SECTION | PAGE ## TITLE FOR THE SPORT/ BUSINESS SKYBOXMusic Theatre Dining ■ SPORTS Googly over Gooch Legendary batsman Graham Gooch pitches in for charity. B3 Curtain to rise on Annie Jr. Young cast to bring musical to life B5 Mexican in East End Chef Ron Hargrave opens new venture B2 Showcasing Cayman talent ‘Music Bazaar’ to take center stage at the Marriott B6 CayMas A long weekend full of fanciful feathers, fireworks and festivities B7 FRIDAY MAY 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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 Googly over Gooch EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 A SPLENDID DAY FOR A ROYAL WEDDING High of 86 Low of 75 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY MAY 18, 2018 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY Prison inmates pack police jail BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Prison overcrowding on Grand Cayman that was made public about two months ago has gotten worse since then, the Cayman Compass can reveal. At certain times over the past three weeks, between four and 10 remand prisoners from Her Majesty’s Prison, Northward, have been housed at the Royl Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice jail in Fairbanks, George Town, because there is no room left to keep them where they are supposed to be housed. Northward, the adult men’s lockup on Grand Cayman, has a maximum prisoner ca- pacity of 213 inmates. The police jail has a stated capacity of 24 prisoners – two per each cell at the facility. However, the RCIPS has mandated that only one detained person should be kept in each cell for security reasons, meaning a max- imum of 12 prisoners can be kept there at any given time. Police officials said they have been housing remand prisoners at the Fairbanks detention center for the last year, but in recent weeks the problem has worsened. “Over the past month, the average number of HMP prisoners has increased to about seven or eight per night,” an RCIPS statement on the issue indicated. “The maximum we have held for them is 10.” Remand prisoners are those charged with crimes who are being held awaiting trial or the disposition of their matters before the court. They do not include individuals ar- rested by RCIPS officers on any given day who might also need to be held in detention, but who have not been charged with an offense. The law typically allows the police to hold an arrested person without charge for 48 hours before they are released. However, re- mand prisoners can be held longer and if they are occupying cells at the police jail, it means fewer spaces are available for police prisoners. The numbers fluctuate from day to day. On Wednesday evening, prison officials said there were five remand prisoners being held at the Fairbanks jail. By Friday night, that was ex- pected to drop to three. PREMIER MEETS WITH BRITISH PM MAY BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin confirmed Thursday that he participated in a series of private meetings this week with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May and her “de-facto deputy” MP David Lidington to discuss mat- ters surrounding Cayman’s financial services industry and its constitutional arrangement with Britain. Mr. McLaughlin said he met with Ms. May and Mr. Lidington together once and had two follow-up meetings with Mr. Lidington, who has responsibility for constitutional matters. The premier said discussions were on- going Thursday and that he intended to make a public statement concerning the talks after he arrived back in Cayman. Mr. McLaughlin said earlier that he in- tended to meet with Ms. May if possible during a trip to the U.K. this week to cele- brate the 60th anniversary of Cayman’s coat of arms. The trip came on the heels of a disas- trous vote – from Cayman’s perspective – in the U.K. House of Commons that sought to re- quire all British Overseas Territories to adopt public registries of company owners. Cayman has such a registry now, but it is not available to the general public. Access to the current registry is made available only to certain law enforcement agencies and taxing entities upon request. Although Cayman and the 13 other over- seas territories are required by Dec. 31, 2020, to have open public registers of companies’ beneficial owners, the three Crown Dependen- cies of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man will not. If the territories do not adopt the Early start for Cayman royal watchers Anyone in Cayman who wants to tune into the royal wedding Saturday will be in for an early start. Prince Harry, sixth in line to the British throne, and his bride to be, American ac- tress Meghan Markle, will tie the knot at Windsor Castle at noon in the U.K., which is 6 a.m. in Grand Cayman. Well-wishers, some clad from head to toe in Union Jack regalia, were already camped out on the streets of the historic English town of Windsor, Thursday, and visitors are expected to throng the town Saturday to watch the horse-drawn carriage procession that follows the ceremony. The ceremony itself will take place in St. George’s Chapel, within the castle walls, in front of 600 invited guests. Prince William will be best man and his children, Prince Harry’s niece and nephew, 3-year-old Princess Charlotte and 4-year-old Prince George are among six young brides- maids and four page boys. Ms. Markle’s father is apparently unable to attend due to health problems, according to news reports in the U.K. At 1 p.m. (7 a.m. Cayman time) the car- riage procession will begin making its way through the streets of Windsor and back A carriage is driven through the streets of Windsor, England, during a rehearsal Thursday for the procession of the upcoming wedding of Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Preparations are being made in the town ahead of the wedding, which will take place at Windsor Castle on Saturday. - PHOTO: AP PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 »2 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cimboco - A Caribbean Café 94-PASTA (947-2782) Located in the Marquee Plaza Brunch & Breakfast till 3pm Saturday, Sunday & Holiday Monday! Discovery Day Long Weekend For assistance or enquiries, please check www.eso.ky or call 244-4600 or 244-4607. Better Data...Better Decisions…Better Business Business Survey 2018...Your Response Matters! In 2016, the growth rate of Cayman's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was twice that for the USA. How did this change in 2017? The annual System of National Accounts (SNA) survey collects the information necessary to measure the health and performance of Cayman’s economy and its various industries. The survey runs from April 9th to June 1st 2018. Data collected for the SNA survey is CONFIDENTIAL under the Statistics Law (2016 Revision) and is EXEMPT from the Freedom of Information Law. Growth in Real GDP 2007-2016 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 CaymanUSA Rivers to discuss ‘gray list’ in Brussels MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Minister for Financial Ser- vices Tara Rivers will travel to Brussels to discuss Cay- man’s tax system with EU of- ficials after Cayman last year narrowly avoided being in- cluded on a blacklist of coun- tries deemed uncooperative in tax matters. Instead, the European Union included Cayman on a gray list of countries that promised to address “short- comings” in their tax system, identified by the EU, by the end of 2018. Minister Rivers will meet with the Code of Con- duct Group of the European Council, which is responsible for the monitoring of any progress made by blacklisted and gray-listed countries. On Nov. 6, 2017, the Eu- ropean Council wrote to the Cayman Islands government inviting it to cooperate with the Code of Conduct Group and to commit “at a high level” to address EU concerns over Cayman’s tax system. According to the EU, Cay- man’s tax system is not in line with a fair tax criterion that prescribes “jurisdictions should not facilitate off- shore structures or arrange- ments aimed at attracting profits which do not reflect real economic activity in the jurisdiction.” Based on its own tech- nical analysis, the EU con- cluded that its concerns re- late mainly to a “de facto lack of substance, which may be due to the absence of legal substance requirements for entities doing business in or through [the] jurisdiction.” The same technical anal- ysis noted that in Cayman “legal mechanisms exist that enable the granting of advan- tages only to non-residents or in respect of transactions carried out with non-resi- dents, in particular, through the incorporation of enti- ties which are not permitted to carry on business in [the] jurisdiction.” The letter stated that, as a result of this, experts had “provisionally considered the tax system of [the] Cayman Islands as harmful.” The EU Council asked the government to discuss with the Code of Conduct Group the types of steps that would ensure that busi- nesses in Cayman have “suf- ficient substance.” “A way to achieve this could be through the impo- sition of substance require- ments, where appropriate,” the letter from November 2017 stated. “In addition, [the] Cayman Islands is asked to abolish or amend legal mechanisms that enable the granting of advantages only to non-residents or in respect of transactions carried out with non-residents.” It might also require the introduction of addi- tional accounting and tax re- porting obligations, the EU Council said. In addition to the meeting with the Code of Conduct Group, Minister Rivers will meet with the EU Commis- sion’s Directorate-General Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD) and members of the European Parliament. Ms. Rivers said her visits, and previous government en- gagement, demonstrate Cay- man’s ongoing commitment of working with the EU as part of the EU’s process of identifying jurisdictions that it considers uncoopera- tive with EU member states on tax matters. “Cayman was deemed to be a cooperative jurisdic- tion and was not on the EU’s list that was published on Dec. 5, 2017,” she said. “Con- tinuing the dialogue, at the policy and political levels, is important in our efforts to ensure that our coopera- tion with EU member states is recognized.” It will be Ms. Rivers’ third trip to Brussels since she was appointed finan- cial services minister in June 2017. During the week- long stay in Europe, she will also participate with the OECD and a member of the European Parliament in a panel discussion, titled “To- wards Fairer Corporate Tax- ation: Is Europe Getting the Policy Mix Right?” The panel is organized by the Centre for European Policy Studies think tank. She then will join EU Commissioner Pierre Mosco- vici and other partici- pants for a European Busi- ness Summit (EBS) panel on EU tax policy. “Speaking on the CEPS and EBS panels next week will provide a great oppor- tunity to tell Cayman’s story in a way that many Euro- peans may not know,” Ms. Rivers said. “It allows us to engage directly with the EU thought leaders who help to shape and inform EU policy.” In addition to the on- going international engage- ments, the minister said she had meetings with local members of the finan- cial services industry about the efforts undertaken by the government to date and the way forward with re- spect to the House of Com- mons’ amendment regarding public beneficial ownership registers, as well as the EU listing process. “Government believes our best response is based on a jurisdictional perspective,” she said. “Government and the ministry have worked hard, and will continue to work hard, to keep industry informed and engaged in these matters; and I very much appreciate the support given by industry during our meetings and discussions held, and the cooperative working approach adopted.” Minister Rivers will be accompanied in Brussels by the Department of Finan- cial Services’ Director Mi- chelle Bahadur, and Policy Officer Shanna Best. “Continuing the dialogue, at the policy and political levels, is important in our efforts to ensure that our cooperation with EU member states is recognized.” TARA RIVERS, minister for financial services Child pornography case adjourned Former UCCI lecturer to be sentenced next week CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former UCCI lecturer Pierre Michel Pavlov Rameau has had his sentencing post- poned until Thursday, May 24. Mr. Rameau, 49, pleaded guilty last month to 12 counts of possessing inde- cent photos of a child or children before March 30, 2017. Each charge refers to a number of images and, over all, the quantity was de- scribed at a previous hearing as being what appeared to be “a lifetime collection.” Justice Michael Wood or- dered the adjournment on Thursday afternoon after an- nouncing that he was not prepared to deal with the matter that day. He said he had asked for written sub- missions from the Crown and defense but had not received anything. He directed that sentencing take place next week and set deadlines for submission of material. One of the issues is the difference in the maximum sentence of 15 years in Cayman and 10 years in the U.K. The judge said it would not be an easy sentencing ex- ercise because there were no local guidelines. He remanded the defen- dant in custody for another week. Mr. Rameau has been in custody since December. Pierre Rameau The judge said it would not be an easy sentencing exercise because there were no local guidelines.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 18, 2018 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 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” 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. The eyes of the world will be on Meghan Markle when she walks down the aisle at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor on Saturday to marry Prince Harry before 600 guests. Even those of us who live six time zones and nearly 5,000 miles away will celebrate, in our own fashion, the union of the happy couple. Some of our readers will gather for “wedding watch parties” with friends. Others will don formal daywear to sip champagne and nosh on fish and chips, Cornish pasties, beef Wellington and Yorkshire pudding at a special noon brunch at Seven. Still others will rise at dawn to watch the procession on television or online. In the evening, revelers will celebrate at the Royal Ball fundraiser at the George Town Yacht Club – a charity event jointly hosted by the Cayman Islands Sailing Club and National Sailing Centre. Myriads of magazine articles, newspaper stories and blog posts will be generated to scrutinize and analyze the minutiae of the ceremony, noting care- fully the preservation of traditions and introduction of innovations. The flowers, the guest list, the dinner, the dress (if history is any indication) will set wedding trends for brides and grooms for years to come. (Brides who wear white wedding dresses may not know it was Queen Victoria who started the custom when she married her cousin Prince Albert in 1840.) What is it about a royal wedding that so enthralls so many people? Residents of the Cayman Islands, of course, have a direct connection to the monarchy. As a British Overseas Territory, our official loyalties lie with the Queen and the House of Windsor. To dispel any doubts about that statement, simply take out your wallet and observe whose royal portrait adorns Cayman’s coins and bills. But millions of non-British wedding watchers have been following every advancement of Ms. Markle and Prince Harry’s romance – from the proposal (over roast chicken) to the ring (including diamonds from his mother’s collection), to their honeymoon (date and location TBD). In general, to witness a royal wedding is to experi- ence a small piece of history. But Saturday’s wedding, in particular, seems in some ways more “personal.” Ms. Markle, an American actress, is basically a Cayman resident. … Well, she could be if we could get the Cayman status board to cooperate. After all, she was here for a couple of days to speak at the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit two years ago. But what self-respecting British territory wouldn’t attempt to lay claim to a corner of a princess-to-be’s heart? Prince Harry is also a familiar personage. He grew up under the eye of an adoring public and – despite some youthful indiscretions that became tabloid fodder – has retained his profile as the beloved younger son of “the people’s princess,” Diana, who died tragically when Prince Harry was only 12 and his brother William 15. Watching the two princes mature into adulthood has been like turning the pages of a book that, while having moments of pathos, ultimately tells a story of joy. Finally, it is a persistent truth that everyone can use some good news now and again. Amid the disas- ters, destruction and divisiveness typically dominating headlines and broadcasts, what better emotional salve is there than a modern-day fairy tale? Weddings are a celebration of harmony, hope and new beginnings. So join us as we raise a glass to Harry and Meghan. Let their happiness forever reign. – EDITORIAL – A splendid day for a royal wedding WASHINGTON – Demo- crats routinely express out- rage over claims of collusion with a foreign power to un- dermine our democracy. So where is the outrage over rev- elations that former secretary of state John Kerry held not one but two secret meetings with Iran’s foreign minister to strategize over how to un- dermine President Trump’s plans to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal? An Iranian Foreign Min- istry spokesman con- firmed the meetings after the Boston Globe broke the news, declaring, “We don’t see the U.S. just as Mr. Trump; the United States is not just the current ruling administration.” Think about what this means. Iran is a terrorist state re- sponsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans in Iraq, whose leaders hold rallies where thousands chant “Death to America!” Kerry was working with a sworn enemy of the United States to try to under- mine the foreign policy of the elected president of the United States. I thought we did not like Americans who colluded with our enemies. Kerry’s meetings with Iran’s leaders were not iso- lated incidents, but part of a formal lobbying campaign that included phone calls with European Union leaders and meetings with the presi- dents of Germany and France in which, the Globe reports, he discussed “the details of sanctions and regional nu- clear threats in both French and English.” On Twitter, Trump sug- gested that Kerry might have violated the Logan Act, which says: “Any cit- izen of the United States … who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspon- dence or intercourse with any foreign government … with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government … in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.” In fact, no one has been prosecuted under the Logan Act in more than 160 years, and most conserva- tive legal scholars consider it unconstitutional. Although what Kerry did was probably not illegal, it was deeply hypocritical. Re- call that in 2015, when Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and 46 other Republicans wrote to Iran’s leaders informing them of the Senate’s consti- tutional role in approving international agreements, Kerry was incensed. “My reaction to the letter was utter disbelief,” he said at the time. “To write leaders in the middle of a negotia- tion … is quite stunning … [and] ignores more than two centuries of precedent in the conduct of American foreign policy,” Kerry said, adding that he would never have interfered in that way “no matter what the issue and no matter who was pres- ident.” What a difference three years make. Cotton is a sitting United States senator. The Senate has a constitutional role in foreign policy. Kerry is a private citizen. He has a constitutional role in nothing. Kerry’s defenders com- pare him to Henry Kissinger and other former secretaries of state who regularly meet with world leaders. “Secretary Kerry stays in touch with his former coun- terparts around the world, just like every previous Sec- retary of State,”a Kerry spokesman said. But Kiss- inger does not conduct rogue diplomacy. When he meets with foreign leaders, he usu- ally coordinates with the White House, often carrying messages for the president, and then briefs administra- tion officials afterward. Kerry did none of this. This is not the first time Kerry has interfered in U.S. diplomacy as a private cit- izen. In 1970, he flew to Paris and met with the North Viet- namese while they were in the midst of negotiating the Paris Peace accords with Kissinger. Kerry admitted then that his actions were “on the borderline of pri- vate individuals negotiating.” What he did last month was not on the borderline. Kerry would not have had to resort to rogue diplo- macy if he had negotiated a better deal. The agreement he struck could not even muster the support of a simple ma- jority in the Senate, much less the two-thirds majority needed to ratify a treaty. As Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., cor- rectly points out, the Obama administration “made a bad deal with Iran without sup- port from Congress …. Amer- ican foreign policy makes lasting progress when it is led by the President, ap- proved by Congress, and pre- sented honestly to the Amer- ican people.” Kerry has no one to blame but himself for Trump’s decision to with- draw. And he certainly has no business colluding with America’s enemies against America’s president. Follow Marc A. Thiessen on Twitter, @marcthiessen. © 2018, The Washington Post Writers Group FRIDAY MAY 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Where’s the outrage over Kerry’s secret meetings? MARC A. THIESSEN Kerry has no one to blame but himself for Trump’s decision to withdraw. And he certainly has no business colluding with America’s enemies against America’s president.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 18, 2018 6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS The history of Discovery Day JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Monday, May 21, marks Discovery Day, which is cele- brated as a national holiday in the Cayman Islands. Falling on the third Monday in May every year, Discovery Day commemo- rates the sighting of the Sister Islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman by Christopher Columbus in 1503. It is a day on which Caymanians cele- brate their heritage. Residents are encouraged to demonstrate support for environmental protection, as Tree Planting Day is ob- served on Discovery Day. It is an opportunity to do some- thing positive for the com- munity and the environment by reconnecting with na- ture. It is also a day to cele- brate with family, as schools and public offices are closed for the holiday. Having been devastated by hurricanes in years past, the National Day of Pre- paredness is also observed each year on Discovery Day to encourage residents to prepare for the hurricane season, or any other nat- ural disaster. On May 10, 1503, Chris- topher Columbus and his men, on their fourth voyage to the Americas, were the first Europeans to sight and describe Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which gave Spain a claim to the islands by right of discovery. Co- lumbus did not stop at the is- lands, but he did name them, calling them Las Tortugas due to the large number of sea turtles the crew spotted as they sailed past. A few years later, in 1523, the three islands appeared on the Turin Map – an early chart of the Caribbean and South America – but under the name “Lagartos,” meaning lizard or croco- dile. By the middle of the 16th century, the islands had gained the name “Cay- manas,” after a local Carib name for the crocodiles that were plentiful on the is- lands back then. The first people recorded to have stopped at the is- lands for more than a few hours were sailors from Sir Francis Drake’s 1585-86 expe- dition to the West Indies, ac- cording to Michael Craton’s “Founded Upon the Seas,” a definitive history of the Cayman Islands. Permanent settlement began on Grand Cayman at some time between 1670 and 1730. “Legend has it that early settlements were formed by runaway white soldiers and servants from Jamaica, ship- wrecked sailors and buc- caneers seeking a quiet life ashore. In truth, the first per- manent inhabitants were probably poor but respect- able turtlers and logcutters, who settled down with their families and a few slaves to a lifestyle that was more con- genial, though no richer, than they could have enjoyed in planter-dominated Jamaica,” Craton writes in his book. England took formal control of Cayman, along with Jamaica, under the Treaty of Madrid in 1670. For many years, Cayman was also largely depen- dant on Jamaica. An Impe- rial Act passed by the West- minster Parliament in June 1863 formally declared the Cayman Islands a depen- dency of Jamaica. Upon Jamaica’s indepen- dence in 1962, Cayman broke its administrative links with Jamaica, and opted to be- come a direct dependency of the British Crown and it re- mains today a British Over- seas Territory. Early settlers in Cayman gained a reputation for their seamanship and many of the men of Cayman roamed the seas in small schooners in search of turtles, logwood and wrecks. Cayman’s tradi- tional seagoing vessel is the catboat, designed and used for many years by fishermen to catch turtles. The legacy of the men of the islands going to sea for their livelihood continued well into the 20th century. People can see cat- boats in action on Discovery Day, when the second an- nual Cayman Spring Re- gatta takes place. The catboat sailing event, organized by the Cayman Islands Sailing Club and the Cayman Cat- boat Club, will be held at the sailing club in Red Bay, with catboats racing for their an- nual Premier Cup. The racing runs from 10 a.m. until noon. It is a day on which Caymanians celebrate their heritage. PHONE PHOTO LEADS TO FIREARM CHARGE Sentence includes custody followed by supervision order CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Posing for a photo while holding a gun led Matthew Carlyle Ebanks to court last year and then to prison for 268 days. Mr. Ebanks was released from custody on Thursday after Justice Michael Wood sentenced him for posses- sion of an unlicensed Colt .45 semi-automatic handgun. The sentence includes a suspended term and su- pervision order. Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin and defense attorney Crister Brady had agreed that the possession was for a very short time. That fact was ac- cepted by the court as an ex- ceptional circumstance. In passing sentence, Jus- tice Wood referred to the background of the case. There was a shooting incident at a nightclub parking lot in the early hours of Feb. 4, 2017. Police investigations led to a West Bay residence where a firearm was found in the cis- tern of a toilet. Also found at the resi- dence was a phone. When of- ficers checked it, they found photos of various people holding the gun. Mr. Ebanks was in a photo holding the gun on his own. Analysis subsequently indicated that the gun was the one used in the February shooting. The defendant initially pleaded not guilty, but then asked for a direction from the court as to what his sentence would be if he did plead guilty. He was told three and a half years. In a special hearing, it was submitted that Mr. Ebanks had been subjected to force – that he had been coerced into holding the gun for the photo. The judge did not accept this to be true. Justice Wood remarked that this case was different from another case in which the wife of one of the defen- dants in the shooting matter was also in a phone photo with a gun. In her case, her husband had his arm around her; they had recently mar- ried and there was evidence he was a controlling man who exerted a lot of influence on her. She had no previous convictions and received a suspended sentence. The judge noted that Mr. Ebanks, 31, did have pre- vious convictions, but not related to firearms. He also observed that the defen- dant had never been in custody before. “I’m going to give you a chance by giving you a split sentence,” the judge told him. If Mr. Ebanks were applying for release after serving 60 percent of a sentence, then the 268 days in cus- tody would be the equivalent of 445 days. The judge therefore im- posed a term of 445 days and said his intention was that Mr. Ebanks be released that day. “If I got my math wrong, let me know,” he told Mr. Brady. The second part of the sentence was 18 months suspended for two years, but with conditions. Mr. Ebanks must be tested for drugs twice per week for six months. He is to attend Nar- cotics Anonymous or Alco- holics Anonymous twice per week, and attend any pro- gram or counseling ses- sions recommended by his counselor. The judge warned that if Mr. Ebanks breached any of the conditions or com- mitted a new imprisonable offense, he would go straight back to prison. Seven arrested in immigration sweeps The Department of Im- migration’s Enforcement Division arrested seven people suspected of being in breach of immigration law as part of an operation that included 30 spot checks in the past two weeks Officers identified mul- tiple instances of people overstaying authorization to remain on island and working without permits. In one case, they found that a person of interest was also wanted in a burglary case. On May 10, 28 spot checks of individuals were conducted at a pair of con- struction sites in South Sound and Seven Mile Beach, and the checks resulted in four employment-related ar- rests. Three were arrested on suspicion of working outside of terms and conditions of their work permits, and one was arrested for working without a permit while on a visitor’s extension. Their em- ployers were also brought in for questioning for em- ploying workers without valid authorization. Immigration and RCIPS officers also conducted a joint search on May 12 for an individual wanted by the Department of Immigration since October 2017 for over- staying. The suspect was lo- cated in a high traffic area, arrested and remained in custody Thursday, pending the investigation. The Customs Depart- ment, Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service and Department of Labour and Pensions worked with the Immigration officers on pro- active patrols and joint op- erations, according to a press release from the De- partment of Immigration. “I commend the relent- less work of not only our Enforcement Division, but the collaborative efforts of DLP, Customs and the RCIPS, which in return make these joint operations a suc- cess,” Deputy Chief Immi- gration Officer Gary Wong said of the recent wave of spot checks and arrests. “We continue to en- courage members of the public to be diligent in their awareness of il- legal activity, and to al- ways report breaches of the law,” he added. Gene Hydes, head of in- spections for the Department of Labour and Pensions, said pursuing individuals sus- pected of violating the La- bour Law is “a top priority.” “We are committed to detecting unlawful acts and will continue to dedi- cate resources and work proactively with other law enforcement agencies to ensure that the law is complied with on a daily basis,” he said. Anyone with information about immigration-related offenses is urged to contact the confidential information hotline at 1-800-Legalim (1-800-534-2546), or email legalim@gov.ky. On May 10, 28 spot checks of individuals were conducted at a pair of construction sites in South Sound and Seven Mile Beach. Catboats sail in the George Town harbor at a regatta in 2016. Cayman’s traditional boats are scheduled to hit the water again for a regatta at the Cayman Islands Sailing Club in Red Bay on Discovery Day, Monday, from 10 a.m. until noon. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 18, 2018 Author Deepak Chopra to visit Cayman Deepak Chopra, an au- thority on spiritual wellness and author of 85 books, will visit Cayman and share in- sights from his latest book in an invitation-only event at The Ritz-Carlton in June. Dr. Chopra will be speaking in support of “Zest Wellness,” a program of- fered as part of the British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Limited (BritCay) medical insurance ben- efits package. The event, on The Future of Well-being, will be held on June 23 at 10-11:30 a.m., and Dr. Chopra will hold a book signing for his latest work “The Healing Self” after his speech. “Zest aims to improve people’s health and overall well-being, so to have someone as respected as Dr. Chopra speaking on the subject is fantastic,” said Jacqueline Perreault, cor- porate wellness director for BritCay. “We are delighted that he accepted our invi- tation, and we’re sure that he will provide inspiration to a lot of people to improve their health and wellness.” Dr. Chopra is the founder of The Chopra Founda- tion and co-founder of The Chopra Center for Well- being. He is a fellow of the American College of Physi- cians and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Twenty-five of Dr. Cho- pra’s books have been New York Times best-sellers, and his books have been published in more than 42 languages. “I am delighted to visit the beautiful Cayman Is- lands in June,” Dr. Chopra said as part of an official press release. “Together we will explore how to create a more peaceful, just, sustain- able and happier world, and it begins with each of us choosing to heal and trans- form ourselves.” Registration for tickets opens on Friday, May 18 at www.BritCaywellness. eventbrite.ca. For more information on the Zest Wellness program at BritCay, visit www.zestwellnesscgi.com, and follow Zestwellnesscgi on Instagram and Facebook. Dr. Deepak Chopra will speak in Cayman and stage a book signing of his newest work in June. The Cayman Islands voluntary cancer registry grew in 2017, and there are now nearly 400 people in the database. Amanda Nicholson, cancer registrar, said in a state- ment that registration rates for 2017 were up 37 per- cent from rates for the same period in 2016. Ms. Nicholson said that 31 percent of the registrants in the cancer database are male and 69 percent are female. Thirty-eight percent of re- ported cancers in Cayman are breast cancer. Sixteen percent of the breast cancer cases in- cluded in the registry were di- agnosed in women under the age of 40. This month marks National Cancer Research Month, and the Cayman Is- lands Health Services Authority stated it is dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of innovative cancer research. “There are many ways people can show support for National Cancer Research Month, such as calling on gov- ernment and health officials to make cancer research and prevention a top priority, or looking for volunteer oppor- tunities at local organizations committed to cancer research,” Ms. Nicholson said. Cancer patients in the United Kingdom are automati- cally included in their national cancer registry, but patients in the Cayman Islands are given the choice to voluntarily reg- ister themselves. “One of the main concerns among people in Cayman causing their hesitation to reg- ister is the fear that informa- tion about their health may get into the wrong hands,” Ms. Nicholson said. “However, due to the sen- sitivity of health information, it has to be kept under the highest levels of safety, secu- rity and confidentiality. The cancer registry is held on a secure computer database with tightly controlled and re- stricted access.” The data in cancer registries allows stat- isticians to see how many people are diagnosed with cancer at a national level and also to break down their treat- ments and their longevity. The information can be used to help pinpoint causes of cancer, and to develop better treat- ments and plans for action. Registration entails filling out a one-page form that col- lects basic information about diagnosis. That form can be obtained from the registrar at the Health Services Authority. It can also be accessed through the websites of the Health Ser- vices Authority or the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. Potential Cayman registrants can contact Ms. Nicholson at 244-2560, or via email at amanda.nicholson@hsa.ky. Registration rates for 2017 were up 37 percent from rates for the same period in 2016. PARTICIPATION TICKS UPWARD IN CANCER REGISTRY Twenty-five of Dr. Chopra’s books have been New York Times best-sellers, and his books have been published in more than 42 languages.8 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY MAY 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Churchill’s Funeral Home Condolences can be registered at: www.churchillsfuneralhome.com We have been asked to announce the passing of Ms. Celia Elizabeth McField, who passed away on Tuesday May 1, 2018. A Thanksgiving Service will be held on Monday May 21, 2018 at 10:00 am at Elmslie United Church, 48 Habour Drive. Viewing will be from 9:00 am - 10:00 am. Interment follows at Dixie Cemetery. The family of the Late Darwin Leitch Tibbetts regrets to announce his passing on Thursday, 10 May, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com A funeral service will take place 2:00 PM Friday, 18 May, 2018 at Red Bay Holiness Church. Interment will follow in Creek Cemetery, Cayman Brac 11:00 AM Saturday, 19 May, 2108. Saturday, 19 May, 2018. The Family of the Late Clive Musson, through this medium, would like to thank everyone for their messages, thoughts, acts of kindness, your visits, prayers and wishes of condolences in our recent loss. We are ever so grateful. God bless each and everyone of you. The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Doris Sarauer regret to announce her passing on Thursday, 10 May 2018. Mrs. Sarauer will be repatriated to the U.S.A. The family of the Late Noel Andrew Johnson regrets to announce his passing on Friday, 11 May, 2018. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com A funeral service will take place at Elmslie Memorial United Church 2:00 PM Saturday, 2 June, 2018. Viewing will be from 1:00 PM prior to the service. Interment will follow in Chisholm Family Cemetery. 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. Telescopes focus on Cayman for astronomy conference BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com The late Dr. Bill Hrudey would have been proud to see Cayman’s first astronomy conference being held in his name next week. “This is the first time and it was organized by [Dr.] Hrudey, so we’re just con- tinuing what he started,” said Richard McLeod, president of the Cayman Islands Astro- nomical Society. The three-day event set for Wednesday, May 23, to Friday, May 25 – dubbed the William Hrudey Caribbean Astronomy Conference – will be held at the Chamber of Commerce meeting room in Governors Square and is expected to bring scien- tists from around the re- gion to discuss topics such as the largest telescopes in the world, microbial life in space, and preparing for col- onies on Mars. “The idea is to bring Ca- ribbean astronomers to- gether and get everyone on the same page as to where we’re going in astronomy,” Mr. McLeod said. “Bill him- self was a former astron- omer … and this confer- ence will make people aware of what is going on in the Caribbean.” There will be a total of 17 speakers over the three days, including Villanova University astrophysics professor Edward Guinan, and Caribbean-based as- tronomers Nathan Hen- derson and David Morris, among others. Mr. McLeod said as- tronomy is a great subject for small, less populated Ca- ribbean islands like Cayman and that he hopes other ju- risdictions around the region will pick up the conference in future years. “The Caribbean is a pretty good spot for as- tronomy. Small islands get less cloud cover and we’ve got a bit more viewing hours than large, land-based spaces,” he said. “We’re closer to the equator as well, so we can see the south, as well as the north.” Mr. McLeod acknowl- edges that a conference in Cayman each year might be difficult to pull off without Dr. Hrudey, who passed away earlier this year at age 76. Dr. Hrudey was well-known in the interna- tional astronomy commu- nity and had a wide net- work of contacts. Mr. McLeod said the local astronomy group was trying to assist in setting up a foundation to keep run- ning the Grand Cayman ob- servatory. So far, no one has been found to take over the job. “Certainly, no one of Bill’s stature,” he said. Although the Astronom- ical Society wants as many people as possible to at- tend the three-day confer- ence, space is somewhat limited. The Chamber confer- ence room fits a maximum of about 65 people. All registrations for the conference have to be in by close of business on Monday. Those wishing to attend should email Mr. McLeod at vmcleod@candw.ky and they will be put on a list. Entry costs $25 per day. Email to register and pay at desk by cash or check at desk. Dr. Bill Hrudey, pictured here in August 2017, with two of his telescopes in the University College of the Cayman Islands observatory. Next week’s Caribbean astronomy conference has been named after him. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY A sunspot photographed by Dr. Bill Hrudey using one of his solar telescopes at the UCCI Observatory. Among the topics under discussion at next week’s conference will be a presentation by Trinidadian astronomer Brandon Rajkumar on ‘A Fractal Analysis of Sunspots.’The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY MAY 18, 2018 Y The family of the late Mathis Barton Whittaker aka “Coosie” Extends sincere thanks and gratitude to all our relatives and friends for your prayers, support and expressions of sympathy in our time of great sorrow and loss. Perhaps you sent a lovely card or sat quietly on a chair, Perhaps you sent a oral piece, If so we saw it there, Perhaps you spoke a kind word, as any friend could say, Perhaps you were not there at all, Just thought of us, Whatever you did as to console our hearts, We thank you. Special thanks to the Nurses, Doctors, and Sta of George Town Hospital for their diligent care and attention, in particular Dr. Joy Wallace, his primary doctor; Dr. Rafael, Urologist; visiting specialist Dr. Starkman of Cayman Neurology & Pain Management Ltd. and Bodden Funeral Home. Our deepest appreciation to our dedicated caregiver, Mrs. Lema Sinclair and all the special individuals that touched Barton’s life including his Pastor Bro. James Arch and the congregation at Church of God (Universal) George Town and East End. sympathy in our time of great sorrow and loss. Perhaps you sent a lovely card or sat quietly on a chair, sympathy in our time of great sorrow and loss. Our deepest appreciation to our dedicated caregiver, and Bodden Funeral Home. Special thanks to the Nurses, Doctors, and Sta of public register by that date, it was agreed that the U.K. gov- ernment should draft orders to force them to do so. Mr. McLaughlin has pre- viously spoken out about the “prejudicial nature” of the de- cision, which was added via an amendment to the U.K.’s Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill by the May 1 vote in the Commons. The acrimonious ben- eficial ownership registry discussion and controver- sial parliamentary vote oc- curred just two weeks be- fore Caymanian politicians and other representatives were due to head to London for the celebratory anniver- sary gathering. Pictures of the 60th anni- versary coat-of-arms events held at the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office ear- lier in the week – particu- larly those that showed Mr. McLaughlin twisting rope and Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush wearing a straw hat in Durbar Court – provided ready fodder for Mr. McLaughlin’s political oppo- nents in online chat forums and talk radio during the past few days. Speaker Bush, who was not involved in the meetings with Ms. May and Mr. Lid- ington, said Thursday that he believed such statements were political cheap shots at the premier. “There is no one on island or otherwise working any harder than the premier, and he is proving he is not going to be run over in his defense of our financial services,” Mr. Bush said. “The polit- ical hacks and wannabes can stop their hasty accusations and summarizing without the full facts. If they have no solutions to offer, then shut up [and] pray.” To date, the U.K. govern- ment has not made any fur- ther statements concerning the company registers in the territories. Britain has such an open public company reg- ister, but the information in it is unverified. The Sanctions and Anti- Money Laundering Bill con- taining the amendments ap- proved by the Commons on May 1 is due to go to the House of Lords Monday for what is expected to be a largely procedural vote. The minister with respon- sibility for the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Alan Duncan, said earlier this month that he was aware of the response that could be provoked by the May 1 vote in the Commons. “I therefore … give the overseas territories the fullest possible assurance that we will work very closely with them in shaping and imple- menting the order in council which this act of parliament might require,” he said. Sir Alan further promised all the “legal and logistical support” the territories might ask of the U.K. to the castle. Cayman royal watchers who want to tune into the coverage live have a number of options. NBC, Fox News, ABC, CNN, BBC America, HBO and MSNBC are among the networks promising hours of live coverage of the event and surrounding festivities throughout the day. CNN’s coverage begins from 4 a.m. Cayman time. For those who want to take a more relaxed ap- proach, the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, is hosting a wedding brunch with tape delay coverage from noon Cayman time. The event will feature traditional British food like fish and chips, cornish pasties and Yorkshire puddings. A royal ball will also be held at the Cayman Islands Sailing Club Saturday night. Miss Markle visited Cayman in 2016 for the Cayman Alternative Invest- ment Summit at the same time as talk show host Jay Leno. At the time she was best known for her role in U.S. television show “Suits.” However, even the smaller numbers can cause police significant problems. “On a given weekend, 20-30 people are arrested,” the RCIPS statement read. “Many are bailed; however, there are those high-risk or prolific offenders who are kept in custody. On average, there are about six to eight arrestees on a given weekend kept in custody. Officers do a risk assessment when man- aging space issues, with a view to taking measures to keep prolific or high risk/vio- lent offenders in custody.” Both RCIPS and prisons officials acknowledged the situation is not ideal. In- terim Prisons Director Steven Barrett said the Prison Ser- vice has been well aware of the overcrowding situation at Northward and he said Thursday that plans were being developed to address it. “I am currently reviewing and pursuing a number of options to help manage the challenges we are experi- encing with overcrowding, such as exploring what leg- islative and operational solutions are possible,” Mr. Barrett said. “This in- cludes seeking engagement with other criminal justice partners in regards to re- manded prisoners, as well as thinking through what re- configuration of the facility could be made to create ad- ditional space. “I assure the public that the situation will not im- pact the department’s stat- utory obligations or com- promise safety.” RCIPS Deputy Commis- sioner Kurt Walton said the police service would con- tinue to support the prisons in working through the over- crowded jails problem. “It is our common goal to reduce the risks to public safety that a shortage of de- tention space could create,” Mr. Walton said. As far as options in- volving current jail space, properties adjacent to the po- lice jail in the Fairbanks area include the adult women’s prison and the Immigration Detention Centre. However, the Prison Ser- vice has typically declined to house male prisoners in the women’s jail and the Im- migration Detention Centre, which typically holds Cuban migrants, is not cur- rently considered a secure jail facility. Court case Northward’s capacity is- sues were first brought to the public’s attention during a mid-March court hearing when a defense attorney told the judge that three drug suspects were being held at Fairbanks because there was no room at the adult men’s prison. The day after that, the number of remand prisoners being held at the Fairbanks jail reduced to just one. However, a police spokes- person confirmed Thursday that the demand for space at the police jail from the Prison Service has not been totally eliminated since mid-March. Mr. Barrett put it this way during his first Cayman Is- lands media interview in March: “We have a situa- tion where the hotel is full. Let’s be very blunt; the fa- cilities built here are not fit for purpose.” Mr. Barrett said at the time that Cayman’s law enforce- ment and political leadership needed to include better plan- ning for prison facilities. “The responsible approach to take would be to say, ‘what do you want your prison ser- vice to look like? How are we going to be sure in terms of good government, that the services we’re providing meet the need?’” he said. “These are discussions that need to be had be- fore any architect puts pen to paper. Otherwise, we’re going to be building annexes onto buildings that weren’t meant for them.” Prison inmates pack police jail Early start for Cayman royal watchers Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will marry Saturday at noon, British time, at Windsor Castle. - PHOTO: AP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Meghan Markle, speaking at the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit in Grand Cayman in February 2016. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Premier meets with British PM May CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Theresa MayDavid Lidington The premier said discussions were ongoing Thursday and that he intended to make a public statement concerning the talks after he arrived back in Cayman. The police jail at Fairbanks is being used to house remand prisoners from Northward, putting a crunch on available cell space. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Premier Alden McLaughlin speaks to a crowd Monday evening in London.Next >