ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2018 High of 86 Low of 75 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 A CHANCE TO PLANT, TAKE ROOT AND GROW LOCAL | PAGE 7 MAN WANTED FOR MURDER IN US AGREES TO EXTRADITION US Open champ ready for battle of the legends Sloane Stephens lines up alongside greats Jimmy Connors and Stefan Edberg JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com US Open champion Sloane Stephens is hoping a trip to the Cayman Islands for the Legends Tennis tournament this weekend will help her rediscover her magic touch. The 24-year-old, who upset the odds at Flushing Meadows to take the 2017 US Open title, is the star attraction at this weekend’s exhibition at Camana Bay. “I am excited. I have heard amazing things about Cayman. I don’t play that many exhibitions but I thought this would be a really awesome one to do,” she told the Compass this week. “I committed to playing in Cayman be- fore I won the US Open and I wasn’t going to back out – I was playing no matter what.” The Legends tournament, as the name implies, has typically attracted retired stars including Anna Kournikova and Andy Roddick. But Ms. Stephens’ appearance this year is the first time a reigning Grand Slam champion has been involved. She is in good company. Also in the lineup for Friday and Sat- urday are Jimmy Connors, an eight-time Grand Slam winner and one of the greats Cayman prepares for 51st Agriculture Show JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Exhibitors are lining up, farmers are grooming prize bulls, and the Department of Agriculture is getting its plants and trees ready for the 2018 Ag- riculture Show, which gets under way on Ash Wednesday. This year will mark the 51st time the annual event will be held. The show, one of the largest community events in Cayman, usually attracts more than 10,000 people and orga- nizers are expecting at least that number this year. The show opens at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at the Ag- riculture Grounds in Lower Valley. On Tuesday, agriculture workers were busy at the de- partment’s nursery, watering and trimming local plants that will go on sale. “In preparation [for] the big day, we have lots of fruit trees, over 250 for sale. We have East Indian, Julie, Nam doc, Va- lencia, Jakarta, Nelson, Duncan [mangoes]. We also have to- mato, Scotch bonnet, sweet peppers, bell peppers and big sun peppers, an assortment of mints, breadfruit, avocado, soursop, naseberry – a huge va- riety of local plants for sale,” CABINET DECLINES TO DEPORT TRACK COACH STEPHENS BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Ato Modibo Stephens will be allowed to remain in the Cayman Islands despite a court’s recommendation that he be deported following his conviction last year for con- vincing a 14-year-old girl to send him topless photos of herself. The decision not to authorize the Grand Court’s recommendation was made by Cab- inet, Ministry of Home Affairs officials con- firmed Monday. According to court records, Mr. Stephens was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment on Aug. 3, 2017. The sentence resulted from a guilty verdict on one charge of using an infor- mation and communication technology (ICT) network to annoy, harass or abuse the un- derage female. Mr. Stephens was found not guilty of indecent assault or gross indecency allegations made by the same victim. The track coach and former international track star’s sentence will be officially served on Feb. 4, 2019. He currently remains here on conditional release until that time, ministry officials confirmed. Ministry of Home Affairs Chief Officer Wesley Howell this week confirmed the Cab- inet decision that allowed Mr. Stephens to re- main in Cayman. “The Immigration Law (2018 Revision) em- powers the courts to recommend that a depor- tation order should be made in relevant cases, either in addition to or in lieu of sentence,” Mr. Howell’s statement read. “Ultimately, the deci- sion to authorize a deportation rests with the Cabinet. Such decisions are taken after con- sideration of the facts and circumstances in Department of Agriculture staff prepare plants to sell at Ash Wednesday’s Agriculture Show. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Sloane Stephens, seen here at the US Open after scoring a point in the semifinal against Venus Williams, went on to win the final. She will be playing in Cayman this weekend at the Legends tennis event in Camana Bay. - PHOTO: AP PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 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) MAZE RUNNER: THE DEATH CURE (PG13) 12:30 VIP I 1:20 I 6:40 VIP I 10:05 12 STRONG (R) 12:30 I 3:45 I 6:55 I 9:55 THE COMMUTER (PG13) 12:50 I 3:50 I 7:15 I 9:50 THE POST (PG13) 1:00 I 4:05 I 7:05 I 9:45 DEN OF THIEVES (R) 12:45 I 3:35 VIP I 9:45 VIP JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (PG13) 4:25 I 7:10 I 9:40 Protecting the right to good governance James Austin- Smith reappointed as chair of Human Rights Commission JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com James Austin-Smith knows most people in the Cayman Islands will never have to fight for their right to a fair trial or freedom from torture. But the chairman of the Human Rights Commission says there are some everyday rights, which people may not often think about, that they might want to pay closer attention to. From planning and li- quor board applications to requests for welfare assis- tance and business licenses, he said almost every seem- ingly mundane application to government engages the Bill of Rights. Mr. Austin-Smith, who was reappointed last month as chairman of the commis- sion for the next six months, said the commission is cur- rently putting a particular focus on lawful administra- tive action – the responsi- bility of public boards, offi- cials and government bodies to make fair and equitable decisions within a reason- able time frame. “When you look at the big ticket rights in the constitu- tion – fair trial, torture, any of those sort of big issues – they are vital but it is not very often that they are en- gaged,” he told the Cayman Compass in an interview. “I think there is a good un- derstanding of those rights, but if you look at things like lawful administrative ac- tion, freedom of expression, right to property, the duty of public officials, those things are almost more important on a day-to-day basis.” While other issues ap- pear more glamorous, he said the right to swift and fair decision making from public officials is an area where the human rights of Cayman residents are most clearly impacted. To that end, the commis- sion is working on a hand- book for boards and other public bodies, outlining their responsibilities when it comes to dealing with appli- cations from the public. “The key word is fair, you have to make a decision in accordance with the law, in a reasonable time, based on principles of fairness and give reasons for your deci- sion and have a functioning appeals process,” he said. The Cayman Compass has highlighted in the past year multiple cases where officials have been accused of administrative unfair- ness, including: ■■ The Liquor Board ap- proved a gas station’s ap- plication to sell alcohol on Sundays, then reversed its decision and altered the minutes of its meeting ■■ A dual iguana and lion- fish culling business com- plained that it had been negotiating an opaque and seemingly endless regu- latory process for more than a year in its efforts to get a business license ■■ Multiple permanent residency candidates have complained that the failure to deal with their applications in a timely manner had left them in limbo. Mr. Austin-Smith declined to comment in detail on spe- cific cases, but said those were all instances where the right to lawful administrative action was engaged. “We have been trying to do as much as we can working with government agencies, helping them to create poli- cies and procedures so you can say if you come with an application, we will require you to present this informa- tion and we will come back to you within this period of time, with written responses and a clear right of appeal. “That is all part of this cul- ture of open government. Any decisions where discretion is afforded to a public official have to be handled carefully.” He believes, in general, public officials are trying to do the right thing and in some cases actively seeking advice from the commission on how to create policies and proce- dures that meet this standard. “It is a learning process for the public and a learning pro- cess for the public officials,” he said. “It is important for people to understand what their rights are under the constitution.” The Human Rights Com- mission can only make rec- ommendations and the ul- timate sanction for anyone frustrated by a government decision, or the lack of one, is to go through the courts with a judicial review. Mr. Austin-Smith was first appointed to the role in Jan- uary 2015. His tenure offi- cially ended at the end of last year, but was renewed on an interim basis. He is ambivalent on the issue of whether he hopes to continue in the job beyond June 30. “I am very proud of the work we have done while I have been chairman but it doesn’t hurt to mix things up a bit,” he said. His stint as chairman has been controversial at times. Bodden Town legis- lator Anthony Eden openly called for him to be removed from the role in a speech in the Legislative Assembly saying, “We don’t need an atheist chairing our Human Rights Commission.” He was reacting to Mr. Austin-Smith’s description of his earlier denunciation of same-sex partnerships as a “hate speech.” The commission chairman holds no bitterness over the frank exchange of views. “It is important if Anthony Eden or whomever doesn’t like what I say, they feel able to say it. We should be sub- ject to criticism. Without that, the whole system falls apart,” he said. On the underlying issue of same-sex partnerships, he believes the debate will only end one way – with the even- tual legalization of domestic partnerships. There is nothing in case precedent or in Cayman’s con- stitution that compels govern- ment to introduce same-sex marriage. But a case in Italy – known as the Oliari case – determined that signato- ries to the European Conven- tion on Human Rights have to guarantee equal rights to same-sex couples. Mr. Austin-Smith, said, “The U.K.’s position on that is that you have to afford people rights. You don’t have to call it marriage or force churches to do it, but you have to give people the right to enter into a legal union and to have the rights that derive from it; pen- sion rights, property, inher- itance, the right to discuss medical care in the case of an illness and so on.” It took a court case to change things in Bermuda, another overseas territory with a large and vocal reli- gious majority opposed to gay marriage. The territory was forced through a court judg- ment to register a gay mar- riage and later introduced a domestic partnerships bill that gave legal rights for same-sex unions. Whether through proac- tive political action, a sim- ilar court challenge or an order from council in the U.K., Mr. Austin-Smith believes similar changes are inevi- table in Cayman. “The reality is that things do change with time. When I have had this conversa- tion with Caymanians under the age of 40, this is largely not an issue for them; there are more pressing things the country has to worry about. “When those younger people come into positions of responsibility in society and have a leadership role, then attitudes will shift. The other approach is that someone does take a more legalistic ap- proach and the commission’s view is that they would def- initely win.” While other issues appear more glamorous, he said the right to swift and fair decision making from public officials is an area where the human rights of Cayman residents are most clearly impacted. Queensgate honors young heart patient The staff at Queens- gate Bank and Trust Com- pany Ltd. found a fitting way to celebrate Heart Month this month and Wear Red Day on Feb. 2. The staff donated its Christmas charitable col- lection to the Cayman Heart Fund in honor of 4-year- old Cristiano McKenzie, who passed away after a battle with heart disease in June last year. Cristiano was diagnosed with a congenital issue shortly after his birth and underwent five surgeries before passing away. The Cayman Heart Fund named him a “Heart Hero” in 2016 in recognition of his fight. His parents, Trisha Dilbert and Mario McKenzie, bat- tled alongside him every step of the way. With cardiovascular dis- eases being the number one cause of death globally, Queensgate stated in a press release that it wants to bring attention to heart issues for Caymanians of all ages. The company is urging people to speak to their doctors about their risk and to know their blood pressure, choles- terol, sugar levels, weight and body mass index numbers. To learn more about Heart Month, contact the Cayman Heart Fund at 916-6324 or info@caymanheartfund.com. The Queensgate staff made a donation to the Cayman Heart Fund in the name of Cristiano McKenzie. James Austin-Smith3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2018 Changes to the trade and business licences for Sole Trader and Registered Companies will go into effect 1 February, 2018. IMPORTANT NOTICE The application process for a trade and business license will soon become much easier. The update to the Trade and Business Licensing (Forms) Regulations, 2015 sees the removal of the following requirements: • Proof of health insurance for the incentive grant • Business plan The Board has also agreed to remove the requirement for: • Character reference • Strata approval for residential businesses and • Replacement of lease agreement with a letter of intent For more information: Call 945-0943 | www.dci.gov.ky Consumer bill seeks to block false advertising, unfair trade practices BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A draft of what would be Cayman’s first Con- sumer Protection Law seeks to shield buyers from un- fair trade practices, bogus advertising and contract rip-offs, but prescribes no specific legal penalties for many of those activities when they occur. The draft legislation is not the final word on the matter. It has been put out for public comment by the Cayman Islands Law Reform Commission until March 1. The comment period was ex- tended last week, in order to provide more opportunity for input. Once comments have been received, the bill is expected to be amended further before it goes to the Legislative Assembly for approval. The law commission has been pushing to create such consumer protection rules for nearly a decade, noting in a 2010 report that “con- sumer protection is essen- tial against those who profit from mass consumption, en- gage in cost-cutting mea- sures at all levels of produc- tion and, at the same time … adopt predatory practices which ultimately abuse cus- tomer interests ….” Cayman currently oper- ates a “caveat emptor” con- sumer system, where the buyer is solely responsible for reviewing the quality and suitability of the goods or services being sold prior to purchase. There is some pro- tection against price gouging during emergencies – hurri- canes or other natural disas- ters. The Cayman Chamber of Commerce also functions as something of a “better busi- ness bureau” for its member- ship, but if a business is not a Chamber member, there is little the agency can do to protect buyers. The draft bill, which was issued last October, seeks to establish “a legal frame- work for the achievement and maintenance of a consumer market that is fair, efficient and responsible.” The law, if passed, would apply to “all persons engaged in a trade or business.” The legislation seeks to create a Cabinet-appointed Consumer Affairs Com- mission, consisting of five people that would be given the powers of a court to re- quest information in con- sumer-business disputes and to investigate consumer complaints. The commis- sion is given the power to order certain penalties for those who violate the law and is tasked with pro- viding general information on consumer rights. Orders given against way- ward companies or service providers by the commis- sion can include demands to replace defective or un- safe goods, to discontinue unfair trade practices, to pay compensation to con- sumers if a breach of law oc- curs and to correct erroneous advertisements. Goods and services sup- pliers that do not comply with commission orders can receive up to a year in prison or a $5,000 fine. A person who is aggrieved by a com- mission order may appeal to the court within 30 days of the order. The draft bill encour- ages the creation of nonprofit groups that might provide for the promotion and pro- tection of consumer rights, but it does not seek to govern such entities within the pro- posed legislation. The draft bill also sets out certain “rights” given to the consumer, including the right to refuse unsolic- ited goods, the right of the consumer to authorize ser- vices and rights to avoid “unreasonable” cancellation charges. The draft bill seeks to allow consumers to halt “continuing service agree- ments” three weeks after giving notice. The legislation would set out “guarantees” in relation to the supply and quality of goods or services provided. The supplier or manufacturer which breaches those guar- antees is said to be “liable to such penalties as may be described” in the draft lan- guage of the bill. The bill seeks to define unfair trade practices in a number of ways including: ■■ Falsely representing that goods are of a partic- ular standard or quality ■■ Making false or mis- leading representations concerning the price of goods or services ■■ Making false or mis- leading statements about the existence of a war- ranty on a product ■■ Engaging in conduct li- able to mislead the public about the nature of a product or a service. It also outlaws the practice of “dual pricing,” listing separate prices for an item and charging the higher of the two. “A supplier shall not, in trade or business advertise for supply at a special price goods or services that he does not intend to offer for supply, or that he has no rea- sonable grounds for believing he can supply,” section 82 of the draft bill states. Again, the specific pen- alties for unfair trade prac- tices have not been defined in the draft bill. Recalls Another area the Con- sumer Protection Bill intro- duces, which has not pre- viously existed in Cayman, is the compulsory re- call of goods. For example, supermar- kets can voluntarily recall goods they sell, particularly if a recall has been ordered in the U.S., but they are not forced to do so. The draft bill would allow for mandatory recalls of products if the commis- sion becomes aware that cer- tain goods “are of the kind which will or may cause in- jury, loss or damage to any person and that the supplier has not taken satisfactory action to prevent the goods from causing injury, loss or damage ….” The mandatory recall would need to be authorized in writing by the commission members, which can autho- rize a refund for the product if circumstances warrant. The draft bill, which was issued last October, seeks to establish “a legal framework for the achievement and maintenance of a consumer market that is fair, efficient and responsible.”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 chance to plant, take root and grow WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS “Teaching kids how to feed themselves and how to live in a community responsibly is the center of an education.” - Alice Waters Recent years have yielded bumper crops of venues for locally grown produce, from bustling markets at the Cricket Grounds and Camana Bay, to local selections at nearly every grocer on Grand Cayman. Restaurants boast “farm-to-table” menus and roadside stands offer fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, honey, homemade sweets and jams. Some farmers will even deliver. Now Andre Gooden and Jesse Basdeo, of Char- lito’s Greenhouse farm, are taking the movement one step further by inviting everyone to get their hands a little dirty – offering free garden plots to anyone who wishes to learn how to farm. The two farmers, who started Charlito’s just over a year ago on Mr. Basdeo’s family land in West Bay, are passionate about local, sustainable food. They have good reason to be: Local fruits, vegetables, herbs and other products are fresh, healthy and contribute directly to the local economy. Especially on an island such as ours – which relies so heavily on imports – local produce boosts food security. Throughout human history, local cultiva- tion has served as a sort of insurance policy against hardship. Old timers in Cayman remember when home plots provided daily sustenance, just as the forebears of many expatriates relied on “victory gardens” (also known as “war gardens”) during the first and second World Wars. But there are other, less tangible benefits to culti- vating stronger relationships to the land. On a small scale, farming can be a calming pastime that breeds consistency, responsibility, patience and respect for the natural cycles of the earth. No tomato tastes as sweet as that which one personally has nurtured on the vine. It is especially important for children to breathe fresh air and sink their hands into the soil. Even if they do not become lifelong cultivators, every child should have the experience of raising a plant to maturity. As Mr. Gooden told the Compass – it is important for children to learn how food is grown. Perhaps our primordial need for connection to nature’s bounty is one reason that thousands of people flock to Cayman’s annual Agriculture Show, held on Ash Wednesday at the Agricultural Grounds in Lower Valley. Now in its 51st year, the annual one-day show is one of the year’s most anticipated events, attracting throngs of people from all over the island. They gather to visit and to cast an eye over some of the finest fruits (and vegetables) of local growers’ efforts. Farmers, growers and producers compete for the recognition of their excellence in agricultural products, livestock, arts and crafts, plants and food – and the attendant “boasting rights” that such a recog- nition bestows. Visitors will get a taste of country life – both figura- tively, and quite literally in the sweet bite of a Scotch bonnet pepper, the peppery scent of Cayman basil, and tart fruits newly picked from local orchards. Vendors will offer a cornucopia of fresh foods, juices, smoothies and other treats. It is a fitting celebration of the “root” of any community – good food, friends, family and the land. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” MARC A. THIESSEN WASHINGTON – Wash- ington is debating the sig- nificance of the memo re- leased by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, but this much should not be debatable: The effort by the FBI to prevent its re- lease was scandalous. The ostensible reason for suppressing the memo was that it was classified. But now that we have seen the memo, it is hard to see any- thing that justifies a national security classification, much less the highest level of clas- sification – top secret. No diplomatic secrets were re- vealed, and no sources or methods were exposed by making it public. If that is the case, then what was the real reason the FBI opposed the memo’s release? The bureau’s public statements made clear that their real concern was something other than the re- lease of national security in- formation, when the FBI de- clared it had “grave concerns about material omissions of fact that fundamentally im- pact the memo’s accuracy.” But there is nothing in the law that allows the govern- ment to suppress the release of a document simply because it has “material omissions of fact.” The only justifica- tion for classifying informa- tion is to protect national se- curity. Indeed, government officials are explicitly pro- hibited from preventing the release of a document under the guise of “classified infor- mation” because they believe it is politically biased or may embarrass the government. Executive Order 13526, signed by President Obama on Dec. 29, 2009, clearly states: “In no case shall information be classified, continue to be maintained as classified, or fail to be declassified in order to: conceal violations of law, inefficiency, or administrative error; prevent embarrassment to a person, organization, or agency … or prevent or delay the release of information that does not require protec- tion in the interest of the na- tional security.” Recall that in 2014, then- Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein released a document prepared by committee Democrats about the CIA’s terrorist in- terrogation program that was rife with “material omissions of fact.” Indeed, Feinstein and her staff did not interview a single CIA official involved in the interrogation program, because they did not want to hear inconvenient facts that might undermine their pre- determined narrative. Former Democratic Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, who had sat on the Intelligence Committee, de- cried “the partisan nature of this report.” Yet no one in the media decried its release, nor did the Obama administra- tion suppress it. Instead, the Republican minority was al- lowed to publish a separate report and the CIA released a document of its own rebut- ting Feinstein’s many false- hoods – and then left it to the public to judge. If the FBI thinks the Re- publican memo is incom- plete or misleading, then, by all means, the bureau should prepare and release a re- buttal. But under no circum- stances did they have the right to try to suppress it. Not only were they wrong on legal grounds to oppose the memo’s release, they were po- litically stupid for doing so. All they accomplished was to draw more attention to the document and its recitation of the bureau’s failings. If the FBI knew the Chris- topher Steele dossier was paid for by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee when they submitted it as (in the words of the Nunes memo) “an essential part” of the FISA application for a warrant to spy on an American citizen, and failed to tell the court its provenance, then that is cor- rupt. This revelation is em- barrassing. But in a democ- racy, that does not allow them to use government classifica- tion laws to keep it from the American people. The real threat to national security came not from the memo’s release, but from the FBI effort to suppress it. We depend on FISA warrants to obtain critical intelligence on terrorist threats to the Amer- ican homeland. If the FBI’s ac- tions cause Americans to lose trust in the FISA process, then their elected representatives may impose greater restric- tions on it, making it harder for the intelligence commu- nity to protect America. The only way to restore that trust is full transpar- ency. Democrats and the FBI should be able to offer their versions of story. But trying to keep this information from the public is corrupt, undemocratic and arguably unlawful. Let the American people see the evidence and decide who is right. Follow Marc A. Thiessen on Twitter, @marcthiessen. © 2018, The Washington Post Writers Group The FBI’s scandalous attempt to block the Nunes memo House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, a close ally of President Donald Trump who has become a fierce critic of the FBI and the Justice Department, strides to a GOP conference at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday. - PHOTO: AP5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2018 LAUNCH SCHEDULE: THURSDAY FEBRUARY 8TH 6:00 PM MOVIE PREMIER OF ‘HIDDEN’ BY PASCAL PERNIX CAMANA BAY CINEMA SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10TH 2:00-5:00 PM LAUNCH SYMPOSIUM WHITE SANDS BALLROOM GRAND CAYMAN MARRIOTT WITH SOCIAL HOUR TO FOLLOW ALL EVENTS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO REGISTER AND MORE INFO: ALEXPANTONFOUNDATION.KY WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ ALEXPANTONFOUNDATION/ AND ON INSTAGRAM @ALEXPANTONFOUNDATION COME OUT TO SUPPORT THE LAUNCH OF THE ALEX PANTON FOUNDATION ‘OVERCOMING THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG CAYMAN’S YOUTH’ It starts with you. Do NOT give or send your PIN and Passwords to anyone. ®Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence (where applicable). Recycling picks up on Cayman MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands De- partment of Environmental Health says it is busily catching up on the waste it recycles. Figures from the last few years show an increasing por- tion of the recyclable material collected by the department, which operates the local land- fill and waste collection, is being processed. For instance, in 2014, 277 tons of recyclable material was collected, ac- cording to figures provided by the department. Of that just 100 tons were processed. The remainder was either stock- piled or ended up in the land- fill. In 2016, the department recorded that 980 tons of 999 tons collected were processed. Most of that – 832 tons – was from junked cars. Jim Schubert, senior project manager for the Inte- grated Solid Waste Manage- ment System, said the depart- ment is planning to expand its operations in the future, taking in even more material. When a new collection system was implemented a few years ago – recycling depots at supermarket centers that began with small wheeled bas- kets and evolved into dump- sters labeled for glass, card- board, etc. – some material continued to be sidelined. One reason was the department did not have the tools to handle the influx, said Mr. Schubert. “The paper we were col- lecting didn’t get processed because we didn’t have balers,” he said. For months, the paper was stockpiled. But with rains, the material became wet. Mr. Schubert said recyclers, to whom the material is shipped once it is baled, will not take wet paper since they buy by the pound and do not want to pay extra for the added water weight. “A lot of the paper had to be landfilled,” Mr. Schubert said. In early 2017, a new baling machine began opera- tion. Collected paper is now being processed, he said, and the machine will be used for other materials that needed baling, including recyclable metal, which also could not be processed. “All those metals are still in a big pile,” Mr. Schubert said of recently collected material. Some stuff has been sit- ting around for years. “They’ve been storing tires since after Hurricane Ivan,” Mr. Schubert said. “All that stuff was stockpiled.” Last March, department workers began shredding those tires, about 7,000 tons worth, for use as aggregate for backfill in housing construc- tion, he said. About 5,000 tons have been processed so far. A bigger change is expected in a couple of years, according to Mr. Schubert. That is when a new waste management fa- cility is expected to be in its first operational stages on a site near the water treatment plant. Eventually, the much- derided landfill, often called Mount Trashmore, will be capped and a smaller, lined landfill will be opened. A private consortium led by Dart’s construction company Decco has told the government it can reduce the current waste flow going to the landfill by as much as 95 percent. Part of the reduction will come from a cogeneration plant that will burn trash to create electricity, and part will come from com- posting organic material for local agriculture, but about 40 percent is expected to come from more effective recycling. Mr. Schubert said those who come to the Cayman Is- lands from communities where recycling is well estab- lished often have a hard time understanding the low level of such activity here. “For the expats, it’s like, ‘Why aren’t we doing more?’” he said. Cayman, he said, has unique issues when it comes to recycling. The biggest one is the fact that other than for glass, there are no facilities on the island that recycle re- usable materials. “You can collect it, but then you have to get it off is- land, and that’s a big chal- lenge,” said Mr. Schubert. “To get a sea container shipped from China to Mexico is about $800. To get it shipped from Mexico to Grand Cayman is $4,000. It costs a small fortune to ship things back and forth.” There is also the issue of scale. Cayman simply does not produce a lot of recyclable waste. When scrapped cars are subtracted out, only 67 tons of recycled material was collected in 2016. And for plastics, the de- partment is particular – it only takes Nos. 1 and 2 grade plas- tics, things such as milk jugs and food boxes. Recycling other grades is not economically fea- sible, Mr. Schubert said. “We’re targeting things that have value,” he said. Even then, it’s a squeeze. “Twelve thousand milk jugs equals one bale,” he said, “and 25-30 bales fill a ship- ping container. You may, at the end of a year, have enough for a shipping container.” That may change if more people can be encouraged to drop off their recyclables when they go to get their gro- ceries. That is the reason the depots have been set up at the supermarkets, Mr. Schubert said. When the new facility becomes operational, there are plans to get the word out. “There will be a rollout and a big push on the educa- tion of children,” he said, “[to] let them know what the new system is and teach them the do’s and don’ts and have them teach their parents.” He’s hopeful the future of trash on Cayman will look better at that point. “We’re going to get away from having three unlined landfills to a modern sustain- able waste system,” he said. Recycling depots, such as this one at Foster’s airport location, are set up at supermarkets across Grand Cayman. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSSThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS It starts with you. Do NOT respond to messages asking for personal and financial information. ®Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence (where applicable). of the game, Swedish legend Stefan Edberg, Australia’s former Wimbledon champ Pat Cash and the world’s top junior player, 17-year- old Claire Liu. Ms. Stephens comes into the tournament on the back of a first round exit in the Australian Open. She said she was looking forward to a re- laxed affair at Festival Green. “It will be nice to get out there and hit a few balls and just play for fun,” she said. It will be her first time in Cayman, but she has heard good reports of the island from her partner, U.S. na- tional soccer star Jozy Al- tidore, who visited in Jan- uary for a fundraiser and coaching clinic. “We talked about it and he said it was amazing and he had such a great time, I heard it’s beautiful – now it’s my turn. I hope I get to see some of the island. It is always amazing to see new places.” Ms. Stephens was lan- guishing at number 957 in the world rankings when she returned from an 11-month layoff with a foot injury at Wimbledon last year. That was the start of a spectacular comeback that culminated with her triumph over fellow American Mad- ison Keys to win the US Open final in straight sets. “Winning the US Open was incredible. It was a great time for me, a great moment for me and for U.S. tennis,” she said. “Since then, a lot has hap- pened in my life. I am taking everything in my stride and I’m making sure I am en- joying myself and taking it day by day.” Ms. Stephens hails from a sporting family. Her mother Sybil Smith was a swimmer at Boston University and was the first African Amer- ican woman to be recog- nized as First Team All-Amer- ican in Division 1. Her father John Stephens was a running back for the New England Patriots before his death in a car accident in 2009. Ms. Stephens, who paid tribute to her mother after her US Open win, said, “Having supportive people in your family is what matters most. I have that and that is the most important thing, re- gardless of whether they are in sports or not.” Despite the pressures of competitive sports, she said she still enjoys her tennis. “It is such a big part of my life. I have played for so long I can’t imagine my life without tennis, it would be a struggle,” she said. “I enjoy hitting every day, being on the court, seeing my friends. Whenever you get out there, it is competition. Any- thing can happen on that day.” For youngsters getting into the sport, she said the key is simply to have fun. “Just enjoy, don’t stress. Careers aren’t all that long. I’ve played tennis for a long time and I am in the middle of my career – you have to enjoy playing every day.” said Claudette McKenzie, agronomist at the Agricul- ture Department. The show will feature a number of themed areas, including a food court, farmers’ market, art and craft areas, livestock dis- plays, an exhibition hall and a kids playground. There will also be a hot wings competition, baby show, horse riding, Miss Farm Queen, Farm Princess, and dance performances by “Cayman Dream Chasers.” The agricultural show will have more than 400 ex- hibitions and this year it will focus on sustainable agri- culture in a changing world. “Even though the world is changing, the Agricultural Society is still committed [to] bring quality agricultural products to the people of the Cayman Islands. If you eat local, you are agriculture,” said Kerry Forbes, admin- istrative coordinator at the Cayman Islands Agricultural Society, which along with the Department of Agricul- ture, is organizing the event. George Smith, president of the Agricultural Society, said in a newsletter to mem- bers that the Agriculture Show is a significant part of Cayman history and perhaps one of the few preserved things that resembles and purports its original pur- pose: farming in the Cayman Islands and self-sustenance. The occasion, he said, is also an opportunity for gifted and talented farmers to showcase their products and to contribute to a family and children-oriented day. The first Agriculture Show in Cayman was held some 50 years ago in George Town with a few farmers and local cooks. As the show’s popularity grew, it was moved to the West Bay Town Hall yard but poor at- tendance from outer dis- tricts forced it back to George Town, to the Cayman Prep School grounds. When permission was granted by government to use the property, the show moved to the George Town cricket oval, where it re- mained until 1989 when Hurricane Gilbert damaged the site. The show then moved to the Lions Centre on Crewe Road. Today, the show is held at the Agriculture Pa- vilion on Agricola Drive in Lower Valley. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children. Raffle tickets cost $25 and include admission. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cayman prepares for 51st Agriculture Show US Open champ ready for battle of the legends ELDERLY SNORKELER DIES OFF SMB A 72-year-old American visitor died after getting into difficulty swimming along Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach Monday. Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice said the man, who was not identified, was reported to be in trouble in the water just after noon Monday. He was brought ashore by other beach-goers who tried to revive the elderly man with CPR, police said. The man was taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital where he was pronounced dead later on Monday. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Japanese Princess Mako’s wedding postponed TOKYO (AP) – Japan’s im- perial palace announced Tuesday that Princess Mako’s wedding will be postponed because of insufficient prep- arations, Japanese media re- ported, triggering speculation that the decision was related to criticism in tabloids of her fiance’s family background. Mako and her college class- mate Kei Komuro, a com- moner, announced their en- gagement last September. Mako is Emperor Akihito’s oldest grandchild. The Imperial Household Agency announced that the wedding, planned for No- vember, will be delayed for two years, citing a lack of time for preparation, according to public broadcaster NHK and other media. A ceremony for- malizing their engagement, planned for early March, was also postponed. No new dates were given. The surprise announce- ment left many people puz- zled. Agency official Taka- haru Kachi told reporters that the decision was not related to tabloid magazine reports about disputes between Ko- muro’s mother and her former Japan’s Princess Mako, the elder daughter of Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, and her fiance Kei Komuro, look at each other during a press conference at Akasaka East Residence in Tokyo in September 2017. – PHOTO: AP POLICE SEARCH FOR WB INTRUDER Police investigators are looking for a suspect who broke into a woman’s West Bay home in the predawn hours Sunday. Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice officers said the resident of the home locked herself in the bedroom just before 3 a.m. when the man entered. Police said the woman was not harmed and the male sus- pect did not appear to have taken anything. “The RCIPS is urging resi- dents to exercise caution and to ensure that all doors and windows are locked, especially at nights and when leaving home,” a police statement on the incident noted. partner over money she bor- rowed to cover her son’s tu- ition and never paid back, the reports said. The agency told The Associ- ated Press that it had not made any announcement about a postponement, which was ap- parently only shared among Japanese press club members. Mako said in a statement published by Japanese media, including the Mainichi news- paper, that the couple de- cided to postpone their wed- ding until 2020, a year after the emperor’s abdication next year. The 84-year-old Akihito is to abdicate on April 30, 2019, with Crown Prince Naruhito taking the Chrysanthemum Throne the next day. “We have come to realize the lack of time to make suffi- cient preparations for various events leading up to our mar- riage this autumn and our life afterwards,” Mako wrote. “We believe that we have rushed various things too much.” The palace requested 150 million yen ($1.4 million) as part of its fiscal 2018 budget to cover the costs when she leaves the royal family. Under the imperial household law, female members lose their royal status when they marry a commoner.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2018 It starts with you. Banks will NEVER call or send messages asking for private information such as: u Your PIN u Your Password u Your Access Code u Credit Card Number u Account Number ®Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence (where applicable). each particular instance. “With regard to Mr. Ste- phens’ case, when weighing all of the circumstances, in- cluding the nature of the of- fence for which he was con- victed, and the fact that he has a Caymanian spouse and two Caymanian children, the Cabinet is not considering making a deportation order in this instance at this time.” According to U.S. court re- cords, Mr. Stephens is orig- inally from Trinidad and Tobago, but he also is an American citizen. Grand Court Justice Mi- chael Wood said during sen- tencing for Mr. Stephens in August 2017 that he did not find the teenage girl making the accusations was a liar, but the judge said that was not the legal test. Justice Wood had to be sure of the defen- dant’s guilt and there was “just enough doubt for me to be not sure,” he said. The judge said it was per- haps with “a degree of reluc- tance” that he found Mr. Ste- phens not guilty of the other charges against him. Justice Wood pointed out that the maximum sentence for using an ICT network to abuse is two years. He considered that Mr. Stephens’s offense had been at the top end of such offending. The judge further noted that Mr. Stephens had al- ready spent nearly a year in prison at the time of his sentencing. Some of that time was in Florida, where he was arrested after leaving the Cayman Is- lands. The rest of that time was spent in Cayman prison awaiting trial. According to Cayman’s Conditional Release Law, the minimum time in prison for a defendant being held on an 18-month prison sentence would be “sixty percent” – in this case about 11 months. Section 88 of the Immigra- tion Law sets out the rules for deportation of non-Cayma- nians which involve a con- victed person who has been sentenced in the islands to imprisonment “for not less than six months.” The section further states that “a magistrate shall have reported on the case and the Cabinet, having had regard to the findings of fact and conclusions of law and any recommendation contained in such report, is satisfied that such order may prop- erly be made.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cabinet declines to deport track coach Stephens Man wanted for murder in US agrees to extradition Wayne Collier faces charges after deaths of woman and baby CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An American man wanted in Florida for the murders of a woman and baby appeared in Cayman’s Summary Court late Tuesday, when he agreed to be extradited back to the United States. In the presence of Magis- trate Angelyn Hernandez, de- fendant Wayne Collier signed a copy of a U.S. diplomatic note stating that if he were extradited, the death penalty would not be sought. Mr. Collier, 29, had come to Cayman on Nov. 3, 2017, the same day he is accused of shooting Heidy Brown, who was eight months pregnant at the time. Mr. Collier was due to leave Cayman on Nov. 10, but did not show up for the return flight. The baby, whom doctors had tried to save through surgery, died on Nov. 15. The mother died on Jan. 3, 2018. The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service received a pro- visional arrest warrant for Mr. Collier on Jan. 9; he was located and arrested within 24 hours. He is wanted on the two murder charges and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Mr. Collier first appeared in court in Cayman on Jan. 11. He was kept in custody while arrangements were being made for the formal extradi- tion process, including a court hearing scheduled for March. On Tuesday, Magistrate Hernandez read the diplo- matic note and referred to a section saying that the state of Florida would not seek the death penalty. Cayman’s Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryll Richards agreed that the death penalty was an issue. The U.S. has the death pen- alty; the U.K. does not. The note says that the government of the United States assures the govern- ment of the United Kingdom that the death penalty is not and will not be an appli- cable punishment in this case, should Mr. Collier be extra- dited to the U.S. The note also indicates that the state attorney in Florida responsible for prose- cuting the matter will not seek the death penalty nor will it be imposed. The assurance is binding on all future prosecu- tors in the state of Florida. Attorney John Furniss said that the matter would be prosecuted in Florida as “second degree murder,” for which the penalty is life imprisonment. “Mr. Collier wishes to fight the case back in the U.S.,” Mr. Furniss told the court, adding that the defendant obviously could not fight it in Cayman. It was necessary for Mr. Collier to sign the note in the magistrate’s presence, which he did. The magistrate then asked if he understood that he was consenting and his con- sent was irrevocable. He said yes. Asked if he understood that she was now transmit- ting the case to be processed for extradition, he replied, “Yes, ma’am.” The necessary papers would be sent to the Gov- ernor’s Office, the magis- trate told Mr. Collier. She re- manded him in custody until arrangements were made for his departure. Murder suspect Wayne Collier will be extradited to the United States. In the presence of Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez, defendant Wayne Collier signed a copy of a U.S. diplomatic note stating that if he were extradited, the death penalty would not be sought.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS FAST TRACK YOUR CAREER!! Train locally to compete globally! Get a Solid Foundation in Accounting! With our AAT ONLINE TRAINING Training starts @ CI$350 per course. Save 10% when you book multiple classes. Level 4 IFA Award Level 5 IFA Advanced Certificate Classes begin week of March 6th Ask about our payment plans for self- sponsored students Classes begin week of April 16, 2018. Contact us for details OFFICE TEL FAX E-MAIL WEBSITE Unit 201 Alissta Towers 943-IMPT (4678) 943-4679 Info_impt@candw.ky www.impttraining.com ICSA® Programs AAT QUALIFICATIONS (From the Association of Accounting Technicians) ACCA TUTORIALS (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants – over 100 years strong ) ILM LEVEL 2 Certificate in Leadership & Team Skills (The Institute of Leadership & Management) FAST TRACK YOUR CAREER!! Train locally to compete globally! Get a Solid Foundation in Accounting! With our AAT ONLINE TRAINING Training starts @ CI$350 per course. Save 10% when you book multiple classes. Level 4 IFA Award Level 5 IFA Advanced Certificate Classes begin week of March 6th Ask about our payment plans for self- sponsored students Classes begin week of April 16, 2018. Contact us for details OFFICE TEL FAX E-MAIL WEBSITE Unit 201 Alissta Towers 943-IMPT (4678) 943-4679 Info_impt@candw.ky www.impttraining.com ICSA® Programs AAT QUALIFICATIONS (From the Association of Accounting Technicians) ACCA TUTORIALS (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants – over 100 years strong ) ILM LEVEL 2 Certificate in Leadership & Team Skills (The Institute of Leadership & Management) Overpass collapses in Brazil’s capital Part of an overpass collapsed in Brasilia Tuesday, destroying cars and a restaurant, and snarling traffic in Brazil’s capital. Governor Rodrigo Rollemberg says no one was hurt in the collapse of the 100-foot span. Syria airstrikes kill at least 25 civilians BEIRUT (AP) – Russian and Syrian government forces launched a new wave of air- strikes on Tuesday, killing at least 25 civilians in a be- sieged area just outside of Syria’s capital, Damascus, according to activists and a war monitoring group. The onslaught came a day after a rash of air- strikes battered Syrian op- position areas, killing more than 28 people around the country and striking at hos- pitals and residential build- ings in the northwestern Idlib province. Syrian gov- ernment forces have been on the offensive in Idlib in re- cent weeks but the push in- tensified after militants shot down a Russian Su-25 fighter jet near the town of Saraqeb over the weekend. Russia has waged a pun- ishing aerial campaign against Syria’s armed op- position since intervening in the civil war on the side of its ally, President Bashar Assad, in 2015. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 10 towns in the Eastern Ghouta region out- side Damascus were bombed on Tuesday. The activist-run Ghouta Media Center said at least two, Douma and Ha- rasta, was struck by ground- to-ground missiles. The Syrian Civil Defense search-and-rescue group, known as the White Hel- mets, which works in opposi- tion areas, called it “another bloody day for civilians” in Eastern Ghouta. It released a video showing its workers rushing to rescue victims from un- derneath the rubble Tuesday. The Observatory said 35 people had been killed, while the Civil Defense put the death toll at 25. Meanwhile, the lead in- vestigator of a U.N.-man- dated Commission of In- quiry on Syria said his team was looking into reports that bombs allegedly con- taining weaponized chlo- rine were used on two re- cent occasions, in the town of Saraqeb, in Idlib, and Douma, in Eastern Ghouta. Paulo Pinheiro, in a state- ment, added that the spi- raling violence in Syria had made “a mockery of the so- called ‘de-escalation zones’” – an agreement last year between Russia, Iran, and Turkey to stabilize the lines of conflict and open corridors for urgently needed humani- tarian relief. He described the gov- ernment’s siege and indis- criminate bombardment of Eastern Ghouta as “interna- tional crimes.” From Damascus, the United Nations called for an immediate, month-long cease-fire in Syria in order to deliver critical humanitarian aid and medical care to civil- ians trapped by fighting in regions across the country. The U.N. mission warned in a statement on Tuesday of “dire consequences” to the humanitarian crises in the country, and identified seven areas requiring ur- gent humanitarian relief. It said it ongoing fighting and the deliberate obstructions by forces at the front lines were blocking aid organi- zations from reaching ci- vilians in need. The U.N. says it has a plan to reach 700,000 people with relief in the next two months, if it can get the permis- sion to proceed. Syria’s multi-sided war has drawn in armies and in- surgents from around the world, aggravating a conflict which began as an uprising against Assad’s rule. Though Assad appears to have sur- vived the insurgency, his forces continue to bomb and besiege opposition pockets around the country, including in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib. The White Helmets said airstrikes targeting the vil- lage of Termala in Idlib on Tuesday killed three people. It said one of its workers was also killed by an airstrike while responding to a call for rescue in the area. Meanwhile, Turkish oper- ations against Syrian Kurdish forces and U.S. and Russian- backed operations against the Islamic State group have compounded the suffering of Syrians in the country’s north and east. Civil Defense workers dig for survivors under a damaged building after airstrikes hit a rebel-held suburb near Damascus, Syria, Monday. – PHOTO: AP LONDON (AP) – A British judge on Tuesday upheld a U.K. arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, leaving him still a wanted man in the country where he has spent more than five years inside the Ecua- dorean Embassy. Judge Emma Arbuthnot rejected a call from Assange’s lawyers for the warrant to be revoked because he is no longer wanted for questioning in Sweden over alleged sex crimes. It was issued in 2012 for jumping bail. “I am not persuaded the warrant should be with- drawn,” Arbuthnot told law- yers, journalists and Assange supporters gathered at Lon- don’s Westminster Magis- trates’ Court. However, she allowed As- sange’s lawyer to make a new set of arguments, and said she would rule on them next week. Assange, 46, has been holed up in Ecuador’s em- bassy in London since he took refuge there in June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden. Swedish prosecutors at the time were investigating alle- gations of sexual assault and rape made by two women in 2010. Swedish prosecutors dropped the case last year, saying there was no pros- pect of bringing Assange to Sweden in the foreseeable fu- ture. But Assange was still subject to the British warrant for breaching his bail condi- tions in 2012. The judge said that if As- sange wanted the warrant lifted he should surrender to authorities and come to court. She said he would be able to argue his case and “put an argument for reason- able cause” for breaching his bail conditions. After the ruling, the judge agreed to let Assange’s lawyer, Mark Summers, argue in his client’s absence that the war- rant should be lifted because it was no longer in the public interest to arrest Assange. Summers said Assange had health problems including depression, and argued that the five and a half years he has spent inside the embassy were more than adequate punishment for his actions. Arbuthnot said she would rule on those argu- ments Feb. 13. Had the judge ruled in As- sange’s favor on Tuesday, he would have been free to leave the embassy without being ar- rested on the British warrant. However, Assange sus- pects there is a secret U.S. indictment against him for WikiLeaks’ publication of leaked classified Amer- ican documents, and that the U.S. authorities will seek his extradition. Earlier this month, Ec- uador said it had granted the Australian-born hacker citi- zenship, as the South Amer- ican country tried to unblock the stalemate that has kept Assange as its houseguest for five-and-a-half years. Ecuador also asked Britain to grant him diplo- matic status. Britain refused, saying “the way to resolve this issue is for Julian As- sange to leave the embassy to face justice.” British prosecutors had opposed the removal of the warrant, saying Assange should not be immune from the law simply because he has managed to evade justice for a long time. Extradition lawyer Re- becca Niblock, of the law firm Kingsley Napley, said before the ruling that Assange’s legal argument was a longshot. “Failing to surrender to bail is like insulting the court’s authority” and un- likely to go down well with the court, she said. British judge upholds arrest warrant for Wikileaks founder Assange9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2018 © 2018 PricewaterhouseCoopers, a Cayman Islands partnership. All rights reserved. PwC refers to the Cayman Islands member firm, and may sometimes refer to the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details. How would your organisation fare in the face of regulatory scrutiny? Insights: Anti-Money Laundering (AML) service offerings When did your staff last receive AML training? Local regulation requires this to be delivered at a regular basis. PwC is here to help • Focused AML training sessions for general staff, conducted in-house • In-depth AML training sessions for Board of Directors and Senior Compliance Staff • Ad-hoc briefings on evolving industry leading practices A team that delivers... Robert Stanier Partner Tel: +1 (345) 525 1802 robert.d.stanier@ky.pwc.com Cora Schwendtke Manager Tel: +1 (345) 914 8751 schwendtke.cora@ky.pwc.com It starts with you. Phishing is a type of identity theft where criminals use scare tactics to bait you into giving personal and financial details. These calls, emails or texts are NOT legitimate. ®Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence (where applicable). Trump’s bipartisan pitch long gone; now he’s talking treason WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump’s call in the State of the Union ad- dress last week for a new era of bipartisan cooperation seems like a distant memory. Now, he’s calling Demo- crats “un-American” and per- haps “treasonous” for not clapping during that address – part of a larger trend of re- cent insults and slights as the president turns his ire on the opposition party for failing to go along with his plans. His treason quip on Monday triggered an uproar among Democrats. The White House quickly responded that the president was joking, although Trump has not said – or tweeted – as much. Illinois Sen. Tammy Duck- worth, a double amputee vet- eran of the Iraq War, tweeted her umbrage, working in a re- minder that Trump had de- ferments during the Vietnam War for bone spurs. “We don’t live in a dicta- torship or a monarchy,” she wrote. “I swore an oath_in the military and in the Senate_ to preserve, protect and de- fend the Constitution of the United States, not to mind- lessly cater to the whims of Cadet Bone Spurs and clap when he demands I clap.” House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi tweeted that “Every American should be alarmed by how @real- DonaldTrump is working to make loyalty to him synon- ymous with loyalty to our country. That is not how de- mocracy works.” Some Republicans, too, said Trump had gone too far. “You don’t have to al- ways agree with those on the other side of the aisle, but all members of Congress love their country, and none are treasonous,” wrote Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona. White House spokesman Hogan Gidley insisted the president had made the comment in jest. “It was tongue in cheek. The president was obviously joking. But what’s serious is it seems as though the Dem- ocrats put their personal ha- tred for this president over their desires to see this country succeed,” he said. Trump made his treason remark during an appearance at an Ohio manufacturing plant, where he said Republi- cans went “totally crazy, wild, they loved everything” about his State of the Union address. He described Democrats as refusing to applaud even posi- tive news, and said they would prefer to see him do badly than the country do well. “Can we call that treason? Why not?” he asked, lobbing an extraordinary accusa- tion. “They certainly didn’t seem to love our country very much,” Trump added. Trump also accused the party of not wanting to se- cure the nation’s borders. “They don’t care about the security of our country,” he said. “They don’t care about MS-13 killers pouring into our country.” That was a reference to a violent street gang. It was a significant depar- ture from the night a week earlier when Trump talked of “extending an open hand to work with members of both parties – Democrats and Republicans – to protect our citizens of every back- ground, color, religion and creed,” all the while pushing a hardline immigration plan that Democrats have rejected as a nonstarter. Trump’s plan would pro- vide a path to citizenship for up to 1.8 million young people living in the country illegally, in exchange for billions for his promised border wall and immigration enforcement, as well as major cuts to legal im- migration that Democrats say they cannot get behind. Trump has tried to put the onus on Democrats for failing to embrace his plans. In tweets the morning after his speech, Trump said Democrats were doing nothing to help the young im- migrants, whose protection from deportation and ability to work in the country Trump put in jeopardy last year. “They Resist, Blame, Com- plain and Obstruct – and do nothing,” Trump complained, adding: “We have a great chance to make a deal or, blame the Dems!” The criticism continued throughout the week. In evening remarks to Re- publican Party leaders and donors Thursday, Trump ac- cused Democrats of being “missing in action” and not wanting to pass immigration legislation so they can use the issue as a wedge in the 2018 midterm elections. He continued to hammer away at the message Friday, telling top Homeland Security per- sonnel he didn’t think Demo- crats wanted to reach a deal on the young immigrants. Trump’s frustrations ap- peared to intensify Monday when he turned his ire on Cal- ifornia Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, which has been probing potential collusion between Moscow and Trump campaign aides. Trump called Schiff “one of the biggest liars and leakers in Washington” and said he “Must be stopped!” But his angriest comments came during what should have been a feel-good speech in Ohio about the tax cuts he signed into law last year. Instead, Trump com- plained that Democrats had refused to applaud his accom- plishments during his State of the Union speech and went after Pelosi for comparing the bonuses some workers have received as a result of the tax cuts to “crumbs.” TANKER’S CREW RETAKES SHIP FROM PIRATES HONG KONG (AP) – The crew of a missing Indian oil tanker regained control of the ship from pirates who had hi- jacked it off Benin’s coast, the vessel’s management com- pany said Tuesday. The Marine Express tanker was “the subject of a pirate attack and seizure in the Gulf of Guinea” on Feb. 1, Anglo-Eastern of Hong Kong said on social media. The ship lost contact until its captain and crew took back control Monday eve- ning Benin time, which was early Tuesday in Hong Kong, the company said. All 22 Indian crew mem- bers were safe and its cargo of 15,120 tons of gasoline re- mained on board. “A complete investiga- tion will be carried out into the hijacking,” the company said. It praised the crew and their families “for their courage and fortitude in dealing with this difficult situation,” but provided few other details. The Indian government confirmed Sunday that the ship, owned by a Mumbai company, was missing and it had sought help from the Benin and Nigerian na- vies to find it. Ship hijackings and kidnappings of crew are common in the region, with hostages often re- leased unharmed after a ransom is paid. Bandits usu- ally target oil tankers and sell the crude. Concerns about pi- racy off Africa’s coasts have largely shifted to the Gulf of Guinea following interna- tional efforts in recent years to reduce the threat of off So- malia’s coast. President Donald Trump gestures as delivers his first State of the Union address in the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol to a joint session of Congress Tuesday in Washington. - PHOTO: APNext >