ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017 POLICE: OPERATION TEMPURA CASE CLOSED Bridger: ‘Vindictiveness’ led to probe against me BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than four years after criminal allega- tions were brought against former Operation Tempura senior investigator Martin Bridger, Mr. Bridger and his former second-in-com- mand, U.K. police officer Richard Coy, have been cleared of any suspected wrongdoing. According to a statement from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the decision was released Wednesday by the Crown. “The Director of Public Prosecutions issued a legal ruling directing no criminal prosecu- tion against Martin Bridger or Richard Coy, re- lated to the long-running Operation Tempura investigation,” the RCIPS statement noted. “The RCIPS can confirm that both parties have been advised of the ruling and that the case is now closed.” Mr. Bridger was contacted for comment Thursday regarding the decision. “The investigation against me by RCIPS has taken almost five years to complete,” Mr. Bridger said in a written statement. “I was not provided with ‘details’ of the investigation. It was not made clear to me who my accusers were. I was not interviewed in respect of the allegations made. Not one piece of evidence was shared with me.” “In all of the circumstances known to me, POLICEMAN’S MURDER CONVICTION OVERTURNED Former RCIPS officer Tyrone Findlay released after successful appeal JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com After three years in a Kingston prison, wrongfully convicted of a line-of-duty murder, police officer Tyrone Findlay is attempting to rebuild his life, restore his reputation and win his job back in the Cayman Islands. Mr. Findlay was released on Monday, his 39th birthday, after Jamaica’s Court of Appeal overturned his murder conviction. It was a moment of redemption for the officer, who has always maintained his in- nocence. Married with three children, Mr. Findlay said he almost lost everything. “Everything was falling apart,” he said. “My relationship was hanging by a thread, my chil- dren were strangers to me. “It is hard to find the words to express or explain. You can only exist through such an ordeal if you are protected by the Almighty. There is no other way to survive it. “Remember, now I am a law enforcement officer in a pool of persons who broke every law imaginable. “It is horrific, terrible, awful. All the time I know I should not be there having to pro- tect my life, keeping safe, trying to regain my integrity.” Speaking about the incident, his arrest, in- carceration and release for the first time in an Cincinnati Bearcats sink their claws into Cayman Islands Classic trophy The Cincinnati Bearcats celebrate with their head coach Mick Cronin and Victor ‘Voot’ O’Garro of Caymax Sports, fourth from right, after the team won the inaugural Cayman Islands Classic college basketball tournament. They defeated the Wyoming Cowboys 78-53 on Wednesday to take the championship. Bearcats forward Gary Clark also won the tournament MVP award. For more information, see page 28. - PHOTO: TANOES RAMSAY ‘Glitches’ delay new customs IT system BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Officials are delaying for about a week the implementation of a new customs de- partment declarations system aimed to fa- cilitate online payments for stamp duty from businesses because of what were de- scribed as technical “glitches.” The timing of the new system’s intro- duction, during Cayman’s busiest shop- ping time, ahead of Christmas and the tourism high season, has caused some concern among local businesses. “For customs, there really is no ideal time of the year to introduce a new IT system,” Collector of Customs Charles Clif- ford said in response to Cayman Compass questions about the issue. “Many of our customers only use our services during the busy season [referring to high season, between December and April]. “Additionally, for security and function- ality reasons, we needed to move forward with this project as quickly as possible, PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Customs officials hope a new computerized records system will help speed parcel collection along for local businesses, but the new IT system has hit some ‘glitches’ early on. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS CARIBBEANCAFEA Lunch /Dinner 11am-10pm Daily A This holiday season, Cayman HospiceCare invites you to celebrate the life of loved ones who have passed, by sponsoring a light and supporting this year’s “Light up a Life” ceremony. Location: Cassia Court, Camana Bay Date: November 30, 2017 Time: 5:30pm Minimum donation $10.00. Thank you to our sponsors (345)945-7447 | info@caymanhospicecare.ky | www.caymanhospicecare.ky DoE issues warning after spate of attacks on sharks JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A series of shark at- tacks on Cayman Brac is causing concern – for the sharks, that is. At least three sharks have been killed or injured in the past month on the Brac, prompting a warning from the Department of En- vironment that sharks are a protected species in the Cayman Islands. A dead lemon shark washed up at the Channel Dock, a nurse shark was pho- tographed with a gash in its side from a knife wound and dive instructors were forced to remove a rope that had ap- parently been tied around a nurse shark’s head. Those incidents in the past few months follow another case earlier this year where a dive instructor discovered a shark with a kitchen knife sticking out of its head. Brett Johnson, the dive instructor who removed the knife from the shark’s head in that incident, said the re- cent incidents were con- cerning. He said there were still issues of public aware- ness about the importance of sharks and the fact that harming them is illegal. “People still seem to think sharks are man eaters,” he said. The Department of En- vironment issued a warning this week that anyone caught harming a shark or other protected animal was liable to prosecution. “Following recent reports of injured and slain sharks in Cayman Brac, the Depart- ment of Environment would like to remind the public that sharks are a crucial part of a healthy and balanced ma- rine ecosystem and, as of April 2015, are fully protected in Cayman waters,” it said in a statement. Cayman Islands angler and conservationist Guy Harvey whose foundation has designated November as Ocean Conservation Month said the recent incidents were “mind boggling.” He said lemon sharks in particular were rare in Cayman and to see one wash up dead, was tragic. “It is really amazing to hear about this type of be- havior,” he said. “It is un- conscionable and someone needs to be made an ex- ample of. It is unnecessary, it is unsustainable and it is against the law.” Mr. Harvey acknowl- edged enforcement was dif- ficult and his institute has been focusing on changing hearts and minds. “Unfortunately, nobody is going to talk, which is why education is so valuable,” he said. “A few weeks ago we had four cinemas at Camana Bay filled with nearly 900 students learning about sharks and watching some of our docu- mentaries. We want to get to the next generation with a pos- itive message about sharks.” He said the foundation had also taken school chil- dren to swim with sharks in Mexico and the Bahamas. “We are going to have to go up to the Brac and spend more time there, get into the schools and show some of these documenta- ries,” he added. He said sharks had an economic value alive that far exceeded their value as a food source. He believes more needs to be done to help people recognize the social and economic value of Cay- man’s marine resources. “It is not just about sharks,” he said, “it is grouper, conch, lobster, the reefs themselves. We need to give people a better idea of the value of our marine life.” The Department of Envi- ronment said in its statement that shark populations were declining globally and it as important and necessary to protect them in Cayman. “Additionally, sharks are important to our economy, helping to support a healthy marine environment and which in turn attracts visi- tors to our shores, including many who want to see sharks in their natural environment,” the statement added. Call the DoE on 946-8469 or call 911 to report an offense or report any dead sharks found to the DoE’s shark research team on sharkloggers@gmail.com. Quick arrest in police compound break-in BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A George Town man was arrested early Thursday in connection with an at- tempted theft on the central police station property. The 32-year-old suspect was arrested on suspicion of crim- inal trespass, damage to prop- erty and attempted theft. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service alleged the man was one of two suspects who attempted to take a motorcycle from a storage area in the back lot of the George Town Police Station. He had not been charged, but was still in police cus- tody by press time Thursday. According to an RCIPS statement on the matter: “Two hooded males gained entry to the back lot of the station and it appears that they attempted to steal a motorcycle from a motorcycle enclosure.” The break-in occurred around 1 a.m. Wednesday. Of- ficers said they were aware of how the intruders managed to gain entry to the enclosure, but did not want to disclose that for security reasons. This is not the first time criminal suspects have found their way into the back area of the George Town Police Sta- tion, which is used to store wrecked or seized vehicles and other evidence taken during police operations. Mo- torbikes were taken from the property in February and March 2016 and illegal drugs being stored there were stolen in July 2015. A nurse shark is photographed on the Brac with a gash from an apparent knife wound. At least three sharks have been killed or injured in the past month on the Brac, prompting a warning from the Department of Environment that sharks are a protected species in the Cayman Islands.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017 JOIN US FOR OUR 5 DAY EVENT November 27th - December 1st 9am - 5pm To schedule your preferred appointment please contact Muse hearing aids lead the industry in supreme sound quality and premium features. They are designed to • Help you better understand conversations and hear comfortably in any noisy environment • To suppress ringing in the ears (tinnitus) • Make speech more audible by keeping loud sounds comfortable and boosting soft sounds • Stream TV, music and more to your hearing aids SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! FREE HEARING CONSULTATION Schedule your confi dential, one-on-one session with our factory representative – no obligation! No one has to know you’re wearing hearing aids... Ask us about the new IIC Invisible- In-The-Canal. The only 100% custom, Invisible, digital and fully pregrammable hearing aid. Hearing Problems… or maybe just earwax? Starkey USA Hearing Aid Expert MR. ROB WALL will be available for our special event AT NO CHARGE! IN CONJUNCTION WITH INVISIBILITY MAY VARY BASED ON YOUR EAR’S ANATOMY Muse hearing aids lead the industry in supreme sound All Digital Hearing Aids With sophisticated, innovative technology, we help preserve and deliver a wider range of sound cues to enhance the way you hear! #2 Alexander Place Dorcy Drive • (Across from the new Fedex Building) • George Town, Cayman Islands Dr. F.R. Glatz, M.D. (345) 945.3822 MSRP 50% MSRP OFF Mr Wall brings experience in the hearing healthcare industry that together gives us insight into the challenges that accompany hearing loss and access to the latest technology developments in hearing sciences. Cayman ENT Associates Cayman ENT AssociatesThe 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. If your income remains constant but the prices of many things you buy de- cline, you are richer. There are many articles and books asserting that the inflation- adjusted incomes for the middle- and lower-income groups in the U.S. and some of the other developed coun- tries have remained almost flat while the upper-income “rich” have seen a great rise in their incomes. Not true when correctly measured. The world economy has radically changed, and old measures of gross domestic product (GDP) are no longer valid. GDP measures the value of all goods and ser- vices both produced and con- sumed at market prices. But now, people increasingly con- sume what is not measured. When a person buys a smart- phone, the cost of the phone is included in the measure of GDP. But once in possession of a smartphone, one can con- sume what were costly goods and services only a few years ago for no or little cost. A smartphone enables one to easily access almost all of the world’s stock of knowl- edge for nothing. Encyclo- pedias and reference books were expensive and rarely owned by low-income people. It is now possible, because of Skype and other services, to talk to almost anyone in the world at virtually no cost. Domestic long-distance calls used to be very expen- sive, and international ones were so expensive that people rarely made them. On a phone or tablet, one can play almost every song for free. With a few notable exceptions, it is possible to read most newspapers from all over the world for free. Less than 20 years ago, those who wanted to take pic- tures on a trip would have to lug along a camera and rolls of film. The exposed rolls needed to be taken to a camera store for developing, and copies were extra. Now it is possible for people to take as many high-quality photos as they wish for free and share them with an unlim- ited number of friends in real time at no cost. Look at all of the apps you have on your phone or tablet, and then try to estimate what the cost of the goods and ser- vices you receive from each. Some surveys have shown that the average person spends an average of five hours a day on their cell- phone, tablet or computer for pleasure. That comes out to about 1,800 hours a year. Assume a person values the use of the smartphone or tablet at $5 per hour – which is probably low. The $5 per hour times 1,800 hours gives a value of $9,000 per year. The average per capita disposable income is about $36,000 a year in the U.S. So, the unpaid and untaxed value of goods and services that a person enjoys from the use of the smartphone, tablet and other devices now provides about a 25 percent increase in real disposable income equal to about $45,000. The value of the goods and services provided to a person by the smartphone or tablet is not dependent on income. Whether people are poor or rich, they can get equal value from these devices, depending on features they use. A person who has a disposable income of half of the average ($18,000) per year still gets the $9,000 benefit, for a 50 percent raise in consumption to the equiv- alent of $27,000. A very high- income person (e.g., $500,000 per year) will still only receive the $9,000 benefit, assuming the same use of apps and fea- tures, or less than a 2 percent increase in real equivalent purchasing power. Currently, there are an es- timated 3 billion smartphones around the world – and that number is rapidly increasing. Many of the people who have these phones are poor, with incomes of less than $10,000 a year. They use the phones not only for communication but for banking and many other things. The smartphone has perhaps doubled their real ability to consume and has given them enormous new opportunities. As a result of these new technologies, the internet and all of the devices that make it useful, there has been a lev- eling of the real ability to con- sume, which is a much more accurate measure of real rela- tive well-being than nominal dollars. Technologies that are coming along will accelerate the leveling. It is the wealthy who pay for the new innovations, and once they are perfected, their prices fall radically so all are beneficiaries. Less than 10 years ago, only extremely ex- pensive cars had lane change warning indicators. Now, im- proved versions are available on most $40,000 cars. The current GDP measures were largely developed in the 1930s. But they do not accu- rately measure relative well- being in the new technolog- ical world. To make tax and government spending, and other public-policy decisions based on these old measures, without fully recognizing the ramifications of the new tech- nologies, is folly. Richard W. Rahn is chairman of Improbable Success Productions and on the board of the American Council for Capital Formation. © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC. We imagine that Moses’ leading the Israelites out of Egypt was a more orderly affair than Cayman’s “pension exodus” – where hundreds of expatriate workers are packing their bags and leaving, so as to avoid being swept up in last year’s changes to the National Pensions Law. Operating according to motivations that have never been fully explained (which makes us very nervous), the Legislative Assembly decreed that foreign workers employed by private businesses will no longer be allowed to “cash out” mandatory pension funds after they leave the islands. Any worker who wants control of his or her savings must cease their employment before the end of the year … or, perhaps, the end of the month … maybe. There are many things wrong with this government- created situation, on multiple levels. The government’s scheme of forcing private sector workers to “set aside” 5 percent of their income (and forcing employers to match those savings, dollar for dollar) is fundamentally flawed. It doesn’t take an actuary to understand that saving 10 percent of one’s income falls far, far short of a viable retirement plan. Here’s some simple math: Say you work for 40 years, diligently socking aside 10 percent of your income. At the end of your career, that translates to four years’ worth of income. How many “golden years” do you plan on living, after you retire? The numbers are further from adding up when you consider the cases of expatriates who are in Cayman for only seven or eight years. It makes even less sense when one considers the situations of most of our expatriate workers. Under the new rules, employees must keep their pension money in Cayman until they reach retirement age, or else transfer those funds into a similar retirement savings account in another country. That is simple enough for British, American, Canadian and European workers. But what about workers from Jamaica or the Philip- pines, the home countries of more than half of Cayman’s foreign workforce? There, only about 30 percent of the adult population even has a formal savings account, according to the World Bank Global Findex. Over the years, a reasonable workaround was devel- oped for Cayman’s expatriates – treating those pensions plans as “long-term savings accounts” they could tap into a couple of years after leaving the island. Much of the time, that pensions cash was then used to invest in a home or income-producing ventures such as small busi- nesses. But now, (like they have done with immigration) Cayman’s government has changed the rules of the pensions game for expatriates. That has spurred hundreds of people to make potentially life-changing personal deci- sions, which in turn has affected businesses who must scramble to fill unexpected vacancies, en masse. And now, as a final insult to injury (or finger in the eye, or kick in the rear), it seems government has not been able to get its story straight on what the rules are, exactly, for these departing workers to access their pension funds. In the absence of public and precise government instructions, the job of “explainer” has fallen to private pension providers, with uneven results. “We believe there’s a high level of confusion among people applying for these pension refunds,” said HSM law firm managing partner Huw Moses. (No direct relation to the biblical figure.) “It appears the law is being inter- preted differently by different providers.” Retirement needs and expectations differ from place to place, and from person to person. Holding workers’ pension funds hostage out of (real or feigned) concern for their long-term financial well-being is condescending and counterproductive. The government should never have forced employees and employers to adhere to those pension plans in the first place. But now that they have been created, those pension funds rightfully belong to Cayman’s workers – not the pension providers or the government. How and when they spend the money should be no one’s business but their own. Similarly, the government should never have changed the law to prevent foreign workers from accessing their pension funds. But now that they have, the least they could do is provide clarity on how to follow their damaging (and highly suspect) law. Pension ‘exodus’: Bad idea, worse execution FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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” The myth of growing income inequality RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHNThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017 THURSDAY 23RD NOVEMBER: 5PM - 7PM FRIDAY AND SATURDAY 24TH/25TH NOVEMBER: ALL DAY! BAYSHORE MALL & CARDINALL AVENUE, GEORGE TOWN +1 (345) 815 7492 • KIRKFREEPORT.COM GRAN D CA YMAN WEEKEND SALE STARTS AT 5PM ON 23RD NOVEMBER! 70 % OFF UP TO THE STRAND CUSTOMER APPRECIATION EVENT NOV 25TH Get a head start on your Christmas purchases AND take advantage of the amazing Black Friday sales at Cayman’s one-stop luxury shopping location. Enjoy refreshments and prize-draws all day long as we kick off the holiday season in style. Thank you for your continued support. Happy Holidays from the entire Kirk Freeport team! MAKE SURE YOU STOP BY AT6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS JOB Nº: FH002048CLIENT: National Gallery of the Cayman Islands VERSION: PRESS-0 2 TITLE: NGIC PORSCHE PROMO CC AD PUBLICATION: Cayman Compass INSERTION DATE: 11242017DATE: November 16, 2017 4:44 PM PROCESS: CMYK TOPS COLOUR: n/aPDF STD: pdf/x4:2008DIMS: 10.333” x 7.8975” LAICEPS INSTRUCTIONS: Full colour 0.5 page ad, All fonts outlined.BLEED: n/a SUBSTRATE:FILE ENQUIRIES:design@fountainhead.ky www.fountainhead.ky CMYK FOUNTAINHEAD FH002048_NG_PORSCHE_CC_0.5P_HORIZ_AD_FINAL_111617.indd 116/11/2017 16:44 Miss Universe pageant reflects work of local beauty team MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com On Sunday, Nov. 26, Francis Omar and his Rock Gorgeous Hair team will be parked in front of the televi- sion, watching the Miss Uni- verse pageant and hoping to see their hard work pay off. Mr. Omar, the owner of and creative director for the George Town salon, has been working for three years with Anika Conolly, Miss Cayman 2017, to help pre- pare her for various compe- titions. Sunday’s event in Las Vegas will be the culmination of that effort. “I feel very confident,” Mr. Omar said. “I think she’ll do really well. She’s really well trained and she’s re- ally confident.” Mr. Omar said he’s been doing pageant work for the past decade and for the past five years on Cayman. “I’ve worked with the of- ficial Miss Universe a few times,” he said, as well as other pageants, such as Miss Jamaica. This year, his team also helped out Miss British Virgin Islands Kephra Syl- vester. In the wake of Hur- ricane Irma, Sylvester was thinking of dropping out of the Miss Universe pag- eant, said the team’s makeup person, Antonia Rivano. “She lost everything back home,” Ms. Rivano said of Ms. Sylvester, who relocated to Cayman after the hurri- cane, “all her portfolio, all her wardrobe.” The team did a day-long photo shoot with Ms. Syl- vester just to rebuild her photo portfolio. Working with the pageant contestants involves tailoring makeup to the individual and advising them on hairstyles. And the women do not just get to sit in a chair and have people apply their makeup and fix their hair. They have to learn to do it themselves. “The month leading up to the event,” which entails pro- motional appearances and run-up interviews, “no one can help them,” Mr. Omar said. “They have to do every- thing themselves. We try to give them training so they can look like a professional.” Much of the work the Rock Gorgeous Hair team does is pro bono, said Mr. Omar, often in lieu of ad- vertising space in pageant publications. The payoff is in knowing their compet- itor has done well. They will find that out Sunday night, when they watch Ms. Conolly take the stage. “I think she’s going to go far,” Mr. Omar said. Anika Conolly, Miss Cayman Islands, during a photoshoot in the lobby of Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on Monday, Nov. 13. The Caribbean is well represented at this year’s Miss Universe. Among the group is Khephra Sylvester, Miss British Virgin Islands, far left, and Miss Cayman Islands Anika Conolly, second from right, both of whom received hair and makeup assistance from Rock Gorgeous on Grand Cayman. - PHOTOS: THE MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION Khephra Sylvester, Miss British Virgin Islands, competes on stage in her evening gown during the preliminary competition in the Miss Universe pageant at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on Nov. 20. - PHOTOS: THE MISS UNIVERSE ORGANIZATION7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017 Officer cleared of ‘obstructing justice’ can return to work BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Marine Unit Sergeant Shawn Bodden was cleared to return to work with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice Tuesday, after criminal charges were dismissed earlier this month against him and his wife in connection with a years-old obstructing jus- tice allegation. Mr. Bodden had been on re- quired leave from the RCIPS since May 14, 2014, when he was suspended from duty, re- ceiving pay during the en- tire period of his three-and-a- half year leave. RCIPS officials said Mr. Bodden would return to work as a sergeant and resume his former job as a marine equip- ment maintenance officer. Charges of attempting to obstruct justice against Mr. Bodden and his wife were dis- missed earlier this month after he had appeared in court 22 times over three years in re- lation to a driving offense and the obstruction charge related to it. Mr. Bodden was convicted and fined in 2015 for driving without insurance. He had al- ways maintained he was in- sured under a policy covering police officers on official busi- ness. The traffic stop that led to the conviction occurred in 2013, when Mr. Bodden was on his way to the police ma- rine base to repair one of the RCIPS patrol vessels. Mr. Bodden and his wife Ruth Ann were charged in 2014 for attempting to ob- struct, pervert or defeat the course of justice, essen- tially being accused of lying about the insurance coverage policy for which they initially could not produce documen- tary evidence. The obstruction charge was set for trial, but when matters proceeded, Crown prosecu- tors offered no evidence be- cause documents related to Mr. Bodden having insurance coverage were found to exist. Defense attorney Amelia Fos- uhene noted during the court appearance earlier this month that the RCIPS held the in- surance documents and even- tually managed to produce a copy after she made numerous attempts to obtain it. Magistrate Angelyn Her- nandez apologized “on behalf of the system” to Sgt. Bodden for the more than three- year ordeal before she dis- missed the charges. In relation to the ini- tial traffic offense of driving without insurance, Ms. Fos- uhene noted that Mr. Bodden would likely have to go to the Cayman Islands Court of Ap- peal to get the driving convic- tion overturned, even though he had already shown he was insured to drive the ve- hicle in 2013. Defendant says another man brought handgun to his car CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Kenneth Sitaram, 25, ap- peared in Summary Court on Thursday charged with pos- session of an unlicensed firearm that was found in the car he was driving after police were called to an incident in George Town last week. Defense attorney Alex Da- vies applied for bail and senior Crown counsel Candia James objected. Together they de- tailed the circumstances that led to the charges. After hearing details, Magistrate Grace Donalds withheld bail and set the matter for mention again on Tuesday, Nov. 28. The type of firearm was not specified in the charge. How- ever, a second charge referred to four rounds of nine-milli- meter ammunition. The charges arose from an incident that began at a gas station on Walkers Road in the early hours of Nov. 16. Sitaram was there with a woman and another man. Police received a report from a complainant who said he had been attacked by Si- taram and another individual. Officers attended and Sitaram left the scene in a vehicle. He was followed and stopped in the vicinity of Smith Road. A gun magazine was re- covered from under a mat in the driver-side footwell. While the search continued, Sitaram fled the scene. A further search of the vehicle revealed a gun under the mat on the front- passenger side. A search of Sitaram’s home revealed a large quan- tity of ganja, leading to a charge of possession with in- tent to supply. Mr. Davies explained that Sitaram had come to his firm’s office on Monday this week, accepting that he had ab- sconded and wanting the at- torney’s assistance in turning himself in. Mr. Davies said Si- taram deeply regretted his decision to flee, but was not thinking straight at the time. Mr. Davies advised that Sitaram had said it was the complainant who started the problem at the gas station by chasing Sitaram’s companion and having a knife. He said his companion brought the gun to the car, saying it be- longed to the person who had been chasing him. Sitaram panicked and left the gas station for his own safety, Mr. Davies told the court. But now he was entitled to some credit for handing him- self in and for his willingness to assist police with their in- quiries, the attorney submitted. The magistrate remanded Sitaram in custody until the next mention date. A gun magazine was recovered from under a mat in the driver- side footwell. While the search continued, Sitaram fled the scene. A further search of the vehicle revealed a gun under the mat on the front- passenger side. Bail refused for firearm chargeThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS In memory of our much-loved brother PHIL PRITCHARD who sadly passed away three years ago 26th November 2014 Words can never express how much your family misses you. Forever in our hearts, Julie, Roy and Louise Pritchard Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Leon McKosker Ebanks of West Bay, Grand Cayman, who passed away on Sunday, November 12, 2017. A Graveside Ceremony will be held at West Bay Cemetery Sunday, November 26, 2017 at 3:00p.m. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Elroy Erisualdo Watler of George Town and Old Providence, Columbia who passed away on Sunday, November 19, 2017. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, November 26, 2017 at 4:30p.m. at George Town Church of Christ, Anthony Drive off Smith Rd. In lieu of fl owers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Association of the Cayman Islands. Mr. Watler will be repatriated to Old Providence, Columbia. The family of the late Frank E. Roulstone, Jr are deeply grateful for the love and support of our friends and family during Frank’s illness and in his death. Your many expressions of love in visits or in words, in owers or in food you provided, your donations to charity in his memory - each act of kindness touched our hearts and we are thankful. May God bless each one of you. F U N E R A L H O M E Churchill’s The family of the late Clinton Albert Blake expresses heartfelt thanks to St. George’s Anglican Church, Reverend Mary Graham and members of the Anglican Church Ushers Guild & Men’s Fellowships, First Baptist Church, Dawn Budal Group of First Baptist Church, Lions Club of Grand Cayman, Lions Club of Tropical Gardens, Dr. Ernest & the staff of Health City, Cayman HospiceCare, Dr. Regina Turner, The Staff of Young World Fashions, Management & Staff of Savannah Pharmacy, the many friends of Welly's Cool Spot Restaurant & Blue Marlin Restaurant, Mr. Ernest Hurlston & family, Mr. Stacy Hurlston & family, The CIFA Executive Committee and football family, Sally & Bruce Moore, Lillian & Rick Burgos, Sheryl Smith, Kerry Nixon and Savannah Estates neighbours. May God Bless You All. The family of the Late McNeil Hurlston regrets to announce his passing on Saturday, 18 November , 2017. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A Funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday, 3 December 2017 at Veterans & Seamen’s Centre Cayman Brac, viewing will be from 1:00-1:50 p.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow in Stake Bay Cemetery. The family of the Late Elverine Joyce Piercy regrets to announce her passing on Thursday, 16 November , 2017. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A Funeral service will be held 2:30 p.m. Saturday, 25 November 2017 at Church of God Full Gospel Hall, Savannah. Interment will follow in Northside Cemetery. and we made a determina- tion that it could not be de- layed until the end of the busy season in 2018,” he said. Mr. Clifford said the new system, which was initially implemented on Nov. 1, sus- tained a delay in processing customs declarations from businesses between Nov. 1 and Nov. 8. Mr. Clifford sent an email to local businesses on Nov. 4 informing them they could not process their declara- tions through the new on- line system: “For those of you who have already regis- tered in the Customs Online System [COLS] and received your credential, we ask that you do not attempt to enter your declarations via COLS at this point until we no- tify you that the system is fully functional.” On Nov. 8, Mr. Clifford in- formed business owners that the new online system was “functioning as expected.” “Those who have not yet registered on the Customs Online System are encour- aged to do so as soon as pos- sible so that you can begin to use the COLS portal,” the Nov. 8 follow-up email read. “We may discover some other minor glitches as we progress, but our customs and the com- puter services department’s teams are standing by to rec- tify any issues that may arise.” Before the introduction of the new online system in October, the customs service brought in local businesses owners for training on the new online system. When asked about the delays in implementing the new online system, Mr. Clif- ford said they were not un- anticipated. He told the Com- pass that the old declarations system will be kept in place until the end of the year, while customs transitions to the online portal. The eventual idea is to prevent business owners from having to make multiple trips to a customs agent, then the customs headquarters to be assessed duty and then to the port storage warehouse – often all in the same week – before they can pick up items needed for their company. Many companies have, until recently, completed that pro- cess every week. “We will review the situ- ation at the end of the year and, if our customers need more time to make the tran- sition, then we will make every attempt to facilitate that” Mr. Clifford said, adding that some businesses were already using the Customs Online System while others were still using the old decla- rations forms. If customs had waited to introduce the new IT system until May or June, Mr. Clifford said, it was pos- sible some customs users would not have come across it until the next holiday season anyway. “It follows that for those customers, it wouldn’t matter whether we intro- duced it during the 2017 busy season or during the 2018 slow season, because ei- ther way they would still be clearing goods for the first time on a new system during the busy season of 2018 be- cause many of them would have had no reason to use it during the slow season,” Mr. Clifford said. “We encourage the skeptics to embrace the change because the new system is designed to ulti- mately deliver effective trade facilitation and exceptional customer service while main- taining effective border con- trol protocols.” ‘Glitches’ delay new customs IT system “For customs, there really is no ideal time of the year to introduce a new IT system.” CHARLES CLIFFORD, collector of customs The Port Authority’s Cargo Distribution Centre in Industrial Park is where many businesses come to collect their goods. Customs officials are hoping to make that process a bit easier with a new IT system. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Charles Clifford, collector of customsThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2017 Happy Anniversary to my sister Francine and William Rivers celebrating 60 years of marriage. Also, to my son Kurt & Ma rissa Hydes on their 27th Wedding Anniversary. (Coming from their father and brother.) Edmund and Virginia Hydes also celebrating their 57th Wedding Anniversary. Let ’s Celebrate The Month Of November I am satisfied the allegations against me had no substance and were borne out of vindic- tiveness,” he added. The retired U.K. lawman, now in his mid-60s, said he would continue to advocate for the truth surrounding Operation Tempura and its spin-off probe Operation Cealt to come out. “I will now consider how to move matters forward, which will expose all the facts,” he said. “All of the available ev- idence has still not been fully investigated, which is a shameful stain on the cred- ibility of RCIPS and other public bodies.” Mr. Bridger, who was ini- tially brought to Cayman in September 2007 to investi- gate allegations of corruption within the RCIPS, ended up having the tables turned on him in 2014, when former Po- lice Commissioner David Ba- ines announced it was Mr. Bridger who was the subject of an investigation. A decade ago The former U.K. Metro- politan Police officer’s initial purpose in Cayman was to investigate allegations of col- lusion between a newspaper publisher and a top-ranking member of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. More than $10 million was spent on the probe, two criminal trials were held and half-a-dozen police officers lost their jobs. There were no convictions after the court cases, and the initial allegations against the publisher, the late Desmond Seales, and the senior RCIPS officer, Deputy Commissioner Anthony Ennis, turned out to be bogus. After clearing Mr. Seales and Mr. Ennis, the in- vestigation sought to deter- mine why the allegations had been brought against the two men and whether other local police officers had acted improperly or ille- gally in doing so. In August 2014, then-RCIPS Commissioner Baines alluded to the possibility that Mr. Bridger could be in some legal trouble over certain statements he made regarding the original Tempura investigation, par- ticularly criminal allegations Mr. Bridger made in early 2013 against the territory’s former governor and current attorney general. The former U.K. lawman had alleged to the U.K. Met Police and the RCIPS that former Cayman Governor Stuart Jack and Attorney Gen- eral Samuel Bulgin misled him about various facts in the Tem- pura investigation. Former Governor Jack and Mr. Bulgin have publicly de- nied those allegations. Mr. Jack at one point commented that it was “high time” Mr. Bridger be held accountable for his statements. Mr. Baines said in 2014, “Whilst the criminal allega- tions made by Mr. Bridger failed, were unsupported and unproved after analysis of all of the available evidence, it is correct to say that his account and publishing of data within the media led to counter-al- legations of criminal con- duct being made in relation to his conduct. Those allega- tions remain under investiga- tion and are subject to con- tinued inquiry.” Bridger statements Mr. Bridger released a statement to the Compass in August which sought to clarify a number of issues around the criminal investigation initi- ated against him. He made similar comments in the state- ment released on Thursday, following the Crown’s ruling. The allegations referred to by former Commissioner Ba- ines had their genesis in 2012, after private conversations oc- curred between Mr. Bridger and former RCIPS Commis- sioner Stuart Kernohan, who was eventually fired over the Tempura fiasco. Those con- versations, Mr. Bridger said, led him to conclude he was “grossly misled on key as- pects” of the corruption probe “by senior officials.” Both Mr. Kernohan and former RCIPS Chief Superinten- dent John Jones provided Mr. Bridger with statements to sup- port claims Mr. Bridger made to the U.K. Metropolitan Police in April 2013 that certain Cayman Islands officials had engaged in misconduct while Operation Tempura was being conducted. U.K. Met police who reviewed the matter indicated there were “reasonable grounds to suspect an offense had occurred,” but noted the London-based po- lice force was conflicted in the Tempura matter and, therefore, could not investigate. Following the Met’s deci- sion, Mr. Bridger said he for- warded the same allegations to then-Cayman Islands Gov- ernor Duncan Taylor, who gave the matter to Mr. Baines to review. Mr. Bridger said after a relatively short in- quiry, in which neither he nor other top Cayman police of- ficials were interviewed, the allegations were dismissed. “To my knowledge, al- though [Mr. Baines] was in possession of witness state- ments from Kernohan and Jones he did not interview either of them to objectively and dispassionately test the evidence they provided,” Mr. Bridger’s August statement to the Compass read. It was shortly after the probe into the Bridger crim- inal complaint was closed that the former corruption in- vestigator found he was the subject of counter allegations. In 2016, the retired U.K. lawman said one of the RCIPS investigators informed him the case had been sent to the Director of Public Pros- ecutions in Cayman “for di- rections.” Mr. Bridger said he has not been informed of any progress since then. The statement released Thursday indicated: “I had previously made an allega- tion of crime to the RCIPS against senior officials. The allegation was supported by witness statements from an ex-commissioner and chief superintendent of RCIPS. The Metropolitan Police con- sidered an investigation was warranted. I was not given the opportunity to provide a witness statement nor were other witnesses who were available to support the al- legation, albeit RCIPS were told of their availability. “Within a few months, David Baines concluded the investigation stating there was insufficient evidence. On the evidence I have seen, there was no desire by RCIPS to independently and dis- passionately investigate the allegations.” interview with the Cayman Compass this week, he said he was thankful to be vindicated and looking forward to having his reputation restored. “It feels good to know that what I have been saying all along has been investi- gated and declared true by the highest court in the land. “It would be my greatest desire to continue my work there [in Cayman]. It is my in- tention in very short order to reach out, respectfully asking that I be allowed to continue. It would be my pleasure to serve in the Cayman Islands again,” he said. Mr. Findlay was convicted in November 2014, along with fellow detective Leonard Lindsay, of shooting 27-year- old Anthony Richards, who was killed, and his friend Ro- shaine Dixon, who was in- jured, on a beach in the Man- chester district of Jamaica in January 2010. The detectives, who were investigating reports of an armed robbery, maintained they shot the men, who they said were armed with a gun and knife, in self defense. They were convicted, largely on the evidence of Dixon, who claimed they had robbed him and his friend and shot them both be- fore planting the weapons. The Court of Appeal con- sidered the case last week and threw out the conviction, ac- cording to lawyers on both sides and Mr. Findlay himself. The written judgment has yet to be published. Norman Godfrey, who rep- resented Mr. Findlay, said he had asked for the conviction to be overturned on several grounds, including that Dixon, a suspect in the initial robbery was not a credible witness, and that the directions given by the trial judge on self de- fense were inadequate. He said Mr. Findlay’s co-ac- cused, Mr. Lindsay, would be reinstated in the Jamaica Con- stabulary Force. “I am not sure how they will treat Mr. Findlay. It will be a matter for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service Commis- sion. He has been cleared by the Court of Appeal so he has no conviction and deserves to be treated as an innocent man,” he added. Mr. Findlay was hired by the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service in the armed Uni- form Support Group in May 2011, 17 months after the inci- dent. He was suspended on full pay in July 2011 after prose- cutors in Jamaica announced they were bringing murder charges. In March 2014, as the case dragged on without going to trial, then-Commis- sioner David Baines made a successful application to allow Mr. Findlay to return to work in Cayman, in a behind- the-scenes role. After Mr. Findlay’s convic- tion, Mr. Baines maintained he had done the right thing. He told the Compass the officer had arrived with a clean bill of health from Jamaica’s anti- corruption unit and exemplary references from three senior officers and a sitting judge. He also defended Mr. Findlay, saying his work and his attitude in Cayman had been excellent, describing him as a motivated and com- mitted officer. For Mr. Findlay, that sup- port was a bright spot during a very dark period and some- thing he will never forget. “I am sure right now he feels vindicated too,” Mr. Findlay said. “Not many people would be willing to stand by someone in a situation like that; someone who they are not connected to, not family to. It is very rare that you find persons willing to do so.” He said the shooting inci- dent was investigated “inter- nally and externally” before he left Jamaica and he had been cleared and returned to front- line duty. He was unaware, he said, when he took the job in Cayman that the case was being secretly investigated by a covert unit. “Nobody knew. When I came to the Cayman Islands, I went through a rig- orous vetting process which in- cludes being checked for any- thing pending – disciplinary, criminal, civil. “All the agencies gave me a clean bill of health. That was part of what was so amazing; where did this come from?” He believes corrup- tion in Jamaica was behind his prosecution and subse- quent conviction. If anyone in Cayman has doubts about his integrity, he hopes they will reconsider their view now that he has been acquitted. Mr. Baines, speaking to the Compass at the time of the original conviction, acknowl- edged that if an appeal were successful, it was possible that Mr. Findlay could return to work in Cayman. He has since retired as police com- missioner and was replaced by Derek Byrne. Asked for comment on Mr. Findlay’s release and the po- tential for him to be rehired, an RCIPS spokeswoman said the issue had not arisen and the police service had no comment at this point. Police: Operation Tempura case closed CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Policeman’s murder conviction overturned CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1Next >