EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 CONOR O’DEA: A COUP FOR CAYMAN FINANCE WORLD | PAGE 2 CRANBERRIES SINGER DOLORES O’RIORDAN DEAD AT 46 Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. High of 83 Low of 74 ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2018 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 International aid rules limit UK’s disaster relief to its territories Debate over funding formula amid plea for better support JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Rules governing international aid tar- gets that prevented the U.K. from spending its foreign development aid budget on hur- ricane-hit territories in the Caribbean are being reviewed. Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos were devastated by successive hurricanes in August. However, they were unable to qualify for support from the U.K.’s foreign aid budget because they were deemed “too rich” under a for- mula set by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, which dic- tates how such money can be spent. The Cayman Islands, which has a per capita income similar to the U.S., would also be unable to qualify for such development aid in the event of a similar catastrophe. Officials in Cayman accept it is unlikely the island would qualify for aid, even if the formula is changed, but they are joining fellow islands in pressing the U.K. for greater assistance to its territories, both in preparing for hurricanes and dealing with the aftermath. A spokeswoman for the Office of the Pre- mier said a number of proposals, including a U.K.-sponsored regional emergency man- agement body to coordinate disaster re- sponse efforts, had been pitched to the U.K. The British government did make £57 million available for disaster relief for is- lands hit by hurricanes Irma and Maria, ac- cording to news reports in the U.K. But the financial support could have been substantially higher, according to some British politicians, if the government had been able to NARAYANA HEALTH COMPLETES STOCK BUYBACK OF HEALTH CITY SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Health City Cayman Islands and Amer- ican nonprofit healthcare company Ascen- sion Health Ventures officially dissolved their partnership on Friday, when Narayana Health bought back 74.1 percent of the stock associated with the hospital for the sum of US$32.26 million. The funds for the buyback were trans- ferred on Jan. 3, and the buyback was con- cluded on Jan. 12. Health City is now a 100-percent owned, step-down subsidiary of Narayana Health. “It’s like any business. It’s less cooks in the kitchen,” said Gene Thompson, the developer of Health City. “That’s the reality. The oppor- tunity is to have full control, but in fairness, there were really no issues with that with As- cension Health. They were fantastic partners and we’re sorry to see them go.” The two companies had partnered to bring the Health City facility to Grand Cayman in 2012, and they announced in November last year that they would be terminating their partnership. Dr. Devi Shetty, the chairman and director of Narayana Health, has presided over the de- velopment of the 104-bed Health City Cayman Islands facility since its grand opening back in 2014. Narayana Health, according to the Health City website, currently operates 23 hospitals in 14 different cities. Narayana Health stated in the documents ‘Where’s the beach?’ North Side cleanup highlights pollution problem BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A group of North Side residents took cleanup efforts into their own hands Friday when they removed large amounts of debris from a stretch of beach between a family cemetery plot and Chisholm’s Supermarket. Photos of what they found there have been circulating on social media sites and have caught many island residents by surprise. “Where’s the beach?” said John Lawrus, whose wife and young daughter participated in the Friday afternoon cleanup and saw piles of trash lining the shore. “After some heavy weather the last few weeks, much of this floating waste that wasn’t generated here ended up scattered along the beaches,” Mr. Lawrus said. “Plastic is everywhere, but this time was quite bad as it is normally not like this.” The small group, which included several children under age 5, managed to clean up most of the trash after a few hours. “After a lot of hard work, help from the grown-ups, 20 full extra-large garbage bags and a few swim breaks, they managed to clear the short stretch of beach of the ma- jority of trash and restore it to its natural state of beauty,” said Mia Nielson, mom From left, Rowyn Bush, 3, Sofia Evans, 3, and Riley Lawrus, 4, look out to sea from a trash-strewn stretch of a North Side beach on Friday. - PHOTO: LAURA EVANS PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS LOCAL&WORLD • 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) ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD (R) 12:45 VIP I 3:50 I 6:40 VIP I 9:35 VIP 10:00 MOLLY’S GAME (R) 12:55 I 6:45 STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (PG13) 12:45 I 4:00 I 9:00 THE GREATEST SHOWMAN (PG) 4:00 I 7:05 PROUD MARY (R) 1:15 I 3:10 I 5:05 I 7:15 I 9:50 INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY (PG13) 1:20 I 4:25 I 7:30 I 9:55 JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (PG13) 1:00 I 3:45 VIP I 7:00 I 9:40 EXXONMOBIL LOOKS TO INCREASE OIL DRILLING IN GUYANA GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) – ExxonMobil is pushing ahead with ef- forts to develop oil fields off the South American na- tion of Guyana. Company spokes- woman Kimberly Bras- ington says it’s asked Guyanese environmental authorities for permis- sion to drill to up to 40 new wells as it develops the Liza Phase 2 offshore oil field. It already has 17 planned for the first phase. Brasington said Sunday that the new project should kick off in 2022 – two years after production is expected to start at the Liza 1 field. ExxonMobil along with partners Hess Oil and Nexen of China announced their first commercial find in 2015, setting the stage for the country to move from being a net importer of oil to a producer. Brasington said the company will hold town hall meetings on the envi- ronmental permit. Venezuela forces take down fugitive group in deadly shootout CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuelan special forces on Monday captured five mem- bers of a band led by a rebel- lious police officer who has been on the run since stealing a helicopter and launching grenades at government buildings in the nation’s cap- ital last year, officials said. It was not clear if Oscar Perez himself had been killed or captured in the op- eration after more than six months on the lam. Two officers were killed and five seriously injured during a shootout with Perez and his comrades, the Min- istry of Interior Relations said in a statement. “The members of this ter- rorist cell who conducted armed resistance were taken down and five criminals cap- tured and detained,” the statement said. Earlier Monday, Perez, 36, posted video clips showing blood dripping across his face as the sound of gun- fire rang in the background. Perez said officers were firing at the group and wanted to kill him instead of permitting his surrender. “We’re going to turn our- selves in!” Perez shouted. Perez leaped into the spot- light in June when he staged a dramatic helicopter attack in Caracas, lobbing grenades at the Supreme Court and In- terior Ministry buildings in broad daylight. No one was injured in the incidents and Perez managed to flee before authorities swarmed in. In numerous videos posted on Instagram, Perez has claimed that he is fighting for Venezuela’s freedom from a tyrannical government that is starving its people. He now has tens of thousands of followers on- line and has piqued the cu- riosity of Venezuelans who either hail him as hero, con- demn him as a criminal or question if he might be a ruse to support President Nicolas Maduro’s assertion that the nation is under attack by op- position conspirators. Adding to the intrigue is Perez’s un- usual past, which combined work as a highly trained of- ficer, an action-movie actor, pilot and dog trainer. In December, Perez posted videos showing him and a small armed band taking over a military outpost and smashing a portrait of Maduro with his foot. Perez and the assailants berated several detained guardsmen for doing nothing to help their fellow citizens suf- fering from hunger. Maduro responded in the following days, vowing to meet Perez with bullets. Cranberries lead singer Dolores O’Riordan dead at 46 LONDON (AP) – Dolores O’Riordan, lead singer of Irish rock band The Cran- berries, died suddenly on Monday. She was 46. O’Riordan died in London, where she was recording, publicist Lindsey Holmes said. “No further details are available at this time,” Holmes said, adding that the singer’s family was “devas- tated” by the news. Formed in Limerick, Ireland at the end of the 1980s, The Cranberries be- came international stars in the 90s with hits including “Zombie” and “Linger” that fused the alternative rock edge with Celtic-infused pop tunefulness. Irish President Michael D. Higgins said O’Riordan and the band “had an im- mense influence on rock and pop music in Ireland and internationally.” “To all those who follow and support Irish music, Irish musicians and the performing arts, her death will be a big loss,” he said in a statement. O’Riordan was The Cran- berries’ chief lyricist and co- songwriter, and her powerful, sometimes wailing, voice was key to the band’s dis- tinctive sound. The group’s 1993 debut album “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?” sold millions of copies and pro- duced the hit single “Linger.” The follow-up, “No Need to Argue,” sold in even greater numbers and con- tained “Zombie,” a howl against Northern Ire- land’s violent Troubles that topped singles charts in sev- eral countries. The band released three more studio albums be- fore splitting up in 2003. O’Riordan released a solo album, “Are You Listening,” in 2007, and another, “No Bag- gage,” in 2009. The members of The Cranberries reunited that year, releasing the album “Roses” in 2012. The Cranberries released the acoustic album “Some- thing Else” in 2017 and had been due to tour Eu- rope and North America. The tour was cut short because O’Riordan was suffering from back problems. In 2014, O’Riordan was accused of assaulting three police officers and a flight attendant during a flight from New York to Ireland. She pleaded guilty and was fined 6,000 euros. Medical records given to the court indicated she was mentally ill at the time of the altercation. After her court hearing O’Riordan urged other people suffering mental illness to seek help. O’Riordan is survived by her ex-husband, the former Duran Duran tour man- ager Don Burton, and their three children. PERU’S PARDONED EX-PRESIDENT HOSPITALIZED FOR OBSERVATION LIMA, Peru (AP) – Peru’s re- cently pardoned ex-Presi- dent Alberto Fujimori has been taken from his home in the capital to a hospital for observation. Family doctor Alejandro Aguinaga told the news- paper El Comercio that the 79-year-old Fujimori has an irregular heartbeat. A cardi- ologist examined Fujimori and recommended hospital care. He was moved to a hospital Sunday. Current President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski pardoned Fujimori on Christmas Eve, freeing him from a 25-year prison sentence. Fujimori was convicted in 2009 of killing 25 people, including an 8-year-old boy. He was later found guilty of knowing about death squads financed with public money that killed civilians. Kuczynski’s pardon set off protests by leftists and human rights activists, saying Kuczynski broke a promise not to release the former leader. Kuczynski says Fuji- mori suffers from an in- curable illness. Cranberries lead singer Dolores O’Riordan performs during the European Border Breakers awards, in Cannes, southern France in 2008. – PHOTO: AP Airport announces latest changes As expansion work con- tinues at the Owen Rob- erts International Airport, the Cayman Islands Airports Authority announced some changes Monday to the move- ment flow at the terminal. Passengers departing the airport must now enter the terminal through the new check-in hall’s doors to gain access to all airlines. “To facilitate construction works in the north Arch zone, we have cordoned off a large section of entry and exit points of the terminal with external fencing to detour foot traffic toward ‘safe’ and accessible areas,” the CIAA said in a statement. Also, visitors to the air- port who are meeting with CIAA employees or airline personnel must enter the terminal via the check-in hall and call the recipient to meet by the Delta Airlines check-in desk. “We are advising the public to please pay atten- tion to directional signage to help expedite the flow of foot traffic in and out of the terminal building,” the CIAA statement continued. A second lane to enable cars to exit the airport has also been constructed and opened in the short-term parking area. Meanwhile, retail and duty-free stores that were in the original terminal have now been closed while renova- tions are under way. The CIAA stated that the new conces- sion stores would be opened in phases this summer. The Runaway Bar in the Departures Hall is still in op- eration to serve light snacks and refreshments. A cardiologist examined Fujimori and recommended hospital care. He was moved to a hospital Sunday.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2018 Please be advised there will be no newspaper on Monday, January 22nd, National Heroes Day (public holiday) For more information call 949.5111 or email sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com HEROES 2018 DAY NATIONAL CELEBRATE THE STAFF OF PINNACLE MEDIA WISHES EVERYONE A SAFE HOLIDAY EDITION DEADLINE Monday, January 22nd NO PUBLICATION (CLOSED) Tuesday, January 23rd Wednesday, January 17th Wednesday, January 24th Thursday, January 18th Thursday, January 25th Friday, January 19th Friday, January 26th Tuesday, January 23rd Man sentenced for causing death by careless driving Judge considers defendant’s injuries, friendship with deceased CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Anthony Wesley Scott Jr. was sentenced last week after pleading guilty to causing the death of Thomas Rupert Hubbell Jr. by care- less driving on June 30, 2016. Mr. Hubbell’s injuries were such that he had remained in a vegetative state from the date of the single- car collision until he died on June 12, 2017. Mr. Hubbell, 44, was the son of Cayman aviation and scuba diving pioneer Tom Hubbell Sr. Mr. Scott had previously pleaded guilty to careless driving; after Mr. Hubbell’s death, the charge was amended and Mr. Scott pleaded guilty again. Justice Marlene Carter said the close friendship that had ex- isted between the two men and Mr. Scott’s own injuries were mitigating factors, as submitted by defense at- torney Crister Brady. Mr. Brady had told the court that, during Mr. Hubbell’s lingering condition, Mr. Scott had stayed in contact with his family. With a sentencing range of com- munity service up to two years’ im- prisonment for careless driving in this case, she imposed a term of two years’ probation with the require- ment that Mr. Scott obey orders per- taining to attendance for counseling. Facts set out at a previous hearing by senior Crown counsel Candia James were that Mr. Scott was the driver of the vehicle heading into George Town along Shamrock Road in the vicinity of Spotts Dock around 4:50 p.m. It was not his car, but he had the owner’s permission to drive it. His average speed was 40 mph – the posted speed in the area. When the vehicle in front of him slowed down, indicating an intention to turn, Mr. Scott swerved because he had been driving too close and he hit a utility pole. Justice Carter referred to a so- cial inquiry report, which said Mr. Scott still found it difficult to speak about his friend, who was also a co- worker. Guilt weighed heavily on him and the social worker said he appeared to need counseling. The judge said it was difficult to arrive at a proper sentence where a moment of inattention can cause such catastrophic damage, not only in loss of life, but in the lives of family members of the deceased, and the defendant’s own life. Where the level of carelessness is low, even the fact of death caused is not sufficient for imprisonment, the judge said. If Mr. Scott fails to attend coun- seling sessions as required, he will be brought back for resentencing, the judge told him. POLICE: WOMEN ROBBED ON SMB Two robberies targeting female pedestrians occurred over the past weekend in- volving suspects who were armed with knives, the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice reported. Late Saturday night, two women walking just north of the Seven Mile Public Beach area were approached from behind by three male sus- pects. Police said one of the attackers held a knife. The suspects made off with a handbag, some cash and other personal items. The two female victims were not physically hurt. One juvenile male was arrested in connection with the Saturday robbery and re- mained in custody Monday. Another robbery occurred late Friday on Eastern Av- enue near Bodden Road. In that attack, a woman was ap- proached at a bus stop by a lone male who brandished a knife before taking her purse. No arrests were re- ported in connection with Friday’s attack. Four arrested in separate drug import cases Five arrested within week BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Four people have been ar- rested in the past week at- tempting to sneak illegal drugs past Cayman Islands customs officials, the agency reported Monday. A fifth person was ar- rested during the same pe- riod for possession of an un- licensed firearm. “The sustained Customs Department, RCIPS and Im- migration Department collab- oration allows us to be more effective in protecting the public from contraband and other threats to our national security,” Assistant Customs Collector Jeff Jackson said. The various drug inci- dents, which appeared un- related, involved attempts to bring in ganja on a charter flight, to mail it in through the postal service, or to take it out of the territory. The first arrest occurred Jan. 9 when a 24-year-old Nicaraguan man was ar- rested for possession of ganja after his arrival on a charter flight. Customs officials said the man has already ap- peared in court. On Friday, two suspects, a Caymanian and a perma- nent resident from Trinidad, were arrested in connection with the importation of ganja through the post office. They remained in custody Monday. The next day, a 23-year- old American man was ar- rested while attempting to depart from Owen Roberts International Airport in pos- session of ganja. He is due to appear in court this week. The firearms arrest also happened on Saturday. A 62-year-old American citizen, who was preparing to depart from Cayman, was arrested at the airport in possession of a loaded firearm. He is also due in court this week. No further ‘false-negative’ results in local HIV tests SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Island Health Services Authority re- ported last week that is has not found any more “false- negative” HIV tests since a trio were found from pri- vate healthcare facili- ties last March. Dr. Samuel Williams-Ro- driguez, the acting med- ical officer of health for the Health Services Authority, said recently that he hopes “false negative” results will be eradicated by standard- ized testing procedures. “That is certainly our aim and expectation,” he said. The Health Services Au- thority recommended private healthcare facilities only use testing procedures that are approved by the World Health Organization, and Dr. Wil- liams-Rodriguez said clinics appear to be complying. “The Public Health De- partment is not aware of any new incident of ‘false- negative’ test results since the incidents reported ear- lier in 2017,” he said in an email response to a re- quest for comment. “All physicians in the Cayman Islands (private and public) aim to offer quality care, following evidence- based recommendations. This includes the use of HIV kits recommended by the WHO.” Dr. Williams-Rodriguez said he has not received any further feedback from the private clinics regarding their HIV-testing methods. A fifth person was arrested during the same period for possession of an unlicensed firearm. The HSA recommended private healthcare facilities only use testing procedures that are approved by the World Health Organization. Thomas Hubbell died nearly a year after the collision.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 standard disclaimer in investment litera- ture warns that “past performance is not indicative of future results.” But in the case of Conor O’Dea, the financial services veteran recently selected as chairman of Cayman Finance, a waiver of that warning would be perfectly appropriate. Mr. O’Dea’s sterling professional track record, decades in the making, gives us confidence in his ability to lead Cayman Finance, along with CEO Jude Scott, to new altitudes of success. The new Cayman Finance chairman has served in numerous positions for the government and local business organizations, including the presidency of the Cayman Islands Bankers’ Association. But, of course, Mr. O’Dea forged his reputation (which now precedes him) primarily during his long and distinguished tenure at Butterfield Bank (Cayman). Mr. O’Dea shepherded Butterfield Bank through a period of great growth and oversaw the construction of the bank’s signature downtown George Town head- quarters. In 2016, Mr. O’Dea retired as President & Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of Butterfield Bank (Cayman). His plan was to spend more time with his dear wife Fiona, enjoying Cayman as well as trav- eling the world while continuing to serve in a non-exec- utive role on Butterfield’s local and global boards. Now, country and duty call, and we are putting Mr. O’Dea back to work. Those of us who know Mr. O’Dea can attest he is a consummate professional – as comfortable at a microphone before multitudes as he is in a boardroom with major investors and clients. He possesses an uncommon amalgam of diplomacy, financial acumen, toughness and, not to be discounted, indigenous Irish charm and wit. Mr. O’Dea’s cache of talents will complement the experience and strengths of Cayman Finance CEO Jude Scott, former partner at Ernst & Young, global CEO of Maples and Calder, and, civically, chairman of the board of Cayman Airways. The two will make a formidable team during this particularly difficult time – as offshore centers continue to draw fire from rev- enue-hungry politicians, globalist regulators and “tax fairness” zealots. During this protracted struggle, it is best to leave the sunny public relations campaigns to the Depart- ment of Tourism and Chamber of Commerce (of which Mr. O’Dea happens to be a former president). Cayman Finance must be prepared to be assertive, even aggressive, on behalf of Cayman’s financial services industry. With new leadership and the start of the new year, it is particularly opportune for Cayman Finance to revisit and rededicate itself to its core principles and mission, namely, to represent, both locally and globally, the interests of Cayman’s financial services sector. One recent development that might be re-examined by Mr. O’Dea’s board is its dependence on government funding – an increase to $750,000 per year in the new budget. (Frankly, this is a pittance compared to the tens of millions allocated to the tourism industry.) When announcing the cash commitment last November, Minister of Financial Services Tara Rivers called it a way to counter negative campaigns and promote business development in the jurisdiction. Perhaps. However, we do have a concern. We believe that Cayman Finance must decide whether it is a “collaborator” with government (a good thing) or a “partner” with government (not a good thing). With government money comes government influence and the appearance of “dependence,” rather than independence. There will certainly come a time when the interests of politicians, meaning government, divert from the interests of Cayman’s financial industry. Cayman Finance, when that occurs, will have to craft its public and private posi- tions at the behest of two masters – the public sector and the private sector. A sounder relationship, we believe, would be for Cayman Finance to be entirely self-funding, largely from corporate and membership dues and fees. Cer- tainly, with the scope and resources of the financial industry, Cayman Finance could readily raise $1 million or more from our financial firms, provided, of course, they have confidence in the organization charged with representing their interests. But that is a discussion for another time. For now, we would simply like to add our voice to the chorus of congratulations to Mr. O’Dea – and to Cayman Finance for making such a wise and august appointment. Conor O’Dea: A coup for Cayman Finance WASHINGTON – Frank Lloyd Wright purportedly said, “Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles.” Today, however, Oregon is the state with the strangest state of mind, which has something to do with it being impec- cably progressive: In the se- ries “Portlandia,” the men- tion of artisanal lightbulbs might be satirical, but given today’s gas-pumping contro- versy, perhaps not. On Jan. 1, by the grace of God – or of the government, which is pretty much the same thing to progressives – a sliver of a right was granted to Oregonians: Henceforth they can pump gas into their cars and trucks, all by them- selves. But only in counties with populations of less than 40,000, evidently because this walk on the wild side is deemed to be prudent only in the hinterlands, where there is a scarcity of quali- fied technicians trained in the science of pumping. Still, 2018 will be the year of living dangerously in the state that was settled by people who trekked there on the Oregon Trail, through the territory of Native Americans hostile to Manifest Destiny. Oregon is one of two states that ban self-service filling stations. The other is almost-as-deep-blue New Jersey. There the ban is straightforward, no-damned- nonsense-about-anything- else protectionism: The point is to spare full-service gas stations from competing with self-service stations that having lower labor costs, have lower prices. Oregon’s Legislature of- fers 17 reasons “it is in the public interest to maintain a prohibition on the self-ser- vice dispensing of Class 1 flammable liquids” – aka, gas- oline, which you put in your car’s “Class 1 flammable liq- uids tank.” The first reason is: The dispensing of such liq- uids “by dispensers properly trained in appropriate safety procedures reduces fire haz- ards.” This presumably refers to the many conflagrations regularly occurring at filling stations throughout the 48 states where 96 percent of Americans live lives jeop- ardized by state legislators who are negligent regarding their nanny-state duty to as- sume that their constituents are imbeciles. Among Oregon’s 16 other reasons are: Service station cashiers are often unable to “give undivided attention” to the rank amateurs dispensing flammable liquids. When purchasers of such liquids leave their vehicles they risk “crime,” and “personal injury” from slick surfaces. (“Ore- gon’s weather is uniquely ad- verse”; i.e., it rains there.) “Ex- posure to toxic fumes.” Senior citizens or persons with dis- abilities might have to pay a higher cost at a full-service pump, which would be dis- criminatory. When people pump gas without the help of “trained and certified” spe- cialists, no specialists peer under the hood to administer prophylactic maintenance, thereby “endangering both the customer and other mo- torists and resulting in un- necessary and costly repairs.” Self-service “has contributed to diminishing the avail- ability of automotive repair facilities at gasoline stations” without providing – note the adjective – “sustained” re- duction in gas prices. Self- service causes unemploy- ment. And “small children left unattended” by novice gas pumpers “creates a dan- gerous situation.” So there. Oregon’s Solomonic deci- sion – freedom to pump in rural counties; everywhere else, unthinkable – terrified some Oregonians: “No! Dis- abled, seniors, people with young children in the car need help. Not to mention getting out of your car with transients around and not feeling safe too. This is a very bad idea.” “Not a good idea, there are lots of rea- sons to have an attendant helping, one is they need a job too. Many people are not capable of knowing how to pump gas and the hazards of not doing it correctly. Be- sides I don’t want to go to work smelling of gas.” The complainers drew complaints: “You put the gas in your car not shower in it princess.” “If your only marketable job skill is being able to pump gas, by god, move to Oregon and you will have reached the promised land.” “Pumped my own gas my whole life and now my hands have lit- erally melted down to my wrists. I’m typing this with my tongue.” These days, civic discourse is not for shrinking violets. To be fair, when Orego- nians flinch from a rendez- vous with an unattended gas pump, progressive gov- ernment has done its duty, as it understands this. It wants the governed to become used to having things done for them, as by “trained and certified” gas pumpers. Progressives are proud believers in pro- viding experts – usually themselves – to help the rest of us cope with life. The only downside is that as Alexis de Tocqueville an- ticipated, such government, by being the “shepherd” of the governed, can “take away from them entirely the trouble of thinking” and keep them “fixed irrevo- cably in childhood.” George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group. In Oregon, progressivism spills over at the pump TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE Still, 2018 will be the year of living dangerously in the state that was settled by people who trekked there on the Oregon Trail, through the territory of Native Americans hostile to Manifest Destiny. 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 JANUARY 16, 2018 Welcomes Be sure to visit us At our Lounge AnD register to win our speciAL prize pAckAge. january 20th Noon — 8P.M. The ARC at Camana Bay Rescued boater goes missing again Six months after being found at sea, West Bay man reported missing JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.cm A Caymanian boater who said he survived five weeks adrift at sea before being res- cued off the coast of Mexico last year, is missing again. Family and friends of Ed- ward Hendricks Hyde say he was last seen between Dec. 26 and Dec. 29 and they fear for his safety again. Marcel Archer, a family friend, said it was unknown whether Mr. Hyde was on land or at sea and his family was concerned. Mr. Hyde was feared dead in July last year after he and his friend Chadwick Bodden failed to return on schedule from a trip in their 30-foot, canoe-style boat. He was found alive and adrift off the coast of Mexico by fishermen on July 30. Mr. Bodden was not with him and did not survive the ordeal. Mr. Hyde later told the Cayman Compass how the boat had suffered engine problems just a few hours after they left Grand Cayman. He said he had survived by eating seaweed and a small shark that he had been able to catch. Despite the traumatic experience and losing his friend on the trip, he told the Compass at the time that he would have no issue going back to sea. “I’m a seaman. On the water I feel at home,” he said. “It is my playground, my workplace, my passion. I love the ocean and I want to be back out there soon.” Police issued a missing persons alert for Mr. Hyde, 39, from West Bay, late last week. He is described as me- dium build, about 5’ 8” in height, and mixed race of light complexion. Police separately issued another missing persons alert for another West Bay man, James Orville Ebanks, who was last seen on Dec. 30. It is not known if the two cases are connected. Officers are conducting ongoing enquiries in an ef- fort to locate both men. Anyone with information can call West Bay Police Station at 949-3999. WEBB’S SENIOR COUNSEL WITHDRAWS FROM CASE BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The attorney of record for Cayman’s Jeffrey Webb in the FIFA corruption case will withdraw from rep- resenting Mr. Webb, ac- cording to documents filed Friday by the Clifford Chance Law firm. Edward O’Callaghan, who has represented Mr. Webb since his May 27, 2015 arrest in Zurich, Swit- zerland, is no longer affili- ated with the firm. “Mr. Webb continues to be represented by other attorneys from Clifford Chance U.S. LLP,” noted the court records, signed by at- torney Ernie Gao, who has also represented Mr. Webb. Mr. Webb’s sentencing date in the FIFA matter is now March 7, to take place at 10 a.m. in the U.S. Dis- trict Court, Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn. Mr. Webb, a former FIFA vice president, pleaded guilty to seven counts in a federal court indictment alleging he and dozens of other defendants con- spired to rig sports mar- keting contracts for var- ious world football events in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes. A number of other de- fendants, including former Cayman Islands resi- dent Costas Takkas, have pleaded guilty in the FIFA case. Mr. Takkas received a 15-month sentence on one charge against him last year, with 10 months off for time already served in Swiss detention awaiting extradition to the U.S. The scheme described by U.S. prosecutors alleged Mr. Webb and others at FIFA solicited bribes from sports marketing compa- nies in exchange for di- recting lucrative broad- casting and commercial rights deals for various football tournaments to the bribe-payers. Dozens of U.S. banks were used to make those alleged bribe payments to Mr. Webb and others, prosecutors said. New in-store distillery opens JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Tortuga Rum Com- pany is producing and mar- keting its first Cayman- made rum. The company, famous for its rum cakes and liquor stores, has built a new dis- tillery at its store in Seven Mile Shops. Visitors get a literal window into the production process. The distillery, behind a large glass window, can be seen from the shop and tour- ists can learn how rum is made and bottle their own to take home. “It brings a new expe- rience to the store,” said Robert Hamaty, owner of the company. “There have been some changes in the industry and we have to do something a little different.” The still produces small batches of rum for sale at that location only. Mr. Hamaty said if the venture was successful, he would try the same thing at his West Bay store. Jordan Telford, the dis- tiller, said he would show tourists how the process works and they would have the chance to taste the rum and take it home. “The focus is on quality, not quantity,” he added. He said he was happy with the results of the first batch but believed the rum would get better with age. Michael Delevante, who designed the still, said he believed the rum could be as good as any produced in the Caribbean. “It is very good already, but aging is going to make it better,” he added. Edward Hendricks Hyde, pictured above during an interview with the Compass in August 2017, has been reported missing. He was last seen in late December, police said. – PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY Family and friends of Edward Hendricks Hyde say he was last seen between Dec. 26 and Dec. 29 and they fear for his safety again. Distiller Jordan Telford pours the first bottle of Tortuga’s Cayman-made rum for company owner Robert Hamaty. – PHOTO: GARY FRANKLIN Jeffrey WebbThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY, JAN. 16 NRA ROADWORK: Beginning today the National Roads Authority will begin work to extend the guardrail on Seaview Road in East End. The work is expected to be completed in two weeks. Motorist are urged to use extra caution when driving in this area. SEAFARERS: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association holds its yearly Council Nomination General Meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Seafarers Hall, 11 Victory Ave., Prospect. Buses will be provided from West Bay Town Hall at 6 p.m. A bus route has been added in George Town, leaving the public library parking area at 7 p.m., stopping at the Cayman Compass building and the Airport Foster’s. The bus is marked Bobo $1 Public transport and is blue in color; there is no charge. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17 BRAC DLP VISIT: Representatives from the Department of Labour and Pensions will visit Cayman Brac today and tomorrow to assist clients with any issues or disputes. The DLP officials will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and reopen from 5 to 7 p.m. to serve clients after work hours. On Thursday, employers and employees can meet with representatives from 9 a.m. until noon. The Cayman Brac DLP office is located at 256 Creek Road. Appointments can be made by contacting Gene Hydes, Head of Inspections, via email at gene.hydes@gov.ky or by calling 244-4008. Walk-ins are also welcome. DVDL LATE HOURS: The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing Crewe Road office will remain open longer on Wednesdays this month. The office will open as normal at 8:30 a.m. but close later at 7 p.m. All other days – Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays – the office will operate as usual from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. THURSDAY, JAN. 18 THROUGH IVAN’S EYE: National Gallery, 6-8 p.m. Members’ reception for opening of exhibit Through Ivan’s Eye, photographs by Gretchen Allen. Open to public until Thursday, March 1. PUB QUIZ: The Humane Society Quiz Night is 7 p.m. at Fidel’s. $10 per person. Teams maximum of six each. Reserve a table with Sarah at 949-5189 or sarah.dyer.81@gmail.com. FRIDAY, JAN. 19 CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING: Today is the last day to recycle natural Christmas trees, which the Department of Environmental Health will turn into mulch. All wires and ornaments should be removed from trees before they are placed into collection bins located at Ed Bush Stadium, West Bay; George Town Cricket Field; George Town landfill public drop-off area; Spotts Dock; Entrance of Frank Sound Road; Front of George Dixon Park, East End. MUZAIC: The annual DJ Showcase, organized by the Cayman Music and Entertainment Association, takes place at Margaritaville Bar and Restaurant from 5 p.m. $10 cover charge. SATURDAY, JAN. 20 CLOTHES SALE: Clothes Sale to benefit One Dog At a Time. Montessori School of Grand Cayman, South Sound, 8-11 a.m. Many bargains, including designer clothes at everyday prices, and a wide selection of ladies’, men’s and children’s items too. FREE MULCH: Natural Christmas trees placed in collection bins by Jan. 19 will be shredded and made available as free mulch at the George Town Cricket Field today from around 8 a.m. Mulch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Residents are invited to come out early and to bring their shovels and bags for the removal of the mulch. MUZAIC: Young Musicians Showcase, 1-5 p.m. at Harquail Theater. Free admission. Organized by Cayman Music and Entertainment Assoc. Musical Salute at Da Station Bar, 5 p.m. till midnight. SUNDAY, JAN. 21 FAMILY FUN DAY: The Annual Family Fun Day takes place at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, hosted by The Garden Club of Grand Cayman, in conjunction with the Botanic Park. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. $5 adult admission charge for the event gives full access to the park for the day. Children younger than 16 are admitted free. Activities include children’s lawn games, a magic show, a children’s craft table, a tombola, plant sale, children’s feel, touch and learn nature table, face painting and a butterfly trail. Refreshments for sale, including baked goods and juices. CMEA MUZAIC AWARDS: Ceremony takes place at Harquail Theater. Gates open at 6 p.m. MONDAY, JAN. 22 HEROES DAY: National Heroes Day celebrations take place in Heroes Square, George Town and all are invited. The public should be seated by 8:30 a.m. with the awards ceremony beginning at 9 a.m. promptly. This will be followed by a sports exhibition in George Town Town Hall featuring displays from sports associations. There will also be local food and live entertainment at the family friendly event. For further information, contact the Protocol Office at telephone 244-3612, or via the email nationalevents@gov.ky. LIVE MUSICIANS SHOWCASE: Event organized by Cayman Music and Entertainment Assoc. at Margaritaville Bar and Restaurant, from 3 p.m. $10 cover charge. SUNDAY, JAN. 28 HATTITUDE: The National Trust gala brunch takes place at Ristorante Pappagallo 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Trust members, $100. Non-members, $125. Kids ages 3 to 12, $50. Theme is “Fantasea,” to bring awareness to plastic pollution and ocean conservation. Guests are encouraged to draw inspiration from the ocean when dressing for the occasion, whether in full regalia or just highlighted by choice of hat. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31 OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIPS: Today is the deadline to apply for government overseas scholarships for the 2018/2019 academic year. Anyone planning to apply 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. GENERAL INTEREST LOBSTER SEASON: The open season for lobster runs until 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 taking of lobster (or any marine life other than lionfish) while scuba diving. CONCH AND WHELK SEASON: The open season for conch and whelk runs until 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. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed evenings. Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. OPEN CANVAS: Every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society supports this event at KARoo Restaurant located in Camana Bay. 7-11 p.m. No fee. Easels provided for artist of all levels to come out and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Email info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail. com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Mondays, 7 p.m. For details, contact Virginia Castillo at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., GT. All are invited to attend. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacyman.com. ROTARACT BLUE OF CAYMAN: Meets Wednesdays 6 p.m., at Royal Palms Beach Club, West Bay Road. Contact rotaractblue@gmail.com or www.rotaractblue.org. LEO CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 6:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, contact Secretary Letisha Allen at 924-2819. THE LIONS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, email LionsClubGCM@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit next to the MLA’s office). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. website at www.rotarysunrise.ky or contact info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at Britannia Golf Course Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing Crewe Road office will remain open longer, until 7 p.m. on Wednesdays this month.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2018 Professional Certificate in Human Resource Practice (CHRP) The University of Portsmouth is once again bringing this highly successful HR programme to the Cayman Islands – commencing 27 February 2018 The Professional Certificate in HR Practice will develop your HR knowledge and skills if: 1. You are working in HR or personnel administration or you want to work in HR, or 2. You are an administrator, a team leader, a supervisor or a manager looking to develop your HR management skills 3. It is also an entry route to a Master’s Degree in HRM (anticipated starting date, late 2018) 20 days of HR classes are delivered on-island in 6 daytime workshops from February 2018 to September 2018, the classes cover: • The role of HR and the business context: 4 days • Talent planning, recruitment and selection interviewing: 4 days • Managing performance, appraisal interviewing and rewarding employees: 4 days • Managing HR information and Continuous Professional Development (CPD): 4 days (2 x 2 days) • Labour law and PSML – employment relations, discipline, dismissal, discrimination and gender equality: 4 days What our students say: “Enrolling on this CHRP programme was the one of the best decisions I have made in my career and I am now in an HR Manager’s position.” “Thank you so much Miss Marjorie and Mr Stephen for investing your time and knowledge, your style of teaching makes learning unforgettable.” “This HR course has been a totally engaging experience and it has exposed me to real HR experiences – the classroom experience was phenomenal!” Develop HR skills, become CIPD qualified and boost your career - too good an opportunity to miss! Contact Miss Marjorie, University of Portsmouth, to reserve your place: marjorie.corbridge@port.ac.uk Check out the website: www.port.ac.uk/caymanchrp University Faculty with extensive international HR experience include: Marjorie Corbridge, Gary Rees and Stephen Pilbeam tap into its £13 billion devel- opment aid budget, which is ring fenced to fight poverty in developing countries. The U.K. committed to meeting a United Nations target of spending 0.7 per- cent of its Gross National In- come – which translates to around £13 billion – on devel- opment aid. It passed legisla- tion making this a legal re- quirement in 2015. The debate now cen- ters around what can be classified as “develop- ment aid” for the purpose of meeting that target. Amid protests from British politicians, the OECD, which monitors development spending for the United Na- tions, has agreed to look again at its rules on how aid budgets can be spent. Following a meeting of member countries in No- vember, the organization’s Development Assistance Committee agreed to inves- tigate establishing a pro- cess for releasing short-term funding for countries im- pacted by “catastrophic hu- manitarian crises.” U.K. politicians and the British press declared this a victory, with Priti Patel, in- ternational development sec- retary at the time, claiming, “We’ve made huge progress on ensuring official develop- ment assistance can be used when vulnerable nations are struck by crises or nat- ural disasters.” However, there was no firm commitment from the OECD to change the rules and it is unlikely that, even if proposed reforms are passed, that the Cayman Islands would qualify for develop- ment aid. Islands like An- guilla would be more likely to benefit from any change. Premier Alden McLaughlin has led lobbying efforts on behalf of the U.K.’s overseas territories for greater finan- cial aid and strategic sup- port in the aftermath of nat- ural disasters. He has not directly ad- dressed the issue of whether this should come from the U.K.’s foreign aid budget or other sources, but made a general call for more fi- nancial aid following a meeting with leaders of other overseas territories in Miami in November. “Due to the damage in- flicted on these islands,” Mr. McLaughlin said at the time, “they will need to access sig- nificantly more in recon- struction funds.” “The devastation is such that their economies are in danger of long-term damage unless they receive financial assistance – in the short term for disaster relief – but in the medium to long term to re- build infrastructure and to enable them to maintain their economic base,” he added. A spokeswoman for the Office of the Premier said this week that efforts to im- prove support for territo- ries during hurricane season were ongoing. She said money, though vital, was only one aspect. Priorities outlined by the premier’s office also include better preparation ahead of time with adequate ships and supplies stationed in the re- gion and more coordinated tactical planning before hur- ricane season. It has also proposed the concept of a regional emer- gency management body to improve preparation and co- operation between the territo- ries as well as greater cooper- ation and pooling of resources between the U.K., U.S., France and the Netherlands, which all have territories in the region. The Cayman Islands is also seeking an improved agreement regarding help with restoring the electricity grid and water in the after- math of natural disasters. announcing the stock buy- back that Health City had earned US$21.3 million in the six months that ended with Sept. 30, 2017. Now, as the full owner and controller of the Health City, Narayana Health can better control the hospital’s future. “We have a great rela- tionship with Ascension. It was just a timing for them to refocus their energy on domestic things back in the U.S.,” Mr. Thompson said. “Part of the reason they in- vested is to learn about Dr. Shetty’s model, to under- stand the model and under- stand how it works. I guess they’ve felt like they’ve done that well enough. They’ve spent 3.5 years with us, so they decided to move on.” John D. Doyle, the execu- tive vice president of Ascen- sion, was not immediately available for comment on Monday, but he released an official statement as part of a press release in November that explained his compa- ny’s decision to transition full ownership of the facility to Narayana Health. “Our goal was to address unmet needs of residents of the greater Caribbean re- gion and beyond, particu- larly those who are poor and vulnerable, while exploring ways to learn about different approaches to providing healthcare that might benefit our facilities in the United States and worldwide,” he said. “Our objective has been less about owning hospitals in other countries, but rather about helping those hos- pitals achieve success and sustainability by offering services such as resource and supply management and biomedical engineering through Ascension’s Solu- tions Division subsidiaries.” of one of the little girls, Rowyn Bush, who helped with the cleanup. The remote North Side beach is hardly the only waterfront stretch in the Cayman Islands to have been affected by an in- flux of garbage. It is a problem the vol- unteer group Plastic-Free Cayman has been attempting to address, in partner- ship with Red Sail Sports, since last year. Since beginning efforts in September 2017 at Colliers Beach in East End, the group has collected thousands of pounds of trash from wa- terfront areas around Grand Cayman. Nearly 500 pounds were gathered during the Colliers cleanup. The next month, 1,100 pounds were gathered from Beach Bay in Bodden Town. Since then, the group has been involved in cleanups at Barkers park in West Bay, the George Town Barcadere and Hog Sty Bay along the George Town waterfront. The next cleanup is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 4, starting at 8 a.m. in SafeHaven. The Sister Islands have seen their share of trash on local beaches as well, with some more well-known tourist areas like Point of Sand in Little Cayman being cleaned up on a regular, if voluntary, basis. “Every bit helps,” said local schoolteacher Claire Hughes. “Every single bottle picked up is one that doesn’t break down into microplas- tics,” which are tiny pieces of polyethelene that can get into water and food supplies. Ms. Hughes started Plastic-Free Cayman last year. The group has led some significant volunteer turn- outs and had good progress in cleaning up beaches that otherwise might not receive much attention. However, Ms. Hughes has acknowl- edged that unless overall consumption habits change, the group is fighting an uphill battle. “You can [do] beach cleans every week, but unless you start reducing plastic pol- lution, you’re going to have major problems,” she said. Ashley Rossy of Red Sail Sports said the cleanups make local beaches look pris- tine, but “a week or so later, the plastic will be back.” “It’s everywhere, it’s dif- ficult to make a dent,” Ms. Rossy said. “But the cleanups are bringing more aware- ness to the community and more people are going out and doing their own cleanups as well.” Ms. Hughes said single- use plastics, such as straws, bags, plastic bottles and plastic cups, are the “big four” when it comes to ocean pollution, and notes that much of the refuse ending up on Cayman’s shores does not necessarily come from here. “We’ve been able to track a lot of stuff back to Haiti and the Dominican Republic,” she said. “Residents on these islands sometimes don’t have anywhere to dump their trash, so they just throw it into the sea. “We’re addicted to it [plastic] really. It’s become so convenient for us that we don’t think twice about it. Fifty years ago, we didn’t have these things.” Narayana Health completes stock buyback of Health City Narayana Health completed a stock buyback for Health City last week, purchasing more than 70 percent of the company from its American partner for US$32.26 million. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ‘Where’s the beach?’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Local kids confront a pile of trash in Beach Bay last October as part of a Plastic-Free Cayman cleanup effort. – PHOTO: BRENT FULLER International aid rules limit UK’s disaster relief to its territories CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The British Virgin Islands was among the Caribbean islands that suffered catastrophic damage in Hurricane Irma. Several Caribbean islands were hit by Hurricanes Irma and Maria last summer and are still recovering from the storms. - PHOTO: U.K. MINISTRY OF DEFENCEThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Russia conducts massive missile drills The Russian military is conducting massive drills involving truck-mounted intercontinental ballistic missile launchers. The Defense Ministry said the exercise will focus on the deployment of missiles and fending off possible attacks by enemy scouts, but will not involve practice launches. US planning to cut aid money for Palestinian refugees WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is pre- paring to withhold tens of millions of dollars from the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, cutting the year’s first contribution by more than half or perhaps entirely, and making additional do- nations contingent on major changes to the organization, according to U.S. officials. President Donald Trump has not made a final decision, but appears more likely to send only $60 million of the planned $125 million first in- stallment to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, said the officials, who were not autho- rized to publicly discuss the matter and spoke on condi- tion of anonymity. Future contributions would require the agency, facing heavy Israeli criticism, to demonstrate significant changes in operations, they said, adding that one sug- gestion under consideration would require the Palestin- ians to first re-enter peace talks with Israel. The State Department said Sunday that “the deci- sion is under review. There are still deliberations taking place.” The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the matter. The administration could announce its decision as early as Tuesday, the officials said. The plan to withhold some of the money is backed by Secretary of State Rex Til- lerson and Defense Secretary James Mattis, who offered it as a compromise to demands for more drastic measures by U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, the officials said. Haley wants a complete cutoff in U.S. money until the Palestinians resume peace talks with Israel that have been frozen for years. But Til- lerson, Mattis and others say ending all assistance would exacerbate instability in the Mideast, notably in Jordan, a host to hundreds of thou- sands of Palestinian refu- gees and a crucial U.S. stra- tegic partner. In another sign of the growing tensions in the re- gion, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas railed at Trump in a fiery, two-hour- long speech on Sunday, saying “shame on you” for his treatment of the Palestinians and warning that he would have no problem rejecting what he suggested would be an unacceptable peace plan. The speech by Abbas ratch- eted up what has been more than a month of harsh rhet- oric toward Trump since the president’s recognition of Je- rusalem as Israel’s capital The U.S. is the Relief and Works Agency’s largest donor, supplying nearly 30 per- cent of its total budget. The agency focuses on providing healthcare, education and so- cial services to Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians either fled or were forced from their homes during the war that led to Is- rael’s establishment in 1948. Today, there are an estimated 5 million refugees and their descendants, mostly scat- tered across the region. Eliminating or sharply re- ducing the U.S. contribution could hamstring the agency and severely curtail its work, putting great pressure on Jordan and Lebanon as well as the Palestinian Authority. Gaza would be particularly hard hit. Some officials, in- cluding Israelis, warn that it might push people closer to the militant Hamas move- ment, which controls Gaza. The U.S. officials said any reduction in American assis- tance could be accompanied by calls for European nations and others to help make up the shortfall. The U.S. donated $355 mil- lion in 2016 and was set to make a similar contribution this year; the first installment was to have sent this month. But after a highly critical Jan. 2 tweet from Trump on aid to the Palestinians, the State Department opted to wait for a formal policy de- cision before sending any of the $125 million. Trump’s tweet expressed frustration over the lack of progress in his attempts to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and he pointed the finger at the Pal- estinians. “We pay the Pales- tinians HUNDREDS OF MIL- LIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or re- spect,” he said. “But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?” Although Trump referred to all U.S. assistance to the Palestinians, the contribution to the refugee agency would be the first to be affected. Three days after the tweet, at a Jan. 5 White House meeting, senior national secu- rity officials try to find a way forward. Led by representa- tives from the State Depart- ment and Pentagon, all but one of the members of the “Policy Coordination Com- mittee” agreed to continue the funding, officials said. The lone holdout was Hal- ey’s representative, who in- sisted that Trump’s tweet had set the policy and the money must be cut off, the officials said. The meeting ended in a stalemate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then weighed in, telling his Cab- inet that he agreed with the critique of the agency. He said the agency only perpet- uates problems and should cease operating in the re- gion. Netanyahu and other Israelis accuse it of contrib- uting to Palestinian militancy and allowing its facilities to be used by militants. They have also complained that some of its staff are biased against Israel. Netanyahu suggested transferring the agency’s budget to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, which aids refugee matters everywhere in the world. It was not immediately clear whether any withheld U.S. assistance would be shifted. Netanyahu’s position, cou- pled with Haley’s firm op- position to the funding, led Tillerson, with the support of Mattis, to propose the $60 million compromise, the officials said. Trump, whose Jeru- salem decision last year upset the Palestinians along with the announcing plans to move the U.S. Em- bassy to the holy city, was said by one official to have expressed cautious backing of the compromise. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a meeting with the Palestinian Central Council, a top decision-making body, at his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Sunday. – PHOTO: AP Major UK state contractor collapses, putting 43,000 jobs at risk LONDON (AP) – One of the British state’s biggest con- tractors collapsed Monday, putting thousands of jobs at risk, after creditors and the government refused to bail out a company strug- gling under the weight of more than 1.5 billion pounds (US$2.1 billion) of debt. Carillion said it had no choice but to go into com- pulsory liquidation after weekend talks with creditors failed to get the short-term fi- nancing it needed to continue operating. The construc- tion and services company is working on major public works projects, such as the HS2 rail line in northern Eng- land, while also maintaining prisons, cleaning hospitals and providing school lunches. “This is a very sad day for Carillion, for our colleagues, suppliers and customers that we have been proud to serve over many years,” Chairman Philip Green said. The company employs 43,000 people worldwide who now face the risk of redun- dancy. Almost half of them are in the U.K., though Car- illion has a presence also in Canada and the Middle East. Carillion has been strug- gling to reorganize for the past six months amid debts of about 900 million pounds (US$1.24 billion) and a pen- sion deficit of 590 million pounds. Carillion’s share price has plunged 70 percent in the last six months. Britain’s government re- fused to rescue Carillion, saying it could not be ex- pected to bail out a private company. In the meantime, it said it would provide the necessary funding to main- tain public services. “It is of course disap- pointing that Carillion has become insolvent, but our primary responsibility has always been [to] keep our essential public ser- vices running safely,” said David Lidington, head of the Cabinet Office. But questions remain about why the government continued to award contracts to the firm – even after it was having troubles. The op- position Labour Party said the government must move quickly to protect public ser- vices and ensure employees, supply chain companies, tax- payers and pension fund members are protected. “Given 2 billion pounds worth of government con- tracts were awarded in the time three profit warnings were given by Carillion, a se- rious investigation needs to be launched into the Gov- ernment’s handling of this matter,” said Labour law- maker Jon Trickett. As critics debated the wisdom of contracting out civic services to private en- tities, Lidington rejected the notion that there would be a fire sale of assets. He said government departments had drawn contingency plans to be activated in the event of a collapse. In cases of joint partners on a contract, the other part- ners will take up the slack. “As we go forward, some services will be taken in house, some services will go out to alternative contrac- tors in a managed, orderly fashion,” he told the BBC. Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman, James Slack, denied that the government had been taken by surprise by the firm’s collapse. He said some of Carillion’s 450 public sector contracts might have to be taken over by the govern- ment, but there would not be a huge cost to taxpayers. David Birne, insolvency partner at chartered accoun- tants H W Fisher & Com- pany comments, said in a statement that it is ex- tremely unusual for a com- pany of Carillion’s size to opt for liquidation rather than administration. “It suggests there is little, if anything, of value within the company to be saved. Al- most every big insolvency in recent years has been a move towards administra- tion rather than liquida- tion,” he said “For Carillion’s 43,000 global staff, liquida- tion means the immediate risk of redundancy.” A crane bearing the name of Carillion at a construction site in central London, Monday. – PHOTO: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2018 Trump defends self: ‘I’m not a racist’ WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – President Donald Trump, on the defensive in the wake of recent disparaging com- ments about Haiti and Af- rican nations that have re- vived questions about whether the leader of the world’s melting pot is a racist, declared Sunday that he is not one. “No, No. I’m not a racist,” Trump told reporters who asked for his response to those who think he is a racist. “I am the least racist person you have ever inter- viewed. That I can tell you.” Trump also denied making the statements attributed to him, but avoided delving into the specifics of what he did or did not say. “Did you see what var- ious senators in the room said about my comments?” he asked, referring to law- makers who were meeting with him in the Oval Office on Thursday when Trump is said to have made the com- ments. “They weren’t made.” Trump stands accused of using “shithole” to describe African countries during an immigration meeting with a bipartisan group of six sen- ators. The president, in the meeting, also questioned the need to admit more Hai- tians to the U.S., according to people who were briefed on the conversation but were not authorized to describe the meeting publicly. Trump said in the meeting that he would prefer immi- grants from countries like Norway instead. The White House has not denied that Trump said “shit- hole” though Trump has al- ready pushed back on some depictions of the meeting. A confidant of Trump’s told The Associated Press that the president spent Thursday evening calling friends and outside advisers to judge their reaction to his remarks. Trump was not apologetic and denied he was racist, in- stead blaming the media for distorting his meaning, said the confidant, who wasn’t au- thorized to disclose a private conversation and spoke on condition of anonymity. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illi- nois, the only Democrat at Thursday’s meeting, said Trump had indeed said what he was reported to have said. Durbin said the remarks were “vile, hate-filled and clearly racial in their content.” He said Trump used the most vulgar term “more than once.” Trump commented as Durbin was presenting details of a compromise immigration plan that included providing $1.6 billion for a first install- ment of the president’s long- sought border wall. Trump took particular issue with the idea that people who’d fled to the U.S. after disasters hit their homes in places such as El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti would be allowed to stay as part of the deal, ac- cording to the people, who spoke on condition of ano- nymity because they were not authorized to publicly de- scribe the discussion. When it came to talk of extending protections for Haitians, Durbin said Trump replied, “We don’t need more Haitians.’” “He said, ‘Put me down for wanting more Europeans to come to this country. Why don’t we get more people from Norway?’” Durbin said. Republican Sens. David Perdue of Georgia and Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who also attended the meeting, initially said in a state- ment Friday that they “do not recall the president saying these comments specifically.”On Sunday, they backtracked and challenged other senators’ descriptions of the remarks. Perdue described as a “gross misrepresentation” re- ports that Trump used the vulgarity. He said Durbin and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina were mistaken in indicating that was the case. Graham also attended the meeting. “I am telling you that he did not use that word. And I’m telling you it’s a gross misrepresentation,” Perdue said on ABC’s “This Week.” Cotton told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that he “didn’t hear” the word used – “and I was sitting no further away from Donald Trump than Dick Durbin was.” Trump insisted in a tweet on Friday that he “never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said ‘take them out.’ Made up by Dems.” Trump wrote, “I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians. Probably should record fu- ture meetings – unfortu- nately, no trust!” Word of Trump’s com- ments threatened to upend delicate negotiations over re- solving the status of hun- dreds of thousands of immi- grants who were brought to the country illegally as chil- dren. Trump announced last year that he will end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals pro- gram, or DACA, unless law- makers come up with a solution by March. The pro- gram shielded these immi- grants, often referred to as “Dreamers,” from depor- tation and granted them work permits. Trump tweeted earlier Sunday that the program is “probably dead” and blamed Democrats. He elaborated on the way to dinner with House Majority Leader Kevin Mc- Carthy, R-Calif., saying Dem- ocrats “don’t want to help the DACA people.” Some Democrats have threatened to vote against legislation to extend gov- ernment funding, which ex- pires on Friday, unless pro- tections for the Dreamers are included. “Honestly I don’t think the Democrats want to make a deal,” Trump said. “I think they talk about DACA, but they don’t want to help the DACA people.” Trump said Democrats aren’t in favor of securing the border or stopping the flow of drugs, but are for taking money away from the military. “We have a lot of sticking points but they’re all Dem- ocrat sticking points. We are ready, willing and able to make a deal, but they don’t want to.” Airbus could abandon A380 superjumbo amid lackluster sales PARIS (AP) – Airbus said Monday it will stop making the costly A380 superjumbo if it cannot strike a long- term deal with the airline Emirates for a steady supply of the planes. Abandoning the A380 would be a disappointing de- feat for Airbus, which spent many years and many bil- lions developing the double- decker behemoth, even as skeptics questioned the whether it could generate enough demand to justify its cost and the bigger run- ways it requires. Airbus chief salesman John Leahy told reporters Monday, when Airbus oth- erwise reported a record number of overall plane de- liveries for 2017, that “if we can’t work out a deal with Emirates, there is no choice but to shut down the program.” He said the Dubai-based airline is “the only one who has the ability” to commit to a minimum of six planes a year for a minimum of eight to 10 years, which Airbus needs to make the program viable. Emirates, the government- owned, Dubai-based long- haul carrier, declined to im- mediately comment. The A380 drew worldwide attention when launched a decade ago but has always struggled to win enough cus- tomers. Airbus delivered just 15 of the planes last year, and aims to deliver 12 more this year and could scale down production to six per year after that CEO Fabrice Bregier said. Emirates now relies solely on the Airbus 380 and the Boeing 777 for its flights, making it the largest oper- ator of both. It has over 160 Boeing 777s in its fleet today and took possession of its 100th A380 in November. Reports circulated before the Dubai Air Show in No- vember that a major A380 sale would be coming. Instead, however, Airbus employees found themselves attending a news confer- ence where Emirates an- nounced the purchase of 40 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners in a $15.1 billion deal. The air show ended without an A380 deal, throwing the line into question. Monday’s announcement came as Airbus said it had sold 1,109 planes, outstrip- ping the 912 commercial planes sold by rival Boeing thanks to a raft of end-of- year deals, a growing global economy and increased travel demand. The planemaker, based in Toulouse, France, reported Monday that it delivered 718 planes in 2017, fewer than Boeing’s 763 but still a re- cord for Airbus. Bregier said Airbus will speed up production in the coming year, notably of its long-delayed widebody A350, and hopes to out-deliver Boeing by 2020. Bregier, who’s being re- placed next month by Guilaume Faury as Airbus overhauls its top manage- ment, acknowledged “chal- lenges” ahead but called them “manageable.” Airbus is facing mul- tiple corruption investiga- tions, notably in Britain, France and Austria. SOUTH AFRICA SUMMONS U.S. DIPLOMAT TO EXPLAIN TRUMP COMMENT JOHANNESBURG (AP) – South Africa summoned the United States’ senior diplomat in the capital Pretoria on Monday over President Donald Trump’s recent disparaging com- ments about African na- tions and Haiti. Trump has been ac- cused of describing Af- rican nations as “shit- hole countries” during a meeting with U.S. sena- tors last week. He has de- nied making the statements as well as ensuing accusa- tions that he is racist. South Africa’s foreign ministry said in a state- ment on Sunday that it planned to call on the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires on Monday to provide an op- portunity “to explain the statement that African countries constitute ‘shit- holes’ from where migrants into the United States are undesirable.” “Relations between South Africa and the United States, and between the rest of Africa and the United States, must be based on mutual respect and understanding,” the statement from South Af- rica’s Department of Inter- national Relations and Co- operation said. The U.S. Embassy con- firmed receipt of the government’s request on Monday. “We agree to the im- portance of strong rela- tions between South Africa and the United States that are based on mutual re- spect and understanding,” U.S. Embassy spokes- woman Cindy Harvey said in a statement. Trump’s comments were met with wide- spread consternation in Africa, with an African Union spokeswoman saying the body was “frankly alarmed.” “Given the historical reality of how many Afri- cans arrived in the United States as slaves, this statement flies in the face of all accepted behavior and practice,” AU spokes- woman Ebba Kalondo said. The governments of Namibia and Botswana have also condemned the comments. The U.S. Embassy in Pretoria said on Friday that the U.S. commitment to Africa’s “continued growth and success is un- wavering. Our progress forward will not be di- verted by anything con- trary to those goals.” Trump stands accused of using “shithole” to describe African countries during an immigration meeting with a bipartisan group of six senators. Airbus says it will stop making its costly A380 superjumbo if it can’t strike a long-term deal with Emirates airline for a steady supply of the planes. – PHOTO: APNext >