High of 87 Low of 74 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 POSITIVE MARKS FOR NEW SCHOOL INSPECTIONS REGIME LOCAL | PAGE 2 GOVERNMENT SCHOOL REGISTRATION OPEN ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY APRIL 9, 2018 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY NOW AVAILABLE OR Welding caused fuel terminal fire, report finds Investigation says SOL did not take “reasonable precautions” JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A potentially catastrophic fire at Grand Cay- man’s fuel terminal last July was caused by welding work on an in-service diesel tank that was not properly monitored and should not have taken place, according to an investigation report from the fuels inspectorate. OfReg’s report highlights several breaches of industry safety standards by SOL in car- rying out “hot works” on a fuel tank filled with 15,000 barrels (525,000 gallons) of diesel fuel. The fire at the South Church Street facility took more than eight hours to contain and prompted a mass evacuation of neighboring homes. Welding work on an active fuel tank is not in itself outlawed by Cayman’s Dangerous Substances Law. But OfReg said the state of the tank and the scope of the work, in this case, meant it should have been taken out of service and emptied be- fore the repairs took place. The report also indicates that SOL and its contractor did not follow proper protocols, failed to adequately plan the works, failed to station a “fire watch” supervisor on the job at all times and ignored a safety alarm that could have alerted them to the danger much earlier. “The investigation found that the deci- sion to carry out the work in the way it was planned could have been greatly enhanced, likely avoiding the incident altogether,” the report states. It adds that the “conditions under which the works were performed did not appear to accord” with the provisions of the Dangerous Substances Law. It indicates that OfReg will use its regulatory powers to take “appropriate action,” though it does not say what action and officials did not respond to requests to clarify. SOL released a brief statement in response to questions from the Cayman Compass, indicating that it was aware the report had been released BRAC ARTIST CLAIMS PROTECTED RIGHT OF ‘FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION’ Trial will include visit to site of sculptures CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Brac resident artist Ronald Gregory Kynes appeared in Summary Court on Friday for another case management hearing before his trial for possession of an ob- scene publication. Details of the charge allege that, on or be- fore July 17, 2017, for the purpose of public exhibition, Mr. Kynes possessed “objects which were obscene or tended to corrupt public morals.” The objects are statues made by Mr. Kynes, 64. “My art is an expression of my religious convictions and I do not understand why I’m being prosecuted for it,” he said. He told the court that he is a Roman Cath- olic and his previous art was based on the Apocalypse and the Bible. The statues now in question represent “my thoughts, my feeling, my emotions,” he said. He handed up a letter to Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn requesting that the matter go to Grand Court because it was “a constitutional issue” – freedom of expression. The magistrate pointed out that, under Cayman’s Penal Code, the charge against him could be dealt with only in Summary Court. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran said he assumed that Mr. Kynes was saying that the Penal Code was incompat- ible with the Bill of Rights. He pointed out that there is a balance to Cayman’s fastest man goes for gold in Australia JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Sprinter Kemar Hyman goes to the 100 meter final at the Commonwealth Games in Aus- tralia Monday with real con- fidence he can bring home a medal for the Cayman Islands. Hyman eased through the heats as the second-fastest qualifier, clocking an impressive 10.10 as he blitzed to victory in the semifinal. Only Jamaica’s Yohan Blake, the second-fastest man in his- tory after compatriot Usain Bolt, has recorded a quicker time in the 100 meters so far in Queensland. After the semifinal race at the Carrara Stadium on Sunday evening, Hyman said he was feeling relaxed and confident ahead of what will be the big- gest race of his career. “I’ve raced against Yohan Blake for many years and I know what kind of gameplan he can come with. The rest of the guys are great too,” Hyman told pool reporter Ben Meade. “Everyone that made the fi- nals trained hard and got their stuff together. I am just trying to do the best for Cayman and the best for myself.” Of the nine men lining up in the 10:15 p.m. final Monday on Australia’s Gold Coast (7:15 a.m. in Cayman), only Blake and South Africa’s Akani Simbine have ever run faster than Hy- man’s personal best of 9.95. England’s Adam Gemili, third fastest in qualifying, and South Africa’s Henricho Bru- intjies have also run sub-10 second races, though, and Hyman is expecting a com- petitive race. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Cayman sprinter Kemar Hyman was the second fastest qualifier and has a chance to go for gold Monday in the 100m final. - PHOTO: BEN MEADE2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 9, 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. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) PHANTOM THREAD (R) 12:45 I 3:40 I 6:40 I 9:40 BLACK PANTHER (PG13) 12:55 I 3:55 I 6:50 I 9:50 PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING 3D (PG13) 1:00 I 4:10 2D VIP I 7:00 2D I 10:00 2D READY PLAYER ONE (PG13) 1:00 VIP I 3:50 I 6:45 VIP I 9:35 I 9:50 VIP PETER RABBIT (PG) 12:20 I 2:40 I 5:00 I 7:20 ACRIMONY (R) 1:40 I 4:25 I 7:10 I 9:55 For assistance or enquiries, please check www.eso.ky or call 244-4600 or 244-4607. Better Data...Better Decisions…Better Business Business Survey 2018...Your Response Matters! In 2016, the growth rate of Cayman's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was twice that for the USA. How did this change in 2017? The annual System of National Accounts (SNA) survey collects the information necessary to measure the health and performance of Cayman’s economy and its various industries. The survey runs from April 9th to June 1st 2018. Data collected for the SNA survey is CONFIDENTIAL under the Statistics Law (2016 Revision) and is EXEMPT from the Freedom of Information Law. Government school registration open Government school registration for the 2018-2019 school year is under way and will be open until June 29. To be eligible for reception classes, students need to be age 4 by Aug. 31. Children who are 5 by the same date can register for Year 1. Registration for older students who are transferring, re-en- tering or new to the system also needs to be completed before the June 29 deadline. Reception classes are available at Sir John A. Cumber, George Town, Pros- pect, Savannah, Bodden Town, North Side, and East End primary schools on Grand Cayman, and West End and Creek pri- mary schools on Cayman Brac.Registra- tion forms are available at government schools, the Department of Education Ser- vices at 130 Thomas Russell Way, George Town, the Cayman Brac Teacher’s Centre on Cayman Brac or at www.des.edu.ky. Completed forms must be returned to the Department of Education Services or the Cayman Brac Teacher’s Centre with copies of the following documents: ■■ The child’s birth certificate; ■■ The child’s immunization card (In the case of non-compliance with im- munization due to health or religious reasons, the parent must complete a DES immunization exempt form.); ■■ Documentation of the child’s im- migration residency category (Non- Caymanian students; i.e. birth cer- tificate, passport, status letter/ certificate, RS 101 form, copy of parents’ government contract); ■■ Mandatory residency verification by demonstrating proof of address in the form of a utility bill (CUC or water), notarized lease or nota- rized “Parent Affidavit Form” ac- companied by a utility bill, drivers license or voter ID in the parents’ name or, if renting, the landlord’s, owner’s or leaseholder’s names. ■■ If the child is being admitted from another school including local and overseas private schools, a report from the most recent school year at- tended should also be provided. Parents will receive notification from the school of their child’s placement for September. Children registered after June 29 cannot be guaranteed space at their nearest school. Priority for admission to government schools is assigned as follows: Reception Program: ■■ Caymanians, with proof estab- lished by birth certificate, pass- port or status certificate; ■■ Non-Caymanian children with proof established by birth or marriage to a Caymanian parent residing on island. Primary and Secondary: ■■ Caymanians, with proof estab- lished by birth certificate, pass- port or status certificate; ■■ Dependents of Caymanians; ■■ Dependents of contracted gov- ernment employees; ■■ Dependents of permanent residents. Fees for non-Caymanian students are as follows: ■■ Year 1-6: $250 per term/$750 per year; ■■ Year 7-9: $300 per term/$900 per year; ■■ Year 10-12: $400 per term/$1,200 per year. Grand Cayman residents can make payments at the Government Administra- tion Building. Those on the Sister Islands can make payments at the Cayman Brac Teachers Centre. PROSPECT COMMUNITY MEETS MONDAY NIGHT Residents of Pros- pect are invited to a public meeting organized by the Prospect Community Group on Monday, April 9, at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Red Bay Church of God (Holiness) on Selkirk Drive. Guest speakers will attend from the Depart- ment of Environment and Hazard Management. The Prospect district includes the area from Red Bay to Spotts/New- lands. Landmarks are Sel- kirk Drive and the Cable and Wireless exchange near Spotts/Newlands. NEW RCIPS DRUG DOGS TO ARRIVE THIS MONTH KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Officers with drug- detecting dogs could be patrolling the territo- ry’s streets and public beaches by the end of the month, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. The force will acquire four new dogs for the K-9 unit. Three of the dogs will be arriving this month, and the RCIPS is in the process of sourcing one more, the police said in re- sponse to Cayman Com- pass inquiries. The RCIPS is also training a new K-9 officer, and hopes to add one more in the near future. “These officers will then join our current K-9 officers on patrol duties once their training is com- plete,” said RCIPS Infor- mation Officer Mikhail Campbell. “I don’t have an exact time frame for this, but it should be within a few weeks.” RCIPS Commissioner Derek Byrne first an- nounced at a West Bay community meeting in late January that officers with drug dogs would be pa- trolling beaches. His announcement about the drug dogs came in response to a remark by West Bay MLA Tara Rivers, who lamented the “really, really offensive smell of marijuana use” at Seven Mile Beach and other public beaches. “I know, because I’ve experienced it personally,” she said at the meeting. Mr. Byrne said his de- partment has tried covert officers on the beaches in the past, but have had lim- ited success. But drug dogs can be hugely effective. The commissioner said at the time that the RCIPS is in the “final stages” of purchasing drug-de- tecting dogs, and they should be in use in one or two months. Buses are lined up in Grand Cayman, waiting to take students back to school. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 9, 2018 ®Trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence (where applicable). It starts with you.™ The Scotia Centre and Strand Branch locations are relocating to our new 19,000 sq ft., state-of-the-art facility at 18 Forum Lane, Camana Bay on Monday, April 16, 2018. We look forward to welcoming you. A new level of banking has arrived, designed with you in mind. Welcome to your new banking experience.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. Education officials appear to be delivering on their promise to evaluate thoroughly government schools’ performance and to make their findings public. That’s a welcome change from the past, when critical reports were massaged, edited and even buried from view. To date, inspectors have evaluated six government primary schools’ progress in implementing recommen- dations from baseline inspections conducted during the 2014-15 school year, with more to come. Most of Cayman’s government schools received poor marks in that earlier inspection. Follow-up inspec- tions have revealed satisfactory progress at schools in East End, Red Bay, Prospect, Bodden Town and Savannah. Of the schools inspected so far, only George Town Primary School has been found to have made “weak” progress, overall. (The George Town report did contain a silver lining: praise for brand-new Prin- cipal Sharon Campbell-Danvers and Deputy Principal Danielle Duran, who seem to have made a positive first impression on parents and teachers through their proactive approach to tackling the school’s challenges.) The new inspection process, designed by Peter Car- penter, director of the Office of Education Standards, aims to be collaborative, factual and in greater align- ment with accepted accreditation methods. School administrators, teachers, parents and students play a role in the process. School evaluators have introduced greater trans- parency by making the full reports available online (at www.pocs.gov.ky; click on “publications” under the heading Freedom of Information, then on the link labeled “Office of Education Standards”). By building on the results and recommendations made during the last comprehensive school inspec- tions, conducted three years ago, the current strategy provides much-needed (and historically lacking) conti- nuity and accountability. Schools deemed to have made satisfactory or good progress will again be inspected as part of a full cycle of inspections, beginning this September. Those that don’t hit those marks will undergo additional scrutiny before that time, with the process repeating itself until recommendations are met. Mr. Carpenter’s goal is to build a clear and consis- tent understanding of school performance, give a more accurate assessment of how our schools and students measure up to global standards and to give schools and educators actionable goals to achieve it. To that end, moving forward, public and private schools will be evaluated in six areas: student achieve- ment, student personal and social development, effec- tive teaching, appropriate curriculum, safety and support of students, and school leadership. As we have written, impartial and “tough but fair” assessments are a necessary, but only preliminary step for school improvement. Evaluations alone cannot improve a school, but they can serve as “You Are Here” markers on a roadmap to success. When setting standards for Cayman’s schools, Mr. Carpenter and other leaders (including Education Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Councillor Barbara Conolly and Education Council Chairman Dan Scott) ought to be ambitious, even aspirational. We are con- fident that our country’s principals, teachers, students and parents will rise to the challenge of high expecta- tions, as long as they are accompanied by the tools, resources and freedom needed to achieve them. A more rigorous inspection regime won’t “fix” Cayman’s troubled government schools system – we believe that will require a fundamental transformation in our model of public education. Whether our elected leaders have the foresight or political will to carry through such a revolution remains, at best, unclear. That being said, the new approach to school inspec- tions does appear to be a positive development, perhaps primarily in that it injects a much-needed spirit of honesty and accountability into our all-impor- tant education system. Positive marks for new school inspections regime MONDAY APRIL 9, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Almost everything is better than you think In 1914, just over a century ago, the average worker had to work about three hours to buy a bushel of wheat. Today it takes five minutes for the average American worker to buy that same bushel of wheat. The real (inflation-ad- justed) price of aluminum is now about one-fifth of what it was in 1914. These on- going, real price declines are characteristic of almost every agricultural and indus- trial commodity. Improvements in a per- son’s standard of living come from increases in real income – both earned and unearned, inflation-adjusted reductions in the price of the goods and services, and new goods and services never before avail- able. For example, assume av- erage inflation is two percent per year, and Jane Doe’s after- tax income increases also two percent per year – that is no real increase in income. But if the price of beef has gone up by three per- cent and the price of chicken has only gone up by one per- cent, Ms. Doe will consume less beef and more chicken. By substituting the lower priced good for the higher priced good, Ms. Doe has extra money which she uses to buy an iPhone. The iPhone enables Ms. Doe to get a lot of “free stuff” that she used to have to pay for – such as online newspa- pers, entertainment, a better camera, an alarm clock, etc. This free stuff is known as avoidable costs. So, even with a “stagnant cash income,” Ms. Doe is better off because of the advances in technology. The situation for most people is even better, because real cash wages are beginning to rise again and improve- ments in technology are ac- celerating – even though gov- ernment is having a hard time measuring these real improvements. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been used as the basic measure of national well-being for many decades. GDP is the sum of the mon- etary measure of the market value of all final goods and services produced in a country or region in typically one year. Economists rec- ognize that there are many flaws with the GDP measure and related statistics, such as the measures of inflation – but how to correct these flaws is difficult and a sub- ject of considerable debate. In the 1980s, as chief econ- omist of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, I served on a gov- ernment committee to supply recommendations on how to improve the measures of in- flation. Everyone understood that the 1985 basic Chev- rolet sedan was a very dif- ferent vehicle from the 1965 Chevrolet, given all of the im- provements that had been made – and so just com- paring the price increases of the car over time did not give a true measure of inflation. It is relatively easy to measure price inflation or deflation in basic commodi- ties like wheat because the product has remained con- stant. This is not true with manufactured goods and services, many of which are changing at an increasingly rapid rate. Each year, people spend less of their income on basic commodities and more on new goods and services. The automobile is about to go through an even more radical change as we move to self-driving and autonomous cars – which are essentially a new product category. Many people will no longer buy a car; instead, relying on trans- portation-on-demand (the autonomous car) which will reduce the overall demand for automobiles. This will reduce the rela- tive GDP number for the au- tomobile industry, but will enable consumers to have an increase in their real dis- posable income, which they can spend on other goods and services. The present government economic data collection and evaluation systems are not equipped to deal with these radical changes. How does one measure the great ben- efits from the enormous re- duction in automobile related deaths that will result from the new technologies? The Trump administra- tion has been undertaking a massive deregulation effort in order to get rid of regula- tions that are counterproduc- tive and do not meet reason- able cost-benefit tests. This will reduce the direct reg- ulatory expenses made by government but will cause a far larger reduction in private business and per- sonal expenses made to sup- port regulations. These reductions in ex- penses will cause a reduc- tion in the reported GDP number spent on those reg- ulations. But businesses and individuals are now likely to spend those funds on much more productive activities, thus offsetting the “loss” in reported GDP from the ces- sation of regulation. Even though the reported imme- diate GDP gains might merely offset the reported GDP losses, the overall welfare of the people will be higher and the chances for greater future economic growth enhanced. On net, the ways that GDP and inflation numbers are now collected and reported probably understate the true improvement in real per capita income experienced by most people. As we move to a world of even more rapid technological change due to increased use of artificial in- telligence (AI), the real im- provements most people will experience will be far greater than our present ability to measure them. Richard W. Rahn is chairman of Improbable Success Productions and on the board of the American Council for Capital Formation. © Copyright 2018 The Washington Times, LLC. RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way”The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 9, 2018 Join the Excitement! REGISTRATION: April 12th • George Town Yacht Club • 5pm - 7pm TOURNAMENT: April 14th & 15th • 7am - 4pm WEIGH STATION: Barcadere Marina • 4pm - 6pm PRIZE GIVING: April 16th • George Town Yacht Club • 6pm - 8pm 1ST PRIZE: $5000 CASH PLUS A TUDOR WATCH 2nd $2000 CASH 3rd $1000 CASH Learn more or download a registration form at kirkslam.ky The only all-dolphin fishing tournament in the Cayman Islands returns with fun for the whole family. KIRK SLAM TOURNAMENT DATES Join the Excitement! Join the Excitement! Join the REGISTRATION: April 12th • George Town Yacht Club • 5pm - 7pm TOURNAMENT: April 14th & 15th • 7am - 4pm WEIGH STATION: Barcadere Marina • 4pm - 6pm 1ST PRIZE: $5000 CASH PLUS A TUDOR WATCH 2nd $2000 CASH 3rd $1000 CASH The only all-dolphin fishing tournament in the Cayman Islands returns with fun for the whole family. KIRK SLAM TOURNAMENT DATES APRIL 14 TH + 15 TH 20186 LOCAL&REGIONAL MONDAY APRIL 9, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS National Weather Service: 2018 hurricane season prediction This article was written by the Cayman Islands Na- tional Weather Service as a public service. As we approach the onset of the 2018 hurricane season, we pause to take time to look back at the 2017 hurricane season before looking at the 2018 pre- diction. The 2017 hurricane season produced 17 named storms, 10 hurricanes and 6 major hurricanes. This was a significant increase over the average numbers of 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes and two major hurricanes. Perhaps more alarming was the level of destruction and loss of life associated with these systems especially in Texas from Hur- ricane Harvey and the north- east Caribbean by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. In terms of hurricane season prediction, although the Cayman Islands National Weather Ser- vice looks at numerous sources for information, we rely heavily on the predictions of Colorado State University and the Na- tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Colorado State University team, led by Philip Klotzbach and Michael Bell, predicts in its April 2018 forecast that the Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season will have 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes. This team was formed and operated by renowned pio- neer in tropical cyclone fore- casting William Gray until his death in 2016. The other organization used for guidance in seasonal pre- diction is the NOAA, who is- sues their prediction in May. It should be noted that the prediction is not just for the Cayman Islands but the entire Atlantic Ocean basin. In terms of the factors that impact the number and strength of storms during the hurricane season, the scientists at Colorado State said, “The current weak La Niña event ap- pears likely to transition to neu- tral ENSO over the next several months, but at this point, we do not anticipate a significant El Niño event this summer/fall. The western tropical Atlantic is anomalously warm right now, while portions of the eastern tropical Atlantic and far North Atlantic are anomalously cool. Consequently, our Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation index is near its long-term average.” The hurricane season starts on June 1 and lasts through Nov. 30. These dates are based upon long-term monthly num- bers of tropical storms and hurricanes. Despite these long- term numbers, it should be noted that a number of sys- tems do in fact form outside the normal hurricane season. While the Cayman Islands were spared any significant impact in 2017, we should recall the damage of Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Paloma in 2008 to remind us of the power of natural disasters and to re- mind us that the threat of hur- ricanes is real. In terms of the climatology of the hurricane season, there is a low production of hurricanes in the first half of the season, which leads the public to ques- tion the forecast, while the second half of the season tends to produce very powerful hur- ricanes, many of which form in the western Caribbean, leading to possible short warning times. Another major problem with these late-season storms is that of rapid intensification. Residents not aware of the late- season climatology of the re- gion may be caught preparing for a weak storm but get caught when a major storm hits. As a result, residents should always be prepared for the impact of a major storm, especially in the latter part of the season. The Cayman Islands Na- tional Weather Service works closely with Hazard Manage- ment Cayman Islands in the creation and operation of an early warning system for nat- ural disasters that might im- pact the Cayman Islands. As part of National Preparedness program, we provide public awareness on the threat of natural disasters such as hur- ricanes. During the hurricane season, we monitor the area for potential threats, warn the public when such threats be- come a reality and provide guidance for recovery after the passage of major storms. It is through preparedness that we shall weather the storm together. Birthday celebration in Prospect ends in court Victim left with what may be permanent scar on her face CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A young man with no previous convictions re- ceived a suspended sentence on Thursday after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to a woman at what was supposed to have been a birthday celebration. Hector Latrell Whittaker, 23, admitted causing the in- jury, a laceration to the woman’s left cheek that re- quired three stitches. Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson described the injury as se- rious and likely to leave a permanent scar. He said Mr. Whittaker was charged after an incident at Da Station Bar around 12:30 a.m. on March 25, 2017. The defendant, his girl- friend at the time, and other people were out drinking. They were all intoxicated to varying degrees because it was Mr. Whittaker’s girl- friend’s birthday. In a statement that formed the basis of his plea, Mr. Whittaker said he was arguing with his girlfriend when the complainant joined in. She pushed him hard in the chest without prov- ocation, causing pain and causing him to step back. He accepted that he had a bottle in his right hand at the time, as he was drinking beer. He instinctively reacted to being pushed and swung his right hand in her direction. A fight ensued. He later discovered that she had an injury to the side of her face, but he was not sure at what point she received it. He accepted that he had caused it with the beer bottle. Mr. Ferguson said the woman was taken to hos- pital, where the one-centi- meter, V-shaped wound was sutured and she was pre- scribed antibiotics. She had a bill for $399.92 over and above what was covered by her insurance. Mr. Ferguson agreed that there had been no premedi- tation, but that alcohol had played a part in what hap- pened that night. He re- ferred to the victim im- pact report, giving some details of the woman’s ac- count of the incident. Jus- tice Michael Wood said he had to adhere to the terms of the basis of plea, which had been signed by the de- fendant and agreed to by counsel for the defense and for the Crown. The defendant had been charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent to inflict such harm and an alternative offense of inflicting grievous bodily harm without the ingre- dient of intent. Mr. Whittaker pleaded not guilty to both charges in October 2017. His trial was set for Feb. 19 and on that date he pleaded guilty to the lesser of the two charges. Be- cause of the late plea, Mr. Ferguson argued that Mr. Whittaker should not get more than a 10 percent dis- count in his sentence. Defense attorney Crister Brady took issue with the amount of credit that should be given for the guilty plea, indicating circumstances that included a change of counsel. The judge said a date be- fore the trial could have been requested so that Mr. Whit- taker could have entered his plea sooner. On the trial date, the complainant would have attended and jurors would presumably have been present, he pointed out. Mr. Brady said all par- ties agreed that the incident should never have happened. Alcohol consumption had led to a series of poor decisions that night, he agreed. The attorney explained the relationships between the parties, including the fact that the complainant/victim was godmother to the de- fendant’s child. He said Mr. Whittaker was willing to pay the victim’s outstanding medical bill. Justice Wood said he had reviewed the social in- quiry report and the fact that others had spoken well of Mr. Whittaker. He agreed that al- cohol had been the fuse for this unpleasant incident, which had led to the injury to the young woman’s face. That injury would no doubt lead to scarring for some time, he indicated. With a maximum sen- tence of seven years and a guideline range of 12 months to three years, the offense would have attracted a sen- tence of 20 months after trial, he noted. The judge said he allowed a 15 percent dis- count, resulting in a term of 17 months, suspended for two years. The defendant is to attend any anger management pro- gram directed by his proba- tion officer, pay compensa- tion through the courts and not contact the complainant. If Mr. Whittaker commits an- other offense in the next two years, he will almost cer- tainly go to prison for this one, the judge warned. UNRESPONSIVE GT MAN PRONOUNCED DEAD A man was found un- responsive in George Town and later pronounced dead Saturday at the Cayman Is- lands Hospital. Police and emergency personnel responded to the scene on Newport Avenue around 5:30 p.m. and transported the man to the hospital, where an attending doctor pro- nounced him dead. Police are investi- gating the circumstances of his death. 4 KILLED, 149 ARRESTED IN POLICE OPERATION IN RIO RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Four suspects have been killed after a police operation to combat a militia group in the Rio de Janeiro neighbor- hood of Santa Cruz ended in a shoot-out. Rio’s public security sec- retary says another 149, in- cluding seven minors, were arrested during the Sat- urday morning operation dubbed Medusa. State police say the sus- pects were attending a party at a ranch that was used as the militia group’s head- quarters. They are still cata- loguing the items found, but an initial estimate included 12 rifles, 19 pistols and 15 stolen vehicles, as well as several grenades, handcuffs and replicas of police and military uniforms. The operation is part of a crackdown against militia groups in Rio de Janeiro. Public Security Secretary Richard Nunes says other actions are being planned and will be carried out soon. MEXICAN POLICE CHIEF KILLED IN CRIME-BATTERED CITY MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mex- ican authorities say a police chief has been shot to death in the crime-battered city of Chilapa in the southern state of Guerrero. The Guerrero state pros- ecutors’ office said Friday the police chief was killed late Thursday by a lone as- sailant during an annual town celebration. The office said the sound of the gunshots was masked by the explosion of fireworks related to the celebration. A day earlier the office re- ported that five corpses were found in a field near Chi- lapa, which has been rav- aged by turf battles between local drug gangs. In this Sept. 8, 2017 photo, people walk near debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Tortola, the British Virgin Islands. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 9, 2018 KPMG in the Cayman Islands is the first employer on the island to offer the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) pre-approved training program. The pre-approved training program provides aspiring Caymanians the opportunity to study for their Canadian CPA and gain the practical experience with KPMG to achieve the required competencies and skills under effective supervision and mentorship that has been pre-approved by the Canadian CPA profession. “At KPMG, we are constantly expanding and enhancing the professional and career development opportunities for our students and professionals,” stated Kevin Lloyd, Managing Partner for KPMG in the Cayman Islands. “Obtaining pre-approval to offer the CPA Canada training program in the Cayman Islands is an exciting achievement and we look forward to working with our candidates to help them achieve their professional goals.” For more information about our CPA Canada pre-approved training program, please contact Cindy Reid at cindyreid@kpmg.ky or Samantha Hennings at shennings@kpmg.ky. kpmg.ky © 2018 KPMG, a Cayman Islands partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. KPMG offers CPA Canada training program and was reviewing its findings before commenting in detail. Emergency services were called to the Jackson Point ter- minal just before 5 p.m. on July 23, a Sunday, after an on-site official reported a potential fire inside Tank No. 8. Firefighters used hi-tech thermal imaging cameras to lo- cate the source of the fire, in- side the enclosed tank, and battled until the early hours of the next morning to bring it under control. In the aftermath of the in- cident, fire chief David Hails hailed the bravery of his of- ficers, who stood on top of the tank to douse the blaze, knowing the flames could spread at any moment, poten- tially igniting the whole tank. The fire was ultimately con- tained to a lip inside the upper part of the tank, where fuel had collected. The report indicated that elevated temperatures were observed along the tank shell but these were lower than the flash point required for diesel fuel to ignite. SOL was forced to write off fuel worth more than $2 million at current pump prices as a result of the inci- dent and Tank No. 8 - one of four tanks at SOL’s terminal - has remained out of service since last July. OfReg’s report indicates that SOL’s contractor J&R In- dustrial Services had been carrying out welding work, to patch up parts of the tank, on the weekend of the fire. The regulator suggests car- rying out hot works on an in- service tank is inherently “ex- tremely risky” and the practice should have been endorsed by OfReg and the fire service be- fore being carried out. It adds that in this case, the state of the tank was not ade- quate for this type of job. “The repair work, whilst necessary, should not have been carried out using the chosen procedure due to the extent of the degra- dation of sections of the roof observed by SOL.” In spite of this concern, it says the incident could have been avoided if the work was carried out properly. Key concerns highlighted include that the two people on site on that Sunday were not properly trained to respond to the incident. One of them even tried to test for the presence of the fire by gauging the heat using his bare hand against the tank, something the report described as “troubling” at a time when protocols called for the area to be vacated. It also notes there was a “considerable delay” of around 35 minutes, while the on- site staff called a SOL super- visor in an effort to establish what action to take after ob- serving “scorching on the out- side of the tank. The report also suggests workers ignored an alarm which checks fore the presence of combustible gases. “During welding, the gas detector was reported to have alarmed indicating an ab- normal condition, but was ig- nored and subsequently si- lenced (reset),” it states. The Sunday work crew may also have inadvertently used the wrong type of putty for the job, it adds, though inspectors were unable to establish the impact of this oversight. More generally, OfReg ex- pressed concern about the lack of a detailed written plan for this type of work and the lack of adequate training for those involved. Its investigation found that similar breaches in expected industry standards had occurred in the past. It concludes, “SOL, through its employees and agents did not take all reasonable precau- tions for the prevention of the fire in the Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel Tank No. 8. “The code which SOL re- lied upon to carry out the work was not found to be supported by any internal policy or doc- ument, nor was there any ade- quate indication that attempts were made to meet the min- imum requirement of the rele- vant code sections. “Further, the investiga- tion observed that this was likely a repeated deviation, whether circumstantial or unintended, based on the evi- dence of previous work done on the tank.” It suggests this approach was “trending towards normal internal practice” and indicates this must be addressed across the industry to prevent future “catastrophic incidents.” Its recommendations include: ■■ OfReg to supervise hot works for all premises regulated under the Dan- gerous Substance Law as an interim measure; ■■ SOL to conduct full emergency exercise within six months; ■■ Fast track new certifica- tion program for those working in the industry; ■■ Introduction of sirens at Jackson Point as well as risk assessment and public education for neighbors of the fuel plant in case of future incidents; ■■ Review of procedures and policies for hot works in the industry. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Welding caused fuel terminal fire, report finds The fire inside a diesel tank at the Jackson Point terminal caused homes to be evacuated. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The report also indicates that SOL and its contractor did not follow proper protocols, failed to adequately plan the works, failed to station a “fire watch” supervisor on the job at all times and ignored a safety alarm that could have alerted them to the danger much earlier.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY APRIL 9, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS ... − , 12 , 6–8 , , ... − , 12 , 6–8 , , ... − , 12 , 6–8 , , THE JEEP COMPASS LAUNCH “The gameplan is the same as the semis, same thing as the heats – just do my best. I have to come hard, because these guys are world-class,” he said. Hyman, a former stu- dent at George Town Pri- mary School, believes he is back at his best this year and said he was grateful to be competing in his first Common- wealth Games final. “This is one of the best years I have had and I have to give God thanks for that … we will see what we can do in the finals,” he said. be considered – not just Mr. Kynes’s freedom of expres- sion, but the freedom and rights of other individuals. He invited the mag- istrate to proceed on the basis that she would be the judge of both law and fact – not just whether Mr. Kynes was guilty, but whether a conviction (if there was one) would violate his Ar- ticle 11 rights under the Constitution. Article 11 deals with Freedom of Expression. The first section states, “No person shall be hindered by government in the enjoy- ment of his or her freedom of expression, which in- cludes freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and informa- tion without interference, and freedom from interfer- ence with his or her corre- spondence or other means of communication.” Mr. Moran suggested that the best way to ap- proach the issue was to establish the facts as the court found them to be. If the Summary Court found the evidence to be insuffi- cient, that would be the end of the matter. If there were a conviction, it could be ap- pealed to the Grand Court, which would then have the benefit of the facts as found by the magistrate. Either way, Mr. Kynes’ rights would be protected, the prosecutor said. Magistrate Gunn agreed that there is a separate pro- vision in the Constitution that allows a person to take a matter to Grand Court, but that was not something she could do. Mr. Kynes would have to make the ap- plication, she told him. Section 26 of the Consti- tution, under the heading “Enforcement of Rights and Freedoms,” states that “Any person may apply to the Grand Court to claim that government has breached or threatened his or her rights and freedoms under the Bill of Rights and the Grand Court shall deter- mine such application fairly and within a rea- sonable time.” The magistrate re- minded Mr. Kynes that he had the right to apply for legal advice concerning this stand-alone issue. Earlier, she reminded him that, at a previous hearing, she had offered him a “duty counsel” who could give him free advice. She asked if Mr. Kynes had spoken to that attorney. “Yes, ma’am, and I wasn’t impressed,” he replied. Asked if he wanted an- other opportunity to apply for legal aid, he said, “No, I wish to continue to rep- resent myself.” Other matters dealt with on Friday morning in- cluded further disclosure requests from Mr. Kynes concerning previous com- plaints about his work. The magistrate asked whether there was a clear definition of obscenity and what should happen if wit- ness evidence conflicts with her own opinion. She also asked about who in Cayman Brac would see the statues, and whether they were visible from the road. Mr. Moran replied that he could not say if the statues were in the same position now as they were in July 2017. The magistrate said ar- rangements should be made for a site visit and any audio/visual equipment needed in the courtroom. Because much prog- ress had been made in dis- cussing preliminary issues, and because of scheduling conflicts, the magistrate proposed that the trial by judge start in Cayman Brac on Thursday, April 26, at 11:30 a.m. and con- tinue on Friday, April 27. The Court might need to sit after 5 p.m. on both days, she noted. Brac artist claims protected right of ‘freedom of expression’ Cayman’s fastest man goes for gold in Australia CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Blaze on 50th floor of Trump Tower in New York kills one NEW YORK (AP) – A raging fire that tore through a 50th- floor apartment at Trump Tower killed a man inside and sent flames and thick, black smoke pouring from windows of the president’s namesake skyscraper. New York Fire Commis- sioner Daniel Nigro said the cause of Saturday’s blaze is not yet known but the apart- ment was “virtually entirely on fire” when firefighters ar- rived after 5:30 p.m. “It was a very difficult fire, as you can imagine,” Nigro told reporters outside the building in midtown Man- hattan. “The apartment is quite large.” Todd Brassner, 67, who was in the apartment, was taken to a hospital and died a short time later, the New York Police Department said. Property records obtained by The Associated Press in- dicate Brassner was an art dealer who had purchased his unit in 1996. Officials said four fire- fighters also suffered minor injuries. An investiga- tion is ongoing. Shortly after news of the fire broke, President Donald Trump, who was in Wash- ington, tweeted: “Fire at Trump Tower is out. Very confined (well built building). Firemen (and women) did a great job. THANK YOU!” Asked if that assessment was accurate, Nigro said, “It’s a well-built building. The upper floors, the residence floors, are not sprinklered.” Fire sprinklers were not required in New York City high-rises when Trump Tower was completed in 1983. Subsequent updates to the building code re- quired commercial sky- scrapers to install the sprinklers retroactively, but owners of older residential high-rises are not required to install sprinklers un- less the building undergoes major renovations. Some fire-safety advo- cates pushed for a require- ment that older apartment buildings be retrofitted with sprinklers when New York City passed a law requiring them in new residential high- rises in 1999, but officials in the administration of then- mayor Rudy Giuliani said that would be too expensive. Nigro noted that no member of the Trump family was in the 664-foot tower Saturday. Trump’s family has an apartment on the top floors of the 58-story building, but he has spent little time in New York since taking of- fice. The headquarters of the Trump Organization is on the 26th floor. Nigro said firefighters and Secret Service mem- bers checked on the condi- tion of Trump’s apartment. About 200 firefighters and emergency medical service workers responded to the fire, he said. Some residents said they did not get any notifica- tion from building manage- ment to evacuate. Lalitha Masson, a 76-year- old resident, called it “a very, very terrifying experience.” Masson told The New York Times that she did not receive any announcement about leaving, and that when she called the front desk no one answered. “When I saw the televi- sion, I thought we were fin- ished,” said Masson, who lives on the 36th floor with her husband, Narinder, who is 79 and has Parkin- son’s disease. She said she started praying because she felt it was the end. “I called my oldest son and said goodbye to him be- cause the way it looked ev- erything was falling out of the window, and it reminded me of 9/11,” Masson said. A firefighter looks out from the window of a fire-damaged apartment in Trump Tower in New York on Saturday. The Fire Department says the blaze broke out on the 50th floor shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Knife attack on Berlin half-marathon foiled The German daily Die Welt is reporting that police have foiled a knife attack on a half-marathon in Berlin. Special police forces detained four men in connection with Sunday’s sports event. CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 9, 2018 Dr. Wayne R. Porter MD F.A.A.D. Dermatologist call : 946-9020 between 9am to 5pm Dees Plaza #282 on Crewe Road, GT He will be in office from April 9th - April 14th , 2018 Syrian rescuers, medics say gas attack near capital kills 40 Trump calls out ‘Animal Assad’ for suspected chemical attack WASHINGTON (AP) – Pres- ident Donald Trump on Sunday condemned a “mind- less CHEMICAL attack” in Syria that killed women and children, but he offered no evidence to support the claim by Syrian opposition activ- ists and rescuers that poison gas was used. A top aide, asked about the possibility of a U.S. mis- sile strike in response, said, “I wouldn’t take anything off the table.” Trump, without elaboration, said there would be a “big price to pay” and he called Syrian President Bashar Assad an “animal.” Just over a year ago, Trump ordered dozens of cruise missiles to be fired at a Syrian air base after de- claring there was no doubt Assad had “choked out the lives of helpless” civilians in an attack that he said used banned gases. Saturday’s attack took place in a rebel-held town near Damascus, the capital, amid a resumed offensive by Syrian government forces after the collapse of a truce. Syrian activists, rescuers and medics said a poison gas attack killed at least 40 people, with families found suffocated in their houses and shelters. The reports could not immediately be indepen- dently verified. Images released by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, a volunteer organi- zation, show children lying on the ground motionless and foaming at the mouth. The Assad government, in a statement posted on the state-run news agency SANA, strongly denied the allegations. Trump said in a tweet Sunday that the “area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inac- cessible to outside world.” He said Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iran, in- fluential Syrian backers, “are responsible for backing Animal Assad.” Russia’s military re- jected claims that Syrian government forces used chemical weapons. Trump called for the area to be opened “immedi- ately” for medical aid and verification. “Another humanitarian di- saster for no reason whatso- ever. SICK!” he tweeted. Trump’s homeland secu- rity adviser, Thomas Bossert, noted the timing of the sus- pected chemical attack – al- most a year to the day of the U.S. missile strikes. “This isn’t just the United States. This is one of those is- sues on which every nation, all peoples, have all agreed and have agreed since World War II, it’s an unaccept- able practice,” Bossert told ABC’s “This Week.” Asked about the poten- tial for another American missile strike in response, Bossert said: “I wouldn’t take anything off the table. These are horrible photos. We’re looking into the attack at this point.” He said Trump’s na- tional security team has been talking with the president about the situation. Trump laid some blame on his predecessor, Barack Obama, for Assad’s continued grip on power after years of civil war. Obama had threatened the Syrian leader with mili- tary action after a chemical weapons attack killed hun- dreds outside Damascus, saying the use of such weapons was a “red line.” American ships in the Med- iterranean were poised to launch missiles, but Obama pulled back after key U.S. ally Britain, as well as Congress, balked at his plan. He opted for a Russian- backed proposal that was supposed to remove and eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles. “If President Obama had crossed his stated Red Line In The Sand, the Syrian disaster would have ended long ago! Animal Assad would have been history!” Trump said in his series of Sunday tweets. The developments come as Trump is moving to dramati- cally scale back U.S. goals in Syria, pushing for a quick military withdrawal. Trump has given no formal order to pull out the 2,000 U.S. troops currently in Syria or offered a public timetable, other than to say the United States will pull out as soon as the last remaining Islamic State fighters can be vanquished. BEIRUT (AP) – Syrian oppo- sition activists and rescuers said Sunday that a poison gas attack on a rebel-held town near the capital killed at least 40 people, allegations denied by the Syrian government. The alleged attack in the town of Douma occurred late Saturday amid a resumed of- fensive by Syrian govern- ment forces after the collapse of a truce with the Army of Islam rebel group. The reports could not be independently verified. First responders said they found families suffocated in their homes and shelters, with foam on their mouths. The opposition-linked Syrian Civil Defense were able to document 42 fatalities but were impeded from searching further by strong odors that gave their rescuers diffi- culties breathing, said Siraj Mahmoud, a spokesman for the group, which is known as the White Helmets. Government forces agreed to a two-hour cease-fire in Douma on Sunday after the Army of Islam asked to re- start talks to end the assault, according to the state-affili- ated al-Ikhbariya TV station. Douma has been devas- tated by close to five years of siege at the hands of gov- ernment forces. It was once one of the hubs of the 2011 Arab Spring-styled uprising against President Bashar Assad’s government. In recent weeks, gov- ernment forces have recap- tured villages and towns in the eastern Ghouta suburbs of the capital. Douma is the only town left holding out. The government de- manded that the Army of Islam release prisoners and stops their shelling of Da- mascus as a precondition to resuming talks, according to al-Ikhbariya. The station said government negotiators met with a delegation of rebels at a checkpoint outside Douma. A joint statement by the Civil Defense and the Syrian American Medical Society, a relief organization, said that more than 500 people, mostly women and children, were brought to medical cen- ters with difficulty breathing, foaming at the mouth, and burning sensations in the eyes. It said patients gave off a chlorine-like smell. Some had bluish skin, a sign of ox- ygen deprivation. It said the symptoms were consistent with chem- ical exposure. One patient, a woman, had convulsions and pinpoint pupils, suggesting exposure to a nerve agent. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 80 people were killed in Douma on Saturday, in- cluding around 40 who died from suffocation. But it said the suffocations were the re- sult of shelters collapsing on people inside them. “Until this minute, no one has been able to find out the kind of agent that was used,” said Mahmoud, the White Helmets’ spokesman, in a video statement from Syria. He said the government was also targeting homes, clinics, and first responder facilities with conven- tional explosives and barrel bombs. Most of the med- ical points and ambulances of the town have been put out of service. Videos posted online by the White Helmets showed victims, including toddlers in diapers, breathing through oxygen masks at make- shift hospitals. The Syrian government, in a statement posted on the state-run news agency SANA, strongly denied the allega- tions. It said the claims were “fabrications” by the Army of Islam, calling it a “failed at- tempt” to impede govern- ment advances. “The army, which is ad- vancing rapidly and with de- termination, does not need to use any kind of chemical agents,” the statement said. “These reports, if con- firmed, are horrifying and de- mand an immediate response by the international com- munity,” U.S. State Depart- ment spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement late Saturday. The Syrian government and its ally, Russia, denied any involvement in the al- leged gas attack. “These reports, if confirmed, are horrifying and demand an immediate response by the international community.” HEATHER NAUERT, U.S. State Department spokeswoman This image released by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets shows a toddler given oxygen through respirators following an alleged poison gas attack in the opposition-held town of Douma, in eastern Ghouta, near Damascus. - PHOTO: SYRIAN CIVIL DEFENSE WHITE HELMETS VIA AP This image released by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated by AP, shows a rescue worker carrying a child following an alleged poison gas attack in an opposition-held town near Damascus, Syria. - PHOTO: SYRIAN CIVIL DEFENSE WHITE HELMETS VIA APNext >