qatar’s minister of finance in June 2013, giving him the power to appoint and re- move Qatari judges. The attorney for the liq- uidators, Francis Tregear, disputed the appeal, arguing that it was an attempt “to wreak havoc in the liquida- tion, to retaliate in some way for the presentation of the petition against BTU, and to frustrate the liquidators in their attempts to realize the full value of the BTU’s as- sets, properly and fully in- vestigate BTU’s affairs.” Mr. Tregear also stated that Mr. Cresswell, who re- tired from his Cayman po- sition in April 2014, had an impeccable reputation as an honest justice, and that there was not the “remotest possibility” that the judge would jeopardize that repu- tation by allowing the Qa- tari government to affect his judgment. The Court of Appeal jus- tices agreed with Mr. Tre- gear that Mr. Cresswell has an impeccable reputation and that his decisions were not persuaded by the Qa- tari government. “Nevertheless, we think that the judge ought to have disclosed his appointment in Qatar, so that the position could have been clarified as necessary,” wrote Justice of Appeal Bernard Rix in his November 2015 judgment. Mr. Rix stated that a “fair-minded observer” would not have ques- tioned Mr. Cresswell’s par- tiality when he made the initial liquidation order in January 2012. However, after Mr. Al Emadi became Qatar’s min- ister of finance in June 2013 – giving him power to ap- point and remove judges – a fair-minded observer would have concerns about Mr. Cresswell’s partiality, Mr. Rix said. Therefore, the Court of Appeal ruled that Mr. Cress- well’s liquidation order should stand, but that all of his orders after June 2013 should be set aside. Mr. Almazeedi appealed the court’s ruling, and is asking the Privy Council to overturn all of Mr. Cress- well’s decisions. The liquidators, for their part, are also appealing, asking the Privy Council not to set aside any of Mr. Cress- well’s orders. West Bay crash closes Town Hall Road Two vehicles collided on Town Hall Road in West Bay, between Farrington Lane and Boltins Avenue, shortly after 9 a.m. Monday. Both drivers suffered injuries in the crash and were taken to the hos- pital by the ambulance. Police said neither had sustained serious injuries. The road was closed throughout the morning while police carried out their inves- tigation at the scene. GEORGE TOWN LANDFILL REOPENS The George Town land- fill reopened this weekend, after its access road was closed following heavy rains last week. The Department of Environmental Health ad- vised that the landfill had re- opened on Saturday. However, some repair work is continuing and the department is urging haulers of small waste loads to use the 24-hour public drop-off site at the entrance of the landfill until further notice. For more information, contact the DEH’s Solid Waste section at 949-8793. The case stems from a dispute between the Qatari shareholders and management of the BTU Power Company, which partially owned a power station in Tunisia and a water desalination plant in Abu Dhabi. Two people were taken to hospital following Monday morning’s collision in West Bay. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The George Town landfill closed on Thursday because of rain damage to its access road. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 10, 2017 CUC to start ‘demand billing’ for commercial clients in January TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Capping more than a year of talks with electricity reg- ulators, the Caribbean Util- ities Company on Monday announced January 2018 implementation of “demand billing,” charging commercial customers depending on con- sumption patterns. In essence, the scheme will reward consumers who shift consumption from traditional peak hours to alternative periods: early morning, late night and weekends. It also means, how- ever, that monthly bills will be pegged to the highest daily power consumption in any given month. According to industry ex- perts, demand billing is ex- pected to be “revenue neu- tral,” leaving CUC coffers unaffected, but simplifying monthly charging and stabi- lizing CUC assets. In a Monday statement, CUC’s customer service team said it would implement the plan at the start of 2018, but initially limit it to the com- pany’s 135 “large commer- cial customers.” Neither the company nor its Office of Utility Reg- ulation and Competition overseers would say if the scheme would ultimately ex- tend to CUC’s 24,531 pri- vate customers, although in August last year, the com- pany completed installa- tion of 28,000 “smart meters” in all customer premises, making demand billing pos- sible by tracking hours of consumption. “The goal of demand rates is to fairly allocate costs into an energy charge, and fixed costs into a demand charge,” according to CUC. “The peak demand im- posed on the system by con- sumers drives the amount and size of fixed assets in place, and therefore the level of demand charges. “Demand rates will … en- courage peak-demand man- agement whereby customers focus on using less energy during peak hours by con- serving or by moving energy use to off-peak times such as nighttime and weekends.” CUC’s “large commer- cial customers” include, for example The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman hotel and Foster’s Food Fair, consuming more than 30,000 kilowatt hours each month. Demand billing is based on the highest 15-minute av- erage consumption of elec- tricity recorded on the smart meter within a given month, and is often linked to “time of use” charges, also being contemplated by CUC, in which power is less expen- sive when used during off- peak hours. A simple ex- ample might be doing a load of laundry at 3 a.m. instead of early evening. Utilities often justify the move to demand billing by pointing out they are obliged to maintain expensive in- frastructure – generators, transformers, substations, transmission and distribu- tion grids – adequate to meet peak demand. In June 2016, for example, CUC commis- sioned two new diesel gen- erators, costing $85 mil- lion, designed to serve for 25 years. At present, CUC has a ca- pacity of 161 megawatts, meeting a peak demand of 104.8 megawatts, registered in early June. The company registered 28,803 customers as of June 30. Of these, 4,272 were com- mercial. Consumption pat- terns indicate a more com- plex story, however, as the larger residential group – al- most eight times the size of the commercial sector – used 149 million kilowatts in the first six months of 2017, while the smaller group used nearly 145 million. Average consumption per residential customer was 969 kWh during the first half of 2017, offset, however by a whopping commercial con- sumption of 58,101 kWh in the same period. “Peak demand manage- ment may not necessarily de- crease total energy consump- tion, but, by reducing peak demand, it can be expected to reduce the need for on- going investments in power plants and transmission and distribution assets,” the statement said. “The reduction benefits all consumers and will im- pact electrical rates in the fu- ture.” In April, CUC Vice Pres- ident for Customer Services and Technology Sacha Tib- betts told the Cayman Com- pass demand billing was widely employed elsewhere, and that the new rate struc- tures would ape “standard rate structures for large com- mercial customers in many other markets.” “Demand rate struc- tures allow the customer to be billed on all the costs of their service, so that they can make decisions on how they can save costs for themselves with respect to their peak- power demand and their en- ergy usage,” he said. Demand billing is al- ready in place in such ju- risdictions as Victoria, Aus- tralia; Ontario and British Columbia; throughout Japan, Holland, parts of New Zea- land, Sweden, Finland, Den- mark and Norway, Spain and the U.K.; and at least six U.S. states. The new scheme will be phased in during three years, and “will be done in an incre- mental manner.” In “year one,” the state- ment said, “the energy charge on bills that cur- rently include 100 percent of demand charges will have 33 percent of the de- mand charges removed and allocated to the separate demand charge.” In “year two,” the pro- portion will rise 66 percent, followed by 100 percent in ”year three.” Additional charges for the costs of diesel fuel and im- port duties, licensing and regulatory fees will remain listed separately. The statement said the new structure initially ap- peared on commercial cus- tomers’ July bills “for in- formational purposes only, and allows you to begin to take note of the level of peak demand at your var- ious properties.” CUC will offer “informa- tional” sessions on Oct. 16 and in November to “pro- vide increased visibility of your businesses’ consump- tion patterns,” giving “you more control over your level of expenditure. “We feel this rate struc- ture will be beneficial to your organization,” CUC said.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. TUESDAY OCTOBER 10, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS It is said that numbers don’t lie, but they certainly can equivocate. We were reminded of that last week by two stories that appeared in the Compass, one about the George Town Landfill and one about unemployment figures. We’ll start with the landfill. According to the Economics and Statistics Office, Cayman Islands residents, businesses and tourists gen- erated more than 100,000 tons of waste that ended up in the landfill in 2016 – a notable increase over the 73,000 tons from the previous year. At first glance, the statistic is shocking – a 37 percent increase in trash one year? Sound the alarm! Gather the recycling bins! Rinse and reuse those paper towels! But hold on … It turns out the story is more complex than the figures might suggest. According to Jim Schubert, senior project manager for the Integrated Solid Waste Management System, the massive numerical increase is due, at least in part, to more diligent record-keeping – rather than an actual increase in waste. In the past, there was no real incen- tive to keep accurate records of tonnage deposited at the dump, Mr. Schubert said, so it is difficult to know how much (if any) of the larger number reflects an actual increase in year-over-year landfill use. Clear numbers aren’t synonymous with clear answers. To equate the two is a constant temptation that should be resisted. When and how numbers are generated – and also, who generates the numbers and why – are critical to the proper interpretation of statistics and to clear- eyed decision-making based on, or perhaps despite, those figures. In Cayman, unemployment statistics are a regular source of discussion and consternation. According to numbers released by the ESO last week, the country’s overall unemployment rate is holding steady at 4.1 percent – a healthy figure that is well below the theo- retical “full employment” rate of 5 percent. Of course, the story the statistics tell isn’t so simple. There are layers. Slicing into the data set, you see that unemploy- ment among Caymanian workers is 6.2 percent, two percentage points higher than the overall rate. (This is logical. By definition it is difficult for a non-Caymanian “work permit holder” to remain in Cayman while being unemployed.) Taking another slice, you find that only two-thirds of unemployed people said they could not find a job. Others were unable to work, or were not actively seeking employment. Additionally, nearly all unem- ployed Caymanians (93 percent of them) had worked within the past year – they just were not employed at the time the survey was taken. The above information does not necessarily apply to all Cayman residents, but is based on a relatively small sample of people who responded to the sta- tistics office’s survey (5.4 percent of all households). Data collection took place in March and April, more than six months ago. Amid those nuances and caveats, the most signifi- cant “fine print” in this survey (as in all surveys) is the “margin of error.” Strictly speaking, the report does not show a current unemployment rate of 4.1 percent, but that the authors can state with 95 percent con- fidence that Cayman’s total unemployment rate this past spring was somewhere between 2.9 percent and 5.3 percent (with Caymanian unemployment between 4.0 percent and 8.5 percent). What bearing does that have on policy decisions meant to address the present employment situation, much less in the future? Certainly, a lack of precision and timeliness limits the value of statistics. Our commentary should not be interpreted as criti- cism of these reports, the ESO or statistics in general. Rather, we are highlighting two recent examples of numbers being “squishier” than they may first appear. It may be tempting to “cherry pick” figures that reinforce previously held beliefs, promote pet projects, or fortify political allegiances, but when numbers are used to tell a story, they should tell the whole story. The difference between statistics and the truth How Richard Thaler changed my life (and everybody else’s) CASS R. SUNSTEIN I first heard about Richard Thaler in the 1980s, in a locker room at the Uni- versity of Chicago. I had run into Steve Shavell, an economist at Har- vard Law School, who asked me what I was working on. I mumbled some question I had, about whether people really behaved as rationally as economists said they do. Shavell responded without a lot of enthusiasm, “Oh, you should be reading Thaler, that guy from Cornell.” That afternoon, I looked up Thaler’s work. It was like a burst of sunlight, or the first chord of the Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night.” Focusing on what he called “mental illusions,” Thaler explained that human beings make a lot of blun- ders. With clear exam- ples, a sense of play and a little math, he showed that people just don’t act in the way predicted by standard economic theory. If you give people a mug or a lottery ticket, they will demand a lot more to give it up than they would pay to get it in the first place. People are planners as well as doers, and their decisions can be radically different depending on whether they are plan- ning or doing. Because people have self- control problems, they adopt “precommitment strategies” like the ones used by Al- coholics Anonymous, drug abuse centers, diet clubs and smoking-cessation clinics. People care about fairness, and they will punish people who have acted unfairly, even at their own expense. People choose not to choose, be- cause they do not want to suffer regret. Investors over- react to the most recent, dramatic events. Each one of these ideas – and there were plenty more – opened up a whole new world. They did not mean that people are “irrational,” but they did show that we aren’t nearly as rational as economic theories assume, in ways both concrete and pre- dictable. Drawing on psycho- logical findings, above all on the work of Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, Thaler be- came the most important force behind the creation of behavioral economics. Eventually Thaler, who on Monday was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science, brought his ideas to bear on public policy and law. He developed the idea of “Save More Tomorrow” – a re- tirement plan by which em- ployees are asked if they want some portion of their future wage increases to be devoted to savings. Save More Tomorrow plans build directly on findings in psy- chology, which suggest that while people will be reluc- tant to lose access to current earnings, they don’t care so much about future gains. Thaler also drew attention to the potential impact of au- tomatic enrollment: Because inertia is an important force, employees will stay in a re- tirement plan if they are au- tomatically enrolled, even if they would not sign up in the first place. All over the world, employers are now using Save More Tomorrow and au- tomatic enrollment. As a re- sult, workers will have more comfortable retirements. These ideas can be seen as forms of libertarian pa- ternalism, interventions that insist on preserving freedom of choice but that steer people in directions that make their lives go better. I have been privileged to col- laborate with Thaler on the exploration of how those in- terventions – more simply, nudges – can help address some of the world’s large challenges, including pov- erty, unemployment, con- sumer protection, addiction, education, corruption, na- tional security, and environ- mental degradation. In these and other areas, Thaler’s research is now being used by governments all over the world. Some of this work is being done by “nudge units,” but many of the largest and most prom- ising initiatives come from the very highest levels, where some of Thaler’s findings have become common knowl- edge, even to people who have never heard his name. In the U.S., for example, more than 11 million poor children are obtaining ac- cess to the free school meals to which they are legally en- titled, largely because of a program directly inspired by Thaler’s work. In terms of the use of behavioral eco- nomics in public policy, we have just gotten started; the next decades will see in- calculably more. More than anyone I know, Thaler’s academic interests are a direct outgrowth of his personality. He’s full of mis- chief and a ton of fun. He’s an intensely close observer of human behavior, and nothing delights him more than people’s foibles. He’s the Charles Dickens of the eco- nomics profession. Who else would de- velop a theory of human be- havior by observing how, at a dinner party, supposedly rational economists gobble up cashews before dinner – and are immensely grateful when the host takes the half- eaten bowl away? Asked what advice he would provide to graduate students in economics, Thaler said, “Make your research about the world, not the lit- erature.” That’s precisely what he’s done – and he’s made the world a lot better in the process. Sunstein is a Bloomberg View columnist. He is the author of ‘#Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age of Social Media’ and a co-author of ‘Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness.’ © 2017, Bloomberg View Who else would develop a theory of human behavior by observing how, at a dinner party, supposedly rational economists gobble up cashews before dinner – and are immensely grateful when the host takes the half-eaten bowl away? 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 HEALTH NEWS 5 The Lions Club of Grand Cayman is doing its part to give every local youth a chance at perfect vision. The Lions Club has been conducting sight screen- ings throughout all public and private schools in the Cayman Islands for four de- cades, and this year, their en- deavor meshes with an inter- national holiday. This week marks World Week of Sight, and World Sight Day will take place on Thursday, Oct. 12. The Lions Club sight screenings began on Sept. 12 for all stu- dents from Year 1 and Year 7, and the testing process will conclude for those age groups on Oct. 18. According to a press re- lease, for the students who are referred to an optome- trist for an examination and glasses, the Lions Club will assist with the cost for par- ents that are unable to pay. The Lions Club screened 1,345 students during the 2016 school year, and of that group, 122 students were se- lected for further testing. Annual examinations are a key part of maintaining good eyesight and eye health. Lions Club organizations around the world will use World Sight Day to publi- cize the importance of eye health and to participate in eyeglass donations, re- storative surgeries and eye health education programs. Recent studies suggest that just over 28 percent of the world’s population was af- fected by myopia in 2010, and that total is expected to rise to 34 percent by 2020 and 50 percent by 2050. According to the World Health Organization, about 422 million people – or 8.5 percent of adults world- wide – were living with di- abetes in 2014, which is up from 108 million in 1980. Around one in three people stricken with diabetes will have some degree of Dia- betic Retinopathy, and one in 10 will wind up with a vision-threatening form of that condition. The World Health Orga- nization estimates that 80 percent of all the world’s cases of visual impairment can be prevented or cured, and that is why World Sight Day is an important event to spread awareness. Dr. Cornelius Gouws, an ophthalmologist with the Health Services Authority, says that Type 2 diabetic pa- tients should be screened for eye disease immediately after their diagnosis, but Type 1 diabetics should be screened within five years of learning of their condition. For the rest of their lives, all diabetic patients should be screened for eye disease every 12 to 18 months. Diabetes has roughly doubled in the United States over the past 20 years – going from roughly five percent of the population to 10 percent – but there are no precise statistics for Cayman. Dr. Gouws says that people can best ward off the specter of eye disease by eating healthy, natural foods and by cutting down on sugar and soft drinks. Get testing to know about your diabetic status. And if you discover that you are in fact diabetic, make sure that you act decisively to combat and control it. The Lions Club meets on the first and third Thursdays of every month at 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. To learn more about vision screenings, email secretary@lionsclubgcm.ky. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 10, 2017 • Display and sell your handcrafted items • Nominal Fee guarantees your space and a table and 2 chairs • Decorate your booth to showcase your art/ handmade items • Live Music, Great Food, Activities & Family Fun throughout the day • Now accepting applications for booth space We are inviting all local Artists and Crafters to participate in this Special Holiday Event at Cayman Grand Harbour! Email GrandHarbourEvents@gmail.com For more information and to reserve your space • Display and sell your handcrafted items participate in this Special Holiday Event at Cayman Artist’s & Cr after’s Calling all Reserve your booth now! Lions Club pitches in to highlight World Sight Day NEW PEDIATRICIAN JOINS DOCTORS HOSPITAL A new pediatrician has joined CTMH Doctors Hos- pital’s pediatric unit. Dr. Jasmina Marinova, a pediatrician neonatologist with 27 years of experience in all aspects of child care, joins two other pediatri- cians, Dr. Ramon Lacanilao and Dr. Petra Schwery, at the hospital. According to a press re- lease, Dr. Marinova works with healthy or sick new- born babies and acutely unwell children of all ages, including those with chronic medical and devel- opmental conditions. Hospital Administrator Dr. Patrick Auman said in the press release that having diversification in pediatric training “gives Doctors Hospital the ability to offer a wide variety of care to infants and children all the way through their paediatric and adolescence years (18 years old).“ He added, “This broadens our care to con- ditions that require acute care, such as chronic condi- tions, non-cancerous blood disorders, and even neo- natology.” Neonatology is practiced in neonatal in- tensive care units and is crucial for premature and sick term babies, often re- quiring the resuscitation process after birth, the press release notes. CTMH Doctors Hospital was formerly known as the Chrissie Tomlinson Memo- rial Hospital. Multiple sclerosis patients can meet with new doctor The MS Foundation of the Cayman Islands is in- viting multiple sclerosis pa- tients and their families to meet Dr. Romnesh de Souza and Gene Thompson from Health City Cayman Islands later this month. The event will take place on Oct. 18 at 6 p.m., and the deadline to apply to attend the meeting is Friday, Oct. 13. Dr. de Souza, a consul- tant in the Neurology Depart- ment at Health City Cayman Islands, comes to Cayman after a five-year tenure at Narayana Health City in Bangalore, India. He specializes in interven- tional neurology and the treat- ment of acute ischemic stroke, neuromuscular disorders and neurocritical care. Dr. de Souza has been published in both national and international journals, and he’s taken active participation at several inter- national medical conferences. Before Dr. de Souza’s ar- rival, there was no physician in Cayman who had special- ized in multiple sclerosis. Those interested in meeting Dr. de Souza and learning about local treatment for MS in Cayman can email msfcayman@gmail.com to find out the venue location and additional information, organizers said. The event will take place on Oct. 18 at 6 p.m., and the deadline to apply to attend the meeting is Friday, Oct. 13. A Lions Club member takes a sight screening of a local student. Dr. Jasmina Marinova, right, has joined Dr. Ramon Lacanilao, center, and Dr. Petra Schwery on the pediatric team at CTMH Doctors Hospital.DISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days West Bay TUESDAY OCTOBER 10, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Community team on roadside cleanup duty Members of the West Bay Community Emer- gency Response Team car- ried out a roadside cleanup in the vicinity of the West Bay Cemetery and fire sta- tion Saturday. The team had an early start, working from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. to clean up the area, which was still wet following heavy rain in recent days. One of the team mem- bers, Eziethamae Bodden said the cleanup is part of ongoing efforts to keep the district of West Bay tidy, and she invited other members of the community to join them in future. Opposition members visit WB primary school Members of the opposi- tion at the Legislative As- sembly visited the Sir John A. Cumber Primary School on Thursday, Oct. 5. The contingent, headed by Opposition Leader and North Side MLA Ezzard Miller, in- cluded East End MLA Arden McLean, Newlands MLA Alva Suckoo, and Bodden Town West MLA Chris Saunders. According to a press release from the school, the visiting MLAs explained to the stu- dents the role of government and the Legislative Assembly. The politicians advised the children that with a sound ed- ucation, they can get any job they want, and Mr. Miller re- minded them that that in- cluded jobs as elected repre- sentatives of their district. Mr. McLean told them not to underestimate their importance to the Cayman Islands and the global community, because 20 years from now they would be the ones stepping into jobs, adding that they were not too young to start thinking about or choosing their career paths. At the end of the session, the students were asked to participate in an interactive forum where they posed ques- tions to the team. According to the press release, some of the questions posed included: Why did you choose to be a politician? What are some of the biggest issues you have to deal with and how do you deal with them? What can you do for our school? 50 YEARS AGO: Radio station acknowledges Cayman is inhabited In the Oct. 11, 1967 edi- tion of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, the fol- lowing story, titled “WGBS, Miami apologises” appeared: “Radio WGBS in Miami was certainly made aware that the Cayman Islands are indeed inhabited fol- lowing their newscasts in connections with Hur- ricane Beulah. “Following our Edito- rial and letters from Mr. Silby Coe and Mr. Eric Berg- strom for the Tourist Board pointing out their grave error when their announcer broadcast ‘But Beulah was not expected to threaten anything except a few un- inhibited islands before the weekend,’ letters of expla- nation were duly received. “It appears from the in- formation given by Mr. Spencer E. Danes, pro- gramme manager for WGBS, that the advisory in ques- tion was from the United Press International news- wire. His letter continues, ‘Please note two things. No- where in the advisory or the copy is there a direct refer- ence to the Cayman Islands. Also in one story, the use of the word “uninhibited” is at- tributed to Gordon Dunn of the U.S. Weather Bureau as a direct quote. Perhaps our newsroom should have been more aware of the path of the storm and ques- tioned Mr. Dunn’s quote or the UPI copy. However, in normal day to day opera- tion of our newsroom, we must assume that direct quotes from an organisa- tion as large as UPI are ac- curate. And, undoubtedly, every other UPI subscriber in Florida and across the nation used the same copy. I hope this clarifies the sit- uation and please relay to as many of the 10,000 resi- dents in the Cayman group as possible that WGBS will always strive to be as ac- curate as possible in re- porting on hurricanes or any other news.’ “Mr. Coe also wrote to Mr. Gordon E. Dunn, Di- rector of the U.S. Hurricane Centre at Coral Gables, who pointed out that his advi- sory did not use the word ‘uninhabited’. Mr. Dunn commented, ‘I have visited Grand Cayman a number of times, and I am thoroughly familiar with the won- derful beaches, the very fine people, and the hospitality of the residents.’ “Thus it seems, there are apologies all round and the Cayman Islands can con- sider themselves ‘on the map’ as fully inhabited.” Opposition MLAs Ezzard Miller, Alva Suckoo, Arden McLean and Chris Saunders get ready to speak with students at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School. West Bay CERT members, from left, Eric Ebanks, Jenny Powery, Daphne Ebanks and Eziethamae Bodden with bags of trash and debris that they collected during Saturday’s cleanup. Student Swayne Brown asks Chris Saunders a question. Ezzard Miller talks to students during a visit to Sir John A. Cumber Primary School on Thursday.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 10, 2017 CALYPSO’S OPEN SEE YOU TODAY! TUESDAY, OCT. 10 STEM CONFERENCE: UCCI. Registration and reception, 6-7 p.m. Opening session, 7 p.m. Keynote speaker is Francis French, director of the San Diego Air and Space Museum. Free admission. The conference continues until Oct. 13. FIGURE DRAWING: Visual Arts Society offers drop-in workshops Tuesdays Oct. 10, 17, 24. This is an opportunity for artists to develop their skills. Live model and easels provided plus guidance from a qualified art teacher. Drop in fee is $25 per session/$35 non-members. For more information, email info@visualartcayman.com or call 546-9422. THURSDAY, OCT. 12 CLIFTON HUNTER HIGH SCHOOL PTA: All are invited to the 2017/2018 annual general meeting, 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Hall. Guests Speakers are the Eastern Districts MLAs. INTERIOR DESIGN WORKSHOP: Today is the revised deadline to register for the Visual Arts Society’s “Personalize Your Home” four-week Interior Design workshop runs Oct. 12 and 19; Nov. 9 and 16. Redesign a room or plan a new home. Four-week workshop fee is $100 for members. Non- members, $125. Fee includes vision boards, use of studio, instruction by qualified interior designer. Contact info@visualartcayman.com or 546-9422. SIPPING AND PAINTING: Offered by Visual Arts Society at Le Vele Restaurant on the waterfront in George Town. 6-9:30 p.m. $35 pp includes signature cocktail, tasting of four different wines, wine glass to paint, plus basic primary colors and brushes. OLDER PERSONS MONTH: A Night with the Stars Powered by CUC, Cayman Islands National Museum, 4 p.m. FRIDAY, OCT. 13 WYCLIFFE SOCIAL: The Wycliffe Bible Translators Cayman Team invites all to a Wycliffe Fellowship Drop-In Social to fellowship with Caymanian Missionaries Jim and Karla Smith. Come and hear what God is doing in Asia. 5-8 p.m. the Church of God Chapel on Walkers Road. Enter Faith Hall on the right and follow the welcome signs. Light refreshments will be served. VOICES FOR HOSPICE: An evening of song and dance with the theme of “Nostalgia.” Harquail Theatre (venue change.) Champagne gala tonight. Tickets are $75. Doors open 6:30 p.m. Show 7:30 p.m. Contact 945-7447 or fundraising@ caymanhospicecare.ky. BRAC OLDER PERSONS: Bingo Nite. Free. Aston Rutty Civic Centre, 6-9 p.m. SATURDAY, OCT. 14 CAYMAN ARTS FESTIVAL: Festival committee presents Matei Varga – piano concert. 6 p.m., at Westin Hotel Ballroom. Tickets are $50 for adults, $15 for students. Open bar first hour. Tickets available at www.caymanartsfestival.com For advance reservations email at enquiries@ caymanartsfestival.com or call 922-5550. VOICES FOR HOSPICE: An evening of song and dance with the theme of “Nostalgia.” Harquail Theatre. Tickets are $50 for reserved seating. General seating at sides and balconies, $25. Doors open 6 p.m. Show 7 p.m. Contact 945-7447 or fundraising@ caymanhospicecare.ky. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: The Big Stage, Harquail Theater, 6:30 p.m. THURSDAY, OCT. 19 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Tea Party, Pines Retirement Home, 2-4 p.m. RSVP to Vanda Powery 916-7902. FRIDAY, OCT. 20 NCVO DRESS DOWN DAY: All schools, businesses and service clubs are invited to join with the National Council of Voluntary Organisations in dressing down and dressing in green for a small donation to the charity’s 38th Annual Radio/Telethon. Donate what you can and your group’s representative can make the presentation of funds at the telethon on Oct. 21 at the Prospect Playhouse. To schedule your donation appearance, contact Janice Wilson on ncvo@ncvo.org.ky or 949-2124. SATURDAY, OCT. 21 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Circle of Love Brunch, George Town Yacht Club, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. RSVP to Vanda Powery 916-7902. NCVO RADIO/TELETHON: Prospect Playhouse, 7 p.m. to midnight. All are invited to make a pledge. Donors will be entered to win prizes. All funds raised benefit the NCVO Children’s Programs. To make a corporate donation, contact Janice Wilson on 949-2124 or ncvo@ncvo.org.ky. SMALL BUSINESS EXPO: The Cayman Islands Small Business Association invites the public to the annual Small Business Expo at UCCI Fellowship Hall. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission. Contact 946-3147 or email cisbacayman@gmail.com. SUNDAY, OCT. 22 PINK SUNDAY: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church invites all to their Pink Sunday Service at 11 a.m. Everyone is asked to wear pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 25 PIRATES WEEK FOOD HANDLERS TRAINING: The Department of Environmental Health will conduct two basic Food Handlers’ Certification Courses for Pirates Week food vendors today and tomorrow, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. All food handlers needing to update their certification before Pirates Week should register early, as there is limited space available. Cost is $15 per person and includes materials. Certification is valid for three years. To register, visit the DEH main office or contact 949-6696 or dehcustomerservice@gov.ky. GENERAL INTEREST CAYMAN CRAFT: The exhibition, REVIVE! – Celebrating contemporary and traditional craft from the Cayman Islands, is open at the National Gallery. GAMEBIRD SEASON: The Department of Environment reminds hunters that the season for white-winged doves opens on Oct. 1 and there is a 12 bird bag and possession limit. The season for blue-winged teal opened Sept. 1; there is a three bird bag and possession limit. GARBAGE COLLECTION: The Department of Environmental Health urges residents and business operators to ensure that garbage containers are accessible to sanitation crews at all times. Place garbage containers either at the front of the property or at a side that is accessible to the roadway. Receptacles must be stored in properly constructed enclosures and should not impede the flow of traffic. HURRICANE RELIEF: The Adventist Church has started a fund in aid of Hurricane Irma victims in the Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas. Financial contributions may be made at the local office, 209 Walkers Road, during business hours, or at the nearest Adventist Church. Donations may also be deposited at the Royal Bank of Canada, to ADRA account number 500-6234. SCHOLARSHIPS: The Chevening Secretariat is accepting applications for U.K. government scholarships to study in the U.K. in 2018/2019. Applications for Chevening Scholarships are open until Nov. 7, with applications to be submitted via www.chevening.org/apply. CERAMIC OPEN STUDIO: Offered by the Visual Arts Society on Wednesdays to adults. 9 a.m. to noon at the Watler House Studio, Pedro St. James. $15 per person or $25 per non-member. Clay, materials and firing facilities available. Contact info@visualartcayman.com. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Volunteers needed for weekly sports training. Tuesdays – Track, bocce, football. Wednesdays – Lighthouse School swimming at Lions pool. Thursdays – Basketball. Saturdays – Adult swim. Golf is starting soon if interested. Contact Darrel Rankine, national director at soci@ candw.ky or 916-2600. CANDLE MAKING: Visual Arts Society offers this workshop at the National Trust Club House on Sundays 3 – 4:30 p.m. Fee of $45 per member or $55 per non-member includes materials for two candles. Parasol painting workshops, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Same fee, includes one parasol. Contact info@visualartcayman.com. TOBACCO LICENCES: Tobacco license holders are reminded of the 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, deadline to apply for their annual license renewals. Annual registration renewal fees are $500 for a retailer, $750 for a cigar bar and $5,000 for a wholesale distributor. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Francis French, director of education at the San Diego Air and Space Museum, is the keynote speaker at the STEM Conference at UCCI on Tuesday, Oct. 10.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY OCTOBER 10, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS EN H A N C E D C H I P S E C U R IT Y Say yes to even more cash back NOW UP TO *Conditions apply. Subject to change without notice. Subject to credit approval. You will earn 4% cash back for a maximum cap of USD$600 (or equivalent in local currency) spend annually at qualifying gas stations and grocery stores. This 4% cash back applies at merchants which are classified in the MasterCard network as Grocery Stores & Supermarkets, Service Stations and Automated Fuel Dispensers (Merchant Codes: 5411, 5541 & 5542). You will earn 2% cash back for a maximum cap of USD$400 you spend annually at qualifying drug stores and pharmacies. This 2% cash back applies at merchants which are classified in the MasterCard network as Drug Stores & Pharmacies (Merchant Code: 5912). Some merchants may sell these products/services or are separate merchants who are located on the premises of these merchants, but are classified by MasterCard in another manner, in which case this added benefit would not apply. You will earn 1% cash back on purchases made after you have reached the 4% and 2% respective caps. Maximum annual cash back of USD$600 on purchases made at qualifying gas stations or grocery stores and USD$400 on purchases made at qualifying drug stores and pharmacies (equivalent in local currency) annual spend maximum (“overflow”) and on all other eligible purchases made with the card Purchase returns, payments, cash advances, Scotiabank Credit Card Cheques, credit vouchers, card fees, interest charges or service/transaction charges do not qualify for cash back. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. ®MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. Apply today and get a bonus of up to $50.* Visit your nearest branch or go to ky.scotiabank.com/sayyes Get the most cash back ever on all your everyday purchases with Scotiabank Gold MasterCard®. Earn 4% cash back at grocery stores & gas stations, 2% at pharmacies and 1% everywhere else.* #SayYesToMore rail in the sand. He said the site would have to be closed to divers while the damage was as- sessed. But he believes it will soon be reopened and may even be a more appealing prospect for divers because of the damage. “The silver lining to this cloud is we effectively have a brand new dive site. Divers, photographers and videogra- phers have come from all over the world to photograph the Kittiwake and now they have a reason to come back. The lighting is different, the an- gles are different; for a pho- tographer, it is a completely different site.” Christian Black, an inter- national photographer who has done multiple underwater shoots in Cayman, including at the Kittiwake, echoed those sentiments, commenting on Facebook, “Wow! Can’t wait to go back and photograph her again. Gonna be like a whole new dive site.” Other divers expressed concern that the damage would impact the accessibility of the site, particularly for be- ginner divers and snorkelers. Cayman Islands-based un- derwater photographer Ellen Cuylaerts said the new po- sition of the wreck could mean that divers needed more training and experience to go inside. “We have been spoiled for many years with this easy and shallow dive,” she said. “Al- most every time you entered, you could see light and the risk of vertigo was almost nil. “The upside is it will grow even more beautiful and, thinking about animal be- havior, more animals might find shelter in dark nooks. My only big concern is that the reef close by will be severely damaged if she keeps moving.” Mr. Washington said the shell of the ship was intact and he believes it will still be possible for divers to swim through the interior of the former U.S. Navy submarine rescue vessel. He said professional divers likely would check for debris that needed to be cleared be- fore the site could be re- opened to recreational divers. The Cayman Islands Tourism Association, which manages the attrac- tion, did not respond to re- quests for comment. Dock damaged The Kittiwake was not the only victim in the West Bay area of Hurricane Nate. High seas also tore apart the West Bay dock on North- west Point Road. Planks of wood that had been loosened and cast adrift during the stormy weather, and which had been gathered by residents and passersby, were piled up beside the dock Monday morning. The dock is closed until it can be repaired. which resulted in a delay. The review also discov- ered one case where a two- year contract was entered into before the completion of a vendor selection pro- cess. This contract was ef- fective July 1, 2015, but the vendor selection document was not finalized until about two weeks later. “We were assured that the services were tendered in accordance with the pro- curement process,” the audit found. Department officials said the contract was not en- tered into prior to the end of the vendor selection process, but that there were delays in receiving final approval from the ministry chief of- ficer, which was received on July 13, 2015. There was a separate issue identified where pur- chase orders for goods or services were made before the department had offi- cially completed its vendor selection process. Some of the purchases were for things like staff uniforms, printing costs, computers and “sea turtle stress relievers,” ac- cording to government re- cords. The $4,200 purchase for the turtle “stress re- lievers” raised some concern with auditors. “It was observed that the quote from [one company bidding for the contract] was provided in January 2016, while quotes for competing vendors were only received in March and April 2016,” auditors stated. “When we queried this finding, it was explained that the process of obtaining quotes for the above trans- actions had already been carried out and that the re- sponsible staff member had moved forward with the purchase prior to completion of the approval for quotes form,” the report added. These audit findings put the tourism department “at risk” of losing money on the purchase order transactions, auditors said. Divers see silver lining as Kittwake topples CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “The silver lining to this cloud is we effectively have a brand new dive site. Divers, photographers and videographers have come from all over the world to photograph the Kittiwake and now they have a reason to come back.” JASON WASHINGTON, Ambassador Divers Audit: Tourism department used unsigned contracts CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 MAN ARRESTED AFTER SECURITY GUARD ASSAULT, CHASE A man who police said at- tacked a security guard with a bottle at a West Bay bar premises Saturday was ar- rested after fleeing the scene. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said the assault was reported around 10 p.m. at a bar on Birch Tree Hill Road. According to police, the 49-year-old suspect ran to his vehicle and left when of- ficers arrived at the scene. Officers followed the man, activating lights and sirens on their patrol cars. Police said officers on Reverend Blackman Road intercepted the suspect, at which point he reversed his vehicle into the pursuing po- lice car and collided with a power pole. Police also said the man punched a police of- ficer during the incident. The man was ar- rested on suspicion of a number of criminal offenses and remained in police custody Monday.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 10, 2017 French smuggling probe nets UK border official French police have arrested a dozen people, including a U.K. border officer, in an investigation into a crime group suspected of running drugs and firearms. Authorities say 11 guns were seized, together with 75 pounds of cocaine and 15 pounds of heroin. Wind-whipped wildfires sweep into California wine country Trump lists demands on immigration in exchange for DACA concessions WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump has told congressional leaders that his hard-line immigration priorities must be enacted in exchange for extending pro- tection from deportation to hundreds of thousands of young immigrants, many of whom were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Trump’s list of demands included overhauling the country’s green-card system, a crackdown on unaccom- panied minors entering the country, and building his promised wall along the southern border. Many were policies Demo- crats have said explicitly are off the table and threaten to derail ongoing negotiations over legislation protecting young immigrants known as “Dreamers.” They had been given a reprieve from de- portation and the ability to work legally in the country under President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, which Trump ended last month. In a letter to House and Senate leaders released by the White House Sunday, Trump said the priorities were the product of a “bottom-up re- view of all immigration pol- icies” that he had ordered “to determine what legisla- tive reforms are essential for America’s economic and na- tional security. “These findings outline re- forms that must be included as part of any legislation ad- dressing the status of De- ferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients,” he wrote, adding that: “Without these reforms, illegal immi- gration and chain migration, which severely and unfairly burden American workers and taxpayers, will continue without end.” Trump announced last month that he was ending the DACA program, but he gave Congress six months to come up with a legisla- tive fix before recipients began to lose their status. Trump suggested at the time that he was eager for a deal, telling reporters, “I have a love for these people and hopefully now Congress will be able to help them and do it properly.” He’d also tweeted that if Congress was unwilling to find a fix, he would “revisit this issue!” in six months. Trump had previously said he wanted a DACA deal to include significant money for border security and even- tual funding for his border wall. But the priorities re- leased by the White House went far beyond that. They included a com- plete overhaul of the green- card system that would limit family based green cards to spouses and the minor chil- dren of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents as part of an effort to end “chain migration.” The White House also said it wants to boost fees at border crossings, hire 10,000 more immigration enforce- ment officers, make it easier to deport gang members and unaccompanied children, and overhaul the asylum system. And it wants new measures to crack down on “sanctuary cities,” which don’t share in- formation with federal im- migration authorities, among other proposals. “These priorities are es- sential to mitigate the legal and economic consequences of any grants or status to DACA recipients,” White House legislative affairs di- rector Marc Short told re- porters in a Sunday eve- ning conference call. “We’re asking that these reforms be included in any legisla- tion concerning the status of DACA recipients.” But it remained unclear whether the president con- siders each of the more than a dozen priorities to be non- negotiable or whether the White House sees them more as a starting point for nego- tiation with members of Con- gress. Officials on the call no- tably declined to say whether the president would veto leg- islation that did not include each and every one of them. While Trump made clear that he was not backing down on his wall demand, he and other administration officials said then that they would be comfortable with wall funding coming later, in a separate legislative vehicle. In a joint statement Sunday night, Pelosi and Schumer said Trump’s list of proposals failed “to represent any attempt at compromise.” “The Administration can’t be serious about compro- mise or helping the Dreamers if they begin with a list that is anathema to the Dreamers, to the immigrant community and to the vast majority of Americans” they wrote. “The list includes the wall, which was explicitly ruled out of the negotiations. If the Presi- dent was serious about pro- tecting the Dreamers, his staff has not made a good faith effort to do so.” The demands could also divide Republicans, sev- eral of whom have intro- duced legislation providing a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers in exchange for less drastic changes. SONOMA, Calif. (AP) – More than a dozen wildfires whipped by powerful winds swept through California wine country Monday, de- stroying at least 1,500 homes and businesses and sending an estimated 20,000 people on a headlong flight to safety through smoke and flames. The state’s fire chief called the damage estimates conser- vative and said the fires were burning throughout an eight- county swath of Northern California, including Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties. Numerous people had been hurt and some were missing, although no estimates were immediately available, said California Department of For- estry and Fire Protection Di- rector Ken Pimlott. Mandatory evacuations were ordered after the blazes broke out late Sunday. Long lines formed at gas sta- tions when many families heeded a middle-of-the-night call to get out. With downed trees or flames blocking some routes, Sonoma County residents struggled to figure out what roads to take. Fires also burned just to the east in the Napa County as well as in Yuba, Butte and Nevada counties – all north of the state capital. The firefighting agency Cal Fire tweeted that as many as 8,000 homes were threatened in Nevada County, which lies on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. Napa County Fire Chief Barry Biermann said there were no reports of injuries or deaths, although the fires had burned more than 68 square miles (176 sq. kilometers). Crews had not yet been able to contain a fire heading to- ward downtown Napa. “Right now, with these conditions, we can’t get ahead of this fire and do anything about the forward progress,” Biermann said. He said there were seven large fires burning in Lake, So- noma and Napa counties. Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties. Smoke was thick in San Francisco, 60 miles south of the Sonoma County fire. Officials did not yet have a count on how many prop- erties were affected, either by the fire directly or by evac- uations, said Belia Ramos, chairwoman of the Napa County Board of Supervisors. “We’re focusing on making evacuations and trying to keep people safe. We are not prepared to start counting,” she said shortly after sunrise. The “tremendous” wind gusts were making the fire unpredictable, she said. “It’s something that we’re having to be very cautious about.” Ann Dubay, a spokes- woman for the Sonoma County Emergency Opera- tions Center, said the area where the largest fire started was relatively rural but the flames “went through many, many neighborhoods,” and authorities did not know how many structures were gone. Emergency lines were in- undated with callers re- porting smoke, prompting of- ficials to ask that the public “only use 911 if they see ac- tual unattended flames, or are having another emergency.” The National Weather Ser- vice said widespread wind gusts between 35 mph and 50 mph were observed in the north San Francisco Bay re- gion and isolated spots hit 70 mph. The winds were ex- pected to subside at midday. Community centers, the Sonoma County Fairgrounds and other local centers were opened for evacuees. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters Saturday before leaving the White House in Washington on his way to Greensboro, N.C. – PHOTO: AP A firefighter covers his eyes Monday as he walks past a burning hillside in Santa Rosa, California. – PHOTO: APNext >