ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2017 High of 85 Low of 75 Seas: Moderate to rough with wave of heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open waters. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 THE ‘BERMUDA PAPERS’? JOURNALISM, HACKING OR FINANCIAL VOYEURISM WORLD | PAGE 8 THAILAND BEGINS ELABORATE 5-DAY FUNERAL FOR KING BHUMIBOL Personal Insurance Save up to $400 with home and car insurance Your first BritCay buildings insurance policy comes with a $250 gift certificate and a 10% discount on car insurance. With the lowest standard deductible at $200, you also save when you claim. Ask for a quote! BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky FREE $10 Million ASSET PROTECTION! with motor cover* *private car insurance cgigrp Fallout begins from Appleby data breach MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The allegations are still not known but the Isle of Man and offshore law firm Appleby are trying to preempt potentially damaging media stories resulting from a data breach at the Bermuda-headquartered law firm. In a press conference held on Monday that one local journalist described as “surreal,” Howard Quayle, chief minister of the Isle of Man, indicated that some of the allegations made by investigative journalists surround the tax structures of commercial and corporate jets and aircraft used by wealthy individuals. The government of the Isle of Man said members of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists have been working on a story on how buyers of aircraft may have been using the Isle of Man for abusive value added tax (VAT) avoidance. “Media attention is centered on the impor- tation of business jets into the EU through the Isle of Man with a particular focus on the VAT treatment of aircraft leasing ar- rangements,” Mr. Quayle told reporters at the press conference. The ICIJ, which broke the Panama Papers stories in 2015, claims to have obtained the documents providing evidence for the allega- tions from a law firm. Appleby confirmed on Tuesday that the ICIJ has approached the law firm with allega- tions based on documents that may have been subject to a hack at the firm last year. In a statement released on Tuesday, Ap- pleby refuted the unspecified allegations made by investigative journalists and stated that after review, there was no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of the firm or its clients. Appleby said it believes the allegations are based on a lack of understanding of the legit- imate and lawful structures used in the off- shore sector. Whether the allegations are un- founded or not, the Isle of Man government is clearly concerned that news headlines about CEO: HEALTH SERVICE RAMPING UP COLLECTION EFFORTS KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Health Services Authority officials appeared at the Legislative Assem- bly’s Public Accounts Committee meeting for the second time this month on Tuesday to an- swer questions about their efforts to collect millions of dollars of debt, and to be grilled about the qualifications of its top officials. According to HSA Chairman Jonathan Tib- betts, the amount of “bad debt” – bills that are unlikely to be paid but which remain on the government’s books – accrued by the Authority decreased from about $15 million at the end of August 2016 fiscal year to $7 million a year later. The Authority’s CEO Lizzette Yearwood added that it had stepped up its collection ef- forts. The HSA typically collects about $6 mil- lion per month, but had collected $14 million to date in October, with about a week left to go in the month, she said. The health authority has also written off some $9.2 million of its roughly $94.5 mil- lion in bad debt. Public Accounts Committee Chairman Ezzard Miller asked why the HSA board only voted to write off that amount when Ms. Yearwood had requested that $27.6 million be written off, and Mr. Tibbetts replied that the board chose to write off debt that was more than six years old. Those factors have helped the Authority decrease its total accounts receivable from $122 million to $108 million, according to Mr. Tibbetts. “And it will continue to decrease,” he told Mr. Miller. John Gray school completion involves complete redesign JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The redesign of the new John Gray High School is a chance to “do it right,” according to the school’s principal Jon Clark. Government revealed this month that it is going through an extended planning process on the long-delayed school project and does not expect to have shovels in the ground until 2019. The announcement, a decade after work first began on the school and five years since construction halted as funds ran out, sparked criticism in some quarters. But Mr. Clark sees opportunity emerging from what has been an otherwise frus- trating experience. “We have got a chance to get a school ex- actly how we want it here,” said Mr. Clark, who along with his senior staff, is inti- mately involved with the planning process. He said it did not make sense to con- tinue with the original design – which mir- rors that of Clifton Hunter – based on con- cerns from teachers about the controversial open-plan layout at that high school. “The biggest feedback from teachers is they want defined teaching spaces; they didn’t want open-plan classrooms,” he said. The initial designs also involved four separate academies, essentially indepen- dent mini-schools on the same campus. That model is also likely to disappear, partially based on input from Mr. Clark and his school leadership team. Three of the school buildings have al- ready been built off the old plan, and project leaders are scoping out design op- tions that seek to connect those buildings in one school. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » John Gray students have their say in what they want from the new school. - PHOTO: SCOTT SWING2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema @cbcinema6cbcinema6 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456) SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - THURSDAY - THE SNOWMAN (R) 3:50 VIP I 7:00 I 9:35 VIP I 9:45 BLADE RUNNER 2049 3D (R) 3:15 I 6:30 2D I 9:25 AMERICAN MADE (R) 1:20 THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US (PG13) 12:35 I 6:45 I 10:00 THE FOREIGNER (R) 12:55 I 3:35 I 7:10 I 9:55 TYLER PERRY’S BOO2! A MADEA HALLOWEEN (PG13) 1:00 VIP I 1:10 I 4:00 I 6:50 VIP I 7:15 I 9:50 THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE (PG) 12:50 MY LITTLE PONY (PG) 4:15 Police investigate reported rape outside bar The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is investigating a re- port of a rape outside a bar in George Town in the early hours of Wednesday morning. According to a po- lice statement, officers re- sponded to the report around 3:45 a.m. out- side Bananas bar on Eastern Avenue. Police said the woman, who had been inside the bar, walked outside with a friend into the car park. “She was then ap- proached by a man who pulled her away, pulled at her clothing and then as- saulted her nearby. The man then fled the scene,” the police statement said. Police carried out checks in the immediate area, and throughout wider George Town during the early morning hours, but found no one fitting the description provided. The suspect is de- scribed as being dark- skinned, about 5 feet, 8 inches in height and of medium build. He was wearing a green shirt and blue pants. FLORIDA REGULATORS OK END TO NUCLEAR FEE TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Florida regulators are signing off on a settle- ment agreement that will allow customers to finally stop paying for a never- built nuclear power plant. The Florida Public Service Commission on Wednesday approved a wide-ranging settlement with Duke Energy Florida that brings to an end a long-running saga over a proposal to build a nu- clear plant in Levy County on the state’s Gulf Coast. Duke Energy aban- doned plans to build the plant back in 2013, but customers kept paying costs associated with the plant. Starting in Jan- uary, the average cus- tomer bill will go down $2.50 a month due to the agreement. The proposal also calls for the construc- tion of additional solar power plants in the next four years. Duke Energy has more than 1.8 million cus- tomers in Florida. Storm recovery highlights Puerto Rico inequalities VEGA BAJA, Puerto Rico (AP) – Hurricane Maria did not dis- criminate between rich and poor when it ravaged Puerto Rico, but the recovery has been another story. Much of Puerto Rico was still without power Wednesday, more than a month after the storm, but wealthier residents are sealed up in air conditioned homes with their generators and bottled water, or have fled the island altogether for extended vacations, while the poorest are left swat- ting mosquitoes in sweltering heat and trying to secure enough water. “I have no money. I can’t hear very well. It’s too hard for me to try to go find another place so I am here waiting for my sister to find me,” said Efrain Diaz Figueroa, 70, who sleeps under a shard of tin on a damp mattress in the wreckage of his sister’s home, batting away swarms of mos- quitoes in the punishing heat. A sign nearby reads: “Don’t rob us.” Puerto Rico has some of the highest income inequality in the world, said Jose Cara- ballo, president of Puerto Rico Economists Association. More than 40 percent of the island lives below the poverty line, and tens of thousands are now out of work. Life for them is only getting worse. “Maria just exacerbated the inequalities we were seeing in Puerto Rico, espe- cially among those in the metropolitan area and those in the country,” he said. The U.S. territory of 3.4 million people was already struggling with a more than decade-long recession before the storm, working to restruc- ture a portion of its $73 bil- lion public debt. The median annual income is $19,500, while in the rest of the U.S. it’s more than $58,000. The line between poverty and the middle class was al- ready blurring. More than a dozen families a day were losing homes to foreclosure. Unemployment was at 10 percent, nearly three times the rate in the mainland. “And then Maria hap- pened. And now those people are living like the home- less. They don’t have a roof, they don’t have water, they are caring about more basic things such as food,” Caraballo said. The Category 4 storm was among the most dev- astating the U.S. territory has ever seen, killing more than 50 people. It ripped up giant trees, wiped out power to the entire island, demol- ished scores of homes and badly damaged thousands more. About 70 percent of people now have water, but still must boil it or treat it to make it safe to drink. Gov. Ri- cardo Rossello has pledged to get 95 percent of power back by Dec. 31; right now about 30 percent have electricity. Some parts of the island feel practically normal: In upscale parts of San Juan, organic markets are stocked with cold, fresh produce and water, though some still limit the number of bottles you can buy. Generators whir out- side restaurants and apart- ment buildings. Lights flicker on in the evenings among the high-rises. People walk their dogs on cleared streets, jog wearing expensive gym clothes in the early morning and go out for dinner in par- tially lit restaurants. “We’re doing OK, all things considered,” said Jesus Gonzalez, 43. Like many, the generator in his building runs during the eve- ning, the cost of which is split among the tenants. They have access to laundry ma- chines, so he doesn’t mind sweating at the gym. When the generators broke at the home of Dr. Linette Perez in the upscale suburb of Guaynabo, she had her husband and son came to a luxury hotel for three days to get some relief. Her home suffered minor damage; her beach house was worse. The family is thinking of leaving for the states, like tens of thousands of others already have. Brazil leader hospitalized as he faces vote on suspension BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) – Bra- zilian President Michel Temer was hospitalized on Wednesday with a urinary obstruction, his office said, even as lawmakers debated in Congress whether to sus- pend him and put him on trial on corruption charges. The presidential palace said in a statement that the 77-year-old leader had experi- enced discomfort Wednesday morning and was sent to a military hospital for an exam- ination and treatment. It did not provide further details. Carlos Marun, a deputy from Temer’s party, said he did not think the issue was serious. Earlier this month, Te- mer’s office announced that he had been diagnosed with a partial coronary obstruction that would be treated with aspirin and a low-fat diet. The news came as the lower house of Brazil’s Con- gress met for another vote on his political survival. The chamber spared him last time he was accused of corruption and was expected to do so again. But Temer’s popularity is in single digits after a se- ries of scandals and the vote could show how effectively he will be able to govern during the last year of his term. If two thirds of the 513 members of the Chamber of Deputies accept the charges, Temer will be suspended for up to six months while he is tried in the nation’s Supreme Court. Temer has spent recent weeks shoring up his sup- port, doling out local projects, plum positions and decrees favorable to his allies. Still, with lawmakers starting to think about their prospects for re-election next year, Te- mer’s margin of victory could be slimmer this time. The voting was scheduled for later Wednesday, but it cannot start until there is a two-thirds quorum present. Many opposition lawmakers, hoping to drag out the pro- cess as long as possible, had refused to enter the chamber. The charges against Temer stem from Brazil’s massive corruption investiga- tion, which began as a probe into money laundering and ended up uncovering sys- temic graft in Brazil’s halls of power. Dozens of politicians and businessmen have been jailed in the probe. Starting in January, the average customer bill will go down $2.50 a month due to the agreement. A resident sweeps at a camp set up on the shore of Laguna de Condado in San Juan, Puerto Rico. – PHOTO: AP Brazilian opposition Deputy Leo de Brito, right, shows a sign written in Portuguese that reads ‘Temer Out!’ – PHOTO: AP3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2017 Dog owner sentenced for animal attack on neighbors SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Magistrate Philippa Mc- Farlane sentenced a man Wednesday who had been found guilty of two charges of suffering a ferocious dog to be at large, as well as criminal trespass and damage to property. Duke Perrigoffe Merren, who pleaded guilty after his trial had started, was sen- tenced to two months’ im- prisonment for each of the dog-related charges. He was sentenced to three months for criminal trespass, all sen- tences to run concurrently, but suspended for two years. Merren was also or- dered to pay $250 for dam- aging his neighbor’s property and $500 as contribution for the neighbor’s medical ex- penses. Merren’s dogs, cur- rently held by the Depart- ment of Agriculture, will be put to sleep as a consequence of what happened. Magistrate McFarlane cited section 41.1 of the Ani- mals Law, which states that if an animal has been dan- gerously out of control on more than one occasion, it can be surrendered to the De- partment of Agriculture for immediate destruction. Mag- istrate McFarlane had previ- ously ordered Merren’s dogs to be destroyed, but the ani- mals were spared until the case and the sentencing had concluded. The magistrate read the facts of the case before Wednesday’s sentencing. She said Merren had con- fronted his neighbors on the mistaken belief that they had kicked his dogs. Merren kicked open their gate, causing damage, and his dogs attacked the com- plainants while he was ar- guing with them. This attack, said Mag- istrate McFarlane, was “en- tirely unprovoked.” The court also found that Merren’s dogs had not been controlled and were fre- quently allowed to roam the street. On two prior occa- sions, his dogs had attacked a dog owned by his neighbors. The magistrate lauded Merren for erecting a dog en- closure to his yard following his trial, but she said he car- ried a “higher degree of cul- pability” than normal. There was no evidence that he had acted on his prior knowl- edge of his dogs’ aggres- sion, she said, and the harm to the complainants was “significant.” In the incident, which oc- curred in March 2016, the male neighbor was bitten on his right hand and the fe- male neighbor was bitten on her right leg. Both needed several stitches to close their wounds. Attorney Brett Basdeo had appeared as amicus at a previous hearing, when he said Merren had asked him to argue against the de- struction order. The magistrate said Merren exhibited a “minimal level of remorse” following the offense and that his dogs were “largely feral in nature.” She said that there were no mitigating factors in the case, and she concluded that she could not be satisfied that the dogs would be properly con- trolled in the future. The defendant had con- tended that the injuries were accidental, incurred when he and the couple were trying to separate their dogs. Magistrate McFarlane had previously ordered for Merren’s dogs to be destroyed, but the animals were spared until the case and the sentencing had concluded. Tropical system stalls near Central American coast Hurricane formation not anticipated A low-pressure weather system continued to hang off the eastern coast of Ni- caragua Wednesday, bringing downpours and thunder- storms to much of Central America. The system is ex- pected to move slowly north and hit the northeastern Caribbean with heavy rains by Friday. Cloudiness and showers moved over the Cayman Is- lands Wednesday, as a pre- frontal trough and cold front lingered in the area. Isolated showers are ex- pected to continue im- pacting Cayman as the system moves northeast. The Cayman Islands Na- tional Weather Service fore- cast moderate sea wave heights, reaching up to five feet Wednesday night. North- erly winds will reach 5 to 11 miles per hour. Seas are forecast to be slightly smoother Thursday at less than two feet, ac- companied by northeastern winds less than 5 miles per hour. Locally, heavy showers may occur. Coastal regions of Hon- duras and Nicaragua, re- cently hit by Tropical Storm Nate, went into alert, as flooding and mudslides from the low-pressure system threatened lives. The system, located south of the Cayman Islands, be- came slightly more organized Wednesday and began a slight counterclockwise flow, AccuWeather reported. Cy- clone formation was not cer- tain, however. While conditions may favor tropical depres- sion or storm formation, an AccuWeather forecaster did not anticipate hurri- cane formation. The U.S. National Hurri- cane Center forecast a 20 per- cent chance of formation over 48 hours and a 40 percent chance over five days. Environmental condi- tions are expected to be more conducive to forma- tion later in the week, once the system has moved away from the Central American coast and into warm Ca- ribbean waters. A cold front from the north could stall the system in the waters south of Cuba on Thursday. A front moving south off the Yucatan Peninsula will likely bring strong, upper- level winds and prevent fur- ther development by Sunday. A stronger front off the United States may dip the jet stream further south by Friday or Saturday, pulling the storm north, Accu- Weather reported. Regardless of cyclone formation, heavy rains will likely affect Central America and Cuba this weekend. Northern Honduras, southern Belize and north- eastern Guatemala are ex- pected to receive the heaviest rains in coming days, with 7 to 12 inches of rain forecast to fall by Friday. Residents of the north- western Caribbean, Central America, Cuba and Jamaica are advised to monitor storm development. The region will be at risk of flooding, down- pours, strong winds, mud- slides and dangerous surf this weekend. The next named storm of the season will be Philippe. Cayman delegation attends cruise conference in Mexico Senior government of- ficials and representatives from Cayman’s tourism in- dustry are attending the 24th annual Florida Caribbean Cruise Association Confer- ence in Merida, Mexico. According to a press re- lease from the Cayman Is- lands Department of Tourism, the delegation is “showcasing attractions, culture and activ- ities with a focus on the im- portance of cruise tourism and delivering the message that the Cayman Islands is open for business.” The forum, blending meet- ings and workshops with so- cial functions, is attended by approximately 100 execu- tives from the Florida Carib- bean Cruise Association’s 19 member cruise lines “who de- cide where ships call, what is sold and used onboard, and how to invest in destinations and infrastructure,” the FCCA states on its website. The Cayman delegation consists of government rep- resentatives from the Min- istry and Department of Tourism; the Port Authority; the Cayman Turtle Centre and the Tourism Attrac- tion Board, as well as pri- vate sector partners Cayman Crystal Caves, DECCO Ltd. and The Tour Company. Government and private sector tourism delegates gather at the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association Conference in Mexico this week.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 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. – EDITORIAL – Machine learning, other advancements will change workforce needs, not eliminate need for human workers Robots filling orders for Amazon and driverless vehicles hardly spell the end of work, but the arti- ficial intelligence driving the current wave of auto- mation – if Americans do not embrace it effectively – could catapult China ahead of the United States once and for all. Those of us who were around in the 1960s re- member elevator opera- tors and bowling alley pin- setters losing their jobs. Alarmists warn that artifi- cial intelligence now is be- ginning to enable machines to replace not just un- skilled workers but knowl- edge workers too – for ex- ample, insurance adjusters. They worry society will di- vide between those owning the intellectual property and indolent masses who will depend on govern- ment handouts. More compelling is the example of mid-20th cen- tury office workers. The functions of executive sec- retaries, accounting clerks, ordinary typists and file clerks largely have been combined and their num- bers reduced by desktop computers and produc- tivity software. We still have clerical workers – just fewer who support many more busi- nesses and professionals. And automating their work has freed many more young people to go on to college – instead of secretarial school – to become social workers, software engi- neers and a host of other more knowledge-inten- sive occupations. Machines and the knowl- edge embedded in them re- ally do three things: replace hands and muscle in re- petitive and backbreaking tasks; enhance our senses of hearing, sight and feel; and most recently through computers, process bil- lions of bits of information to identify patterns, com- pare those to databases and run scenarios – if I do this, what options are elimi- nated and new ones created – to predict behavior or rep- licate some of the work of the human mind. The latter is artificial in- telligence. It permits mar- keters to build algorithms that quickly place ads for products we find attractive on our computer screens. Aided by cellphone apps and high-resolution cam- eras, it permits derma- tologists and oncologists to more quickly diagnose skin cancers and with pa- tients’ medical histories, prescribe the most effec- tive treatments. AI will not replace doc- tors, but it will permit them to treat more patients more effectively and at lower costs. And somehow, I do not think people are quite ready to leave life and death decisions to an iPhone app. Similarly, I hardly be- lieve most folks will be willing to put a 6 year- old into a driverless car or school bus on a snowy, dark January morning. More likely, one driver will con- trol several delivery ve- hicles or taxis (for adults) from a dispatch center and send assistance quickly if a problem emerges. Lower costs for trans- porting goods will enhance the growth prospects of other industries that rely on livery services – from those making meals delivered to your home and internet re- tailers that bring you diffi- cult-to-find-locally fishing tackle. This will disrupt industries – restaurants will suffer losses to deliv- ered meals and brick-and- mortar will continue to lose market share – but overall efficiency and the growth potential for the economy will improve. America’s problem is that we are embracing these changes too slowly – wit- ness the declining pace of productivity growth in the face of all these poten- tially efficiency-enhancing innovations and the shortage of skilled workers to bring manufacturing back to America. Most high school stu- dents are ill-prepared ei- ther to enter demanding vo- cational or apprenticeship programs or enroll in col- lege curriculum for engi- neering and the like. The response of tech- nology leaders like Tesla’s Elon Musk is to call for the government regulation of AI – essentially put a break on progress – or Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg is to just surrender – forsake the no- tion of every adult having a job and guarantee every American a government- funded annual income. That will not give us the workforce we need to ex- ploit the opportunities for growth automation and AI offer and put us at risk of being lapped by soci- eties that better challenge their businesses and young people to step up. China’s leadership correctly sees AI as the emerging the linchpin of global wealth. Beijing is investing $150 billion to dominate the field by 2030– taking a stake in indige- nous companies developing next generation automo- biles and that compete with the likes of Apple, Google and Facebook. And China hardly tells its young people the world owes them a living. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © 2017 The Washington Times The ‘Bermuda Papers’? Journalism, hacking or financial voyeurism In anticipation of the sound and the fury that will no doubt define international news coverage of a data breach at Appleby law firm, here are a few of our thoughts on the matter of “leaks,” “hacks” and offshore exposés under the guise of investigative journalism. On Tuesday, Appleby – a Bermuda-headquartered law firm that has offices in multiple jurisdictions, including the Cayman Islands – confirmed that the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (the coalition behind the “Panama Papers”) had informed them they are in possession of private documents that may have been obtained via a cybersecurity breach. (In layman’s terms, stolen and passed around.) It seems inevitable that the journalists will publish “something” based on the sensitive documents, and it seems safe to assume that “something” will adhere to the template of the ICIJ’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Panama Papers exposé. For Appleby, Bermuda and other offshore jurisdictions (including quite possibly Cayman), that translates to the prospect of public criti- cism and severe reputational damage – regardless of whether it’s warranted, reasonable or fair. Already, officials from the Isle of Man are attempting to head off the ICIJ by preemptively announcing that journalists have been asking them about the tax structures of commercial and corporate jets and aircraft used by wealthy individuals, as we report in today’s Compass. If it is necessary, it might be wise for Cayman to consider playing “offense” as part of its defensive strategy. But that’s not what this editorial is primarily about. We are compelled to point out that the Panama Papers, and now the potential coverage of the Appleby leak, are examples of an unacceptable violation of indi- viduals’ fundamental right to privacy – which includes their financial affairs. Yes, on a case-by-case basis, it may be justifiable to publish “leaked” (and verified) information when it is squarely in the public interest – government cor- ruption, real threats to public safety, blatantly illegal wrongdoing, etc. Readers will find such stories in the Compass on a regular basis. However, in recent years we have witnessed the emergence of a different sort of “investigative jour- nalism” that largely includes the public dumping of private information, oftentimes in the absence of analysis, context or verification. It is journalism most foul. Call it the WikiLeaks Syndrome: Unnamed hackers/ leakers/robbers with political motivations obtain large amounts of personal, confidential or proprietary infor- mation, which media houses then pass on to their audi- ences based on their “news judgments,” too often con- taminated by subjectivity, bias and political prejudice. We would hope, at the very least, that the jour- nalists who have Appleby’s information will interro- gate the provider of the records as vigorously as they might the people mentioned in the records. Sample questions: Why are you sharing this? How did you obtain it? Who helped you? Is this an accurate and complete set of records? The Compass will not diminish or palter with this principle: Appleby and its clients have a fundamental right – not to be abridged by governments, regulators or journalists – to keep legal correspondence privileged, private and confidential. THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Robots, AI will not be the end of work AI will not replace doctors, but it will permit them to treat more patients more effectively and at lower costs. And somehow, I do not think people are quite ready to leave life and death decisions to an iPhone app. 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” PETER MORICI5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2017 CINCINNATI BUFFALO IOWA SOUTH DAKOTA STATE RICHMOND UAB LOUISIANALOUISIANALOUISIANA BUFFALOBUFFALO SOUTH DAKOTA STATESOUTH DAKOTA STATESOUTH DAKOTA STATE RICHMONDRICHMOND UAB WYOMING NOVEMBER 20th – 22nd 2017 COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT ENDORSED BY THE NCAA FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TICKETS VISIT WWW.CAYMANISLANDSCLASSIC.COM Cayman Islands Rum MEDIA LTD. HURLEY’S TM Spookfest made easier for special needs children this year The Halloween celebra- tion at Pedro St. James, known as “Spookfest,” will be opening its doors a little early this year to give some special young visitors time to enjoy the festivities before the crowds descend. Organizers are inviting parents of special needs chil- dren to bring their kids along to the event early, as it will open 30 minutes earlier than usual to give the children a chance to participate in ac- tivities that they might other- wise not be able to enjoy. Shayma Hamdi-Romanica, marketing coordinator of the Tourism Attraction Board which organizes Spookfest, said, “We have come to learn that many times special needs families are not able to fully participate in spe- cial events like this, due to anxiety issues experienced by children when in large crowds, or long lineups.” Spookfest, now in its second year, takes place at Pedro St. James on Saturday, Oct. 28. The early opening happens at 10:30 a.m., with general admission at 11 a.m. Festivities will con- tinue until 3 p.m. More than 4,000 pieces of Hershey’s candy will be up for grabs throughout the day, and there will also be plenty of spooky games and activi- ties, as well as a craft-making station hosted by the Visual Arts Society, a ghost story corner, a haunted house, face painting, bouncy castles and many more tricks and treats. Dr. Mona Kazemi, clin- ical director and occupa- tional therapist at Thera- play, said there is a need for more inclusion of children with special needs at com- munity events. “Our community goals this year include helping families who have children with different needs to have more accessibility to commu- nity events,” she said. Dr. Kazemi said fami- lies can feel uncomfortable taking their children to com- munity events sometimes be- cause they think the child may be misunderstood if he or she is unable to speak, use eye contact, navigate the en- vironment, or engage in ac- tivities as expected. She explained that at times, children with special needs have difficulty in their sensory processing, which can make events trigger a meltdown due to being over- whelmed by crowds of people or loud noises. “I truly believe that fami- lies with special needs chil- dren will be beyond grateful for this step towards inclu- sivity,” Dr. Kazemi said of the plan to open the Spookfest event early for these children. “One of the main goals at Tourism Attraction Board is to ensure our national attrac- tions are accessible to our youth, and to encourage chil- dren of all ages and abilities to interact with our local cul- ture and heritage, and to be proud of it,” said Ms. Hamdi- Romanica, marketing coor- dinator of the Tourism At- traction Board. Pedro St. James is a na- tional historic site, and Ms. Hamdi-Romanica said Spookfest will give chil- dren in Cayman an op- portunity to connect with the castle and its grounds. “It’s a truly Caymanian Halloween experience, and we are delighted that special needs families can be a part of that this year,” she said. Parent Shan Harriman encouraged organizers to get on board for fu- ture holiday events, such as Christmas and Easter. “As a parent of a child that has special needs, it can be overwhelming at times to at- tend public functions which would draw large crowds,” she said. “The long lines, the large number of attendees, the level of noise are all fac- tors that can be overstimu- lating for the child.” Tourism Attraction Board Director Patrick Thompson said the board was grateful that Dr. Kazemi raised the issue, “as it often slips our mind.” He added, “We hope that the exposure raised from Spookfest will en- courage other event orga- nizers to include special needs children in their itin- eraries, particularly on holi- days such as Christmas, Hal- loween and Easter.” DMS Broadcasting and the Tourism Attraction Board host Spookfest, which is sup- ported by Hershey’s, Progres- sive Distributors, It’s Your Party, the Visual Arts Society and Wok ‘n’ Roll. For general admission, attendees should bring one Hershey’s proof of purchase per person or two per family. For more information, email marketing@tab.ky or events@tab.ky, or call 936-0193 or 927-4070. All are invited to Spookfest at Pedro St. James on Saturday. - PHOTO: CARLO LEEThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 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. THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, OCT. 26 DISTRICT COUNCIL: The North Side District Council meets at 8 p.m. in the Clifton Hunter High School Theater. All North Side residents are encouraged to attend. BRAC COURT: Today and tomorrow, 10 a.m. VAS VOLUNTEERS: The Visual Arts Society seeks volunteers to help with pre-decorating/craft prep at Pedro Castle before Saturday’s SpookFest. Today and tomorrow, 9:30 a.m. till noon at the studio. VAS also needs styrofoam egg cartons, and paper towel and toilet paper rolls. Any items for Halloween decorations also welcome. These are needed by today; they can be dropped off at the studio on the porch and will be retrieved at end of the day. Email leledesigns2@gmail.com. REVIVAL SERVICES: Red Bay Church of God (Holiness) continues Revival Services through Oct. 29. 7:30 p.m. Monday to Friday; 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday. Evangelist will be Bro. Glaremon (Bobo) Grant. All are welcome. FRIDAY, OCT. 27 BINGO NIGHT: All are invited to play Bingo at the Edna Moyle Primary School Hall in North Side from 6:30 p.m. $2 per card per game. An evening of family fun and a chance to win prizes. Funds raised will go toward literacy and numeracy programs. STATE OPENING: The State Opening of the Legislative Assembly takes place at 9:40 a.m. The meeting will include the Throne Speech by Governor Helen Kilpatrick; the Budget Address by Finance and Economic Development Minister Roy McTaggart; and the Policy Statement by Premier Alden McLaughlin. NEEDS ASSESSMENT: The Needs Assessment Unit will be closed for a staff function and will reopen on Monday, Oct. 30. BRAC POETRY EVENING: 7 p.m., Cayman Brac Library. All are invited. LEADERSHIP CAYMAN: The Chamber of Commerce is now accepting applications for the 2018 program. Improve your leadership skills by applying. Today is the deadline. Call 743-9121 for further information or visit www.caymanchamber.ky/ leadershipcayman. SATURDAY, OCT. 28 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Seniors Gala, The Westin, 6:30 p.m. To RSVP, call Vanda Powery 916-7902. BOOK FAIR: The Cayman Islands Book Fair takes place today and Sunday. Book sales, author readings, kids’ activities and prize drawings will be at George Town Public Library on Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Admission is free. At Art Nest Creative Studio in Pasadora Place there will be workshops and author readings on Saturday, 6-10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For further information about the Art Nest events, visit www.caywriters.com. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross Mobile Thrift Shop is in West Bay at The Lord’s Church Compound, junction of the West Bay Town Hall. 6-10 a.m. Items available include clothing and shoes for men, women and children, ladies’ accessories, linens and more. MOVIE NIGHT: “God’s Not Dead 2” at 7:30 p.m. The Park at Seven Mile Beach, next to the Kimpton Hotel. Free admission. Organized by familyempowermentgroup@ gmail.com. Call 916-6182. FULL GOSPEL BUSINESSMEN: The Grand Cayman chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International is having its monthly breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at Lola’s restaurant in Camana Bay. Come hear how God is making a difference in the life of men like you, right here in Cayman. BEGINNERS CERAMICS: Registration is now open for the National Gallery’s ceramics class with artist Cecilia Urdaneta. Sessions take place today, 2-4:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 5, 2-4:30 p.m. Learn the art of hand building vessels using fundamental techniques such as slab, coil, and pinch, then construct your own vessel during part one, and glaze your creations in part two. Cost is $150 for both sessions, 10 percent discount to NGCI members. To register contact education@nationalgallery. org.ky or 945-8111. LITTLE CAYMAN SPOOKTACULAR: 5K Fun Run. 4 p.m. $25 Adults, $15 Children under 12. Contact littlecaymansports@gmail.com. SPOOKFEST: At Pedro Castle, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visual Arts Society offers Kids Halloween Arts and Crafts, VAS Art Market. Kiwanis will host a book reading corner in the Great House. Pedro will be filled with Halloween activities, food, haunted house, costumes. Entrance fee is one Hershey wrapper per person or two per family. Gates will open half an hour early to allow entry for families with children with special needs. GARAGE SALE: At St. Alban’s Church, 461 Shedden Road, (opposite Bodden Place). 7 a.m. Clothes, household items, books, toys and more. For information, call 949-2757. SUNDAY, OCT. 29 DAY OF BEAUTY: The Lions Club of Tropical Gardens presents a day of beauty treatments at Sameena’s Beauty Salon, Coe Centre, North Church Street. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Proceeds for breast cancer awareness campaign. TUESDAY, OCT. 31 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Cayman Brac Social, Aston Rutty Civic Centre, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1 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. MONDAY, NOV. 6 PROUD OF THEM: The public is invited to recognize excellence among young people in the Cayman Islands by submitting nominations to the Proud of Them award scheme. Today is the deadline. Youth ages 10–25 who are reaching new heights of achievement in academics, sports, their career, culture, business or community service can be nominated. Forms can be found online at www.gov.ky. For more information, email proudofthem@gov.ky. TUESDAY, NOV. 7 SMALL BUSINESS: The Cayman Islands Small Business Association (CISBA) holds its official opening at 151 Mary Street, George Town from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. All are invited to socialize and enjoy complimentary appetizers, live music and wine. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 15 RUN IN THE DARK: 5K/10K walk or run. 8 p.m. A fundraiser for the Mark Pollock Trust, which aims to find a cure for paralysis. To find further information or sign up for this year’s event, visit www.runinthedark.org/ cayman-islands. GENERAL INTEREST USED BOOK SALE: Through Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Red Cross Thrift Shop, Huldah Avenue. Customers can get all the books they can fit in a single bag for only $5. CAYMAN CRAFT: The exhibition, “Revive!” – Celebrating contemporary and traditional craft from the Cayman Islands, is open at the National Gallery. 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 – 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. HUMANE SOCIETY THRIFT SHOP: The shop has moved to Plaza Venezia, next to China Village. The thrift shop is open Tuesday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed on Sunday and Monday. Phone 945-5596. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed evenings. Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. ARTISAN MARKET: Every Wednesday, noon–8 p.m. at Camana Bay Farmers Market. Visual Arts Society artists display arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand- crafted jewelry and ceramics for sale at the tents by KARoo Restaurant/ Bar. For more info email info@visualartcayman.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The Cayman Islands Book Fair takes place Saturday and Sunday at George Town Public Library, and Art Nest Creative Studio in Pasadora Place.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2017 the superrich avoiding taxes on their jets would result in reputational damage for the jurisdiction and the firms involved. ‘Pre-emptive action’ The chief minister said his government had taken “pre-emptive” action by re- sponding to the allegations before their publication. “Our strategy has been to engage with journalists to defend the Isle of Man’s reputation as a responsible jurisdiction. Ministers and officers have been dealing with The Guardian, the BBC in the U.K., Le Monde in France, leading German media and Japanese TV. “Tomorrow morning, I will be interviewed by BBC’s Panorama program,” he told local Isle of Man jour- nalists Monday. Mr. Quayle said, as a re- sponsible member of the global community, his gov- ernment takes allega- tions of this nature ex- tremely seriously. However, the ICIJ had so far rejected repeated re- quests to provide written evidence to support their claims, he said. “During the course of our own ongoing review, we have found no evidence of wrongdoing or reason to be- lieve that our Customs and Excise has been involved in the mistaken refunding of VAT,” Mr. Quayle added. In light of the claims made by the ICIJ, the gov- ernment of the Isle of Man has asked the United Kingdom Treasury to look at all elements involved in the process of the impor- tation of business jets via the Isle of Man into the EU, Mr. Quayle said. Given the highly complex nature of the tax treatment of aircraft leasing arrange- ments, the chief minister said, “without sufficient technical knowledge, we be- lieve there is scope for the ICIJ to misunderstand” the tax position. Cayman Finance anticipates negative publicity Cayman Finance refer- enced the Isle of Man’s and Appleby’s announcements in a notice to members on Wednesday as one of sev- eral examples of the head- wind offshore jurisdictions are likely to face. “The past couple of weeks have served as a re- minder that as we get closer to the upcoming [Joint Min- isterial Council] meetings in London, and the final deci- sions by the EU on their ex- pected blacklist of unco- operative jurisdictions, we can all expect significantly greater media scrutiny,” the organization representing the financial services in- dustry in Cayman said. Although the examples may have “little or nothing to do with Cayman,” the mem- bers will need to monitor the developments and antici- pate “the need to engage and educate about our industry and jurisdiction,” Cayman Fi- nance said in its statement. Cayman Finance’s In- ternational Relations Com- mittee is responsible for an- alyzing threats and attacks on the jurisdiction and de- veloping strategy, tactics and key messages, the orga- nization said. “This is one of the most complex projects that I have worked on,” said se- nior project manager Jona- than Matthews, who arrived in Cayman in 2016, having worked on numerous school projects in the U.K. He said restarting a half- built school with a new de- sign was rife with compli- cations that needed to be properly assessed. From the viability of me- chanical, engineering and plumbing systems, installed but never used, at the ex- isting site, to the feasibility of completing the school to new design specifications, the implications of the project delays are many and varied. “It is a much bigger project because it is not going to be completed as originally designed,” he added. For Mr. Clark, simply going ahead with the original design, in light of the feed- back about Clifton Hunter, would be ill-advised. “I can see why they went in that direction at the time but we have seen the re- sponse to that and they’ve walked it back to a degree by adding partitions to the open-plan classrooms,” he said. “It is still a beautiful fa- cility but, for me, we have a chance here to build a school exactly how we want it.” Evidence of any link be- tween specific school de- sign and academic achieve- ment is limited, both men acknowledge. Mr. Matthews said the key element was ensuring signif- icant input from those who would use it. Even the students are having a say in what they want from the new school in a series of surveys. Student lockers are one feature they would like in the new school. According to Mr. Mat- thews, this type of commu- nity involvement is critical to the success of the project. “We did some research on the connections between de- sign and educational perfor- mance and asked, does a cer- tain type of design improve education around the world? The evidence came back and said that actually the building on its own isn’t going to im- prove performance. “It is the teaching and learning, the curriculum and the leadership of the school that has the most impact. But if the leadership team, the staff and the students are involved in the journey of designing and planning the school that they will be using, then that can have a real impact,” he said. As principal, Mr. Clark be- lieves the correct design can mean a more efficient school, while input from teachers and students serves to help tailor the end product to their requirements. He said simple design fea- tures like windows in class- rooms would allow him to quickly monitor what is going on in the school without dis- rupting teaching. Well-de- signed communal areas and open spaces can make student behavior easier to manage. Sectioning classrooms into blocks based on subject areas can help teachers share re- sources and expertise. “It is not going to be about beautiful architecture; it is about function. It is about looking at the curriculum now and what it will look like in the future and building a school to match,” he added. The project team was able to expedite the planning pro- cess for the gym because it was largely built to the original designs. Completing the school is more complex, and per legal requirements for infrastruc- ture projects over $10 mil- lion, the project is required to go through a “business case” analysis. That process began with a Strategic Outline Case, where 12 possible design options were reviewed. Those options have now been reduced to five and will be honed through the Outline Business Case, which will an- alyze input from education officials, teachers and stu- dents and examine successful school construction else- where, to make recommenda- tions for the final design. The next phase involves procurement of a contractor, planning applications and a final budget analysis before work can begin. Though he acknowledges frustration at the longer lead time, Mr. Matthews believes following this process will ultimately mean the project gets completed on budget and on schedule and delivers a school that the Cayman Is- lands can be proud of. “All of this is important to get right before you start construction,” he said. “If you rush the start, it is going to end up costing more and taking longer. If you have the design sorted and it fits with what the school leaders are telling you they want, the contractor knows ex- actly what they are doing be- fore they start. That is when a project like this goes well and comes in on budget and on time.” Completing the new John Gray site is just one project being examined through the business-case process. Repurposing the old school buildings to expand both the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre and the University College of the Cayman Islands is also part of the plan. The Department of Ed- ucation Services will also move to the site. The current CIFEC build- ings will be demolished to make way for the playing fields for the new school. The switch will mean a net growth in facilities for CIFEC and UCCI and offers an opportunity to increase technical and vocational course offerings at both facil- ities, Mr. Matthews said. “This is the hidden gem. The buildings are actually in decent condition,” he said. “If we can give them a new lease of life and make sure they are equipped for the enhanced curriculum that CIFEC and UCCI will be of- fering, there is great oppor- tunity here to really improve things across the board.” Ms. Yearwood and Mr. Tibbetts also updated the committee about the Health Services Authori- ty’s efforts to update its ac- counting practices and col- lection procedures. Where the Authority used to pursue collections after treating a patient, cus- tomers are now asked to pro- vide their means of payment beforehand unless it is an emergency, she said, attrib- uting this policy change to the uptick in collections. The HSA is also creating an internal compliance office to make sure the department is following its own rules, she said. The Authority is also outsourcing its internal au- dits to government’s Internal Audit Unit – the HSA internal auditor is being transferred there, and will be assisted by the Unit in carrying out future internal audits, she explained. Mr. Tibbetts added that the board has recommend that the HSA add a chief op- erations officer, which will focus more on the Authori- ty’s daily operations while al- lowing Ms. Yearwood to focus on larger strategic goals. Along with discussing ac- counting and internal pro- cedures, independent leg- islator Chris Saunders also questioned the HSA officials about hiring decisions that in some cases were made more than a decade ago. Mr. Saunders mostly fo- cused on HSA Chief Financial Officer Heather Boothe, who he said was underqualified to serve in her position. Other than a two-year stint as an accountant at a shipping ser- vices company from 2001- 2003, Ms. Boothe did not have any accounting experience before being hired, he said. “You hired a person with a degree in economics who had two years of accounting experience in a shipping ser- vices company, and you hand them a $100 million hospital to run,” he said, suggesting that Ms. Boothe was hired because her husband was a doctor with the HSA. “I’m sorry, I can’t accept this.” Later in the session, Mr. Tibbetts corrected Mr. Saun- ders, pointing out that Ms. Boothe has been an Asso- ciation of Chartered Certi- fied Accountants-certified accountant for the past 18 years, having achieved that designation in 1999. “Just for the record, based on what [Mr. Saunders] read, as far as the CV, I think there may have been a page missing,” Ms. Yearwood said. “So I will undertake to resend the entire document so you have it on record.” Mr. Tibbetts also released a statement on Wednesday afternoon, giving Ms. Boothe a vote of confidence. “Her extensive experi- ence in a range of diverse industries provided her the breadth of skills and knowl- edge, and experience to ben- efit the HSA, reflected in the fact that the auditor general has been able to highlight the positive impact of her work on the organization’s finan- cial reports since her tenure,” he stated. “This is signifi- cant from the years when the Audit reports reflect unflat- tering comments about the fi- nances of the HSA.” John Gray school completion involves complete redesign Students at John Gray High School shared their views on what the new school should include during consultation sessions this month. - PHOTO: SCOTT SWING CEO: Health service ramping up collection efforts CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The Health Services Authority typically collects about $6 million per month, but had collected $14 million to date in October, according to CEO Lizzette Yearwood. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The Isle of Man’s Chief Minister Howard Quayle at a press conference on Monday. Fallout begins from Appleby data breach CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Autobahn shut down after beer truck loses cargo A stretch of autobahn in central Germany was temporarily shut down Wednesday after a truck hit a guard rail and spilled 30,000 bottles of beer across the highway. The crash was caused when a car and hit the guard rail, then swerved back into the road against the truck. Thailand begins elaborate 5-day funeral for King Bhumibol BANGKOK (AP) – Thailand on Wednesday began an elab- orate five-day funeral for King Bhumibol Adulyadej with his son, the new mon- arch, performing Buddhist merit-making rites in prepa- ration for moving Bhumibol’s remains to a spectacular golden crematorium. Thousands of mourners dressed entirely in black have endured tropical heat during the day and torrential rains at night as they waited to enter the historic royal quarter of Thailand’s cap- ital to bid farewell to a mon- arch celebrated as a unifying symbol throughout his seven- decade reign. The rites in the ornate throne hall of Dusit palace, where Bhumibol’s remains have been kept for the past year, began the series of cer- emonies and processions that include his cremation on Thursday evening within a golden edifice representing mystical Mount Meru, where Buddhist and Hindu gods are believed to dwell. About 250,000 people are expected to line the streets of Bangkok’s royal quarter to witness elaborate gilded processions that will be broadcast live. As orange-robed monks chanted and officials in crisp white uniforms looked on, King Maha Vajiralongkorn knelt beneath a nine-tiered golden umbrella. The cer- emony was preparation for the moving of an urn repre- senting Bhumibol’s remains to the crematorium built over the past year. By tradition, deceased Thai royals have been kept upright in elaborate urns during official mourning. But Bhumibol, who spent much of his early life in the West, opted to be put in a coffin, with the urn placed next to it for devotional purposes. Bhumibol’s death at age 88 on Oct. 13 last year sparked a national out- pouring of grief and a year of mourning. More than 12 million people – nearly a fifth of Thailand’s popu- lation – visited the throne hall at Dusit palace to pay respects. The adulation Bhumibol inspired was in part the re- sult of decades of work by palace officials to rebuild the prestige of the monarchy, which lost its mystique and power after a 1932 coup ended centuries of absolute rule by Thai kings. That effort built an aura of divinity around Bhu- mibol, who was protected from criticism by draconian lese majeste laws, but was also respected for his char- itable work, personal mod- esty and as a symbol of sta- bility in a nation frequently rocked by political turmoil. One mourner, Banterng Saeuong, said Wednesday that the funeral was the most important event in his life- time. “I am happy to stand in the rain or sit under the sun,” said the 55-year-old. The funeral will be an intensely somber event, but also rich in history and cultural and spiri- tual tradition. Mourners are allowed to prostrate when royal pro- cessions pass but must not shout out “Long Live the King” or hold up cellphones to take photos or selfies. Police are trying to calm occasional flare-ups of ten- sion among mourners. There have been accusa- tions of queue jumping and sharp exchanges between some who have waited hours or traveled from far away. Volunteers handed out water to offset the trop- ical heat as the crowd slowly moved through secu- rity checks into the historic royal quarter. Portraits of King Bhu- mibol were held by many in the crowd, and some wore plastic raincoats during the heaviest rains over- night – the only bits of color breaking up the sea of black as the crowds grew. More than 12 million people – nearly a fifth of Thailand’s population – visited the throne hall at Dusit palace to pay respects. Trump allows refugee admissions to resume with new screening WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump has al- lowed the resumption of ref- ugee admissions into the U.S. under new, stricter screening rules but ordered nationals from 11 countries believed to pose higher risk to U.S. na- tional security to face even tougher scrutiny. Officials refused to iden- tify the 11 countries, but said refugee applications from those nations will be judged case-by-case. Trump issued his new order on refugee screening Tuesday as the administra- tion’s four-month ban on ref- ugee admissions expired. It directs federal agencies to resume refugee processing, which he reined in shortly after taking office. The new “enhanced vet- ting” procedures for all refu- gees include such measures as collecting additional bi- ographical and other in- formation to better deter- mine whether refugees are being truthful about their status; improving informa- tion-sharing between agen- cies; stationing fraud de- tection officers at certain locations overseas; and training screeners to weed out fraud and deception. Refugees already face an extensive backlog and waiting periods that can take years. Additional screening will likely lengthen the wait. “The security of the Amer- ican people is this adminis- tration’s highest priority, and these improved vetting mea- sures are essential for Amer- ican security,” said acting Homeland Security Secre- tary Elaine Duke. “These new, standardized screening mea- sures provide an opportunity for the United States to wel- come those in need into our country, while ensuring a safer, more secure homeland.” Jennifer Sime, senior vice president of U.S. programs for the International Rescue Committee aid group, said in advance of the announce- ment that she was concerned the new screening procedures would add months or even years to the most urgent ref- ugee cases. She said most of those cases involve women and children in “heinous cir- cumstances who need the permanent and proven solu- tion of resettlement.” “With a world facing brutal and protracted conflicts like in Syria, or new levels of dis- placement and unimaginable violence against the Rohingya – this moment is a test of the world’s humanity, moral lead- ership and ability to learn from the horrors of the past,” she said. Sime was referring to the mounting refugee crisis in Myanmar, where more than 600,000 Rohingya Mus- lims have fled to Bangladesh to escape retaliation from se- curity forces. Even with the refugee ban lifted, admissions are ex- pected to be far lower than in recent years. Trump last month capped refugee admissions at 45,000 for the year that started Oct. 1, a significant cut from the 110,000 limit put in place a year earlier by President Barack Obama. The actual number admitted this year could be lower than 45,000, since the cap sets a max- imum limit, not a minimum. In a separate action Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a case about the refugee ban. An order from the justices wipes away a lower court ruling that found problems with the ref- ugee ban and with a tempo- rary pause on visitors from six mostly Muslim coun- tries. A new travel policy that applies to six countries with Muslim majorities al- ready has been blocked by lower courts. The limits on refugees were in addition to Trump’s broader “travel ban” on people from several coun- tries. Courts have repeat- edly blocked that policy, but largely left the temporary ref- ugee policy in place. Trump has made lim- iting immigration a center- piece of his administration’s efforts to safeguard U.S. na- tional security. Besides the travel ban, which initially targeted a handful of Muslim-majority nations, the president re- scinded an Obama-era ex- ecutive action protecting im- migrants brought to the country as minors from de- portation. He has also vowed to build a wall along the border with Mexico. During the presidential campaign, Trump pledged to “stop the massive inflow of refugees” and warned that terrorists were smuggling themselves into naive coun- tries by posing as refugees fleeing war-torn Syria. “Thousands of refugees are being admitted with no way to screen them and are instantly made eligible for welfare and free healthcare, even as our own veterans, our great, great veterans, die while they’re waiting online for medical care that they desperately need,” Trump said last October. Trump has said the best way to help refugees is to keep them closer to their home countries. The new “enhanced vetting” procedures for all refugees include such measures as collecting additional biographical and other information to better determine whether refugees are being truthful about their status. Thai mourners hold up portraits of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, to take part in the Royal Cremation ceremony, Wednesday. – PHOTO: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2017 Tillerson in India to highlight US strategy in South Asia EPA chemical review would exclude millions of tons of toxins BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) – Spurred by the chemical industry, President Donald Trump’s administration is retreating from a congressionally man- dated review of some of the most dangerous chemicals in public use: millions of tons of asbestos, flame retardants and other toxins in homes, offices and industrial plants across the United States. Instead of following President Barack Obama’s proposal to look at chemi- cals already in widespread use that result in some of the most common expo- sures, the new administra- tion wants to limit the re- view to products still being manufactured and entering the marketplace. For asbestos, that means gauging the risks from just a few hundred tons of the material imported annu- ally while excluding almost all of the estimated 8.9 mil- lion tons (8.1 million metric tons) of asbestos-containing products that the U.S. Geo- logical Survey said entered the marketplace between 1970 and 2016. Lawmakers say the review was intended to be the first step toward enacting new regulations needed to protect the public. But critics – in- cluding health workers, con- sumer advocates, members of Congress and environmental groups – contend ignoring products already in use un- dermines that goal. The administration’s stance is the latest example of Trump siding with in- dustry. In this case, fire- fighters and construction workers say the move jeopar- dizes their health. Both groups risk harm from asbestos because of its historical popularity in con- struction materials ranging from roofing and flooring tiles to insulation used in tens of millions of homes. Most of the insulation came from a mine in a Montana town that is been declared a U.S. Environmental Pro- tection Agency Superfund site and where hundreds of people have died from as- bestos exposure. “Hundreds of thousands of firefighters are going to be affected by this. It is by far the biggest hazard we have out there,” said Patrick Mor- rison, assistant general presi- dent for health and safety at the International Association of Fire Fighters. “My God, these are not just firefighters at risk. There are people that live in these structures and don’t know the danger of asbestos.” Asbestos fibers can be- come deadly when disturbed in a fire or during remod- eling, lodging in the lungs and causing problems in- cluding mesothelioma, a form of cancer. The material’s dan- gers have long been recog- nized. But a 1989 attempt to ban most asbestos products was overturned by a fed- eral court, and it remains in widespread use. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health analyzed cancer-re- lated deaths among 30,000 firefighters from Chicago, Philadelphia and San Fran- cisco. The 2015 study con- cluded firefighters contract mesothelioma at twice the rate of other U.S. residents. Firefighters also face ex- posure to flame retardants included in the EPA’s review that are used in furniture and other products. “I believe the chemical in- dustry is killing firefighters,” said Tony Stefani, a former San Francisco fireman who retired in 2003 after 28 years when diagnosed with cancer he believes resulted from ex- posure to chemicals in the pending review. Stefani said he was one of five in his station to con- tract cancer in a short pe- riod. Three later died, while Stefani had a kidney re- moved and endured a year of treatment before being de- clared cancer-free. “When I entered the de- partment in the early 70s, our biggest fear was dying in the line of duty or suc- cumbing to a heart attack,” he said. “Those were the big- gest killers, not cancer. But we work in a hazardous-ma- terials situation every time we have a fire now.” Mesothelioma caused or contributed to more than 45,000 deaths nationwide between 1999 and 2015, ac- cording to a Centers for Dis- ease Control and Preven- tion study in March. The number of people dying an- nually from the disease in- creased about 5 percent during that time. Congress ordered the EPA review last year to gauge risks of asbestos and nine other highly toxic sub- stances and find better ways to manage them for public safety. In one of its last acts under Obama, the EPA said in January it would judge the chemicals “in a compre- hensive way” based on their “known, intended and rea- sonably foreseen uses.” Under Trump, the agency has aligned with the chem- ical industry, which sought to narrow the review’s scope. The EPA now says it will focus only on toxins still being manufactured and en- tering commerce. It will not consider whether new han- dling and disposal rules are needed for “legacy,” or previ- ously existing, materials. “EPA considers that such purposes generally fall out- side of the circumstances Congress intended EPA to consider,” said EPA spokes- woman Enesta Jones, adding the agency lacks authority to regulate noncommercial uses of the chemicals. One of the law’s co-au- thors, New Mexico Demo- cratic Sen. Tom Udall, dis- putes that Congress wanted to limit the review. NEW DELHI (AP) – Combating terrorism and India’s role in war-torn Afghanistan domi- nated talks between U.S. Sec- retary of State Rex Tillerson and his Indian counter- part Wednesday as Tillerson highlighted the Trump ad- ministration’s new strategy for South Asia. Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said that India had agreed to hold talks on Afghanistan with Washington and Kabul. Tillerson, who arrived in New Delhi after stops in Kabul and Islamabad, said he conveyed to Pakistan’s leaders “certain expectations” that the Trump administration had about controlling terror groups that operate from its soil. He added that too many terror groups had found a safe place in Pakistan to launch attacks against others. Tillerson held talks Tuesday with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Ab- basi, Foreign Minister Kh- waja Mohammad Asif and the heads of the army and in- telligence services. U.S. officials have long ac- cused Pakistan of turning a blind eye or assisting the Afghan Taliban and the al- lied Haqqani network. New Delhi has also long blamed its neighbor and archrival of supporting terror groups that have launched attacks in- side India, including a three- day attack in India’s business capital, Mumbai, in 2008 that left 166 people dead after 10 gunman rampaged through parts of the city. India also blames Paki- stan for aiding and training rebels who operate in the Hi- malayan region of Kashmir, which is divided between the two nations but claimed by both. Pakistan routinely de- nies colluding with militants. President Donald Trump’s new strategy for the re- gion “can only be successful if Pakistan acts decisively against terror groups” that operate from its territory, Swaraj said in her comments to reporters in New Delhi. Tillerson added that the presence of such groups on Pakistani soil was also a threat to “Pakistan’s own stability.” Tillerson and Swaraj also stressed the close relation- ship and shared values be- tween the U.S. and India, the world’s two largest democra- cies. Both promised to work closely on matters of security and to enhance defense and economic cooperation. Swaraj was also ques- tioned about India’s relation- ship with North Korea, where India has an embassy and with which it does a small amount of trade. The United States is working to isolate North Korea over its nuclear weapons program. Swaraj said she discussed the matter with Tillerson and assured him that In- dia’s trade with North Korea had dwindled so much that it was “minuscule.” She said she told Tillerson that New Delhi was of the view that it was beneficial to everyone, including the United States, that a friendly embassy was in place in Pyongyang to help keep “some channel of communi- cation open” with the largely isolated country. Tillerson was expected to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi later Wednesday. His visit also underscores the admin- istration’s belief that India is a critical anchor in a re- gional strategy for the In- dian and Pacific Oceans to blunt an increasingly as- sertive China. In an address at the Center for Strategic and In- ternational Studies, a Wash- ington think tank, Tillerson said last week that the world needs the U.S. and India to have a strong partnership as he pointedly criticized China, which he accused of chal- lenging international norms needed for global stability. The U.S. sees China as op- erating outside global rules- based norms as it grows in economic and military might. Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, right, accompanies U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to the foreign ministry office for a delegation level meeting in New Delhi, India. – PHOTO: AP An asbestos abatement worker wears protective gear during a job in Howell, Michigan. – PHOTO: APNext >