ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2017 High of 86 Low of 78 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 NEW JOHN GRAY: MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE LOCAL | PAGE 2 BRAC ARTIST PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO OBSCENITY CHARGE SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY BACON CHEDDAR RANCH CHEDDAR BBQ BACON BACON CHEDDAR RANCH NEW CRISPY CHICKEN NEW CRISPY CHICKEN PRESELL + INSERT Budget targets crime, education JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Plans for an influx of 75 new police officers, a $9.6 million cash injection for education and funding for a series of major infrastructure projects were among the key commitments an- nounced in the Cayman Islands government’s budget presentation Friday. Premier Alden McLaughlin also outlined plans for a review of the National Conser- vation Law and preliminary discussions on reform of government’s health insurance company, CINICO. He confirmed increases to pension pay- ments for seamen and veterans and an expan- sion of the Ready2Work jobs program. Delivering his policy address following the state opening of parliament and the Throne Speech from outgoing Governor Helen Kil- patrick, Mr. McLaughlin detailed some of the Government of National Unity’s key policy and spending commitments. He outlined $36 million in spending to- ward the completion of the John Gray High School, planning work on a new primary school in West Bay, and upgrades to computer software and equipment at primary schools across the islands. Major capital investments include an allo- cation of $13 million over two years to com- plete construction of the mental health facility, a cluster of cottages that will provide residen- tial care for the mentally ill, opening in 2019. Significant sums have also been allocated for road development, the decommissioning of the George Town landfill site, and the phased implementation of new waste management infrastructure. The premier also confirmed his coalition government would forge ahead with plans for a cruise and cargo dock in George Town. A further $3 million has been pledged to the REPORT HIGHLIGHTS FAULTS IN PUBLIC PROJECT PLANNING KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Despite improvements being made over the last several years, government still does not properly plan or budget its major capital projects, which could mean that the costs of those developments could be underestimated by a “significant” amount, according to a re- port released last week by the Office of the Au- ditor General. In her report, Auditor General Sue Win- spear commended government for estab- lishing a Major Projects Office and improving its governance framework for capital projects, but stated that multiple deficiencies that have yet to be addressed from previous major cap- ital project reports from 2012 and 2015. Those deficiencies include the fact that government routinely does not account for the long-term costs of maintaining its assets once they are constructed, does not spell out in its budgeting documents how much each project will cost, and does not conduct proper anal- yses on developments before beginning them. The report’s analysis spanned seven on- going or planned capital projects: The John Gray High School, the Owen Roberts Inter- national Airport terminal redevelopment, the cruise pier facility, the integrated solid waste management system, the long-term residential mental health facility, the new George Town police station, and the new court facility. Ms. Winspear estimated that the projects will cost around $500 million over the next five years, and hundreds of millions of dollars more in the long term. Tropical system moves on after wet weekend KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com The sun shone over the Cayman Is- lands again Sunday, following two days of drenching rains and strong winds from Tropical Depression 18, which de- veloped into Tropical Storm Philippe over the weekend. The Cayman Islands National Weather Service forecast decreased cloudiness and showers Sunday morning, as Philippe moved northeast into the Atlantic, away from Florida and the Bahamas. The system brought more than 5 inches of rain to Grand Cayman over 48 hours, the National Weather Service reported. Four inches fell Friday morning through Sat- urday morning and an additional 1.3 inches fell Saturday morning through Sunday. The effects of the system on Cayman subsided by Sunday, but scattered showers from southwest of Grand Cayman threat- ened to bring additional rains, the National Weather Service indicated. A small craft warning remained in effect for local waters in Cayman and boaters were encouraged to exercise caution over open waters. After affecting northwestern Cuba, southern Florida and the northern Ba- hamas with tropical-storm-force winds, Philippe was not forecast Sunday to hit any other land areas. The poorly organized system was moving north-northeast Sunday morning PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » From left, Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush, Premier Alden McLaughlin and Leader of the Opposition Ezzard Miller stand under umbrellas outside the Legislative Assembly Friday morning, awaiting the official arrival of Governor Helen Kilpatrick for the formal state opening of parliament. Torrential rain continued throughout Friday and Saturday as Tropical Depression 18 turned into Tropical Storm Philippe. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY2 LOCAL&REGIONAL MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS TOMORROW TUESDAY OCTOBER 31ST 8:00 PM UNTIL... dj mat banx DRINK SPECIALS STOLI & FLOR DE CANA $5 JAGER SHOTS $3 JAGER BOMB $4 FREE ADMISSION CASH PRIZES FOR BEST COSTUMEs Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema @cbcinema6cbcinema6 *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456) SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - MONDAY - GEOSTORM 3D (PG13) 12:35 I 3:30 2D VIP I 4:10 2D I 6:50 9:45 2D SUBURBICON (R) 12:45 I 3:55 I 6:40 I 9:35 VIP THE SNOWMAN (R) 12:50 I 7:00 THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US (PG13) 9:55 HAPPY DEATH DAY (PG13) 12:20 I 1:00 VIP I 2:45 I 5:10 I 7:00 VIP I 7:35 I 10:00 THE FOREIGNER (R) 3:35 I 9:35 TYLER PERRY’S BOO2! A MADEA HALLOWEEN (PG13) 1:10 I 4:15 I 7:15 I 9:50 Third group of Cayman police sent to BVI A third contingent of 16 Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service offi cers left for the British Virgin Islands on Thursday after the second con- tingent returned to Cayman that morning, according to RCIPS Media Relations Offi cer Mikhail Campbell. The offi cers have been de- ployed to help security ef- forts in the BVI, which was severely damaged by Hurri- cane Irma on Sept. 6. RCIPS offi cers helped cap- ture some of the more than 100 prisoners that escaped the BVI’s prison immediately following the Category 5 hur- ricane, and have been con- tinuing to assist securing the territory since then. “The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service is happy to be able to offer this support to our sister territory as they work to maintain the law and order that has been restored in the wake of Hurricane Irma, and continue reconstruc- tion on the islands,” said RCIPS Deputy Commis- sioner Kurt Walton. “We have received nothing but positive feedback from the local police service and members of the community in BVI and are extremely proud of all our offi cers who eagerly volunteered to be part of these deployments.” Offi cers have been de- ployed on three-week terms. Over the next few weeks, the situation in the BVI will be assessed to deter- mine whether a fourth co- hort needs to be sent, said Mr. Campbell. BRAC ARTIST PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO OBSCENITY CHARGE Kynes requests trial with a jury in Grand Cayman KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Brac artist Ronald “Foots” Kynes ap- peared before Magistrate Valdis Foldats Thursday in the fi rst court hearing over a controversial art installa- tion that led to the sculp- tor’s arrest in July. Kynes was charged Oct. 16 with possession of an obscene publication, refer- ring to several statues dis- played on the artist’s pri- vate property in Cayman Brac depicting religious ico- nography and female forms in an intimate embrace. The sculptures, which have been subject to re- peated vandalism since the artist’s arrest, are still dis- played on Kynes’s South- side Road property, visible to passers-by. Kynes, who has elected to defend himself in court, pleaded not guilty. He has requested the case go to trial with a jury in Grand Cayman, rather than Cayman Brac. His next hearing is sched- uled in Cayman Brac for late November. JURY NOTICE Jurors for the current session of Grand Court are ad- vised that their reporting date has been changed. They should now report on Monday, Nov. 6, at 9:45 a.m. The most up-to-date information is available on the jury hotline on 244-3899. The second contingent of RCIPS offi cers returns from the British Virgin Islands Thursday. Garden Club braves storm at retirement home Undaunted by the stormy wet weather on Saturday morning that kept many people at home, members of the Garden Club of Grand Cayman kept their date with the Sunrise Cottage Retirement Home. The project to restore the garden at the East End elderly people’s home, which will take several weeks, is being organized by club president Ora Hollebon, Carole Broadbelt, Anita Hartwell and Anna Winfi eld. CUBA PRESENTS DETAILED DEFENSE AGAINST SONIC ATTACK CHARGES HAVANA (AP) – Cuba on Thursday presented its most detailed defense to date against U.S. accusations that American diplomats in Havana were subjected to mysterious sonic attacks that left them with a variety of ailments in- cluding headaches, hearing problems and concussions. In a half-hour, prime-time special titled “Alleged Sonic Attacks,” Cuban offi cials at- tempted to undermine the Trump administration’s as- sertion that 24 U.S. offi cials or their relatives had been sub- jected to deliberate attacks by a still-undetermined culprit. Many offi cials reported being subjected to loud, grating noises before falling ill. The U.S. has not accused Cuba of carrying out the attacks, but says that Cuba has not met its obligation to protect dip- lomats on its territory. The television special pointed out what it alleged was a lack of evidence for the U.S. accusations. It ar- gued the United States had failed to show that such at- tacks had actually occurred because it had not given Cuba or the public access to the testimony or medical re- cords of U.S. offi cials who re- ported attacks, despite three visits to Cuba by U.S. in- vestigators in June, August and September. “The members of the U.S. delegation said they don’t have evidence that confi rms that these reported attacks occurred, and brought up that there was no working theory about the cause of the health problems reported by their diplomats,” the pro- gram’s narrator said. The narrator said Cuba had undertaken an exhaus- tive investigation ordered by “the highest government au- thorities,” a clear reference to President Raul Castro. Cayman Brac artist Ronald ‘Foots’ Kynes was arrested in July in connection with statues displayed on his property.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2017 1-30 November Cayman Islands National Museum special exhibition, George Town 1-30 November Outdoor photography exhibition, Camana Bay 4 November Ocean Conservation Story Time Books & Books, 10am 4 November Kids Club at Regal Cinemas Finding Dory, 10am 7 November Moonlight & Movies: A Plastic Ocean, 7.30pm 8 November Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation Fundraiser, LUCA 9 November Ellen Prager book signing Books & Books, 10am 11 November Kids Club at Regal Cinemas Moana, 10am 11 November Ocean Conservation Story Time Books & Books, 10am 14 November Moonlight & Movies: Chasing Coral, 7.30pm 18 November Ocean Conservation Story Time Books & Books, 10am 18 November Kids Club at Regal Cinemas Finding Dory, 10am 18-19 November CULL to Conserve – 24th Lionfish Cull, Guy Harvey’s Restaurant and Bar 25 November Kids Club at Regal Cinemas Moana, 10am 25 November Ocean Conservation Story Time Books & Books, 10am 30 November Premiere of ‘This is their Ocean: Sea of Life’ 6pm, Regal Cinemas Ocean Conservation Month is coming to the Cayman Islands this November with the aim of educating and inspiring all generations across Cayman to actively support and participate in initiatives to protect our ocean. OCEAN CONSERVATION MONTH: NOVEMBER For more information please contact LHGibson@guyharvey.com UCCI graduates first nursing class MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Seeing the first class of Cayman-trained regis- tered nurses complete their studies was as much a relief for Terica Larmond as it was a celebration. Standing before a crowd of a little over 100 people gathered in the Sir Vassel Johnson Hall at the Univer- sity College of the Cayman Islands on Thursday, Ms. Lar- mond, director of the pro- gram, heaved a huge sigh. “I have given birth,” Ms. Larmond said with a smile. “I’ve given birth to 10 new nurses.” Ms. Larmond and other health and education offi- cials said the moment was historic. It marks the culmi- nation of an eight-year ef- fort to train nurses on-island so they no longer have to go abroad for their studies. The pinning ceremony, which included the awarding of medals and several achievement trophies along with the traditional nurse’s pin, was something UCCI President Roy Bodden said he envisioned when he first came to the college in 2009. He said he told the com- mittee that interviewed him for the job that he would el- evate the academics at the school by establishing pro- grams in the performing arts and in nursing. Mr. Bodden said he worked with current Health Services Authority Chief Nursing Officer Hazel Brown for four years to lay the foun- dation for the nursing pro- gram before the first class of 14 nurses began their studies. Ten have now com- pleted the four-year program. “This is a great achieve- ment,” Mr. Bodden said. “I wanted something to bond the university to the com- munity. We have a di- rect connection.” The students will re- ceive their bachelor-degree diplomas at UCCI’s com- mencement event Thursday, Nov. 2, but they will not of- ficially become RNs – reg- istered nurses – until they receive passing grades on their licensure exams. Re- sults from the exams aren’t expected until the second week in November. “Based on their academic performance, we expect them all to pass,” said Mr. Bodden. Graduating nurse Cyn- thia Powell, 33, who received the award for top nursing student, has been working for years as a practical nurse, but found it limiting. She said she jumped at the chance to enroll in the inau- gural class at UCCI. “For me, it was more ex- citing to have a program here on island,” Ms. Powell said. “I was like, ‘Finally.’” She said her future pa- tients will benefit from the program as well. “I think doing the program in Cayman helped us adapt to the culture here,” Ms. Powell said. “We know the hospital, we know the retirement home, and I think we can relate more to the patients.” The program proved chal- lenging, Ms. Powell said, not only because it was aca- demically rigorous, but be- cause she had to balance her studies with working and fit- ting in family time – she has four children, the youngest of whom was 1 year old when she began her studies – and even playing for the school’s flag football team. Jody Syms, 30, also worked as a practical nurse while going through the pro- gram. She recalled “many sleepless nights” when she had to devote herself to studying. She said the small cohort of students relied on one another. “We’re our own little family,” Ms. Syms said. “I think we all pushed each other.” They also supported one another when it was needed, said Stephanie Bodden, 21, the youngest member of the class. “We all had our emotional breakdowns and we helped each other,” Ms. Bodden said. The struggle, said Ms. Syms, was worth it. “Once you’re an RN, the doors are open to you,” she said, adding that she may be- come a maternity nurse or go into public health. “There are so many options.” Health Minister Dwayne Seymour said providing a pathway to those options is an important change. “We have desired for a long time to train our nurses,” Mr. Seymour told the crowd, before directly addressing the nursing students. “You are leading the way. And now that you’re about to graduate, [you] will play a vital role in the delivery of healthcare in our country.” Many of the speakers en- couraged the graduates to continue to learn and to help the program by mentoring the students coming behind them. “You are at a great mo- mentous point, but it is not a time to rest,” said the Health Services Authority’s Ms. Brown. “You are the light- bearers for this school.” The graduates seemed to recognize that. “It doesn’t end here,” said Ms. Bodden. Her fellow nurse, Ms. Syms nodded. “It’s just the beginning,” she said. Nursing graduates react to a video recapping their four years of study at UCCI. From left, Alecia McLaughlin, Gracian Miller-Beale, Sophia Morgan, Jasmine Nibali and Cynthia Powell. Cynthia Powell receives the award for outstanding nursing student from university President Roy Bodden at the UCCI pinning ceremony for its first nursing class. - PHOTOS: MARK MUCKENFUSSThe islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Along with the rest of the Cayman Islands com- munity, we at the Compass have great interest in seeing the John Gray High School construction project finished as swiftly as possible. Nothing makes the heart beat slower than an ad infinitum deadline. Recently we published an editorial lauding the government’s commitment to complete John Gray – finally, while lamenting officials’ simultaneous commit- ment first to complete mounds of paperwork, including a “business case study,” bureaucratic checklists and other strands of red tape. Although we still do not understand precisely what the holdup is (after all, similar considerations did not seem to “hold up” the expedited construction of the John Gray gymnasium), John Gray Principal Jon Clark has identified a silver lining in the situation, or at least expressed how officials can spend their time most effectively during the delay before shovels break ground, again, possibly in 2019. Drawing on lessons learned from the politically infused $110 million-plus Clifton Hunter High School, primarily of the “what not to do” variety, Mr. Clark and other officials have gone back to the proverbial drawing board in an attempt “to get a school exactly how we want it here.” That means involving staffers, teachers and students in the planning process – and specifically, nixing the “open-plan” layout that was the hallmark of officials (and bane of educators) at Clifton Hunter, and also doing away with the concept of having four separate “academies” at the new John Gray. (Indepen- dent schools within a school? Really?) As any architect, engineer or sculptor will tell you, not everything that looks good on paper actually works in real life. The advantage of getting early feedback and ideas from the eventual users of the new school is that Mr. Clark and others can ascertain needs and pre-empt problems (and fantasies, and delusions of grandeur) before they are set in stone … well, concrete. After all, it’s much easier, and less expensive, to fix flaws using pencils and erasers than pickaxes and pavers. By the same token, educators and students have also generated a modest “wish list” for the new school, such as incorporating windows into classrooms so supervisors such as Mr. Clark can “keep an eye on” the inside of classrooms without bursting through doors and interrupting the learning process. Yes, it seems wise to seek input from the people who will use a facility about what they hope to have in the facility, rather than foisting a building upon them from the top down. And yes, whenever there is a choice between “sizzle” and “substance” (and the topic isn’t automobiles, fashion or fireworks), one should choose substance every time. We are pleased to see that officials are learning from the mistakes committed during the Clifton Hunter con- struction – including, presumably, the pitfalls of project management “by committee.” When the “stakeholder input” period has ended and all the paperwork is in proper order, officials must turn the wheel over to a single entity (ideally one experienced and highly accom- plished individual) who will steer the project to comple- tion. This individual must be empowered to make minor (and sometimes major) judgments along the way … regardless of external circumstances such as changes in government administration in the interim. A good guiding principle of the John Gray project is a sentiment expressed by Principal Clark – “It is not going to be about beautiful architecture; it is about function.” Pop quiz: Ultimately, what is the measure of a suc- cessful school? A. The campus receiving awards for architectural innovation, or B. The students earning accolades for academic excellence If we were to administer that exam to Cayman’s parents, employers and taxpayers, they all would get an “A-plus.” Because the answer is so obvious. New John Gray: Measure twice, cut once Schooling the US in economic freedom Once again, there is more evidence that economic freedom leads to success. Many of the former communist coun- tries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union have made enormous economic progress from the time they be- came free almost three decades ago. The first few years after the collapse of communism (1989- 92) were very difficult as the countries struggled to make the transition to a capitalist free- market economy, which many had largely achieved by 1995. The irony is there are some les- sons for the United States from some of the successes of the former communist countries. Last month, James Gwartney, a highly regarded economist and scholar (and longtime lead author of the annual report of Economic Freedom of the World), pre- sented a comprehensive study of the successes and failures of 25 of the former centrally planned countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the So- viet Union. The results of this and many other studies illus- trate that economic policies which lead to more economic freedom and less government intrusion benefit countries in all stages of development. The accompanying table shows the change in economic freedom and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) for a se- lected five – all of which I have traveled to a number of times – and which are illustrative of the more successful countries. They all now have two to three times the real per capita income that they had a mere 20 years ago, and the incomes are far higher (when correctly measured) than when they were under the communists. The Baltic countries – Es- tonia, Lithuania and Latvia – are the three biggest suc- cess stories with all now in the global top 10 for economic freedom, which is remarkable since they had virtually no eco- nomic freedom when they were under the foot of the Soviets. Estonia, for instance, had a per capita income that averaged only 33 percent of the 21 high- income countries in 1995. That figure has now risen to 62 per- cent. Similar increases have oc- curred in Lithuania and Latvia. Trade and foreign investment have soared, and poverty and corruption have been greatly re- duced. Along with the increase in economic freedom, civil liber- ties and political rights are now at the top level in Estonia and Lithuania, according to the an- nual Freedom House ranking. Again, 30 years ago, these coun- tries had few civil liberties and no political rights. Romania got off to a slow start with economic reform but has made stellar progress in the past 15 years, and now ranks No. 20 (out of 159 countries) in economic freedom. The country adopted a 16 percent flat tax in 2005 and greatly reduced tar- iffs (to an average of 5 percent) and other trade restrictions. Romania reduced corruption, but it is still too high; and even though political rights and civil liberties have improved, they are still not at the top levels. Bulgaria stagnated until 1997, when it instituted a cur- rency board to bring the hyper- inflation to a halt and acceler- ated economic reform. In 2008, Bulgaria adopted a 10 percent flat-rate income tax on both personal and corporate income. Tariffs were greatly reduced when Bulgaria joined the Euro- pean Union in 2007. Per capita GDP grew at an average rate of 4.36 percent during the period from 2000-2015, in part, be- cause of an enormous improve- ment in economic freedom. Bul- garia is now near the top level for both civil liberties and po- litical rights. The major prob- lems Bulgaria continues to suffer from are corruption, the weaknesses in the legal struc- ture and protection of pri- vate property. Poland is now a middle-in- come country as a result of an average 4.11 GDP per capita growth from 1995 to 2015 and a steady increase in economic freedom (going from the bottom third to the top third). It joined the EU in 2004 and is now its fifth-largest economy. Poland is also in the top category for both civil liberties and polit- ical rights. However, it still has problems with its legal struc- ture and rule of law, including property rights. The United States has been for more than two centuries the great global success story. But where it used to be in the top three countries in economic freedom, it has now fallen to No. 11, primarily as a result of excessive regulation and de- cline in the rule of law. The growth of regulation and gov- ernment has served as a foot on the windpipe of the economy, resulting in much slower eco- nomic growth and near stagna- tion in average real incomes. The question is, can the United States reform itself as the former centrally planned coun- tries did? There is no mystery about what needs to be done – reduce government spending and taxation as a percentage of GDP, get rid of regulations that are more destructive than bene- ficial, and clean up the courts. So far, the new administration has been excellent on court appoin- tees, very good on regulation and on proposed tax changes, while lagging on spending re- ductions, ensuring the impartial rule of law (the Justice Depart- ment is still part of the swamp) and just plain wrong on some of its trade proposals. Richard W. Rahn is chairman of Improbable Success Productions and on the board of the American Council for Capital Formation. © Copyright 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2017 A day of literacy at Northward Prison MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com A band churned out a bass-heavy reggae-tinged song, with two male and two female singers harmo- nizing on the refrain: “Illit- eracy/Breaking the chains of illiteracy.” The music, along with im- passioned speeches, inspired poetry and a short, message- heavy drama were all part of the annual Literacy Day celebration that took place Friday, Oct. 27, at Her Majes- ty’s Prison Northward. Now in its 10th year, the program tries to address the needs of inmates who struggle with reading, writing and communicating effec- tively. They represent a large part of the prison population. Donald Hooker, 42, said the program has been an important element in trying to break his cycle of in- carceration. He’s 2½ years into a 3½-year sentence for burglary, but has spent 21 years – half his life – be- hind bars, largely due to a drug problem. Mr. Hooker’s short play, performed as part of the day- long celebration, was meant to encourage those needing help with reading to become part of the program. He said he has been writing plays and poetry since he was a kid. It was only during his most recent sentence that he enrolled with the literacy program. He’s also a member of the inmates council. More importantly, he added, instead of continuing to use drugs while in prison, he said he has been sober for more than two years. “I took different steps this time because I’m trying to break the cycle,” he said. The literacy program and Friday’s event help moti- vate him and his fellow in- mates, he said. “All the inmates couldn’t sleep last night,” he said, adding that they were anx- ious about performing. Music is part of the lit- eracy program. Participants are encouraged to communi- cate through song. Dave Ken- nedy-Whittaker, 53, is the drummer for the prison band, which practices daily. He’s serving the last five months of a 13-year sentence for rob- bery and kidnapping. He said the literacy program and the annual celebration are im- portant motivators for him and other inmates. “We’re all trying to stay out of trouble,” he said, noting that bad behavior would disqualify them from participating. “It brings all the prisoners together. We all try to stay positive.” Aduke Joseph-Caesar is deputy director of rehabilita- tion at the prison and created the literacy program. “I did the first Literacy Day single-handedly,” Ms. Jo- seph-Caesar said. “We had about 40 inmates and 30 guests. Now we have more than 100, maybe 150.” At first it was a struggle to attract the inmates who needed the most help, she said. “No one wants someone to know they can’t read,” she said. “We have about 55 per- cent [of the prison popula- tion] who need basic, basic skills. We have another 20 percent who need tuning up.” Without basic literacy skills, Ms. Joseph-Caesar said, it is difficult to find even basic employment. She’s seen people come through the program who did not have even basic reading skills, but who went on to earn a Gen- eral Education Diploma. That gives them a chance once they are released, she said. “They can integrate [into society] without getting into crime,” she said. In addition to academic skills, she said the inmates also learn the “soft skills” of communication. From the decorations of balloons and banners, to writing speeches for the presenters, the Lit- eracy Day event is organized by the inmates and they have to work with one another to pull it off. “It’s all about getting people together and learning to live properly,” Ms. Joseph- Caesar said. “People say these people are so violent. We have all these people here and some are important [invited guests]. We’ve never had a se- curity issue with the event.” During a short speech to the group, inmate Sheldon Brown, 48, told the group if they attack anything, it should be their books. “I believe we need to take a more robust and aggressive approach to education,” Mr. Brown said, “if we want to improve our quality of life.” Mr. Brown, who is serving a 12½-year sentence for at- tempted murder, has written five books while in prison, the latest of which is about to be published, he said. He was introduced to the Lit- eracy Day attendees as the prison’s star. “We have to empower ourselves with education,” Mr. Brown told the group. “I can tell you with abso- lute certainty, no one is irredeemable.” In an interview, Mr. Brown said that Literacy Day is an important focal point for those living behind the walls and barbed-wire-topped fences of the prison. “It helps to give the in- mates something to look for- ward to,” Mr. Brown said, “and to exercise their skills, like music. Others, like my- self, take it as a time to share [ideas]. And, it’s a fun day besides.” “No one wants someone to know they can’t read. We have about 55 percent [of the prison population] who need basic, basic skills. We have another 20 percent who need tuning up.” ADUKE JOSEPH-CAESAR, deputy director of rehabilitation, Northward Prison CNCF seeks fish fry vendors for Gimistory The Cayman National Cul- tural Foundation is looking for seven fish fry vendors to participate in the Gi- mistory 2017 district fish fry competition. Vendors with experi- ence serving high volumes of customers efficiently and with proven experience in preparing and serving tra- ditional Caymanian fried fish and fritters are wel- come to submit applications to participate. Prospective vendors should submit applica- tions by Nov. 6 for priority consideration. “Our goal is to give festi- valgoers the opportunity to experience a local culinary delight and to celebrate the best local cooks who help keep this culinary tradition alive,” said Patrice Beersingh, programs manager at the Cultural Foundation. The winning fish fry vendor will be selected from among the seven vendors serving the seven Gimistory locations. The winner will earn the title of “Best Fish Fry” and receive a grand prize. Cayman Islands Inter- national Storytelling Fes- tival, Gimistory, takes place from Nov. 25 to Dec. 3 each year, and is the highly an- ticipated local kickoff to the holiday season. Applicants can contact CNCF at 949-5477 or email pbeersingh@artscayman.org to receive application details. Gimistory 2017 takes place in each district on Grand Cayman and one night in Cayman Brac on the following dates: ■■ Dart Park, George Town: Saturday, Nov. 25, 7-9 p.m. ■■ Kaibo Beach, North Side: Monday, Nov. 27, 7-9 p.m. ■■ Nurse Josie’s Senior Home, Bodden Town: Tuesday, Nov. 28. 7-9 p.m. ■■ East End Public Beach: Wednesday, Nov. 29, 7-9 p.m. ■■ Cayman Brac Agricul- tural Grounds: Thursday, Nov. 30, 7-9 p.m. ■■ West Bay Public Beach: Friday, Dec. 1, 7-9:30 p.m. ■■ Smith Barcadere, George Town, Saturday, Dec. 2, 7-9:30 p.m. George Town fish fry vendor Georganne Rankine won the competition last year. Inmates take to the stage during Literacy Day at Northward Prison Friday. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Along with maintenance costs, the report explained that government is consid- ering entering into a public- private partnership for two projects – the waste manage- ment system and the cruise pier facility – which will cost between $280 million and $310 million in payments to the private sector partner over the next 20-25 years. “These costs need to be factored into future bud- gets,” the report states. “We found some examples of short-term and incomplete budgets being allocated to ministries after Cabinet had approved that the projects should go ahead.” The report also criticized government for not speci- fying what projects will cost in its budget documents. “Even where key project documents had been ap- proved by Cabinet and ex- penditure could be incurred, it was difficult to identify whether estimated costs had been factored into budget documents,” the report stated. Moreover, various budget documents provide dif- ferent estimates for capital expenditures. For example, the Ministry of Health and Culture was al- located $10.6 million for cap- ital expenditures, according to government’s 2016-17 stra- tegic policy statement; $15 million, according to govern- ment’s 2016-17 annual plan and estimates; and $11.1 mil- lion, according to the Appro- priation Law 2016-17. “It is not clear why these figures are different or what is expected to be funded for each,” Ms. Winspear stated. “The Plan and Estimates does not provide sufficient infor- mation on major capital proj- ects – e.g., on their status and whether they have been ap- proved by Cabinet – and the information is not presented consistently.” To address these short- comings, the report recom- mended that government form a long-term capital in- vestment plan that includes relevant information such as estimated costs and times- cales, the public policy needs being addressed by projects, and assessments of the fi- nancial and economic impact of simultaneous projects. “This would enable cap- ital investment decisions to be made with full informa- tion on all major capital proj- ects, including their afford- ability and the capacity of the government and industry to deliver them,” the report states. “It would also provide clear links to medium and long-term financial plans.” Along with the budgeting and planning deficiencies, the report also criticized how government conducts its business cases – studies that analyze various aspects of a proposed project. Ms. Winspear stated that several business cases are conducted before and during the procurement stage of a given project, and that a final business case should be com- pleted and made public be- fore any contract is signed. However, few final busi- ness cases have been com- pleted for the territory’s proj- ects, according to the report. No final business case for the airport terminal project has been conducted, and the final business case for the John Gray High School gymnasium project was not submitted until the project was mostly complete, the report states. With a final business case being required in the new major capital projects gover- nance framework, Ms. Win- spear did state that she ex- pects such studies to be completed before contracts are signed in the future. Ms. Winspear also rec- ommended that the Major Projects Office conduct post- project evaluations so gov- ernment can learn lessons in order to improve fu- ture projects. at 31 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour, the Na- tional Hurricane Center re- ported. Tropical-storm- force winds, still hitting the northern Bahamas Sunday morning, extended outward up to 195 miles from the storm’s center. Philippe was forecast to become a post-tropical cy- clone Sunday night and to be absorbed by a large extra- tropical low on Monday. Flooding and event cancellations While Cayman avoided the worst of the system, which passed northwest of the is- lands Friday and Saturday, heavy rains brought exten- sive flooding, especially to low- lying areas of Grand Cayman. The National Roads Authority warned drivers to watch for potholes that may have formed from the heavy downpours. Several Halloween- weekend events were canceled or rescheduled due to the ad- verse weather. The University College of the Cayman Islands Fall 2017 Honours Convocation, sched- uled for Saturday night, was canceled until further notice. Saturday’s kid-friendly Spookfest at Pedro St. James Castle was rescheduled for Nov. 4, while a Friday-night celebration for adult ghosts and ghouls at Hemingways was rescheduled for Nov. 3. A month remains in the Atlantic Hurricane season, which officially ends Nov. 30. The next named storm of the season will be Rina. MORE MOSQUITOES LIKELY TO FOLLOW HEAVY RAINS The Mosquito Research and Control Unit says it is expecting a “significant emergence” of mosquitoes over the coming days due to heavy rains recently. The increased rainfall results in a higher number of mosquitoes hatching during this period, com- pared to dryer conditions, the unit pointed out in a press release Friday. “The wet and stormy weather has also been hampering MRCU’s control efforts, as neither ground, nor aerial operations can be conducted in extreme wet or windy conditions,” the release stated. The MRCU said that as soon as weather con- ditions permit, it will re- spond to the expected mos- quito emergence. Tropical system moves on after wet weekend CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 High sea surge strikes the ironshore by Macabuca bar and restaurant at North West Point in West Bay. - PHOTOS: MAGGIE JACKSON Report highlights faults in public project planning CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 This dock in West Bay, which was still under repairs from the last storm, sustained more damage from the high seas Saturday. The system brought more than 5 inches of rain to Grand Cayman over 48 hours, the National Weather Service reported. Day of Dead parade honors Mexican quake victims, rescuers MEXICO CITY (AP) – A raised fist made of helmets, pick axes and broken rubble rolled ahead of hundreds of walking skeletons, costumed dancers and flowery floats Saturday in Mexico City’s Day of the Dead parade, which this year honored the 228 cap- ital residents killed by a Sept. 19 earthquake. “Thank you, rescuers!” belted out Guadalupe Perez, 56, as she passed the sculp- ture, which was followed by contingents of men, women and dogs who had searched for survivors amid the rubble of collapsed buildings. The parade also honored them. Mexico City’s central Zo- calo plaza was filled by the papier mache dead, skeletal Catrina figures and candle- covered shrines where people were invited to place photo- graphs of those killed in two recent earthquakes, which together left more than 400 dead across the country. A raised fist was the signal the rescuers gave for silence to hear if anyone was trapped under the rubble left by the most recent quake. It “has become a national and international symbol,” pa- rade coordinator Julio Bla- sina told The Associated Press. “We had an obligation to pay tribute to the fallen, while transmitting the mes- sage that the city is still standing,” Blasina said. This year’s parade fea- tured a kilometer-and-a-half of floats honoring the celebra- tion, which is an amalgam of pre-Hispanic and other tradi- tions. White, orange, purple and black paper cut-outs cov- ered part of the Zocalo. Beneath them were papier mache skeletons with rescue vests and helmets, symbol- izing volunteers from the re- gions affected by the earth- quakes, including Oaxaca, Chiapas, Morelos, Puebla and Guerrero. Other skeletons rep- resented victims. “We must not forget that the country is in mourning be- cause there are many who do not have a home,” said Gua- dalupe Perez, whose apart- ment was badly damaged in a quake. “But this is a beautiful party, unique in the world.” Rescue workers and volunteers that participated in rescue operations after the Sept. 19 earthquake march behind a fist made out of safety helmets, as they lead the Day of the Dead parade on Mexico City’s main Reforma Avenue on Saturday. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2017 project, with Mr. McLaughlin suggesting procurement could begin next month. Other spending commit- ments confirmed Friday in- clude $1.1 million toward the culling of invasive green iguanas and another $1.7 million on eradicating dis- ease-spreading mosquitoes, including rolling out the ge- netically modified mosquito program islandwide. Finance Minister Roy Mc- Taggart said these spending goals would be achieved with no new revenue collection measures and no new debt, other than the partial refi- nancing of a loan due in 2019. He said government ex- pects to bring in revenues of $730.7 million in 2018 and $722.8 million in 2019, the two years covered by this budget. Operating expenses are forecast to run to $644.1 million and $657.8 million for each year, for a combined sur- plus of nearly $150 million. Describing the budget as “responsible but ambitious,” Mr. McLaughlin said the top priorities were education and public safety. Education He said there would be an additional $9.6 million allo- cated for “special education,” which he defined as the en- hancement of science, literacy and mathematics. New posts had been added across the system for spe- cialists in those subjects and for reception, primary and high school teachers, as well as support staff, the premier noted. He said technical and vo- cational options would be ex- panded and he urged parents and young people to consider careers in the trades. High- lighting the more than 6,000 work permits currently in cir- culation for skilled workmen in trades like plumbing, car mechanics and air condi- tioning technicians, he said government would develop a strategy for equipping young Caymanians for those type of jobs. He added, “No one – par- ticularly those seated in the opposition – should doubt the priority we in this government give to improving education, including TVET [Technical and Vocational Education and Training]. And to demon- strate it, I again repeat our commitment to a clear target of at least 75 percent of high school graduates to move on to post-secondary education or training by the end of this administration’s term. This is a challenge we are doggedly determined to meet.” Crime The headline crime fighting policy was a commitment to fund 75 new police officers over the next three years. Highlighting public fear in the wake of recent robberies, Mr. McLaughlin said, “the im- mediate response has to be more effective policing.” He suggested the addi- tional resources, which could also include new commu- nity support officers, should come with an extra layer of accountability, again sug- gesting that some control over policing should be devolved from the U.K. government to a local board. “We will insist that re- sources are used as agreed and hold the Commissioner [of Police Derek Byrne] to ac- count for the results of those expenditures. We also intend to discuss with the U.K. the establishment of a Police Au- thority to help create new approaches in fostering ac- countability and enhance the responsiveness of the RCIPS to the people’s concerns.” Governor Kilpatrick said the U.K. was prepared to come to the table on the issue. “While no outcome to these discussions can be pre- determined, I welcome the conversation,” she said. Mr. McLaughlin said the budget also focused on crime prevention with increased spending for “at-risk youth diversion projects” and mea- sures to cut reoffending. Infrastructure Government has allocated $93.8 million next year and $99.1 million in 2019 for a se- ries of infrastructure projects and ongoing debt repayments for government companies, including Cayman Airways and the Turtle Centre. Infrastructure commit- ments over the next two years include: ■■ $14.6 million toward the waste management project and decom- missioning of landfills on all three islands ■■ $20.1 million for John Gray High School com- pletion and other school upgrades ■■ $2.4 million for devel- opment of a new West Bay Police Station ■■ $5.8 million for new ve- hicles and equipment for the fire service ■■ $19.5 million for upgrades to the road network ■■ $3 million for the cruise berthing project. Mr. McLaughlin said the waste management project would be an important focus over the next few years. “When negotiations are fi- nalized, we will be well on our way to a developing a modern waste management system that will include re- cycling and composting and ensure that residual waste is not just dumped, but used to generate electricity to power Cayman’s homes and businesses …. “Groundbreaking is an- ticipated next summer for a phased implementation of the new waste management system, with the aim to have it fully operational, including the waste management plant, by 2021. This budget en- sures we have the finances in place to progress against that timeline.” Finance Minister Mc- Taggart said government was in a strong finan- cial position and had pro- duced a budget that com- plied with the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility while delivering on key policy commitments. The house adjourned just before 1 p.m. Friday. The budget debate is due to begin Wednesday, during which in- dividual ministers are ex- pected to give more detail on the spending and policy com- mitments under their remits. Following that debate, legislators go through a line-by-line analysis of the two-year spending plan, in- cluding the questioning of senior civil servants, be- fore the budget is finally ap- proved, likely around the end of November. Premier Alden McLaughlin delivers his budget address before the Legislative Assembly on Friday. - PHOTOS: ALVARO SEREY Budget targets crime, education CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 BUDGET AT A GLANCE A snapshot of some of the num- bers in Government’s two year budget plan ■■ $730.7 million – The amount government ex- pects to collect in rev- enue in 2018 ■■ $644.1 million – The amount government plans to spend in 2018 ■■ $20.1 million – The two- year budget toward com- pleting John Gray and other school upgrades ■■ $13 million – Funding over two years for residen- tial mental health facility ■■ $19.5 million – Spending on road develop- ment over two years ■■ $9.6 million – Addi- tional funding for “spe- cial education” ■■ $1.1 million – Funding for exterminating green iguanas ■■ $3 million – Cruise berthing project ■■ $1.7 million – Mosquito eradication program ■■ $286.7 million – The fore- cast for government’s core debt at the end of 2019Governor Helen Kilpatrick delivers her final Throne Speech at the Legislative Assembly on Friday. Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officers march in the rain outside the Legislative Assembly as part of the ceremony to mark the official state opening of parliament Friday.8 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Out of the Kitchen – and into the ballroom VICKI WHEATON vwheaton@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s chefs stepped out of their comfort zone and into the spotlight last Thursday night. The annual Out of the Kitchen dinner, organized by the Cayman Culinary So- ciety and The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, showcased the talent from local restau- rants with chefs cooking and plating tableside in The Ritz- Carlton ballroom. The night marked the end of a culinary competi- tion that had been held ear- lier in the week. Awards were presented to winning chefs and bartenders, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to restaura- teur Leonard Hew. In the past, the event has doubled as a fundraiser, with proceeds supporting The Ritz-Carlton Culinary Schol- arship. This year, however, or- ganizers decided to earmark the funds for hurricane relief, splitting them between the Red Cross and the Marriott Disaster Relief Fund. Frederic Morineau, Execu- tive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, expressed his delight at the amount of money raised on the night. “With ticket sales, the raffle and live auction, we raised over US$75,000 – more than last year,” he said. “We are most grateful to the res- taurants that participated, the staff who volunteered their time and the generous guests who bought raffle tickets and bid in the auction. It was a very successful night for a great cause.” Lifetime Achievement Award winner Leonard Hew blows out the candles on his birthday cake, celebrating his 80th birthday. The team from Prima at Royal Palms take a quick break for some fun.The team from YARA restaurant plate one of their dishes. Best of the Show winner Prabhakaran Mathiyalagan from the Westin and culinary judge Bruce Ozga Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell congratulates winner of the Best Student Award Dalesha Hurlston from UCCI, with Ruth Myles of the Department of Tourism. Bartender of the Year Award winner Cory Scruggs of Sunshine Grill, left, receives his award from Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, as judge Raakesh Madoo looks on. - PHOTOS: DAVID GODDARD Chef Dylan Benoit, left, and winner of the Philip Pratt Memorial Trophy, Dimuth Munasingha from YARA restaurant. Leonard Hew, center, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award, poses with chefs Keith Griffin, left, and Vidyadhara Shetty. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell speaks at the Out of the Kitchen awards ceremony. From left, culinary judge Augusto Schreiner, Chef of the Year Nicolas Sanchez from The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, and Chris Weaver9 LOCAL&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2017 Cocaine conspiracy trial begins Phone records feature in case against three men CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three men who have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to supply con- trolled drugs appeared in Grand Court last week. Ian Neil Duncan faces six charges of conspiring with Alexander Adrian Ebanks to supply drugs between Aug. 14 and Sept. 10, 2015. Wayne Carlos Myles faces two similar charges of con- spiracy with Ebanks, one in August and one in Sep- tember of 2015. Ukel Dixon has one charge against him that spans the period between Sept. 19 and Oct. 22, 2015. In opening the case last week, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran told the jury that crim- inal conspiracy is no more than an agreement to commit a crime. Supplying controlled drugs is a criminal offense: “It doesn’t matter whether they are sold, shared or given away,” he pointed out. Evidence implicating the three defendants comes from mobile telephone records, Mr. Moran said, and their arrests stemmed from the arrest of Ebanks on Oct. 22, 2015. On that morning, po- lice attended a George Town apartment complex and ar- rested Ebanks on suspicion of involvement with drugs. In searching his apartment, of- ficers found several thou- sand dollars worth of cocaine, three sets of digital scales, small plastic bags, a small quantity of ganja and some mobile phones. Later analysis of his phone communications – including messages, calls and photos – indicated “a great deal of supply of controlled drugs” in the four months before Ebanks’s arrest, Mr. Moran said. He explained that sub- sequently Ebanks pleaded guilty to offenses involving supply of drugs and he was dealt with by the court. In the present trial, Ebanks is nei- ther a defendant nor a wit- ness for the prosecution, Mr. Moran advised. Analysis of Ebanks’s phone messages was carried out by intelligence analyst Joanne Delaney of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice. She found that during the four-month period before his arrest, Ebanks had more than 50 different customers on the island. A number of people ap- peared to be buying significant quantities. They would place their order by phone and it would be delivered to them at various locations, not always by Ebanks, the court heard. The Crown’s case was that defendant Duncan was a fre- quent customer who appeared to be buying for onward sale for profit. Mr. Moran said the ev- idence would show that Myles was a supplier also, but purchasing larger quanti- ties than Duncan. In Dixon’s case, the Crown contends that this defendant regularly acted as a “runner” – a delivery man, and it would appear that he would collect payment from customers re- quired to pay up front. Jurors received binders of documents that included phone records, so that they could follow what Mr. Moran called patterns in conversa- tions between Ebanks’s phone and phones ascribed to one or other of the defendants. Very few of the commu- nications contained the word “ganja” or “cocaine,” the pros- ecutor noted. A regular buyer would not think it necessary to refer by name to what was wanted and it would be foolish to do so, he said. References were typically to a price or a weight – “2 for 75” or “gram” or “quarter,” he gave as examples. During the trial, a spe- cial agent from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency will provide assistance to ju- rors as to whether various words in the phone messages were associated with the drug trade, Mr. Moran said. He read several conversa- tions from Ebanks’s phone. One conversation started at 3:08 a.m. with a WhatsApp message from someone re- ferred to as Chris, explaining where the person is and what is wanted. Ebanks then makes a call to the phone ascribed to Dixon. Thirteen seconds after the call to Dixon’s phone, Ebanks is sending a mes- sage to Chris. Ms. Delaney began her ev- idence on Friday, explaining that every mobile phone or handset has a unique identi- fication number. If the owner wants to use the phone on a network, such as FLOW or Digicel, he or she gets a SIM card from the service pro- vider, and that card is asso- ciated with a phone number. Each SIM card also has a unique identification number, she pointed out. Data stored on the handset can be down- loaded, she added. Her anal- ysis began with data down- loaded from Ebanks’s phone. Ms. Delaney was sched- uled to continue her evi- dence on Monday. BURGLARS HIT TWO HOMES IN RUM POINT Police are reminding res- idents to keep their doors and windows locked fol- lowing two burglaries Thursday night in the Rum Point Drive area. According to police, the burglars gained entry through unlocked doors in both instances. “Securing points of entry is one of the most straight- forward things that can be done to deter burglars,” said Inspector Courtney Myles of the Neighbourhood Policing Department. “In light of these two burglaries, we will be stepping up our patrols in these areas and we ask the community to work with us and report any suspicious ac- tivity. We remain committed to ensuring the safety of all persons living in our commu- nity and their properties.” Evidence against three men charged with conspiracy to supply drugs began at Grand Court Friday. CONSUMER PROTECTION BILL OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT A bill aimed at imple- menting consumer protec- tions in the Cayman Islands is open for public and stake- holder comment, the Cayman Islands Law Reform Commis- sion announced. The Consumer Protection and Guarantees Bill, 2017, was developed following com- ments submitted last year on a commission discussion paper on establishing dis- crete consumer protection legislation. The commission has called for such legisla- tion since 2010. The proposed bill ad- dresses procedure to make a consumer complaint, rights of consumers, consumer guaran- tees for the supply of goods, consumer remedies when a supplier or manufacturer guarantee is breached, and re- calls, among other issues. “These legislative pro- posals aim to safeguard the interests of the consumer in matters relating to the supply of goods and services while providing mechanisms to seek appropriate redress when cer- tain consumer standards are breached,” read a commission press release. The deadline for receipt of comments is Jan. 12. The bill can be viewed online at www.lrc.gov.ky. Comments should be submitted in writing by Jan. 12 to Jose Griffith, 133 Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman, P.O. Box 136, KY1-9000. Submissions can also be sent to jose.griffith@gov.ky. Trump administration disavows Puerto Rico power contract WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration scrambled Friday to dis- tance itself from the deci- sion to award a $300 mil- lion contract to help restore Puerto Rico’s power grid to a tiny Montana company from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s hometown. The White House said federal officials played no role in the selection of Whitefish Energy Holdings by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The administration dis- avowed the contract amid a growing number of inves- tigations and a bipartisan chorus of criticism from Capitol Hill. Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Zinke had given the president his personal as- surance that he had nothing to do with what she de- scribed as “a state and local decision made by the Puerto Rican authorities and not the federal government.” The interior secretary also issued a fiery denial on Twitter, saying “Only in elitist Washington, D.C., would being from a small town be considered a crime.” Whitefish Energy Hold- ings is headquartered in Whitefish, Montana, which has a population of about 7,200. Zinke, a former Mon- tana congressman, knows Whitefish CEO Andy Tech- manski. Zinke’s son also had a summer job at a Whitefish construction site. “I had absolutely nothing to do with Whitefish En- ergy receiving a contract in Puerto Rico,” said Zinke in a statement linked to a tweet. “Any attempts by the dishonest media or polit- ical operatives to tie me to awarding or influencing any contract involving Whitefish are completely baseless.” Zinke acknowledged that after the company’s initial contract was awarded, he was contacted by the com- pany, though he did not give the name of the individual who reached out to him. Zinke said he took no action and that all relevant docu- ments would be disclosed to “appropriate officials.” “I welcome any and all investigations into these al- legations,” Zinke said. The Department of Homeland Security’s in- spector general, an agency watchdog, confirmed Friday that federal auditors will re- view the Whitefish contract. “As part of their stan- dard procedure, they will conduct vetting to look for the presence of any inappro- priate relationships,” said Arlen Morales, a spokes- woman for the inspector general’s office. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is part of Homeland Se- curity, said it has not ap- proved any reimburse- ment requests from the utility for money to cover ongoing repairs to the is- land’s power grid following Hurricane Maria. FEMA said in a state- ment that any language in the controversial contract saying the agency approved of the deal with White- fish is inaccurate. The con- tract said the utility would not pay costs unallowable under FEMA grants, but it also said, “The federal gov- ernment is not a party to this contract.” The agency said its ini- tial review raised signifi- cant concerns about how Whitefish got the deal and whether the contracted prices were reasonable. The 2-year-old company had just two full-time employees when the storm hit Sept. 20. It has since hired more than 300 workers. A price list attached to the Whitefish contract re- viewed by The Associ- ated Press sets rates for both workers and equip- ment to be paid by the utility: $20,277 an hour for a heavy lift Chinook heli- copter, $650 an hour for a large crane truck, $322 an hour for a foreman of a power line crew, $319 an hour for a journeyman lineman and $286 an hour for a mechanic. Each worker also gets a daily allowance of $80 for food, $332 for a hotel room and $1,000 for each flight to or from the mainland. Multiple congressional committees have opened in- vestigations into the deal, the terms of which have triggered questions from both Republicans and Dem- ocrats. Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, senior Demo- crat on the Senate Home- land Security and Govern- mental Affairs Committee, said the Whitefish contract “raises every red flag in the book.” Democrats also raised questions about the role of HBC Investments, a key financial backer of Whitefish Energy. The administration disavowed the contract amid a growing number of investigations and a bipartisan chorus of criticism from Capitol Hill.Next >