High of 83 Low of 72 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 MEMO TO THE EU: LOVE US OR LEAVE US ALONE LOCAL | PAGE 3 UCCI NURSES GET PERFECT SCORE ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2017 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY McLaughlin: Growth has consequences Cayman makes last attempt to avoid EU blacklist Officers, road closures may address gridlock BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Persistent traffic jams on the eastern and southern ends of Grand Cayman will not ulti- mately be fixed by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, Premier Alden McLaughlin ac- knowledged last week. Traffic solutions, he said, would need to be part of a longer-term strategy taking into account economic growth, social develop- ment and infrastructure – an overarching plan that Cayman does not have at present, the premier said. “Cayman has struggled, and continues to struggle, with what it is we really want.” Mr. McLaughlin told a group of about 40 residents gathered at the Seafarers Hall in Pros- pect Thursday night, “The minute development slows down, people go absolutely nuts. Our suc- cess as a country has been tied, over the last 40 to 50 years, to growth and development.” During the public discussion at the Seafarers Hall, a number of residents noted that police traffic mitigation measures could only serve to stem the tide of a larger population and more cars joining the commute to work each day. Cayman’s population in 2016 reached more than 61,000 people and was expected to grow again in 2017. “I’ve heard we plan to take on 100,000 people,” said retired George Town businessman Billy Adam. “Is that really what you want for a nice little tropical Caribbean island? No hassle, no stress. Biggest lie being told right now.” Mr. Adam said he felt sorry for the po- lice, whom he said were being asked to “do the impossible” with regard to traffic mitiga- tion measures. “Where is the National Roads Authority? Where is planning?” he asked. Mr. McLaughlin noted he was displeased the NRA, in particular, had not attended Thursday’s meeting with local residents, which was aimed at finding ways to ease traffic BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Cayman delegation left for London Friday with little more than a week left to appeal to U.K. and European officials against its potential inclusion on a financial services “blacklist” being promulgated by the Eu- ropean Union group of finance ministers [ECOFIN]. According to the premier’s office, tax transparency mea- sures, requirements to detail the beneficial ownership of Cayman- registered companies and trusts and the proposed EU blacklist will all be discussed at this week’s Joint Ministerial Council meeting of the U.K. and British Overseas Territories leaders. Accompanying Premier McLaughlin will be Financial Services Minister Tara Rivers and her ministry’s chief officer, Dax Basdeo, as well as several other government officials. The Cayman Islands is one of 92 jurisdictions that expect to learn by Dec. 5 if they will be placed on a European Union blacklist being drawn up as part of a tax avoidance crackdown. The European Commission’s Police try to sort out Prospect traffic mess BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com With eastern districts residents mired in hours-long traffic jams during both morning and afternoon rushes, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is considering drastic new measures in at- tempts to make the daily commute safer and somewhat more bearable. Police Commissioner Derek Byrne told a group of about 40 residents at the Sea- farers Hall in Prospect Thursday night that when it comes to crowded streets, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is struggling with two major difficulties; a lack of an overall traffic management plan and a roads infrastructure that was never built to accommodate the number of cars it serves now. There is little police can do to change the latter issue, Mr. Byrne said. However, there are a number of options the RCIPS is now exploring to improve traffic flows, particularly during the morning commute when schools are beginning their day. Some of those options, Mr. Byrne said, included putting uniformed police officers out to direct traffic at roundabouts, closing down certain side streets to through traffic and even proposals to keep heavy truck traffic off the roads entirely during Premier Alden McLaughlin, Prospect MLA Austin Harris and Police Commissioner Derek Byrne field questions from the audience at the Seafarers Hall in Prospect during a Thursday night meeting focused on traffic congestion. - PHOTO: BRENT FULLER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » CAYMAN CLASSIC MADE TOURISM IMPACT The first ever Cayman Islands Classic drew some tourists and created a buzz about the island, according to organizers and tourism officials. Deputy Premier Moses Kirk- connell estimated the event pulled in at least $2 million for the island’s economy. For more on this story, see page 6.2 REGIONAL NEWS MONDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 WONDER (PG) 1:45 I 4:25 I 7:00 I 9:35 THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI (R) 1:30 I 4:30 I 7:10 I 10:00 JUSTICE LEAGUE 3D (PG13) 1:30 I 3:45 2D VIP I 6:45 2D VIP I 9:40 2D DADDY’S HOME 2 (PG13) 1:15 VIP I 4:35 I 7:15 I 9:45 VIP MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (PG13) 1:10 I 4:00 I 6:50 I 9:45 THOR: RAGNAROK 3D (PG13) 12:25 2D I 3:30 I 6:30 2D I 9:30 *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 - Rebuilding the Caribbean will be pricey, but some are vying to finance its recovery The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. MASAO ASHTINE University of the West Indies, Mona Campus Nov. 20 marked the end of the Atlantic hurricane season, but for the Caribbean, it’s only the beginning of a painful re- covery process. In early September, Hur- ricane Irma largely destroyed Barbuda and several neigh- boring Lesser Antilles is- lands. Two weeks later, Maria took a final fatal stab at Bar- buda and entirely knocked out Puerto Rico. According to The Econo- mist, damage from Irma alone tallies up to US$13 billion. To- tals for the entire 2017 hurri- cane season remain unclear, but Puerto Rico Gov. Roberto Rosello’s recent request for $94.4 billion in aid gives some sense of Maria’s toll. No matter the final price tag, recovery is sure to be un- payable in a region where 30 percent of people live in pov- erty and the per capita gross domestic product averages under $9,000 a year, versus $57,000 in the United States. And while France, Hol- land and the United Kingdom have come to the assistance of their territories in the region, independent Caribbean na- tions like Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and Cuba have no such obvious sponsors. Their economies shattered by storms – and, in some cases, shackled by debt – some Ca- ribbean nations fear they may never recover. But behind the scenes, nu- merous international players are actually racing to rebuild the Caribbean, from tech com- panies and wealthy individ- uals to far-flung countries. ‘Send Tesla’ Big corporations see an opportunity in the Caribbe- an’s recovery. Tesla, in partic- ular, seems to have a vision for how the region could re- build in a more renewable and resilient way. Whether Tesla can achieve that is another question. The California-based elec- tric-car company has com- mitted to sending to the island hundreds of its Pow- erwall battery systems, which could be paired with solar panels to get the electric grid up and running again. For the millions of Puerto Ricans whose power has been out for over two months, this may come as welcome news. And though some experts have questioned how much it would really help, Tesla did manage to turn the lights on at the San Juan Children’s Hospital back in October. Puerto Rico isn’t the only Caribbean country with an in- adequate energy grid. Across the region, outmoded system designs that rely on a few plants for power production make complete blackouts much higher than grid sys- tems that have an even distri- bution of power generation. So even before Irma, Tesla had long seen the Caribbean as a nexus for its energy revo- lution, with talk of using elec- tric-vehicle batteries to store renewable energy. Tesla’s de- sire to power the Caribbean reflects a global energy race as tech companies – among them Samsung and LG – ex- pand their international reach. The benevolent among us The British business mag- nate Sir Richard Branson, who owns a 30-hectare pri- vate island in the British Virgin Islands, has also long advocated that the Caribbean should shift to clean energy. The 2017 hurricane season catalyzed this ambition. After Irma, Branson suggested that rich countries fund a “Carib- bean Marshall Plan” to help islands move beyond fossil fuels toward low-carbon re- newable energy sources like solar and wind. Branson isn’t the only in- ternational celebrity with a personal stake in rebuilding the Caribbean region. The actor Robert De Niro has also sought to pitch in. In September, he said he was “saddened to learn of the devastation in Barbuda,” and called on financial insti- tutions and governments to band together and rebuild the demolished island, where De Niro had hoped to build a $200 million resort. Two months later, Barbuda remains uninhabitable, with nearly its entire population having evacuated to neigh- boring Antigua and elsewhere. The ‘soft’ grip of China For China, the crisis in the Caribbean is an oppor- tunity to expand its influ- ence in an area where it al- ready has deep historic and economic ties. China’s influence in the Caribbean dates back to Cu- ba’s1959 revolution, when communism bound the two nations. Back then, China ig- nored the U.S. economic em- bargo to help Cuba after a 1963 hurricane. Today, China is reported to have offered aid to Cuba after Hurricane Irma. It has also committed $5 million for the United Nations Development Program to assist the Carib- bean’s storm recovery. China’s interest in the Ca- ribbean goes beyond disaster aid. During his 2013 visit to Trinidad and Tobago, Presi- dent Xi Jinping reportedly promised Caribbean nations a total of $3 billion in loans. His country has also fi- nanced infrastructure and industrial projects across the region. In Jamaica, Chi- nese state money built the $600 million, 42-mile “Bei- jing Highway” connecting Kingston to the tourist hub of Ocho Rios. China has also in- vested $3 billion in Jamaican alumina plants. This brand of economic diplomacy, which Beijing has also deployed in Africa and Pakistan, for instance, powerfully strengthens Chi- na’s international influence. The U.S. knows that, and is keeping a close eye on Chi- nese incursions into its mari- time backyard. Weighing the costs Caribbean governments must now weigh the pros and cons of these different offers. On the one hand, these coun- tries are so devastated that they simply cannot recover without help. On the other, I’d suggest it’s risky to cede control over your territory by allowing foreign agents to finance re- building. Inaction, however, is not an option. Are China, Tesla and Robert De Niro the answer? If the Caribbean can’t save it- self, who will? © 2017, The Associated Press Honduran president likely to be re-elected in disputed vote TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, a conservative U.S. ally, appeared likely to win a second term on Sunday despite opposition claims that his re-election is an unconstitutional power grab. Hernandez’s popularity is based largely on a drop in violence in the im- poverished Central American country, whose homicide rate was once among the world’s worst. Honduras’ National Autonomous University says the rate has dropped to 59 homicides per 100,000 from a dizzying high of 91.6 in 2011. But corruption and drug trafficking allegations have cast a shadow over his government, and his re-election bid has fueled charges that his conservative National Party has trampled the coun- try’s institutions in a bid to entrench it- self in power. Fears of just that sort of consolida- tion — but by a leftist rival allied with Venezuela — led Hernandez’s party to back a military coup in 2009 against a president it accused of plotting to vio- late Honduras’ seemingly iron-clad con- stitutional ban on re-election. The country’s highest court backed the 2009 ouster of President Manuel Zelaya. But the current court is packed with Her- nandez’ supporters and it ruled in 2015 that the constitutional ban was inferior to a citizen’s right to seek re-election, a de- cision that infuriated opposition leaders. “Here in Honduras there is no democ- racy; there is a dictatorship,” Zelaya told The Associated Press late Saturday. “The hypocrisy of the Honduran elite is evi- dent ... the people will have to decide at the ballot box.” Now a leader of the main opposition alliance, he warned of pos- sible irregularities in the vote. Hernandez has used the military to help crack down on crime since taking office four years ago, and his campaign website boasts of praise from U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who has lauded Her- nandez “for his leadership in addressing security and governance challenges.” The president also has reached out to evangelical Christians and warned that his rivals would carry Honduras toward a Venezuelan-style crisis — alluding to the fact Zelaya had been backed by the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. “God our Lord is with us, and we would not do anything without his di- vine protection,” Hernandez said in a final campaign video posted on his Facebook page. “We will take a step forward to con- front those who seek chaos and those who, allied with foreign forces, try to drag us to a system that has brought only pain and suffering to other societies,” he added. The 15th of 17 children, Hernandez was born in a small, mountain city in western Honduras. He attended a mili- tary school, studied law at the national university and says he obtained a mas- ter’s degree in public administration from the State University of New York. He was the head of Congress before win- ning the presidency in 2013 elections. In addition to people in Honduras, tens of thousands of Hondurans were el- igible to cast ballots in seven U.S. cities: Atlanta, New Orleans, New York, Los An- geles, Miami, Houston and Washington. Sunday’s general elections are the tenth in Honduras since the country re- turned to democracy in 1980 after al- most two decades of military regimes. A boy accompanied by his dog watches the repairs of Guajataca Dam, which cracked during the passage of Hurricane Maria, in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico. The dam was built around 1928. - PHOTO: AP/RAMON ESPINOSA)3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2017 VIP package for two includes: • Round-tripairtravelandaccommodation • ProfessionalmakeoverbeforetheGRAMMYAwards® •Ticketstoattendthe60thGRAMMYAwards® • PrivatetourofNewYorkCity • Andmore! 186904-Ad-CompassJRpg-4colx12-MC-60th-Grammys.indd 111/7/17 5:57 PM UCCI nurses get perfect score MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Every nurse in the Univer- sity College of the Cayman Islands’ inaugural gradu- ating class passed her li- censing exam, the school an- nounced Friday, Nov. 24. UCCI nursing director, Terica Larmond, said the eu- phoria of holding the pro- gram’s first graduation cer- emony a month ago has not worn off. “We’re still in that mood,” said Ms. Larmond, who plans to step down from her post in the coming year. “It’s an achievement.” The perfect pass rate, she said, is well above the typ- ical pass rate for the exam and a validation of the school’s program. “What we have here is on par with anything across the region,” she said. The test re- sults have “put UCCI on the regional map. It speaks to the quality of our program and what UCCI has to offer.” The Regional Examina- tion for Nursing Registration is given to nursing graduates throughout the Caribbean Commonwealth and is ad- ministered by the Caribbean Examinations Council out of its Barbados Office. Nursing graduates took the exam in October. Nerle Rochester-Riley, reg- istrar of the Nursing Council of Jamaica, which estab- lished the test, said the re- gion-wide pass rate for the exam is 65 percent. Having nurses who are trained at home is a benefit to the Cayman community, Ms. Larmond said, particu- larly for those who may be- come patients. “If you’re seeing people of your own culture,” she said, “it gives you a certain amount of comfort.” The school currently has about 40 nursing students, 11 of whom are seniors expected to graduate in the spring. The most students that have been accepted in any year since the program started in 2014 has been 14. “We hope it will continue to grow,” Ms. Larmond said. She likely will not be here to see that growth. While she said she is plan- ning to leave the program she helped establish, she did not want to comment on the details of when and where she might go. UCCI nurses at their pinning ceremony in October. From left are Sophia Morgan, Cynthia Powell and Jody Syms.UCCI nursing program director Terica Larmond. - PHOTOS: MARK MUCKENFUSS “What we have here is on par with anything across the region,” [UCCI nursing program director Terica Larmond said]. The test results have “put UCCI on the regional map. It speaks to the quality of our program and what UCCI has to offer.” CHRISTMAS CONCERTS The Cayman National Choir and Cayman National Orchestra will present a Christmas Spectacular at the Harquail Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children. The concert will also feature the cele- brated Jamaican tenor Rory Baugh, young local singer Mikayla Corin, a cappella group the Singrays, and the Cayman Youth Choir. National Choir Musical Director Sue Horrocks said, “We wanted to get the fes- tive season off to a great start with a program of much loved and ever popular, mostly secular, Christmas music. Songs you will come away humming.” National Orchestra Mu- sical Director Jonathan Taylor has re-orchestrated a piece for the Cayman Or- chestra and Choir, called “Christmas on Broadway.” The traditional National Choir and National Orchestra carol concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. at Elmslie Church on Dec. 12 and 14. Tickets are available online from caymanaisles.com/etickets or from members of the choir and orchestra. The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” Cayman’s top officials are not passively awaiting European leaders’ upcoming vote on a proposed finan- cial services “blacklist.” To the contrary, they appear to be fighting to the finish, armed with indisputable truths about Cayman’s economy and how it benefits global commerce. Premier Alden McLaughlin, Financial Services Minister Tara Rivers and her ministry’s chief officer Dax Basdeo, joined by several other government offi- cials, are in London, prepared to discuss tax and ben- eficial ownership transparency agreements at this week’s Joint Ministerial Council meeting of the U.K. and British Overseas Territories leaders. They will also, presumably, meet with European Union officials about including these islands on their pending “blacklist.” No one can foretell how (or whether) their arsenal of facts will affect EU finance ministers’ Dec. 5 vote, but whatever the result, we need to recognize and, frankly, applaud Premier Alden’s McLaughlin, Minister Rivers, and the entire delegation for making this in- person, 11th-hour push to make (once again) Cayman’s case. Certainly it is obvious to anyone with a pulse that our officials will be facing a skeptical, if not openly hostile, audience. For decades, Cayman has adjusted to, and abided by, a series of increasingly intrusive regulations and rules promulgated by a European confederation of ideologically driven politicians and bureaucrats. Over the years, a succession of Cayman leaders has attempted to accommodate (if not appease) world leaders and educate them about the role offshore financial centers play in a global marketplace. If their arguments have fallen on deaf ears, it is the fault not of the “sender” but of the “receiver.” Educating those who have no wish to be educated, or even to entertain conflicting or challenging thoughts, is a futile exercise. If the pending blacklist truly were about creating “global fairness” (a phrase as unintelligible as it is sub- jective), we would expect major economies such as China and the United States to be included on the proposed EU blacklist. But, of course, they are not. The EU finance ministers know they don’t have the “clout” or the fortitude to go up against the “big boys” in Washington or Beijing. Premier McLaughlin recently articulated what we consider to be the right posture for Cayman: It is better to be added to yet another blacklist, even if it does ultimately come with sanctions, if the contortions required to receive the EU’s blessings would twist our economy into such knots as to make it unrecognizable — and economically unviable. (The subtext, of course, is never negotiate with someone who is hell-bent on putting you out of business.) And if Cayman is included on the EU blacklist, so be it. As nearly everyone knows (with the possible exception of EU finance ministers), Cayman is likely to be around long after the European Union has receded into a footnote in history, eulogized for what it is: A failed social (and socialistic) experiment. Memo to the EU: Love us or leave us alone MONDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Building ‘boom’ does not include the Sister Islands In reference to the Nov. 9 article (“Planning statis- tics show ‘explosion’ in de- velopment”) and Nov. 14 ed- itorial (“Planning for – and embracing – a trajectory of growth”), regarding the “ex- plosion” of development in Grand Cayman. The economy in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman is just about at a standstill. I feel the Compass should write an article in reference to the potential on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The article by James Whittaker states investors feel confident. Honorable Premier Alden McLaughlin said, “this reflects the in- creased confidence inves- tors have as a result of the economic performance and fiscal stability that now characterize these islands.” Cayman Brac and Little Cayman have nice small beaches that are prime pieces of property for hotel development. Cayman Brac is crime free and has good in- frastructure, a good hospital and schools. We need apart- ments for workers, and con- dominiums for investors. Now is a good time to buy property – when the economy is slow and land is at discounted prices. Not to mention, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are known for our world-class diving. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman need exposure to world investors. Cayman Brac is an excellent place for retirees wanting a home in a safe place. We invite the editor and Mr. Whittaker to come to Cayman Brac to learn more about the slow economy here and hopefully write an article spotlighting the potential of the Brac and Little Cayman. Mervyn Scott Scott Development Some progress on longstanding issues I notice that speed limit signs are now being erected throughout the district of West Bay. However there is still a lot of speeding going on and I believe that it could be due to the lack of speed limit signs, as I mentioned in pre- vious letters. I also notice that some- thing is finally being done at Centennial Park next to the li- brary in George Town. It was in very poor condition and people could have been in- jured. Hopefully, there will be a covering put there to pro- vide some shelter from the sun and the rain. I notice that the Spotts Dock is being extended, hope- fully for parking because it is very congested when the cruise ships come to that lo- cation. It is usually on rainy days that ships come there but we still do not have any covering for the thousands of tourists and others to shelter. More restrooms are needed there as well. I would like to mention the creation and release of ge- netic mosquitoes. I would like to ask the Cayman Islands to refrain from this as this is in defiance of nature. The Mosquito Research and Control Unit is supposed to be getting rid of the mos- quitoes, not making and in- creasing the number. The MRCU had brought down the number of mosquitoes on our island a great deal since the inception of the unit, but this summer they were out in swarms, biting everyone and they were the size of house flies. We have not seen that many mosqui- toes in many, many years. I would ask government not to allow the creation and re- lease of any mosquitoes but for MRCU to continue with their other eradication pro- cesses or projects. I have written about the roof of the building (the old classroom/clinic) behind the West Bay Public Library/ Town Hall for two or more years. This roof looks very bad and for it to be a government building is unbelievable. It should be repaired. The tree that is lit up every Christmas should be replaced and the new one should be decorated by a professional. There should be more garbage bins placed on our streets, and signs should be erected to prevent littering (eg., Keep West Bay Clean and Beautiful; Please Do Not Litter). The government should include in the budget funds for employing persons to help keep our streets clean. Many who are employed for two weeks at the end of the year could be working and earning money the whole year. These clean-ups should be done more frequently. I would like drivers of ve- hicles on our roads to make sure their windows and wind- shields are of very light or no tint. I believe this would help in our fight against crime on our islands. Please drive very carefully and stop “playing” on the two-way lanes; we do not need any accidents and deaths. These roads, in my opinion, only contribute to these things happening. In- stead of making more roads, the solution to traffic conges- tion is the importation of ve- hicles; maybe we should do something about that. Please also note that “tun- nels” are not necessary in Cayman and the “sunset blocker” on Seven Mile Beach road is a disgusting sight to see. What government should be concerned about is our school children. I asked for school bus stops to be erected for our children years ago but none have been put up as yet. Dora A.E. Ebanks5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2017 OR Grand Prize US$2,000 Second Prize US$1,000 #MyHoliday †Conditions apply. Subject to credit approval. @Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. Apply today at your nearest branch and enjoy: Flexible terms • Affordable payments • Any purpose Go to ky.scotiabank.com/myholiday for contest details. Hurry! Contest ends January 15, 2018. Get a Scotia Plan Loan for the holidays and you could win!† Jury hears interviews in assault/shooting trial Five people charged after February incident outside nightclub CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Grand Court jury heard interviews on Friday given by a husband and wife days after two men were as- saulted and shots were fired outside a West Bay Road nightclub in the early hours of Feb. 4 this year. Three other defendants are on trial with them. Tashika Makeba Mothen, 30, agreed in her interview with police that she had spoken with one of the vic- tims. She denied knowing who the other man was. She said she did not see any fighting and didn’t hear any gunshot. Malik Wilford Mothen, 36, admitted striking the two men once with brass knuckles. He said he had been provoked by rude words and felt very intimidated by threat- ening remarks after pre- vious experiences in which his wife had been shot and he had been shot at. He de- nied being involved in any shooting or gun possession. After he struck the men, he said, “Everyone started running when we heard shots.” The couple are charged together with unlawfully as- saulting Daniel Alexander Bennett causing him ac- tual bodily harm. They are further charged with at- tempting to cause his death – attempted murder. Tashika and Malik Mothen are also charged with unlawfully assaulting Carlney Campbell (Mr. Ben- nett’s cousin), thereby causing him actual bodily harm. The Mothens and Kashwayne Hewitt are charged with attempting to murder Mr. Campbell. The Mothens and Hewitt are also charged with possession of an unli- censed firearm. The above three defen- dants and Leshawn Sha- heem Forrester are charged with unlawfully and ma- liciously causing grievous bodily harm to Mr. Camp- bell with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. Tashika Mothen on her own is charged with making to Mr. Bennett a threat to kill a named person. The above charges all arose from incidents al- leged to have taken place in the vicinity of Fete Night Club sometime after 3 a.m. on Feb. 4 – Friday night into Saturday morning. The defendants have pleaded not guilty. The final count on the in- dictment pertains to Hewitt and Daniella Tibbetts. They are charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm on Feb. 10 at a premises on Finch Drive, West Bay. Hewitt has pleaded guilty to this charge; Tibbetts has pleaded not guilty. In opening the case for the Crown last week, Deputy Director of Public Prose- cutions Patrick Moran ex- plained that Mr. Bennett had gone out that night to celebrate his birthday. Mr. Campbell came later to pick him up. After words were ex- changed with the Mothens, Mr. Bennett and Mr. Camp- bell were allegedly “pistol whipped” by Malik Mothen, who was then said to have fired a shot at Mr. Bennett which missed. Mr. Campbell was said to have been beaten by sev- eral people before being shot by Hewitt. The jury of five men and two women is hearing the matter with Justice Roger Chapple presiding. The trial is expected to re- sume on Monday. The above charges all arose from incidents alleged to have taken place in the vicinity of Fete Night Club sometime after 3 a.m. on Feb. 4 – Friday night into Saturday morning. A phishing email scam targeting FLOW webmail users last week purported to represent the Cayman Is- lands Immigration Depart- ment using a fake email address, WPA@Lmmi- gration.gov.ky. The Immigration Depart- ment and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s Fi- nancial Crime Unit are in- vestigating the scam and have confirmed the email ad- dress does not exist. Users who receive an email from this ad- dress should not open the message, should not click on any links or attachments and should immediately de- lete the email. If a link or attachment has been clicked on, contact an IT professional to detect any malware downloads and to prevent further harm to the computer system. The Immigration Depart- ment advised it does not send out emails of this sort. Any updates or new pol- icies from the department will be posted to the offi- cial website, www.immi- gration.gov.ky. Phishing email poses as ‘Lmmigration’ Department Six days of free HIV/ AIDS testing and counseling begin Monday in honor of World AIDS Day. The free tests, offered Nov. 27-Dec. 2, have been orga- nized by the Health Services Authority’s Public Health De- partment, the Cayman AIDS Foundation and the Cayman Islands Red Cross. Testing is quick and confidential. No appoint- ment is necessary. Wait times are estimated at less than 10 minutes. Results will be avail- able within three business days. Only the patient can receive the results, which must be retrieved in person at the clinic where the test was taken. To reduce the chances of HIV exposure, the HSA sug- gests always using a condom during sexual encounters, avoiding the using of intra- venous drugs, being faithful to a monogamous partner, or practicing abstinence. For testing locations and times, visit www.hsa.ky. HIV/ AIDS Coordinator Laura El- niski can be contacted for more information at 244-2507 or laura.elniski@hsa.ky. Free HIV/AIDS testing is also offered year-round Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cayman Is- lands Red Cross. FREE HIV/AIDS TESTING OFFEREDThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 MONDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Officers, road closures may address gridlock morning commute times [roughly between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.]. The last item received a big round of applause from those gathered at the Sea- farers Hall, but Mr. Byrne cautioned that it was only an idea at this stage, and that practically speaking, keeping heavy marl trucks out of commission for a couple of hours each day “would affect a whole lot of people.” RCIPS Traffic Unit In- spector Ian Yearwood summed up the current eastern district traffic night- mare, which comes to a head each day in the Pros- pect/Red Bay area: “We’ve now got three junctions in heavy traffic trying to com- pete, to fight, to get into George Town.” Mr. Yearwood said the RCIPS helicopter has been touring the roads system within the past week from downtown George Town to Savannah to determine where the bottlenecks occur. Problem areas identi- fied included the Tomlinson roundabout near the Lantern Point complex, where traffic from both the East-West Ar- terial Road and Shamrock Road merges, causing de- lays. To avoid that junction, drivers are either turning off north on Poindexter Road or due west on Prospect Point Road. In either direction, that through traffic is coming into contact with school zones – Prospect Primary’s to the north, and Montessori by the Sea to the west – where hun- dreds of school children and their parents are arriving during the mornings. The traffic from Prospect Point, at its western end, is then merging at the Red Bay roundabout further down the street on Shamrock Road and causing further delays, Mr. Yearwood said. To combat motorists using “rat runs” – as Com- missioner Byrne called the side streets traffic is piling up on – police closed off the southern end of Poindexter Road to through traffic in the mornings. This was aimed at reducing traffic, cutting the risk of accidents around local schools and also to keep the number of cars merging at the Tomlinson and Red Bay roundabouts to a min- imum, he said. “It’s attracted a mixed re- action so far,” Mr. Byrne said of the morning time road clo- sure on Poindexter, which began last week. On Friday, police an- nounced the southern end of Poindexter Road at Sham- rock Road would be re- opened this week. However, they said the entrance to Prospect on Poindexter at the Prospect Primary School would continue to be closed on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Only people living in Prospect and those with children at the school will be allowed to enter at that time. Mr. Yearwood said many motorists seemed not to understand that taking those side streets was actually making traffic jams worse by adding more “merges” during the morning commute. “Once people see traffic has come to a standstill, they will take what they per- ceive as the easier route, but they’re all going to meet back at the Red Bay roundabout,” Mr. Yearwood said. The troubles do not end in Red Bay during the morning commute. Mr. Yearwood said helicopter patrols also noted some delays at the Hurley’s- Grand Harbour roundabout where traffic from South Sound meets those headed in from the eastern districts. Further down the road, closer to George Town on the Linford Pierson Highway, government road widening- efforts are about half done, with a two-lane road nar- rowing down to one in the middle of the road. This ad- ditional merger further clogs up traffic, police said. Premier Alden McLaughlin, who attended Thursday’s meeting at the Seafarers Hall, said the first phase of that construc- tion should be complete in February. However, at the western end of the Linford Pierson, the widening project would not be finished for some time – likely until early 2019, the premier said. “We still have some legal issues to navigate with some landowners there,” Mr. McLaughlin said of the Lin- ford Pierson project. “Eventu- ally, we will have two lanes [in both directions] from Sa- vannah all the way to Bata- bano in West Bay. “That will significantly re- lieve the issue … until we get about another 10,000 cars,” the premier said. Local res- ident Catherine Guilbard suggested putting in traffic lights to govern flows at roundabouts, particularly those in Prospect, where she said the situation seems to be getting out of hand. “There’s road rage in the mornings on the streets and its very dangerous,” Ms. Guilbard said. Commissioner Byrne said it was likely that police of- ficers “physical presence” would be required to di- rect drivers at roundabouts, mainly for safety reasons. Other residents noted that traffic jams appeared to occur only on days when local schools are in ses- sion and suggested stag- gered start times for some of the schools to alleviate the backups. However, Mr. McLaughlin said experience has shown Cayman that such moves have not worked. “We tried it after [Hurri- cane] Ivan,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “Some kids went to school in the morning and some in the afternoon be- cause we didn’t have a choice. It was an absolute nightmare for parents. “If you start the school later, it puts the parents in the position of ‘what do they do with the children in the meantime’.” RCIPS Traffic Unit Inspector Ian Yearwood summed up the current eastern district traffic nightmare, which comes to a head each day in the Prospect/Red Bay area: “We’ve now got three junctions in heavy traffic trying to compete, to fight, to get into George Town.” Basketball tournament made ‘sports tourism’ impact JAMES WHITTAKER AND KEN SILVA jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com, ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government, hoteliers and organizers of the inaugural Cayman Islands Classic bas- ketball tournament believe the event has provided a timely boost to tourism just ahead of high season. More than 1,000 visitors touched down in the terri- tory last week for the eight- team college basketball tournament, won by the Cin- cinnati Bearcats. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said he hoped the classic would become an an- nual “sports tourism” event on the Cayman calendar. He said the estimated eco- nomic impact of the tourna- ment was $2 million, based on 1,600 visitors spending an av- erage of $1,200 per person. Mr. Kirkconnell said there were also spin off benefits from the competition, including largely positive media coverage around the U.S. and the poten- tial for the players to become “ambassadors” for Cayman. Government spent an es- timated $8.8 million to build the John Gray High School gym, partially to create a fa- cility that could double as a national indoor arena. The cost of putting on the event, partially spon- sored by government, has not yet been revealed. Victor O’Garro, presi- dent of Caymax Sports Ltd., the company that hosted the three-day tournament, was tight-lipped about how much revenue the event generated. He said: “It’s not what was spent. The moment, the event, is worth more. This is what I consider sports tourism. When you have over 1,400 guests for five days, that’s a winner. And as time goes on, it’s going to reach a state where we can say we have made a profit.” According to event orga- nizers, media from all eight universities covered the event, which was also streamed live on FloHoops and CBS Digital and reports on the tournament were carried in USA Today. An estimated 5,500 people, including visitors and locals, attended over the course of the three days. One convert to the charms of the Cayman Islands was Cincinnati Bearcats forward Gary Clark, who was the tournament MVP. He said, “It was amazing. I love this weather, coming from Cincinnati. And the people, they just made us feel relaxed. From the resort and the kids shooting around, screaming, taking pictures and talking to us.” He said his favorite thing was the water. “Every minute I was out there, hiding from the trainers because they were trying to keep us out of the sun.” Roishene Johnson, the wife of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns assistant coach Kevin Johnson, said her experi- ence here has been great: “It’s beautiful. The people are so nice. We went to the Turtle Farm and the people there have been so welcoming.” Steven Andre, manager of the Kimpton Seafire said he hoped the classic could be- come an annual event. “Seafire was very fortu- nate to host two of the teams for the Cayman Island Classic basketball tournament this year, and we saw a spike in travel through the alumni or- ganizations of both amazing institutions. We have certainly seen a number of loyal fans come to support their teams in Grand Cayman - great basketball with exceptional beaches, what could be better? “Grand Cayman is a great location for these type of events and once we show we can do one, others will soon follow.” Mr. Kirkconnell said sports tourism was part of govern- ment’s strategy to keep visitor numbers up during off season. “This event showcases the fact that the Cayman Islands offers a balance between first rate facilities and world class leisure activities, augmenting our islands standing as pre- ferred sports tourism destina- tion,” he claimed. It wasn’t all positive pub- licity for Cayman however. One university blog, Oh Va- risty, described the tourna- ment as a “dumpster fire” com- plaining about the quality of the live coverage, the outdoor changing areas, occasional scoreboard mix-ups and the fact that interviews were con- ducted in a laundry room. That did not seem to be a broadly held opinion, how- ever, with most of the teams, players and coaches praising the tournament and the ma- jority of the media cov- erage focused on the on- court action. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Iowa Hawkeyes forward Luka Garza (55) plays in the post during a game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Tuesday, Nov. 21, in Grand Cayman’s John Gray High School gym. South Dakota State won the game, 80-72. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2017 CAYMAN’S ULTIMATE HEALTH, WELLNESS & beauty EVENT presented by cayman health save the date january 20, 2018 McLaughlin: Growth has consequences Cayman makes last attempt to avoid EU blacklist congestion in eastern George Town and Bodden Town during rush hour. “They ought to have been here,” the premier said. However, the premier said, regardless of the gov- ernment agency responsible, continued growth in the economy and the population was still needed in the me- dium term – unless Cayman wished to change its current economic model. The premier questioned whether the average Cayma- nian family would agree to possess fewer cars, or agree to rules limiting the number of autos per household, as a way to reduce traffic. He asked if local busi- nesses would agree, during periods of growth, to hire fewer non-Caymanians on work permits, or if those companies would agree to ban permit-holders from owning vehicles. “I’m pretty sure what the response to that is going to be,” he said. “Unless something sig- nificant happens … like the bottom falls out of Cayman’s economy, in an- other 20 years we are going to easily be at 80,000 people [total population]. “It is investment and busi- nesspeople who say ‘my busi- ness needs more people to operate.’ If government says, ‘you cannot get any more work permits,’ we know what the response is that we will get. There is a trade-off with these things.” Mr. McLaughlin sug- gested, as have certain mem- bers of the opposition polit- ical group, that Cayman start another nation planning exer- cise, similar to what was at- tempted in the “Vision 2008” project, done in the 1990s. The difficulty with that plan, the premier said, is it never got “buy in” from the elected government at the time, and so, its reforms be- came difficult to implement. Perhaps, this time around, the effort would be dif- ferent, he said. “But we really must, and soon, start another one of these national discus- sion about what Cayman is going to look like,” the premier said. Tax Code of Conduct Group has been reviewing various taxation criteria since Jan- uary 2016 for all jurisdic- tions that have significant dealings with the EU. Placement on the EU tax blacklist could lead to as yet unspecified eco- nomic sanctions being imposed by year’s end, according to earlier state- ments from the EU. In order for Cayman, or any country, to be placed on the blacklist, a unanimous vote of the 28 ECOFIN ministers is re- quired, including the U.K. finance minister. The U.K. remains a member of the union until March 2019, when it is expected to ef- fect its exit from the inter- national governing body. According to a state- ment from the premier’s of- fice; “The Premier and Min- ister [Rivers] will have a bilateral meeting with Lord Ahmad, the [U.K.] Over- seas Territories Minister to discuss matters of mu- tual importance to the U.K. and the Cayman Islands. It is expected that separate meetings and discussions may be had with EU offi- cials with regards to the proposed European Union listing of non-cooperative jurisdictions.” Premier McLaughlin has already said Cayman would accept the EU black- list, if conditions for being removed from it would significantly damage or destroy the rest of the territory’s financial ser- vices industry. The JMC meeting is also expected to review current timelines and plans for the pending U.K. exit from the European Union and how that exit will affect the overseas territories. Hurricane relief efforts in the wake of 2017’s di- sastrous storms in the eastern Caribbean will also be discussed. In order for Cayman, or any country, to be placed on the blacklist, a unanimous vote of the 28 ECOFIN ministers is required, including the U.K. finance minister. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Bali volcano dusts resorts in ash KARANGASEM, Indonesia (AP) – A volcano on the Indo- nesian island of Bali has rumbled to life with erup- tions that dusted nearby re- sorts and villages with ash and forced the closure of the small international airport on neighboring Lombok is- land as towering gray plumes drifted east. Mount Agung erupted on Saturday evening and three times early Sunday, lighting its cone with an orange glow and sending ash 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) into the atmo- sphere. It is still gushing and the ash clouds have forced the closure of Lombok is- land’s airport until at least 6 a.m. Monday, an official at the airport said. Most scheduled domestic and international flights were continuing Sunday at Bali’s busy airport after a rash of cancellations on Sat- urday evening. Disaster officials said ash up to half a centimeter thick settled on villages around the volcano and soldiers and po- lice had distributed masks. Authorities warned anyone still in the exclusion zone around the volcano, which ex- tends 7.5 kilometers from the crater in places, to leave. Made Sugiri, an employee at Mahagiri Panoramic Re- sort, located around 10 kilo- meters from the crater, said a thin layer of volcanic ash reached the area. “We are out of the danger zone, but like other resorts in the region, of course the erup- tions cause a decrease in the number of visitors,” he said. “I think these latest erup- tions are more dangerous, given the thick clouds it’s re- leasing,” he said. “Certainly we worry, but we have to wait and see. Hopefully there is no significant eruption.” Government volcanolo- gist Gede Suantika said a red-yellow light visible in ash above the mountain was the reflection of lava in the crater. Suantika said Agung could spew ash for at least a month but did not expect a major eruption. Bali is Indonesia’s top tourist destination, with its gentle Hindu culture, surf beaches and lush green inte- rior attracting about 5 mil- lion visitors a year. Nearby Lombok is relatively undevel- oped as a tourist destination, receiving fewer than 100,000 international visitors a year.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Conyers steps aside from top spot on Judiciary Michigan Rep. John Conyers says he is stepping aside as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee amid a congressional investigation into allegations he sexually harassed female staff members. MONDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS TOKYO (AP) — Japanese po- lice said Friday they are inves- tigating eight men found on Japan’s northern coast who say they are from North Korea and washed ashore after their boat broke down. Akita prefectural police found the men late Thursday after receiving a call that sus- picious men were standing around at the seaside in Yuri- honjo town. Police said they also found a wooden boat at a nearby marina. Police said the men were in good health and spoke Ko- rean. They identified them- selves as North Koreans who were fishing before the boat broke down and washed ashore. The investigation will in- clude the possibility of illegal fishing, Chief Cabinet Secre- tary Yoshihide Suga said. A week earlier, the Japa- nese Coast Guard rescued three North Korean men from a capsized fishing boat off Japan’s northern coast. They were transferred hours later to another North Ko- rean vessel that was to re- turn them home. Japan and North Korea have no diplomatic ties and tensions are often high due to their colonial and wartime history and Pyongyang’s mis- sile and nuclear threats. Waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula is known for its rich fishing ground, where poachers from North Korea and China have been spotted. Wreckage believed to be North Korean boats regularly washes ashore in northern Japan during winter due to seasonal winds. In 2015, a wooden boat drifted ashore in another coastal town in Akita and skeletal remains of two men were found — one in- side the vessel and another one nearby. Three North Ko- rean boats with 10 bodies in- side also washed up on the Noto Peninsula. This year, more than a dozen cases of wreck- ages were reported in three northern prefectures facing the Sea of Japan, according to the Coast Guard. N. KOREAN FISHERMEN WASH ASHORE IN JAPAN China closing main road crossing to North Korea BEIJING (AP) — China is temporarily closing its main road connection with North Korea, an official said Friday. Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the China-North Korea Friendship Bridge across the Yalu River at the Chinese city of Dandong will be closed while North Korea repairs the approach road on its side. Geng said that “after the mainte- nance, the bridge will reopen for pas- sage,” but gave no date for the re- opening or other details. The bridge closure comes after state-owned airline Air China sus- pended flights Tuesday between Beijing and North Korea due to a lack of de- mand, deepening the North’s isolation amid mounting U.N. sanctions. Beijing is North Korea’s only signif- icant ally but has grown increasingly frustrated over its nuclear and mis- sile tests that have brought a threat of war and chaos to China’s north- eastern border. In what was seen as a bid to im- prove relations, the head of the ruling Communist Party’s International Department traveled to Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, last week. Few details have been released about his itinerary, including whether he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. China is North Korea’s main source of trade, energy and aid, making its co- operation essential to enforcing sanc- tions aimed at compelling Pyongyang to stop nuclear and missile development. China on Wednesday criticized “uni- lateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdic- tion” by other governments after Wash- ington penalized Chinese companies accused of trading with North Korea. Beijing has gone along with the latest U.N. penalties out of growing frustration with North Korea. WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT N. KOREAN SOLDIER The 24-year-old in the Ko- rean Demilitarized Zone ran from his vehicle when men who moments before were his fellow soldiers came in pursuit, firing more than 40 rounds in his direction. He was hit at least five times and found bleeding in a pile of leaves by South Korean sol- diers and brought to doctors. The brazen escape pro- vides another glimpse into life inside Kim Jung Un’s despotic regime, where people are cut off from the outside world. It is not clear why the North Korean soldier, identi- fied only by his surname, Oh, escaped Nov. 13. The soldier’s extraordi- nary defection through the Joint Security Area, the only portion of the DMZ where North and South Korean sol- diers stand face to face, has military intelligence offi- cers eager to speak with him. But a doctor at Ajou Univer- sity Hospital south of Seoul, where Oh is being treated, said the soldier shows signs of depression and post-trau- matic stress and won’t be ready to answer questions for about a month. How the soldier defected Closed-circuit television footage released by the U.S. military shows Oh driving a jeep-like vehicle south- ward before it got stuck in a ditch yards away from the Military Demarcation Line that has formed the border between North Korea and South Korea since the end of the Korean War. The soldier jumped out of the vehicle and began run- ning, but four North Korean border guards began firing at him with pistols and AK-47- style assault rifles. The video then shows Oh lying in a pile of leaves, south of the line, against the side of a building. Three South Korean soldiers crawled out and dragged him to safety, and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter transported him to Ajou University Hospital, about 50 miles away. North Korea appears to have replaced its secu- rity guards since Oh’s es- cape, an intelligence source in South Korea told Yonhap News Agency. Marc Knapper, the acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea, tweeted Wednesday that North Ko- reans planted two trees and dug a trench in the spot where the soldier crossed. A shooting hadn’t occurred at the Joint Security Area since 1984, when North Korean and U.N. Command soldiers shot at each other during a Soviet citizen’s sprint to the southern side, according to The Associ- ated Press. North Korean sol- diers defected at the site in 1998 and in 2007, but no gun- fire was exchanged between the two sides in those in- stances, according to South Korea’s military. In the 1984 incident, the shootings happened after North Korean soldiers crossed the border and began firing, the AP reported. In the case of Oh, it’s unclear whether North Korea con- tinued to fire at him after he made it to the southern side of the Joint Security Area. Three U.S. and three South Korean soldiers were rec- ognized by senior military leaders Thursday for res- cuing Oh during a ceremony at Camp Bonifas. As of Tuesday, North Ko- rea’s official media had not reported the soldier’s de- fection. About 30,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea since the end of the Korean War in 1953. North Korean officials in the past have accused South Korea of kidnapping or encouraging people to leave. Oh had no personal infor- mation when he arrived at the hospital, according to Reuters. His condition was severe: While on the flight, U.S. Army flight medics had to insert a large needle into his chest to help reinflate a collapsed lung and keep Oh alive. © 2017, The Washington Post Trucks transport goods to North Korea through the Friendship Bridge linking China and North Korea, as seen from Dandong in northeastern China’s Liaoning Province, in September. - PHOTO: MINORU IWASAKI/KYODO NEWS VIA AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL WASHINGTON (AP) – The crush of unfinished busi- ness facing lawmakers when they return to the Capitol would be daunting even if Wash- ington were functioning at peak efficiency. It’s an agenda whose core items – tax cuts, a potential government shutdown, lots of leftover spending bills – could unravel just as easily as advance in factionalism, gamesmanship and a toxic political environment. There’s only a four-week window until a Christmas deadline, barely enough time for complicated negotiations even if December stays on the rails. And that is hardly a sure bet in President Donald Trump’s capital. Trump and congres- sional leaders plan a meeting Tuesday to discuss how to sidestep a shutdown and work though the legis- lative to-do list. For the optimistic, it’s plain that Democrats and Republicans have rea- sons to cooperate, particu- larly on spending increases for the Pentagon and do- mestic agencies whose bud- gets otherwise would be frozen. An additional round of hurricane aid should be bipartisan, and efforts to re- authorize a popular health- care program for children seem to be on track. Republicans are ad- vancing their cherished tax cut measure under spe- cial rules that mean Senate Democrats cannot use de- laying tactics. The measure passed the House just be- fore the Thanksgiving break and moves to the Senate floor this coming week. BERLIN (AP) – Chancellor Angela Merkel faced pres- sure from inside her con- servative bloc Sunday to aim for a quick coalition deal with center-left rivals without conceding too much ground on core issues such as immigration. Talks between Merkel’s conservative bloc and two smaller parties to form a pre- viously untried coalition col- lapsed a week ago. Merkel’s partners in the outgoing gov- ernment, the center-left So- cial Democrats, initially re- fused to consider a repeat but said Friday they are open to holding talks. If Merkel cannot put to- gether a coalition, the only options would be a mi- nority government or a new election, months after the Sept. 24 vote. On Sunday, the youth wing of Merkel’s Union bloc published a resolution stating that the conserva- tives must not enter a coali- tion “at any price.” Its leader, Paul Ziemiak, said any deal must contain recognizable conservative policies, par- ticularly on migration and public finances. Merkel’s conservatives have pushed to curb migrant flows and are keen to en- sure that Germany sticks to a balanced budget. Negotiations “should be viewed as failed” if there is no deal by Christmas and the conservatives should in- stead aim for an unprece- dented minority government, the resolution said. It remains to be seen what party leaders will make of the proposed timetable, which looks unrealistic. Meanwhile, Merkel’s out- going Cabinet remains in of- fice on a caretaker basis. The Social Democrats, smarting from a disastrous result in September, have made clear they would de- mand a high price for co- operating again with Merkel’s Union bloc. “As things stand, Merkel is not in a position in which she can set conditions,” prominent Social Demo- crat Malu Dreyer told the daily Trierscher Volks- freund on Saturday. Merkel’s chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper that her caretaker govern- ment will not take decisions that could bind its succes- sor’s hands on “major polit- ical questions.” That includes French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposals for re- forming the European Union. Altmaier said the “con- structive restraint” applies to “all European questions” as well as domestic matters, but said Berlin’s position on Brexit won’t be affected. CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2017 Dr. Wayne R. Porter MD F.A.A.D. Dermatologist call : 946-9020 between 9am to 5pm Dees Plaza #282 on Crewe Road, GT He will be in office from November 30th, - December 8th, 2017 Funeral held for US border agent whose death not explained EL PASO, Texas (AP) – Family, friends and law enforce- ment officers converged on an adobe Catholic church in El Paso, Texas, Saturday to mourn a Border Patrol agent whose death last weekend in the rugged and remote Big Bend area has not been explained. Bagpipes played as Border Patrol pallbearers in green uniforms carried the U.S. flag-draped coffin of Rogelio Martinez, 36, into Our Lady of Guadalupe Church for a private funeral Mass. He died in a hos- pital Sunday of head and other injuries. “It honors him to see law enforcement agencies from across the United States” attend the service, Border Patrol spokesman Ramiro Cordero told reporters out- side the church. Martinez was found Nov. 18 in a culvert along with his seriously injured partner, whose name has not been released, in a rugged area near Van Horn, about 30 miles from the border with Mexico and 110 miles southeast of El Paso. Attorney General Jeff Session was scheduled to attend the funeral but it was not clear if he was there. Following the fu- neral, a graveside ceremony was held at Restlawn Cem- etery in El Paso. Speculation about the cause of death has run ram- pant with several politi- cians saying the agent was attacked, including Presi- dent Donald Trump, who used the death to highlight his support for building a wall on the border with Mexico. Special Agent in Charge Emmerson Buie Jr. in the FBI’s El Paso of- fice has said investigators were treating the incident as a “potential assault,” but they could not rule out other scenarios. Representatives from the border patrol’s union have insisted that the incident was an attack, based on the accounts of other agents who responded to the scene. Chris Cabrera, a spokesman for the National Border Pa- trol Council, told The As- sociated Press that agents responding to the scene called it “grisly.” However, a U.S. official with knowledge of the in- vestigation told The Associ- ated Press on Monday that the agents may have fallen, and that the surviving agent had no memory of his duty-shift. The official spoke on condition of ano- nymity and is not autho- rized to speak publicly. After the death of Mar- tinez, his father told the El Paso Times that his son loved his job. Jose Martinez said his son would call him every day to say goodbye for the night. “And I would tell him, ‘Take care of your- self son. God bless you,’” the father said. Representatives from the border patrol’s union have insisted that the incident was an attack. Germany’s Merkel faces pressure for quick coalition talks German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks with British Prime Minister Theresa May, center, and French President Emmanuel Macron before a meeting at an EU summit in Brussels. Germany, in October. - PHOTO: AP Pall bearers carry Border Patrol agent Rogelio Martinez into Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in El Paso, Texas, for a funeral on Saturday. - PHOTO: AP CONGRESS COMING BACK TO CRUSH OF BUSINESS IN A FRAUGHT TIME Next >