ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2018 High of 84 Low of 75 Seas: Moderate with wave heights of 3-5 feet today, rough with wave heights of 5-7 feet tonight. Small craft warning is in effect. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ‘BREXIT’ AND ‘BLACKLIST’: CAYMAN STUCK BETWEEN THE UK AND THE EU? BUSINESS | PAGE 10 UK NEWSPAPER TIES EU BLACKLIST TO BREXIT Auditor general identifies government’s ‘biggest losers’ BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands auditor general has revealed the government entities with the largest financial losses, stating that most – if not all of them – cannot continue operating without significant future taxpayer support. The biggest losers, at least on paper, for 2016 were the Cayman Turtle Centre and the National Housing Development Trust. However, a number of other public enti- ties are receiving millions per year in extra cash from public coffers as well, including Cayman Airways Ltd., the Health Services Authority and the Cayman Islands De- velopment Bank. For instance, in the 2015/16 budget – the latest figures available – auditors noted Cayman Airways Ltd., the national air- line, posted a $14.1 million operating loss – meaning its revenues were much lower than expenses. However, because central govern- ment paid $17.3 million to support the air- line’s operation that year, it ended up posting a $3.2 million “surplus.” Between 2012 and 2016, the Cayman Is- lands government paid more than $86 million in “output funding” toward the national airline to help it continue. It was not all bad news for Cayman Air- ways. Auditors noted the airline had reduced its debts significantly over the same period and that total annual revenues had increased year-on-year since 2012. “The entity is still a long way from finan- cial stability as at June 30, 2016,” Ms. Win- spear’s report noted. “The improvements in the financial performance and position of CAL are encouraging, but it must be stressed that in the event government decides to discontinue financial support, CAL would unlikely to be able to continue operating ….” TAXI CONCERNS PERSIST AMID RECORD YEAR FOR TOURISM Deloitte fare review still in progress JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Tourism businesses remain concerned about inconsistent pricing and lack of a reli- able nighttime service from taxis. The Cayman Islands Tourism Associa- tion is also asking government to “revisit” the policy of allowing drivers to charge an addi- tional 20 percent per passenger when there are more than three people in the cab. Concerns over pricing were raised in 2016, when several restaurant owners complained that customers were being charged wildly dif- ferent fares for the same routes. Theresa Broderick, president of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, said the organization was in ongoing discussions with government over a solution but remained concerned about fare transparency and ser- vice reliability. Durk Banks, director of the Public Trans- port Unit, said it has not yet decided whether to introduce meters or a smartphone app to monitor fares. The unit has published fare tables to and from some major destinations and set up a hotline for complaints in an effort to alleviate concerns from businesses. Deloitte was commissioned early last year to review the pricing structure in the industry and that process is still ongoing, according Cayman’s ‘Calypso Cowboy’ shot outside home BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Cayman Islands musician known as “The Calypso Cowboy” was shot outside his George Town home Monday night. Dexter Bodden was still listed in critical condition at the Cayman Islands Hospital Tuesday afternoon having suf- fered a gunshot wound to his lower abdomen, according to medical personnel. Police said Mr. Bodden was attacked outside the home near the intersection of Avon Way and Eastern Avenue shortly after ar- riving there around 6:30 p.m. “While still in his vehicle, the victim was approached by a lone Rough seas ahead High waves catch the attention of a woman at the boat ramp at North West Point Road during stormy weather over the weekend. A high pressure system building over the southeast United States is expected to bring more rough seas and high winds to Cayman, where small craft warnings will be in effect over the next few days. For more, see page 5. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Dexter Bodden was shot inside his car Monday night. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2018 • 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. - WEDNESDAY - 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 Dr. Neeraj Prasad Consultant Cardiologist To book an appointment, please phone: 949-4309 or 623-4309 Will be at Grand Harbour Medical Center from January 23rd, to 26th, 2018 NOTICE OF OFFICE CLOSURE Please be advised that our office will be CLOSED FOR STOCK TAKING on the following dates: FRIDAY: JANUARY 19, 2018 SATURDAY: JANUARY 20, 2018 RE-Open: JANUARY 23, 2018 @7:30 AM We are grateful for your support and apologize for any inconvenience caused. PROUD OF THEM Sarah Jackson honored for academics Sarah Clair Jackson, 17, from George Town, has been recognized in the Proud of Them initiative for her academic work. As well her academic achievements, Sarah has also been a winner in her sport of choice – swimming. Her drive, commitment and dedication have seen her excel enough to repre- sent Stingray Swim Club and the Cayman Islands in inter- national competitions. She has competed regionally in CARIFTA, the Caribbean Is- lands Swimming Champion- ships, and the Youth Common- wealth Games last summer. Her accolades include a 2014 CARIFTA bronze in the girls 13-15 medley relay and three medals in the 2017 CARIFTA, including silver in the 4x100 meter relay, silver in the 4x200 meter relay and bronze in the 4x50 meter relay. Sarah also served as co- captain of the 2017 CARIFTA swim team, which won more medals than any Cayman Is- lands team before. She holds the 50 meter breaststroke senior CIASA re- cord and multiple Cayman Islands records. She spends more than 20 hours a week training in the pool and on dry land, and also assists with younger swimmers. Her conscientious ap- proach to swimming is equally reflected in her studies. She has consistently placed on St. Ignatius’ Academic and Effort Honor rolls and in 2016 she re- ceived the Tutor Award for her willingness to help organize her tutor group and to lead her peers in school initiatives. This past summer, she graduated with honors from St. Ignatius Catholic School; earned the award for highest attainment in physical educa- tion; sat her IGCSEs and ob- tained 2 A*s, 4 As and 4 Bs and is now enrolled in St. Ignati- us’s sixth form program (Year 12) where she is studying bi- ology, mathematics, computer science and history. She is a house cap- tain and sits on the Student Council. Outstanding enough on its own, her academic dil- igence and success is more impressive when taking into account the significant time dedicated to swimming. Sarah is also involved in extracurricular activities at school: she plays in her high school’s concert band; is im- mediate past president of St. Ignatius Key Club; has achieved her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award, and is currently working to- ward her silver. She also participated in the Conyers Dill & Pearman Interschool Debate, and having taken part twice – placing individually both times – she won the overall debate with her partner ear- lier this year. During the summer, when not at swim training or competing in a meet, Sarah volunteers as a councilor in training with the local YMCA summer camps. The Proud of Them initiative recognizes the positive achievements of young people between the ages of 10 and 25. Through a public nomination process, individuals are honored in various categories. Each person selected is featured for six months on billboards across the Cayman Islands and receives a certificate and $500. POPE BEGS FORGIVENESS FOR ‘IRREPARABLE’ HARM FROM SEX ABUSE SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) – Pope Francis begged for forgive- ness Tuesday for the “ir- reparable damage” done to children who were raped and molested by priests, opening his visit to Chile by diving head-first into a scandal that has greatly hurt the Catholic Church’s credibility here and cast a cloud over his visit. Francis faced contro- versy on another front as well: Overnight three more Catholic churches were torched, including one burned to the ground in the southern Araucania region where Francis will visit on Wednesday to meet with Chile’s indigenous peoples. While not causing any in- juries, the nine church fire- bombings in the past few days have marked an un- precedented level of pro- test against history’s first Latin American pope on his home turf. In Santiago, though, an estimated 400,000 jubi- lant Chileans turned out in droves for his first public Mass, a massive gathering in the capital’s O’Higgins park where St. John Paul II celebrated Mass three de- cades ago. Before the ser- vice began, Francis took a long, looping ride in his popemobile through the grounds to greet well- wishers, some of whom had camped out overnight to secure a spot. In his first event of the day, Francis met pri- vately with Chilean Pres- ident Michelle Bachelet and addressed lawmakers, judges and other authori- ties at La Moneda palace. They interrupted him with applause when he said he felt “bound to express my pain and shame” that some of Chile’s pastors had sexually abused children in their care. ROADWORK SCHEDULED FOR ESTERLEY TIBBETTS The National Roads Au- thority advised that it will be carrying out roadwork on a section of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway Wednesday. The work, along the north- bound carriageway near the old Hyatt hotel, will begin at 9 a.m. and will continue throughout the day. Motorists are urged to use caution when driving in this area. According to the National Roads Authority, the work is being carried out to repair damage caused by trenching. Sarah Clair Jackson WHO: ALL OF SAO PAULO STATE AT RISK FOR YELLOW FEVER SAO PAULO (AP) – The World Health Organization an- nounced Tuesday that it now considers all of Sao Paulo state at risk for yellow fever, recommending that all inter- national visitors to the state be vaccinated. That puts the megacity of Sao Paulo on the list. But Brazil’s Health Min- istry said in a statement that it was not changing its own, recently updated map of at-risk areas, which in- cludes only certain parts of the state and city. The min- istry said that the WHO’s more-cautious recommen- dation for foreigners was made in light of the fact that it is impossible to know where visitors might travel once they arrive in Sao Paulo state. There is no known treat- ment for yellow fever, and vaccination campaigns are considered crucial to con- taining outbreaks. Pope Francis arrives to celebrate Mass at O’Higgins Park in Santiago, Chile, Tuesday. – PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2018 Legal services in British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Guernsey Hong Kong Jersey London Luxembourg Shanghai Tokyo ogier.com Thank y u Ogier is proud to have worked with Miss France Parchment for the past 20 years. Thank you Miss France, for your service, dedication and loyalty.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. WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS The “real victims” of divorce are often the children. We hope that doesn’t hold true for “colonial children,” including the Cayman Islands, in the context of England’s protracted separation from the European Union, known commonly as “Brexit.” When the EU opted to place Cayman and 46 other jurisdictions on a financial “graylist” – as opposed to an outright blacklist – in December, we thought the issue was put to rest … at least for a time. But now comes word from the U.K.’s Indepen- dent newspaper that EU officials may attempt to use United Kingdom territories, including Cayman, and the threat of blacklisting as leverage in upcoming Brexit trade negotiations. The newspaper quotes an unnamed “Brussels source”: “The question is ‘would the Government of Britain want to put itself in a position where it runs counter to the public’s position on tax havens, in which companies can base themselves in and pay a smaller proportion of tax than they should be?’” Frankly, Britain damned well better. Certainly British territories have obligations to their sovereign, but the obverse is also true: England as sovereign also has responsibilities to her territories. Last year, with some assistance from London, Cayman managed to avoid the EU’s blacklist of “non-cooperative” jurisdictions, after Premier Alden McLaughlin and local government officials committed to make as-yet-unspecified changes to meet EU criteria regarding “fair taxation” and “economic substance.” The details of any promises made have never been disclosed publicly, but, if they exist, they must be shared with the Cayman people. Transparency is best, translucency is next best, but opacity is simply not acceptable. In fairness, our own government officials may not know with precision what Cayman is expected to do to mollify the EU bureaucrats. The Brussels discus- sions may have been preliminary and fallen short of actual “agreements” and “commitments.” We should know more when government offi- cials return from their upcoming meeting with the EU and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. But all of Cayman’s efforts, whether abroad or on- island, may prove for naught, should the U.K. decide to treat Cayman as a mere bargaining chip during Brexit discussions. While Cayman celebrates British holidays, features the Queen on our currency, enjoys access to the U.K. high court and has a British-appointed governor, our relationship with England may not extend to the combination lock on the exchequer’s vault. This observation has been put to the test on many occasions, for instance Hurricane Ivan in 2004 (no material support despite the fact that much of our island was in shambles), the execution of U.K.- initiated Operation Tempura (Cayman received, and paid, a U.K. “invoice” for well over $10 million), the ongoing costly quagmire of Cuban migrants, and, recently regionally, the U.K.’s much-maligned disaster relief efforts to our sister territories devastated by hurricanes Irma and Maria. In brief, a primary rule underpinning the U.K.’s colonial relationships may be that Britain is willing to offer guidance, assistance and support, but is far more restrained when called upon to make substantial political or financial commitments. ‘Brexit’ and ‘blacklist’: Cayman stuck between the UK and the EU? A libertarian paradise in Mexico I’m sometimes accused of being too radical, though I take that as a compliment (including the time a British journalist wrote that I was “a high priest of light tax, small state libertarianism”). In reality, I’m actually a moderate. I do not want to eliminate all government, just the 90 percent that is in- effective or counterproduc- tive. As a result, some of my friends accuse me of being a squish, which is probably a fair characterization since I only scored a 94 out of 160 on Professor Bryan Caplan’s Libertarian Purity Quiz. In my defense, I say let’s get rid of all the programs and departments that clearly should not exist (such as Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Educa- tion, Energy, and Agriculture), and then we can have a fun discussion of whether the private sector can take over things like roads, policing, and the military. And it does seem that many so-called public goods actually can be handled by the market. I’ve written about private roads and private money, for instance, but the example that really caught my attention was the private, church-run city in Nigeria. And the New York Times has a fascinating story about similar developments in Mexico. The authors describe the city of Tancítaro in the cartel- controlled territory of Micho- acán: “Self-policing and self- governing, it is a sanctuary from drug cartels as well as from the Mexican state …. Tancítaro represents a quiet but telling trend in Mexico, where a handful of towns and cities are effectively seceding, partly or in whole. These are acts of desperation, revealing the degree to which Mexico’s police and politicians are seen as part of the threat.” I cannot resist com- menting that the reporters should have written that po- lice and politicians “are the threat” rather than “are seen as part of the threat.” The Mexican government is a grim example of the “sta- tionary bandit” in action. Anyhow, back to our story about de facto secession and privatization. The authors write that Tancítaro is one of many such “enclaves”: “Each is a haven of relative safety amid violence, suggesting that their diagnosis of the problem was correct.” They continue: “The cen- tral government has declined to reimpose control, the re- searchers believe, for fear of drawing attention to the town’s lesson that secession brings safety.” Tancítaro is not the only example of a quasi-private town. In Monterrey, for ex- ample, the business elite took over most core government functions and thus “circum- vented the bureaucracy and corruption that had bogged down other police reform ef- forts.” The authors wrote, “Monterrey’s experience of- fered still more evidence that in Mexico, violence is only a symptom; the real disease is in government. The corporate takeover worked as a sort of quarantine.” Wow, who would have imagined the New York Times would ever have a story stating that “the real disease is in government.” Sadly, the story goes on to say traditional politi- cians are now regaining con- trol in Monterrey, so the pe- riod of good governance is coming to an end. In an ideal world, the central government would allow towns to formally se- cede, and those towns could then contract to have pri- vate management. But that will never happen since poli- ticians would not want real- world examples showing the superiority of markets over government. For now, we will have to settle for ad hoc and unofficial secession and privatization. P.S. We can also hope that Liberland succeeds. P.P.S. While today’s topic is de facto secession of local governments, my sup- port for decentralization makes me sympathetic to regional secession. See, for example, Scotland, Liech- tenstein, California, Italy, Bel- gium, and Ukraine. P.P.P.S. I did once write about the “libertarian para- dise of Argentina,” but that was mostly in jest. Daniel J. Mitchell, chairman of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, is on the Editorial Board of the Cayman Financial Review. 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” DANIEL J. MITCHELL DANIEL J. MITCHELL In an ideal world, the central government would allow towns to formally secede, and those towns could then contract to have private management. But that will never happen since politicians would not want real-world examples showing the superiority of markets over government.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2018 Defendant elects Grand Court for child pornography charges Preliminary inquiry set for Feb. 8 CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A former University Col- lege of the Cayman Islands lecturer charged with pos- session of child pornography has elected to have his matter heard in Grand Court. Pierre Michel Pavlov Ra- meau, 49, made his elec- tion in Summary Court on Tuesday before Magistrate Valdis Foldats. He faced 12 counts of pos- sessing indecent or erotic im- ages of children, each count referring to various quanti- ties of photos. Senior Crown counsel Candia James advised that there was some ad- ditional material coming from the police. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden indicated it was her understanding that additional charges could be forthcoming. Mr. Rameau first came to court in December when he was refused bail. He ap- pealed that decision to the Grand Court, where he was granted bail with conditions that included a cash security of $10,000 and two sureties totaling $20,000. Ms. Bodden advised that he had not been able to meet those conditions and there- fore remained in custody. She noted that charges have been pending since last March. Mr. Rameau also faces one charge of using an infor- mation and communication technology (ICT) network to annoy, abuse, or harass by re- questing a female to send him indecent images of herself. The magistrate set Feb. 8 as the date for a preliminary inquiry to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to send the matter to the higher court. If there is, the Grand Court date would be set at that stage. Strong winds, rough seas roil Cayman waters SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Strong winds and rough seas are expected to en- velop Cayman over the next few days, the natural result of a high-pressure system currently building over the southeast United States. A small craft warning is in ef- fect, and small boats are advised to exercise cau- tion when operating in open water over the next few days. Shamal Clarke, a meteo- rologist with the Cayman Is- lands National Weather Ser- vice, said the high-pressure system over the U.S. will dic- tate the conditions in the Ca- ribbean for the next few days. “It has basically tightened the pressure gradient across the northwest Caribbean,” he said. “We have had 15-20 or 20-25 knot winds for the past couple of days. That’s typical of the situation be- hind a front.” The forecast calls for wave heights of 5 to 7 feet along the west, north and east coasts of Grand Cayman on Tuesday, and waves of 4 to 6 feet will continue into the night. Tem- peratures are expected to be in the 70s with a 40-percent chance of showers and pos- sible thunder Tuesday night. The small craft advisory is expected to be in place through Saturday, and the high-pressure system, Mr. Clarke said, is expected to persist late into the week. “It’s a really strong one,” he said. “That’s what’s pro- viding the winds. With the winds being so strong, the seas increase with it. That’s why we have seas of roughly 5 to 7 feet today. That will be the case for the next couple of days.” The small craft advisory is expected to be in place through Saturday, and the high-pressure system is expected to persist late into the week. He faced 12 counts of possessing indecent or erotic images of children. High winds were experienced across Grand Cayman Sunday. The stormy weather is expected to continue over the next several days. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY6 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Riding school offers dog agility training The Cayman Riding School is casting about for some smaller competitors. The Savannah-based riding school, which is affil- iated with the British Pony Club, held an educational and fun afternoon program of dog agility training last Saturday. The school teamed with Heidi Suarez Rivera from Must Love Dogs to run the dogs through paces normally reserved for their horses. Tracey Surrey, the owner and riding instructor at Cayman Riding School, said it was important for the school to have a wide- ranging group of programs that help develop their riders in other areas. “We try to incorporate a wide variety of events’ to edu- cate our young members in as many ways as possible,” Ms. Surrey said. “From teaching our children what to do in the event of a fire, human first aid and CPR, veterinary care, respect for the beaches and countryside – the events we organize are very varied – but all aimed at learning a wide variety of life skills in a safe and fun environment.” The Cayman Riding School hopes to demonstrate to the youngsters that it is important to learn the ev- eryday commitment and re- sponsibility involved in taking care of an animal. The dogs were run through several new skills last Saturday, and handlers were able to direct the dogs through a variety of ob- stacles. The children were given instructions on how to care for and train their dogs, and they spent sev- eral hours running them around the obstacle course. “Whilst some of our four- legged friends may need a little more practice, both dogs and their young han- dlers had so much fun and all went home exhausted but very happy,” Ms. Surrey said. “We plan to incorpo- rate dog agility into our new series of show jumping com- petitions for 2018.” The Cayman Riding School hopes to demonstrate to the youngsters that it is important to learn the everyday commitment and responsibility involved in taking care of an animal. Annabel Hayden and her dog Karamel participate in the Chase Me Charlie competition.Flora Jones and her dog negotiate the weave pole. STRAY DOGS ROUNDED UP Police and Department of Agriculture officers rounded up three stray dogs after a cyclist in West Bay re- ported being bitten and chased by the dogs. According to a po- lice statement, the man re- ported that he was chased while on his bicycle by three dogs near Finch Drive, and had been bitten on the ankle. The next day, neigh- borhood police and Depart- ment of Agriculture Animal Control officers carried out a joint operation and cap- tured three dogs. “Ferocious dog reports like these, as well as re- lated reports concerning stray dogs, have continued apace into the new year across the Cayman Islands,” a police spokesperson said, adding that last year po- lice responded to 142 re- ports of ferocious dogs, 39 reports of dogs dangerously out of control and 32 stray dogs reports. So far this year, there have been eight reports of ferocious dogs, two reports of dogs dangerously out of control and three reports of stray dogs, police said. “RCIPS Officers and DoA will be cooperating closely this year to run joint opera- tions and remove the threat that ferocious dogs can pose, especially to children,” the statement noted. Brian Crichlow, assistant director of the Department of Agriculture, said dog bites and attacks “are a very real public safety concern.” “Joint operations like these with the RCIPS are one critical step, along with the continued out- reach and education of dog owners,” he added. The police area com- mander of West Bay, In- spector Lloyd Marriott, said residents regularly complained of “ferocious dogs, whether they be strays or not. “They cause real fear on the street,” he said. “If resi- dents provide us with good descriptions and the loca- tion of animals who are posing a threat, we can work more effectively with DoA to address it.” Man found in contempt after exchange with magistrate Warned against attitude displayed in courtroom SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Adrian Stephen Porter was found in contempt of court while awaiting sentencing on a charge of common assault Tuesday in Magistrate Philippa McFarlane’s courtroom. Mr. Porter, who had been found guilty at trial, was or- dered to undergo a social in- quiry report before sentencing. Magistrate McFarlane began reading the findings of the re- port, and she said Mr. Porter had “no interest in taking part in the process” and had “con- tempt for the process.” “Exactly,” Mr. Porter said in response to the magistrate. Magistrate McFarlane warned Mr. Porter that he could be found in contempt, and she said she would not tolerate attitudes like the one he had displayed in previous trips to her courtroom. A few moments later, after Mr. Porter angrily responded to Magistrate McFarlane’s as- sertion that he had made an “entirely unprovoked attack on a female,” the defendant was found in contempt. Mr. Porter will return to Magistrate McFarlane’s court for sentencing on common assault Wednesday. Man admits BT store robbery Defendant also stole car and damaged it CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Gerado George Conolly pleaded guilty in Grand Court last week to charges including robbery, theft, pos- session of an unlicensed firearm and damage to prop- erty, all arising from the same incident. Mr. Conolly pleaded guilty to robbing a clerk at Lookout Gardens Fresh Fruit and Mini Mart on Anton Bodden Drive in Bodden Town on June 14, 2017. An undetermined amount of cash was taken by using force or threat of force. Also stolen were a cellphone and car keys. The keys were then used to steal the store owner’s 2017 Ford Explorer. The firearm was a modi- fied marine flare gun. After stealing the vehicle, Mr. Conolly was in a colli- sion near Breakers, causing damage in excess of $3,000 to the Explorer. Justice Charles Quin said he would order a so- cial inquiry report be- fore sentencing. Senior crown counsel Ni- cole Petit asked for a victim impact report also. Defense attorney Prathna Bodden agreed to March 15 as the date for sen- tencing and Mr. Conolly was remanded in cus- tody until then. CUC explains power outage Equipment failure during scheduled maintenance and upgrade work on a trans- mission loop led to power outages in a number of dis- tricts on Grand Cayman Friday, the Caribbean Utili- ties Company said. In a statement, the utility company said about half of its 28,000 customers were af- fected by the outage, which lasted from 7:20 a.m. to 8:27 a.m. Friday. Areas affected in- cluded Frank Sound, North Side, East End, Bodden Town, Savannah, Prospect and parts of George Town. “This interruption to ser- vice was caused by equip- ment failure within the transmission loop feeding the Eastern Districts during scheduled maintenance and upgrades of the back-up section of the transmission loop,” the company said in the statement. Neighborhood Police Officer Eugene Myles assists Department of Agriculture Animal Control Officer Anthony Martin with the capture of a stray dog in West Bay. More than half of CUC’s customers experienced a power outage on Friday.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2018 into the New Year Award Winning Disaster Recovery Team Will Be On Island January 17th, 18th, 19th at the eShore offi ces. Learn about Public, Off shore, and Hybrid-Cloud Disaster Recovery hosti ng advantages. Book a coff ee chat: 946-3673 Off Island Fully Managed Disaster Recovery, up to 1TB (5 Servers) for $600 month. www.eshoreltd.com Man pleads guilty to animal cruelty charges SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A West Bay resident pleaded guilty to a second charge of animal cruelty Tuesday in the case of a dog that was chemically burned last August. Desland St. Aubyn Bailey, who had previously pleaded guilty to animal cruelty for putting Pine-Sol on the dog’s back, pleaded guilty Tuesday for not seeking medical at- tention for the animal, Rufus, in a timely manner. A third charge, for allowing the dog to be underweight and in- fested by fleas and ticks, will not be pursued. Mr. Bailey’s case had been scheduled for trial in Mag- istrate Philippa McFarlane’s court on Tuesday. The magistrate ordered a social inquiry report to be done, and the matter will re- turn to court for sentencing on March 7. Magistrate McFar- lane emphasized to Mr. Bailey Tuesday that taking a plea might be in his best interest since he had already accepted responsibility for putting Pine- Sol on the dog’s back. “You look like a straight- forward man. I’m a straight- forward magistrate,” the magistrate told Mr. Bailey. “I don’t like when people waste time. I really feel like a trial would be a waste of a time.” The incident with Rufus is believed to have occurred on Aug. 4, and Mr. Bailey brought the dog in for treat- ment to the Cayman Islands Humane Society on Aug. 8. Rufus had second-degree burns ranging from the top of his head to the middle of his back, and he was operated on at Island Veterinary Services. But Dr. Ioanna Popescu, the veterinarian who treated Rufus, believed that the na- ture of the dog’s infected back meant that Bailey had waited longer than four days to seek treatment. “I can’t say if the dog was maliciously burned. It’s im- possible for me to say that” she said in August. “But what concerns me is that whoever supervised the animal waited longer than a week to bring it for care. They left the dog with that rotting wound on his back for so long before doing something.” Rufus was surren- dered to the Humane So- ciety and spent months un- dergoing medical treatment at a foster home. He is still currently awaiting adop- tion to a new permanent home and family. The Department of Ag- riculture investigated and handed the Rufus case to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Au- gust, and Mr. Bailey was ar- rested in September. The Rufus case is the only one of 105 animal cruelty cases investigated by the Depart- ment of Agriculture in 2016 and 2017 to result in a crim- inal prosecution. Magistrate McFarlane ad- vised Mr. Bailey Tuesday that she does not believe his charges meet a cus- tody threshold. Desland St. Aubyn Bailey pleaded guilty to two charges of animal cruelty in relation to the dog named Rufus, who suffered chemical burns on his back in August. - PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY Tiger shark sets distance record JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A tiger shark tagged and tracked by researchers from Guy Harvey’s ocean foundation has clocked more than 37,000 miles during a record-breaking 1,240 days of monitoring. Andy, tagged in Ber- muda in 2014, is now the longest-tracked tiger shark on record. The shark has traversed the eastern coast of the Americas, ranging from the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos to the north coast of the U.S. At one stage in its me- andering ocean journey, the shark was tracked halfway across the Atlantic, almost as close to Portugal as it was to North America. It has traveled as far south as the Dominican Republic and continues transmitting data through storms and hurricanes that have impacted the region. Scientists at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, home to Guy Harvey Research Institute, say the data Andy is providing is helping to decode some of the mysteries of the lives of tiger sharks in the Atlantic: “We are delighted with how long Andy has reported data, which has tremendous value for us as researchers. “This amazing, nearly three-and-a-half-year track is revealing clear re- peated patterns in the shark’s migrations between summer and winter.” More than 150 sharks, including tigers, makos and oceanic whitetips, have been tagged by the insti- tute in the last decade. Sharks have been tagged off the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and the Bahamas as part of the project. Their movements – a maze of red and yellow lines plotting points where the tag transmitted to a global positioning satel- lite – can be tracked on Mr. Harvey’s website at www. GHRItracking.org. Mr. Harvey said the in- formation would be valu- able for scientific research and fisheries management. “Tracking the migra- tion patterns of sharks, like Andy, for extended pe- riods of time allow us to better understand their be- havior and habitat utiliza- tion,” he said.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Development bank Continuing operational concerns were not unique to Cayman Airways. In its re- view of the Cayman Islands Development Bank, the entity that provides student loans, personal loans and some business assistance loans to Caymanians, auditors found net losses in three of the past five years and rampant non- payment of loans. Delinquency rates on de- velopment bank loans stood at 52 percent in 2016 and 59 percent in 2015. “The financial position and the high rate of delin- quency has marginalized [the bank’s] ability to carry out its primary function to promote, facilitate and pro- vide finance for the expan- sion and strengthening of economic development in the Cayman Islands,” the audit report noted. Again, audi- tors expressed concern about the bank’s continued ability to operate without taxpayer- funded support. Turtle Centre The Cayman Turtle Centre, formerly the Turtle Farm, has not been profitable since it underwent a major refurbish- ment and rebranding more than a decade ago. Ms. Winspear’s office pointed out that the tourism attraction’s revenues increased significantly between 2015 and 2016, but still posted overall losses of $6.3 million for each year. Between 2012 and 2016, the Turtle Centre’s accumu- lated operating losses were $35.7 million. “The financial position … indicates that the Cayman Turtle [Centre] is still depen- dent on government support,” auditors noted. Health services Perennial inability to col- lect patient debts led to an- nual losses for the Cayman Is- lands public hospital system over the past five years. Overall operating deficits for the Health Services Au- thority topped $11.8 million between 2012 and 2016, with only one cash surplus year out of five being reported. Despite the losses, audi- tors found the Health Ser- vices Authority’s position to be “generally positive,” aside from the levels of un- paid debts being reported each year, which massively impacted the public hospi- tal’s bottom line. The hos- pital system’s allowance for “bad debts” – those debts owed for more than a year – went from about $30 mil- lion in 2012 to more than $94 million in 2016. “To put this in context, the amount of account re- ceivables the HSA deems to be uncollectible [$94 million] is greater than the revenue the HSA earned for one year from patient service fees [$89 million in 2016],” the report noted. “Ultimately, the finan- cial performance and position of the HSA reflect the rising cost of providing healthcare.” Housing Trust The Cayman Islands Na- tional Housing Trust, which provides homes for lower-in- come Cayman residents, con- tinues to sell those homes at a loss, auditors reported. For instance, the trust made $2.7 million in home sales during 2015/16 on houses that cost the govern- ment $3.9 million to build. The trust has reported op- erating losses totaling $8.7 million between 2012 and 2016. However, more than $15 million in financial assis- tance from government has allowed the agency to report an overall positive net worth during the past five years. “On the basis of the cur- rent business model the trust will only remain financially viable in the foreseeable fu- ture with further significant financial support from gov- ernment,” the auditor gener- al’s report read. male who shot him,” a state- ment from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service noted. The RCIPS did not identify the shooting victim in its state- ment, but the Cayman Com- pass confirmed Mr. Bodden’s identity via numerous sources familiar with the incident. The shooter fled and had not been arrested by press time Tuesday. Mr. Bodden is a well- known and respected mu- sical talent both in Cayman and abroad. He played for more than two decades in the Nashville, Tennessee area, where he performed under the name “The Calypso Cowboy.” In a WSMV-TV report from 2010, fellow Tennessee musi- cian and friend Lee Akers said audience members sometimes were heard to say that Mr. Bodden sang country music legend Merle Haggard’s songs better than Mr. Haggard did. “It might make Merle mad, but he is that good,” Mr. Akers told the TV station shortly before Mr. Bodden departed Nashville to head back home. Long-time Cayman Is- lands musician Burmon Scott confirms that account. “I had a job with him on the beach one time and they told us ‘no country music,’” Mr. Scott said. “But a guy came up to him later and said ‘would you be able to play Merle Haggard?’ So he started playing him. I thought we were going to get in trouble, but he played him. “He’s a country [music] man, just standing up there and singing with his guitar,” Mr. Scott said of Mr. Bodden. According to a 2013 ac- count by another Cayman musician, George “Barefoot Man” Nowak, Mr. Bodden is not all country. “Dexter mixes his reper- toire with a dash of reggae and a heavy dose of calypso, creating (as he calls it), Coca Music,” Mr. Nowak wrote at the time. “Those of us lucky enough to live in Cayman during the early to mid-80s, the prosperous ‘good old days,’ will well remember Dexter’s self-penned local hit ‘The Goldfield,’ a memorable Gordon Lightfoot-style ballad about the original Caymanian turtle schooner Goldfield, which now sadly rests on the bottom of the North Sound.” Mr. Bodden still main- tains an active performance schedule around Cayman, in- cluding regular Friday night gigs at Morritt’s Tortuga re- sort and regular perfor- mances at Da Station Bar. to Mr. Banks. Restaurant owner Markus Mueri said he believed the level of taxi service and the quality of the fleet were among the best in the Caribbean. But he said a few rogue drivers gave the rest a bad name. He is hopeful that new technology – potentially a smartphone app – will soon be introduced to help im- prove transparency and end disputes over pricing. “The million-dollar ques- tion is how do we charge for a route? Yes, we are late to the game, but meters, they are the past; new technology with smartphones and apps is the future,” he said. Ms. Broderick said the tourism association was pleased with the level of industry consultation during Deloitte’s taxi fare scheme review. She also praised the Public Transport Unit for set- ting up a hotline to report is- sues and incidents and urged passengers to use it to give feedback on the industry. But she said the Cayman Islands Tourism Associa- tion remained concerned that the surcharge for ad- ditional passengers – some- thing that is believed to be unique to Cayman – is ineq- uitable and “negatively per- ceived” by visitors. The association has also raised concerns about a lack of taxi service during the evening hours and is asking for a published list of drivers licensed to op- erate during that time. “We understand that drivers are licensed to provide service during particular time periods of the day and evening but many perhaps are not ad- hering to such a service-level agreement,” she added. Ms. Broderick said the association was actively en- couraging taxi associations and companies to join its or- ganization and have a greater voice in the discussions. She added, “The taxi ser- vice and our visitors’ inter- action with our taxi drivers remain an important and valued aspect of the visitor experience and we simply have to get it right.” Mr. Banks said the De- loitte review, once complete, would be presented to all stakeholders. In the meantime, he said fare tables had been made available through the tourism association and would soon be published on the Depart- ment of Tourism website. “The Public Transport Board is committed to transparency regarding taxi fares,” he added. To report concerns or issues about taxis, call 946-1323 or email cayman.transport@gov.ky. Taxi concerns persist amid record year for tourism Cayman’s ‘Calypso Cowboy’ shot outside home CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Auditor general identifies government’s ‘biggest losers’ 30 GOVERMENT AGENCIES GET ‘CLEAN’ AUDITS BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Thirty of 42 Cayman Islands government enti- ties received the highest possible rating on audits of their finances during the 2015/16 budget year, Auditor General Sue Win- spear reported Tuesday. Six others received “qualified” opinions – meaning auditors de- tected a few issues with the financial statements they received – and six more entities did not have audits for the year completed yet. The overall financial statements for the gov- ernment in 2016 received an adverse opinion due to a number of factors. However, compared to a decade ago, when audi- tors disclaimed half of the entity financial state- ments that were sub- mitted, Ms. Winspear said vast improvements have been made. “The improvements in the timeliness and quality of financial re- porting in the Cayman Islands public services has been considerable over recent years,” Ms. Winspear wrote. “We are now at a point where nearly all of the finan- cial statements present fairly the financial results of entities.” The remaining au- dits outstanding for the 2015/16 govern- ment budget year are due from the Cabinet Of- fice, the Ministry of Ed- ucation, which has yet to compete three years’ worth of audits, the Min- istry of Home Affairs, the Cayman Islands Air- ports Authority, also owing three years of au- dits, the Cayman Islands National Insurance Com- pany and the Tourism At- traction Board. The adverse opinion given for the entire public sector in 2015/16 was largely due to un- known revenue collec- tion figures, unknown values for property held by government and healthcare liabilities that were unreported for a number of entities. “The most significant issue I included in these audit reports was my concern relating to some entities’ ability to con- tinue operating without the financial support they were receiving from core government,” Ms. Winspear noted. Government-run statutory authorities and companies made $9 million during 2015. A year later, those 26 agencies that operate outside of central government lost a total of $214,000 – roughly a $9.2 million one-year drop. “The taxi service and our visitors’ interaction with our taxi drivers remain an important and valued aspect of the visitor experience and we simply have to get it right.” THERESA BRODERICK, Cayman Islands Tourism Association CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The scene of Monday’s shooting on Eastern Avenue. - PHOTO: KEN SILVA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Auditor General Sue Winspear9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2018 EU chief urges Britain to change its mind over Brexit BRUSSELS (AP) – Euro- pean Union Council Presi- dent Donald Tusk on Tuesday urged Britain to change its mind about leaving the bloc next year, as time to conclude a Brexit agreement runs short and EU leaders await more details on how the country sees their future ties. Britain is set to leave the EU on March 29, 2019, but the complex negotiations on its costly departure and fu- ture EU-U.K. relations must be concluded by October to leave parliaments time to ratify any agreement. British Prime Minister Theresa May has even asked for a transition period after Brexit day to give citizens certainty and help ease the country out of Europe without alarming financial markets or hurting businesses. “If the U.K. government sticks to its decision to leave, Brexit will become a reality, with all its negative conse- quences, in March next year unless there is a change of heart among our British friends,” Tusk told EU law- makers Tuesday in Stras- bourg, France. Tusk, who chairs summits of EU leaders and speaks on their behalf, quoted U.K. Brexit envoy David Davis as saying that “if a democracy cannot change its mind, it ceases to be a democracy.” “We here on the conti- nent haven’t had a change of heart. Our hearts are still open to you,” Tusk said. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker added: “I hope that will be heard clearly in London.” Brexit talks have pro- gressed painfully slowly, and while the EU says it’s ready to discuss future ties with London, leaders are still seeking more details about how May’s government sees those links. “What we need today is more clarity on the U.K.’s vi- sion,” Tusk said. “”The hardest work is still ahead of us and time is limited.” Manfred Weber, the leader of the European Peo- ple’s Party group – the big- gest in the EU parliament – said: “My message to London is: please don’t complain anymore. Please stop com- plaining. Please deliver. Give us an outlook about what you want to achieve for the future relationship.” Negotiations are con- tinuing on a transition period that would help ease Britain out. The EU is insisting on less than two years, until the end of 2020 – when the Union’s current long-term budget period ends. According to the latest draft of Brexit negotiating guidelines, seen by The As- sociated Press, Britain would not be able to con- clude a trade deal with any other country until that pe- riod is over “unless autho- rized to do so by the Union” during the transition. It would have to continue to obey all European regula- tions without having any say in the way this bloc of more than half a billion people is run. “If you stay in the Union, in this transition period, it is for the whole 2 or 3 years that all the policies of the EU, all the legislation … will be applicable,” said the Eu- ropean Parliament’s Brexit point-man Guy Verhofstadt. “The only thing that will change is that Britain will not be represented anymore in the institutions.” In London, meanwhile, U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was defending a de- bunked claim that leaving the EU will save Britain 350 mil- lion pounds (US$481 million) a week. In fact, Johnson says, the figure is too low. The claim that “we send the EU 350 million pounds a week” was emblazoned on the side of a bus used by the “leave” campaign in Britain’s 2016 EU membership refer- endum. Britain’s statistics agency says the net amount the U.K. pays is closer to 180 million pounds per week. But Johnson told The Guardian newspaper that the bus claim “grossly un- derestimated the sum over which we would be able to take back control.” In an interview published Tuesday he said Britain’s gross contribution to the EU budget was 362 million pounds a week, and would rise to 438 million pounds a week by the end of any two- year transition period. “We here on the continent haven’t had a change of heart. Our hearts are still open to you.” DONALD TUSK, president, European Union Council MAN CHARGED WITH KILLING REPORTER ON HIS SUBMARINE COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) – Inventor Peter Madsen was charged Tuesday with killing Swedish journalist Kim Wall during a trip on his private submarine, with prosecu- tors saying he either cut her throat or strangled her before dismembering her body and dumping it into the sea. Prosecutor Jakob Buch- Jepsen called the case “very unusual and ex- tremely disturbing.” Madsen, 47, is charged with murder, dismember- ment and indecent handling of a corpse for the way he disposed of Wall’s body. He is also charged with having sexual relations with Wall, 30, of a “particularly dangerous nature” before she was killed. The charges were made public by the Danish prose- cution authority. Buch-Jepsen said the killing was premeditated. Prosecutors will urge that Madsen be sentenced to life in prison, or be locked up in a se- cure mental facility if deemed necessary by psychiatrists for as long as he’s considered sick and dangerous to others. “There is much technical evidence but I won’t go into details right now,” Buch-Je- psen told a brief news confer- ence. He also declined to com- ment on Madsen’s motive. “Evidence must be pre- sented in court and not in the media,” he said, adding he also didn’t want to com- ment out of respect for Wall’s family. Madsen’s defense lawyer Betina Hald Engmark had no immediate comment in reaction to the charges, adding her client still denies murdering Wall. Madsen and Wall had gone on a trip in Madsen’s submarine on Aug. 10. Wall, who was working on a story about Madsen, was last seen aboard the vessel as it left Copenhagen. The next day, Madsen – an entrepre- neur who once dreamed of launching a manned space mission – was rescued from the sinking submarine without Wall. Police believe he deliber- ately sank the vessel. Madsen has offered a shifting variety of explana- tions for Wall’s death. Ini- tially, he told authorities he had dropped Wall off on an island several hours after their voyage began. Then he claimed that Wall died acci- dentally inside the submarine while he was on deck during the excursion and he had “buried” her at sea. However, he later admitted throwing her body parts into the sea. In this Oct. 20, 2017 photo, British Prime Minister Theresa May waits for the arrival of European Council President Donald Tusk prior to a bilateral meeting with European Council. - PHOTO: APNext >