ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY MAY 8, 2018 187818_PRINT-Ad-Strip-Compass-FiPage 1 4/20/18 11:54:13 AM Port report: Staff cost overruns, office upgrades, ‘theft’ of motors Untreated biomedical waste dumped at Brac landfill TAXI, BUS COMPLAINTS GIVE INSIGHT INTO TROUBLED INDUSTRY Practice may violate public health regulations KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Untreated biomedical waste from Faith Hospital is being dumped at the Cayman Brac landfill, a manner of disposal that may violate public health regulations. While visiting the Brac landfill last week, the Compass found dozens of red bags in an open pit emblazoned with the biohazard symbol, “DANGER,” and “CAYMAN ISLANDS HEALTH SERVICES AUTHORITY.” The bags of biomedical waste – which may include used needles, blood, and other bodily fluids – were mixed with other ma- terial, including bags marked as bird feed. JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Overcharging, poaching each other’s pas- sengers and fighting in front of customers were among a diverse range of complaints filed against bus and taxi drivers in the Cayman Islands in 2017. Records from the 389 complaints and que- ries filed with the Public Transport Board last year were released following a freedom of in- formation request from the Cayman Compass. One complaint alleged that a taxi driver had attempted to charge $200 to take two cus- tomers from the port in George Town to the Crystal Caves in North Side. No official report was filed in that case and no action was taken. The reports also included a handful of other claims of apparent overcharging from taxi drivers, something the Cayman Islands Tourism Association has also flagged as a key concern of visitors to the islands. In one instance, the complaint alleged that a tourist couple arriving at the airport had asked for a cab to the Morritt’s Tortuga resort in East End and were taken to the Marriott hotel on Seven Mile Beach by mistake. They were charged US$18 for the unnecessary trip to the Marriott and a further US$70 to get to Morritt’s, according to the complaint. Others focused on the state of the cabs. One taxi driver was reported after his vehicle was found to be in a “deplor- able state” with multiple defects, no certifi- cate of road worthiness and displaying an Port Director Clement Reid provides detailed response to auditor general’s concerns BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A report finding potential fraud risks and alleging breaches of hiring rules at the Cayman Islands Port Authority was released by Auditor General Sue Winspear Friday, fol- lowing numerous open records requests for the document. The report details a number of question- able employment practices occurring between 2016 and 2017, including a reported misstate- ment of how much was spent to bring in new hires for the authority – staff costs that went $400,000 over budget in one year. Port managers denied there had been any errors with the budget figures and insisted new hires came in well under budget. The report further recounts an inci- dent where four boat engines belonging to the port were taken from Harbour House Marina without any apparent authoriza- tion. The engines were removed by port em- ployees in a manner that auditors said “would suggest theft.” The report also reveals that more than $130,000 was spent on “office upgrades” for two senior port staffers, including more than $30,000 for vases, lounge chairs, rugs and “poufs” [ottomans]. In addition, one port staffer was allowed to take “special leave” to attend a member of the Legislative Assembly on trips over- seas for a total of 63 days between March 2016 and March 2017. Auditors noted there were no provisions in the Port Authority em- ployee guidelines to allow for such trips to ac- company an MLA. The existence of the auditor’s report has been known about for some time and mem- bers of the Port Authority Board of Directors were briefed on its findings earlier this year. Board Chairman Errol Bush sent a commu- nication to port employees in February seeking to clarify rumors swirling around the agency, which operates separately from the central gov- ernment under a board appointed by Cabinet. “The Office of the Auditor General sub- mitted a special report to the board that identified a number of concerning irregulari- ties relating to human resources, finance and other administrative decisions at the port au- thority,” Mr. Bush wrote in the staff email, dated Feb. 22. “The board takes these matters very seri- ously and spent many hours considering the [auditor general’s] report and contemplating what action was necessary to properly ad- dress the irregularities.” Port Director Clement Reid was con- tacted by the Cayman Compass in April and again this weekend about the report. He sent a detailed 85-page response to the Compass – apparently a copy of what he presented to the port board in January concerning the same issues. “Despite the fact that [the] auditor general’s report raises concerns about my personal deci- sions and actions, it is to be welcomed in the interests of good governance going forward,” Dozens of red bags of biomedical waste were found in an open pit last week at the Cayman Brac landfill. - PHOTOS: KEN SILVA PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » A bag of medical waste from Faith Hospital.2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY MAY 8, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – It’s been a long time since it was safe for Thelma Aldana to go out in public alone, and per- haps it never will be again. As chief prosecutor for Guatemala, Aldana won plau- dits at home and abroad as the woman who sent a presi- dent to prison and broke up a number of high-level cor- ruption rings. But it came at a cost – her own per- sonal safety – as her cru- sading angered some of the country’s most powerful and dangerous people, long ac- customed to doing as they pleased with little or no consequences. The biggest trophy on her wall from four years in office: Taking down a network al- legedly led by then-President Otto Perez Molina, who is ac- cused of defrauding the state of millions of dollars. “In the Bible it says you shall know them by their fruits, and I gave my best ef- fort,” Aldana said in a series of interviews with The As- sociated Press as she pre- pares to leave office when her term ends this month. “With all modesty, I leave with my head high.” Those close to her call the 62-year-old Aldana “the boss.” She is described as a strictly punctual person and a vora- cious reader. Appearing be- fore news cameras to an- nounce the latest corruption ring to fall, she typically ap- pears calm, collected and in- trepid. Her facial expression is often tough and inscru- table, making it difficult to guess what she is thinking. It seems the only one able to crack that demeanor is Toby, her 5-year-old Shih Tzu. Speaking to the AP in a small room at her offices decorated with recognitions where she likes to receive visitors, Al- dana broke into a broad smile recalling how when she brings work home, Toby likes to rest in the cardboard box she uses to carry the same documents that could end up putting criminals and politi- cians behind bars. Aldana’s long path to be- coming Guatemala’s top pros- ecutor began in 1981 as a low- level judicial counselor and progressed through a number of posts – including Supreme Court president in 2011. She holds a master’s degree in civil law and another pending that is related to women’s rights and gender issues. Perez Molina tapped her to be chief prosecutor in 2014, replacing Claudia Paz y Paz, who was the first woman to hold the job and who also angered influential interests and received threats for aggressively prosecuting corruption and human rights abuses dating to Guatemala’s 1960-1990 civil war. Perez Molina, who had been a powerful general in one of the region’s most feared armies during the conflict, likely never imag- ined that his downfall would come not on the battlefield but in a courtroom and at the hands of a woman he him- self selected. Indeed, at the time many Guatemalans also thought it improbable that Aldana would investigate suspicions of corruption on the part of the man who picked her for the post. Ivan Velasquez, a Colom- bian lawyer, heads a U.N.- sponsored anti-corruption commission that has been a key partner with Aldana’s office in investigating cor- ruption cases and bringing them to trial. Velasquez told the AP that trust did not come im- mediately between him and Aldana, but over time they developed a close working re- lationship where they were able to reconcile differences and reach consensus. What cemented his confidence was when she did not shy from going after Perez Molina. Aldana did not hesitate at “a very critical moment,” Velasquez said, praising her strength and valor in the job. Perez Molina, who denies wrongdoing, is currently be- hind bars along with his then vice president and others from his inner circle. In 2017 alone, Aldana’s of- fice won 9,358 convictions. She has also made great strides in clearing what has been a crushing backlog: In 2014 prosecutors had 1,280,378 unresolved cases. Today that has been reduced by over half. Last year, Time magazine named her one of the world’s most influential people, along with the likes of NFL quar- terback Colin Kaepernick, Academy Award-winning actor Viola Davis and Bra- zilian soccer star Neymar. She was named a recipient of the U.S. State Department’s 2016 International Women of Courage Award. But her per- sonal favorite among dozens of other recognitions is a wand of authority presented to her by indigenous Guate- malan leaders. The work has been far from glamorous – more of a slow slog, she says. “Fighting corruption is a process, and it is not easy,” Aldana said. Aldana said the last four years had been by far the toughest of the 37 she has spent working in Guatemala’s judicial system. One of the hardest mo- ments came when current President Jimmy Morales, whom she and Velasquez sought to investigate on sus- picion of illegal campaign fi- nancing, seemed ready to expel Velasquez from the country. Aldana rallied to her colleague’s defense. “I announced that if he left, I would resign,” Al- dana recalled. Along the way there have been numerous death threats, harassment and attempts to sully her character. In 2016 government officials con- firmed that a criminal group had paid for a hit on Aldana that was never carried out. Today she lives under pro- tective measures provided by the Inter-American Commis- sion on Human Rights and has been forced to abandon the routines of daily life. • 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. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) I FEEL PRETTY (PG13) 1:30 I 4:05 I 6:45 I 10:05 AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR 3D (PG13) 12:15 2D VIP I 12:20 I 3:30 2D VIP 3:35 2D I 6:50 2D I 9:20 I 9:55 2D VIP OVERBOARD (PG13) 1:00 I 3:45 I 7:00 I 9:40 A QUIET PLACE (PG13) 12:30 I 2:45 I 5:00 I 7:30 I 10:00 RAMPAGE (PG13) 1:30 I 4:15 I 9:50 I CAN ONLY IMAGINE (PG) 7:10 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: BONNIE AND CLYDE (R) 7:00 VIP Visiting Gynecologist will be available for consultation at Novo Clinic, Britcay House 236 Eastern Avenue from 8-21 May, 2018 For appointments please call +1 (345) 746-6082 clinic@novocayman.com Guatemala’s crusading prosecutor exits amid praise, threats Guatemalan Attorney General Thelma Aldana, who sent a president to prison and broke up a number of high-level corruption rings, listens during an interview at her office in Guatemala City, Jan 19, 2018. – PHOTO: AP Cayman joins Red Cross Day celebrations The Cayman Islands Red Cross is joining Red Cross, Red Crescent and Red Crystal Societies around the world to celebrate World Red Cross Day on May 8. The day, which marks the birthday of the movement’s founder and winner of the first Nobel Peace Prize, Henri Dunant, has been observed annually throughout the world since 1948. Here in Cayman, the month of May is observed as Red Cross Month and the Cayman Islands Red Cross is commemorating the month by enhancing its community program activities, according to local organizers. The Disaster Management program is using the month of May to finalize training initiatives undertaken to pre- pare staff and volunteers for disasters. The program will be concluding the National Intervention Team training, hosting an internal shelter management training, as- sisting specific Community Emergency Response Teams, known as CERTs, finalize their response plans, as well as undertaking activities in preparation for hurricane season in conjunction with the government. The First Aid and Aquatics program will continue to de- liver its training to the com- munity, and will finalize its efforts to recertify volun- teers who will be deployed to the non-emergency shelters to provide first aid coverage for shelterees, according to Jondo Obi, director of the Cayman Islands Red Cross. Also, the Red Cross Thrift Shop program will be scaling up its community outreach by extending its Deals on Wheels efforts. Deals on Wheels takes the mobile thrift shop to one of the outer districts each month, but for the month of May the mobile shop visits each of the four districts out- side of George Town each Sat- urday of the month. The Thrift Shop program also uses the month of May to liaise with partner agencies making referrals for clients, as well as making prepara- tion to facilitate the transition to shelter operations should such a need become available. Meanwhile, the Child Pro- tection and Sexuality Educa- tion program will continue its working in raising aware- ness of and educating the community on child safe- guarding and child abuse prevention. The multi-agency grassroots Protection Starts Here recently completed an- other two-day policy devel- opment workshop for youth serving organizations and continues to offer ongoing support for individuals, fam- ilies and agencies through referrals assistance in ac- cessing services, policy devel- opment, awareness sessions, and the twice-monthly free Darkness to Light training to the public. “The reality is that when it comes to the work, May is another month with ad- ditional activities,” said Ms. Obi. “However, it is impor- tant for us to celebrate not only May 8 but highlight the work throughout the month because there is something really special about the Red Cross Movement, and May offers us an opportunity to remind ourselves, our vol- unteers and our commu- nity of that.” “Around the world, there are over 115 million people who give their time, skills, blood, sweat and tears to help assist the most vulner- able and empower their com- munity,” said Carolina Fer- reira, deputy director for the Cayman Islands Red Cross. “We are a voluntary service humanitarian organization unlike any other, and every- thing that we do, here and abroad, is because everyday citizens believe in the power of humanity and act on that belief. That is something worth celebrating” she adds. To find out more about the Red Cross or to volunteer, email the Volunteer and Resources Manager on vrm@redcross.org.ky. Here in Cayman, the month of May is observed as Red Cross Month and the Cayman Islands Red Cross is commemorating the month by enhancing its community program activities, according to local organizers.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MAY 8, 2018 NOTICE TO THE MEMBERS OF CAYMAN NATIONAL PENSION FUND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given of the Annual General Meeting of Members of the Cayman National Pension Fund Ltd. to be held Wednesday 9th May, 2018, in the Cayman National Building, 4th Floor Board Room, Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman at 4pm. The Agenda is set out below: - AGENDA 1. Review the Minutes of the last Members Meeting held on the 4th May, 2017 and any matters arising. 2. Receive Audited Financial Statements for the period ended 30th September 2017. 3. Report from Investment Committee. 4. Trustee Elections: David Perry retires by rotation and is eligible for re-election. 5. Any other competent business. Appleby, Guardian, BBC settle breach of confidence lawsuit KAABOO offers its version of Cayman kindness The KAABOO Cayman fes- tival has announced plans to donate some of its proceeds to local nonprofit agencies on the island. In a news release, festival organizers said $1 of every ticket sold would be set aside to support three local and one international charitable groups. Two-day passes for the festival are expected to start at more than $200 when the lineup of entertainers is announced at 7:30 a.m. on May 15. Officials said they hope to sell 11,000 tickets. The festival is scheduled for Feb. 15-16, 2019. KAABOO Cayman will be supporting the National Gal- lery, Feed Our Future and the Cayman National Cul- tural Foundation, along with MusicCares, a Recording Academy program that has been a partner in the KAABOO Del Mar festival in California. In a follow-up email, of- ficials said the nonprofits would be able to sell passes and keep a portion of the proceeds. They also said they are planning a silent auction during the event to help raise additional funds. The Del Mar event has partnered with local artists to promote their work. A portion of the sales of those pieces goes toward supporting the Southern California non- profits it is aligned with. “It is our belief that local charitable organiza- tions share our own brand purpose of affecting posi- tive change in a community,” KAABOO Chief Brand Of- ficer Jason Felts said in the release. “The KAABOO Kind- ness program originated in 2015 and has had a great im- pact in Southern California to date. We are pleased to extend KAABOO’s charitable alignments into the Cayman Islands and beyond.” Organizers are promoting the event here as Five Senses Under the Sun. In addition to music and comedy acts, the festival will have an art el- ement with an on-site con- temporary exhibit and large- scale outdoor murals and installations, gourmet food and craft libations, a spa area where attendees can get massages, haircuts and skin treatments, and sepa- rate day/nightclub adjacent to Seven Mile Beach. For more information about KAABOO Cayman, visit www.kaaboocayman.com. MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Appleby, The Guardian newspaper and the BBC an- nounced they have settled a lawsuit brought by the off- shore law firm against the British media organizations in the wake of the so-called “Paradise Papers” coverage that was based on docu- ments that Appleby said were stolen from the firm in a cyberattack. In the suit, Appleby claimed a breach of confi- dence by the media organi- zations and sought a per- manent injunction against further use of the infor- mation, as well as the dis- closure and return of the documents. In a joint statement, the companies said “they have re- solved their differences in re- lation to Appleby’s breach of confidence claim against The Guardian and the BBC.” The offshore law firm maintained that the main objective for bringing the proceedings was to under- stand which of its confi- dential and privileged doc- uments had been taken to be able to respond “mean- ingfully” to clients, regula- tors and colleagues about exactly what information has been taken. According to the joint statement, The Guardian and the BBC have assisted Appleby, “without compro- mising their journalistic integrity,” by explaining which of the law firm’s doc- uments the media orga- nizations used. Michael O’Connell, group managing partner of Ap- pleby, said, “From the outset we wanted to be able to ex- plain to our clients and col- leagues what information of theirs had been stolen. That was our duty. As a result of this legal action, we are well on our way to achieving our objectives.” The documents were first obtained by the German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zei- tung, which shared them with the U.S.-based Interna- tional Consortium of Inves- tigative Journalists (ICIJ). The ICIJ then coordinated the Paradise Papers project with 380 journalists from 96 media organizations in 67 countries. The consortium also in- cluded the New York Times, Le Monde, the ABC in Aus- tralia and CBC News in Canada. However, Ap- pleby only took legal ac- tion in the U.K. In the lawsuit, Appleby claimed the documents used in the Paradise Papers cov- erage were stolen in a data breach and that there was no public interest in the stories published about it and its clients. The Guardian and the BBC, in turn, argued that their “serious and respon- sible journalism” had re- vealed matters that were in the highest public interest and that otherwise would have remained secret. “We welcome this settle- ment which preserves our ability to carry out investiga- tive journalism in the public interest,” a spokesperson for the BBC said. A spokesperson for The Guardian added, “The Guardian’s reporting from the Paradise Papers is inves- tigative journalism that has raised important issues in the public interest.” Details of the settlement remain confidential, but the settlement statement does not refer to any requirement to pay damages. Data belonged mainly to fiduciary business The joint statement also noted that most doc- uments belonged to the trust and fiduciary arm of the group and were not le- gally privileged. “It is now clear that the vast majority of docu- ments that were of interest in the Paradise Papers in- vestigation related to the fi- duciary business that is no longer owned by Appleby and so were not legally privileged documents,” the statement said. Appleby’s fiduciary busi- ness was spun off in a man- agement buy-out in 2015 and now trades as Estera. Farah Ballands, the chief executive officer of Estera, contacted clients on Oct. 25 informing them in an email that “a very small number of our clients have been ap- proached by media organi- zations that appear to have accessed historical and con- fidential information.” The clients were affected because Estera’s data was still stored on Appleby’s com- puter systems at the time of the data breach. “At the time of the secu- rity incident, Appleby con- tinued to host Estera’s data on its servers as part of a transition period post sepa- ration,” the email explained. Estera said it has since es- tablished a fully standalone, independent IT system. “As normal media prac- tice is for approaches to be made before publication, we believe that if you have not been contacted by the press, you are unlikely to feature in any upcoming coverage,” the October email said. According to the joint statement, The Guardian and the BBC have assisted Appleby, “without compromising their journalistic integrity,” by explaining which of the law firm’s documents the media organizations used. Jason Felts, chief brand officer for the Kaaboo festival Michael O’Connell, Appleby group managing partnerThe 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” At age 35 (Who’s counting? We are!), Batabano seems to have a magical or mystical quality not just to stay young but to keep young all Cayman Islanders who participate with abandon in the much-anticipated annual event. This past weekend, hundreds of participants – and thousands more along the parade route – were treated to a kaleidoscope of colors and costumes, magnificent floats, musical rhythms and (albeit celes- tial) blues (the weather, a threat in the morning, by afternoon was no threat at all). What a perfect day for a Caribbean carnival! We would be remiss – as would the entire Cayman Islands – if we did not single out, recognize and applaud the decades-long work of the undisputed queen of Batabano – Donna Myrie-Stephen. There is no other; she has no peer. Miss Donna – no stranger personally to pageants (she is a former Miss Cayman Islands) – has struggled, battled and even begged (when it came to securing sponsors) on behalf of her beloved Batabano. It is irresistible not to say that anyone trying to equal, or even emulate, what Miss Donna has done for Batabano should trying walking the proverbial “mile in her shoes.” (Most insiders will get the double-entendre: Miss Donna, in her “day job,” is the proprietress of Le Classique Shoe Boutique, where many of Cayman’s most stylish shoppers head before stepping out on the town.) We are especially pleased to report that among the newcomers to Batabano this year were our new governor Anwar Choudhury and his wife Momina. No governor has hit “more keys on the keyboard,” as one veteran governor-watcher told us, than Governor Choudhury and his family in getting to know the people and the culture of the Cayman Islands. They seem to be everywhere at the same time – we do not know how they do that – but it’s to their credit, and our benefit, that they have so quickly become a part of their adopted community. Anyone who missed out on Batabano (and all those eager to go “another round”) will have less than two weeks to wait, as flocks of mas players will again take over West Bay Road on Discovery Day weekend as part of CayMas Carnival. And let’s not forget the Sister Islands “Braccanal,” which also will take place the long weekend of May 18-21. Veteran carnival watchers claim no regional festival surpasses Braccanal in the “wiggle and jiggle” category, so “parental guidance” cautions are in order … Governor Choudhury perhaps spoke for most when he told the Compass he hoped the organizers of Batabano and CayMas could put their differences aside and going forward combine their events into “one big party; we’re always stronger as one.” We agree. Two similar events in such close prox- imity are not in either entity’s best interests, nor in the wider interests of sponsors, vendors or the general public. But that is a matter for another time. For now, we cannot close this editorial with words any wiser (because they do not exist) than the title of perhaps the best book ever written on the Caribbean. The author is Herman Wouk. The title, of course, is “Don’t Stop the Carnival.” Congratulations to Batabano: The beat goes on! TUESDAY MAY 8, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR Cruise berthing facility will have negative impact We cannot afford to build a cruise berthing fa- cility in George Town. This is true from both an economic, but more im- portantly an environ- mental perspective. The current coalition government is choosing to blatantly ignore the facts presented to them, and by doing so are putting our beloved isle’s future in jeopardy. Despite an envi- ronmental impact assess- ment (EIA) concluding that the dredging of coral will result in significant ecolog- ical losses, and an, as yet unpublished consultant’s report finding that Cayman will need to attract 2.5 mil- lion cruise passengers per year (requiring a 45 per- cent increase from 2017) to make the cruise berthing facility financially viable, the government is still choosing to progress with the project in secrecy. Economic self-interest appears to be the strongest, and sole motivating force behind the project, with supporters of the cruise berthing facility limited to merchants in town, a small number of tour operators, and the multi-billion-dollar cruise companies them- selves. However, we cannot let the selfish few who will benefit financially have it their way, while the rest of our nation faces the nega- tive consequences. The principal concern with the cruise berthing fa- cility is the devastating en- vironmental impact it will have on the George Town harbor and its surround- ings, with the dredging, construction and opera- tional phases all having se- vere impacts. The current concept is set to directly destroy 15 acres of coral reef (a segment of that area is an established Ma- rine Protected Area), with an additional 15-20 acres set to be impacted indi- rectly. Although supporters of the project will argue this coral can be relocated, coral relocation is prohibi- tively expensive, success is not guaranteed, and the EIA states that it will not achieve “no net loss.” Beyond the numerous environmental impacts of the proposed cruise berthing facility are the obvious economic impacts. The EIA estimates the eco- nomic losses to be US$10 million per year, a direct consequence of the reef de- struction and its impact on the water sports oper- ators that have been op- erating in the area, while also caring for the envi- ronment, for many years. This figure does not even account for the impact the dredging will have on the even more profitable sur- rounding areas such as Seven Mile Beach. Even if we are able to attract the 2.5 million cruise passengers needed to make the project vi- able, which is estimated to cost a whopping $200- 300 million, it is ques- tionable whether our local attractions and infrastruc- ture would be able to sup- port such a large number of daily visitors. With traffic in George Town already at a standstill, and tourist at- tractions such as Stingray City becoming danger- ously overcrowded, accom- modating these additional 800,000 cruise passengers on an annual basis could have an extensive negative impact on the island. One of the biggest chal- lenges with this daily influx of cruise ship passengers is balancing their experi- ences with the experiences of much more valuable overnight guests. The ad- dition of these cruise pas- sengers will result in ad- ditional pressure on diving and snorkeling attractions (as the cruise berthing fa- cility will reduce both the number and quality of coral reefs available for vis- itors and locals alike) and cause overcrowding in al- ready congested areas such as Stingray City and Seven Mile Beach. We cannot af- ford to see a decrease in invaluable overnight visi- tors, who spent an average of nearly CI$1,200 in 2017, compared to the KYD$98 the average cruise ship passenger spent during the same period. With the Department of Environment director Gina Ebanks-Petrie warning that the environmental consequences will be “ex- tremely dire,” newly ap- pointed governor Anwar Choudhury noting that “it is vital that we pro- tect our environment” and the majority of the public being deeply opposed to the project, it is difficult to comprehend why the government is choosing to proceed with the con- struction of the cruise berthing facility. The eco- nomic self-interest of the cruise companies appears to be similar in nature to several MLAs who will de- rive a significant economic benefit from the numerous businesses they operate in George Town. Those MLAs should distance themselves from the process and re- cuse themselves from any matter that concerns the cruise berthing facility. The $200-300 million construction cost for the cruise berthing facility would be much better spent on building new, or im- proving the existing infra- structure, fighting crime, or finishing the incom- plete renovations at John Gray High School. Before this project commences, I propose that the gov- ernment holds a refer- endum, and puts the fu- ture of our beloved isle in the hands of our people – the same people who will have to live with the se- vere consequences of the cruise berthing facility if the government continues down this path. Dominic Dyer With traffic in George Town already at a standstill, and tourist attractions such as Stingray City becoming dangerously overcrowded, accommodating these additional 800,000 cruise passengers on an annual basis could have an extensive negative impact on the island.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MAY 8, 2018 Celebrate Celebrate Celebrate Mother's Mother's Mother's Day Day Day with with with BrunchBrunchBrunch Day Brunch Day Day Day Brunch Day Brunch Day Brunch Day Day Day Brunch Day at at at Brunch at BrunchBrunchBrunch at Brunch at Brunch at BrunchBrunchBrunch at Brunch Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant $45.00 including a glass of Prosecco or Moscato with with with BrunchBrunchBrunch Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Guy Harvey's Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant $45.00 $45.00 $45.00 $45.00 including a glass of Prosecco or Moscato Prosecco or Moscato running from 11-3pm, Sunday May 13th 2018 tel: 946-9000 email: info@guyharveysgrill.com One-fifth of charities register under new law Foster’s breaks ground at Camana Bay BAIL REFUSED FOR BURGLARY ATTEMPT GOVERNMENT PHARMACIES HAVE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES Foster’s Food Fair IGA and Dart Real Estate repre- sentatives broke ground at a new Foster’s store in Ca- mana Bay Friday. Foster’s Food Fair is scheduled to open the 60,000-square-foot store in November next year. Planning permission for the store was granted in September 2017. Upon completion, the new Camana Bay store would be the largest Foster’s IGA location. Once the new store opens, the Foster’s at the Strand and the smaller Bay Market in Ca- mana Bay will be closed, Fos- ter’s Managing Director Woody Foster has said previously. Defendant has three failures to attend court CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Dalton Robinson Jr. ap- peared in Summary Court on Monday, when bail was refused on two new charges. Mr. Robinson, 20, is ac- cused of attempted bur- glary and criminal trespass. Both charges are in rela- tion to the same incident on May 4, involving Calico Jack’s, a licensed premises on Seven Mile Beach. Mr. Robinson is charged with attempting to enter with intent to steal and en- tering without any lawful business therein. Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin said the alleged of- fenses occurred in the early hours of the morning, after the business was closed. The defendant was report- edly seen by a security guard, who called police. Defense attorney Lee Halliday-Davis applied for bail, which was refused by Magistrate Valdis Foldats. He pointed out that Mr. Robertson had three charges of failing to surrender to custody. A check of court files showed that the defen- dant faced a traffic charge but had not attended court on three separate dates. The magistrate set the next mention date for May 22. SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Health Services Au- thority sent out a public ad- visory on Monday warning patients that technical dif- ficulties are causing de- lays in filling pharmacy prescriptions. The HSA is having prob- lems with its pharmacy computer network and tech- nicians are working to mini- mize the delays. Patients requiring medi- cation refills were advised to take their existing pre- scription, with labels in- tact, to any HSA pharmacy. Patients who have at least seven days’ supply of med- ication were encouraged to continue using their ex- isting medicine until further notice from the HSA. “We’re having issues with our network. It’s causing delays in the phar- macy,” said Lisa Parks, com- munications director for the Health Services Authority. “We’re working through it and wanting to let any pa- tients know that if they re- quire immediate prescrip- tions, please bring your existing prescriptions to our location so we can have all the verification informa- tion without having to ac- cess networks.” The HSA filled nearly 397,000 prescriptions last year, and it handles pre- scriptions for customers at Cayman Islands Hos- pital and at the district health centers. Ms. Parks said the phar- macy fills prescriptions for the hospital, the senior citi- zens home, the prisons and boys’ and girls’ homes. Companies urged to register by Aug. 1 deadline Only one-fifth of chari- table organizations have reg- istered as nonprofit organi- zations under a law that was passed last year, according to the Ministry of Finan- cial Services. Failure to register by an Aug. 1 deadline will lead to penalties under the new Non- Profit Organisations Law, the ministry warned. Just 63 nonprofit orga- nizations had registered by April 16. According to the General Registry, there are at least 300 NPOs currently in local operations, a list that incudes sports associations, churches, community orga- nizations and service clubs, the ministry stated in a press release Monday. “Since last July, Registry and the Ministry of Finan- cial Services have hosted nu- merous workshops, appeared on multiple radio shows, and sent multiple direct mails to a contact list of more than 300 potential NPOs,” said Paul Innis, the Regis- try’s head of compliance, in the statement. “We strongly encourage persons to submit their ap- plications for the NPO reg- ister by June 15, so that Reg- istry has time to process them before the legal reg- istration deadline of July 31, 2018. With so many ap- plications outstanding, we want to make sure that there’s no backlog.” The public will be able to see entities that have com- plied with the law in a news- paper advertisement that is scheduled to run on Friday, June 1, according to the press release. Applications to reg- ister can be completed and filed via the Cayman Business Portal. The ministry stated that nonprofit organizations that have not registered can learn about the legal require- ments and receive coun- seling for completing their registrations. The General Registry will hold two-hour registration workshops every Tuesday and Thursday at 5 p.m. at its offices on the ground floor of the Government Administra- tion Building. The workshops, which will be on an appointment basis, begin on Tuesday, May 8, and are expected to last until Thursday, June 28. Or- ganizations that meet the legal definition of a nonprofit organization and register be- fore the deadline will have their $300 application fee waived, the ministry stated. Any nonprofit organiza- tions that miss the July 31 legal deadline will be struck from the Companies Reg- ister and their assets would be vested in the Crown, the ministry warned. There are also penalties for charities if they do not register and con- tinue to operate as a non- profit after the July 31 regis- tration deadline. Those charities will face a $500 penalty for noncom- pliance, plus $10 for every day beyond Aug. 1, 2018, that they fail to apply for regis- tration up to a maximum fine of $3,000, according to the ministry. “The law will not only protect local residents from any potential bad actors but will further align Cayman with global regulatory stan- dards which recognize that serious financial crimes, such as terrorist financing, can occur through NPOs,” Mr. Inniss said. For more information, email Mr. Inniss at paul.inniss@gov.ky. Just 63 nonprofit organizations had registered by April 16. According to the General Registry, there are at least 300 NPOs currently in local operations. At the Foster’s Food Fair groundbreaking ceremony on Friday were, from left, Julian Foster, Stephanie Wight, DECCO President Cameron Graham, Foster’s Food Fair Managing Director Woody Foster, Chichi Foster, Dart Real Estate President Jackie Doak, Ulises Gomez, William Foster, Tanya Foster and John Thistle.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY MAY 8, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS SATURDAY, MAY 12 DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross Mobile Thrift Shop will be in West Bay, at the Lord’s Church Compound, junction of the West Bay Town Hall, 6-10 a.m. SPRING TEA PARTY: St. Ignatius School Courtyard, 2:30-5 p.m. $5 ticket includes finger food, entertainment and a chance to win great door prizes. Contact 949-6797. BREAKFAST FOR DINNER: Kiwanis Breakfast for Dinner, from 6:30 p.m. at the Marriott. The evening begins with a Champagne reception followed by a three-course breakfast, a fashion show and music. Dress code is smart casual but pajamas are encouraged. Benefits the Buy a Kid Breakfast program. Tickets are $100. Contact 916-8664 or president@kiwanis.ky. EAST END OLDER PERSONS: The Older Persons’ Council is seeking input from older persons and their families through a series of meetings in each of the Cayman Islands’ six districts. The meeting for East End is today, 5:30-7 p.m. at the East End United Church Hall, Gun Bay. Light refreshments will be available. FRIDAY, MAY 18 NATIONAL MUSEUM DAY: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Museum on the Waterfront. Local food and crafts featured. At 11 a.m. guest curator Christine-Rose Smyth talks about the 1938 Oxford Expedition to the Cayman Islands. All are invited. SATURDAY, MAY 19 MUSIC BAZAAR: Concert organized by Cayman Arts Festival featuring jazz, strings, vocalists, youth choir and junior strong orchestra. 6:30 p.m. at Marriott Ballroom. Tickets available at www.caymanartsfestival.com, US$30 adults, US$10 for students. DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross Mobile Thrift Shop will be in Bodden Town Rubis parking lot, 6-10 a.m. SUNDAY, MAY 20 CIMA WALK/RUN: The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority hosts its charity Walk/Run in support of the literacy and numeracy programs in government primary schools. Starts 5:30 a.m. at Elizabethan Square. Register for the 5K walk, 5K run or 10K run. Cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Registration deadline is May 16. Free event T-shirt to first 200. Refreshments included. Prizes awarded to the top finishers. All participants eligible for random spot prizes. For more information or to register, visit www.cima.ky or www.caymanactive.com. SATURDAY, MAY 26 DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross Mobile Thrift Shop will be in East End, close to Pirates Cove Bar, 6-10 a.m. SUNDAY, MAY 27 WIND OF HOPE: 5K Walk/ Run to benefit Nadine Andreas Residential Foster Home. Smith Barcadere. 6:30 a.m., walkers; 6:45 a.m., runners. Timed race. Registration $20 adults, $10 children under 12. Trophies and give-aways. Contact windofhope5K@gmail.com or 328-2850. GENERAL INTEREST CONTRACTORS REGISTRATION: The Builders Board has extended the deadline for all local contractors to register with the board. The contractors’ deadline is now Tuesday, July 31, 2018. This registration requirement is for general and civil contractors, residential and building contractors as well as trade contractors. For fees and registration forms that are available online, contractors should visit www.planning.ky/boards-all/ builders-board. CHILD MONTH: The Department of Children and Family Services celebrates Child Month in May with more than 30 interactive and family friendly events across the Cayman Islands. For the full listing of Child Month events, visit the department’s Facebook page. CADET CORPS: The Cayman Islands Cadet Corps is looking for new recruits, ages 11-16, to join the Band Detachment or the Marine Detachment and School Detachments at John Gray High School, Clifton Hunter High School, Layman E. Scott High School and Triple C School. Program includes drilling, field craft and adventure, navigation, first aid, competition shooting, physical and leadership training, music and band, and water- based activities. For more information, contact the Cadet Corps at 938- 8821/22, 946-9810 or email cadetcorps@gov.ky. On Cayman Brac, call 948-8824 or 938-8824. Website is www.cicadetcorps.ky. EARLY CHILDHOOD FEES: The Ministry of Education provides financial assistance for Caymanian children between 3 and 4 years of age before Sept. 1, 2018, to assist with fees at an early childhood center between September and June 30. Application forms can be downloaded from www.education.gov. ky or collected from the Government Administration Building, the Department of Education Services and all early childhood centres. Contact Renee Barnes at 244-5735, Turnette Stewart at 244-5724 or email ecap@gov.ky. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc., in good condition always needed. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. CERAMIC OPEN STUDIO: Available to adults who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere, Wednesdays 9 a.m.- noon: Watler House Studio, Pedro St. James. $15 pp/$25 pp non-members. Includes use of studio, glazes, and ceramic tools. Kiln and clay orders available for extra fee. To register email ceramics@visualartcayman.com. FARMERS ARTISAN MARKET: Noon to 8 pm Wednesdays. Visual Arts Society artists sell arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand- crafted jewellery, ceramics & more at the VAS tents by Karoo Restaurant. For more info or to inquire about table space email info@visualartcayman.com. ART OPEN CANVAS: At Karoo Restaurant in Camana Bay, Wednesdays 7-11 p.m. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space, beverage ticket. No fee. For more info contact info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. MUSEUM TOURS: The National Museum provides guided tours for students and school groups free of cost. Students will gain an understanding of Cayman’s geological formation, flora and fauna, seafaring and rope-making heritage, political history and more. Contact the museum to book a tour in advance at 949-8368 or email info@museum.ky. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Mondays, 7 p.m. For details, contact Virginia Castillo at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., George Town. All are invited to attend. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacyman.com. GRAND CAYMAN TOASTMASTERS: Club meets each Thursday 6-7:15 p.m. on 3rd Floor, George Town Public Library. Visitors and guests welcome. Local contact is George R. Ebanks, 322- 9369 or Grand Cayman Toastmasters club on Facebook. Email info@ toastmastersclub2686.org. ROTARACT BLUE OF CAYMAN: Meets Wednesdays 6 p.m., at Royal Palms Beach Club, West Bay Road. Contact rotaractblue@gmail.com or www.rotaractblue.org. LEO CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 6:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, contact Secretary Letisha Allen at 924-2819. THE LIONS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. For more information, email LionsClubGCM@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. website at www.rotarysunrise.ky or contact info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at The Wharf Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. Email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. OPTIMIST CLUB: Meets first and third Thursdays at the Hibiscus Conference Room, Cayman Islands Hospital at 6:30 p.m. Learn more at www.optimistcayman.com. THE MODEL AIRPLANE FLYING CLUB: Meets Sundays 2 p.m. at the J. Bodden Marlpit/Old Raceway. Call 916–2327. PARENT AND TODDLER PLAY GROUP: For children from 2 weeks to 4 years. Meets Mondays 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the South Sound Community Centre. Children must be accompanied by parent or helper. Toys, activities, light refreshments provided. $6 per session per family. Email sspg@foxwood.ky. HEARTS THROUGH HANDS: Meets Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to noon at The Family Life Centre, Room 10, Academy Way. Women make crafts for charity and missions. Call 946–3067 or 947–1863. THE WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTRE: Breast-feeding Clinics every Thursday 10 a.m. to noon in the Women’s Health Centre. No appointments, no fees. Phone 244–2649. CAYMAN BRIDGE CLUB: Meets Tuesdays 7 p.m. at Comfort Suites, West Bay Road; Fridays, 9 a.m. at the Rugby Club. For further information, contact Helen Haines at 947-3217 or Alex Wood at 947-3693. BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CLUB: Meets third Wednesday of every month, Governors Square Boardroom at 5:30 p.m. Visit www.facebook.com/ BPWGrandCayman. BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUP: MothertoMother meetings first Tuesday of every month, 3-4 p.m. outside Women’s Health Centre at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Children welcome. Contact Women’s Health Centre at 244-2649. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. National Museum Day will be held on May 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MAY 8, 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 May 12th - May 18th, 2018 Untreated biomedical waste dumped at Brac landfill A flock of chickens was in the pit, with hundreds of other chickens roaming about the rest of the landfill. Typically, the Department of Environmental Health in- cinerates medical and other infectious waste before dis- posing it at the landfill. This is in keeping with section 6(5) of the Public Health (In- fectious Waste) Regulations, which states, “Infectious waste may be disposed of in a sanitary landfill after it has been treated. Incineration and steam sterilization are the pri- mary treatment methods.” However, the incinerator at the Cayman Brac landfill has been broken since April 11. When the Compass in- quired into what was being done to ensure that the med- ical waste is being disposed of safely, the Department of Environmental Health re- sponded that it is placing the waste in a trench. “The Department of En- vironmental Health has pre- pared a trench of 10x10 ft dimensions for the storage of biomedical waste. This trench is layered with soil as often as is practicable,” the Department of Environ- mental Health, which is re- sponsible for disposing of the waste, told the Compass last week. “The DEH’s top pri- ority is to protect the envi- ronmental health of our citi- zens, businesses, visitors, and employees. To this end, plans are currently under way to in- crease the level and frequency of coverage within this area. The most recent delivery of medical waste was yesterday (Wednesday, May 2, 2018). The trench is scheduled to be cov- ered with another layer of soil on Thursday, May 3, 2018.” The department also said parts to fix the incinerator are being sourced from over- seas, but did not say when the incinerator will be back up and running. The Health Services Au- thority, for its part, stated that it follows local regula- tory standards and interna- tional best practice in the disposal of medical waste generated at all its facilities, including Faith Hospital. “The Faith Hospital bags the medical waste and as- sembles it in a designated area for handling and dis- posal by the Department of Environmental Health (DEH),” the Health Services Authority stated, later adding, “Treating waste is not the remit of the HSA. I would suggest reaching out to the DEH for further comment.” The Department of En- vironmental Health did not respond to questions about how – given that the waste is not being treated in the in- cinerator – the medical waste is being disposed of in ac- cordance with the public health regulations. Health and Environment Minister Dwayne Seymour did not respond to calls or messages seeking comment. The disposal of un- treated medical waste at landfills poses a health risk to residents, and especially to workers at landfills, ac- cording to public health ex- perts. Risks include that workers could be cut and ex- posed to infectious diseases. In the case of the Cayman Brac landfill, the public health risk is compounded by the presence of hun- dreds of chickens, which can potentially spread dis- eases they contract from the medical waste. “Chickens can carry a va- riety of infectious diseases that they could pick up from medical waste, including sal- monellosis, campylobacteri- osis and bird flu, but likely many others if they are ac- tually feeding on the waste,” said Tim Ford, a professor of environmental health sci- ences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “An- other concern is if the landfill is unlined is transmission of a wide variety of pathogens to groundwaters, antimicro- bial and virulence genes, etc.” Biomedical waste should be stored in a manner and lo- cation that protects it from water, precipitation, wind and animals, and does not provide a breeding place or food source for insects or ro- dents, according to a guide published by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The Cayman Brac landfill’s incinerator, which is used to sanitize biomedical and other infectious waste, has been broken since April 11. - PHOTO: KEN SILVA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Saudi airstrikes hit presidency building in Yemen, killing 6 SANAA, Yemen (AP) – Air- strikes by the Saudi-led co- alition fighting Yemen’s Shiite rebels targeted the presidency building in the heart of the Yemeni cap- ital on Monday, leaving at least six people dead and 30 wounded, according to health officials. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not au- thorized to brief the media, said the six killed were all civilians. It was not known if there were any Houthi rebel leaders present at the time of the airstrikes in Sanaa or if any were killed or wounded. The three-floor presi- dency building was com- pletely flattened, while sur- rounding buildings in the city’s busy Tahrir district – including a famous five-star hotel – were heavily dam- aged. Cars were charred and pools of blood covered the pavement. Many were believed to have been buried under the rubble, as ambulances rushed to the area to re- trieve the casualties. Saudi officials later said they had targeted high- ranking rebel officials who had been there and that sev- eral must have been killed. “Intelligence was behind this targeting of the presi- dential palace in Sanaa, and Houthi leaders were there,” Col. Turki al-Maliki told a press conference in Riyadh. The Norwegian Refugee Council, an aid group oper- ating in Yemen, said it was “appalled by Saudi-led co- alition strikes on a highly populated business district in Sana’a earlier today.” “We abhor the ongoing use of violence to intimidate civilian populations under the guise of efforts to pro- tect them. Yemeni people are not collateral. Adherence to the laws of war is not op- tional,” Suze van Meegen, the group’s acting country director, said in a statement. The Saudi-led coali- tion has been at war with the Houthis since 2015, hoping to restore the coun- try’s internationally rec- ognized government. The war has killed over 10,000 people and driven 3 million from their homes. Last month, the coali- tion killed a top Houthi leader, Salah al-Sammad, in the Red Sea port city of Ho- deida. Al-Sammad was also the acting president of the territory under rebel control. The Houthis’ leader, Abdel- Malek al-Houthi, has mostly kept out of the public eye, addressing Yemenis only in occasional newscasts on rebel-run outlets. Monday’s airstrikes ap- peared to have targeted al-Sammad’s successor, Mahdi al-Mashat. Witnesses described a scene of devastation. One resident said he saw a body thrown by the force of the blast against a shop and a car washer killed by shrapnel. The eyewitnesses spoke on condition of ano- nymity, fearing reprisals. Windows of surrounding houses were shattered, while the nearby Sheba hotel had its entrance door blown out. Security forces cordoned off the area and kept journalists from approaching. The sprawling presi- dency compound consists of several buildings walled off from the rest of the district. Images that surfaced on social media in the af- termath of the strikes show bloodied faces of the wounded and columns of smoke rising over Sanaa.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY MAY 8, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS expired license coupon. In another incident, a taxi driver was alleged to have “di- verted passengers” by telling them the Royal Palms had closed and offering to take them somewhere else instead. In some cases, errant drivers were warned, placed on probation or suspended. In other cases, the Public Transport Board simply took note of the complaint or was unable to follow-up because insufficient information was provided. The most serious incidents, including vehicle collisions and drivers oper- ating without a license, were referred to police. The vast majority of com- plaints were in relation to the public mini buses. Many of the files appear to have been generated by public transport inspectors following up on public complaints. Claims of bus drivers failing to follow their desig- nated routes were reported on a weekly basis. Drivers in the eastern districts are accused of turning around in Bodden Town or Frank Sound and skipping stops in North Side and East End, where there are typically fewer passengers. In other cases, inspectors reported, drivers were skip- ping stops in West Bay and operating almost exclusively on Seven Mile Beach on days when cruise ships are in port. In some cases, passengers re- ported waiting an hour or more for a bus. There were also multiple complaints from bus drivers about each other, including rival drivers overtaking to poach passengers, failing to report to the dispatch ser- vice in George Town, and operating outside of their route schedule. In some cases, animosity between taxi or bus drivers spilled over into disputes in front of passengers. One driver told a rival, “Go to hell, you witch” in front of customers at The Ritz-Carlton after she questioned his right to operate at the hotel, ac- cording to a complaint. Another taxi driver was banned from operating at the Kimpton Seafire resort after using abusive language in a dispute with staff. At the George Town bus depot, a driver was pub- licly accused of planning to do obeah, a kind of sorcery, on someone. Another com- plaint alleges a driver threat- ened a rival who he accused of stealing passengers telling him, “Mi a bad man, mi will cut your throat wi’ a razor” in front of passengers. Other complaints involved reckless driving, accidents and near misses. In one case, a woman said the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel and crashed into the bushes. She said her daughter had to wake the driver. According the FOI re- sponse, the driver refused to take a medical and had his driving license pulled by the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’s Licensing. Other complaints in- volved poor customer ser- vice, poor dress – including a driver wearing slippers – and rudeness to customers. One complaint indicated that a driver had a karaoke machine playing in his cab. One driver was reported for charging passengers for repairs after his door handle fell off when they entered the bus. When he was warned that there had been other re- ports about his general con- duct toward passengers, he apparently told the board’s staff, “Tell them to come say that to my face if they have a problem with me.” Another driver was simply cited for being a “grumpy old man.” He was given customer service advice by the Public Transport Board. Taxi, bus complaints give insight into troubled industry Mr. Reid said in summary of his response. Specific re- sponses to each issue given by the port director to each issue raised are included. Hiring budget In response to ques- tions from the auditor gen- eral’s office about expenses incurred during the govern- ment’s 2016/17 budget year, Mr. Reid told auditors that $1.1 million spent on the new hires was well within the $2 million budget provided for the period. In his detailed statement sent to the Compass, Mr. Reid said he still believes these figures to be accurate and had no reason to believe they were otherwise. “On Aug. 31, 2017, the [port] chief financial officer presented his own authored August financial report to the board,” Mr. Reid wrote. “The contents are entirely consis- tent with the facts as I repre- sented and believed them to be. At no time did the chief fi- nancial officer alert me as to whether there were any er- rors or inaccuracies in his monthly reports.” Auditors said the $1.9 mil- lion provided in the budget for Port Authority hiring cov- ered 18 months between July 1, 2016, and Dec. 31, 2017, because the government was operating an unusual 18-month one-time budget during the period. The provided budget in- crease for the new employees was actually $1.3 million on an annual basis, auditors said. Yet the port’s projected annual cost for the new employees it hired during 2016/17 was around $1.7 mil- lion, including healthcare and pension allotments. “This amount exceeds the budgeted annual increase by $400,000 per year,” the audit office report noted. “I cannot explain why the auditors are reporting an ex- cess spend from the 2016/17 budget, in the amount of $400,000,” Mr. Reid said. “As a result of a decision by the Board in the meeting on Aug. 31, 2017, there has been no further recruitment by [the] Port Authority of the Cayman Islands. “I can only surmise, that the auditors have been pre- sented with different finan- cial information, from that which I received and con- tained in the monthly reports of the chief financial officer.” Hiring practices Auditors pointed to sev- eral examples where port employees were hired at sal- aries greater than advertised, as well as instances where people were hired for new positions where no adver- tising was done at all. They alleged that this was done outside of the pro- visions of the newly ad- opted Public Authorities Law, which puts stricter controls over hiring and recruitment within statutory authorities such as the port. However, Mr. Reid said the provisions of that law had not come into force at the time most of the hires covered in the auditor’s re- port were made. “There has been criticism that, in certain instances, I was in breach of [the] Public Authorities Law,” Mr. Reid said. “The fact that most of my decisions regarding recruit- ment took place before the law came into force, is highly relevant for explanation. Fur- ther, this is a new piece of leg- islation (not a revision of a previous law) and neither my- self nor other members of the Authority, had any training until December 2017.” The auditors’ concerns about port hiring decisions in- cluded a number of situations between late 2016 and 2017: ■■ A deputy director for human resources was paid at a salary scale above the advertised range of $88,000 to $125,000 per year for a post that did not origi- nally exist in the port’s 2016/17 budget. Three other Caymanians scored higher than the successful candidate on the inter- view matrix used for the position, auditors said. ■■ A port employee was pro- moted to deputy director- chief logistics officer without the position being advertised and at a higher salary than the range used for port deputy directors. This position also did not exist within the 2016/17 budget, auditors said. ■■ A manager for opera- tions and events was hired without an inter- view process, and the successful candidate was not required to submit medical exam forms or police clearances as is normal practice. ■■ Another port employee was promoted to deputy director/chief operating officer with no notifi- cation or internal ad- vertising for the job. ■■ A port manager received a salary increase of $21,000 per year after completing the probationary period on the job, putting the overall salary well in excess of the position’s advertised pay. ■■ An office manager hired in 2016 was paid above the advertised salary range, but quit the job two months later. This led to a situation where another person was recruited, at a higher salary, without ad- vertising the job. This was done without consulting the port’s human resources manager, auditors said. Boat engine ‘theft’ The report alluded to other non-budget related in- cidents involving port staff, including what it termed the “theft of four boat engines” from Harbour House Marina in George Town. No date is given for the in- cident, but it is alleged that port employees removed four engines being stored at the ma- rina, valued at $6,000, without prior authorization to do so. “No one claims to be aware of authority being given to release these en- gines,” auditors stated. The report then opines that the actions of the authority employees, without authoriza- tion, “would suggest theft.” “But there is no evidence of further actions being taken by senior management in spite of knowing of this loss following its reporting by the manager of cruise operations and secu- rity,” the report states. Mr. Reid acknowledged the auditor’s comments that he gave no authority for anyone to remove the engines. “Although this matter is ongoing, it clearly identifies the need for an asset manage- ment policy,” he said. “Asset management is the responsi- bility of the chief financial of- ficer and, as such, that office will be accountable for devel- oping and delivering a draft asset management policy for the board’s consideration.” Redecorating The port paid $135,773.62 for furniture, decorations and upgrades to two manager’s offices during the 2016/17 budget year, including the port director’s office, audi- tors reported. These expenses do not ap- pear in the Port Authority’s capital costs [$2.7 million budget] for 2016/17, nor was any business case done to justify the need for these ex- penses, the report states. Purchase orders were found for $14,332 for office furniture and accessories, $90,514 for patio and office development “upgrades” and an additional US$37,716.16 [CI$30,927.62] in “design costs” for items including rugs, vases, lounge chairs, ot- tomans, and dining tabes. The board of directors did not approve the purchase of any of these items, auditors said, nor was any bidding done to consult alternate suppliers for the items before their purchase. During the time the ren- ovations were being done, Mr. Reid said he had taken a smaller office and that a meeting room had been cre- ated which needed furniture. He said his patio door in the office had deteriorated and also needed replacing. “Unfortunately, these addi- tional expenses escalated the costs beyond what is required for tender,” Mr. Reid said. “During the period of this ren- ovation, I was performing the role of port director, deputy director, cargo operations, port engineer, facilities manager and project manager. This re- sulted in me being conflicted, having in effect, to authorize and certify my own work.” He said employing a fa- cilities manager, as the port has now done, should pre- vent similar situations from occurring in the future. Employee travel Between March 2016 and March 2017, a Port Au- thority employee, who was not identified, was authorized to take a total of 63 days off for the stated purpose of at- tending then-Leader of the Opposition McKeeva Bush on various travel. The trips ranged from five to 15 days and all appeared to have been approved by the port director. The Cayman Islands gov- ernment service allows em- ployees who are representing the islands in cultural, sporting or other events to be granted “special leave” out- side of their normal vacation or bereavement leave time. However, auditors note there was nothing autho- rizing the port to grant leave to an employee to “travel/as- sist the Leader of the Oppo- sition.” In documentation at- tached to the auditor’s report, it appears the employee trav- eled with Mr. Bush on certain occasions as a “driver.” The audit later notes the employee was placed on suspension for about four months between June 2017 and October 2017, but this was over a separate matter. “My only explanation is that I was placed in a diffi- cult position, to which I felt compelled to agree and was not entirely comfortable,” Mr. Reid said. “In view of his public standing, I assumed that Mr. McKeeva Bush’s re- quests were matters of signif- icant importance and simply felt bound to agree.” Port report: Staff cost overruns, office upgrades, ‘theft’ of motors The report details a number of questionable employment practices occurring between 2016 and 2017, including a reported misstatement of how much was spent to bring in new hires for the authority – staff costs that went $400,000 over budget in one year. Clement ReidSue Winspear In one case, a woman said the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel and crashed into the bushes. She said her daughter had to wake the driver. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MAY 8, 2018 US oil tops $70 a barrel; highest since 2014 U.S. oil prices crashed through the $70-a-barrel mark for the first time since late 2014, foreshadowing costlier gasoline and consumer goods. Analysts are citing concern that Iranian oil exports will fall if the U.S. withdraws from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The family of the Late Kirkland Nixon regrets to announce his passing on Monday, 30 April, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will take place at Lion’s Centre 2:00 PM Sunday 13 May, 2018. Viewing will be from 1:00 PM prior to the service. Interment will follow in Tall tree Cemetery. Russia’s Putin sworn in for 4th term; vows economic reforms Britain hopes to address Trump concerns on Iran nuclear deal KILAUEA VOLCANO CLAIMS MORE THAN TWO DOZEN HOMES IN HAWAII WASHINGTON (AP) – Britain’s ambassador to the U.S. said Sunday his country believes it’s still possible to address President Donald Trump’s concerns about the Iran nu- clear deal in time to pre- vent him from pulling out of the agreement. Kim Darroch said Britain has ideas for dealing with those concerns. They include Iran’s ballistic missile pro- gram and its involvement in Mideast conflicts, issues that aren’t part of the interna- tional agreement. Trump also objects to the accord’s sunset clause, which allows Iran to resume part of its nuclear program after 2025. “We think that we can find some language, produce some action that meets the pres- ident’s concerns,” Darroch told CBS’ “Face the Nation.” The deadline for Trump’s decision is this coming Saturday. Britain’s foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, has sched- uled talks with U.S. officials in Washington this week. His trip follows visits in re- cent weeks by the leaders of France and Germany, who also tried to convince Trump to stick with the agreement. All three European countries signed the 2015 deal, along with Russia and China. In an op-ed Sunday for The New York Times, Johnson wrote that the agreement of- fered the fewest disadvan- tages of all the options avail- able. “It has weaknesses, certainly, but I am con- vinced they can be reme- died. Indeed at this moment Britain is working alongside the Trump administration and our French and German allies to ensure that they are,” he wrote. Iran’s president warned Trump on Sunday that leaving the nuclear deal would be a “historic regret.” The chairman of the House Armed Services Com- mittee also advised against pulling out of the accord without a clearer idea of the consequences and urged Trump to give the Europeans time to address his concerns. “So maybe the best thing is for the president to delay a bit more his deadline of this month and put the French and the British up to the test about whether it is possible to get this other sort of agreement,” Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said on “Fox News Sunday.” PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) – Ha- waii’s Kilauea volcano has destroyed 26 homes since it began spewing lava hun- dreds of feet into the air last week, and residents who evacuated do not know how long they might be displaced. The decimated homes were in the Leilani Estates subdivision, where molten rock, toxic gas and steam have been bursting through openings in the ground cre- ated by the volcano. An- other four unspecified structures were covered by lava, officials said in re- vised figures issued Sunday. Some of the more than 1,700 people who evacu- ated were allowed to briefly return to gather medicine, pets, and other necessities. They will be able to do so each day as long as author- ities believe it is safe. Lava has spread around 387,500 square feet sur- rounding the most active fissure, though the rate of movement is slow. There was no indication when the lave might stop or how far it might spread. “There’s more magma in the system to be erupted. As long as that supply is there, the eruption will continue,” U.S. Geological Survey volca- nologist Wendy Stovall said. About 250 people and 90 pets spent Saturday night at shelters, the Amer- ican Red Cross said. The number of lava- venting fissures in the neighborhood has grown to as many as 10, Stovall said, though some have quieted at various points. Scientists expect the fis- sures to keep spewing. The lava could eventu- ally be channeled to one powerful vent while others go dormant, as has hap- pened in some previous Ha- waii eruptions, Stovall said. Kilauea, one of the world’s most active vol- canoes, has been erupting continuously since 1983. The USGS’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is- sued a notice in mid-April that there were signs of pressure building in under- ground magma, and a new vent could form on the cone or along what’s known as the East Rift Zone. Leilani Estates sits along the zone. The crater floor began to collapse on April 30, trig- gering earthquakes and pushing lava into new under- ground chambers that car- ried it toward Leilani Estates and nearby communities. On Friday, a magnitude-6.9 earthquake hit the area. It was Hawaii’s largest earth- quake in more than 40 years. Noah and Laura Dawn own a retreat center about 3 miles downhill from the volcano. They are relocating up the coast indefinitely. “We’re just removing all things of value to us and precious things because I have the feeling it could get real – real, real fast,” Noah Dawn said. MOSCOW (AP) – Vladimir Putin took the oath of office Monday for his fourth term as Russian president, prom- ising to pursue an economic agenda that would boost living standards across the country. In a ceremony in an ornate Kremlin hall in Moscow, Putin said improving Russia’s economy following a recession partly linked to international sanctions would be a primary goal of his next six-year term. “Now, we must use all existing possibil- ities, first of all for resolving internal ur- gent tasks of development, for economic and technological breakthroughs, for raising competitiveness in those spheres that determine the future,” he told thou- sands of guests standing in the elaborate Andreevsky Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace and two adjacent halls. “A new quality of life, well-being, secu- rity and people’s health – that’s what’s pri- mary today,” the 65-year-old leader said. Although Putin has restored Russia’s prominence on the world stage through military actions – including intervening in Syria’s war to help President Bashar Assad – he has been criticized for in- adequate efforts to diversify Russia’s economy away from its dependence on oil and gas exports or develop the coun- try’s manufacturing sector. “Russia should be modern and dy- namic, it should be ready to accept the call of the times,” he said. In his speech, he made only brief reference to Russia’s international role, saying “Russia is a strong, active, influ- ential participant in international life. The security and defense capability of the country is reliably ensured. We will give these matters the necessary con- stant attention.” He acknowledged that the challenges facing Russia were formidable “but we all remember well that, for more than a thousand years of history, Russia has often faced epochs of turmoil and trials, and has always revived as a Phoenix, reached heights that others could not.” Putin held onto the presidency in March’s election when he tallied 77 per- cent of the vote. Putin has effectively been the leader of Russia for all of the 21st century. He stepped down from the presidency in 2008 because of term limits, but was named prime minister and continued to steer the country until he returned as president in 2012. He became acting president on New Year’s Eve 1999 following the surprise resignation of Boris Yeltsin and was elected to his first four-year term in 2000. The ceremony Monday was covered in assiduous detail on state television. It showed Putin working at his desk in his shirt sleeves, then donning a suit coat to begin a long walk through the corridors of the Kremlin’s Senate building, then boarding a limousine for a short drive to the Grand Kremlin Palace. Thousands of guests stood in the three halls for the inauguration. One of the most prominent was former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who is now chairman of Russia’s state oil com- pany Rosneft and one of the most prom- inent Western voices arguing for an end to sanctions against Russia. Schroeder stood with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Putin prominently shook hands with him after the speech. Soon after the ceremony, Putin issued an order formally dissolving the Cabinet but nominated Medvedev to serve again as prime minister. The lower house of parliament is to vote on whether to ap- prove him on Tuesday. It was not clear when other ministe- rial posts would be decided or if signifi- cant ministers might be replaced. Vladimir Putin enters to take the oath during his inauguration ceremony as new Russia’s president in the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, Monday. – PHOTO: AP A new volcanic fissure erupts in Leilani Estates in Pahoa, Hawaii on Saturday. – PHOTO: APNext >