BUSINESS | PAGE 11 CONSOLIDATED WATER’S NEGOTIATIONS WITH GOVERNMENT DRAG ON EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 CUSTOMS DUTIES: RE-EXAMINING A VITAL AGENCY Seas: Rough with wave heights of 5 to 7 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. High of 86 Low of 74 ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY MARCH 28, 2018 BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Twelve-year-old Ambreene Choudhury arrived at the gov- ernor’s residence on Grand Cay- man’s Seven Mile Beach Monday afternoon and immediately ran out the back door of her new home to look at the sea. “Dad,” she asked her father, Cayman Islands Governor Anwar Choudhury, “is this real?” “That’s what it feels like,” Mr. Choudhury said of his first day in the British Overseas Territory that he’ll be governing for the next three to four years. “It’s difficult to explain the feeling of arriving in this won- derful, beautiful island. I’m a people person, and what really took me is the warmth … the wonderful warmth of the people. It just feels that the people here are something special. “I have been on these islands no more than a few hours and I’m already beginning to under- stand what you mean by Cay- mankind,” Mr. Choudhury told an audience of hundreds at Pedro St. James Monday night. “Cayman- kind has a very generous heart, a big smile, and an embrace that makes me feel like the luckiest diplomat in the U.K. today.” Premier Alden McLaughlin warned the new governor earlier on Monday that all in Cayman is not sandy beaches and bright sunshine, particularly for a vet- eran diplomat who now has to take on added administrative and governance roles. The premier put it this way: “You have … the misfor- tune of having to live on Seven Mile Beach and then having to dress and get in the car and come to work.” However, Monday night at Pedro St. James was not the time for serious work discussion, said Mr. Choudhury, 58, who marveled at the singing prowess of Rudi Myles and Miss Cayman Anika Conolly, who both performed during the event. He also said the Customs addresses shipment delay complaints BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Four-week waits to receive vehicle parts or three-week waits to receive shipped goods from local customs agents that have occurred in the past few months are not the norm, ac- cording to Customs Collector Charles Clifford, who responded in detail this week to questions from the Cayman Compass concerning a number of public complaints about delays in re- ceiving imported items. Mr. Clifford said the current average time to receive goods re- leased from Her Majesty’s Cus- toms service is about 24 hours, but he noted a number of fac- tors can contribute to certain in- dividual releases being delayed. “There are cases … when declarations are suspended or rejected because documents are missing or information is lacking,” Mr. Clifford said. This can include documents shipped without invoices attached, in- correct shipping documents, in- correct description of goods or incorrect tariff codes. If HM Customs requires an inspection of goods for compli- ance, this would also result in delays, Mr. Clifford said. “To avoid such delays, we encourage importers to remain compliant with customs and to provide us with all the relevant documents and information re- quired for processing,” he said. UK OFFICIAL SEEKS TO BLOCK DISCLOSURE IN BUSH LAWSUIT BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Miami-based U.K. Foreign and Common- wealth Office employee is opposing an appli- cation for disclosure in a civil lawsuit filed against former top Cayman Islands officials who were accused of conspiring to topple former Cayman Premier McKeeva Bush’s gov- ernment in 2011-2012. The foreign office employee, Larry Cov- ington, was never named in the 2015 lawsuit filed by Mr. Bush against Cayman’s former Governor Duncan Taylor and former Police Commissioner David Baines. Rather, Mr. Cov- ington was asked earlier this year to provide information that Mr. Bush’s attorneys believe he holds regarding the decision to arrest and prosecute Mr. Bush over various allegations, including that Mr. Bush used government-is- sued credit cards improperly to gamble. SUNDAY LIQUOR SAGA NEARS RESOLUTION The Liquor Licensing Board has committed to dealing with a backlog of applications, a move that may wrap up a long-running saga of whether Sunday alcohol sales can be permitted at gas stations and liquor stores. Please turn to page 5. Governor: I’m ‘the luckiest diplomat’ in the UK PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Cargo containers are moved off ships, recently arrived at the George Town port, where workers labor through the evening to transport goods. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Anwar Choudhury meets with Cayman residents at Pedro St. James during his first day on island as governor. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY2 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY MARCH 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - WEDNESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) MARY MAGDALENE (PG13) 1:30 I 4:15 I 10:00 TOMB RAIDER 3D (PG13) 1:45 I 3:40 2D VIP I 7:20 2D I 10:00 BLACK PANTHER (PG13) 12:45 I 4:00 I 6:45 VIP I 7:00 I 9:15 SHERLOCK GNOMES (PG) 1:00 VIP I 4:30 I 7:05 I 9:20 PETER RABBIT (PG) 12:20 I 2:40 I 5:00 I 7:20 I 9:40 DEATH WISH (R) 1:15 I 4:00 I 6:50 I 9:45 VIP DOGGIE DAY CARE CENTER CONCEPT DRIVES NEIGHBORS BARKING MAD JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Plans for a “doggie day care center” on land close to the airport have been re- jected by the Central Plan- ning Authority after neigh- bors raised concerns about noise pollution. Dale and Beverly Banks were seeking permission to convert the Crewe Road lot into an open-air dog run to take care of people’s pets while they work. Plans for the site included two sheds and a chain-link fence. But neighboring resi- dents complained the busi- ness would be a nuisance. “I cannot imagine a more unsuitable location for a doggie day care,” one objector wrote in a submis- sion to the CPA. “The noise of the planes landing and taking off, and the traffic from Crewe Road will naturally make the dogs unstable and will ensure that there is con- tinual barking.” Other residents were concerned about the smell. “The thought of an open air dog run with the noise and smell that it can create is totally unacceptable,” wrote one objector. “Please keep in mind that as a business, the owners will try to have as many dogs as possible in the compound. We are not talking of just one or two dogs at a time.” The applicants argued that the opening hours of Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the protocols in place for looking after people’s pets would mean there was no nuisance to neighbors. “Noise levels from the proposed use will not be significant as the dogs will be kept entertained and therefore will have no reason to bark,” a submis- sion filed on behalf of the landowner by T.K. Global Holdings indicated. “Dogs generally bark when they are bored, lonely, over excited, hungry, fright- ened or because they have learned that barking leads to certain responses. Proper management of the fa- cility, through agility, ac- tivity, socialising, feeding and nurturing should lead to the actual noise levels being limited.” After hearing from the applicant and ob- jectors, the CPA rejected the application. First mobile blood drive sets record Fifty-two pints of blood – the most ever collected on island in a single day – has been recorded in Cayman’s first mobile blood drive. The Health Services Au- thority along with Car City and Hurley’s Media hosted the blood drive on March 10, which saw 63 attendees register to be blood do- nors. Of those, 40 were first-time donors. “This wasn’t your average blood drive,” said Taylor Foster of Car City, who ini- tiated the partnership that led to the blood drive. He said the blood bank has held dozens of drives, but it has never before gone mobile, col- lecting blood on-site. “Car City is extremely proud to be among the drivers of such a ground- breaking event. Its turnout demonstrated the philan- thropic capacity of the people of these islands, all while doing something very impor- tant – stocking our national blood bank with the product it needs and one that is used to save lives,” he said. Operating out of the Health Services Authority, the Cayman Islands Blood Bank relies on an average collec- tion rate of four pints of blood each day to meet the current healthcare needs of the islands’ medical facili- ties, but this need is expected to increase. Some of this total is imported from the U.S., when the blood bank is ex- periencing a deficit due to pe- riodic increase in demand or a lack of local donations, ac- cording to the Blood Bank. HSA Laboratory Manager Judith Clarke said, in regards to blood supply, the popula- tion of the Cayman Islands can sustain itself. However, she said, only two percent of the population donates, and ideally the islands need to achieve five percent, ac- cording to World Health Or- ganization recommendations. “The hesitation to do- nate is higher among mil- lennials than any other gen- erational group. This signals to us that greater awareness and promotion is paramount to changing the views this particular group and others have about blood donation,” she said. “Therefore, we are very grateful to Car City Cayman for spearheading this amazing initiative. Their support and partnership with Hurley’s Media allowed us to increase awareness in the community of the impor- tance of blood donation.” Eric Vincent of Hurley’s Media praised the private- public partnership initiative as one that must continue. “The need for blood is con- stant and everyone who re- sides on these islands, at some point in their lifetime, will know someone in need of a transfusion,” he said. “Victims of accidents, people struck by illnesses, patients experiencing medical compli- cations are examples of those who may need blood.” Car City offered a com- plimentary oil change on all Car City brand vehicles at the event in appreciation of the community’s support. Al La Kebab provided food and a bouncing castle to keep chil- dren entertained. “I want to thank everyone who came out to support the first Car City annual blood drive,” Mr. Foster said. “We plan to further develop our partnership with the Blood Bank by helping to identify innovative ways to increase our islands’ blood supply. We hope to see you next year.” A first-time donor shows his two young supporters how blood donation is done. “Proper management of the facility, through agility, activity, socialising, feeding and nurturing should lead to the actual noise levels being limited.” T.K. GLOBAL HOLDINGS SUBMISSION Simply irresistible The Easter holidays are upon us, and while most Caymanians are busy pitching tents and getting ready to scavenger hunt for Easter eggs, Cayman stylist Ann Marie Tomlinson is using a traditional Easter snack – bun and cheese – to jazz up her hairstyle. Ms. Tomlinson’s eye-popping creations never fail to turn heads. From flamboyant, outrageous and downright funny styles, to demure and sophisticated, hair is her way of highlighting Cayman’s holidays. The trendsetter says most of her friends usually find her hairstyles funny, and her dream is to create a magazine of all the different styles she has created. The Cayman Islands Blood Bank relies on an average collection rate of four pints of blood each day to meet the current healthcare needs of the islands’ medical facilities, but this need is expected to increase. CAYMANIAN DIES IN BOAT ACCIDENT NEAR FLORIDA BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 67-year-old Cayman Islands man died Monday in an accident on board a boat just south of the Florida Keys, ac- cording to both local and U.S. authorities. A U.S. Coast Guard press release Tuesday stated the man was found unresponsive “after re- portedly falling from the upper deck of his boat and landing on his head.” The incident occurred approximately 20 miles south of Key West. The Coast Guard re- ceived a report about the incident around 11 p.m. Monday from crews aboard a 42-foot pleasure craft. A Coast Guard vessel arrived on the scene of the accident just after mid- night Tuesday. The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service said Tuesday that it had been notified of the incident. “We received a report that a Caymanian man died on a boat in the Florida Keys and have been in con- tact with the U.S. authori- ties who are investigating the incident,” an RCIPS statement read. Neither the RCIPS nor the U.S. Coast Guard had identified the man as of Tuesday. The Cayman Islands government’s Ministry of Home Affairs said it had not been provided with any information about the incident. The 67-year-old man’s body was taken to the Monroe County Coroner by the U.S. Coast Guard, au- thorities said.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MARCH 28, 2018 Today’s business environment is constantly evolving. 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By equipping your team members with the Canadian CPA, you’re developing leaders with the knowledge and insight to transform challenges into business opportunities. 18-0140O LEARN MORE AT: cpacanada.ca/globalleaders The Canadian CPA Is your business on the right side of change?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” When most people think of Cayman Islands Customs, they envision officers inspecting luggage inside the arrivals hall at Owen Roberts International Airport. That is one important function of the agency, but the “real work” performed by Customs has far less to do with personal effects in suitcases than with shipping containers loaded with commercial goods. “Behind the scenes” (i.e. at the cargo port), Customs plays a pivotal role in our islands’ security, economy, governance and ordinary business activity – all of which depend on smooth and efficient Customs processes. Most obviously affected are companies whose inventory must pass through Customs before making its way onto shelves and, eventually, to customers. Then there are private individuals who await delivery of personal property that first has to “clear Customs.” However, there are few, if any, people in Cayman who are not affected by Customs’ ability, or inability, to process goods. Think for a moment – as an island terri- tory with scarce natural resources and nearly nonexis- tent manufacturing, we rely on foreign imports for the most basic necessities (including flour and milk, not to mention newsprint and ink). All of that “stuff” flows through Customs. It’s Cayman’s version of the Panama Canal. The approximately $150 million that Customs officers collect each year makes up government’s single largest source of revenue, funding every- thing from social services to civil service salaries to infrastructure projects. Moreover, Customs officials are responsible for intercepting dangerous or illegal materials – including guns, drugs and other contraband – before they cross the border and enter our community. Despite its importance, in recent years Customs has failed to attract a level of scrutiny similar to that of its close cousin, the Department of Immigra- tion. The agency rarely makes it on the front page of the Compass, except for the occasional misstep or individual scandal (such as, within the past year, the infamous “sugar glider” investigation, the arrest of a Customs officer in connection with the importation of 1.8 kilograms of cocaine, and the seizure of imported toiletries branded with a marijuana leaf logo.… And who can forget the tempest surrounding the frowned- upon “body massagers?”) The “under-inspection” of Customs should become a thing of the past, in no small part due to Premier Alden McLaughlin’s proposal to merge the “goods- processing” duties of Customs with the “people-pro- cessing” duties of the Immigration Department, to create a single “border force agency.” One thing that business school graduates and bureaucrats have in common is the mantra of “when in doubt, reorganize.” Change people’s titles, change responsibilities, change names … heck, change the fur- niture. But even in ideal circumstances, an immediate and unavoidable consequence of reorganization is dis- organization. (Example: Have you ever moved from one house to another? The epitome of “disorganiza- tion” is a mountain of cardboard boxes.) In a hospital setting, doctors can attempt to save the life of a sick patient by giving them blood or organs from a healthy donor. Our concern with the premier’s plan is that it may be an attempt to swap parts from patients, both of whom may be in need of medical attention. Customs duties: Re-examining a vital agency WEDNESDAY MARCH 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR Supermarkets, please help reduce plastic waste I am writing because I think that our supermar- kets use too much plastic. I strongly recommend that you watch the documentary “A Plastic Ocean.” I have re- cently watched “A Plastic Ocean” and I am devastated at what I heard and saw. I feel they are using too much single-use plastic as well as Styrofoam in the form of containers, bags and cut- lery. Furthermore, did you know that we have made more plastic in the last decade than in the last century? Scientists believe that there are five tril- lion pieces of plastic in the ocean that are harming our sea life! I am sure that if you knew the damage that plastic causes, you would not have so much plastic in your su- permarket. A whale died a very painful death after a 25-meter plastic sheet be- came stuck in his digestive system. This could have been stopped if less plastic ended up in our oceans. In addition, 70 percent of the plastic we are making is sinking to the bottom of the ocean, and this is harming sea life. So you can see what harm it is coming to us, sea life and our beautiful islands and its waters. Plastic is broken down by the sun and sea into small bits of plastic called micro plastic. Fish eat this plastic and the toxins from the plastic end up in the body of the fish. Then we catch the fish, cook and then eat them. So you can say that we are technically eating plastic toxins. Once again, I recommend that our super- markets try to reduce the amount of plastic they use. I believe there are a number of things they could do to rectify this problem. Firstly, we need to urge cos- tumers to bring their con- tainers, and stores could give them a discount. If they do not, then just raise the price of the containers. Then su- permarkets will not have to buy any more plastic con- tainers. I would also recom- mend that they use paper containers that are more eco- friendly and are compostable. Then there is another issue; plastic cutlery, which I think they should ban. It would be cheaper for super- markets and instead they could sell bamboo or wooden cutlery as well as encourage customers to wash and reuse the plastic cutlery. This is very bad because it not recyclable or compostable. Animals could choke and die from this! Some people just do not seem to realize that plastic bags are a colossal problem. Some people bring their own bags, which is really good, but many do not. I recom- mend that supermarkets train their staff not to give out plastic bags, or even ban the use of plastic bags like Cost-U-Less, and just pro- vide cardboard boxes. When I go to Foster’s and other su- permarkets they always give us plastic bags. They could also raise the price of plastic bags from 5 cents to 25 cents, which would mean that no one would buy them. In conclusion, I hope our supermarkets will help us save the earth by reducing the amount of plastic in stores. Yours Faithfully. Zara Naomi Roffey Year 6 student, Cayman Prep Volunteers of all ages turn out to participate in a beach cleanup at SafeHaven. I would also recommend that [supermarkets] use paper containers that are more eco-friendly and are compostable.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MARCH 28, 2018 WE’VE MOVED! www.MattressExperts.ky and on Call 947·1708 SEE US AT OUR NEW LOCATION: MATTRESSES, ADJUSTABLE BEDS, BEDDING, PILLOWS AND MORE! SAME STORE HOURS: MON-SAT 9am-5pm Elgin Ave. S. Chur ch St. N. Chur ch St. Harbour Dr . Shedden Rd. Main St. Shedden Rd. PICCADILLY CENTRE 28 ELGIN AVENUE Immigration Central Police Library Fort George Bayshore Mall Dr. Roys Dr. Mary St. Fort St. Edwar d St. End in sight for Sunday liquor sales saga JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The long-running saga of whether Sunday alcohol sales can be permitted at gas sta- tions and liquor stores may be resolved this week with the Liquor Licensing Board committing to deal with a backlog of applications. During a meeting Monday, the board gave assurances the matter would be dealt with, after one business owner raised the prospect of legal action over perceived double standards for different outlets. Robert Hamaty, owner of Tortuga Rum Company, took issue with the fact that Pea- nuts store at Red Bay Gas Station continues to be al- lowed to sell alcohol on Sun- days, while his application for the same opportunity has not been dealt with. “There is too much peanut butter on that slice of bread and somebody’s got to deal with it,” he said. “Unfair competition exists. Maybe I should be suing the board for loss of revenue. I have the same license as Pea- nuts and the board is stop- ping me from selling.” Liquor board chair Noel Williams told applicants at the quarterly meeting Monday that legal advice had now been given from the at- torney general and the board would be in a position to deal with the applications. Under consideration are Mr. Hamaty’s application to open his liquor stores on Sun- days, first made in September of last year; the renewal of Peanuts license and numerous applications from several gas stations to sell on Sundays. Mr. Williams apologized for the delays, saying the board had wanted to make sure they got the decision right. He said they had gone above and beyond to get legal advice and were now ready to process the requests. “I felt we have to get this whole thing right. I take re- sponsibility as chair and I apologize for the length of time we have taken,” he said. The board adjourned the public meeting Monday after- noon to deliberate on the ap- plications and is expected to announce its decisions later this week or early next week. There remain considerable differences of opinion on how retail licenses, which allow for Sunday liquor sales and have typically been used for bars, should be applied to conve- nience stores and gas stations. Attorney Cline Glidden, representing Peanuts at Mon- day’s meeting, and Mitchell Welds, a former liquor li- censing board chair who ap- peared as a consultant for two gas stations seeking Sunday licenses, argue that the law permits retail li- censes to be granted for Sunday sales with conditions at the discretion of the board. Mr. Hamaty argued that it does not. He said the law was intended to preserve Sunday sales for bars and restaurants, but indicated if his competition was being granted such licenses, he was compelled to seek them too. Mr. Welds, speaking on be- half of H & B Ltd., which has applied for a retail/package li- cense to sell alcohol, including on Sundays, at its Esso fran- chise locations on Shedden Road and West Bay Road, said there was nothing in the law to restrict retail licenses to bars. He said the board could grant the license and impose what- ever conditions they saw fit. “I really see nothing in the law that prohibits or restricts the board from granting re- tail licenses to gas sta- tions,” he added. Confusion has reigned on the issue since Peanuts first applied for a retail license al- lowing Sunday sales in March last year. The board approved the application, but later doc- tored minutes and claimed to have rejected it, before being compelled after an internal government review to follow through with its original de- cision and issue the license. That controversy led to sig- nificant changes in personnel on the board, and the new board has yet to make a de- termination on the issue. Whatever the board de- cides may be subject to change in short order. Commerce Minister Joey Hew indicated in an interview with the Cayman Compass that government would bring changes to the Liquor Li- censing Law this year to clarify what category of license each business could seek. POLICE INVESTIGATE GEORGE TOWN ROBBERY The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service re- sponded Friday afternoon to the scene of a reported rob- bery that had occurred in the vicinity of Tropical Gar- dens Road in George Town. A man had reportedly been walking in the area when he was approached by three assailants who held him, punched him and robbed him of his phone, shoes and other personal items. No weapons were used in the incident and the victim did not sustain se- rious injuries. The victim allegedly fled from the loca- tion on foot after the attack. The suspects in the case appeared to be younger than 20 years old, and they have been described as being short in stature and having dark complexions. They were dressed in dark- colored clothing. One of the culprits has been described as heavyset. The incident remains under police investigation and anyone with informa- tion may contact the George Town CID at 949-4222. ARREST MADE IN FATAL MOTORCYCLE COLLISION The driver of the car in- volved in Sunday’s fatal collision with a motorcycle has been arrested on sus- picion of causing death by careless driving, police an- nounced on Tuesday. The man, a 24-year old West Bay resident, is on bail as officers continue their investigation, police said. According to police, the collision took place on Shamrock Road in the vi- cinity of Spotts Public Beach. Officers were dispatched at 5:20 p.m., and the motor- cycle rider was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead shortly thereafter. The rider was identi- fied as Lenny Pinet-Trusty, a 35-year-old Honduras national who had Cay- manian status. Mr. Pinet- Trusty is survived by his family, including a wife and young child.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 WEDNESDAY MARCH 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS PremierHealth BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town.Tel. 949-8699 12 Kirkconnell Street, Stake Bay, Cayman BracTel. 948-1760 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life 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. cgigrp Yes you can! Welcome to Smart Wellness Zest is a Wellness plan that gives you the tools to make informed lifestyle choices that help you raise your energy levels and improve your quality of life. With smart tools, Zest is compatible with most popular activity tracking devices. It’s a community with 5,000 members and 55 companies. 86% of members say it has changed their lives! 96% of members stay on track and with the plan. It’s free to all Premier Health members with up to 10 free accounts for family and friends. A fitter, healthier you is closer than you think. Call 949-8699 or visit www.zestwellnesscgi.com later show by the Cayman Islands Folk Singers group made him want to get up on stage and join in. “They say the job of an ambassador is to eat and drink for your country,” Mr. Choudhury said. “I would not only want to eat and drink for your country … I would want to sing and dance for your country. I look forward to the next three to four years … working with you, singing with you, dancing with you … to take this country into the brightest, most pros- perous future we can have.” Different job Mr. Choudhury, who spent about five years as the U.K. ambassador to Peru be- fore arriving in Cayman, told the Cayman Compass in a separate interview Monday night that ambassadorial experience will help in the years to come. Yet, he said he viewed the governor’s po- sition as a combination of diplomatic work, with some policymaking and adminis- trative work thrown in. “As an ambassador, you’re representing your country in a foreign land,” he said. “[Cayman] is part of our country, as I see it anyway. So this is about governing the best you can to set a stra- tegic direction, helping to get the best quality of life, the best outcome for our country. It is a different role.” One area Mr. Choudhury said the governor could as- sist in is bringing ties be- tween Cayman and Britain closer, which he believes the pending separation of the U.K. from the European Union could help to effect. “That will have some challenges for us, but it will also create many opportunities for us.” “I want us to be closer as a family,” he said, indicating his belief that Cayman could do with some more promo- tion in the Mother Country. “I want people in Cayman to go to the U.K. more, I want the people in the U.K. to come here.” For instance, Mr. Choud- hury wondered aloud during Monday night’s event at Pedro St. James whether Her Majesty, the Queen of Eng- land had ever heard Rudi Myles sing the U.K. na- tional anthem. “If not, maybe she will,” he said. “[His performance] blew me away.” Same vision Mr. Choudhury acknowl- edges that the relationship between himself and Pre- mier McLaughlin, the elected head of Cayman’s govern- ment, is in its early days. However, he said Monday night that he was encour- aged the two seemed to have a “common understanding” around crime-fighting plans. The new governor said he supported Mr. McLaughlin’s statements made recently in the Legislative Assembly about the combining of Her Majesty’s Customs with the Immigration Department for border enforcement, as well as the creation of a new in- dependent coast guard to patrol Cayman’s waters. “We are blessed with paradise … we need to keep it as that,” Mr. Choud- hury told the audience at Pedro St. James, getting some cheers. “We cannot, we will not, allow crime to take away our way of living.” Mr. Choudhury said Cay- man’s little-used National Se- curity Council would meet as soon as possible to discuss crime-fighting strategies. Governor: I’m ‘the luckiest diplomat’ in the UK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Mr. Choudhury said Cayman’s little-used National Security Council would meet as soon as possible to discuss crime-fighting strategies. Three sentenced for South Sound ganja Ganja importers add to Cayman’s social problems, magistrate says CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three men seen offloading ganja in South Sound last September were sen- tenced on Monday to terms ranging from two and a half to three years. Linton Nightpole Pillar- chie, Eyon Joshua Johnson and Cephas Solomon Reyn- olds previously pleaded guilty to importing 438 pounds of ganja into the Cayman Islands on the night of Sept. 28, 2017. Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson said two officers on patrol around 11:30 p.m. along South Sound were in the vi- cinity of San Sebastian when they saw three men offloading packages from a Jamaican canoe onto the shore. The officers called for as- sistance. The three men on the beach ran off in different directions. The police heli- copter did surveillance in the area and other officers se- cured the packages. The boat contained food, men’s clothing, a hand- held GPS and six 55-gallon drums of fuel, Mr. Ferguson told the court. Around 3 a.m., all three defendants were seen walking along South Sound Road. They were dressed in shorts and shirts and ap- peared wet. They had no foot- wear. The three were arrested near Walkers Road. When interviewed, Mr. Reynolds gave no comment. Mr. Pillarchie said he had stowed away on the boat because he was coming to Cayman to seek a better life. Mr. Johnson admitted the boat was his, but said they had been threatened. He told police all three had taken turns steering the boat. Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Johnson soon pleaded guilty, but Mr. Pillarchie maintained his not guilty stance and his trial was set for Jan. 10. After attorney John Meghoo spoke with him, however, he “de- cided to do the right thing” and changed his plea the day before the trial. Magistrate Valdis Foldats explained why the men were getting different sentences. With a starting point of four years, he gave Mr. Johnson three months credit for his personal mitigation, as set out by attorney Jonathon Hughes, and then one-third discount for his guilty plea. The result was a prison term of 30 months. For Mr. Pillarchie, the dis- count was less because of the late plea, which meant that a trial date had been set and a case management hearing had been held. For this defendant, the sentence was 33 months. For Mr. Reynolds, the situ- ation was different, the mag- istrate said. His social in- quiry report revealed that he had been in prison in the U.S. on an 18-month sentence for wounding. Then he had been deported back to Jamaica. The magistrate said that after such significant impris- onment, there should have been no further criminal ac- tivity. Mr. Hughes suggested that this defendant should not be penalized for his candor in admitting the U.S. offense. The magistrate disagreed and found this an aggra- vating factor, raising the four years to 54 months. Applying the one-third discount, he im- posed a term of 36 months. He said these were stern punishments, but the three men had made the decision to commit a crime to the det- riment of Cayman society. “The cost of being involved in this business is a lengthy prison sentence,” he said. The magistrate noted that in this day of social media and telecommunica- tions, even the poorest people seemed to have access to iPhones or the internet. “One hopes the word will get back to Jamaica: If you bring illegal drugs you will get caught and you will go to jail. That has to be the mes- sage,” he said. He hoped the defendants would spread the word to people back in their country because, if ganja importa- tion continued, the sentences would go higher. He accepted that the men had offended because of fi- nancial hardships. But most people in financial difficulty do not commit crime, he said. Those who bring drugs here are part of an un- lawful, for-profit and usu- ally gang-related industry, he said. The drugs are brought into the streets, homes and schools of Cayman. If these men had been successful, their drugs would have added to the so- cial problems on the island, he pointed out. “Drug abuse continues to be a significant problem,” the magistrate said. He referred to cases before the court week in and week out: people who have lost their job, their family, their health because of drugs; par- ents spending scarce funds getting high and neglecting their children; then, by their behavior, teaching the chil- dren to disrespect the law. The magistrate com- mended the officers in this case for their vigilance and bravery. The ganja was or- dered to be destroyed and the boat was forfeited to the Crown.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MARCH 28, 2018 186364_PRINT-IH-Ad_4colx12_CC_ChPage 1 3/15/18 5:01:38 PM Many residents and some businesses choose to not col- lect goods directly from the customs warehouse, but use a local customs agent to ac- cess the goods on their be- half. The customs agent then notifies the customer when their goods are ready. Mr. Clifford said the working relationship be- tween HM Customs and pri- vate sector customs agents has been in place for decades and does not typically re- sult in delays. “However, most of their imports are consolidated shipments which include many single imports for var- ious importers,” Mr. Clifford said. “In some cases, one con- solidated shipment could consist of 50 to 100 indi- vidual imports, or more, and therefore would take more time to process.” Mr. Clifford also points out that Cayman may be something of a victim of its own success when it comes to imports. The overall resi- dent population has grown close to 65,000, according to estimates stated by Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin this week. Also, economic ac- tivity around construction projects – particularly high- dollar properties – has been booming. Planning statistics for 2017 showed more than 1,000 construction projects receiving planning approvals with a combined value of $688 million – the highest single-year dollar value for construction projects ever seen in Cayman. More residents importing goods and more development projects requiring imported goods means more demand on customs services. “Over the past two years, the customs department has seen an increase in imports,” Mr. Clifford said. “The in- crease and heightened vigi- lance [of customs staff] are the reasons why we have ex- ceeded our revenue targets by $10 million [in 2016] and $12 million [in 2017].” Customs imports remain the highest, single, annual co- ercive revenue source for the Cayman Islands government, which does not use direct taxation methods to earn its operating cash. Over the past year, HM Customs has also been in- troducing an online claims system aimed at speeding up the entire process in light of the additional demands. However, that also led to some delays in receiving im- ported items that were con- solidated into large ship- ments. This led to complaints from some local businesses around last Christmastime that items needed for con- struction projects were not being received on time. Mr. Clifford said those issues have since been re- solved and the general idea is to have customers “do ev- erything,” including pay- ments, online. “They will only need to visit the customs depart- ment to collect their goods or to witness an inspection if one is being conducted on their shipment,” the col- lector said. “That is the ultimate goal.” Mr. Bush, acquitted of all charges during a 2014 crim- inal trial, sued Messrs. Taylor, Baines and the Cayman Is- lands government over the prosecution, which he al- leged was orchestrated to remove him and his United Democratic Party govern- ment from office. Mr. Bush, now the Speaker of the Cayman Islands Leg- islative Assembly, filed a re- quest for judicial assistance with the U.S. District Court in January to retrieve docu- ments, including emails and other communications be- tween Mr. Covington and Cayman officials covering a period of about six years be- tween 2009 and 2014. Although the civil lawsuit is proceeding in Cayman, the judicial assistance request was filed in south Florida be- cause that is where Mr. Cov- ington resides. According to Mr. Coving- ton’s attorneys, the foreign office employee has sought to oppose Mr. Bush’s request on a number of grounds. “In short, there is no cred- ible evidence to establish that Mr. Covington was in any manner involved in the pros- ecution of Mr. Bush, which is the basis for [Mr. Bush’s] civil claims,” court records filed in Miami Tuesday read. Mr. Bush’s attorneys’ sub- missions, in asking that Mr. Covington disclose any rel- evant records he may hold, included copies of emails between former Governor Taylor and a U.K. foreign of- fice employee named “Tony” in which Mr. Taylor stated he would be relieved when Mr. Bush was arrested. “I’m not opening any quiet bubbly until it is confirmed,” Mr. Taylor wrote in one 2013 email. “When it is, there will be a huge sigh of relief across the Cayman Islands, including a loud one from this office.” Mr. Covington’s filing in the U.S. district court indi- cates the former governor’s emails revealed during Mr. Bush’s 2014 criminal trial were not addressed to him and that Mr. Bush had failed to establish Mr. Covington played “any role whatso- ever” in the factual matters at issue in the civil lawsuit. Mr. Covington’s attorneys also pointed out that no sim- ilar request had been made to the Cayman Islands court for disclosure and that dis- closure was likely protected anyway under U.S.-U.K. dip- lomatic treaties. Mr. Cov- ington, as a U.K. consular employee, is entitled by the 1952 U.S.-U.K. Consular Con- vention to “refuse a request from the courts or authori- ties of the territory [of the United States] to produce any documents from his ar- chives or other official pa- pers or give evidence related to matters within the scope of his official duties.” Mr. Covington has been employed with the U.K. gov- ernment in the Miami area since January 2007 and largely provides support and advice to law enforcement agencies in the British Over- seas Territories in the Carib- bean and the Atlantic. Bush’s request According to Mr. Bush’s initial application for judicial assistance filed with the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida, Mr. Bush and his attorneys have asked for copies of all emails sent or received by Mr. Covington between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2014 “relating to the in- tended and actual investiga- tion and subsequent prosecu- tion and trial of Mr. Bush.” The request for the court’s assistance also seeks, “all notes, reports, memoranda or other documents of any kind” created during the same time and relating to the same subject. “Mr. Bush also seeks that Mr. Covington attend a de- position to answer questions as to the role he played in the prosecution of Mr. Bush and to explain the documents that he produced,” the Jan. 18 application states. “Mr. Covington appears to have been closely involved with the investigation and subsequent prosecution of Mr. Bush. It is simply not possible that no documents have been sent to, or gener- ated by, Mr. Covington during the entire process.” In his filing with the dis- trict court this week, Mr. Cov- ington indicated he would be willing to appear in the U.S. court to oppose Mr. Bush’s application before any final decisions in the matter are made. UK official seeks to block disclosure in Bush lawsuit Customs addresses shipment delay complaints CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY MARCH 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Ecuador journalists abducted near Colombia border Authorities say two journalists working with El Comercio newspaper in Ecuador have been kidnapped near the country’s conflictive border with Colombia. Interior Minister Cesar Navas said Tuesday the journalists disappeared after passing through an Ecuadorean military checkpoint. Expert says Brexit campaign used data mined from Facebook LONDON (AP) – The com- puter expert who sparked a global debate over electronic privacy said Tuesday that the official campaign backing Britain’s exit from the Eu- ropean Union had access to data that was inappropri- ately collected from millions of Facebook users. Christopher Wylie previ- ously alleged that political consultancy Cambridge An- alytica used data harvested from more than 50 million Facebook users to help U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign. Wylie worked on Cambridge Analytica’s “information op- erations” in 2014 and 2015. Wylie on Tuesday told the media committee of the British parliament that he “absolutely” believed Cana- dian consultant AggregateIQ drew on Cambridge Analyti- ca’s databases for its work on the official Vote Leave cam- paign. The data could have been used to micro-target voters in the closely fought referendum in which 51.9 percent of voters ultimately backed Brexit. “I think it is incredibly reasonable to say that AIQ played a very significant role in Leave winning,” he said. Because of the links be- tween the two companies, Vote Leave got the “the next best thing” to Cambridge An- alytica when it hired Aggre- gateIQ, “a company that can do virtually everything that (Cambridge Analytica) can do but with a different billing name,” Wylie said. The testimony comes a day after Wylie and two other former insiders presented 50 pages of documents that they said proved Vote Leave violated election finance rules during the referendum campaign. They allege that Vote Leave circumvented spending limits by donating 625,000 pounds (US$888,000) to the pro-Brexit student group BeLeave, then sending the money directly to AggregateIQ. Campaign finance rules limited Vote Leave’s spending on the Brexit referendum to 7 million pounds. When Vote Leave got close to that limit in the final weeks of the cam- paign, it made the donation to BeLeave, said Shahmir Sanni, a volunteer who helped run the grassroots student group. Wylie told Britain’s Ob- server newspaper that he was instrumental in founding Ag- gregateIQ when he was the research director of SCL, the parent company of Cam- bridge Anayltica. He said they shared underlying technology and worked so closely together that Cambridge Analytica staff often referred to the Canadian firm as a “department.” AggregateIQ, based in Vic- toria, British Columbia, is- sued a statement saying it has never been part of Cam- bridge Analytica and has never signed a contract with the company. The company also said it was 100-percent Canadian owned and oper- ated and was never part of Cambridge Analytica or SCL. “AggregateIQ works in full compliance within all legal and regulatory requirements in all jurisdictions where it operates,” the company said in a statement. “It has never knowingly been involved in any illegal activity. All work AggregateIQ does for each client is kept separate from every other client.’” Christopher Wylie Wylie on Tuesday told the media committee of the British parliament that he “absolutely” believed Canadian consultant AggregateIQ drew on Cambridge Analytica’s databases for its work on the official Vote Leave campaign. ISRAELI POLICE QUESTION NETANYAHU AGAIN IN TELECOM CASE JERUSALEM (AP) – Israeli police on Monday ques- tioned Prime Minister Ben- jamin Netanyahu, as well as his wife and son, in a cor- ruption case involving the country’s telecom giant, one of a slew of scandals that have engulfed the long-ruling Israeli leader. It was the second time that Netanyahu has been questioned in the case, in which he is suspected of promoting regulation worth hundreds of millions of dol- lars to the Bezeq telecom company. In return, Bezeq’s popular news site, Walla, allegedly provided favor- able coverage of Netanyahu and his family. Police said the questioning lasted for a “number of hours,” without elaborating. Netanyahu held the pow- erful communications port- folio at the time of the al- leged deals with Bezeq. Two Netanyahu confidants, a former family spokesman and a former Communica- tions Ministry director, have agreed to testify against the prime minister in exchange for immunity. Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported that police were to question Netanyahu over allegations made by longtime family spokesman Nir Hefetz, one of the confi- dants arrested and later re- leased. The Haaretz news- paper said he will deliver recordings of Netanyahu and his wife as part of his agree- ment with police. Police were seen arriving at Netanyahu’s residence Monday morning. Channel 2 TV reported that Netanya- hu’s wife, Sara, and son Yair were questioned at another location. It is the first time that Yair Netanyahu has been questioned in the case. Israeli police have already recommended indicting Ne- tanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in two separate cases. Netanyahu is suspected of accepting lavish gifts from billionaire friends, and prom- ising to promote legislation to help a major Israeli news- paper against its free rival in exchange for favorable coverage. Longtime aide Ari Harow is a state witness in one of those cases.9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MARCH 28, 2018 We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Luman Everest Whittaker of Northside, affectionately known as “Hitler” who passed away on Saturday March 24, 2018. A Graveside Service will be held at Old Man Bay Cemetery, Northside Road, on Wednesday March 28, 2018 at 4:00p.m. Please wear something colourful. We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. Luman Everest Whittaker of Northside, affectionately known as “Hitler” who passed away on Saturday March 24, 2018. A Graveside Service will be held at Old Man Bay Cemetery, Northside Road, on Wednesday March 28, 2018 at 4:00p.m. Please wear something colourful. Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com Black teens view gun debate with frustration, hope BALTIMORE (AP) – Imani Holt was just 10 when she saw a neighbor get fatally shot by a triggerman riding a bicycle. The African-American girl from a gritty section of Bal- timore was so traumatized by the drug-fueled bloodshed she refused to leave her fam- ily’s apartment for weeks. In the eight years since, Holt has seen the chaotic af- termath of two more deadly shootings and has lost seven high school classmates to the daily drip of gun violence. Like many black teen- agers in neighborhoods hob- bled by generational poverty, she is scrutinizing the na- tional gun control debate in- tensely, frustrated because her community feels ignored but also cautiously hopeful that the massacre in Florida may bring about change closer to home. “I feel really bad that they lost those kids in Florida. But, like, we go through shootings all the time. It’s just that our shootings happen day by day. Because it happens on the regular up here, the world says it’s really not that im- portant,” said the 18-year- old Holt, a junior at Excel Academy, an alternative high school across the street from a cluster of West Baltimore’s boarded-up row houses. Christina Martin, a 17-year-old who lost two schoolmates to gun violence this year at Thurgood Mar- shall Academy in Wash- ington, noted that the vic- tims in the affluent Parkland community were mostly white and Latino. None were African-American. “We should have got the same attention in return,” said Martin, who is black. The gun violence toll is unrelenting in parts of Bal- timore – a city that reached a grim milestone last year when the per-capita homicide rate rose to 56 killings per 100,000 people. That is the highest rate among the coun- try’s 30 biggest cities. Even as Excel Academy students prepared for last Saturday’s March for Our Lives protest, gun violence struck again: A 17-year-old classmate was shot on a street corner, three bullets in the back by an uniden- tified gunman. The deaths of seven class- mates to gun violence over the span of 15 months have left deep emotional scars. The students at Excel agree that their high school – with a metal detector at the en- trance– provides a sense of security. But the toll on their bodies and minds is signifi- cant. Nerves are on edge. It can be hard to concentrate. “It’s really scary. You just want to go to sleep, wake up and see the same people you saw yesterday. But it’s like: One day you see some- body, the next day they’re gone,” Holt said. At the New Hope Baptist Church in New Orleans’ Cen- tral City neighborhood – an area that has struggled with crime – Pastor Jamaal Weath- ersby has presided over fu- neral services for a toddler killed in a shooting and three brothers all shot in the same incident. He worries about the impact that repeated gun violence has on young people. “There are so many young people who are suffering si- lently, trying to internalize how their brothers, sisters, uncles, even parents are being gunned down in our streets and I think it’s some- thing, no matter how long, eventually I believe it’s going to come out in some shape, form or fashion, whether it’s depression, keeping up in school,” he said. Parkland’s student pro- testers are well aware that their peers in inner-city dis- tricts are dealing with the impact of gun violence daily. Earlier this month, they met with Chicago teens. Be- fore the Washington march on Saturday, a number of students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School went to Thurgood Marshall High School to hear from students there. “We openly recognize that we are privileged individ- uals and would not have re- ceived as much attention if it weren’t for the affluence of our city. Because of that, how- ever, we share the stage today and forever with those who have always stared down the barrel of a gun,” Parkland student Jaclyn Corin said during a speech Saturday. Many worry that despite the renewed attention on gun violence and gun laws, little will change. Angel Anderson went to the New Orleans March for Our Lives rally Sat- urday to support her 13-year- old daughter. Her own son was robbed at gunpoint out- side her house in the middle of the day by a gunman who wanted his hover board. “I just feel like we’re on our own,” she said. Others are hopeful that the voices of impassioned young people can push poli- cymakers to do something. Student Imani Holt, right, speaks with Deborah Wallace, a teacher at Excel Academy in Baltimore. The deaths of seven classmates to gun violence over the span of 15 months have left deep emotional scars on everyone at the school. - PHOTO: AP PAUL RYAN HOPES CZECHS WILL SEND RUSSIAN HACKER TO AMERICA PRAGUE (AP) – The speaker of U.S. House of Representa- tives said he hoped a Rus- sian man who faces charges of hacking computers at LinkedIn, Dropbox and other American companies will be eventually extra- dited to the United States. But it is not yet clear when and how the case over the alleged hacker that pits the U.S. against Russia will be solved by Czech authorities. The Czechs arrested Yevgeniy Nikulin in Prague in cooperation with the FBI in October 2016. He is ac- cused by U.S. prosecutors of penetrating computers at Silicon Valley firms in 2012 and they want him extradited to face trial. Moscow also wants him extradited on a sep- arate charge of internet theft in 2009. Both countries sub- mitted their extradition re- quests on the same date. Russian authorities pre- viously had said they would do all they could to prevent his extradition to U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters during his visit to the Czech cap- ital Tuesday that under the Czech extradition law “we have every reason to believe and expect that Mr. Nikulin will be extra- dited to America.” “The United States has the case to prevail on having him extradited, whether it’s the severity of the crime, which is clearly on the side of U.S., or the timing of the request for the extradition,” Ryan said. Czech courts previously ruled both extradition re- quests meet the necessary legal conditions, leaving the decision to Justice Min- ister Robert Pelikan. But after a last-ditch complaint with the coun- try’s Constitutional Court filed by Nikulin, the min- ister cannot decide until the court rules. It is not clear when that could happen. Nikulin denies he’s a hacker. His defense at- torney claimed his case was politically moti- vated in the U.S. In a further compli- cation, Pelikan recently said in Parliament that the Czech Republic’s pro- Russian President Milos Zeman “repeatedly” asked him to allow Nikulin’s ex- tradition to Russia. Zeman didn’t comment. Ryan was not scheduled to meet Zeman during his private trip with his family to the Czech Republic. The Czechs arrested Yevgeniy Nikulin in Prague in cooperation with the FBI in October 2016. He is accused by U.S. prosecutors of penetrating computers in Silicon Valley.Next >