ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 2018 High of 87 Low of 74 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 GOVERNOR CHOUDHURY STEPS UP IN CAYMAN’S BATTLE AGAINST CRIME BUSINESS | PAGE 11 CAYMAN ENTERPRISE CITY GROWS ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT International School plans $45M expansion JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman International School is plan- ning a $45-million expansion to meet growing demand for places. A 17-acre site next to the existing school has been cleared and plans will be submitted shortly for a new purpose-built high school and early childhood center. The new buildings will free up space in the existing school, ultimately allowing for the ad- dition of at least one extra class at every age group. Principal Jeremy Moore said the de- velopments would take the school’s capacity from around 630 to 1,100 and almost double the size of the campus. He said there are currently waiting lists for every age group in the school, which accepts children from age 2 to 18. Demand is greatest for preschool children and Mr. Moore expects the new early child- hood center to be almost full as soon as it opens in September next year. He said the center has been specially de- signed for young children and would be the first of its kind in Cayman. Features include a mat room, a music and movement room, a library and a teaching kitchen, as well as an outdoor tricycle track and learning gardens. He said the large play spaces dove- tailed with the school’s interactive learning philosophy. A similar approach dictated the design of the high school, which also includes a gym, media center, drama and music facilities, and science labs. Mr. Moore said school staff had worked with the parent organization, the U.S.-based International Schools Association, and Dart Realty, which owns the buildings, as well as the project architects to ensure the expansion was custom built to its specifications. “It is a game changer for us to have spaces designed to fit with our philosophy of edu- cation. We prefer collaborative approaches A DOZEN IMMIGRATION FRAUD DEFENDANTS IN COURT DOCK BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Twelve people – six suspended Immigra- tion Department employees and six other Cayman Islands residents – stood in the Summary Court dock Tuesday facing various charges related to a scheme that anti-cor- ruption cops said sought to cheat an Eng- lish-language proficiency requirement for foreign workers. “They’ve been charged with very serious offenses … the maximum sentences range from seven years to 10 years in custody [upon conviction],” Crown Counsel Greg Walcolm told the court. Magistrate Adam Roberts called each of the defendants up to stand in the court dock. After six of the suspects attended, the judge remarked, “We seem to be full, but let’s do what we can.” Eventually all 12 defendants were before the court, represented by at least eight dif- ferent attorneys. The charges facing the var- ious defendants are all indictable offenses and were therefore transmitted to Grand Court for pleas and further hearings on April 27. Two of the defendants who were given permission to travel off island for emergency medical pro- cedures indicated they might not be back by that date. Generally, the suspects were required to produce a surety, or a personal recognizance bond and surrender their passports to the court. Those given permission to travel over- seas were required to turn in their travel doc- uments upon returning to Cayman, Magistrate Roberts said. Cayman Islands Chief Jus- tice Anthony Smellie has been appointed justice to Bermuda’s Court of Appeal. He will join the court when it meets in June for one of its sessions, held three times a year. It is the first international court of which Mr. Smellie has been a member. Mr. Smellie will fill the position while continuing to serve as chief justice in the Cayman Islands. According to Bermuda’s Gov- ernment House spokesman Barry Martin, Mr. Smellie was one of two justices chosen from among 30 applicants. The other justice is Elizabeth Gloster, vice president of the Court of Appeal of Eng- land and Wales. She will join the court in January. Mr. Martin said Mr. Smellie will be one of five judges on the Bermuda Court of Appeal. Last fall, Cayman judge Ian Forte served as a temporary member of the court. Before that, Mr. Martin said, no Cayman justice has been a member since at least 2007. The court has already met once this year, in March. It will meet June 4-22 and Nov. 5-23. Court officials said Mr. Smellie will be on leave when he joins the court for its June session. In April 2017, Bermuda’s Chief Justice Ian Kawaley was appointed to Cayman’s Grand Court’s financial services division. Justice Smellie told the Cayman Compass that appointment was not a motivation in his applying to the Bermuda court. Cayman’s chief justice adds Bermuda to his duties Governor checks out Grand Cayman’s airport Less than two weeks after touching down there, Governor Anwar Choudhury, seen above in a lime green hard hat and carrying his own ubiquitous hat in his hand, returned to the Owen Roberts International Airport Friday for an official tour. Accompanied by Civil Aviation Authority, customs and immigration officials, as well as project managers, the governor’s tour focused on the ongoing expansion of the airport, border security issues and the need to reduce wait times for passengers, especially on Saturdays. He also chatted with visitors and met Senior Customs Officer Malachi Powery and his sniffer dog Jack, a chocolate Labrador from the U.K., the newest Customs K-9 unit member. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 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) 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 3D (PG13) 1:00 2D VIP I 3:50 I 6:45 2D VIP 9:35 2D 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 ... − , 12 , 6–8 , , ... − , 12 , 6–8 , , ... − , 12 , 6–8 , , THE JEEP COMPASS LAUNCH ARMED MAN HOLDS UP WEST BAY STORE A man carrying a firearm robbed a store at Batabano Plaza in West Bay early on Tuesday morning. According to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice, at about 6:15 a.m. offi- cers responded to a report of a robbery at the plaza. Police said a seller was opening the store when an armed man approached and demanded cash. The man took an undisclosed quantity of cash and then fled on foot toward the rear of the plaza. No one was injured during the in- cident and no shots were fired, police said. The suspect is de- scribed as being short in height and of dark com- plexion. His face was cov- ered with a blue cloth. PEDESTRIAN STRUCK IN TWO-VEHICLE CRASH A car mounted a side- walk and struck a pedes- trian after colliding with another vehicle on Eastern Avenue in George Town Monday morning. Police said the acci- dent occurred around 11:30 a.m., near the junction of School Road. “A black Ford Sports Trac truck and a green Honda CR-V collided, the Honda then ran off the roadway and collided with a pe- destrian who was walking along the sidewalk,” ac- cording to a statement from the Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service. The pedestrian was taken to the Cayman Is- lands Hospital by ambu- lance where he was treated for non-life-threatening-in- juries and later discharged. Paddleboarders stand up for cancer victims JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Six Cayman paddle- boarders are planning a 24-hour paddle this weekend to raise money for cancer pa- tients and their families. Jasmin Muratagic and his crew will paddle along Seven Mile Beach from 8 a.m. Sat- urday to 8 a.m. Sunday. The event is part of a growing, annual world- wide movement begun in Se- attle by Troy Nebeker after his family was impacted by the disease. Similar sponsored pad- dles will take place in com- munities all over the world. The Cayman event starts at Hemingways beachside restaurant and Mr. Murat- agic is encouraging people to come out and watch or join them for part of the day. “The slogan for the event is ‘Go because you can,’” he said. “If you are healthy enough to do it, then get out and do it for those that can’t. “That goes for anything in life, from going trekking in Nepal or just asking that girl you like for her number.” He said the proceeds from the event would go di- rectly to the families of people in Cayman suffering from cancer, in keeping with the goal of the original Seattle event. “We have people in Cayman who are suffering, who have nothing, and we want it to go direct to them to pay for dinner or a CUC bill, to make life a little easier for a short time.” Mr. Muratagic did the full 24-hour paddle last year. This time, the group plans to do it in shifts, with two paddlers on the water at all times. “It is not physically that difficult, but mentally it is tough,” he said. “The hardest part is be- tween 1 a.m. and 6 a.m., when you’re out there on your own and you’ve run out of things to think about. You’ve rethought your whole life six times over already. Knowing we are doing this for a good cause and for people in serious trouble is what keeps you going.” A fundraising bingo night is also planned as part of the event, on Wednesday at Lone Star on West Bay Road, starting at 6:30 p.m. THREE ARRESTED IN RUM POINT GANJA BUST Three men were arrested Sunday after police said a “strong scent” of ganja was detected coming from a boat anchored at Rum Point. The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service said the boat, as well as its occupants, were searched and “several separate portions of sus- pected ganja were recovered.” The three people aboard, a 32-year-old George Town man, an 18-year-old West Bay man and a 17-year- old North Side man, were arrested on suspicion of ganja possession. “Places like Rum Point are where many families spend time, often with young chil- dren, and they do not wish to be subjected to the smell of drugs being consumed,” said Acting RCIPS Inspector Damenian Maxwell. He added, “We have re- ceived numerous complaints from the public on this issue and will continue to pros- ecute anyone committing these offenses.” SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICES TO CLOSE FRIDAY The Ministry of Com- munity Affairs and all its departments, including the Department of Chil- dren and Family Services and the Needs Assessment Unit, in Grand Cayman and on Cayman Brac will be closed all day Friday, April 13, to facilitate a staff meeting. The ministry ad- vised that its depart- ments will reopen and resume normal hours on Monday, April 16. Jasmin Muratagic and his team will paddle for 24 hours for charity. “We have people in Cayman who are suffering, who have nothing, and we want it to go direct to them to pay for dinner or a CUC bill, to make life a little easier for a short time.” JASMIN MURATAGICThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 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 2018The 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” New Cayman Islands Governor Anwar Choudhury has vowed that a particular focus of his administra- tion will be a reduction of crime and preservation of public safety. As far as first impressions go (and in our opinion, they can go quite far), Governor Choudhury’s statements constitute a good first step in the right direction, and from his very first day on the job. “I will not compromise in this area,” he said during his swearing-in address to the Legislative Assembly last month. “It is our responsibility to keep these islands safe so we can enjoy our quality of life and not lose it to crime.” Grand Cayman’s citizenry welcomes those words, in light of a recent series of serious incidents of violent criminal activity, including murder, armed robberies, shootings, verbal and physical assaults of police officers, and other incidents that in previous years would have been considered shockingly rare, but now threaten to become matters of routine (in the journalism business, “inside news” instead of front page headlines). Just this week, an armed man reportedly robbed a West Bay convenience store employee who was opening shop. The day before, another man was charged with burglary for two home invasions. Less than a month ago, robbers allegedly held a restaurant owner and his family at gunpoint, with shots being fired at law enforcement during a subsequent police chase. On March 6, in Prospect, a man was shot dead in the street. A top priority for our country and our government must be to restore the law and order that underlies our islands’ reputation for peaceful tranquility. Safeguarding Cayman’s public safety and security is a key duty within the governor’s remit and is a primary function of his office. One early, positive sign that Governor Choudhury intends to follow through on his verbal commitment to stem the tide of crime was Tuesday’s meeting of the Cayman Islands National Security Council (the first since last October). During his predecessor’s tenure, the council, chaired by the governor and consisting of the premier, oppo- sition leader, appointed government ministers and members of civil society, met only intermittently – an average of once about every 10 months. Children, as we all know, are born in less time. Governor Choudhury has said he anticipates meeting monthly with the group, which is tasked with advising him on security matters – excepting police operation and staffing, which are the responsibility of Royal Cayman Islands Police Commissioner Derek Byrne, who, of course, reports to the governor. Before getting enmeshed in operational details such as CCTV installations, “police sniffer dogs,” or reconfiguring patrols, we would hope our governor would first contemplate our troubled criminal justice system holistically, from apprehension to prosecution, and including adjudication, incarceration and rehabilita- tion. He should take a “CEO approach” because, after all, in the matter of safety and security, he is Cayman’s CEO. His predecessor rarely exercised her authority in this critical area. The governor has a fresh perspective and appears to have a sturdy spine and willingness to take on diffi- cult problems, all of which will serve him well in leading – and winning – the uphill battle against crime. In Cayman’s “Us vs. Them” war between law- abiding residents and criminals, Governor Choudhury appears to be one of “Us,” and he has our full support. Governor Choudhury steps up in Cayman’s battle against crime WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS What interest is served by disenfranchising felons? JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The bumpy path of Desmond Meade’s life meandered to its current interesting point. He is a graduate of Florida International University law school but cannot vote in his home state because his path went through prison: He committed non-violent felonies concerning drugs and other matters during the 10 years when he was essentially homeless. And Florida is one of eleven states that effectively disqualify felons permanently. Meade is one of 1.6 mil- lion disenfranchised Florida felons – more people than voted in 22 states in 2016. He is one of the 20 percent of African-American Florid- ians disenfranchised. The state has a low threshold for felonious acts: Someone who gets into a bar fight, or steals property worth $300 – approximately two pairs of Air Jordans – or even drives without a license for a third time can be disenfranchised for life. There is a cumber- some, protracted process whereby an individual, after waiting five to seven years (it depends on the felony) can begin a trek that can con- sume 10 years and culmi- nates with politicians and their appointees deciding who can vote. Meade heads the Florida Rights Restoration Coali- tion, which gathered more than a million signatures to get the state Supreme Court to approve, and local super- visors of elections to verify, the ballot initiative that voters will decide on Nov. 6. Meade’s basic argument on behalf of what he calls “re- turning citizens” like him is: “I challenge people to say that they never want to be forgiven for anything they’ve done.” Persons convicted of murder or felony sexual of- fense would not be eligible for enfranchisement. Intelligent and informed people of good will can strenuously disagree about the wisdom of policies that have produced mass incar- ceration. What is, however, indisputable is that this phe- nomenon creates an enor- mous problem of facilitating the re-entry into society of released prisoners who were not improved by the expe- rience of incarceration and who face discouraging im- pediments to employment and other facets of social normality. In 14 states and the District of Columbia, re- leased felons automatically recover their civil rights. Recidivism among Flori- da’s released felons has been approximately 30 percent for the five years 2011-2015. Of the 1,952 persons whose civil rights were restored, five committed new offenses, a recidivism rate of 0.4 per- cent. This sample is skewed by self-selection – over-rep- resentation of those who had the financial resources and tenacity to navigate the complex restoration process that each year serves a few hundred of the 1.6 million. Still, the recidivism numbers are suggestive. What compelling govern- ment interest is served by felon disenfranchisement? Enhanced public safety? How? Is it to fine-tune the quality of the electorate? This is not a legitimate gov- ernment objective for elected officials to pursue. A felony conviction is an indelible stain: What intelligent pur- pose is served by reminding felons, who really do not re- quire reminding, of their past, and by advertising it to their community? The rule of law requires punish- ments, but it is not served by punishments that never end and that perpetuate a social stigma and a sense of never fully re-entering the community. Meade, like one-third of the 4.7 million current citi- zens nationwide who have re-entered society from prison but cannot vote, is an African-American. More than one in 13 African-Amer- icans nationally are simi- larly disenfranchised, as are one in five of Florida’s Af- rican-American adults. Be- cause African-Americans overwhelmingly vote Demo- cratic, ending the disenfran- chisement of felons could become yet another debate swamped by partisanship, particularly in Florida, the largest swing state, where close elections are common: Republican Governor Rick Scott’s margins of victory in 2010 and 2014 were 1.2 and 1.1 percent, respectively. And remember the 537 Florida votes that made George W. Bush president. Last week, Scott’s admin- istration challenged a fed- eral judge’s order that the state adopt a rights-restora- tion procedure that is less ar- bitrary and dilatory. A Quin- nipiac poll shows that 67 percent of Floridians favor and only 27 percent oppose enfranchisement of felons. These numbers might pro- voke Republicans, who con- trol both houses of the legis- lature, to try to siphon away support for the restoration referendum by passing a law that somewhat mitigates the severity of the current policy. Such a law would be pre- sented for the signature of the governor, who is trying to unseat three-term Demo- cratic senator Bill Nelson. Again, who is comfort- able with elected politicians winnowing the electorate? When the voting results from around the nation are re- ported on the evening of Nov. 6, some actual winners might include 1.6 million Florid- ians who were not allowed to cast ballots. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL GEORGE What compelling government interest is served by felon disenfranchisement? Enhanced public safety? How? Is it to fine- tune the quality of the electorate?The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 2018 6 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Laurie Mernett has 17 years of experience in public accounting with Deloitte, in both the Cayman Islands and Canada. She serves alternative investment companies, banks, trusts, and other local organizations. She also plays an active regional role in the Caribbean and Bermuda’s Audit & Assurance technical team. Laurie holds a Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant, (CA) and a United States Certified Public Accountant, and received a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba, Canada. She is a member of the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants, and serves as the Chair for the Membership Recognition Committee and as a member of the Membership Engagement Committee. Laurie is a member of 100 Women in Finance, also serving as a deputy co-chair on the Philanthropy Committee. Jon Treadway has over 14 years of experience in US federal and state taxation across various industries. Since joining Deloitte’s Cayman Islands office in 2007, his primary focus has been on US taxation of alternative investment funds and investment managers. Jon is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Tennessee, United States, and has been admitted to the bar of the US Tax Court and the State of Tennessee. Jon also holds a law degree from the University of North Carolina, United States, and Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting) and Master of Accountancy degrees from East Tennessee State University. Leadership announcement Welcoming our newest partners ww.deloitte.com/ky © 2018 DCB Holding Ltd. and its affiliates. The Partners at Deloitte in the Cayman Islands are pleased to announce the promotion of Laurie Mernett and Jon Treadway as partners in our Audit & Assurance and Tax practices. Laurie Mernett Partner Audit & Assurance Jon Treadway Partner Tax Premier: Government trying to preserve George Town park BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment is in a bidding battle to preserve a small park area in the central George Town neighborhood of Scranton. The 0.25 acre property, located at the end of Myles Lane, off Shedden Road, is the only park area left for residents of the older, lower- income neighborhood which is rapidly finding itself sur- rounded by newer, much higher-value developments, including Cricket Square and the Government Administra- tion Building. The land is privately owned, but it abuts some Crown-held land at the back of the Government Adminis- tration Building along Elgin Avenue. Until recently, the owner had allowed resi- dents there to use the small lot as a park. The property went on the market recently and the real estate agent representing the owner said she has received several offers for the land. As of Tuesday, the owner had not decided to accept any. District MLA Kenneth Bryan wrote to Cabinet mem- bers Monday urging govern- ment to find cash to purchase the property and preserve it for future public use. “The owner of this prop- erty [has] been very kind to the residents of the commu- nity to allow the property to be used, free of cost, for over 20 years as a park,” Mr. Bryan wrote. “Unfortunately, the family has now decided they are selling the property. “Ultimately, this will mean that there will no longer be a designated area in the com- munity for community events.” Premier McLaughlin said Monday that he and former George Town MLA Kurt Tib- betts have been trying to get the landowner to sell the property to government “for the past decade” but that the owner was not willing to sell before now. “The property only came on the market last week and we have already spoken with its owner,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “There is a process that must be followed. There is no need for alarm.” Mr. McLaughlin accused Mr. Bryan of “playing politics” with the neighborhood issue and said the George Town Central MLA should have called him before he “ran to the media with his alarm.” “We have the matter well in hand,” the premier said. “I am personally ad- dressing the matter.” Mr. Bryan said he at- tempted to contact the pre- mier about the pending land sale last week and received no response. The indepen- dent MLA, who defeated Pro- gressives party incumbent Fi- nance Minister Marco Archer in last year’s elections, said he was concerned his district would be left out on the park proposal because he was not in the government. Mr. Bryan said he un- derstood the offer price of the 0.25 acre plot was be- tween $250,000 and $300,000, but he said the government could expand the small park if it wished, using the tract of Crown-owned land be- hind it as well. The George Town MLA said he was hopeful, after hearing about the premier’s remarks Monday, that a solu- tion could be found and the park preserved. “The owner of this property [has] been very kind to the residents of the community to allow the property to be used, free of cost, for over 20 years as a park.” KENNETH BRYAN, George Town Central MLA The park area in Scranton is outlined in red on the map.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 2018 174091_PRINT-Avis-Payless-FleetSPage 1 4/6/18 1:16:44 PM and project-based learning rather than kids sitting in rows listening to lectures,” he said. He said the flex- ible spaces would allow the school to diversify its curriculum, as well as adding capacity. Mr. Moore said the school had been struggling to meet demand for spaces for some time – a situation he attributes to the success of CIS students, the programs offered at the school and the continued growth of the island. Places are in short supply across the Cayman Islands, particularly for private schools, and Mr. Moore hopes the expan- sion will go some way to addressing that gap be- tween supply and demand. The early childhood center is scheduled to open at the start of the 2019-20 school year, with the high school opening the following year. CIS will add classes in every age group as needed in the years that follow. Mr. Moore said he was anxious that the school retain its char- acter as it grows. “We have been very stra- tegic about our growth,” the principal said. “We have worked hard to make it happen the right way; we want to maintain the small class sizes and the family atmosphere.” Lawrence Kline of project architect Perkins+Will said the aim was to create an ac- ademic center in a park- like environment that would enhance the Camana Bay community. “The open, day-lighted spaces will allow for flexi- bility of use and the opportu- nity for formal and informal learning environments to en- hance the current curriculum, emphasizing collaborative, multidisciplinary, team- based learning,” he said. An architect’s rendering shows the layout of the new Cayman International School buildings, opposite the existing campus. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 International School plans $45M expansion Co-worker guilty of hammer attack Bail granted until sentencing on May 18 CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Dain Damean McPherson was found guilty on Tuesday of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to a co-worker at Foster’s Food Fair, Countryside Vil- lage, on Sept. 1 last year. Mr. McPherson had ad- mitted hitting O’Shane Myles on the head with a hammer, but said he had done so in self-defense. The trial began on Friday and included CCTV of the in- cident. The jury of five women and two men deliberated for less than an hour before re- turning a unanimous verdict. Crown counsel Toyin Salako reminded the jury in her closing speech that there was no weapon seen in the exchange between the two men until Mr. McPherson went to a secu- rity area, opened a box, took out a hammer and walked up to Mr. Myles. Mr. Myles succeeded in getting the hammer away from him and walked away, but Mr. McPherson took the hammer back and struck Mr. Myles twice be- fore other staff members separated them. Defense attorney Amelia Fosuhene told jurors that the CCTV did not show what had happened before then, but they had heard ev- idence of Mr. Myles being the aggressor, pushing Mr. McPherson and following him into the store and not leaving him alone. Ms. Fosuhene urged jurors to note the “body language” in the CCTV which, she sug- gested, showed Mr. Myles to be angry and aggressive. Mr. McPherson had been hit, abused and threatened by Mr. Myles, who was his supervisor, and he did not think clearly or logically as to the degree of force he could use to defend himself, she submitted. Justice Michael Wood commented on other aspects of the evidence. Mr. McPherson had told the court that Mr. Myles had said he had a gun in his ve- hicle and was going to shoot him. He also stated that Mr. Myles had pushed a bottle into his chest hard, which concerned him because he had a heart condition. The defendant did not mention the bottle being pushed into his chest when he was questioned by police. Mr. Myles said at no stage did he ever have a gun and he never threatened Mr. McPherson. Several defense witnesses spoke highly of Mr. McPher- son’s good work attitude and humble, non-aggressive ways, the judge noted. After the guilty verdict, he granted bail with con- ditions that included sur- render of his passport and a specified residence until sen- tencing on May 18. Ms. Fosuhene asked for a social inquiry report and Ms. Salako asked for a victim im- pact statement. Dain Damean McPherson had admitted hitting O’Shane Myles on the head with a hammer, but said he had done so in self-defense. The new buildings will free up space in the existing school, ultimately allowing for the addition of at least one extra class at every age group.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS The alleged scheme has brought a total of 75 crim- inal charges against the in- dividuals involved, who Anti-Corruption Commission officers said were either re- ceiving rewards for helping individuals pass the Immi- gration Department’s Eng- lish-language test or were paying for test answers. The English test is admin- istered to all non-Cayma- nian workers who hail from countries where English is not the primary language. “The charges relate to the provision of assis- tance to pass the English test and, in some cases, ar- ranging the payment of a reward for the provision of such assistance,” the com- mission noted in a March press statement. At least three of the de- fendants who appeared in court Tuesday said they could not understand Mag- istrate Roberts. A Spanish interpreter had to be brought up from the Traffic Court to assist. Six serving immigration personnel have been placed on required leave – suspen- sion with pay – following their 2017 arrests in con- nection with the probe. The charges against the Immigra- tion Department staffers in- cluded the following: Marcus Alexander, 43, is charged with 12 counts of conspiracy to commit fraud against the government, four counts of conspiracy to commit breach of trust, three counts of breach of trust and one count of failing to report the solicitation of an advantage. Carlos Robinson, 43, is charged with eight counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government and one count of failing to report the solicitation of an advantage. Kathy-Ann Forbes, 44, is charged with five counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government and one count of failing to report the solicitation of an advantage. Diane Dey-Rankin, 57, is charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government and one count of failing to report the solicitation of an advantage. Pheadra McDonald, 43, is charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government and one count of failing to report the solicitation of an advantage. Sherry Lee McLaughlin, 57, faces three counts of con- spiracy to commit breach of trust and one count of failing to report the solicitation of an advantage. The other six defendants, from the Dominican Republic or Honduras, charged in the case also appeared before the court Tuesday: Katerine Montero Pani- agua, 27, faces two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government. Carolin Nixon-Lopez, 35, is charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government. Marlenis Perez Mata, 31, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government and three counts of conspiracy to commit a breach of trust. Angela Suyapa Rodri- guez David, 38, is charged with one count of con- spiracy to commit fraud on the government. Mariel Maleno Suriel, 33, is charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government. Santo Castro Castillo, 45, is charged with 11 counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government and three counts of conspiracy to commit a breach of trust. A dozen immigration fraud defendants in court dock Former Colombian rebels blame US for leader’s arrest BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) – Leaders of Colombia’s dis- banded FARC rebel army ac- cused the U.S. on Tuesday of trapping a prominent rebel negotiator on a drug war- rant in order to sabotage the country’s already struggling peace process. The shock arrest Monday of Seuxis Hernandez, a blind former peace negotiator best known by his alias Jesus Santrich, played into fears that the former guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have not cut ties to the country’s flour- ishing criminal underworld. But his former comrades in arms have vehemently re- jected the accusation, saying Santrich’s arrest on drug conspiracy charges was the result of a plot hatched during Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ visit to Colombia in December and is intended to cover up for the failure of the war on drugs to stanch cocaine production that has skyrocketed since the singing of the peace deal in 2016. The FARC did not pro- vide any evidence to back up the claim. “In addition to being a shameful subordination of the Colombian justice system, it’s clear we’re witnessing an- other set up by the distorted American justice system,” the FARC said in a statement read Tuesday by Ivan Mar- quez, the rebels’ chief nego- tiator during the peace talks. More than 100 former rebels and FARC sympa- thizers gathered late Monday outside the heavily guarded prosecutors’ bunker where the 51-year-old Santrich was being held. Riot police flanked by a water cannon watched as former rebels shouted “freedom” and waved white flags emblazoned with the red rose symbol of their fledgling political movement, also known as FARC. Inside, Santrich was believed to have initiated a hunger strike to demand his release, ac- cording to his lawyer. President Juan Manuel Santos defended the arrest on a U.S. warrant as neces- sary to maintain the cred- ibility of the peace accord, which Colombians over- whelmingly consider too generous to rebels respon- sible for atrocities committed during five decades of bloody, armed conflict. “My hand won’t tremble to authorize the extradition,” Santos said in a nationally televised address in which he tried to reassure demobi- lized fighters that they have nothing to fear as long as they uphold their commit- ments under the peace ac- cord. “This is what the Co- lombian people demand. In this aspect, there can’t be any room for tolerance or weakness.” Santrich, who joined the guerrilla movement in his 20s and gradually rose into its central command struc- ture, was one of the first rebel leaders to bet on peace. He went to Norway in 2012 to begin negotiations with Colombia’s government and then participated in talks that continued the next four years in Cuba, where he earned a reputation as being a hard-line ideologue. He was picked up Monday at a Bogota residence on charges filed in a New York federal court alleging he con- spired with three others to smuggle several tons of co- caine into the U.S. with a wholesale value of $15 mil- lion, or $320 million when broken up and sold on American streets. According to an Interpol notice, Santrich met with co- caine buyers at his residence on Nov. 2, 2017 – a day after one of his co-conspirators de- livered a 5-kilogram sample of the narcotic to them at a hotel lobby in Bogota. During the meeting and subsequent negotiations, he and his co-conspirators – one of them, Marlon Marin, re- portedly a relative of Mar- quez – allegedly discussed plans for a 10-ton drug ship- ment to the U.S., boasting they had access to cocaine laboratories and U.S.-regis- tered planes to produce and transport the drugs inside Colombia, the world’s largest producer of the illegal nar- cotic. It’s not clear if the drugs were ever sent. Even before details of the arrest were known, FARC leaders said that it would undermine demobilized rebel fighters’ trust in the peace process. “The peace process is in a critical moment and is in jeopardy of failing,” Marquez said, reaffirming that the FARC’s commitment to a pro- cess that has led to the de- mobilization of almost 7,000 fighters “has no return.” Ivan Marquez, a former leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, center, speaks to the media as Victoria Sandino and Pablo Catatumbo listen during a press conference in Bogota, Colombia, Tuesday. - PHOTO: AP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 11, 2018 US carrier sails in disputed sea A U.S. aircraft carrier is sailing through the South China Sea in a display of military might after China built a string of islands with military facilities in the sea it claims almost in its entirety. The U.S. Navy flew Philippine generals, officials and journalists on Tuesday to the USS Theodore Roosevelt. In Memorium Faith Muriel Bush-Ebanks September 7th 1924 – April 11th, 2016 Memories We think of you with love today but that is nothing new. We thought about you yesterday and days before that too. We think of you in silence, we often speak your name All we have are memories and your picture in a frame. Your memory is our keepsake with which we will never part God has you in His keeping, We have you in our heart. Sadly missed and lovingly remembered by: Your loving children, Ray, Clara, McKeeva, Elizabeth, Karen and Dana. Grand and great-grand children. Trump: Raid on lawyer abuses attorney-client privilege WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal agents have raided the office of President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen, seizing records on topics that include a $130,000 payment made to porn ac- tress Stormy Daniels, who says she had sex with Trump. The raid prompted a new blast Tuesday from the pres- ident, who tweeted that “At- torney-client privilege is dead!” A furious Trump, who in the last month has escalated his attacks on Robert Muel- ler’s Russia investigation, said Monday from the White House that it was a “disgrace” that the FBI “broke into” his law- yer’s office. He called Mueller’s investigation “an attack on our country,” prompting new spec- ulation that he might seek the removal of the Justice Depart- ment’s special counsel. The raid was overseen by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan and was based in part on a referral from Mueller, said Cohen’s lawyer, Stephen Ryan. “The decision by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York to conduct their investiga- tion using search warrants is completely inappropriate and unnecessary,” Ryan said in a statement. “It resulted in the unnecessary seizure of protected attorney client communications between a lawyer and his clients.” The raid creates a new legal headache for Trump as he and his attorneys weigh whether to agree to an in- terview with Mueller’s team, which in addition to inves- tigating potential ties be- tween Russia and the Trump campaign is also examining whether the president’s ac- tions constitute obstruc- tion of justice. And the law enforcement action will almost certainly amplify the public scrutiny on the payment to Daniels, who says she had sex with Trump in 2006. The payment was made just days before the 2016 presidential elec- tion. Trump told reporters last week that he did not know about it. Search warrants are a fairly standard, though ag- gressive, law enforcement tool and are often sought in cases where authorities are concerned someone may hide or withhold evidence. To ob- tain one, agents must con- vince a judge they have prob- able cause of criminal activity and they believe they will find evidence of wrongdoing in a search. A warrant requires high-level approval within the Justice Department, and agency guidelines impose ad- ditional hurdles when the search target is an attorney. Authorities working with Mueller chose a similar tactic last summer when they raided the home of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was sub- sequently indicted. In this case, Mueller opted to refer the matter to federal prosecutors in Manhattan. Besides Cohen’s office, agents also searched a hotel room where he’s been staying while his home is under renovation. Under Justice Department regulations, Mueller must consult with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein when his investigators un- cover new evidence that may fall outside his original man- date. Rosenstein then will determine whether to allow Mueller to proceed or to as- sign the matter to another U.S. attorney or another part of the Justice Department. A spokesman for Mueller’s office did not immediately re- turn a call seeking comment. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the U.S. attorney’s office also had no comment. Monday’s raid was first reported by The New York Times. Ryan did not elaborate on the documents taken from Cohen’s office but said he has cooperated with investiga- tors, including meeting last fall with lawmakers looking into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Cohen has more recently attracted attention for his ac- knowledgment that he paid Daniels $130,000 out of his own pocket shortly before the 2016 presidential elec- tion. Cohen has said neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Daniels and he was not reim- bursed for the payment. Several former officials at the Federal Election Commis- sion have said the payment appears to be a violation of campaign finance laws, and multiple Washington- based groups have filed com- plaints with the FEC, urging it to investigate. There have been few signs that Mueller was interested in investigating the payment, though. One Mueller witness, former Trump aide Sam Nun- berg, recently connected the special counsel with the pay- ment, saying in an interview on MSNBC last month that prosecutors had asked him about payments to women. Trump answered ques- tions about Daniels for the first time last week, saying he had no knowledge of the pay- ment made by Cohen and he did not know where Cohen had gotten the money. The White House has consistently said Trump denies the affair. Daniels has said she had sex with the president in 2006. She has been suing to invalidate the nondisclosure agreement she signed before the election and has offered to return the $130,000 she was paid in order to “set the record straight.” Daniels argues the agree- ment is legally invalid be- cause it was signed by only Daniels and Cohen, and was not signed by Trump. Last month, Daniels’ at- torney, Michael Avenatti, sent letters to the Trump Organization demanding the business preserve all of its records relating to the $130,000 transaction. The letter demanded they preserve all emails by Cohen that mention Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clif- ford, as well as any emails and text messages related to the alleged relationship. He sent similar de- mand letters to two banks, City National and First Re- public, asking they preserve documents connected to the transaction. Avenatti also enclosed an email showing Cohen had used his Trump Organization email address in correspon- dence with a representative from First Republic. In the email, the representative said funds had been deposited in Cohen’s account. Federal agents searched Cohen’s office at 30 Rock- efeller Plaza in New York, where he had been working as part of a “strategic part- nership” with the law firm Squire Patton Boggs. On Monday, the firm said in a statement that its re- lationship with Cohen had “reached its conclusion, mu- tually and in accordance with the terms of the agreement.” “We have been in con- tact with Federal authori- ties regarding their execu- tion of a warrant relating to Mr. Cohen,” the firm said. “These activities do not relate to the firm and we are in full cooperation.” Rockefeller Plaza in New York, where Michael Cohen, who is President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, has his office. Federal agents raided the office of Cohen Monday and seized records. - PHOTO: AP Trump threatens Syria strike, cancels summit travel WASHINGTON (AP) – After threatening a military strike against Syria, President Donald Trump on Tuesday canceled plans to travel to South America later this week, choosing to stay in the United States to manage the response to an apparent chemical weapons attack. White House spokes- woman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Tuesday that Trump will not attend the 8th Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru or travel to Bo- gota, Colombia as planned, remaining in the United States to “oversee the Amer- ican response to Syria and to monitor developments around the world.” The decision marks the first time an American pres- ident has not attended the summit. Vice President Mike Pence will travel in Trump’s place. Trump on Monday prom- ised a decision on Syria within hours, declaring that Russia or any other nation found to share responsi- bility for Saturday’s apparent chemical weapons attack on civilians will “pay a price.” The White House sharply rejected any suggestion that Trump’s own words about pulling U.S. troops out of Syria had opened the door for the attack, which killed more than 40 people, including children. Trump, asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin bore any responsibility, responded, “He may, yeah, he may. And if he does it’s going to be very tough, very tough.” He added, “Everybody’s gonna pay a price. He will. Everybody will.” Amid the tough talk from the White House, the U.S. mil- itary appeared to be in posi- tion to carry out any attack order. A Navy destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, was under way in the eastern Mediterra- nean after completing a port call in Cyprus. The guided mis- sile destroyer is armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, the weapon of choice in a U.S. at- tack one year ago on an airfield in Syria following an alleged sarin gas attack on civilians. The Russian military, which has a presence in Syria as a key Assad ally, said its officers had visited the weekend site in a suburb of Damascus, the Syrian cap- ital, and found no evidence to back up reports of poison gas being used. Next >