ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY DECEMBER 19, 2017 High of 86 Low of 76 Rough with wave heights of 5 to 7 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over the open waters. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 CELEBRATING THE HOLY SEASON OF LIGHT IN CAYMAN LOCAL | PAGE 3 COMMUNITY MOURNS PASSING OF RESTAURATEUR FRANK FLEIGER Rising to the occasion every day, year after year PROUD TO BE THE BANKER’S BANK OF THE YEAR IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. www.butterfieldgroup.com Butterfield Bank (Cayman) Limited is licensed to conduct banking and investment business by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Address: 12 Albert Panton Street, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. 187202_HR-Ad-Strip-BOTY2017-6colPage 1 12/15/17 10:16:40 AM Boggy Sand Road home sells for record $12.5M TAD STONER tstoner@pinnaclemedialtd.com Realtors are pointing to the US$12.5 million sale of the seven-bedroom Coconut Walk residence in West Bay as the most lucrative in Cayman Islands’ history, outpacing the previous $7.9 million record. Brokers were reluctant to name the new owners, but said the 1.4-acre beachfront property, sold Dec. 15, was previously held by a company listed in 1974 – and again in 1996 – on the Cayman Islands Land Register as New England Mortgage Invest- ments. In 2004, the registry listed the property under WestView Ltd. The owner listed Coconut Walk with Sheena Conolly’s Sotheby’s International Realty in January. Last week, Remax broker/owner Kim Lund sold the 10,155 square foot, 6.5-bath home, built in 2010. “The company just decided to sell it,” Ms. Conolly said. “It had been a family dwelling for a long time, and it was originally listed at $14.95 million.” ONE OUT OF 105 ANIMAL CRUELTY CASES PROSECUTED SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Out of more than 100 Department of Ag- riculture reports of animal cruelty and ne- glect cases in the past two years, one case has resulted in charges being filed in Summary Court. The Cayman Compass recently filed a freedom of information request for all Depart- ment of Agriculture paperwork regarding re- ports of animal cruelty and neglect in 2016 and 2017, and 105 cases were found to fit those parameters. Seventy-five of those reports centered on cases involving dogs, and 18 of them were re- ports about alleged mistreatment of horses. Department employees confiscated animals on 12 occasions. In one case, involving a neglected horse, the Department of Agriculture considered prosecuting the accused owner but elected not to pursue charges when the animal in ques- tion was signed into the department’s custody. The one case set forward for prosecution by the department over the last two years in- volved a dog named Rufus who was mistak- enly burned by his owner while he was trying to remove external parasites. In that case, the owner put Pine-Sol on his dog’s back and sub- sequently pleaded guilty to cruelty to an an- imal. The case remains before the court. There is also another animal cruelty case Turtle patrol helps hatchlings beat the odds JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Sometimes nature needs a little helping hand. From fishing hatchlings out of a condo pool at 2:30 a.m. to hatching eggs from storm-damaged nests in a bucket in her bathtub, Lucy Collyer is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for Cayman’s nesting turtle population. As the lead intern on the Depart- ment of Environment’s turtle mon- itoring program, Ms. Collyer helps manage a massive volunteer effort to find and protect every nest on all three islands. A record 688 nests were recorded this year, producing an estimated 50,000 hatchlings. The range of dangers the baby tur- tles face are so diverse that only 50 are expected to survive to adulthood. The turtle monitoring program seeks to improve those precarious odds and help ensure the future of the islands’ turtle populations. For Ms. Collyer, that means orga- nizing volunteer patrols, thwarting poachers and fielding calls from po- lice, condo managers and conservation officers at all times of the night. One day in August, she was called at 6:30 a.m. to assist a turtle found crawling helplessly around West Bay Cemetery. The turtle had dug its nest The Coconut Walk home on Boggy Sand Road in West Bay features 90 feet of beach frontage. - PHOTO: CAYMAN ISLANDS SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Turtle hatchlings typically have a one-in-1,000 chance of survival to adulthood. The Department of Environment’s turtle team hopes to improve those odds with a management and protection program. – PHOTO: LUCY COLLYER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 REGIONAL NEWS TUESDAY DECEMBER 19, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Daily Matinees Every Day • $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 • Additional charges will apply per 3D/VIP ticket requested SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI 3D (PG13) 1:00 2D I 1:30 2D VIP I 2:35 I 4:20 2D 5:50 I 6:15 2D VIP I 7:40 2D I 9:05 9:30 2D VIP THE STAR (PG) 2:50 I 10:00 COCO 3D (PG) 12:20 2D I 5:00 I 7:30 2D WONDER (PG) 1:10 JUSTICE LEAGUE (PG13) 12:50 I 4:05 I 7:00 I 9:50 DARKEST HOUR (PG13) 3:40 I 6:40 DADDY’S HOME 2 (PG13) 9:40 Visiting Gynecologist will be available for consultation at Novo Clinic, Britcay House 236 Eastern Avenue from 2-19 January, 2018 For appointments please call +1 (345) 746-6082 clinic@novocayman.com Mass occupation underscores Brazil’s poverty, creates angst SAO BERNARDO DO CAMPO, Brazil (AP) – Luciano Oliveira, a bricklayer, gazes at the floor of his tiny wood shack, which is one of thousands of make- shift settlements that com- prise a massive squat in this suburb of Sao Paulo. Oliveira was fired from his job at a restaurant a few months ago, shortly after ar- riving from the northeastern state of Bahia. “I can’t read. I can’t write. And I have nowhere else to go,” said Oliveira, 23. “But here I met so many people like me. I feel I am part of a movement now. This has be- come my family.” Oliveira resides in one of the more than 8,000 tents and improvised structures in Brazil’s biggest occupation, organized by the increasingly powerful Homeless Workers Movement. For the last 20 years, the group has taken over abandoned buildings and sometimes unoccupied land with the aim of negoti- ating with governments and companies for housing for the working poor. Sprawling across a road- side area about the size of 10 soccer fields, the latest oc- cupation underscores how tough life has been for the poorest Brazilians as the country struggles to recover from its most severe eco- nomic crisis in decades. Almost 42 percent of oc- cupiers are unemployed, nearly 30 percentage points above the national average, according to Dieese, a labor union research institute. Av- erage income is about $350 a month, less than the average cost of rent in a two-bedroom home in Sao Paulo’s metro- politan area. And 17 percent of youths between 15 and 17 years old are not attending school. Many of those may need to work to help their families survive. The squat, which sits be- tween the factory of Swedish truck and engine maker Scania and elegant apartment buildings, has almost no elec- tricity. Some tents are no more than pieces of plastic on the bare ground, while other structures are built more sturdily with wood. The majority of the camp’s inhabitants sleep on mattresses or airbeds on dusty ground. “This occupation is a por- trait of Brazil’s poorest,” Dieese researcher Adriana Marcolino said. “We are not investing enough in social policies, including the min- imum wage, so we might see more and more places like this appear.” With Brazil suffering high unemployment and a slug- gish economic recovery from a massive recession, the oc- cupation has amplified po- larization in the country ahead of presidential elec- tions next year. After a judge blocked Grammy-award winner Caetano Veloso from singing at the camp – allegedly for safety risks – multiple singers and actors paid visits to the occupation and organized a concert in cen- tral Sao Paulo on Dec. 10 to raise money. People who live near the squatters are less sympa- thetic, and have called on them to leave. “They make noise all night long. They don’t care about people that were already here and are not to blame for their situation,” said Carlos Elias, who lives in the elegant apartment buildings next to the occupation. Recently, gunshots were fired against the encamp- ment from neighboring buildings, injuring one resi- dent in the arm. At the same time, the homeless workers movement has obtained such attention that its leader, Guil- herme Boulos, is talked about as a presidential candidate for next year. If Boulos did run, he would split much of the voting electorate on the left with former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who re- mains the front-runner but could be barred from the race if a corruption con- viction is upheld. Whether to run “is not a decision for now, it is for next year,” Boulos said. “Our priority is the occupation.” Recently, dozens of the squatters occupied the head- quarters of Sao Paulo state’s housing secretariat until they received assurances that the Sao Bernardo do Campo en- campment would not be cleared for at least four months while they negotiate. But the future of the occu- pation remains uncertain. On a recent day at the en- campment, most tents sat empty as their owners were out seeking jobs. Some inhab- itants made use of the five kitchens and several impro- vised bathrooms. Renata Swiecik, 31, has lived in the occupation for three months and last held a steady job as a cashier three years ago. She now lives on donations to support her four children and says her two youngest daugh- ters live with their grand- mother most of the week so they do not have to take cold showers every day. “If it weren’t for this oc- cupation, many people here would be dying,” she said, adding that “when the cold comes at night and during our showers we can’t pre- tend that we want to be here forever.” The land is owned by con- struction company MZM, which is fighting in the courts to reclaim it. In Oc- tober, a court ordered the land be returned to the com- pany, which did not reply to requests for comment. The squatters have ig- nored the ruling. “If they come we will be here,” Oliveira said, re- ferring to police. “We have nothing to lose.” Improvised homes create the squatter community coined ‘Povo Sem Medo,’ or Fearless People, in Sao Bernardo do Campo, a suburb of Sao Paulo, Brazil. – PHOTO: AP Clashes as Argentina Congress debates pension reform BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) – Clashes between police and demonstrators erupted Monday outside Argenti- na’s Congress as lawmakers were getting ready to de- bate a controversial pension reform measure. The protesters threw bot- tles, rocks and at least one Molotov cocktail. Police in riot gear responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and sprays of water. “We have no one to defend us,” said 70-year-old Cristina Sanmero, who found her- self caught in the clashes. “At my age, I have to come here and defend my contributions of 30 years. We’re governed by inept people who think that it’s easier to take away from the old.” The measure, which al- ready passed the Senate, is part of a series of economic changes pushed by the gov- ernment of President Mau- ricio Macri to reduce Ar- gentina’s high deficit. Union leaders and social activ- ists complain the legislation would cut pension and retire- ment payments as well as aid for some poor families. Argentina’s largest union began a 24-hour general strike at noon Monday to protest the bill. Hundreds of flights were grounded in the Argentine capital due to the stoppage. A debate on the mea- sure was suspended on Dec. 14 due to similar vio- lent clashes. The government later amended the proposal to in- clude a bonus payment for some retirees. But critics say it’s not enough. “The bonus payment is a joke,” said Juan Carlos Schmid, a leader of the CGT union. The measure “is illegit- imate and will cause a water- fall of lawsuits against it.” The protesters threw bottles, rocks and at least one Molotov cocktail. Police in riot gear responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and sprays of water.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 19, 2017 186266-Ad-QrtPage-3colx8-FTD.indd 112/14/17 2:28 PM OBITUARY Community mourns passing of restaurateur Frank Fleiger KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Local restaurateur Frank Fleiger passed away on Sunday morning, sparking an outpouring of love and support from close friends around the Cayman Islands. Mr. Fleiger, who man- aged the Copper Falls Steak- house with his ex-wife Di- anne Parsons, was born in Nova Scotia, Canada, on Jan. 11, 1962. Legendz Bar & Grille owner Brad Alexander said he hired Mr. Fleiger – whose nickname is “Frankie Fingers” – in 1996 to manage the place. “He was diligent, he was detailed to the nth degree,” said Mr. Alexander, adding, “There was no gray with Frank. Yes meant yes, no meant no. It made him easy to be around.” Mr. Fleiger worked at Leg- endz until Hurricane Ivan hit the territory in 2004, causing Mr. Alexander to close the bar for more than a year. That event spurred Mr. Fleiger to pursue his dream of starting his own establish- ment, opening Copper Falls on April 4, 2005. “The longer he was here, the more he believed he could do what he ended up doing. So I’m not surprised it became a success,” Mr. Alexander said. Messrs. Alexander and Fleiger would remain close, golfing with a group of friends on a weekly basis. The two took a golf trip to Miami just last month, said Mr. Alexander. Another former co-worker and friend of Mr. Fleiger, Tony Allenbrand, shared one of his favorite memo- ries of the man. Mr. Fleiger was the epitome of professionalism, Mr. Allenbrand said, but on the last day a restaurant was open in Canada in the early 1990s, he had to deal with a customer who was likely fishing for a free meal. After eating most of her dish, the customer com- plained that it was not cooked to her liking. Mr. Fleiger would usually give his customers a free meal if they complained, but this time he wryly replied, “Then put some pepper on it,” Mr. Allenbrand said. When Copper Falls an- nounced Mr. Fleiger’s death on its Facebook page on Sunday night, multiple people posted comments in remembrance of the res- taurant’s owner. “We were just there last night and he came to our table to speak to us a few times,” wrote Paula Plaster Wood. “Such a nice gen- tleman. This saddens us greatly! Prayers for you all during this difficult time.” “Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear this. My sincere condo- lences,” added Ian Pascall. “Still my favorite place on Earth and Frank had oh so much to do with that.” Decker’s Grille & Lounge owner Markus Mueri cred- ited Mr. Fleiger for creating the “best steakhouse on the island.… He was adamant about how to do things; he was a very fair man,” Mr. Mueri said. “He was a very gentle soul.” Mr. Fleiger is survived by his two sisters, a brother and his parents, according to Mr. Alexander. Copper Falls Steakhouse co-owner Frank Fleiger passed away on Sunday. - PHOTO: PROVIDED BY BRAD ALEXANDER SURVEY: GOVERNMENT WORKERS LARGELY SATISFIED A new survey shows Cayman government workers are largely satisfied with their jobs. The internally con- ducted poll asked nearly 2,300 civil service em- ployees about the work they perform, their man- agement and questions about their personal lives. The results were compiled by ORC International. According to the results, 95 percent of employees are interested in their work and 70 percent are “proud” to tell others where they work. Significant majori- ties, between 54 percent and 65 percent, felt their managers were responsive on a range of issues. How- ever, only 39 percent said their managers were ef- fective when it came to dealing with poor perfor- mance and just 44 per- cent thought management would take action based on the survey results. The survey looked at a broad spectrum of work- place issues, including training, workload and compensation. The latter of these received the most negative responses. Just 22 percent of employees felt they were adequately paid for the work they do. The same percentage said their pay was on par with those doing similar work in other organizations. Nearly one quarter of those polled, 23 percent, said they had experienced discrimination in the work- place in the previous six months. The largest single basis for that discrimina- tion (20 percent) was pay grade or job title. Just 9 percent said they had ex- perienced ethnic-based discrimination. Results from individual ministries and departments are expected in the coming weeks. The Portfolio of Civil Service plans to conduct the survey annually to mea- sure the internal impact of efforts to implement its five-year strategic plan. The Portfolio of Civil Service plans to conduct the survey annually to measure the internal impact of efforts to implement its five-year strategic plan. Sir John A. Cumber spreads festive cheer Students at Sir John A. Cumber Primary got into the spirit of Christmas last week when the school presented Christmas concerts that were attended by parents, rela- tives, community members and well-wishers. “All of the teachers throughout the school sup- ported the children, and we are immensely proud of their wonderful achieve- ments over the two perfor- mances. Well done, Sir John A. Cumber Primary School,” said Johanna Scantlebury, the school’s newly appointed music teacher. Years 1 to 3 presented a Christmas rhyme about the traditional nativity scene through some lively and catchy songs on Dec. 12. The “Christmas Story” of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus sur- rounded by shepherds, inn- keepers, wise men and angels was also told. “The children performed with confidence and en- ergy. They gave us a perfor- mance to remember,” Ms. Scantlebury said. Students in Years 4 to 6 explored different Christmas traditions around the world during their con- cert on Dec. 14. After gathering infor- mation about two different countries, the students per- formed songs in the style of music from those counties. They ended the performances by reminding the audience of how Christmas was cele- brated in the Cayman Islands. The audience was also treated to a presentation of performances which included some talented solo singers such as Mary-K Minzett, Rosemary Rivers, Tessanne Hull, Paige Powery-Livingston, Marlon Scott, David Seymour and ca- lypso dancer Josen Ebanks. Ms. Scantlebury, as- sisted by Sherina Lloyd, di- rected the choirs. Calypso dancer Josen Ebanks, front left, dances and sings with classmates.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. A member of Cay- man’s Legislative Assembly should be a God-fearing person, and care for our people and our islands. Our MLAs are supposed to look out for the welfare of the Caymanian people first, including the home- less, the hungry, the un- employed, our youths, pro- viding healthcare for the indigent, etc. They should be present in the districts; not just be seen every four years. Walk through the districts, ride or drive through the dis- tricts. Check out the con- ditions of the houses, our government buildings and the roads. Look at all the litter on the streets. A budget should be prepared to keep our islands clean and beau- tiful all year long, not just two weeks at the end of the year. The people that are working during this time could be working all year long. I have suggested placing bins on each street, erecting “No Littering” signs and signs warning that litterers will be fined. A sign at the entrance of each district would also be helpful, saying, for ex- ample: “Please Do Not Litter, Help Keep Cayman/ West Bay Beautiful.” Our islands cannot be cleaned in two or three weeks. The people that are trying to do this could be doing this all year. The bulk waste collection could be done at least four times a year. Our islands need to be kept clean and these people should be of- fered the jobs. How can our MLAs over- look the conditions of the environment in which we live? It looks like we have a government that does not care very much about the people and the islands. Our MLAs need to listen to the people and adhere to their wishes. A peti- tion should never be neces- sary. They are supposed to be working for us; we are their employers! They should also mix and mingle with the people and not alienate them- selves. Socialize on a weekly or monthly basis. Get to know the people; be humane and find out what they need and look about getting them the help they need. At present, the people are very disappointed with the MLAs they voted into office because they are not doing anything to help them and their families. It is like they were going to do so much to help the people but once they got into office, they were to- tally forgotten. Our MLAs are being paid a full-time salary. Each MLA who is not a minister with an office in the Government Admin- istration Building should also have an office in the district they represent and work out of that office on a daily basis, at least Monday to Friday, and not at their own personal busi- nesses. Employ someone else for that. Just like other people are working, MLAs are holding very important jobs and should be at their desks unless they are on the road doing business for us and the district. Constituents should be able to make appoint- ments and see the MLAs – not like it is now; you try making an appointment and you never get one in four years. It is very good for an MLA to have of- fice hours to meet with the people. Whoever is doing that now, thank you. All our politicians must work together to make Cayman the place we want it to be. They must work to- gether for the benefit of the people and these islands. In my opinion, the pace at which Grand Cayman is developing is our govern- ment’s doing because they are allowing it to be over- developed/destroyed by one or more investors and this should never have been al- lowed to happen. The in- digenous Caymanians are being stamped out and we are outnumbered by non- nationals. We must put a stop to this now! The party system also has to go – this will only lead to hatred and violence like in other countries and we do not need this. We need to go back to the way it was. Hopefully this will be done during the next four years. Everyone got along just fine and the ayes al- ways had it. I pray that it be discontinued for the benefit of our people and these islands. I could write more but if the MLAs first look about the people and the environment in which we live, that would be a good start. Everyone is hoping for a change for the better. Let us all work together to make things better for the Cayman Islands and its people. Dora A.E. Ebanks (Ms.) Members of the Chabad Cayman Jewish Commu- nity will gather tonight at the Marriott Beach Resort to celebrate the last night of Chanukah, the annual eight- day “festival of lights.” The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication”; the holiday commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which the Maccabees reclaimed from Greek occupiers who were persecuting Jewish people for their faith. As the story goes, they cleared idols and built a new altar and menorah, but had only enough sacred oil to last one day. Miracu- lously, it continued to burn for eight days. The holiday is celebrated by the estimated 500 Jewish people living permanently on island – including retirees, young professionals and families – but it has a message for the rest of Cayman, as well. It is a story about pushing back against pressure to abandon your beliefs and customs; standing up for what is right and being proud of who you are. It is about shining your light for all the world to see. It is one of many winter holidays around the world that celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, celebrating renewal and hope. On Thursday’s Winter Solstice (the start of winter and the shortest day for most of the Northern Hemi- sphere), we will experience only 11 hours of daylight compared with summer’s peak of 13 hours. Cayman’s Scandinavian expatriates (whose home countries have about six hours of daylight on Winter Solstice) may laugh at the idea of celebrating the “deep midwinter” here in Cayman – which, admittedly, is not that deep. Sunscreen is still advisable. On Christmas Eve, congregants will flock to churches to celebrate the birth of Jesus – yet another story of light, symbolized by the Star of Bethlehem. During this season of illumination, we encourage residents – of all faiths, backgrounds and nationali- ties – to stop and reflect on the marvel of modern-day Cayman’s diversity. Our small population of just over 63,000 people includes representatives from nearly half of the countries in the world. People hailing from more than 110 different countries have chosen to make Cayman home – at least for a while. They come from places as near as Jamaica and as far as the Philippines and Bangladesh. They may be joined by scores of fellow countrymen, or they may comprise a handful from their homeland – or perhaps constitute a delegation of one. Together, they bring to Cayman a multitude of languages and traditions, contributing distinct threads to a rich and harmonious tapestry. Cayman’s population boom has not been free of complications. Some longtime residents and multigen- erational Caymanians worry that excessive growth will smother what makes our country special. They fear the loss of traditions that are indigenous to Cayman. But one does not need to come from a place to appreciate it and adopt its customs. Likewise, there’s nothing (except xenophobia) that prevents individuals in the native-born population to enjoy the assimilation of new practices that, over time, themselves become “local traditions.” Cayman has been given a great gift in the diversity of its population. We have much to learn and much to share. (Pass the eggnog – British; sorrel – Caribbean; and mulled wine – Roman, please …) It is both possible and desirable to appreciate our differences while celebrating our commonalities. As the days grow incrementally longer, so, too, should our gratitude for our neighbors. Celebrating the holy season of light in Cayman TUESDAY DECEMBER 19, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR Thoughts for members of our Legislative Assembly Our MLAs need to listen to the people and adhere to their wishes. A petition should never be necessary. They are supposed to be working for us; we are their employers! PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 19, 2017 GALLERIA PLAZA | 949-7884 | OPEN 9AM - 6PM HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Gifts for everyone on your list Stalemate continues over UCCI control MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Ministry of Educa- tion and the University Col- lege of the Cayman Islands Board of Governors remain at loggerheads over con- trol of programming at the campus, and it appears they will likely remain so until a ruling by the solicitor general on the matter. The board of governors sent a letter last week to the solicitor general asking for a clarification regarding a con- flict between the wording of the University College Law and language the ministry would like to include in its most recent purchase agree- ment with the college. In an email late Friday, the ministry’s chief officer Christen Suckoo said the board is attempting to re- move language from the pur- chase agreement that has tra- ditionally been included. The passage in question requires approval from the ministry for any program changes the college wishes to make. “Removal of the clause and the underlying implica- tion of the board’s position – being that the board should be able to unilaterally de- cide what the cabinet is pur- chasing from it – is the real issue that needs to be ad- dressed,” Mr. Suckoo wrote. The board of governors says such an arrangement not only contradicts its authority as laid out in the University College Law, but would ham- string the college’s efforts to pursue international accredi- tation. Accrediting bodies in- sist on colleges and univer- sities having autonomy over such matters, the board says. Previous purchase agree- ments have said program offerings “are not to be amended (neither added nor removed) without the ex- press consent of the ministry, which is to be sought through formal proposal through the board of governors.” According to board member Tom Simpson, the board brought up concerns over this arrangement at the beginning of the year. In April, Mr. Simpson said via email, board chairman Lemuel Hurlston sent Mr. Suckoo a letter outlining the board’s position. “Ownership and purchase agreements cannot be so specific that they effectively amend the [University Col- lege Law] to give the power of approval to the min- ister with respect to those board decisions and powers clearly set out in the UCL,” the letter read. Last modified in 2012, the University College Law out- lines the oversight role of the Ministry of Education, but appears to give it no spe- cific programming control. It says the board has the power “to create or abolish such de- partments or academic pro- grammes within the college as the board may consider necessary or expedient.” Mr. Simpson said the min- istry never responded to Mr. Hurlston’s letter. When the purchase agree- ment for 2018 and 2019 was submitted in September, it did not include the language regarding program approval that had been in previous agreements. The agreement was approved by the min- istry, the cabinet and the Leg- islative Assembly. “It wasn’t until Dec. 5 that Ministry staff requested sev- eral further amendments to the purchase agreement, in- cluding putting back in the problematic language,” Mr. Simpson said. A meeting between Mr. Hurlston and Mr. Suckoo failed to resolve the matter, he said. The government provides $4 million of the $7.5 mil- lion annual budget of the col- lege. Recent figures were not readily available, but the gov- ernment spent $2.9 million on local scholarships in 2009- 2010, most of which was used by UCCI students. Even if the language is in- cluded in the budget docu- ment, Mr. Suckoo contends the college enjoys an ade- quate amount of autonomy. He said the purchase agree- ment “by necessity must re- flect the portion of UCCI programming that the Gov- ernment expects to be deliv- ered and is funding.” Mr. Hurlston said he would not comment until the solicitor general has rendered a decision on the matter. Board members have ar- gued that the degree of con- trol the ministry wants to exert would prohibit the school from meeting the nec- essary standards required for international accreditation from a recognized agency. “A principal purpose of UCCI is to confer univer- sity degrees that are recog- nized internationally by em- ployers and other universities for students continuing their studies,” Mr. Simpson said. “In the Western world, de- grees are recognized to have the required value if awarded by higher education institu- tions that are self-governing.” The University College Law, he said recognizes that. “The board should not be compelled by contract,” he added, “to delegate a UCL statutory power or duty to the ministry.” Christen Suckoo, chief officer, Ministry of Education UCCI’s board of governors say wording in the government’s budget document undermines the college’s authority. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Motorcyclist injured in West Bay Road crash A motorcyclist received head injuries and broken bones in a collision Sunday night on West Bay Road near Cayman Beach Suites. His injuries were non- life-threatening, according to police officials. He was re- ported as being in stable con- dition at Cayman Islands Hospital Monday. Officials said West Bay Road was closed from 7:30 p.m., when the accident occurred, until midnight, when police completed their investigation. The injured man was driving a black Suzuki motor- cycle when it collided with a gray Honda CR-V. The driver of the Honda, a 40-year-old man from George Town, was arrested on suspi- cion of dangerous driving and released on bail. Police said there was no evidence of alcohol being a factor in the crash. A crash between an SUV and motorcycle closed part of West Bay Road Sunday night. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Man robbed at gunpoint Two armed robbers stole cash from a man outside his home in the Smith Road area of George Town Friday night, police reported Monday. According to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice, the victim had driven home after closing shop at two nighttime businesses in central George Town. After parking, he was approached by two men, dressed in black T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts, who exited a black vehicle. Both men were armed with handguns and de- manded money, which the victim retrieved from the car. The men then left with the quantity of cash. Police did not disclose how much money was taken. No shots were fired and no one was harmed in the robbery, police said.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 TUESDAY DECEMBER 19, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS close to the fence separating the beach from the graveyard and inadvertently re-emerged on the other side. As soon as she dealt with that emergency, the phone was buzzing again. This time, conservation officers had found a turtle laid out on its back in a shed in East End, already impaled with hooks and destined for the butcher’s knife. “The great thing was that we were able to get both those turtles back into the ocean and both nested again later in the season,” said Ms. Collyer. Other nesting turtles were not so lucky. Poaching re- mains a menace on certain beaches and Department of Environment enforcement of- ficers recorded at least five incidents this year. Nature brings its own threats. The storm surge from Hurricane Irma inun- dated at least four nests, which had to be excavated by volunteers. “At one point, we had three nests in our bathtub,” says Ms. Collyer, who shares a home – turtle headquarters – with Joe Roche Chaloner and Alejandro Prat Varela, the two other main Depart- ment of Environment interns on the project. Using buckets filled with sand to replicate the condi- tions of a nest, they moni- tored them till they were ready to hatch. “We ended up hatching 500 turtles at home,” she said. Still the biggest con- cern for hatchlings is beach- front lighting. According to Janice Blu- menthal, the Department of Environment’s research of- ficer leading the project, there were 45 “misorientations” – incidents where hatchlings were confused by artificial lighting and crawled toward developments, instead of to- ward the ocean. On one of those occasions, Ms. Collyer found herself summoned to a condo devel- opment on Seven Mile Beach in the middle of the night. “There was a whole nest of hatchlings in the swim- ming pool. It took forever to scoop them out,” she said. Once they had rounded up the stragglers, the vol- unteers were able to re- lease them into the ocean to fight another day. Underpinning the Depart- ment of Environment’s en- forcement and research ac- tivity is a GPS map of all past and active nests. Scores of volunteers walk designated stretches of beach each morning, reporting any nests they find. The turtle team then goes out to the nest site, records the loca- tion using a purpose-built smartphone app, and re- turns 45 days later to mon- itor the nest as the eggs get close to hatching. This level of support is necessary, according to Ms. Blumenthal, because of the range of threats to nesting turtles and their hatchlings. Numbers have been steadily increasing since the DoE first began monitoring in Grand Cayman in 1998, when just 30 nests were recorded. This year’s total eclipses the previous record year by more than 200 nests. “The 688 nests this year produced over 50,000 baby turtles, which is an incred- ible opportunity to secure the future of our nesting population. However, many baby turtles were killed be- fore they ever reached the sea [because of] artificial lights on our beaches,” said Ms. Blumenthal. “The turtles nesting this year were born 20 and 30 years ago when conditions on our beaches were very dif- ferent,” she said. “In effect, by looking at nesting num- bers, we are looking back at how conditions were in the past. If the turtles born this year do not survive, due to artificial lighting on our beaches, we will not see a decline in nesting numbers until it is too late to do some- thing about it.” She said lighting was the key issue impacting the sur- vival of hatchlings, which have an inborn tendency to move in the brightest di- rection, which historically would have been the night sky reflected on the ocean. The Department of En- vironment is working with beachfront property owners to introduce “turtle- friendly lighting” on all nesting beaches. Ms. Blumenthal cautions that despite the positive nesting figures, the islands’ turtle nesting population still needs protection. “While the nesting in- crease is encouraging,” she said, “it is important to re- member that each turtle lays more than one nest in a season, and these num- bers of nests are for all three species, on all three is- lands, combined.” currently in the court system, but that case was handled by the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service and not the De- partment of Agriculture. That case, which involved a dog named Dora that was allegedly set aflame by its owner, was on Monday’s Summary Court docket and has a trial date scheduled for March 15. In most of the Department of Agriculture cases, a member of the public would make a re- port and an animal welfare of- ficer would look into it. On several occasions, the department’s animal wel- fare officer was given reports of poor living conditions for animals and arrived on the scene only to find everything in lawful order. But in others, the officer was unable to cor- rect the situation or opted to ask for better compliance in the future. In the first report of 2016, for instance, the department was told by a concerned neighbor that one house had “two pups in the yard and the occupants have been seen beating them with a stick.” The animal welfare officer drove to the scene and at- tempted to clarify the living conditions for the dogs, but he was unable to make con- tact with the residents and left without resolving the situation. “[The animal welfare of- ficer] signed by blowing the horn but no one came out,” according to the Jan. 4 re- port’s account of action taken. “The yard appears to be used for some illegal activity. The dogs seemed OK.” Two months later, in March 2016, the department was in- formed of a case of a dog killed by paraquat poisoning. The department responded by telling the complainant to file a report with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, but no report was filed and there was no follow-up taken by the department. This incident was one of several confirmed or sus- pected poisonings that did not result in the offender being identified or official charges being brought. Other situations to which the animal welfare officer re- sponded involved complaints about animals, including dogs and horses, being tied up in yards with no access to shade or water, dogs with serious ill- nesses and animals suspected to be malnourished. Actions taken by the animal welfare officer included is- suing warnings to the animals’ owners; obtaining custody of the animal and turning the an- imal over to a new owner or rescue organization such as the Humane Society; or having the animal euthanized. For example, in July 2016, an anonymous caller notified the department that a friend had a sick dog in dire need of attention. The animal welfare officer observed that the animal had a serious skin condition that warranted treatment. The dog owner signed a surrender form and euthanasia form, and the accused “was severely warned that if this happens again” that he would be prosecuted. In September 2017, the de- partment received a report of a dog that was reportedly dying next to a dumpster. The an- imal control officer went to the scene and was told the owner was on his way to pick up the dog. Five hours later, the dog was still in the same condition and still in the same location. The officer went back to the scene and logged the dog’s condition, noting that “the an- imal had difficulties breathing, could not move and was unre- sponsive when touched.” The dog owner was called again, and he said he would get the dog after work. But after the dog’s condition was described to him, he asked for it to be euthanized and agreed to pay the fee. The department was able to comply with that request, and the dog was put down without any further in- quiry or repercussion. Back in 2014, the Cayman Compass made an open re- cords request to find out how many dogs were euthanized by the Department of Agricul- ture on an annual basis. Be- tween 2010 and 2013, the de- partment euthanized an average of around 600 dogs and cats a year. She declined to name the buyer, but described them as “a family from Canada with a background in the West Indies,” familiar with the Cayman Islands. The home, between Cemetery Beach and Boggy Sand Road near Swift Lane, features 90 feet of beach frontage, a swimming pool, a three-car garage and an unscreened porch. “They were very fortu- nate to get the property,” Ms. Conolly said. “I re- ally hope they’ll enjoy it. It’s unique. I wish we had available more like this be- cause there’s definitely a market for high-end, single- family properties.” Mr. Lund said he had also sold the highest- priced condominium – at US$13 million – in Cayman history in the Sotheby- listed 35-unit, six-story Water’s Edge on central Seven Mile Beach. “This is the first resi- dential home sale in the Cayman Islands for over US$10 million,” Mr. Lund said, pointing to statis- tics from the Cayman Is- lands Real Estate Bro- kers’ Association. “According to the CI- REBA,” he said, “there have been 11 residential homes that have sold for over US$5 million. There are currently 12 homes actively on the market in Grand Cayman that are listed for more than US$5 million.” Both Mr. Lund and Ms. Conolly agreed that last week’s sale was a boost for the local real estate market, consoli- dating Cayman’s position internationally. “The Cayman market has been very busy this year, with several bench- mark sales. It’s very en- couraging that we’re get- ting this,” Ms. Conolly said, reflecting on high- end markets elsewhere in the region, naming An- guilla, the Turks and Ca- icos Islands, and Barbados, among others. “Some people wonder why our price points are so competitive compared with other islands. Cayman is very affordable,” she said. Mr. Lund agreed: “Every time we have a sale like this, it’s a very positive sign of confidence that investors and new residents have in the Cayman Islands.” “It’s past the point where we are struggling. People know us and it’s nice to see support for our real estate market,” he added. Previous top sales in- clude a $7.95 million prop- erty in March at Vista del Mar; a Salt Creek property in February 2017 for $6.65 million; and another Vista del Mar home in September 2017 at $7.6 million. TURTLE NEST NUMBERS Grand Cayman 412 nests (229 green, 183 loggerhead) Little Cayman 231 nests (111 green, 109 loggerhead, 11 hawksbill) Cayman Brac 45 nests (4 green, 40 loggerhead, likely 1 hawksbill (to be confirmed when the nest is excavated)) The Department of Environment’s Lucy Collyer holds a turtle hatchling from the first nest of 2017. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Turtle patrol helps hatchlings beat the odds Boggy Sand Road home sells for record $12.5M CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 One out of 105 animal cruelty cases prosecuted CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Rufus, a dog who suffered burns after his owner applied Pine-Sol to his back, is the only animal cruelty case handled by the Department of Agriculture over the last two years that is currently in the court system. – PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE HUMANE SOCIETYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 19, 2017 #ShareTheRoadKY MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, PLANNING & INFRASTRUCTURE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, PLANNING & INFRASTRUCTURE Broadcasting Ltd. SPREAD CAYMANKIND ON OUR ROADS THIS CHRISTMAS. CAYMAN’S HOLIDAY SEASON IS FILLED WITH CELEBRATION, BUT IT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME OF THE YEAR ON OUR ROADS. Nominate a designated driver or take a taxi if you’re enjoying a drink . There are more visitors, always be mindful of them. Lots of athletes are training. Make sure to give space! There are more kids on the road, slow down and stay aware. THURSDAY, DEC. 21 CHRISTMAS SERVICE: St. George’s Anglican Church, 64 Courts Road, George Town, invites all to the service “Blue Christmas” at 6 p.m. PUB QUIZ: Fidel Murphy’s, 7:30 p.m. A Humane Society fundraiser. $10 per person with team maximum of six. Call 949-5189 to reserve a table or contact sarah.dyer.81@gmail.com. Quizmaster is Ann Ghezzi. FRIDAY, DEC. 22 USED BOOKS: Today at noon is the close of the five-dollar bag book sale at the Red Cross Thrift Shop on Huldah Avenue. Customers can get all the books they can fit in a single bag for only $5. IMMIGRATION DEPT: The Immigration headquarters, including public counters and the Passport and Visa offices, will close to the public at 11:30 a.m. and will reopen on Wednesday, Dec. 27 at 8:30 a.m. These offices will close again to the public on Friday, Dec. 29 at 11:30 a.m. and resume on Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 8:30 a.m. LICENSING DEPT.: The Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing Department will be closed at all locations at 12:30 p.m. West Bay and Breakers closed Saturday. All locations closed Christmas and Boxing Day. MONDAY, DEC. 25 BRAC GIFTS: The Lions Club of Cayman Brac deliver gifts around the island from 2 p.m., starting at Cayman Brac Beach Resort. TUESDAY, DEC. 26 BOXING DAY SENIORS PARTY: The Rotary Club of Grand Cayman invites seniors to this annual event, 2:30-5:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman, 920 Crewe Road. Entertainment, food, gift bags. Free entrance and transportation from the districts. SATURDAY, DEC. 30 COMMUNITY MEAL: John Gray Memorial Church would like their friends in West Bay, to whom they normally deliver meals at Christmastime, to know that this year they will be delivering by noon today. GENERAL INTEREST NEEDS ASSESSMENT: The Needs Assessment Unit is open for half days on Dec. 22 and 29 and is open full day 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Dec. 27 and 29. GENERAL REGISTRY: General Registry’s Grand Cayman office, including its counter at the Government Administration Building, will close 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 20, for a staff function. Normal office hours resume the next day. The office and the counter will close at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22 and reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 27. The office and the counter will close at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 29 and reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2. For a birth- or death-related emergency, call 925-8673. PORT AUTHORITY: From Dec. 12 until Friday, Dec. 22, Cayman Port’s Billing Office will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with the warehouse serving customers from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each weekday. Night operations for the container yard remain as normal. The port will maintain its regular published hours for Saturday Dec. 16, 23 and 30 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. CUSTOMS HOURS: The Customs Department is open for longer hours at its Collections Office to allow pick-up of packages before Christmas. Through Friday, Dec. 22, the Collections Office will operate 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. instead of the usual closing at 4 p.m. However, it will close at noon on Saturday, Dec. 16. The Customs Courier Office will be open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and remain closed on Saturdays. Both offices will be closed on Saturday, Dec. 23 and reopen on Wednesday, Dec. 27. BULK WASTE: Residents are asked to place their bulk waste on the curbside during the dates specified. Collection will commence thereafter. George Town/ West Bay District, Dec. 11-18; Cayman Brac West, Dec. 18; Cayman Brac South, Dec. 20. Bulk waste must be placed on the curbside but not obstructing roadways. Bulk items put out after scheduled dates will not be collected. USED BOOKS: The Red Cross Thrift Shop on Huldah Avenue holds a five-dollar bag book sale until Dec. 22 at noon. Customers can get all the books they can fit in a single bag for only $5. LOBSTER SEASON: The open season for lobster runs from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28. Bag limit is three per person per day or six per boat per day, whichever is less. Minimum size is a six-inch tail length. No taking lobsters from Marine Protected Areas. Only spiny lobster may be taken. No wearing gloves while snorkeling. No take of lobster (or any marine life other than lionfish) while scuba diving. CONCH AND WHELK SEASON: The open season for conch and whelk runs from Nov. 1 to April 30. The legal limit for conch is five per person per day or 10 per boat, whichever is less. The limit for whelk catches is two-and-a-half gallons in the shell, or two-and-a-half pounds of processed whelks, per person, per day. DVDL EXTRA HOURS: The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing on Crewe Road will be open longer in December. On Wednesdays and Fridays, the office will open as usual at 8:30 a.m. but close later at 7 p.m. All other days the office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. SHAPED BY THE SEA: New exhibition at National Museum, Harbour Drive, celebrating Charles O. “Captain Chuckie” Ebanks. BUY A BAG SALE: The NCVO New to You Thrift Shop hosts a sale now through Dec. 15. Buy a bag for $5 and whatever it holds inside is yours. 90 Anthony Drive, off Smith Road, next to Miss Nadine’s Pre-School. CAYMAN CRAFT: The exhibition, “Revive!” – Celebrating contemporary and traditional craft from the Cayman Islands, is open at the National Gallery. OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIPS: The Ministry of Education is receiving applications for overseas scholarships for the 2018/2019 academic year. The application period is open until Jan. 31. Anyone planning to apply for a government scholarship for 2018/2019 is invited to complete the Overseas Scholarship Application at www.education.gov.ky. Contact the Scholarships Secretariat for any further information at scholarships@gov.ky or 244-2482. RELIGIOUS SERVICES EL MINISTERIO HISPANO: de la Iglesia Bautista Cayman Islands te hace una cordial invitación a nuestro culto en español cada Domingo, 6:30 p.m., Pedro Castle Road, Savannah. Para transporte, llamar al teléfono no. 946-2422, email: cibaptist@candw.ky. SPANISH WORSHIP SERVICE: First Baptist Church, Crewe Road, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Third Sunday of each month. HARBOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH: Meets for Divine Worship and Fellowship at South Sound Community Centre, South Sound, Sundays at 10 a.m. www.safeharborlc.com. MUSLIM PRAYER: Islamic Society of the Cayman Islands advises 5 times salaat/prayer at the Masjid. Fajr at 6 a.m. Dhuhr at 1:15 p.m. Asr at 5:15 p.m. Maghrib at 7 minutes after sunset. Isha at 8 p.m. website isci.org.ky. CATHOLIC CHURCH: St. Ignatius, Walkers Road, Mass 6 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 6 p.m. Sundays. Christ the Redeemer, West Bay, Mass 9:45 a.m. Sunday. JOHN GRAY MEMORIAL UNITED CHURCH: Sunday worship for the family and Children’s Church, 10 a.m. BOATSWAIN BAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: Sundays. 10 a.m. Christian Education for all ages; 11 a.m., Morning Worship with nursery for youngsters; 7 p.m. Evening Worship. Visit www.bbpca.org. CHRISTMAS SERVICES JOHN GRAY MEMORIAL UNITED CHURCH: West Bay. Sunday, Dec. 24, Worship Service, 10 a.m. Candlelight Service 6 p.m. Caroling in the community following Service. ST. GEORGE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Off Eastern Avenue. Dec. 24, Fourth Sunday of Advent, 8 a.m. Mass. Christmas Eve Carols and Mass, 10:45 p.m. and 11 p.m. Dec. 25, Christmas Day, 8 a.m. CHRIST THE REDEEMER CATHOLIC CHURCH: West Bay. Fourth Sunday of Advent. Mass, 9:45 a.m. Christmas Eve, Carol Service, 7:30 p.m. Mass 8 p.m. Christmas Day, 9:45 a.m. ST. IGNATIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH: Walkers Road. Mass for Fourth Sunday of Advent, Saturday 6 p.m., Sunday, 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Mass for Christmas, Children’s Mass, 6 p.m., Carol Service, 11 p.m., Midnight Mass, 12 a.m. Christmas Day, 8, 10 and 11:30 a.m. No evening Mass. STELLA MARIS CATHOLIC CHURCH: Cayman Brac. Dec. 24, Mass, 11 a.m. Christmas Vigil Mass, 4 p.m. The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY DECEMBER 19, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS The family of Hubert “Iby” Jacobs announces his death on Wednesday, 6 December , 2017. Iby passed away at home with his loving family at his side, including Glenda, his beloved wife of 57 years. In lieu of flowers and gifts, please consider a donation to Cayman HospiceCare. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Trump unveils details of ‘America First’ security strategy China, Britain pledge cooperation as UK leaves EU BEIJING (AP) – Britain and China pledged Saturday to promote London as a center for offshore use of Beijing’s currency and cooperate in clean energy research and promoting trade as the United Kingdom prepares to leave the European Union. Officials announced the agreements following an eco- nomic dialog led by Britain’s finance minister, Philip Ham- mond, and a senior Chinese economic official, Vice Pre- mier Ma Kai. The event was attended by a delegation of British business leaders and economic officials. British leaders are looking to China for trade and invest- ment as they try to fashion a new global role and offset reduced access to the other 27 nations of the European common market. The two sides agreed to promote international use of China’s tightly con- trolled yuan and develop yuan-based business in London. That could help to shore up the British capital’s status as a global financial center outside the EU. “The two sides will dis- cuss future trade arrange- ments and push for the conclusion of a China-EU in- vestment agreement,” Ma said at a joint news conference. The economic dialog is an annual event, but this year’s gathering at a government guesthouse in Beijing took on special significance fol- lowing Britain’s 2016 vote to leave the EU. Hammond was accompanied by the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, British financial reg- ulators and an unusually large delegation of business- people for such an event. Hammond said London is looking for a “sustainable fu- ture arrangement” with the EU. He said that was likely to be more complex than agree- ments made with Canada or members of the European Economic Area. “It is likely that we will want to negotiate specific arrangements, bespoke ar- rangements that reflect the long and close trading his- tory,” said Hammond. British officials want “an environment which will ef- fectively replicate the current status quo,” allowing compa- nies to conduct trade and fi- nancial services across bor- ders, he said. Premier Li Keqiang, Chi- na’s top economic offi- cial, expressed confidence Friday during a meeting with Hammond in “steady and sound growth” of Chinese- British relations regardless of what happens between London and the EU. “We hope the U.K. and the EU will conduct their Brexit negotiations in a way that’s mutually beneficial for both sides and result in outcomes that are desirable for both sides,” said a deputy Chinese finance minister, Shi Yaobin. Chinese and British of- ficials also agreed to look at ways to expand Britain’s role in Beijing’s “Belt and Road Initiative,” a vast project aimed at expanding trade across Asia to Europe by building railways, ports and other infrastructure. Hammond announced the British export finance agency will support up to 25 billion pounds ($33 bil- lion) of new business along the “Belt and Road” in Asia. He said a former HSBC Group chairman, Douglas Flint, would serve as the British Treasury’s envoy to “Belt and Road.” “China and Britain are natural partners in the Belt and Road Initiative,” said Ma. The two governments agreed to cooperate more closely on clean energy re- search, advanced manufac- turing and high-speed rail. “These are welcome steps that will help deliver our vi- sion of a stronger, fairer, more balanced economy in the U.K. and will also sup- port China’s vision for the fu- ture direction of its economy,” said Hammond. WASHINGTON (AP) – Pres- ident Donald Trump de- clared a new national se- curity strategy on Monday, stressing the “America first” message of his 2016 cam- paign and faulting previous U.S. leaders for failing to measure up to it and look out for the nation’s citizens. “Our leaders engaged in nation building abroad while they failed to build up and replenish our nation at home,” he said, pointing to the economy’s strong perfor- mance and predicting even better under his policies. His security strategy en- visions nations in constant competition, reverses Obama- era warnings on climate change and affirms that the United States will unilater- ally defend its sovereignty, even if that means risking existing the agreements with other countries that have dominated the United States’ foreign policy since the Cold War. The strategy from the Re- publican president could sharply alter U.S. interna- tional relationships if fully implemented. It focuses on four main themes: pro- tecting the homeland, pro- moting American prosperity, demonstrating peace through strength and advancing American influence in an ever-competitive world. Trump’s doctrine holds that nation-states are in per- petual competition and that the U.S. must fight on all fronts to protect and defend its sovereignty from friend and foe alike. While the ad- ministration often says that “America First” does not mean “America Alone,” the national security strategy makes clear that the United States will stand up for itself even if that means acting unilater- ally or alienating others on issues such as trade, climate change and immigration. The last such strategy document, prepared by Presi- dent Barack Obama in 2015, declared climate change an “urgent and growing threat to our national security.” The Trump plan removes that de- termination – following the administration’s threat to pull out of the Paris climate accord. The strategy sets a goal of being an “energy- dominant nation” and says that the United States “recog- nizes the importance of envi- ronmental stewardship.” Despite the risk of poten- tial isolation presented by Trump’s strategy, its funda- mentals are not a surprise. The strategy emphasizes that U.S. economic security is na- tional security. And it stresses that the U.S. is interested only in relationships with other countries, including in alliances such as NATO, that are fair and reciprocal. The strategy also de- tails the threats of “rogue re- gimes,” like North Korea. It says that China and Russia “challenge American power, influence, and interests, at- tempting to erode American security and prosperity.” Despite international challenges, the document cites emerging opportuni- ties to advance American in- terests in the Middle East. “Some of our partners are working together to reject radical ideologies and key leaders are calling for a re- jection of Islamist extremism and violence,” it says. “En- couraging political stability and sustainable prosperity would contribute to damp- ening the conditions that fuel sectarian grievances.” The strategy document as- serts that “for generations the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has been un- derstood as the prime irritant preventing peace and pros- perity in the region. Today, the threats from radical ji- hadist terrorist organizations and the threat from Iran are creating the realization that Israel is not the cause of the region’s problems. States have increasingly found common interests with Israel in con- fronting common threats.” The criticism of Russia will come as a break from recent warm words between Trump and Russian Pres- ident Vladimir Putin. The leaders have spoken twice in four days, with Trump calling Putin to thank him for kind words about the U.S. stock market and Putin reaching out to Trump to thank the CIA for help in stopping a terror plot in St. Petersburg. The strategy document also notes that “actors such as Russia are using informa- tion tools in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of democracies.” Trump’s doctrine holds that nation states are in perpetual competition and that the U.S. must fight on all fronts to protect and defend its sovereignty from friend and foe alike. The two sides agreed to promote international use of China’s tightly controlled yuan and develop yuan-based business in London. Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, second from right, and Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai, center, pose with delegates during the UK-China Economic Financial Dialogue at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing Saturday. - PHOTO: AP President Donald Trump speaks on national security Monday, in Washington. Trump says his new national security strategy puts ‘America First.’ – PHOTO: AP 1,489-year sentence for migrant smuggling A court in Greece has sentenced a 54-year-old Greek man to 1,489 years for smuggling Iraqi and Syrian refugees into the country from the Turkish border in 2015 and 2016. He was convicted of running a smuggling ring that transported more than 500 refugees in 43 separate cases.9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 19, 2017 Trump: I’m not considering firing special counsel Mueller WASHINGTON (AP) – Pres- ident Donald Trump said Sunday that he is not consid- ering firing special counsel Robert Mueller even as his administration was again forced to grapple with the growing Russia probe that has shadowed the White House for much of his initial year in office. Trump returned to the White House from Camp David and was asked if he was considering trig- gering the process to dismiss Mueller, who is investigating whether the president’s Re- publican campaign coordi- nated with Russian officials during last year’s election. The president answered: “No, I’m not.” But he did add to the growing conservative criti- cism of Mueller’s move to gain access to thousands of emails sent and received by Trump officials before the start of his administration, yielding attacks from tran- sition lawyers and renewing chatter that Trump may act to end the investigation. “It’s not looking good. It’s quite sad to see that. My people were very upset about it,” Trump said. “I can’t imagine there’s anything on them, frankly. Because, as we said, there’s no collusion. There’s no collusion whatsoever.” On Saturday, the general counsel for the transition group sent a letter to two con- gressional committees arguing Mueller’s investigators had improperly obtained thou- sands of transition records. The investigators did not directly request the records from Trump’s still-existing transition group, Trump for America, and instead ob- tained them from the Gen- eral Services Administration, a separate federal agency that stored the material, according to the group’s general counsel. A spokesman for Mueller said the records were ob- tained appropriately. “When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investiga- tion, we have secured either the account owner’s consent or appropriate criminal pro- cess,” Peter Carr said. But many Trump allies used the email issue as an- other cudgel with which to bash the probe’s credibility. Members of the conserva- tive media and some con- gressional Republicans have begun to systematically ques- tion Mueller’s motives and credibility while the presi- dent himself called it a “dis- grace” that some texts and emails from two FBI agents contained anti-Trump rhet- oric. One of those agents was on Mueller’s team and has been removed. Michael Caputo, a former Trump campaign aide, called the investigation an “attack on the presidency” and told CNN there are “more and more in- dications that the Mueller in- vestigation is off the rails.” The talk of firing Mueller has set off alarm bells among many Democrats, who warn it could trigger a constitu- tional crisis. Some Republicans also advised against the move, including Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who deemed the idea “a mistake.” Many Trump allies used the email issue as another cudgel with which to bash the probe’s credibility. Amtrak train hurtles off overpass; at least 6 people killed DUPONT, Wash. (AP) – An Amtrak train making the first run along a faster new route hurtled off an over- pass Monday near Tacoma and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing at least six people, au- thorities said. Seventy-eight passen- gers and five crew members were aboard when the train moving at more than 80 mph derailed about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Seattle before 8 a.m., Amtrak said. There was no imme- diate word on why the train left the tracks. The Pierce County Sher- iff’s Office said several ve- hicles on Interstate 5 were struck by falling train cars and multiple motorists were injured. No fatalities of mo- torists were reported. Chris Karnes was on the train, three or four cars back from the front. “I’m not sure what got hit. I’m not sure what hap- pened,” Karnes said. Medical tents were set up in the highway median just south of DuPont. “The only car that is on the tracks is the rear loco- motive. There are several cars that are hanging over the overpass,” Karnes said. In a statement, Am- trak said the train that derailed was Train 501, offering service from Se- attle to Portland. The train was making the inaugural run on the new route as part of a $180.7 mil- lion project designed to speed up service by removing pas- senger trains from a route along Puget Sound that is bogged down by curves, single-track tunnels and freight traffic. It left Seattle around 6 a.m., according to an Am- trak schedule, and was due in Portland about 3 1/2 hours later. The new route includes a bypass built on an existing inland rail line that runs along Interstate 5 from Ta- coma to DuPont, near where Train 501 derailed. Track testing was completed in January and February in ad- vance of Monday’s launch, according to the Wash- ington State Department of Transportation. The mayor of Lakewood, Washington, a city along the new route, predicted a deadly crash – but one involving a fast-moving train hitting a car or pedestrian at a grade- crossing. At a public meeting two weeks ago, he called on state planners to build over- pass-like rail structures in- stead of having trains cross busy streets. “Come back when there is that accident and try to justify not putting in those safety enhancements,” An- derson said, according to Se- attle television station KOMO. “Or you can go back now and advocate for the money to do it, because this project was never needed and endangers our citizens.” The National Transporta- tion Safety Board said it has a team of investigators on the way from Washington, D.C. A spokesman for Provi- dence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia said his hospital has received 11 patients. Chris Thomas did not know their specific conditions. Two patients at his hospital were in the operating room as of early morning, one of them in serious condition, he said. The train was going 81.1 mph moments before the derailment, according to transitdocs.com, a website that maps Amtrak train lo- cations and speeds using data from the railroad’s train tracker app. The maximum speed along the stretch of track, known as Point Defiance By- pass, is 79 mph, according to information about the project posted online by the Wash- ington State Department of Transportation. All southbound lanes of I-5 were closed south of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and motorists were being warned to avoid the area. The train was making the inaugural run on the new route as part of a $180.7 million project designed to speed up service by removing passenger trains from a route along Puget Sound that is bogged down by curves, single-track tunnels and freight traffic. A derailed train is seen on southbound Interstate 5 on Monday in DuPont, Washington. - PHOTO: APNext >