< Previous10 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS The family of Dennis Bouta regrets to announce his death on Monday, 12 February, 2018. Mr. Bouta will be repatriated to the USA Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. The family of Sandra Rankin regrets to announce her death on Tuesday, 20 February, 2018. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. The family of Arlene Anette Berry regrets to announce her death on Wednesday, 14 February, 2018. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date. Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. The family of the Late Capt. Thomas Shelby Hydes bett er known as Capt. Shelby regrets to announce his passing on Tuesday,13 February, 2018. A funeral service will be held on Saturday 3rd March 2018 at 2:00pm at the Church of God, 108 Capt. Reginald Parsons Dr, Mount Pleasant, West Bay. Viewing will be from 12:30 p.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow in West Bay Cemetery. Those who wish to do so, may make a donation to the C.I. Seafarers Association or the building fund of the Church of God at West Bay. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page The family of the Late Ruth Johnston regrets to announce her passing on Thursday, 15 February , 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A graveside service will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, 3 March, 2018 at Prospect Cemetery. bodd fls im & The family of Venice Viola Green regrets to announce her death on Friday, 16 February, 2018. A funeral service will take place on Saturday March 3, 2018 3:00 p.m. Bodden Funeral Service Chapel, 117 Walkers Rd . Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Red Cross to expand training Honors volunteers at annual gala During 2018, the Cayman Islands Red Cross is planning to expand the work it does in the community and to get even more people on island trained in first aid and CPR skills. This year, the Red Cross plans to add professional first responder training; identify and train volunteers to deliver a number of new courses, in- cluding first aid/CPR/AED to Spanish-speaking resi- dents; a baby-sitting course for teens; and a specific first aid course for young people. It also plans to improve the first aid coverage services for com- munity events. The organization an- nounced its plans for the year at its annual volunteer appreciation gala last month, at which the Red Cross hon- ored some of its longest serving volunteers and cele- brated the work of the many individuals who give their time to help others. Last year, first aid pro- gram volunteers provided first aid coverage at 65 events. The first aid program was also responsible for training more than 1,200 per- sons in life saving skills, 20 people in basic water rescue and 12 lifeguards. Further plans for 2018 in- clude enhancing the part- nership with the Needs As- sessment Unit and the Department of Children and Family Services, developing a working partnership with the Community Emergency Response Teams in an effort to better identify and assist the most vulnerable within those communities, and im- proving the overall quality of the products and services of- fered by the Red Cross Thrift Shop, the organization stated in a press release. Volunteer awards At “The Henris,” the volun- teer appreciation gala at the Marriott hotel, long service pins were awarded to Peter Milburn, Myrtle Thomas, Os- wald Thomas and Janilee Clifford for more than 30 years of service to the orga- nization. Special recognition was also given to three youth volunteers: Dreshna James, Carina James and Bianca Rego-Ramos, who devoted their summer to providing administrative support to the Red Cross. Governor Helen Kilpatrick, who is patron of the Cayman Islands Red Cross, and Min- ister of Finance Roy Mc- Taggart, spoke at the event which was attended by 149 volunteers and guests. “The work of volunteers in our community is very im- portant,” Minister McTaggart said. “During the evacuation of South Sound last year the Red Cross volunteers were able to get the shelter open in 25 minutes: that is amazing.” Acting Disaster Man- ager Keith Ford, in an over- view of the work done in the community by the volunteers and through the Community Emergency Response Teams, said that in 2017, 42 volun- teers were trained as shelter managers, 46 were trained in disaster risk assessment, and another 15 were trained in radio communications. Youth awareness about disasters was also highlighted as the Red Cross accommodated 70 young people from four local primary schools at its head- quarters as part of its di- saster education initiative. According to the Red Cross, its goals for 2018 in- clude training new National Intervention Team members, assisting in the integration of the national emergency re- sponse team in Cayman Brac, and focusing attention on earthquake response prepa- rations and training. Volunteer and Resources Manager Samantha White- Smith announced at the event that 115 new volunteers were inducted into the organi- zation in 2017. In the Disaster Manage- ment category, the volun- teer of the year was Carlene Bradshaw-Miller and distin- guished volunteer lead was Ransford Fagan, while An- derson Skinner was com- mended for behind the scenes disaster management support. Odette DaCosta was rec- ognized as First Aid Volun- teer of the Year, while Carlene Bradshaw-Miller, Annette Bankasingh and Michael Rhoden were commended for Outstanding Support in first aid coverage. The Thrift Shop Volunteer of the Year was Sonia Morris, with additional awards were given to Pamella Martin, Stephanie Bennett and Donna Barnwell for their work at the Thrift Shop. Under the Administra- tion Support category, the Newcomer of the Year award went to Veron Lawson; Karen Wade won Overall Organiza- tional Support; Rumbidzai Kaguda won Administration Support: the Outstanding Program Support went to Antoinette Blanchard; and Behind the Scenes Support award to Anup Rao. The Volunteer’s Choice Award, which is determined by the volunteers themselves, was presented to three vol- unteers: Robert Cialon, Car- lene Bradshaw-Miller and Michael Gayle. The evening closed with the presentation of the Vol- unteer of the Year award, which was presented to Sonia Morris, who has been volunteering at the Red Cross since 2007. “There would be no Red Cross without volun- teers,” said Jondo Obi, di- rector of the organization. “We say that every year, and we mean it every year. Volun- teers are our greatest asset, and we are honored and humbled by their commit- ment to this organization and this community.” For more information on how to volunteer or donate to the Cayman Islands Red Cross, contact vrm@redcross.org.ky or 925-2251. Volunteer of the Year 2017 Sonia Morris, left, with Cayman Islands Red Cross Chairperson Irina Scrivens.Gold Certificate winners pose with their certificates at the Red Cross awards ceremony.11 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2018 Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Alanzo Navarro Bailey a ectionately known as “Omar” of Jamaica and West Bay, Grand Cayman, who passed away tragically on Sunday January 21, 2018. A Candlelight Vigil will be held on Saturday February 24, 2018 at 7:00p.m. at the South Sound Dock. Candles & light snacks will be provided. Please wear something white or aqua. “Omar” will be repatriated to Jamaica for a Thanksgiving Service. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mrs. Yvette Dawn McCrea affectionately known as “Miss Dawn” of George Town who passed away on Tuesday January 23, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday February 24, 2018 at 1:30p.m. at the New Testament Church of God, North Sound Road, George Town. Viewing will be from 12:30–1:30p.m. Interment to follow at Prospect Cemetery. The family of Stephen Rule regrets to announce his death on Monday, 12 February, 2018. Mr. Rule will be repatriated to the USA Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. The family of the Late Alfred Myers regrets to announce his passing on Tuesday, 13 February, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, 24 February, 2018 at Savannah United Church. Interment will follow in Prospect Cemetery. The family of the Late Marguerite V. Rankine regrets to announce her passing on Saturday, 10 February, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday 24 February 2018 at Church of God Chapel, viewing will be from 1:00 p.m. prior to the service. The service will be on Facebook Live on the George Town Church of God Chapel homepage. Interment will follow in Dixie Cemetery. The family will receive friends after the interment at the Family Life Centre, adjacent to the Church of God Chapel. The family of Faithlyn Riddel regrets to announce her death on Sunday, 28 January, 2018. Ms. Riddel will be repatriated to Jamaica Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. The family of Irene Watler regret to announce her passing on February 20, 2018. There will be a private celebration of her life, and in lieu of cards and flowers please make a donation in her honor to haveaheartcayman.com or caymanislandshumanesociety.com Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Public meeting sheds light on mental health facility East End residents told patients will not pose threat KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Ministry of Health held a public meeting at the East End Civic Centre on Wednesday night to discuss the district’s planned mental health facility. There, government offi- cials shared details about the facility to about 20 East End residents that showed up to the meeting, explaining its necessity and that patients will not pose a safety threat to the nearby community. Health Minister Dwayne Seymour said that the ter- ritory has needed a mental health center for years, as Caymanians suffering with illnesses are currently sent to Jamaica. Once the facility is built – construction is sched- uled to break ground around September this year and be completed near the end of 2019 – those patients will be able to return home, he said. Having had to check his own father into a mental healthcare facility in Jamaica about 20 years ago, Mr. Sey- mour said the issue is very personal to him. “Visiting Jamaica, let me tell you, we need this fa- cility,” he said. One of the main con- cerns some residents had about the center – which will be built near High Rock – is that patients might es- cape and pose a threat to the nearby community. But Dr. Marc Lockhart, the chairman of the Mental Health Commission, said that the long-term mental health facility will not house pa- tients with a history of vio- lence. If any person receiving care there demonstrates a tendency toward violence, he or she will be sent to the George Town inpatient unit, he said. “The biggest concern is not going to be patients leaving. It’s going to be people coming in to disrupt and steal and destroy,” Dr. Lockhart added. “We’re not passing any as- persions on any community by saying that, but this is the world we live in.” The Mental Health Com- mission chairman said secu- rity will be on site. And while there will be no fence sur- rounding the facility, there will be an electronic moni- toring system that alerts se- curity when someone crosses the property’s perimeter. Dr. Lockhart also said the type of care at the facility will be aimed at reintegrating patients back into society with the skills they need to be productive residents. “There may be a per- centage of people who are too ill to be reintegrated, but at least those people will be able to live in dig- nity,” he said. The center will also be able to serve as a training ground for University College of the Cayman Islands stu- dents who are interested in psychology and occupational therapy, he said. Before Wednesday night’s public meeting, Melody McLean and other dis- trict residents said they had concerns about the safety threats the facili- ty’s patients might pose to the community. “But based off where it will be located and that it’s more of a transition- type home, I don’t think we should have that much con- cern about security,” said Ms. McLean. “I don’t think the patients that will be here will be the violent-type pa- tients. I think they will be more the bipolar, the depres- sion [cases] – so I think it’s a different type of patient that will be there. “So I think we should, as people in the commu- nity, I think we should give it a chance.” Dr. Marc Lockhart discusses the planned mental health care facility with residents in East End. - PHOTO: KEN SILVA HSA: WE INITIATED OVERTIME AUDIT BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Health Services Authority Board of Directors said Thursday that “irregulari- ties” in the agency’s secu- rity department were un- covered during “routine monitoring” by senior au- thority staff. The Cayman Compass reported Thursday that government’s Internal Audit Unit was conducting a re- view of overtime payments to a number of security staffers employed at the public hospital. The health authority declined to com- ment before the newspa- per’s report on the issue. The statement released Thursday by the board read: “In discussion with the board and in accor- dance with the organiza- tion’s fraud and corruption prevention policy, [senior staff] requested an audit of the security department from the HSA’s Internal Au- ditor who is currently on secondment to the govern- ment Internal Audit unit. “This review is currently under way and we await a formal report.” Security staff members, numbering about a dozen, were informed earlier this week of the internal audit review. According to a notice that was sent to those se- curity officers: “In order to facilitate an investiga- tion into irregularities in the security section, it has been decided that it would be in the best interest of the Health Services Au- thority to place you on re- quired leave effective im- mediately. You will remain in that status for 30 days or until the investigation is completed.” “Required leave” is sus- pension with pay. The HSA security of- ficers have been replaced for the time being with em- ployees from a private se- curity company. Security officers have been suspended from the Cayman Islands Hospital during an overtime audit. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY12 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS UCCI to host Chamber employment expo More than 30 businesses plan to be on hand Friday, Feb. 23, at the University Col- lege of the Cayman Islands for the annual Chamber of Commerce Career Expo. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Johnson Hall. Organizers said they ex- pect 700 students to at- tend the expo, where com- pany representatives will be on hand to answer ques- tions and talk about employ- ment opportunities, as well as scholarship and intern- ship programs. The public is also invited. Many of the island’s top employers from the financial sector and tourism industry plan to attend. The Water Authority – Cayman will be promoting a $30,000 scholarship opportu- nity and summer internships. The Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa is promoting tourism in- ternships. And Cayman En- terprise City will have in- formation on placement opportunities within the spe- cial economic zone. The Chamber of Com- merce has its own booth pro- moting a new summer work experience program. The program encourages busi- nesses to hire high school students for the summer to introduce them to the world of work and give them a taste of future opportunities. For more information, call 949-8090. Brac Spring Weekend returns next month The Cayman Brac Spring Weekend returns this year and will take place on Friday and Saturday, March 9 and 10. The government’s Youth Services Unit will be put- ting together a lively weekend in Cayman Brac for teenagers. It will in- clude a Brac Youth Forum, where young people will be able to actively discuss topics of interest that relate to them or to the commu- nity with the Cayman Is- lands Youth Assembly and the Youth Services Unit. It will also include bas- ketball and dominoes tour- naments, as well as a scav- enger hunt. The weekend culminates with a beach bonfire. All events will be free of charge, thanks to the public and private sup- port of the initiatives. “It is wonderful to know that these annual events are designed to en- courage young people to find common ground and foster new friendships,” said Juliana O’Connor-Con- nolly, minister for youth. “It is important for youth to get a chance to interact in different ways and also connect with the youth from Grand Cayman in positive ways.” The Brac Youth Forum, sponsored by Cayman Na- tional Bank, will be held on Friday, March 9, from 2-4 p.m. at the Layman E. Scott High School to com- mence the weekend. Also on that Friday, from 7-10 p.m., will be a 3 vs. 3 basketball tournament for juniors and for seniors at the high school’s basket- ball courts. Teams of three players each (with two sub- stitutes) will get the chance to show off their basketball skills. The winners will earn prizes from Progres- sive Distributors’ Gatorade brand and from Winners Circle Sports. The Youth Services Unit encourages young people interested in entering to register early for this event in particular, as spaces are limited. On Saturday, March 10, from 1-2 p.m., teens are in- vited to take part in a car scavenger hunt starting at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre. It will be followed by a domino tournament and a car and bike show with sound-off, which will take place at the same loca- tion from 4-6 p.m. The Brac Spring Weekend ends with a beach bonfire from 7-9 p.m. at South Side Public Beach. “Judging by the feed- back we got from last year’s events, the turnout for next month is going to be high,” said Youth Services Unit coordinator James Myles. “Early registration is rec- ommended to avoid disap- pointment. Registration is required for all events ex- cept for the bonfire.” The Youth Services Unit will be taking a delegation of students from its Youth- Flex and Youth Assembly programs to help run the events and to promote net- working between Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac’s youth. Food and non-alco- holic drinks will be on sale at some of the events with the proceeds going toward helping Brac youth and community groups. Corporate sponsorship is still being accepted to assist with event costs. Businesses interested in becoming sponsors for Brac Spring Weekend ‘18 events can email the Youth Services Unit at james.myles@gov.ky or call 943-1127. For further information, event flyers and registration forms, email camille.angel@gov.ky, or visit the YouthFlex Cayman Facebook page. Staff members of Stepping Stones, a recruitment and job placement agency, will be among representatives from more than 30 businesses at the Chamber of Commerce Career Expo on Friday at UCCI.13 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2018 PRIVATE & GROUP CLASSES PHOTO & VIDEO CAMERAS & LENSES CUSTOM PRINTING Giclée on canvas Fine Art Paper Watercolor Paper Canvas Stretching Photo Restoraaon Photo Classes Above Water Underwater Photo Ediang Evening Classes Learn with us! 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On Tuesday, Chadwick Cameron Ebanks, 40, and Ralston Ben- jamin Ebanks, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiring, with others unknown, to supply the illegal drug on or before July 6, 2017. They also pleaded guilty to possession of crim- inal property, different sums of cash. Mr. Chadwick had previ- ously pleaded guilty to pos- session of two unlicensed air pistols, which police found under his pillow in a bed- room of a house in Mount Pleasant, West Bay. Mr. Ralston previously pleaded guilty to possession of a Ruger semi-automatic revolver, a .38 caliber revolver with one live round in it and four rounds of 9-millimeter Ruger ammunition. Crown counsel Toyin Salako told Justice Philip St. John-Stevens that Mr. Cam- eron was arrested on July 6, 2017, on an unrelated matter. Police then went with a search warrant to his West Bay residence, where they seized a number of items, including a box containing 13 jars of ganja in the front living area, five large par- cels of ganja in a bedroom along with empty jars, a set of scales and large knife, and in Mr. Chadwick’s bedroom a duffle bag with equipment for the air pistols. Officers also found a briefcase concealed be- tween two mattresses in an- other room. It was locked and they forced it open. It contained correspondence in Mr. Ralston’s name, the handguns and ammunition, CI$51,025 and US$12,000. Ms. Salako said Mr. Chad- wick told police about cash in the house when he was in- terviewed. They searched the kitchen and found $2,100 in one jar, $980 in another jar, and $7,224 in a teapot. She noted that Mr. Chadwick was employed at a bank at the time, so it seemed implau- sible that he would save large sums, as he suggested, in jars in a kitchen cupboard. In a prepared statement, Mr. Chadwick said the drugs were brought to the house four months earlier by two men who said they had found it wet on the beach while they were out fishing. To- gether they salvaged what they could, placed it in jars to be used as cannabis oil or tea. He denied any inten- tion of selling it. Officers did not find any evidence of can- nabis oil or tea at the prem- ises. Total weight of the ganja found was 13.8 pounds. Mr. Ralston was arrested on July 18 at his residence in George Town. At the time, he was in possession of a bag with five packs of ganja, each wrapped in a transparent bag. Total weight was 4.2 ounces. In a prepared state- ment later, Mr. Ralston de- nied any knowledge of the drugs found in Mr. Chad- wick’s home and said the ganja he had on him was for personal use. Ms. Salako handed the judge photos showing the search of the West Bay premises. Justice St. John-Stevens summed up the situation when he commented, “You’ve got dealers of cannabis with their stock, their financial float, and means to protect their drugs and money.” Attorney Jonathon Hughes, who spoke on be- half of Mr. Chadwick, saying his client was subject to a maximum sentence of seven years for the ganja charge. He said his client did not know that a license was re- quired for BB guns. Ms. Salako said the Crown accepted that the air pistols did not fall under the minimum sentence pro- visions of the Firearms Law. Attorney Nicholas Dixey, who spoke for Mr. Ralston, said he client was subject to the statutory minimum of seven years. Having two firearms aggravated the matter. Mr. Ralston had been out of trouble for 14 years, but an earlier convic- tion for ganja with intent to supply meant that he was now subject to a sentence of up to 15 years. The judge, scheduled to leave Cayman on Feb. 23, said he would not be handing down sentences until April 12 and attorneys could send him any further submissions by March 9. Meanwhile, he remanded both defendants in continued custody. RITZ-CARLTON RESTAURANTS RECEIVE INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman is celebrating two accolades bestowed on its signature restaurants, Seven and Blue by Eric Ripert. Seven Restaurant, located on Seven Mile Beach, was se- lected as one of USA Today’s 10 best restaurants in the Ca- ribbean by its 2018 Readers’ Choice awards. Nominations are chosen by a panel of experts and votes are submitted by readers online. No other Cay- manian restaurant made this year’s list and no Cay- manian establishments were named in 2017. “This wonderful recogni- tion reinstates Seven’s posi- tion as one of the top dining outlets in Grand Cayman,” said The Ritz-Carlton in a press release. Seven has also won other awards in the past year, in- cluding a World Class win for mixologist Amba Lamb and Taste of the Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year for Executive Pastry Chef Melissa Logan. The top Caribbean restau- rant in the 2018 USA Today rankings is Antigua’s Sheer Rocks at Cocobay Resort. The Ritz-Carlton’s fine- dining establishment, Blue by Eric Ripert, was also re- cently awarded the American Automobile Association’s Five Diamond Award. Blue is the only restaurant in the Carib- bean to enjoy the distinction, based on the establishment’s rigorous standards. The award places the restaurant among the best in North America and the Caribbean. The Ritz-Carlton General Manager Marc Langevin speaks to the press with Marketing Communications Manager Maria Pineda.14 LOCAL&REGIONAL FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS N A TI O N A L A R T S F A I R 3 MARCH 2018 4PM - MIDNIGHT F.J HARQUAIL CULTURAL CENTRE TICKETS ON SALE NOW!! For more info: CNCF@ARTSCAYMAN.ORG 345.949.5477 @caymanculture Lorem ipsum TICKET OUTLETS: FOSTER’S FOOD FAIR (ALL LOCATIONS) HEALTHCARE PHARMACY (GRAND HARBOUR) FUNKY TANGS & THE CNCF OFFICE *tickets available at locations until 2 March RED SKY AT NIGHT Cayman Islands Folk Singers new album launch and special performance. Headline performances by David Bereaux and Friends from Trinidad Lammie Seymour, Impulse Band, Shameka Clarke and the Fyahsquad Band & Jaedyn Hanna. Exciting showcase of our diverse culture in the Parade of Nations! Incredible selection of local visual artists and artisans on display Entertainment by Dreamchasers Dance Company, Quintessential Movement, Pan N Riddim Steelpan Band, storytelling, theatrical performances & more. Screenings of films from the Travelling Caribbean Film Showcase. Wide selection of delicious food at Café Cayman ADULT: $15 | CHILD: $5 (12 & under) $10 Students (13-17) & Seniors (65+) CAYMAN ISLANDS NATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS Est. 1995 Cayman National Cultural Foundation CREATIVITY : HERITAGE : EDUCATION BPW names new leaders Paola Juarez-Robinson has been elected as the new president of the Business and Professional Women’s Club. Ms. Juarez-Robinson was appointed as president during the installation of the new executive board for the Cayman Chapter of the Inter- national Business and Pro- fessional Women’s Club at the George Town Yacht Club on Wednesday. She takes over the role from past president Annie Multon. At the installation event, Cheryl Myles was elected first vice president, Andrea Williams was elected second vice president and fund- raising chair, Rachael Gaunt was elected secretary, Tracey Patino takes on the role of membership officer, the trea- surer is Hazel O’Brien, and the Young Business and Pro- fessional Women’s Club committee leaders are Dr. Alexandra Bodden and Alex- andra Simonova. In her acceptance speech, Ms. Juarez-Robinson en- couraged women to work together and said the club would be taking the initiative to reach out to former female prison inmates. She said she believes the club needs to reach out to women who have served their time and are about to start over with their personal and professional lives. “Getting out comes with a mixture of overwhelming joy and anxiety,” she said. “They often want to start over, but don’t know how to achieve that. They need counseling on how to re-enter society. It is critical to find ways to help these women.” She also hopes the club can help empower young people and teach them about their capacity to control their lives and change society, and to instill a sense of their value. According to a press re- lease from the club, the or- ganization plans to focus on finding new venues to reach out to young girls and to create activities for them to feel empowered. “Empowering students through a variety of activi- ties that will challenge their minds, empower their sense of well-being, and rekindle their hearts with a commit- ment to values and beliefs, is essential for them to be- coming whole individuals,” Ms. Juarez-Robinson said. She said there already are many women in the commu- nity contributing to make Cayman a better society, but she would like to see this done more collectively. “I have an ambitious goal of growing our membership to welcome women of di- verse backgrounds – diverse in age, in thought, in occupa- tion and in industry,” she told members. “So I am taking this responsibility and I aim to inspire past members to join – to continue the proj- ects they started; inspiring the new generations to learn to be ‘hands on’ in their ef- forts, and enjoy the satisfac- tion of contributing towards a better Cayman. “While women continue to outnumber men in the world of higher education, gender equality in the work- force remains elusive for fe- male students,” she said. “As they continue to carve out their places in professional roles, BPW will continue to help, by granting scholar- ships to deserving young women in Cayman.” As president, Ms. Juarez- Robinson said she will be at- tending the BPW annual in- ternational summit in New York on March 9, as well as a regional meeting in Florida in July. Governor Helen Kilpatrick poses with the newly elected president of the Business and Professional Women’s Club, Paola Juarez-Robinson, third from right, and other members of the club’s executive board at its installation ceremony on Wednesday night. HURRICANES EAT INTO EXPEDIA PROFITABILITY Expedia Inc. dropped al- most 8 percent in post-market trading after the online travel agent said quarterly results were buffeted by hurricanes over the key summer season. Bellevue, Washington- based Expedia posted profit excluding certain costs of $2.51 a share, missing an- alysts’ average forecast of $2.62 a share. Revenue was $2.97 billion in the quarter, compared with the average estimate of $2.98 billion. The travel industry relies on the busy summer season for its biggest infusion of rev- enue every year. The company said “recent natural disasters” dented the quarter’s profit by between $15 million and $20 million. The U.S., which is Expedia’s most important market, saw a series of dev- astating hurricanes strike during August and September, hitting the Gulf Coast, Carib- bean, Florida and Puerto Rico. Cost of revenue also in- creased 10 percent from the same period last year, showing Expedia had to spend more on advertising and technology to lure trav- elers to its websites. © 2017, BloombergThe islands’ most-trusted news source 15 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2018 Saudi Arabia announces first opera house Saudi Arabia says construction will soon begin on the first opera house in the kingdom, where concerts have been banned for two decades. The opera house will be built in the Red Sea city of Jiddah on the kingdom’s western coast. Trump endorses raising age to 21 for assault rifles WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump endorsed stricter gun-control measures Thursday, including raising the minimum age to 21 for possessing a broader range of weapons than at present. He tweeted his strongest stance as president one day after an emotional White House session where stu- dents and parents poured out wrenching tales of lost lives and pleaded for action. Trump said on Twitter, “I will be strongly pushing Comprehensive Background Checks with an emphasis on Mental Health. Raise age to 21 and end sale of Bump Stocks!” He did not immediately offer more details. The current federal min- imum age for buying or pos- sessing handguns is 21, but the limit is 18 for rifles in- cluding assault-type weapons such as the AR-15 used by a former student in last week’s attack on a Florida high school that killed 17 students and staff members. A White House official said the president was not endorsing or ruling out any specific policy. In another tweet, Trump repeated his urgent call for trained teachers or others in schools to carry guns as a de- terrent to attacks. “If a potential ‘sicko shooter’ knows that a school has a large number of very weapons talented teachers (and others) who will be instantly shooting, the sicko will NEVER at- tack that school. Cowards won’t go there … problem solved. Must be offensive, defense alone won’t work!” Trump tweeted. He has previously ex- pressed an interest in ef- forts to strengthen the fed- eral background check system. It was not clear if he would back closing loop- holes that permit loose pri- vate sales on the internet and at gun shows. On Wednesday, Trump lis- tened intently at the White House as students described the horror of the shoot- ings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Park- land Florida. The students and their parents appealed to him to press for stricter gun controls. “I turned 18 the day after” the shooting, said tearful stu- dent Samuel Zeif. “Woke up to the news that my best friend was gone. And I don’t under- stand why I can still go in a store and buy a weapon of war. An AR. How is it that easy to buy this type of weapon? How do we not stop this after Columbine? After Sandy Hook?” Trump promised to be “very strong on background checks.” And he indicated he supported allowing some teachers and other school employees to carry con- cealed weapons to be ready for intruders. The president had in- vited the teen survivors of school violence and parents of murdered children in a show of his resolve against gun violence in the wake of last week’s shootings in Florida and in past years at schools in Connecticut and Colorado. Trump asked his guests to suggest solutions and so- licited feedback. He did not fully endorse any specific policy solution, but pledged to take action and expressed interest in widely dif- fering approaches. He largely listened, holding handwritten notes bearing his message to the families. “I hear you” was written in black marker. Besides considering con- cealed carrying of weapons by trained school employees, a concept he has endorsed in the past, he said he planned to go “very strongly into age, age of purchase.” And he said he was com- mitted to improving back- ground checks and working on mental health. Most in the group Wednesday were emotional but quiet and polite. But Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was killed last week, noted the previous school massa- cres and raged over his loss, saying this moment is not about gun laws but about fixing the schools. “It should have been one school shooting and we should have fixed it and I’m pissed. Because my daughter, I’m not going to see again,” said Pollack. “King David Cemetery, that is where I go to see my kid now.” A strong supporter of gun rights, Trump has nonethe- less indicated in recent days that he is willing to con- sider ideas not in keeping with National Rifle Associa- tion orthodoxy, including age restrictions for buying as- sault-type weapons. Still, gun owners are a key part of his base of supporters. The NRA quickly rejected any talk of raising the age for buying long guns to 21. “Legislative proposals that prevent law-abiding adults aged 18-20 years old from ac- quiring rifles and shotguns effectively prohibits them for purchasing any firearm, thus depriving them of their constitutional right to self- protection,” the group said in a statement. President Donald Trump listens to Julia Cordover, the student body president of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, as she speaks in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday. – PHOTO: AP16 WORLD&REGIONAL FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS THE BARCADERE MARINA & THE CAYMAN ISLANDS ANGLING CLUB IN SUPPORT OF THE GUY HARVEY OCEAN FOUNDATION ARE PROUD TO PRESENT FISHING DAY: 6:00AM TO 4:00PM, SATURDAY 24TH & SUNDAY 25TH FEBRUARY WEIGH IN: 4:00PM TO 6:00PM, SATURDAY 24TH & SUNDAY 25TH FEBRUARY PRIZE PRESENTATION: 7:00PM MONDAY 26TH FEB, GEORGE TOWN YACHT CLUB MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT: WWW.FISHCAYMAN.COM EMAIL: FRANK@FISHCAYMAN.COM PHONE: (345) 916-6940 IS NOW PLEASE D TO OFFER ISISI OWOWO PLE IS N W PL W PLEAS ASA ED TO S OWOWO PLEAS NOW PLEAS ASA WITH FOUR CONVENIENT LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU Meet the world with Puritan!Now using the most popular and eco-friendly cleaning solvents! 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The American Red Cross said it has opened eight shelters in northern Indiana, where crews used boats to help res- idents evacuate their homes. In Elkhart and nearby Goshen, local officials de- clared a state of emergency and asked that traffic be lim- ited to first responders and emergency personnel. In- diana University-South Bend canceled Thursday classes, and residents of a student apartment complex were en- couraged to leave. “I ended up grabbing my favorite blanket and stuffed animals,” 15-year- old Madison Schmidt, who was evacuated from her home in Elkhart to a shelter at a church, told The Elkhart Truth newspaper. “I got into the boat. Seeing what happened, just almost made me cry.” In Michigan, states of emergency were declared in the Lansing area as offi- cials recommended the evac- uations of several neigh- borhoods. City officials said anyone living in the pos- sible flood areas should tem- porarily leave their home by midday Thursday. “While the rain has stopped, we are expecting significant flooding,” Lansing Mayor Andy Schor said. Flooding also hit nearby Michigan State University, where some roads, parking lots and athletic fields were covered by water from the Red Cedar River that runs through its East Lansing campus. Classes in several buildings have been relocated and the school put up sand- filled barriers in an attempt to curb flooding. “Be careful if you’re trying to come to campus,” Schor said Wednesday, noting that the river was at its highest levels since 1975. “Changing conditions are affecting not only the roads but sidewalks and walkways.” The National Weather Service predicted the Grand River in Lansing would crest by late Thursday at 14.6 feet, nearly 3 feet above flood stage. The Red Cedar River was forecast to crest at 10.3 feet. The storm system started pushing heavy rain, snow and ice into the region this week, affecting roads and other low-lying areas. The weather was been blamed for hundreds of car crashes and several deaths, including a crash that killed four people along a slippery interstate in Nebraska. In central Mich- igan’s Fairplain Township, a 1-year-old girl was found dead Wednesday in standing water from rains and snow- melt in her backyard. Homes and streets also were flooded in the South Bend area of Indiana, and forecasters predicted that the swollen St. Joseph River would not crest until Thursday. Firefighters in Lake Station, Indiana, about 30 miles southeast of Chi- cago, evacuated some resi- dents Wednesday after 15 to 20 homes were surrounded by about 2 to 3 feet of water. In Illinois, authorities is- sued an evacuation order Wednesday for residents in the city of Marseilles who live near the Illinois River. Firefighters use a raft to rescue a family after rising flood waters submerged their home, Wednesday, in South Bend, Indiana. – PHOTO: AP MONTENEGRO POLICE SOURCE: U.S. EMBASSY ATTACKER AN EX-SOLDIER PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) – The man who hurled a bomb into the U.S. em- bassy compound in Pod- gorica, Montenegro’s cap- ital, and then killed himself, was an ex-soldier deco- rated by former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milo- sevic after NATO’s bombing of Serbia and Montenegro in 1999, a police official said Thursday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity be- cause of the ongoing inves- tigation, said the man was 43-year-old Dalibor Jau- kovic, who was identified by a close relative. Police said in a state- ment earlier that an as- sailant threw a bomb into the embassy yard and then committed suicide by acti- vating another one around midnight Wednesday. The blast created a crater but caused no other material damage to the embassy property, the statement said. The embassy said Thursday all staff were safe and accounted for after the incident. Police sealed off the area around the embassy after the explosion. Officers came to the scene after re- ceiving reports about an explosion and found a life- less male body in the area of the Moraca river that runs through Podgorica, the statement said. The suspected at- tacker, Jaukovic, was born in the central Serbian town of Kraljevo but lived in Podgorica. Photos posted on his Facebook profile include a plaque honoring his contri- bution in the fight against NATO during the bombing. The plaque appears to be personally signed by Milo- sevic. In a May 2017 Face- book post, Jaukavic said “no to NATO.” Many in Montenegro re- main opposed to the coun- try’s NATO membership because of the air war the alliance waged to stop the war in Kosovo when Mon- tenegro was still part of Yugoslavia. Montenegro borders the Adriatic Sea in south- eastern Europe. It joined NATO last year despite strong opposition from Russia, its traditional Slavic ally. 17 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2018 Pennsylvania congressional map battle lands in Supreme Court HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – A re- quest by Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania Legisla- ture to stop a new congres- sional map from being imple- mented is now in the hands of the nation’s highest court. The filing made late Wednesday asked Jus- tice Samuel Alito to inter- vene, saying the state Su- preme Court overstepped its authority in imposing a new map. More litigation may follow, as Republicans are considering a separate legal challenge in federal court in Harrisburg this week. The state Supreme Court last month threw out a Re- publican-crafted map that was considered among the nation’s most gerryman- dered, saying the 2011 plan violated the state constitu- tion’s guarantee of free and equal elections. The new map the state jus- tices announced Monday is widely viewed as giving Dem- ocrats an edge as they seek to recapture enough U.S. House seats to reclaim the majority. House Speaker Mike Turzai and Senate Presi- dent Pro Tempore Joe Scar- nati said the state’s highest court made an unprece- dented decision. “The Pennsylvania Su- preme Court conspicuously seized the redistricting pro- cess and prevented any meaningful ability for the Legislature to enact a reme- dial map to ensure a court drawn map,” they wrote in a filing made electronically after business hours. The challenge adds un- certainty as candidates are preparing to circulate nom- inating petitions to get their names on the May primary ballot. A spokesman for Dem- ocratic Gov. Tom Wolf, re- sponding to the lawmakers’ filing, said Wolf was “focused on making sure the Depart- ment of State is fully com- plying with the court’s order by updating their systems and assisting candidates, county election officials and voters preparing for the pri- mary election.” It is the third time in four months that Turzai and Scarnati have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to put a halt to litigation over the 2011 map they took leading roles in creating. Alito handles emergency applications from Pennsyl- vania and the other states covered by the 3rd U.S. Cir- cuit Court of Appeals. Jus- tices have the authority to deal with these applica- tions on their own, or they can refer the matter to the entire court. In November, Alito turned down a request for a stay of a federal lawsuit, a case that Turzai and Scarnati won in January. On Feb. 5, Alito rejected a request from Turzai and Scarnati to halt a Jan. 22 order from the state Supreme Court that gave the Repub- lican leaders two weeks to propose a map that would be supported by Wolf and until last week to suggest a new map to the court. Turzai and Scarnati ar- gued that the state’s high court gave them scant time to propose their own map after throwing out the 2011 ver- sion, ensuring “that its de- sired plan to draft the new map would be successful.” As evidence of a “preordained plan,” they cited comments critical of gerrymandering made by Justice David Wecht during his 2015 campaign for the court. “The court’s process was entirely closed,” they told Alito. “It did not allow the parties the opportu- nity to provide any com- ment to the proposed map, inquire on why certain sub- divisions were split and whether it was to meet pop- ulation equality, or further evaluate whether partisan intent played any role in the drafting.” As a sign of the litigation’s potential impact on national politics, President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Re- publicans to press their chal- lenge of the map to the U.S. Supreme Court. “Your Original was cor- rect! Don’t let the Dems take elections away from you so that they can raise taxes & waste money!” Trump tweeted. The five Democrats on the state Supreme Court sided with Democratic voters who challenged the map, al- though one of the Demo- cratic justices, Max Baer, has pointedly opposed the com- pressed timetable. Republicans who con- trolled the Legislature and the governor’s office after the 2010 census crafted the now-invalidated map to help elect Republicans. They suc- ceeded in that aim: Repub- licans won 13 of 18 seats in three straight elections even though Pennsylvania’s regis- tered Democratic voters out- number Republicans. MAY SEEKS BREXIT DEAL LONDON (AP) – British Prime Minister Theresa May was gathering her divided min- isters Thursday for a mar- athon meeting aimed at hammering out a common position on Brexit. May’s “inner Cabinet” was due to meet through the afternoon and eve- ning at Chequers, the prime minister’s country retreat outside London. The Conservative govern- ment is divided between sup- porters of “hard Brexit,” who want a clean break with the EU so Britain can strike new trade deals around the world, and those seeking closer ties to soften the economic shock of leaving. The first group includes Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, the second Treasury chief Philip Hammond and Home Secre- tary Amber Rudd. May does not have much time to seek a compromise. Britain is due to start nego- tiating future trade relations with the EU next month, and will officially leave the bloc on March 29, 2019. EU leaders have expressed frustration at a lack of detail from Britain about its goals. 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Lebanese authorities are getting tough on free speech ahead of national elections, summoning two leading talk show hosts to court over on-air remarks and sen- tencing an analyst to jail for comments she made in Washington about the Lebanese army. A raft of taboos enshrined by law is shielding the country’s military, political leaders, and religious institu- tions from criticism. “The Lebanese journalist used to be a pioneer for free- doms for the entire Arab world,” said Marcel Ghanem, who is facing a suit because of remarks made by a guest on his highly regarded talk show, Kalam Ennas, in No- vember. “Is it possible that today Lebanese journalists are afraid of the specter of the authorities?” Ghanem and others tar- geted by criminal suits and investigations say the po- litical class is closing ranks ahead of parliamentary elec- tions in May – the first na- tional referendum in eight years – and trying to tamp down on the torrent of media opprobrium since a national trash crisis disgraced politi- cians in 2015. “The vulnerable ‘system’ needs to be protected,” said Hanin Ghaddar, a Lebanese analyst at the Washington Institute, who was sen- tenced by a military court to six months in prison for comments she made at a U.S. symposium in 2014. Ghaddar, who lives in Wash- ington, said she would not return to Lebanon to serve her sentence. An outspoken critic of the militant group Hezbollah, Ghaddar charged that Leba- non’s Army was showing le- niency to the Shiite group while cracking down on Sunni extremists. Ghaddar’s case is “a mark of shame on Lebanon,” said Ayman Mhanna, the executive director of the Samir Kassir Foundation, a press freedoms organization named after the late editor of Lebanon’s An- Nahar newspaper, who was assassinated in 2005. “No politician can say that the status of freedom is acceptable in Lebanon when a military court can issue a sentence to prison or exile because of an opinion,” said Mhanna. Justice Minister Selim Jreissati said Ghaddar was accusing the army of treason, and that this was not pro- tected by the constitution- ally enshrined principle of freedom of speech. “She calls herself Leba- nese?” Jreissati said to the AP in a phone call. Ghanem, who has hosted his show for 23 years, said he was blindsided by the charges leveled against him after he refused to testify in a criminal investigation of a guest accused of de- faming Lebanon’s leaders. In a live episode, Saudi jour- nalist Ibrahim Al-Merhi said Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri were “partners” in “Hezbollah’s terrorism.” The Iran-backed Hez- bollah is a partner in Leba- non’s ruling coalition gov- ernment and a political ally of both Aoun’s Free Patri- otic Movement and Berri’s Amal Movement. Jreissati, who belongs to Aoun’s party, said at the time that the press had lost its “moral and profes- sional bearings.” The episode underscored the perils of journalism in Lebanon’s charged political atmosphere, where Saudi Arabia and Iran grapple for influence in the con- text of a wider regional ri- valry that has fueled wars in Syria and Yemen. Prime Minister Saad Hari- ri’s abrupt resignation last November only served to in- flame the situation. Many here saw the resignation as orchestrated by his patron, Saudi Arabia, as an indica- tion of its dissatisfaction with Hezbollah’s sway over Lebanese politics. Saudi politicos and journalists flooded Leba- nese channels as the local press sought an explana- tion, attracting talk and comedy show barbs. Hicham Haddad, a leading late night host, is facing legal action after making a joke at the expense of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, in January. Re- acting to a clip on a rival network advising the crown prince to swear off fast food for his health, Haddad sug- gested he should swear off “fast politics,” instead. It is illegal to “defame” Lebanon’s political leaders, its army and foreign leaders – a tempting threshold for comedians to cross in a country where foreign med- dling is a staple of national politics. It is also illegal to in- sult religion. Hariri walked backed his resignation later in November. Haddad’s case, and Gha- nem’s, are still working their way through the judiciary, while new episodes of their shows air on the same Leba- nese network, LBC. Others, too, have faced harassment. In July, jour- nalist Fidaa Itani was de- tained and interrogated after criticizing the army’s treat- ment of Syrian refugees in a Facebook post. He agreed to take it down. In November, authorities ar- rested the head of the Civil Islamic Coalition, Ahmad Ayoubi, on charges of de- faming the president and in- sulting a “brotherly nation.” He was later released on bail. Lebanon has endured a turbulent 13 years since its so-called “Cedar Revolution” forced Syria’s military – and its feared intelligence ser- vices, which had directed the press and politics from behind the scenes – out of the country. But instead of ushering a new era of press free- doms, the 2005 uprising marked the start of a wave of assassinations that over- whelmingly targeted jour- nalists and politicians seen as critical of Damascus and its closest partner in Leb- anon, Hezbollah. Samir Kassir, a popular editorial writer at An-Nahar, was killed in a car bomb blast. The paper’s editor, Ge- bran Tueni, was killed in a similar blast six months later. Lebanese talk show host Marcel Ghanem, center, speaks to journalists in front of the courthouse compound, in Beirut’s southeastern suburb of Baabda, Lebanon, last Friday. – PHOTO: AP19 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2018 HomeOptions BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, Grand Cayman KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, P.O. 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Secretary-General An- tonio Guterres called for an immediate suspension of “all war activities” in the rebel- held Damascus suburbs known as eastern Ghouta where he said 400,000 people are living “in hell on earth.” The U.N. chief said a sus- pension of fighting must allow for humanitarian aid to reach all in need and the evacuation of some 700 people needing urgent med- ical treatment. Dr. Waleed Awata de- scribed a desperate, cha- otic scene at the small hos- pital where he works as an anesthesiologist in the town of Zamalka, one of a cluster of settlements that make up eastern Ghouta. The facility, with just 17 beds, received 82 patients on Tuesday night alone, he said. “We had to give them IVs and treat them on the floor,” the 44-year-old physician told The Associated Press. He said the bodies of two women and two children killed in Wednesday’s shelling were also brought to the hospital. The hospital was struck Tuesday by barrel bombs – crude, explosives-filled oil drums dropped from heli- copters at high altitudes – as well as sporadic artillery fire, Awata said. Like many hospi- tals in the area, patients had been moved into the base- ment to shield them from airstrikes. No one was hurt but the hospital’s generator, water tanks and several am- bulances were damaged. Another doctor said he, too, was as the hospital where he works in the town of Saqba when it came under attack Tuesday, killing some of the patients and forcing others to be moved to nearby homes because the airstrikes made it too dangerous to take them to other hospitals. “By God, I am exhausted in every sense of the word,” said the physician, who spoke on condition of ano- nymity because he feared for the safety of relatives in government-controlled areas of Damascus. The international medical organization Doctors Without Borders said 13 hospitals and clinics that it supports have been damaged or destroyed over the past three days. The International Committee of the Red Cross called for im- mediate access to tend to the wounded, saying medical personnel in the rebel-held areas were unable to cope amid shortages of medicines and supplies. Syrian government forces supported by Russian air- craft have shown no signs of letting up their aerial and ar- tillery assault on eastern Gh- outa since they stepped up strikes late Sunday as part of a new, determined push to recapture the territory that has been controlled by rebels since 2012. The U.N. human rights office said in a statement Wednesday that at least 346 people had been killed in eastern Ghouta since the Syrian government and its allies escalated their offen- sive on the region on Feb. 4. At least 92 of those deaths occurred in just one 13-hour period on Monday, it said, adding that the toll was far from comprehensive, docu- mented in the midst of chaos and destruction. Another 878 people have been wounded, mostly in airstrikes hitting residential areas. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which closely moni- tors the fighting through ac- tivists on the ground, said at least 300 people have been killed since Sunday night alone. The dead included 10 people killed in a new wave of strikes Wednesday on the town of Kafr Batna. The opposition’s Syrian Civil Defense search-and- rescue group, also known as the White Helmets, reported similar numbers, saying gov- ernment forces targeted the town with airstrikes, artillery fire and barrel bombs. Photos and video posted by the Syrian Civil Defense and local activist groups showed scenes resembling the aftermath of an earth- quake in Kafr Batna and res- cuers searching the rubble for survivors. In one video, workers were seen car- rying away a man, his hair and clothes covered in dust and debris, blood running down his face. Sirens wailed in the background and people screamed in panic. Photos showed children being treated for wounds at a hospital and bodies shrouded in white lined up alongside makeshift graves. The doctor in Saqba said he had returned home Tuesday to rest after two back-to-back days of treating the wounded when a barrage of rockets landed in his neighborhood, shaking his apartment and breaking the windows. Minutes later, the air- strikes began. The first one hit his house, the doctor said, adding that he could not see anything through the dust as he called out to his pregnant wife and two young children, ages 2 and 1. Neighbors came to their rescue and helped them evacuate to the base- ment, where they spent the night. They suffered only su- perficial wounds. “I’m one of the fortunate ones. I know that not ev- eryone in my place in Gh- outa would have been so lucky,” he said. The U.N.’s regional hu- manitarian coordinator for Syria, Panos Moumtzis, said he was “alarmed” by the very high number of casualties. “Ghouta is a 10-mile drive from the hospitals in Damascus and it’s heart- breaking to think of children, women, and elderly who are in need, unable to be evacu- ated, and in a situation of fear, hiding in basements and not being able to go out,” he said by phone from Amman, Jordan. Paul Donohoe, the Beirut- based media officer for In- ternational Rescue Com- mittee, said his group supports five medical facili- ties in eastern Ghouta that because of the severity of the bombardment, were only able to treat the most urgent cases. He said more than 700 people, including some with chronic illnesses that need urgent medical evacuation, were trapped. A Syrian paramedic treats a child, wounded during airstrikes and shelling by Syrian government forces, at a makeshift hospital, in Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday. – PHOTO: APNext >