ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY MARCH 15, 2018 High of 80 Low of 73 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet today, moderate with wave height of 3 to 5 feet tonight. Small craft should exercise caution over open water today. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 AN ISLAND-WIDE ‘THANK YOU’ TO THE HOSPICECARE DONOR WORLD | PAGE 8 BRILLIANT, POPULAR PHYSICIST STEPHEN HAWKING DIES AT 76 Premier Health Feel the power of your health plan! Powerful claims management automation means benefits are instantly verified/allocated with 99% financial accuracy. British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Limited acts solely as an agent on behalf of Colonial Medical Insurance Company Limited and it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life BORDER CONTROL Premier: Immigration-Customs to merge McLaughlin addresses crime fears BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The border enforcement duties now being performed by the Cayman Islands Immigra- tion Department will be merged with Her Maj- esty’s Customs service as part of an overall crime-fighting strategy being pursued by the Progressives-led government, Premier Alden McLaughlin announced Wednesday. Mr. McLaughlin said residents would start to notice changes in security officers staffing ports of entry within the next year. “We will have a single border force agency with a staff trained to protect our seaports and airports,” the premier told members of the Legislative Assembly. “Immigration and cus- toms staff are undergoing cross-training and participating in joint operations.” Mr. McLaughlin said staff members wearing the new uniforms of the com- bined service are likely to start appearing in early 2019. “This will become a reality,” he said. The premier’s Ministry of Human Re- sources and Immigration has already under- taken plans to amalgamate administrative services performed by the Immigration De- partment on the granting of work permits and other immigration statuses. Eventually, those services are to be controlled by a new govern- ment human resources department, the cre- ation of which is now being led by local at- torney Sharon Roulstone. The premier also suggested changes were on the way for local police and marine patrol efforts, beyond those already proposed in the 2018 and 2019 budget plans. In addition to receiving a new commu- nity policing unit and a projected 75 new police officers over the next three years, MORE IMMIGRATION STAFFERS CHARGED IN FRAUD CASE BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Seven more people, including three immi- gration officials, were charged Tuesday and Wednesday in connection with an ongoing fraud investigation at the Immigration De- partment. This brings to five the number of immigration officials who have been charged in the probe – all five are currently sus- pended from duty. The latest charges come after two sus- pended immigration staffers and a Spotts- Newlands resident were charged Monday with committing a fraud on the Cayman Is- lands government. A total of 10 people have now been charged in connection with the Anti-Corruption Com- mission probe. The fate of three others ar- rested in the investigation was not clear by press time Wednesday. All those who were charged this week were ordered to appear in court April 10. All charges were filed under the Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Law. Four suspects were charged on Tuesday. Marcus Alexander, 43, a public officer from Prospect, was charged with 12 counts of con- spiracy to commit fraud against the govern- ment, four counts of conspiracy to commit breach of trust, three counts of breach of trust and one count of failing to report the solicita- tion of an advantage. Kathy-Ann Forbes, 44, a public officer from Frank Sound, was charged with five counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the govern- ment and one count of failing to report the Britain expels 23 Russian diplomats over spy poisoning LONDON (AP) – Relations be- tween Britain and Russia plunged Wednesday to a chill not seen since the Cold War as Prime Minister Theresa May ex- pelled 23 diplomats, severed high-level contacts and vowed both open and covert action against Kremlin meddling after the poisoning of a former spy. Russia said it would respond soon to what it called Britain’s “crude” and “hostile” actions. While May pledged to disrupt Russian espionage and “hos- tile state activity,” she gave few details about how hard Britain would hit Russian politicians and oligarchs where it really hurts – in their wallets. “Expelling diplomats is a kind of a standard response,” said Natasha Kuhrt, a Russia ex- pert at King’s College London. “I’m not sure it’s going to make Moscow stand up and think.” May told the House of Com- mons that 23 Russians diplo- mats who have been identified as undeclared intelligence offi- cers have a week to leave Britain. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Recycling, one tire at a time A group of students who set up a Junior Achievement company called “Re-Tyre” have found an eye-catching way of recycling car tires, by turning them into cozy beds for pets and colorful plant holders. For more on this story, see page 2. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY MARCH 15, 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. - THURSDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) DEATH WISH (R) 12:30 VIP I 1:20 I 4:10 7:30 I 10:00 ACTS OF VIOLENCE (R) 12:45 I 2:55 I 5:05 BLACK PANTHER (PG13) 12:45 I 3:00 VIP I 3:50 I 6:25 VIP 6:45 I 7:15 I 8:10 I 9:20 VIP I 9:45 RED SPARROW (R) 1:00 I 9:35 SAMSON (PG13) 12:25 I 3:00 I 5:35 I 10:10 GAME NIGHT (R) 4:10 I 6:55 Recycling, one tire at a time JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A company run by Junior Achievement students has found a way to cut down on the number of used tires that end up in the George Town landfill by recycling them into colorful pet beds and eye-catching plant holders. “When we think about it, ‘Mount Trashmore’ has a lot of tires,” said Sharon Roy, marketing vice president of the Junior Achievement Re- Tyre company. “These tires can cause massive fires, so we thought that using them to make pet beds and plant holders would be a clever way to recycle.” Sharon said team member Aleigha General came up with the idea. Scrolling through Pinterest, a popular pinboard-style social sharing website, Aleigha came across some cute dog beds made from car tires. She thought they were a cool way to show how they cared about the en- vironment and animals. For students, recycling is an easy and popular way of being environmen- tally friendly. Company president Mar- tina Watler hopes the en- deavor will continue and be- came a full-fledged company. “It doesn’t necessarily have to die,” she said. Unfortunately, she said, many Junior Achievement companies do not continue to becoming an actual business because schoolwork takes priority for students. Team member Samruddhi Tagalpallewar said she was thinking of patenting the idea and expanding. “We have some strategies already in place, such as our Instagram page and Face- book, but I plan to get more people onboard with the idea,” she said. Samruddhi said she wants to help build the initiative of recycling in Cayman. “It’s more about building an awareness,” Martina added. “Cayman is such a small island, if we don’t protect our island from such things as small fires, it could grow up to be a bigger problem.” She said the least they could do as youngsters and teenagers was to spread the word, and to tell people to pick up tires and use them in a different way than just dumping them in the landfill. The pet beds have proven to be a big seller, according to Martina. Every time they go to weekend markets, cus- tomers encourage them to keep going. “This is a source of en- couragement for use and we love it when customers ap- proach us in that positive vibe and our product makes them happy,” Martina said. She said Junior Achieve- ment has given them many opportunities, and hopefully the next generation will be able to adapt those ideas and learn how to build new skills. “Sometimes it’s good for us as a learning process and we do love it; it’s a very enjoy- able thing to do and hopefully when we are older, we will learn how to become better entrepreneurs,” Martina said. Thirteen students are in- volved in the recycling pro- gram, representing John Gray, Clifton Hunter, Cayman Prep, St. Ignatius and the University College of the Cayman Islands. “Being a part of Junior Achievement has been a great experience for them and for me,” said Joann West, from sponsor Cayman Airways. “Volunteering through Junior Achievement with students for the past five years is so rewarding. I always say, if I can make a difference in one child’s life, then I have done my job. I truly love it.” Ms. West said every year the team at Cayman Air- ways encourages the stu- dents to find a product that is eco-friendly. “We encourage them to re- cycle and to find selling prod- ucts that meet the needs and wants [of] our society without harming the environment,” Ms. West said. Aleigha said they were thankful for the ad- vice of Ms. West. “She helped us set up sale, set up the company to run more efficiently, and we would not have done it without her,” Aleigha said. The students clean, wash, paint and design the tires themselves. The tire beds are made from recycled pillows, stuffing and blankets, and closed tightly with hot glue. “We spray the tires out- side, and a base coat is added,” Martina said. When the paint is dried, the designs are put on. These range from palms and sunny beaches to flowers, names and glittery markings. The entire process takes three days. According to Martina, the company has completed 61 tires, excluding custom orders. Students are not al- lowed to sell their product for more than $25 under the laws and policy of Ju- nior Achievement. Ten percent of the profit goes to the Humane Society, the company’s charity of choice. Students also volun- teer their services to the Hu- mane Society on weekends. Junior Achievement is an organization dedicated to ed- ucating students aged 15-18 about entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial lit- eracy through experiential, hands-on programs. Students develops the skills they need to experience the realities and opportunities of work and entrepreneur- ship. Junior Achievement ad- visers encourage the students to come up with their own ideas – often recommending something eco-friendly – during the 18-week program. At the end of the program, a “Salesperson of the Year” award goes to the company that sells the most products. One happy customer enjoys its pet bed. ATTEMPTED ROBBERY ON SEVEN MILE BEACH The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service dis- patched officers to the scene of an attempted robbery near Lizard Run Drive on Seven Mile Beach shortly after 9:40 p.m. Tuesday night. Two male juveniles were reportedly walking along the beach when they were approached by an- other male who appeared to be in his teens. The third male told the pair of beach- walkers that he had a gun, but he kept his hand con- cealed underneath his shirt. The suspect allegedly demanded a cellphone from the two males, who refused to hand over the phone. He then left the loca- tion on foot. Nobody was harmed and no personal belongings were taken, and no gun was bran- dished by the suspect or seen by either of the vic- tims, police said. The suspect is described as being young and dark- skinned in complexion, and he was wearing a dark- colored shirt and bright- colored shorts. VENEZUELAN POLICE ARREST CHAVEZ’S EX-SPY CHIEF AT EVENT CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuelan police on Tuesday arrested Hugo Chavez’s powerful former spy chief, on accusations of sowing unrest as he leads a movement of disgruntled leftists seeking to replace President Nicolas Maduro. Miguel Rodriguez Torres was speaking at an event organized by fe- male activists from his po- litical movement in a Ca- racas hotel when he left the podium, saying he had “received a notification that requires me to ur- gently leave.” He was escorted into the back of a police ve- hicle and driven away by what witnesses said were heavily armed agents from the Sebin intelli- gence police – the same force he created in 2010 while serving as Chavez’s trusted adviser. Indira Urbaneja, an aide who was also detained at the event, said the two were taken to the Sebin headquarters before she was released and Rodri- guez Torres was taken to another unknown location. The government said Ro- driguez Torres was being sought by the judiciary for plotting to undermine the military’s chain of com- mand and disturb the peace. “The criminal actions planned by this gentleman and his accomplices in- clude armed actions and conspiring against our con- stitution,” said the state- ment, which demanded Rodriguez Torres’ “treason” be met with “severity.” LAW FIRM DENTONS TO COMBINE WITH DINNER MARTIN International law firm Dentons has announced its intention to combine with Dinner Martin in the Cayman Islands and Delany Law in the Eastern Caribbean as part of its growth strategy in the region. Dentons is the largest law firm in the world by headcount. Dinner Martin was founded in 2013 by David Dinner and Randall Martin. The firm is an active member of the Nextlaw Referral Net- work and primarily han- dles onshore litigation mat- ters, but has the licenses required for corporate service and offshore finance work, Dentons said. “We are growing faster in Latin America and the Ca- ribbean, and with truly high- quality firms, in a way that no one has ever done before,” said Elliott Portnoy, global CEO of Dentons. The combinations are ex- pected to launch later in 2018, following approval by partners and subject to meeting regulatory require- ments. They will give Den- tons’ clients access to the experience and talents of lawyers working in 73 coun- tries, the law firm said. “Clients within the Carib- bean, and clients wanting to do business there, will ben- efit from high-quality legal service on a truly global scale that only Dentons can offer,” said Joe Andrew, global chairman of Dentons. “Our clients have access to the deep local knowledge that is provided by lawyers who are both in and of the communi- ties they serve.” The combinations in the Caribbean come in the wake of rapid expansion in Latin America, with a stra- tegic alliance launched last year with Brazil’s Vella Pug- liese Buosi Guidoni (VPBG) as well as a combination with Gallo Barrios Pick- mann in Peru. They also follow the earlier launch of Dentons Muñoz in Central America, and of Dentons López Velarde in Mexico and Dentons Cardenas & Cardenas in Colombia. “These combinations will allow us to continue our un- precedented, rapid growth in Latin America and the Carib- bean,” said Jorge Alers, CEO of Dentons’ Latin America and Caribbean region. Dentons at the same time announced it is combining with two firms in Mauritius, one in Kenya, and one each in Indonesia and Malaysia. Junior Achievement members are recycling tires into colorful pet beds and eye-catching plant holders.3 LOCAL NEWS Seminars planned to increase use of “turtle-friendly” lighting JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The instinct of sea turtle hatchlings to wander toward the brightest horizon has ensured the survival of the species for millions of years. Now this evolutionary advantage has become one of its biggest weaknesses. In some areas, the artifi- cial lights of beachfront de- velopments are brighter than the glow of the night sky shimmering on the ocean. For hatchlings, drawn toward the light like a moth to a flame, that can mean a premature death, before they have reached their natural habitat. In Grand Cayman last year, the Department of En- vironment documented 45 incidents where nests of up to 100 hatchlings were dis- oriented by artificial lighting. “In these incidents, baby sea turtles were confused by lights near the beach and crawled away from the ocean and toward the lights on land, where many were killed by vehicles, dehy- dration, or predators,” said Janice Blumenthal, research officer with the department. For another 33 nests, DoE staff or volunteers intervened as the nests hatched in an attempt to prevent the hatch- lings from going in the wrong direction. Now the department is stepping up its efforts to persuade developers to use “turtle-friendly” lighting. Two free workshops for architects and electricians are planned on Monday and Tuesday next week to provide training on turtle- friendly lighting design and installation. Ms. Blumenthal urged tradesmen to attend the seminar, and for more condo owners and property devel- opers to adapt their lighting. She said, “Artificial lighting is one of the most severe threats to our sea turtle population. “If the hatchlings born each year do not survive, our turtle nesting popula- tions will collapse. Many hatchling turtles are killed by artificial lighting and the problem is growing.” Turtle-friendly lighting uses specific design and positioning of light fixtures, as well as bulbs with an amber wavelength. The color is intended to be appealing to property owners and residents, as it resembles candlelight, and is much less likely to lead baby turtles away from the sea. The workshops will be led by Florida-based, turtle- friendly lighting experts, who have been involved in such lighting projects for over 12 years and have con- ducted more than 400 ret- rofits of beachfront proper- ties, Ms. Blumenthal said. “We hope this training will make turtle-friendly lighting more readily avail- able to Cayman’s beach- front property owners, de- creasing the numbers of sea turtle misorientations in future,” she added. Architectural and electrical businesses have been asked to reply to sdu.doe@gov.ky as soon as possible to sign up for an appropriate session. CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 15, 2018 Former minister says he felt insulted, threatened Assault trial adjourned until April CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former government min- ister Michael Thomas Adam told a court Tuesday after- noon during his common assault trial that he felt in- sulted when the complainant called him “senile” and felt threatened by the man’s ag- gressive behavior. Mr. Adam faces one charge of common assault following an incident that occurred on June 27 last year. He said he did raise his fist during an encounter with the complainant, but it was in self-defense. Mr. Adam has pleaded not guilty to assaulting the man, who owns property next to his in West Bay. The com- plainant, who gave his ev- idence Tuesday morning, said Mr. Adam “placed his right fist against my cheek with slight pressure,” while saying things that, together with this act, caused him to feel threatened. Mr. Adam, whose govern- ment ministry included com- munity affairs and housing from 2009-2013, is now 68. The complainant is 42. Mr. Adam told the court that he attended a meeting at the property line on the morning of the incident to deal with the placement of property markers. The com- plainant was present, along with his surveyor and the surveyor’s two associates. As they waited for the government chief surveyor to arrive, Mr. Adam said he drew attention to a shipping container on the complain- ant’s property. He said he did not object to the container, but it had recently been mod- ified with a corrugated zinc roof and he was concerned that the zinc was not se- cured properly in the event of strong winds. Mr. Adam said the com- plainant began yelling and making insulting and deroga- tory remarks, becoming more agitated. He felt threatened for his safety and that of his wife. When the other man ad- vanced toward him on his own property, he instinc- tively put up his right hand to defend himself. “I at no time made contact with [his] face,” Mr. Adam said, adding that the inci- dent occurred within five to ten seconds. His evidence was that he had a business meeting and left, saying his wife would be present at the yard and he would agree with the government sur- veyor’s decision. Questioned by Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson, he agreed that when he was asked, “Are you senile?” he felt insulted. He also agreed he had used certain inap- propriate words. Mr. Ferguson suggested that he did not say those words because the com- plainant was approaching him, but because of the insult. Mr. Adam replied, “He was approaching me very aggres- sively and he insulted me … I felt threatened …. I might have taken one or two steps, but he came towards me. I will not agree that I rushed [towards him].” Before his evidence, the Crown’s case had closed with the playing of an audio re- cording made by a police of- ficer from a recording the complainant made at the time of the incident. Defense attorney Waide DaCosta advised Magistrate Grace Donalds that he had witnesses to call and the matter was adjourned until Thursday, April 26. Mike Adam BEACH LIGHTING CONCERN FOR SEA TURTLE HEALTH Extradition adjourned because of health issues reported in court Attorney for Rosemarie Bodden- Delatorre wants psychological report CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com All stages of an extradi- tion hearing for Rosemarie Bodden-Delatorre, a woman wanted in the U.S. on fraud charges, were completed on Wednesday morning except for the last one, prompting Magistrate Grace Donalds to adjourn the matter until Tuesday, April 24. Director of Public Pros- ecutions Cheryll Richards had produced all of the doc- uments and oral evidence to show why Ms. Bodden-De- latorre, 60, should be extra- dited at the request of the United States. Defense attorney Jona- thon Hughes agreed that the various steps in the proce- dure were being followed and he did not object to any of the evidence. At the final stage, however, he requested that the court exercise its power to adjourn the matter. The final stage for the magistrate conducting the hearing is to address any human rights considerations, both sides agreed. If it ap- pears that the defendant’s physical or mental condi- tion is such that it would be “unjust or oppressive” to ex- tradite that person, then the court may adjourn or dis- charge the matter. Mr. Hughes handed up a copy of a medical note which he had provided to Ms. Rich- ards earlier this week. It said Ms. Bodden-Delatorre should refrain from travel for 60 days due to illness. Ms. Richards said it was most unsatisfactory to get a one-line note two days be- fore the hearing that says the defendant should refrain from traveling, while there was no medical report for the court to look at. She pointed out that there had been two pre- vious hearing dates set. She asked that, if the court were going to grant an adjourn- ment, then a medical report should be provided. Mr. Hughes said he shared Ms. Richards’s frustration, but the delay was not any- body’s fault. “We are dealing with someone’s health that is deteriorating,” he told the court, detailing reasons for lack of a report at this time. He suggested the court ad- journ the matter until Ms. Bodden-Delatorre’s condi- tion stabilized. Ms. Bodden-Delatorre began to cry and said, “I want to stay home with my family.” Mr. Hughes said there was concern for her physical and mental condition and he wanted to obtain a psycholo- gist’s report. The magistrate set dates for a report to be obtained and shared with the pros- ecution. She continued Ms. Bodden-Delatorre’s bail until April 24. The matter first came to court in Cayman on Aug. 31, 2017. Ms. Bodden-Delatorre is accused of theft, forging checks and fraudulently using an ATM card be- tween 2006-08 to a total of more than $70,000. The al- leged victim was an elderly woman she had been caring for in Hawaii. A warrant for her arrest was issued after she failed to attend a jury trial in Sep- tember 2011 in Hawaii. As part of the hearing on Wednesday, Ms. Rich- ards called on the police of- ficer who had arrested Ms. Bodden-Delatorre in Cayman in order to confirm the de- fendant’s identity. The officer said Ms. Bodden told her that she was innocent – that it was her employer’s daughter who had been making her withdraw cash from her em- ployer’s bank account. The officer also advised that Ms. Bodden-Delatorre had said she had destroyed her U.S. passport because she was not going to go back to the United States. A relative subsequently brought her Cayman/British passport. A turtle hatchling is seen on a Cayman beach. The Department of Environment is encouraging architects and designers to include ‘turtle-friendly’ lighting in their developments. - PHOTO: LUCY COLLYER MAN ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT Police arrested a 22-year- old Bodden Town resident on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm following an alter- cation in which another man’s jaw was broken. When officers attended a residence on Sea View Road around 2:15 a.m. Tuesday, they were told that a man was punched in the incident. The man subsequently went to hospital where he was found to have a broken jaw. The second man was ar- rested and later released on police bail. Mr. Adam said he did raise his fist during an encounter with the complainant, but it was in self-defense. Ms. Bodden-Delatorre is accused of theft, forging checks and fraudulently using an ATM card between 2006-08 to a total of more than $70,000. The alleged victim was an elderly woman she had been caring for in Hawaii.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. 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” “Every bit helps,” we are told by groups raising money for charitable causes. That’s absolutely true. Every child’s penny drive, every coin clinked into a collection tin, every charitable 5k registration fee and banquet table sponsorship generates funds for worthy causes, helping to strengthen our community and provide help for those in need. Cake bakes and car washes are welcome and expressions of the best of our instincts – to help, to do what we can for others – but large donations, by definition, must come from people of means. And for- tunately for us in Cayman, we have many among us who possess both oversize bank accounts – and hearts to match. The Dart family, and their organizations and foundations, come first to mind. Their generosity seems almost boundless. Another philanthropist who deserves recognition, but clearly isn’t seeking it, is the donor who has contributed $1 million to Cayman HospiceCare – anonymously. The gift represents one-third of the estimated $3 million cost of HospiceCare’s new 6,000-square- foot purpose-designed building that combines adminis- trative offices and inpatient palliative care. The US$1 million gift is the largest anonymous donation HospiceCare has ever received. According to the group, the donor chose to remain anonymous “in order to focus the public’s attention on Cayman HospiceCare and the work being undertaken by the organization.” If, by chance, you don’t have a million dollars at your disposal, an alternative, as HospiceCare champion Derek Haines demonstrated so well, is to raise it. Haines ran a series of grueling marathons and raised more than $1 million in 2014, again to benefit Cayman HospiceCare. A fact that is too often lost amid the crossfire of populist class warfare is that before a person can bequeath substantial funds to a good cause, that donor must first have inherited or earned their wealth – usually in one business enterprise or another. Cayman is the beneficiary of having more than its share of wealthy – and generous – “HNW’s” (high-net-worth indi- viduals) who share their good fortune with those less fortunate. Some are native-born Caymanians; many are not; and most are unknown to the general public. Many corporations in Cayman, too, deserve to be part of this conversation. We can, but won’t, list dozens of companies that are constantly asked for dona- tions to support worthwhile local causes – and can be counted on to write the requisite checks. At the other end of the “generosity spectrum” are the most disenfranchised and cynical among us. They can be identified by their messages, which usually share a common theme: “They’re rich; it’s easy for them to give” or “They should have given more” or, perhaps even worse, “They only give because they want something in return.” The good news is that while this minority is loud, it is also small and certainly not representative of these generous and caring islands. It is certainly true that not everyone can afford to donate $1 million, but we are grateful to those who can – and actually do. And to the gentleman, or gentle lady, who so magnanimously gave the gift to Hos- piceCare, may we, on behalf of our readers and our islands, say a heartfelt and genuine “thank you.” An island-wide ‘Thank You’ to the HospiceCare donor THURSDAY MARCH 15, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Globalism, good and bad The biggest chal- lenge, when I talk to politi- cians about the free-market agenda, is convincing them that they should restrain the growth of government. To be more specific, I think they often understand and ac- cept the argument that ever- rising fiscal burdens are bad for a nation’s economic and moral health, but they are afraid that voters and in- terest groups will kick them out of office if they reduce the size and scope of the public sector. I have a different chal- lenge when talking to ordi- nary people about the free- market agenda. They are quite comfortable (at least in theory) with the notion that it’s good to cap the growth of government spending, but there is a lot of skepticism about trade. And their doubts sometimes persist even after I share my eight questions and five charts showing the folly of protectionism. In part, I think these skep- tics share Trump’s mistaken belief that a trade deficit is a sign of weakness. But I’ve also found in my many con- versations that some people simply are not comfortable with globalization. But what does that concept even mean? In his latest column for the New York Times, Bret Stephens points out that there’s no clear definition of what it means to be pro-glo- balist. He writes: “I grew up in Mexico City … Since then, I have lived in Chicago, London, Brussels, Jerusalem, New York and Hamburg. I sup- pose this makes me a “glo- balist” in certain eyes … To be a globalist means almost nothing – even “Davos Man” has to trundle home some- where after the annual forum draws to a close. Rex Til- lerson is as much a globalist as Samantha Power. Ditto for John Bolton and John Kerry, Charles Koch and George Soros, Mike Pompeo and Ju- lian Assange. A term that em- braces opposites has almost no explanatory power.” So he suggests a definition of what it means: “Maybe it’s time now to make “globalist” mean some- thing after all. An earlier gen- eration of globalists – they called themselves interna- tionalists – had learned the lessons of the 1930s and un- derstood that the U.S. could not cut itself off from the world and expect to remain safe from it. Successive gen- erations of Americans – mil- itary and foreign-service of- ficers, businessmen and teachers, humanitarians and entertainers – went out into the world and sought to make it a better place.” All of that sounds very appealing. Especially when com- pared to what it means to be on the other side. Since I’ve written about the foolishness of protec- tionism and also explained why it’s silly to believe in conspiracy theories, I ob- viously agree. But we have a problem. Globalism (or globaliza- tion, or internationalism, or the policies of “Davos Man,,” or whatever you want to call it) increasingly is per- ceived to be about more than free trade and comity be- tween nations. In the minds of market-oriented people, it is getting linked with other policies that cause con- siderable angst. ■■ Does globalism mean supporting the OECD’s efforts to undermine tax competition so that it’s easier for politicians to impose bad tax policy and more redistribution? ■■ Does globalism mean agreeing with the IMF’s support for bailouts and higher taxes, poli- cies which arguably are only for the ben- efit of politically con- nected big banks? ■■ Does globalism mean adding regulatory harmo- nization to trade agree- ments, supplanting the much more market- friendly approach of mutual recognition? ■■ Does globalism mean signing onto agreements that give powers to un- accountable and cor- rupt international bu- reaucracies such as the United Nations? ■■ Does globalism mean siding with the Euro- pean Commission in im- posing one-size-fits-all rules for member na- tions notwithstanding the subsidiarity principle? This is why I find this issue so frustrating. Like Bret Stephens, I con- sider myself a globalist. To me, it’s a way of saying I want peaceful trade and in- vestment flows between people in different nations. Heck, it’s also a way of saying I like and appreciate other peoples and other cultures. But many of the other people who self-identify as globalists support poli- cies that increase the power of governments over the private economy. Here’s my simplified way to looking at this issues. All globalists are in favor of free trade and cross-border in- vestment flows, but there’s then a division based on whether they want govern- ments to compete or col- lude. And that is basically a proxy for whether they favor small government or big government. In this 2x2 matrix, the glo- balists are on the left side, but they are divided between “Good Globalism” and “Bad Globalism.” Sort of the dif- ference between Switzer- land and Sweden. I initially identified the bottom-right as “Anti Glo- balism,” but decided that “Statism” was the better label. After all, there should be a place for those who want global agreements to expand the power of government while also closing borders to trade and investment. Maybe India would be a good ex- ample of this bad approach. But I could not figure out a good label for the top-right. So I put “Irrationality” for the obvious reason that compe- tition and protectionism are mutually exclusive concepts. And I have no idea what country belongs in this box. P.S. This is my first stab at this issue. I’m open to sug- gestions on better labels and descriptions for my 2x2 ma- trix. And I also freely admit that there are aspects of the globalization debate – such as migration and military al- liances – that aren’t included in my analysis. P.P.S. Not all global agree- ments are bad. Consider in- ternational pacts on air traffic control. Or certain anti-pollution treaties. Daniel J. Mitchell, chairman of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, is on the Editorial Board of the Cayman Financial Review. DANIEL J. MITCHELL5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 15, 2018 SHOW CONSTRUCTION MIAMI Call 305.262.3200 info@miacon.net Register NOW Online or present this ad for FREE admission www.miacon.net New and Used Heavy and light construction equipment, tools, hardware, trucks, trailers, concrete equipment and mixers, building materials and supplies, plumbing, welding equipment, residential & commercial lighting, roofing supplies, aggregates, parts, flooring, Surfaces, tiles, fencing, electrical supplies, excavation equipment, work clothing, rigging equipment, trenching and paving equipment, lifts, windows and doors, roofing, lumber suppliers, security equipment, Solar, interior and exterior finishing,suppliers, security equipment, Solar, interior and exterior finishing, scaffolding, demolition, earth moving equipment, Iron works, kitchen, bath, Air-conditioning,landscaping equipment, technology, software & more. ‘All they have to do is move one dotted line’ Landowner says ‘perfect’ beach access remains unrecognized JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com On South Sound Road, a broad, well maintained path provides easy access to a crescent-shaped beach that curves toward the horizon. A “beach access” sign clearly points the way from the road. It is logged among the few properly functioning paths in a recent report on public beach access. But according to Lands and Survey records of the property, it does not of- ficially exist. George “Judge” Craig, says he created the path in 2004, after being granted permis- sion to move a registered ac- cess, which he claims was overgrown and unused, to the western boundary of his property, in order to create easy access between two homes on the site. Mr. Craig, who worked in construction at the time, says he spent $40,000 to create the vehicular access path, around 30 yards to the west of where it was originally located. But when he came to sell one of the homes, he noticed the original access was still marked on the map. When he queried this with government surveyors, he was told the change had not been documented at the time and there was nothing they could do to legally alter the access. Mr. Craig said he was stunned to read in the Cayman Compass about the number of beach ac- cess paths that were being blocked by landowners, were overgrown with vegetation or lacking proper signage. Of the 108 officially regis- tered public rights of way in Grand Cayman, only 17 are listed as clear, with signs, ac- cording to a government re- port, the newspaper reported. Mr. Craig said, “I thought here is someone who has worked to provide a perfect right of way, bought addi- tional land to create it, main- tained it for 14 years and government is saying ‘we don’t recognize it.’ “I am reading about people trying to protect their right to get to the beach and here we are trying to give them that access.” The recently published beach access report refers to both the old access and the new one, noting that the old access, which no longer ex- ists, is officially registered. It does not comment on the legal status of the new path. But a letter in January from David Fawcitt of the Lands Ministry to represen- tatives acting for Mr. Craig indicates that the original path is the only one officially recognized in lands and survey documentation. “The Registrar of Lands reviewed and advises there is nothing in the Registered Land Law to allow the Reg- istrar of Government to vary this existing registered public right of way. A variance order does not exist in law.” He indicated at the time that the department was seeking “urgent legal advice” on the matter. Mr. Craig has kept corre- spondence from former chief surveyor Grant Vincent and former Permanent Secretary Kearney Gomez which ap- pears to indicate approval for the path to be moved. He acknowledged the failure to register the access had not caused problems for the property sale, but said it should be changed. “It’s not right. All they have to do is move one dotted line,” he added. KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com On Dec. 27, flames en- gulfed a nine-bedroom res- idence on Shedden Road, injuring three people and leaving nine others homeless. One of the victims was a woman without health insur- ance. She was injured to the point where she had to be air- lifted to Jamaica, where she continues to receive treatment. Fortunately for the victim, the law here makes employers legally responsible for in- suring their workers. There- fore, the woman “should” have much of her medical expenses covered by her employer, ac- cording to Elaine Harris, the honorary vice consul for the Jamaican Consulate. However, incidents of un- insured people in the ter- ritory suffering severe in- juries are all too common, Ms. Harris said. That is why she held an event Tuesday night featuring officials from the Health Insurance Com- mission, who explained the rights and obligations resi- dents have when it comes to health insurance. Speaking at the event, Health Insurance Inspector Rawle Graham said that all Cayman Islands residents are required to have insurance. Employers are responsible for providing health insur- ance for all of their employees, the employee’s unemployed spouse and any of the em- ployee’s dependent children who reside in the jurisdiction. Under the standard health in- surance plan, employers will cover 50 percent of the pre- miums and the other half will come from an employee’s salary, Mr. Graham said. If a “high-risk” employee does not qualify for the stan- dard package because of high blood pressure or another medical condition, then the employer would still only pay 50 percent of what the stan- dard plan would cost, and the worker would have to cover the rest, he added. Mr. Graham said that he realizes many workers do not file complaints about their employers failing to provide them with insurance because they fear losing their jobs. However, this is not a wise decision on the part of the businesses, he said, because eventually either the worker suffers a serious injury or the employee-employer rela- tionship sours. When this happens, busi- nesses are often saddled with $50,000 or more in med- ical bills, according to Mr. Graham, who said that he currently has several such cases in front of the Health Insurance Commission. These enforcement efforts have led to continuous im- provements in the number of businesses complying with the law, and the current compliance rate is 93 per- cent, he said. Mr. Graham and his col- league, Health Insurance In- spector Melissa Maize, went into detail about the costs and benefits individuals can expect under various in- surance plans. Mr. Graham explained that rates for the standard plan may vary among indi- viduals depending on age and other variables, but that the cost should be capped at $167 per month. For other more expensive plans, individuals have the right to obtain quotes from insurance companies and check with the commission to make sure the quotes are re- alistic, he said. Along with enforcing the existing legislation, the Health Insurance Commission is pre- paring to launch a survey with the Ministry of Health aimed at elderly people, said Ms. Maize. The results of this survey will be used to create a health insurance plan that is tailored to the elderly. JAMAICAN CONSULATE EVENT EDUCATES PUBLIC ON HEALTH INSURANCE The access path on South Sound Road was one of only 17 in Grand Cayman that were clear and unobstructed. George Craig says he helped create a perfect beach access that isn’t recognized in Lands and Survey records. – PHOTOS: JAMES WHITTAKERThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY, MAR. 15 CAYMAN DRAMA SOCIETY: “Barefoot in the Park.” 7:30 p.m. Tickets: adults $25; students, $15. Performances continue tomorrow and Saturday, then March 22, 23, 24. Purchase tickets at www.cds.ky or call 938-1998. FRIDAY, MAR. 16 BATABANO COSTUMES: The Cayman Carnival Batabano Committee invites all to the first Batabano Costume Expose at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville (Club Ville) on Harbour Drive, 5-9 p.m. Admission is free. SCHOOL FAIR: St. Ignatius Spring Fling 3-6:30 p.m. on the school grounds. Lots of food, fun, games, entertainment and prizes for all ages. IRISH JOG: From Britannia at 5:30 p.m. Registration details can be found on www.ky.butterfieldgroup.com. Cayman’s ARK (Acts of Random Kindness) benefits. SATURDAY, MAR. 17 CAYMUMS CAR BOOT SALE: 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Island Heritage Parking Lot. 128 Lawrence Blvd. (across from Camana Bay Roundabout). BARGAIN STORE: St. George’s Anglican Church will be having its monthly Bargain Store Sale 7-11 a.m. 64 Courts Road (off Eastern Ave. Opposite Kirk Market), George Town, Grand Cayman. COLOUR ME PURPLE 5K: Walk or run from Kaibo. Adults $25. Kids (under 18) $15. An Honouring Women Month fundraiser for local youth and women’s initiatives. For registration and more information, call the Family Resource Centre on 949-0006 or email frc@gov.ky. SUNDAY, MAR. 18 COLOUR ME PURPLE 5K: Walk or run from Smith Cove, South Sound. Adults $25. Kids (under 18) $15. An Honouring Women Month fundraiser for local youth and women’s initiatives. For registration and more information, call the Family Resource Centre on 949-0006 or email frc@gov.ky. MONDAY, MAR. 19 BRAC CERT: Hazard Management and the Red Cross will commence Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training in Cayman Brac on March 19. Residents can sign up for the five-day course for either morning or evening sessions. The training is free and food and refreshments will be provided. Group A, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Group B, 5-9 p.m. To sign up for either morning or evening CERT courses, call Simon Boxall on 926-2027 or email simon.boxall@gov.ky. TUESDAY, MAR. 20 SEAFARERS: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association advises members that the new president for 2018 is Denniston Tibbetts. Tonight at 7 p.m. is a social for a meet and greet. FRIDAY, MAR. 23 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Meals on Wheels receives one- third of its funding from the Cayman Islands government and the balance is made up from donations, sponsorship and fundraisers, such as the annual Coin Drive, which takes place today and tomorrow. Volunteers are needed to solicit funds from the public at key locations. They will be provided with a collection bucket, a T-shirt and lapel stickers to hand out to those who donate. Any person or organization willing to assist or “take over” a location from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., contact info@mealsonwheels.ky for more information. SATURDAY, MAR. 24 DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross mobile Thrift Shop will be in Bodden Town 6-10 a.m. at the Rubis gas station parking lot. Items available include linens, clothing and shoes, ladies’ accessories, household items and more. GARAGE AND CAR BOOT SALE: In St. Ignatius School Hall and Car Park, Walkers Road. 6-11 a.m. No early birds, please. Clothes, toys, books, household items, art and more. Breakfast items on sale. BRAC AGRICULTURE SHOW: The Cayman Brac Agriculture Show takes place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Agriculture Grounds on the Bluff. Contact Chevala Burke at chevala.burke@gov.ky or 345-916-4874. ORATORICAL CONTEST: The Optimist Club holds its annual oratorical contest for students 18 years and under at the George Town Town Hall. This year’s topic is, “Where are my roots of optimism?” Contact contest chairperson Patrice Hanson at 323-3925 or deputy chairperson Mark Ray at 916-2844. Learn more about the Optimist Club at www.optimistcayman.com. SUNDAY, MAR. 25 HONOURING WOMEN MONTH: Church service, John Gray Memorial Church, West Bay, 10 a.m. All are invited. FRIDAY, MAR. 30 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: Persons receiving permanent financial assistance benefit must be re-assessed if they have not been assessed since July 1, 2015. Get a form from the Needs Assessment Unit via email nauinfo@gov.ky, on the www.nau.gov.ky website or from the district Community Development Officer. The completed form/supporting documentation must be returned to the NAU by Friday, March 30. Failure to comply will result in payments being placed on hold. For more information, contact the NAU immediately on 946-0024 or 948-8748. GENERAL INTEREST EARLY CHILDHOOD FEES: The Ministry of Education provides financial assistance through the Early Childhood Assistance Programme fund for Caymanian children between 3 and 4 years of age before Sept. 1 2018, to assist with payment of fees at an early childhood centre between Sept. 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019. Application forms and information can be downloaded from www. education.gov.ky. Forms may also be collected from the Government Administration Building, the Department of Education Services and all early childhood centres. Contact Renee Barnes at 244-5735, Turnette Stewart at 244-5724 or email ecap@gov.ky. SOLAR IMAGING: An exhibition of digital solar imaging in Cayman by the late Dr. Bill Hrudey. National Gallery, Esterley Tibbetts Highway. FISH FRY: Friday evenings in Lent at St. Ignatius School Canteen. Serving from 5-8 p.m. Dine in or carry out. Menu includes fried or baked cod or snapper with all the trimmings. Proceeds benefit Youth Ministry. CONCH AND WHELK SEASON: The open season for conch and whelk runs until April 30. The legal limit for conch is five per person per day or 10 per boat, whichever is less. The limit for whelk catches is two-and-a-half gallons in the shell, or two-and-a-half pounds of processed whelks, per person, per day. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The Thrift Shop opening hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Friday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed evenings. Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. OPEN CANVAS: Every Wednesday. Visual Arts Society supports this event at KARoo Restaurant located in Camana Bay. 7-11 p.m. No fee. Easels provided for artist of all levels to come out and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Email info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Mondays, 7 p.m. For details, contact Virginia Castillo at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., GT. All are invited to attend. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacyman.com. GRAND CAYMAN TOASTMASTERS: Club meets each Thursday 6 – 7:15 p.m. on 3rd Floor, George Town Public Library. Visitors and guests welcome. Local contact is George R. Ebanks, 322- 9369 or Grand Cayman Toastmasters club on Facebook. Email info@ toastmastersclub2686.org. ROTARACT BLUE OF CAYMAN: Meets Wednesdays 6 p.m., at Royal Palms Beach Club, West Bay Road. Contact rotaractblue@gmail.com or www.rotaractblue.org. LEO CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 6:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, contact Secretary Letisha Allen at 924-2819. THE LIONS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, email LionsClubGCM@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. website at www.rotarysunrise.ky or contact info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at Britannia Golf Course Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. OPTIMIST CLUB: Meets first and third Thursdays at the Hibiscus Conference Room, Cayman Islands Hospital at 6:30 p.m. Learn more at www.optimistcayman.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. THURSDAY MARCH 15, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS The Colour Me Purple 5K walk/run from Kaibo will be held on Saturday, March 17. It is an Honouring Women Month fundraiser for local youth and women’s initiatives.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 15, 2018 Mr. McLaughlin said, his ministry was looking at addi- tional funding for things like an expanded closed circuit television system for moni- toring roads and possible pay raises to support Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice officers. “We are doing what we need to financially support the RCIPS,” the premier said, adding that he was satis- fied that the police service “is taking seriously” his gov- ernment’s commitment to keeping Cayman safe and re- ducing gun crimes. The premier acknowl- edged that he was as worried as everyone else about recent armed robberies and a killing that occurred in his own con- stituency of Red Bay. “[This] caused alarm throughout these islands, but especially in the Red Bay community which I rep- resent and in the Prospect community, where I live,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “It is not the Caymanian way of life. Even if these incidents are not everyday occurrences … they must never come to be accepted as the norm.” Coast guard The Cayman Islands is making medium-term bud- geting plans to support an independent coast guard service, to be operated sep- arately from other law en- forcement agencies, Mr. McLaughlin said Wednesday. The “major assets” for the new coast guard are due to be budgeted for in 2020, he said. “This will be a modern Cayman Islands coast guard with a multifaceted role,” the premier said. “[The] coast guard will have the ability to board and search vessels in our waters.” Mr. McLaughlin noted that Cayman has been re- ceiving advice on the new marine patrol service from Phil Bostock, a commander in the U.K.’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency, who has been on island since January. The present idea, he said, was to keep the coast guard agency separate from other public safety func- tions “so its resources won’t be poached for other law en- forcement work.” Strategic input The premier also be- moaned Wednesday, as he has on numerous occa- sions over the past decade, that the intent of Cayman’s 2009 Constitution Order to give locally elected leaders more strategic control over policing was never imple- mented in practice. Mr. McLaughlin cautioned that this was not a call to give an elected government minister direct operational control of police. Rather, he said, the constitution had in- tended to oblige the U.K.-ap- pointed governor in Cayman to follow the strategic direc- tion given by a National Se- curity Council, which is made up of elected and appointed officials, as well as two pri- vate citizen members. At the moment, the council meets infrequently and is generally viewed as advisory in nature, Mr. McLaughlin said. “It is too big and too im- portant an issue to be the governor’s alone,” the pre- mier said. “We [referring to the Legislative Assembly] get to vote [on the] money, but we do not have real control of national security issues.” “This will be the single biggest expulsion for over 30 years,” May said, adding that it would “fundamentally de- grade Russian intelligence capability in the U.K. for years to come.” May spoke after Moscow ignored a midnight dead- line to explain how the nerve agent Novichok, developed by the Soviet Union, was used against Sergei Skripal, an ex-Russian agent convicted of spying for Britain, and his daughter Yulia. They re- main in critical condition in a hospital in Salisbury, south- western England, after being found unconscious March 4. May said, “There is no alternative conclusion other than that the Rus- sian state was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr. Skripal and his daughter.” She announced a range of economic and diplomatic measures, including the sus- pension of high-level con- tacts with Russia. An invi- tation for Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to visit Britain has been can- celed, and British minis- ters and royals will not at- tend the soccer World Cup in Russia this summer. May also said Britain would clamp down on murky Russian money and strengthen its powers to im- pose sanctions on abusers of human rights, though she gave few details. “We will freeze Russian state assets wherever we have the evidence that they may be used to threaten the life or property of U.K. na- tionals or residents,” May said, promising to use all legal powers against crimi- nals and corrupt elites, and to “increase checks on private flights, customs and freight.” “There is no place for these people – or their money – in our country,” she said. May said some of the measures “cannot be shared publicly for reasons of na- tional security.” The Russian Embassy in London said the expulsion of diplomats was “totally un- acceptable, unjustified and shortsighted.” Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko called Britain’s actions were “a provocation.” Russia did not immedi- ately announce retaliatory measures, but its Foreign Ministry said “our response will not be long in coming.” It said Britain’s “hostile measures” were “an unprece- dentedly crude provocation.” Some Russia experts said the measures announced by May were unlikely to make Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government change its behavior. She did not expel Russia’s ambassador or an- nounce sanctions against any individuals or companies. Critics of the British gov- ernment have long claimed that the U.K. is reluctant to act against Russia be- cause London’s property market and financial sector are magnets for billions in Russian money. “There does not seem to be any real appetite so far to investigate the ill-gotten gains of the Russian elite that have been laundered through London,” said John Lough, an associate fellow in the Eur- asia program at the Chatham House think-tank. “It is not clear to me that London’s re- sponse will hit the Kremlin where it hurts.” Moscow has denied re- sponsibility for Skripal’s poi- soning. It refused to comply with Britain’s demand for an explanation, saying the U.K. must first provide samples of the poison collected by investigators. Some in Russia have sug- gested that the nerve agent could have come from an- other former Soviet country. Lawmaker Vladimir Gutenev, a member of Rus- sia’s state commission for chemical disarmament, said Russia had scrapped its stockpile of Novichok. “It is hard to say what may be happening in neigh- boring countries,” he was quoted as saying by the In- terfax news agency. Britain is seeking support from allies in the European Union and NATO in response to the use of an illegal chem- ical weapon on British soil. May’s office said President Donald Trump told the prime minister the U.S. was “with the U.K. all the way.” But Britain faces an up- hill battle in rallying inter- national backing for any new measures against Moscow. European Council Pres- ident Donald Tusk said he would put the attack on the agenda at an EU summit meeting next week. The U.N. Security Council – of which Russia is a veto-wielding member – was due to meet later Wednesday at Brit- ain’s request to discuss the investigation. NATO promised to help investigate what it called “the first offensive use of a nerve agent” in Europe or North America since the military al- liance was founded in 1949. But it’s unclear what, if anything, NATO can do to put more pressure on Russia. Re- lations between the old Cold War foes are already poor and short of military action the al- liance has little leverage. May said Russia’s use of a chemical weapon was “an affront to the prohibition on the use of chemical weapons. And it is an affront to the rules-based system on which we and our international partners depend.” “We will work with our allies and partners to con- front such actions wherever they threaten our security, at home and abroad,” she said. solicitation of an advantage. Carlos Robinson, 43, a public officer from Bodden Town, was charged with eight counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government and one count of failing to report the so- licitation of an advantage. Carolin Nixon-Lopez, 35, of West Bay was charged with two counts of con- spiracy to commit fraud on the government. Three other suspects were charged in connection with the case Wednesday. Marlenis Perez Mata, 31, from Prospect, was charged with one count of con- spiracy to commit fraud on the government and three counts of conspiracy to commit a breach of trust. Angela Suyapa Rodri- guez David, 38 of West Bay, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government. Mariel Maleno Suriel, 33, from George Town, was charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government. Those charges are in addition to corruption al- legations made against two other immigration employees, Diane Dey- Rankin and Pheadra Mc- Donald, on Monday. Ms. Dey-Rankin, Ms. McDonald, Mr. Alexander, Ms. Forbes and Mr. Rob- inson have been placed on required leave – suspension with pay – by the Immigra- tion Department, officials confirmed Tuesday. All five public officers charged in connection with the alleged fraud are Caymanian. The five other people charged in the case, Ms. Nixon-Lopez, Ms. Perez Mata, Ms. Rodriguez David, Ms. Maleno Suriel and Santo Castro Castillo are foreign nationals from Honduras and the Domin- ican Republic. The Anti-Corruption Commission has made no statements about the spe- cific nature of the allega- tions against the seven now charged in connection with the fraud investigation. Government sources have told the Cayman Com- pass that the probe involved alleged bribes paid to of- ficials in exchange for var- ious services the immigra- tion department provides. Mr. McLaughlin said staff members wearing the new uniforms of the combined service are likely to start appearing in early 2019. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 POLICE: BONES IN BT WERE IN GROUND 75 YEARS Human remains found in Bodden Town in September last year were buried there more than 75 years ago, ac- cording to police. Forensic archaeologists and anthropologists in the U.S. examined the bones, which were sent from Cayman last year, and de- termined they had been in the ground for more than seven decades. The examination did not find any obvious cause of death or inju- ries, police said in a state- ment Wednesday. “Due to these factors, the bones are not subject to any further legal or medical investigation,” police said. The skeletal remains were found by a member of the public in mid-Sep- tember at a hurricane-dam- aged house on the Bodden Town waterfront, which was undergoing reno- vations. Police and cus- toms officers searched the site and recovered ad- ditional bones. The identity of the re- mains has not been deter- mined, police said, adding “however, all relevant and interested parties have been made aware of the findings of the examination.” The RCIPS stated Wednesday that they would liaise with the coroner’s office “to determine the best course of action for a proper return and inter- ment of these remains.” More immigration staffers charged in fraud case CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Officers from the police’s Scientific Support Branch sift sand and earth after human remains were found in Bodden Town in September last year. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Britain expels 23 Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Premier Alden McLaughlin BORDER CONTROL Premier: Immigration-Customs to merge CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons, London. - PHOTO: PA WIREThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY MARCH 15, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Greece sells debt as it looks to post-bailout era Greece has raised $1 billion in a 12-month treasury bill auction, the country’s latest step toward regaining market access. Greece has relied on international bailout loans since 2010 through successive programs that end in August. The government has promised a full return to bond markets. Brilliant, popular physicist Stephen Hawking dies at 76 PARIS (AP) – In his final years, the only thing con- necting the brilliant physi- cist to the outside world was a couple of inches of frayed nerve in his cheek. As slowly as a word per minute, Stephen Hawking used the twitching of the muscle under his right eye to grind out his thoughts on a custom-built com- puter, painstakingly out- lining his vision of time, the universe, and humanity’s place within it. What he produced was a masterwork of popular science, one that guided a generation of enthusiasts through the esoteric world of anti-particles, quarks, and quantum theory. His success in turn transformed him into a massively popular scientist, one as familiar to the wider world through his appear- ances on “The Simpsons” and “Star Trek” as his work on cosmology and black holes. Hawking owed one part of his fame to his triumph over amyotrophic lateral scle- rosis, or ALS, a degenera- tive disease that eats away at the nervous system. When he was diagnosed aged only 21, he was given only a few years to live. But Hawking defied the normally fatal illness for more than 50 years, pur- suing a brilliant career that stunned doctors and thrilled his fans. Even though a se- vere attack of pneumonia left him breathing through a tube, an electronic voice syn- thesizer allowed him to con- tinue speaking, albeit in a ro- botic monotone that became one of his trademarks. He carried on working into his 70s, spinning theo- ries, teaching students, and writing “A Brief History of Time,” an accessible explo- ration of the mechanics of the universe that sold mil- lions of copies. By the time he died Wednesday at 76, Hawking was among the most recog- nizable faces in science, on par with Albert Einstein. As one of Isaac New- ton’s successors as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, Hawking was involved in the search for the great goal of physics – a “unified theory.” Such a theory would re- solve the contradictions be- tween Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, which describes the laws of gravity that govern the motion of large objects like planets, and the Theory of Quantum Me- chanics, which deals with the world of subatomic particles. For Hawking, the search was almost a religious quest – he said finding a “theory of everything” would allow mankind to “know the mind of God.” “A complete, consistent unified theory is only the first step: our goal is a com- plete understanding of the events around us, and of our own existence,” he wrote in “A Brief History of Time.” In later years, though, he suggested a unified theory might not exist. He followed up “A Brief History of Time” in 2001 with the sequel, “The Universe in a Nutshell,” which updated readers on concepts like su- pergravity, naked singulari- ties and the possibility of an 11-dimensional universe. Hawking said belief in a God who intervenes in the universe “to make sure the good guys win or get re- warded in the next life” was wishful thinking. “But one can’t help asking the question: Why does the universe exist?” he said in 1991. “I don’t know an op- erational way to give the question or the answer, if there is one, a meaning. But it bothers me.” Hawking often credited humor with helping him deal with his disability, and it was his sense of mischief that made him game for a se- ries of stunts. He made cameo television appearances in “The Simp- sons,” “Star Trek,” and the “Big Bang Theory” and counted among his fans U2 guitarist The Edge, who attended a January 2002 celebration of Hawking’s 60th birthday. His early life was chron- icled in the 2014 film “The Theory of Everything,” with Eddie Redmayne winning the best actor Academy Award for his portrayal of Hawking. The film focused still more attention on Hawking’s re- markable life. Some colleagues credited that celebrity with generating new enthusiasm for science. His achievements, and his longevity, also helped prove to many that even the most severe disabilities need not stop patients from achieving. Richard Green, of the Motor Neurone Disease As- sociation – the British name for ALS – said Hawking met the classic definition of the disease, as “the perfect mind trapped in an imper- fect body.” He said Hawking had been an inspiration to people with the disease for many years. Hawking’s disability did slow the pace of conversa- tion, especially in later years as even the muscles in his face started to weaken. Min- utes could pass as he com- posed answers to even simple questions. Hawking said that did not impair his work, even telling one interviewer it gave his mind time to drift as the conversation ebbed and flowed around him. His near-total paralysis certainly did little to dampen his ambition to physically ex- perience space: Hawking sa- vored small bursts of weight- lessness in 2007 when he was flown aboard a jet that made repeated dives to simu- late zero-gravity. Hawking had hoped to leave Earth’s atmosphere al- together someday, a trip he often recommended to the rest of the planet’s inhabitants. “In the long run the human race should not have all its eggs in one basket, or on one planet,” Hawking said in 2008. “I just hope we can avoid dropping the basket until then.” Hawking first earned prominence for his theo- retical work on black holes. Disproving the belief that black holes are so dense that nothing could escape their gravitational pull, he showed that black holes leak a tiny bit of light and other types of radiation, now known as “Hawking radiation.” “It came as a com- plete surprise,” said Gary Horowitz, a theoretical physi- cist at the University of Cali- fornia, Santa Barbara. “It re- ally was quite revolutionary.” Horowitz said the find helped move scientists one step closer to cracking the unified theory. Hawking’s other major scientific contribution was to cosmology, the study of the universe’s origin and evolution. Working with Jim Hartle of the Univer- sity of California, Santa Bar- bara, Hawking proposed in 1983 that space and time might have no beginning and no end. “Asking what hap- pens before the Big Bang is like asking for a point one mile north of the North Pole,” he said. In 2004, he announced that he had revised his pre- vious view that objects sucked into black holes simply disappeared, per- haps to enter an alternate universe. Instead, he said he believed objects could be spit out of black holes in a mangled form. That new theory capped his three-decade struggle to explain a paradox in scien- tific thinking: How can ob- jects really “disappear” in- side a black hole and leave no trace when subatomic theory says matter can be transformed but never fully destroyed? Hawking was born Jan. 8, 1942, in Oxford, and grew up in London and St. Albans, northwest of the capital. In 1959, he entered Oxford Uni- versity and then went on to graduate work at Cambridge. Signs of illness appeared in his first year of graduate school, and he was diag- nosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease after the New York Yankee star who died of it. The disease usually kills within three to five years. According to John Bo- slough, author of “Ste- phen Hawking’s Universe,” Hawking became deeply de- pressed. But as it became apparent that he was not going to die soon, his spirits recovered and he bore down on his work. Brian Dickie, director of research at the Motor Neurone Disease As- sociation, said only 5 per- cent of those diagnosed with ALS survive for 10 years or longer. Hawking, he added, “really is at the extreme end of the scale when it comes to survival.” Hawking married Jane Wilde in 1965 and they had three children, Robert, Lucy and Timothy. Jane cared for Hawking for 20 years, until a grant from the United States paid for the 24-hour care he required. He was inducted into the Royal Society in 1974 and received the Albert Ein- stein Award in 1978. In 1989, Queen Elizabeth II made him a Companion of Honor, one of the highest distinctions she can bestow. He whizzed about Cam- bridge at surprising speed – usually with nurses or teaching assistants in his wake – traveled and lec- tured widely, and appeared to enjoy his fame. He retired from his chair as Lucasian Professor in 2009 and took up a research position with the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Wa- terloo, Ontario. Hawking divorced Jane in 1991, an acrimonious split that strained his re- lationship with their chil- dren. Writing in her autobio- graphical “Music to Move the Stars,” she said the strain of caring for Hawking for nearly three decades had left her feeling like “a brittle, empty shell.” Hawking married his one-time nurse Elaine Mason four years later, but the rela- tionship was dogged by ru- mors of abuse. Police investigated in 2004 after newspapers reported that he’d been beaten, suf- fering injuries including a broken wrist, gashes to the face and a cut lip, and was left stranded in his garden on the hottest day of the year. Hawking called the charges “completely false.” Police found no evidence of any abuse. Hawking and Mason separated in 2006. Lucy Hawking said her fa- ther had an exasperating “in- ability to accept that there is anything he cannot do.” “I accept that there are some things I can’t do,” he told The Associated Press in 1997. “But they are mostly things I don’t particularly want to do anyway.” Then, grinning widely, he added, “I seem to manage to do anything that I really want.” Hawking defied the normally fatal illness for more than 50 years, pursuing a brilliant career that stunned doctors and thrilled his fans. Physicist Stephen Hawking, seen here in 2012, died early Wednesday at age 76. – PHOTO: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 15, 2018 US students stage walkouts to protest gun violence (AP) – Tens of thousands of young people in U.S. communities big and small walked out of school to demand action on gun violence Wednesday in the biggest demonstration yet of the student activism that has emerged since the massacre in Florida. Braving snow in New Eng- land and threats of school disci- pline in places like Georgia, they carried signs, chanted slogans against the National Rifle Associa- tion and bowed their heads in silent tribute to the 17 dead in the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. “I don’t want my mother or my father having to worry about me going to school getting an education and then my life is gone,” said Let- icia Carroll, a 15-year-old freshman who helped organize a walkout of more than 100 students at Groves High School in Beverly Hills, Mich- igan, outside of Detroit. She added: “We need answers. We need something done.” Across the country and beyond, students were urged to leave class at 10 a.m. local time for 17 min- utes – one minute for each of the dead in Florida. Max Poteat, a student who helped lead a walkout at North Car- olina’s East Chapel Hill High School, said he was struck by the emotional weight of the moment. “I think halfway through it really hit me, and I think everyone around, that these are teenagers just like us and that their lives were taken inno- cently – and that time is needed for change,” he said. In Washington, more than 2,000 high-school age protesters observed the 17 minutes of silence by sitting on the ground with their backs turned to the White House as a church bell tolled. President Donald Trump was in Los Angeles at the time. The protesters carried signs with messages such as “Our Blood/ Your Hands” and “Never Again” and chanted slogans against the NRA. Stoneman Douglas High se- nior David Hogg livestreamed the walkout at the tragedy-stricken school in Parkland, Florida, on his YouTube channel. Walking amid a mass of people making their way onto the football field, he criticized politicians for not taking more ac- tion to protect students. He said the students could not be expected to remain in class when there was work to do to prevent gun violence. “Every one of these individuals could have died that day. I could have died that day,” he said. At other schools, students cre- ated symbols to try to represent the tragedy. At Cooper City High, near Parkland, students gathered around 14 empty desks and three podiums arranged in a circle outside the school, representing the 14 students and three faculty members killed in the shooting. The students then re- leased 17 doves from a box. Some schools applauded stu- dents for taking a stand or at least tolerated the walkouts, while others threatened discipline. About 10 students left Ohio’s West Liberty-Salem High School – which witnessed a shooting last year – despite a warning they could face detention or more se- rious discipline. Police in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta patrolled Kell High, where students were threatened with un- specified consequences if they partici- pated in the walkout. Three students walked out anyway for the 17-minute protest. A British couple walking their dogs went to the school to encourage students but were threatened with ar- rest if they did not leave. The coordinated walkouts were or- ganized by Empower, the youth wing of the Women’s March, which brought thousands to Washington last year. It offered the students a list of demands for lawmakers, including a ban on as- sault weapons and mandatory back- ground checks for all gun sales. The organizers are seeking to keep up the pressure for stricter gun laws despite resistance from the White House and little action over the years on Capitol Hill. After initially endorsing an in- crease in the minimum age for buying assault weapons to 21, Trump left that out of a proposal that calls for a panel study on school safety. Historians said the demonstra- tions were shaping up to be one of the largest youth protests in decades. “It seems like it’s going to be the biggest youth-oriented and youth- organized protest movements going back decades, to the early ‘70s at least,” said David Farber a his- tory professor at the University of Kansas who has studied social change movements. “Young people are that social media generation, and it’s easy to mobilize them in way that it prob- ably hadn’t been even 10 years ago.” The walkouts drew support from companies including media con- glomerate Viacom, which paused programming on MTV, BET and all its other networks for 17 minutes during the walkouts. Other protests planned in coming weeks include the March for Our Lives rally for school safety, which organizers say is expected to draw hundreds of thousands to the nation’s capital on March 24. An- other round of school walkouts is planned for April 20, the 19th an- niversary of the Columbine High shooting in Colorado. After a rally in front of the White House, students march up Pennsylvania Avenue toward Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday. – PHOTO: AP Parents of slain Democratic staffer sue Fox News over story NEW YORK (AP) – The par- ents of a Democratic National Committee employee who was killed in 2016 allege Fox News exploited the slaying of their son as a “political football.” Joel and Mary Rich claim in a lawsuit that Fox News, a reporter and a guest com- mentator used “lies, misrep- resentations and half-truths” in a May 16, 2017, article that claimed their son, Seth Rich, had leaked DNC emails to WikiLeaks during the presi- dential campaign. The network removed the story a week after it was posted, saying it was not ini- tially subjected to its “high degree of editorial scrutiny.” Rich, 27, was killed in what Washington po- lice believe was a random robbery attempt. The lawsuit claims Fox News reporter Malia Zim- merman and frequent net- work guest Ed Butowsky in- tentionally fabricated the story connecting Rich to WikiLeaks, a site that pub- lishes secret and restricted information. The story was heavily promoted by Fox News host Sean Hannity and other conservative pun- dits, such as Alex Jones of Infowars, a conspiracy-pro- moting website. “No parent should ever have to live through what we have been forced to endure,” the couple said in a statement. “The pain and anguish that comes from seeing your murdered son’s life and legacy treated as a mere po- litical football is beyond comprehension.” Attorney Leonard A. Gail said the Riches hope to hold Fox News, Zimmerman and Butowsky accountable for their “reprehensible actions.” “Whether motivated by party politics, ratings, corpo- rate profit, or personal gain, we hope to help prevent this kind of malicious and reck- less behavior in the future so that others can be spared the hell the Riches have had to endure,” Gail said. Fox News declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. Butowsky told The Asso- ciated Press on Wednesday that he did not write the ar- ticle connecting Rich to WikiLeaks and that it was “baseless and frivolous” to name him in the lawsuit. The lawsuit is not the first targeting Fox News over its reporting on Rich’s death. Private investigator Rod Wheeler sued the network in August for defamation, al- leging Fox put words in his mouth when it posted the WikiLeaks story. The story quoted Wheeler saying there had been contact between Rich and WikiLeaks. Wheeler alleged in his lawsuit that the comments were false and were put in the story at the behest of President Donald Trump to discredit investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election. White House press secre- tary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump had no knowl- edge of the false story before it was posted and had no role in shaping it. YOUTUBE TO CRACK DOWN ON CONSPIRACY VIDEOS NEW YORK (AP) — YouTube says it’s cracking down on conspiracy videos, though it’s scant on the details. Conspiracy videos abound on YouTube, whether it’s about the Earth being flat or school shoot- ings being staged. YouTube, its parent Google, Facebook and Twitter are all facing challenges with the spread of misinformation, propa- ganda and fake news. YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said at a confer- ence on Tuesday that the company will work to de- bunk videos espousing conspiracy theories by in- cluding links to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. In a statement, YouTube said Wednesday that the links will include other “third- party sources.” But it isn’t identifying any. The company says the move is part of a broader initiative at YouTube to crack down on misinfor- mation, but did not give details on what else is in the works. This Oct. 21, 2015, file photo shows signage inside the YouTube Space LA offices in Los Angeles. - PHOTO: AP The lawsuit claims Fox News reporter Malia Zimmerman and frequent network guest Ed Butowsky intentionally fabricated the story connecting Rich to WikiLeaks.Next >