SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOX FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS When Harry met Meghan (Markle) Love is in the air as the Royal Wedding approaches B5 Met Gala brings the shimmer New Yorkers were treated to celebrities wearing their finest on May 7 B6 Events Art & Culture Events Mother’s Day Whether you book a brunch, or treat her to flowers, show Mom you care this weekend B2 ■ MOVIES ‘Canvas’ film pr emiere Local filmmaker screens his latest creation this Saturday. B7 PJs in public Kiwanis Breakfast for Dinner event encourages casual attire B3 FOR THE MONTH OF MAY 20% OFF 750mL & 1L Blanco. Reposado. Añejo. 100% Blue Weber Agave. STOLI FLAVOURS 2 for $56 Until 31 July Fine Wine & Spir its TORTUGA CAYMAN WEEKENDER ‘Canvas’ film premiere EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 USING CAYMAN’S CHARITIES AS PAWNS IN A ‘RIGGED GAME’ High of 87 Low of 75 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY Quad patrols planned to fight crime on the beaches JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Police officers on quad bikes could soon be patrol- ling Seven Mile Beach in an effort to clamp down on crime against tourists. Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne hopes to ac- quire the motorized all-ter- rain vehicles to give commu- nity officers and sniffer dogs better access to the beach. Mr. Byrne, one of the guest speakers at the Cayman Islands Tourism Association annual general meeting Wednesday, said he wants to bring high vis- ibility policing to tourist areas, including the beach, amid reports of thefts, drug dealing and other nuisance crimes against tourists. He told business owners during the meeting at the Westin hotel that the Cayman Islands had a Primary students take on marine challenge Children at Cayman’s public primary schools are being challenged to show their creativity to win a class field trip to the Central Caribbean Marine Institute on Little Cayman. An anonymous donor has provided funding for three classes from government schools to attend the research center on a three-day, two night field trip. Classes in Years 5 and 6 are being asked to submit a poem, ocean-themed mural, song or message in a “creative format” explaining how much it would mean to them to visit CCMI for the course. Carrie Manfrino, president of CCMI, said the dona- tion made it possible to open up the course to more students than would otherwise be possible. “CCMI has been able to offer hundreds of children full scholarships over the last 10 years thanks to amazing sup- port by this donor. Because of their passion for this pro- gramme, 60 students will receive in-depth access to learning about oceans and coral reefs this year.” Students attending CCMI’s Marine Ecology Course have an up-close experience with a sea turtle on a snorkelling excursion in Little Cayman. - PHOTO: COURTESY OF CCMI BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com A pall has been cast over what was supposed to be a celebratory event in London early next week marking the 60-year anniversary of the Cayman Islands coat- of-arms following a vote in the U.K. House of Commons that many observers be- lieve will do serious damage to Cayman’s financial ser- vices industry. The vote taken on May 1 to amend Britain’s Sanc- tions and Anti-Money Laun- dering Bill seeks to force British Overseas Territories – but not U.K. Crown Depen- dencies – to make registers of company owners public. Cayman already has such a registry, but it may only be accessed via specific re- quests from law enforce- ment or taxation authorities. Although he vehemently After UK ‘betrayal,’ Premier heads to London for private meetings Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS West Shore Center, Seven Mile Beach • 10am to 10pm Fresh, Healthy & Delicious! Cayman Cookin’ Over a Wood Fire! Internati onal Award-Winning Caribbean Chicken! Dine-in! Take-out! Indulge on a feast for 2 to 4 or 6 or more! With an awesome selection of sides to choose from. 945-2290 The annual Balance of Payments (BOP) Survey collects information necessary in recording the Cayman Islands residents’ foreign transactions with the rest of the world. The survey runs from April 9th to June 1st, 2018. Data collected for the BOP survey is CONFIDENTIAL under the Statistics Law (2016 Revision) and EXEMPT from Freedom of Information Law. Foreign Exchange Revenue from Services in 2016, CI$Million For assistance or enquiries, please check www.eso.ky or call 244-4600 or 244-4607. Better Data...Better Decisions…Better Business Business Survey 2018... Your Response Matters! Did the Cayman Islands revenue on export of services increase or decrease? In 2016, total foreign exchange revenue from Cayman’s export of services totalled CI $1.97 billion. TravelFinancial and Accounting, legal Government insurance services & other business and other services 578.3 68.6 751.0 571.8 New Jewish Community Center opens at Seven Mile Shops SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The mezuzot are in place and the ribbon has been cut. The Chabad Cayman Jewish Community Center staged its grand opening on Sunday, welcoming nearly 100 people to Seven Mile Shops to celebrate the birth of the new facility. The center will serve as a communal space for both residents and tourists, and it will also stand as an educa- tional outlet for people of all ages from preschool all the way to adults. Rabbi Berel Pewzner and his wife Rikal Pewzner, co- directors of Chabad of the Cayman Islands, said that this community center was part of their plans from the moment they arrived on Grand Cayman. “Rikal and I have been on island for four years now,” said Rabbi Pewzner, “And we’ve really been blessed to serve this community and to watch it grow along with our family. “When we got here, people asked, ‘Are you going to build a synagogue?’ We thought, ‘We need to get as much ser- vices available for those that are living here and visiting here.’ And primarily educa- tion, because every day in a child’s life is a lifetime. You want to get as much engage- ment in there as possible. Those have been our goals and the new opportunities the center offers are so exciting.” The center, which consists of several rooms, will offer services for preschool stu- dents, teens and continuing education for adults. Mrs. Pewzner said young children will learn in the Gan Eden Playschool, which allows them to play with their peers and simultaneously learn about their heritage. The younger children will learn about Judaism through art and music in addition to more traditional methods, and Jewish teens will be en- couraged to find ways to im- prove their community. “I think it’s experiential,” said Mrs. Pewzner, director of the center’s education pro- grams. “You can read about Israel, but it doesn’t compare to going to visit Israel and seeing the sights with your eyes and smelling the smells of the markets and hearing the music. When you’re in- volved in all the senses, that’s when you really create an experience. And those expe- riences are hopefully posi- tive and will last through their whole lives and form the foundation of all future learning and all their atti- tudes toward Judaism.” Each of the doorways in the center is affixed with a mezuzah, a small parchment scroll that contains the words of the Shema Yisrael, one of the most powerful prayers in the Jewish religion. The children of the local Jewish community have painted a mural of the He- brew alphabet in the Play- school classroom, and Rabbi Pewzner said that the center will offer bar mitzvah lessons and also adult education seminars on the ancient roots of Judaism and its place in the modern world. “The primary purpose is to serve as a home for the ever- growing number of programs and services that we offer for the local Jewish population,” said Rabbi Pewzner. “Our focus is on education and social pro- grams. People many times ask, ‘What is the secret to Jewish survival over thousands of years in so many different cir- cumstances?’ The answer – and it’s not unique to Judaism – re- ally has always been our focus on education and also passing on the traditions from one gen- eration to the next.” Rabbi and Mrs. Pewzner stressed that several people – from interior designers to ar- chitects and contractors – of- fered their services gratis or at steep discounts to make the center happen. The center’s new logo – a combination of a menorah and a palm tree – is meant to symbolize the re- silience of the Jewish people throughout the generations. For Rabbi Pewzner, it’s a thrill to see the Jewish community growing in Cayman and to anticipate where it can go in the years to come. “We’re very blessed to live on this wonderful island that welcomes and accepts people of all faiths, nationalities, backgrounds and religions,” he said. “Cayman is truly a blessed place.” Rabbi Berel Pewzner and Rikal Pewzner stand in front of a mural of the Hebrew alphabet. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY From left, Rikal and Rabbi Berel Pewzner stand with Mike Stroh of Trio Design and Dr. Bella Beraha-Stroh at the grand opening of the new community center. - PHOTO: MICHAL BEN ARIThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 Each office independently owned and operated. RE/MAX Cayman Islands, 7 Mile Shops, Grand Cayman. CIREBA Member. MLS# 406232-406246 * Butterfield special financing for qualified purchasers. 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S HO W HOM E S NO W OP E N L U X UR IO U S L I V I N G O N T HE W A T E R F RO N T 10% DOWN WITH NO PAYMENTS UNTIL COMPLETION!The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 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” The altruistic individuals who comprise the Cayman Islands charitable community toil tirelessly (and for the most part, for no pay) to make our community safer, kinder and healthier. Through a network of an estimated 300 nonprofit orga- nizations, including sports associations, community groups, service clubs and charitable entities, Cayman’s “Mother Teresas” feed the hungry, raise funds for medical research and minister to the infirm. They clean up neighborhoods, reefs and beaches, support young people and struggling families, and offer comfort and companionship to our elders. In other words, through their good deeds, our non- profits fulfill a litany of societal obligations that, in many cases, rightfully fall within the aegis of government, but have been left unattended. That is our view. But after reading the severely worded email sent this week from the Ministry of Financial Services and Home Affairs, one would be forgiven for thinking our nonprofit community constitutes a syndicate of criminals, thieves and money-laundering terrorists. Their “offense?” A failure to rush to comply with an absurd law rubberstamped by local legislators to appease foreign powers who, over the years, have proven unappeasable. Specifically, a primary purpose of passing the Non-Profit Organisations Law was to “tick a checkbox” on the require- ments list promulgated by inspectors from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force, an intergovernmental body with the grandiose-sounding goals of combatting potential money laundering and terrorist financing. Cayman’s new law (which, in September 2016, while it was still in bill form, we said “deserves a decent burial”) requires nonprofits to register and submit financial records and information about directors, controllers and owners to the General Registry. Nonprofits that take in more than $250,000 per year and send 30 percent or more of those funds overseas also must have their accounts audited and file the results of that audit with government. The quixotic legislation targets the best-behaving members of our community, for example, the Pink Ladies, Meals on Wheels, Cayman’s ARK, One Dog at a Time, etc. It distracts them from their good works, creates new layers of administrative overhead (and government bureaucracy) and discourages donations from privacy-conscious indi- viduals … and for what? To try to look good for outside organizations that are so inherently opposed to the idea of offshore finance that they will never be satisfied by either appearances or reality. (Exhibit A: The recent “betrayal” of Cayman and other overseas territories by the U.K. Parlia- ment in regard to beneficial ownership registers.) Can our government, or the CFATF, identify one single instance ever in Cayman’s history where a local non- profit was a front or conduit for money laundering or ter- rorism financing? The nonprofit community seems to be speaking with its silence. Despite the government’s efforts and exhortations, as of last month, only 63 nonprofit organizations (roughly one-in-five) had registered under the law. In response, the ministry issued an acrid demand that nonprofits not only abide by the statutory Aug. 1 deadline for compliance – but submit applications no later than June 15, a full six weeks early, to give the registry time to process the paperwork. The at-best tone-deaf statement warned that non-regis- tering nonprofits will be struck off the Companies Register, face fines of up to $3,000, and may have their assets seized. Further, leaders of non-registered nonprofits may be subject to “criminal sanctions.” It seems our government has become confused as to who the “good guys” and the “bad guys” are in Cayman. Let’s be clear. Our nonprofit sector deserves nothing more, or less, than our unequivocal gratitude and support. Who do you think would make wiser use of, say, a $500 contribution: The Pink Ladies or the Cayman Islands government? When it comes to foisting nonsensical and onerous reg- ulations on Cayman’s charitable organizations, here’s what Cayman’s government needs to do: Back off. (And that is being charitable!) – EDITORIAL – Using Cayman’s charities as pawns in a ‘rigged game’ FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Allocating global capital People are more careful in spending their own money than they are in spending other people’s. Even though this core principle about human be- havior has been under- stood for thousands of years, many taxpayers seem to be perfectly comfortable with turning over a significant portion of their wealth to politicians and government bureaucrats to spend their hard-earned money. Then they are shocked when they learn that much of it has been wasted, stolen, or spent on foolish things. Economic growth is largely dependent upon sav- ings being invested in more and better plant and equip- ment and new technologies (i.e. capital formation). The higher the rate of produc- tive investment the higher, the rate of economic growth. The necessary capital invest- ment comes from domestic and/or foreign saving. Coun- tries that have the rule of law and strong protections for private property are more at- tractive to foreign investors than those that have weak economic institutions. In the 19th century, the U.S. was an attractive place for foreign savers to put their money. English inves- tors in particular underwrote the development and expan- sion of U.S. railroads. Some of this investment was wise, and some foolish because the projects were mismanaged or poorly thought out – which are the normal risks of doing business. But the foreign in- vestors could rely on the U.S. courts to fairly uphold their claims, and they had few worries about the gov- ernment seizing their prop- erty – which was not true in many countries. As information more freely flows among countries, it would be logical to expect that the risks of foreign in- vestment would be dimin- ishing rather than increasing. Sadly, this is not the case. Foreign (and domestic) inves- tors are now faced with ever increasing complexity in tax, anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist finance and se- curities laws which add both to costs and uncertainty. Many of the laws are vague and arbitrarily en- forced, so that financial ac- tors cannot know with cer- tainty when they are in compliance. This has caused both financial institutions, their executives, and in- dividual investors to “de- risk,” which means they are investing less in places where the returns could be most attractive. The laws and regulations that unnecessarily interfere with the proper allocation of global capital have the ef- fect of reducing world eco- nomic growth, and job and income growth. That is, they are making the world poorer than it should be. Ironically, international institutions which have been established to pro- mote more productive in- vestment in poorer nations are having in many cases the opposite effect. Institutions like the World Bank, the In- ternational Monetary Fund, the Organisation for Eco- nomic Co-operation and De- velopment and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development now create negative value. The IMF and the World Bank have been around for three-quarters of a century, and the Organisation for Eco- nomic Co-operation and De- velopment for more than half of a century. How many more decades will they need to complete their tasks? The Eu- ropean Bank for Reconstruc- tion and Development was formed in 1991, now more than a quarter of a century ago, to help finance the tran- sition of the former Eastern European and other coun- tries of the Soviet Union. Most of these coun- tries are no longer poor, but middle income. So why do we still have a European Bank for Reconstruction and De- velopment, other than as the lobby for those who get un- necessary subsidized loans, etc., and the 3000 employees with high tax-free salaries? The fact is there is no evi- dence that European Bank for Reconstruction and Develop- ment made much difference. Those countries that were quick to put in the rule of law and protect private prop- erty rights did much better than those who lagged in re- form. As the late great devel- opment economist Lord P.T. Bauer often noted, if coun- tries have the right policies and institutions, they will at- tract all of the capital they need, and if they do not, no matter how much money they are given, it will be wasted. The U.S., Canada, and Eu- rope, and more recently, Sin- gapore, Hong Kong, etc., did not become rich because of subsidies from development banks. They became rich be- cause at the time of their most rapid development they had the rule of law and pro- tected private property. It was only after they became rich they had the luxury of fiddling with a welfare state. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Develop- ment has devolved into an in- creasingly politicized crony capitalist institution that is subsidized by U.S. and Euro- pean taxpayers. It clearly no longer serves any necessary purpose – and probably never did. It is time to pull the plug. Most of the staff and inter- national bureaucrats who at- tend their splendid dinners in great locations are prob- ably clever enough to find other sources for free meals. Some might even get real jobs in the private sector and be- come productive. As President Reagan used to say, “a government bu- reau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll see ever on this earth.” International in- stitutions are prime ex- amples as they keep rein- venting themselves as an excuse to milk the produc- tive global economy. They all should be given fixed terms and then erased. Richard W. Rahn is chairman of Improbable Success Productions and on the board of the American Council for Capital Formation. © 2018, The Washington Times, LLC. RICHARD W. RAHN Ironically, international institutions which have been established to promote more productive investment in poorer nations are having in many cases the opposite effect. The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS LOM Financial (Cayman) is licensed to conduct Investment Business by the Bermuda Monetary Authority. www.lom.com The future is bright. LOM offers tailored products to suit your needs. We pride ourselves in offering a personalised service and dedicated account managers to give you the flexibility and security you deserve. Contact us today at +1 (345) 233 0100 or info@lom.com Cayman Water ramps up production New tank and desalination plant under construction SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Water is scram- bling to stay ahead of Grand Cayman’s unquenchable thirst for potable water. The private utility com- pany has begun construction on a new water tank and a new desalination plant at its Abel Castillo Water Works fa- cility in order to meet the de- mands posed by Grand Cay- man’s growing population. The tank is nearly com- pleted and will be operational by June, but the new desali- nation plant will not be up and running until December. At that point, Cayman Water will be capable of producing 4.65 million gallons of po- table water a day (with the potential capacity to produce one million gallons more per day in the future), and it will be able to store up to three days’ worth of water. “We decided to go ahead with this about a year and a half ago,” said Manuel Thomaz, the general man- ager of Cayman Water. “We’ve done all the designs, and our plan was to have it ready by the end of this year so we can have more water for the next high season, which is Jan- uary of next year.” The new desalination plant will be capable of pro- ducing two million gallons of potable water per day, but Cayman Water will not push it to that point immediately. It will produce one million gallons a day for a year or two, and then Cayman Water will add the equipment to in- crease its functionality. Construction began on the plant last week, and workers sank 32 piles deep into the ground to support the edi- fice. Mr. Thomaz said that Cayman’s ground is soft and porous, and the piles are re- quired to make sure the plant is on a solid footing and will not shift around in the years to come. “Because of this soil, and because it’s going to be heavy equipment in there, we have to find the bedrock,” he said. “These are concrete piles with metal framing inside. The piles will be sitting on the bedrock, and if you did not have them, over time, the building would just sink a little bit.” Cayman’s three existing desalination plants are able to produce 3.65 million gallons a day, and its seven water tanks have a capacity of 6.75 million gallons. The new tank will add two million gallons of storage. Mr. Thomaz said that Cay- man’s peak demand for water in 2017 was three million gallons a day. The Abel Castillo Water Works facility currently has three water tanks that can each store one million gal- lons, and the West Bay fa- cility has the same capacity. The Britannia site can hold 750,000 gallons. Mr. Thomaz said it is im- portant to always be one step ahead of demand. “We need to be thinking one or two years ahead of what’s going on,” he said. “What can’t happen on this island is that suddenly you need water and you don’t have the water. That can never happen. This plant is abso- lutely crucial to cope with the growing demand that’s going on with this island.” Mr. Thomaz said the con- struction workers will toil six days a week to get the plant running by December, and he said the next step is to pour concrete, flooring, walls and roofs. Cayman Water hopes to begin installing its desali- nation equipment inside the facility by October. Initially, the plant will only have one train of semi- permeable membranes. But as demand ramps up, Cayman Water will have the ability to double the equip- ment and the plant’s capacity. “We’re investing in the fu- ture,” said Mr. Thomaz. “There is no development anywhere in the world that develops without potable water at the right quantity and the right pressure. That’s absolutely crucial. And one of the rea- sons this island is developing so well is because it has very good infrastructure.” Workers are toiling hard to complete Cayman Water’s new water tank and desalination plant. – PHOTOS: ALVARO SEREY The unfinished water tank – due to be completed in June – will have a capacity of two million gallons of storage.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 Freedivers hit new heights by sinking to new depths JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Records have tum- bled in the opening days of the 2018 Deja Blue freed- iving competition. Some of the world’s best breath-hold divers have con- verged on the Cayman Islands for the annual competition, which coincides with the coun- try’s national championships. Already, in the first few days of the tournament, divers have performed seem- ingly impossible feats. Japanese athlete To- moko Fukuda became the fifth woman in history to reach the depth of 100 me- ters (328 feet) on a self-pro- pelled dive. American Nate Leazer held his breath for more than seven minutes in the static breath-hold section of the competition. Brazilian athlete Adriana Brandao set a new national record for her country, swim- ming 109 meters (358 feet) underwater without fins in the Camana Bay pool. Cayman Islands freediver Richard Collett continues to monopolize the islands’ re- cords table. He broke three of his own national records. Mr. Collett, who is now sponsored by water sports equipment company Cressi, said hitting 62 meters (203 feet) on a single breath was his highlight so far. “I’ve been very fo- cussed on becoming the first Cayman athlete to break the 200 feet barrier, so that has been the biggest thing.” He said he had been training six days a week in preparation for the competition “I think most people with a little bit of training can get to 30 meters. To go to 60 meters and beyond takes a lot of work.” There are several other Cayman Islands–based athletes in the competi- tion, including U.S. na- tive Kurt Randolph, a pre- vious winner of Deja Blue. Cayman Islands Freed- iving Association president Jeremy Walton is a judge in the competition. The events culminate with the final round of compe- tition Sunday.Freedivers warm up during the Deja Blue competition. – PHOTOS: PERFORMANCE FREEDIVING INTERNATIONAL DAVID’S DEEP BLUE RESTAURANT May 13th SUNDAY 11am - 3pm Selection include: Charcuterie, House Cured Salmon, Oysters, Roasted Beef, Waffles and much more... Favourite Brunch Selection FOR BOOKING PLEASE CALL: 1 (345) 947-7449 $70 PER PERSON INCLUDING CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH at DAVID’S Richard Collett celebrates becoming the first Cayman Islands freediver to break the 200 foot barrier.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS A Tribute to My Mother - Phyllis Mae Ebanks From Your daughter, Patsy Ruth Thank you for your unwavering, unending love for your family. We are not the same without you. I was truly blessed to have such a close bond with you – sometimes my best friend – always the best mother I could ever ask for. I am sorry that at times ‘I never saw your wings while you were here with me’, but ‘when you closed your eyes and soared to the Heavens, I could hear the faint flutter of your wings as you left’. God’s grace gave you to me for my mother; God’s Love ensures we will be together again one day and never part. When I first opened my eyes and saw your face – Loving began for me. ‘Did I ever tell you that you were my hero?’ ‘Because of you I can fly higher than the eagle – you will always be the wind beneath my wings’ Lovingly missed by your daughters, Patsy and Sharon, and your grandchildren, Shari, Jodi, and Thad Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Mr. John Alfredo Miller III, who passed away on Sunday April 29, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Saturday May 12, 2018 at 1:00 pm at North Side Civic Center, Ocean Drive, North Side. Interment Follows at Miller’s Cemetery. We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Celia Ellen McField, who passed away on Tuesday May 1, 2018. Details of a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Celia Ellen McField, who passed away on Tuesday May 1, 2018. Details of a Thanksgiving Service will be announced at a later date. Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com The family of the Late Ramon Benedict regrets to announce his passing on Saturday, 28 April, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com A funeral service will take place at St. George's Anglican Church, 10:00 AM Saturday, 19 May, 2018. Viewing will be from 5:30-7:00 PM Friday, 18 May 2018 at Bodden Funeral Service, 117 Walkers Rd. Interment will follow in Prospect Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations will be collected for the the Cancer Society. reputation as one of the safest destinations in the region and he aims to keep it that way. He said he was happy with the number of new of- ficers he had been allocated and suggested the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice’s community policing initiative would help improve “high visibility” policing in tourist zones. Mr. Byrne told the Com- pass after the meeting that he was also investigating bringing in “raptors” – a cross between a Segway and a moped – for police offi- cers working along West Bay Road. He said the vehicles would allow officers to move up and down the tourist zone, interacting with people and dealing with issues. Quad bikes are needed for the beachside, he added. “They would get us that access and maneuverability that we need. We could get K-9 units on the beach. We receive complaints about people approaching tour- ists, thefts of property, selling drugs, and we need access to investigate those,” he said. He said police could also support beach inspectors in dealing with more minor infractions, such as dis- putes over vendor activity on the beach. Stran Bodden, chief officer in the Ministry of Tourism; Oneisha Richards, deputy di- rector of the Department of Tourism; Clement Reid, the port director; and Albert An- derson, CEO of the Airports Authority, appeared alongside Mr. Byrne as part of a panel discussion at the meeting. The discussion was of- ficially off-limits to media, but Mr. Byrne discussed his remarks with the Com- pass afterward. Theresa Leacock-Broderick, president of the Cayman Is- lands Tourism Association, said the issue of beach ven- dors was another topic that had been discussed. She said CITA members were told at the meeting that the new Public Lands Com- mission would be appointing inspectors to monitor vendor activity on the beach. Modifications to the beach area are scheduled to include a vendor village with space for 16 vendors – a variety of water sports, food and beverage and deck chair salespeople. The inspectors, budgeted from July, will be charged with ensuring they meet a cer- tain set of standards and stay within their designated areas. They will also be tasked with ensuring no unregulated com- mercial activity takes place on the beach. Ms. Leacock-Broderick said she hoped the inspec- tors would have authority to manage the entire beach ex- perience. She said there was a diverse range of issues, from cleanliness to vending activity to crime, and it made sense to have one focal point for tourist complaints. She said members had also posed questions about the air- port, port and the tourism na- tional plan to the panel, and also heard a state of the in- dustry update from Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell. She added, “The whole point of the panel was to give the members an opportunity to hear from people in key leadership roles affecting the industry, and have the chance to ask them questions.” She said CITA would be re- focusing on its advocacy role, aiming to facilitate regular conversations between mem- bers and government decision makers. The association is also aiming to improve “member services” by providing access to shared resources and infor- mation for businesses. New CITA board elected During the AGM, CITA elected a new set of direc- tors. Though many of the board members retained their positions, there were some new faces. Ms. Leacock-Broderick said she was pleased to have a broad representation of districts, business types and sectors represented on the new board. The board of directors will meet in the coming weeks to appoint an execu- tive committee. The directors are: Theresa Leacock-Broderick and Anne Briggs of Sunset House, representing hotels; Danielle Wolfe of Caribbean Club and Lawrence Haughton of Wyndham Reef Resort, rep- resenting condos and villas: Steve Shienfield of Duke’s Seafood & Rib Shack and Julie Allan of Rackam’s Wa- terfront Bar and Grill, rep- resenting restaurants and nightclubs; Ash McK- night of Go Pro Diving and CJ Moore of Cayman Islands Boat Rentals, representing water sports; Jay Mehta of Netclues, Inc. and Matthew Bishop of Cayman Distributors Group, representing allied and land-based attractions; and Gary Todd of Budget Rent-a- Car and David Carmichael of Caribbean Marine Services, representing the transporta- tion and airlines sectors. The cruise sector is represented by Raymond Hydes of The Turtle Centre. The appointed repre- sentative of the Sister Islands is Mick Maher of the Little Cayman Beach Resort. The immediate past pres- ident is Kenneth Hydes of Dart Enterprises Ltd. KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Utility Regulation and Competition Office has signed a memorandum of under- standing with U.K. researcher SamKnows to study local in- ternet speeds, OfReg telecom- munications regulator Alee Fa’amoe told the Public Ac- counts Committee Wednesday. Mr. Fa’amoe was speaking in response to concerns ex- pressed by PAC members about apparent discrepancies in internet speeds and costs throughout Grand Cayman. According to MLA Chris Saunders, he’s paying more than $120 for 15 million bits of data per second (Mbps) – speeds he said he rarely ac- tually gets – while others are only paying $69 for the same service. Mr. Saunders repeatedly asked what party should be “flogged” for these and other alleged shortfalls of the tele- communications market. Mr. Fa’amoe said that OfReg’s agreement with Sam- Knows will entail the com- pany analyzing local internet speeds to find out whether customers are really getting what they pay for. “It’s through that kind of mechanism that we antici- pate to hold our licensees ac- countable for the quality of service they’re delivering to the customer,” he said. The regulator did not say how much this service will cost, or when an agreement will be finalized with Sam- Knows, which has conducted tests in the U.K., U.S., Europe, and Singapore, according to its website. Much of Wednes- day’s discussions also fo- cused on government’s re- cently announced plans to have the public sector build out its own fiber-optic cable network in the un- derserved eastern districts and make the telecom com- panies pay for it. This plan was announced by Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin in March due to the telecom companies’ failures to pro- vide broadband internet to much of the eastern part of Grand Cayman. Mr. Fa’amoe shed more light on the plan to build a public fiber network in that area. He said that the telecom providers would be re- quired to build their fiber networks eastward from town to a “meet me point,” which would likely be in the Bodden Town area. From there, a public fiber network would extend into the rest of the eastern districts. If a telecom company wants to provide service to a home in that area, it would simply have to connect the home to the curbside of the public fiber network. However, Mr. Fa’amoe did not say how much the net- work will cost or how it will be built. OfReg has stated in the past that it will an- nounce by October whether it will indeed be building out its own network. C3 owner Randy Merren also spoke at the PAC meeting, saying that he supports government’s ef- forts to implement broad- band islandwide. “We support whatever can be done to get to [the] eastern districts as soon as pos- sible,” he said. Mr. Merren also spoke to the difficulties his company and other telecom providers have experienced in ex- panding their fiber networks. According to Mr. Merren, the biggest obstacle has been the high costs in preparing the telephone poles to have fiber hung from them. To prepare the poles for fiber, Caribbean Utilities Company subsidiary Data- Link – the entity in charge of the poles – has to conduct a safety evaluation, which in- cludes CUC linesmen making sure there is adequate space between the fiber cables and the electrical devices on the poles. CUC/Datalink has esti- mated this process to cost around $900 per pole, but the telecom companies have said that price is much too high. According to Mr. Saun- ders, Cable & Wireless has estimated that it should only cost a little more than $400 per pole. “Regulators need to get a grasp on cost of make-ready [for the poles],” Mr. Merren said. “Once that’s done, I think you’ll find us building out as fast as we can – if the poles are clear.” When Mr. Saunders asked Mr. Merren what en- tity should be “flogged” for the poor internet quality in some areas, Mr. Merren named OfReg. “I would start with the regulator. I just don’t have a lot of faith that the regulator is being as hard as he can on these guys,” he said. OfReg to commission study on internet speeds Quad patrols planned to fight crime on the beaches CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A police officer patrols a Brazilian beach on a quad bike. Police quad bike patrols are common sights in some countries. Cayman’s police chief says a similar measure is being considered for Grand Cayman.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 The family of the Late Kirkland Nixon regrets to announce his passing on Monday, 30 April, 2018. 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. disagreed with the vote in the Commons, Premier Alden McLaughlin said this week that he would still travel with a sizable contingent to London for the two-day event honoring the creation of Cayman’s coat- of-arms which was approved by Her Majesty’s command on May 14, 1958. The event in- cludes a reception at the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Monday and a lun- cheon on Tuesday. “Plans are to promote our links with the United Kingdom, as well as tell the fantastic success story of the Cayman Islands,” Mr. McLaughlin said in a speech to the Cayman Is- lands Legislative Assembly on March 16, announcing a two- year slate of events to cele- brate both Cayman’s British heritage and its local culture, which also will mark the 60- year anniversary of Cayman’s original 1959 constitution. On Thursday, Mr. McLaughlin said he intended to use the trip next week to meet with U.K. officials in the wake of the May 1 House of Commons vote. He said he has written to U.K. Prime Min- ister Theresa May to request a meeting during what is ex- pected to be a week-long visit. A number of Cayman leaders will attend Monday’s and Tuesday’s events, including Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush, Opposition Leader Ez- zard Miller, and MLAs Barbara Conolly, Capt. Eugene Ebanks and Chris Saunders. Speaker Bush, not always the U.K.’s most vocal sup- porter within the local govern- ment, said his participation in next week’s events would have “nothing to do with the infamous bill of destruc- tion,” – as he termed the Sanc- tions and Anti-Money Laun- dering legislation. While they will not get a chance to sit in on meet- ings with U.K. officials next week, lawmakers, including Mr. Saunders, were ques- tioning financial services of- ficials Thursday on why Cayman’s lobbying represen- tation in Britain could not be more robust. “The Labour Party has been running a very successful cam- paign against the ‘tax havens’,” Mr. Saunders said during Thursday’s meeting of the Leg- islative Assembly’s Public Ac- counts Committee. “What kind of big guns do we need? It seems like we’re busy looking at the Americans … and we got caught out in the U.K.” Ministry of Financial Ser- vices Chief Officer Dax Basdeo, responding to Mr. Saunders, said he could not suggest that the May 1 House of Commons vote came “as a surprise.” London Office Director Eric Bush publicly warned Cayman about it in January after two previous attempts by the U.K. to insert similar language into financial crime-related bills were defeated in the Commons and the House of Lords. Mr. Basdeo said Cayman had made a “sustained” effort over the past five years to meet with U.K. parliamentarians “in favor and not in favor of the Cayman Islands.” He said the challenge that still remains is “getting in front of the right stakeholder groups.” Public Accounts Committee Chairman Ezzard Miller, who will be attending the London trip next week, urged Cayman law firms and financial ser- vice providers to get behind U.K. lobbying efforts and speak to a wider range of publications rather than just trade magazines. “The average person on the street doesn’t read the in- dustry magazines, we have to start fighting them on their own front,” Mr. Miller said. Neither Mr. Basdeo, whose ministry is respon- sible for government’s role in the financial services in- dustry, nor Financial Ser- vices Minister Tara Rivers will attend next week’s func- tions in the U.K. Ms. Rivers is expected to head to Brussels, Bel- gium, the week after next for meetings with the Eu- ropean Union leadership, where Cayman faces an- other international battle over the EU’s “blacklist” of jurisdictions it believes are noncompliant with existing financial services and tax reporting rules. Cayman has so far managed to stay off the list, following a vote of the EU’s finance ministers last December. Cayman company brings renewable energy to Antigua JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Cayman Islands solar company has signed a US$20 million deal to bring renew- able energy to a small Carib- bean island. The catch is, it’s not Grand Cayman. GreenTech Solar has won a contract to provide 10 megawatts of renewable power to Antigua and Bar- buda by retroactively fitting government buildings, hos- pitals, schools and car parks with wind and solar instal- lations. The deal represents around 10 percent of the is- land’s energy needs. Company owner James Whittaker signed a deal with the island nation’s govern- ment on Tuesday. GreenTech Solar won the contract, the largest renew- able energy deal in Antigua and Barbuda’s history, after a competitive bid process. Mr. Whittaker said his business had identified 30 sites in the country that could be adapted to add solar, wind and energy storage systems. The renewable installa- tions will provide power di- rectly to the buildings they adorn, rather than selling energy back to the grid. “The buildings them- selves are going to use the renewable energy they create,” Mr. Whittaker said. For some buildings, he said, renewable energy could meet almost all of their power needs. For others, such as hospitals or clinics with higher energy use, solar installations might power only 20 percent of the building. He said the multi-year deal was with the country’s government, which also runs the island’s power company. Mr. Whittaker said his company was in talks with two other islands about sim- ilar projects. He said the deal showed that the goal set out in the National Energy Policy of making Cayman a regional center of excellence in re- newable power was realistic. But he said the sector needed more gov- ernment support. He said using solar instal- lations to power government buildings in Cayman was possible, but not without a change in regulations. “The long and short of it is, we don’t have the neces- sary regulations right now to deploy large renewable en- ergy systems on government or commercial buildings. System sizes in Cayman are limited to very small sys- tems of 10 kW or less and the government hasn’t is- sued any RFPs for utility- scale projects. More regu- latory changes are needed in order to deploy renew- ables faster, and I expect the Cayman government to start making a push towards this now that the National En- ergy Policy is being enacted.” He said it was an honor to have been selected among a field of international com- panies for the Antigua and Barbuda contract. “GreenTech Solar’s mis- sion as a company is to play a role in transitioning the Caribbean to a renewable energy future, and this is yet another positive step in that direction. We look forward to working with people of An- tigua and Barbuda for many years to come.” Antigua and Barbuda, in the Leeward Islands, has a population of around 100,000. Editor’s Note: There is no relation between James Whit- taker, the owner of Green- Tech Solar, and James Whit- taker, the writer of this story. After UK ‘betrayal,’ Premier heads to London for private meetings CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 TANZANIA’S MAASAI EVICTED IN FAVOR OF TOURISM, GROUP SAYS KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) – Tens of thousands of Tan- zania’s ethnic Maasai people are homeless after the government burned their houses to keep the sa- vannah open for tourism benefiting two foreign sa- fari companies, a U.S.- based policy think tank charged Thursday. Villagers in northern Tanzania’s Loliondo area, near the Ngorongoro Crater tourism hot spot, have been evicted in the past year and denied access to vital grazing and watering holes, said the new report by the Oakland Institute, a California think tank that researches environmental and social issues. “As tourism becomes one of the fastest-growing sectors within the Tan- zanian economy, safari and game park schemes are wreaking havoc on the lives and livelihoods of the Maasai,” said Oak- land Institute’s Anuradha Mittal. “But this is not just about a specific com- pany – it is a reality that is all too familiar to in- digenous communities around the world.” Allegations of wrong- doing have persisted in re- cent years against Tanzania Conservation Limited, an affiliate of U.S.-based Thomson Safaris, and Or- tello, a group that orga- nizes hunting trips for the royal family of the United Arab Emirates. Young Maasai herders are so afraid of authorities that they “flee when they see a vehicle approach,” thinking it might carry rep- resentatives of foreign sa- fari companies, the Oak- land Institute report said. Responding to the find- ings, Thomson Safaris said the “awful allegations of abuse are simply untrue.” The company invested in Tanzania “in good faith,” director Rick Thomson said in an email Thursday. Concern for the Maasai has been raised at home and abroad by rights groups such as Minority Rights Group International and Survival Interna- tional, which has warned that the alleged land grabs “could spell the end of the Maasai.” Premier McLaughlin said he intended to use the trip next week to meet with U.K. officials in the wake of the May 1 House of Commons vote.Next >