ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY MAY 28, 2018 High of 86 Low of 75 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 5 to 7 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 AIRPORT VENDOR DELAY: WHAT AN INEXPLICABLE ‘FINE MESS’ LOCAL | PAGE 3 FRASER-PRYCE JOINS CAYMAN INVITATIONAL LINEUP SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY Airport silent on vendor bidding decision KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Airports Authority has been tight-lipped on the status of the bidding process for businesses to win re- tail space in Cayman’s new airport terminal – a process that may have to be restarted due to the CIAA missing its own deadline for dealing with applications. After missing a December deadline to an- nounce the winners of the 17 concession slots at the revamped airport, CIAA CEO Albert Anderson sent the 42 bidders a letter asking for their consent to extend the validity pe- riod for bids to be extended until June 7. If the CIAA does not receive unanimous con- sent of all bidders, then the tendering process will have to be restarted, according to Mr. An- derson’s letter. The letter gave bidders until 4 p.m. on Thursday to respond. When contacted by the Compass on Friday, Mr. Anderson declined to say whether the CIAA can extend the bid- ding process or has to retender the con- cession spots. “The CIAA will make an announcement on this at the appropriate time,” said Mr. An- derson, who did not respond to a follow- up question about when that “appropriate time” will be. One of the bidders, Tortuga Rum Com- pany President Robert Hamaty, said it is his understanding that the announcement about the bidding process will not be made until UK MINISTER TO FOCUS ON FINANCE, HURRICANES DURING CAYMAN VISIT BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon is set to arrive in Cayman Wednesday for a review of the island chain’s hurricane preparedness and to discuss issues related to Cayman’s com- pany ownership registry. Lord Ahmad’s visit is partly intended as a follow-up to a May 24 conference call held between himself, U.K. Prime Minister The- resa May, Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin and other British Overseas Terri- tories Leaders. The call was held “to discuss company ownership transparency and, in partic- ular, the issue of public registers of benefi- cial ownership.” The U.K. House of Commons approved an amendment to Britain’s Sanctions and Anti- Money Laundering Bill on May 1 which re- quire all British Overseas Territories – but not U.K. Crown Dependencies – to adopt public registers of company owners. If the territories refuse to do so by Dec. 31, 2020, the amend- ment calls for the U.K. Secretary of State to draft orders in council to force the adoption of such registers. Cayman currently maintains a register of company ownership, but it is only acces- sible for law enforcement or taxing entities upon request. The U.K. House of Lords allowed the amendment to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill to pass, but several peers – in- cluding Lord Ahmad – spoke out against the measure during a May 21 meeting. Lord Ahmad said the move to force terri- tories via orders in council using powers re- served for Her Majesty’s government under various constitutional arrangements with BVI holds protest against UK’s public registry rule KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com More than 1,000 British Virgin Islands residents took to the streets to protest the United Kingdom on Thursday, the same day Queen Elizabeth II gave royal assent to legislation that forces British Overseas Territories to implement public company reg- isters by December 2020. The sounds of marching bands and other festive music rang through the BVI’s capital, Road Town, but the dozens of signs on display carried a more serious tone, with slogans such as “No imperial legislation”; “You chained us, didn’t sustain us, now you constrain us”; and “Racist U.K.” While officials in Cayman have said that the U.K.’s law may hurt, but will not cripple the territory’s financial services in- dustry, the consequences could Stormy weather lashes Cayman Children play in the surf at West Bay on Saturday evening as Subtropical Storm Alberto brings high seas and heavy rain to the Cayman Islands. While the stormy weather did not deter these kids from hitting the beach, several outdoor events scheduled for the weekend were canceled or postponed. For more on the progress of the storm, see pages 2 and 8. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Protestors take to the streets of the British Virgin Islands Thursday. - PHOTO: CONOR KING DEVITT, BVI BEACON PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY MAY 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (PG13) 1:10 I 3:25 3D I 6:40 I 9:55 3D BREAKING IN (PG13) 12:30 I 2:40 I 4:50 I 7:00 I 10:20 DEADPOOL 2 (R) 1:40 I 4:40 I 7:25 I 10:10 LIFE OF THE PARTY (PG13) 12:50 I 4:30 I 7:10 I 9:40 SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (PG13) 12:45 VIP I 1:20 I 3:45 VIP I 4:20 3D I 6:45 VIP I 7:20 I 9:10 3D I 9:45 VIP First named storm of season forms Water and frustration rise along Bodden Town’s Cumber Avenue JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Flooding on Cumber Av- enue and nearby roads has become a familiar and dreaded sight during rainy season for residents of the low-lying Bodden Town area. Residents who live along the street say they have com- plained for 30 years to suc- cessive governments about the flooding in the area but are repeatedly told there was no quick fix solution to the problem. Cumber Avenue sits in a basin and rainwater has no- where to go once the sur- rounding ponds fill up, residents say. When this happens, homes and yards along the street are flooded. Development work that has raised the level of land nearby, including the Anton Bodden Drive bypass, the Harry McCoy Park, the Mis- sion House parking lot and home developments, have also added to the problem, they said. On Friday morning, gov- ernment minister and Bodden Town East MLA Dwayne Sey- mour toured some of the hardest hit areas in Bodden Town with National Roads Authority chairman Donovan Ebanks and NRA engineers. “We traversed the areas of Midland Acres, Belford, Kipling Street, Cumber Av- enue and other areas fur- ther west of Bodden Town East,” Mr. Seymour said. “We are trying to see the drainage problems, and mainly the de- terioration of roads to see what needs priority over other roads in the area.” Mr. Seymour said they found some major concerns in terms of past applications of road material, which he said would be addressed. He said some roads in the area had not been assessed in a couple of years and had not been as high on the priority list as they should have been. “That’s why it’s impor- tant for us to come out and get a physical look at the roads. It’s very good that we are doing it during the rainy season, so we can actually see what is really needed,” Mr. Seymour said. Concerning the flooding issues in Cumber Avenue, Mr. Ebanks said work would be carried out to help miti- gate the problem. “If it is suc- cessful, then we can do it on a bigger scale. There isn’t any easy fixes to this but we have to try something,” Mr. Ebanks said. The pond on neighboring Daffodil Street, which plays a large role in flood con- trol for the residents in the area, already seemed to be at maximum capacity Friday morning. Matters were made worse when water started seeping in from behind the Mission House. Raul Andrews and other residents of Cumber Avenue watched Friday morning as a drilling company installed another deep well in the area. This well should catch water coming off the hill and into the valley, Mr. Andrews said. According to Mr. Sey- mour, government has in- stalled around seven drain wells in the area. Drain wells are designed to drain excess rain and ground water from surfaces such as paved streets and car parks. When storm drains are inundated, neighborhoods and street flooding can occur. Mr. Andrews also spoke with Mr. Seymour about in- stalling guard rails around the ponds because of their proximity to the road. Some residents spoke to officials about the possibility of relocating, while others suggested digging the ponds even deeper so they can hold more water. Mr. Seymour said large rocks in the pond could hamper deeper digging. As residents wait to see just how much more water the ponds can accommo- date, all eyes are on Sub- tropical Storm Alberto, which formed on Friday and is bringing heavy rains to Cayman, increasing the likeli- hood of severe flooding in the neighborhood. Resident Twyla Vargas said many suggestions have been made by government of- ficials who visited the area over the years when homes and streets were flooded, such as relocating residents, raising the height of homes, tearing up the streets, putting in more drain pipes and injec- tion wells, pumping, digging out the ponds, or bringing in a drainage engineer. “So far, that’s all they have been – suggestions,” she said. Subtropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the year, is tracking through the northern Ca- ribbean after forming Friday near the Yucatan Peninsula. This is the fourth consecutive year in which at least one storm has formed before the start of hurricane season on June 1. Alberto is bringing scattered showers in and around the Cayman area as it moves northward, ac- cording to the Cayman Islands Na- tional Weather Service. The National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, issued advisories on the storm, which by Sunday after- noon was moving north at 13 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. A turn toward the north- northwest at a slower forward speed was forecast for Sunday night. Storm or surge warnings were in effect in Florida, Mississippi and Alabama coastal areas Sunday afternoon. The storm is expected to bring 5 to 10 inches of rain to central Cuba through Tuesday, as well as bringing heavy rains to Florida, eastern Ala- bama and western Georgia. Winds in Cayman are forecast to be southeast Monday, at 15 to 20 knots, with higher gusts in and around showers. Seas will be rough, with wave heights of 5 to 7 feet, and small craft are advised to exer- cise caution over open water, local forecasters said. Similar weather conditions are expected in Cayman through Tuesday morning as Alberto is ex- pected to slowly drift over the northern Gulf of Mexico. Events canceled or postponed The wet and windy weather led to the cancelation or postponement of several events in Cayman over the weekend and Monday. The government’s “Celebrate Cayman” launch ceremony, sched- uled for Monday has been post- poned until June 4. The ceremony will mark the official start of year- long national celebrations to com- memorate the 60th anniversary of the Cayman Islands coat of arms. It will begin at 10 a.m. on the grounds of the Government Admin- istration Building. “We regret having to postpone the event,” the Celebrate Cayman Project Team said in a press release. “How- ever, we want to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience. We look forward to the public joining us on Monday June 4 to mark this special event, and kick-start a year of celebrations for our Coat of Arms.” Also canceled over the weekend was the Kirkland Nixon Memorial Fire Truck Pull, which was due to be held at Grand Harbour on Saturday. The fundraiser, organized by the Cayman Islands Law Enforcement Torch Run Committee, now will be held on Saturday, June 2. Registration for the fire truck pull will remain open until Friday, June 1, and organizers said new teams are encouraged to register. Registration forms be found on the RCIPS website at www.rcips.ky/ partnership/special-olympics/. The Butterfield 800m sea swim, which was scheduled to be held at Seven Mile Beach on Saturday, was also been postponed. Organizers will announce a rescheduled date at a later time. A car boot sale at the Credit Union parking lot in George Town, to raise funds for the Edna M. Moyle Primary School, which was to be held on Saturday, was also postponed. It has been rescheduled for June 4. Water from a new drain well floods Daffodil Street as workers adjust the speed on a drilling machine. The pond was just inches from overflowing its banks on Daffodil Street Friday. Map showing the projected path of Subtropical Storm Alberto. - SOURCE: NOAA3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MAY 28, 2018 Olympian Fraser-Pryce joins Cayman Invitational lineup Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will be joining countryman Asafa Powell and Amer- ican LaShawn Merritt in the lineup for this year’s Cayman Invitational, which will be held Saturday, June 2, at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex. The runners will be among 70-plus interna- tional athletes and at least 20 local participants, orga- nizers said Sunday. Fraser-Pryce first caught the attention of the world at the 2008 Olympic Games when, at the age of 21 and relatively unknown, she became the first Ca- ribbean woman to win 100m gold at the Olym- pics. In 2012, she success- fully defended her 100m title, becoming the third woman to win two consec- utive 100m gold medals at the Olympics. Then, after winning bronze at the 2016 Summer Olympics, she became the first woman to win 100m medals at three consec- utive Olympic Games. She has also won seven World Championships gold medals across the 100m, 200m and 4x100 relay events. Fraser-Pryce’s appear- ance at the Cayman Invi- tational marks the start of her return to the inter- national track and field scene. She missed the 2016- 2017 season to have her son Zyon and also recover from a nagging toe injury. Her first competitive race in over a year took place less than a month ago in Kingston, where she won her section of the JAAA’s All-Comers Meet women’s 100m dash in 11.52s. “We are so excited to have the great Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce with us at this year’s Invitational. She announced in Feb- ruary that she intends to have the greatest come- back ever and we hope this meet will help her as she prepares for the upcoming season,” said Meet Director Cydonie Mothersill. “The consummate pro- fessional and sports- woman, Shelly is so gifted yet so humble with such a warm personality. Fans are definitely in for a treat, and we wish her all the best in her mission to return again to the top spot in women’s track and field,” she added. Other athletes com- peting include Nesta Carter of Jamaica, Jeff Demps of the USA, Cayman’s own Kemar Hyman, Jason Rogers of St. Kitts, Schill- onie Calvert-Powell of Ja- maica, Sherone Simpson of Jamaica, Jenna Prandini of the USA, and Ristananna Tracey of Jamaica. The Calabar High School team from Jamaica will also be participating, as well as athletes from the Special Olympics. Tickets for the Cayman Invitational are available from Funky Tang’s, $50 for VIP, $30 for the finish line and $25 for the grandstand. For more information, email caymaninv@gmail.com or visit www.caymaninvitational.ky. Fraser-Pryce’s appearance at the Cayman Invitational marks the start of her return to the international track and field scene. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will be among the international athletes taking part in the June 2 Cayman Invitational. - PHOTO: URBANISLANDZ.COM DOWNED POWER LINES CLOSE EAST END ROAD Seaview Road near the intersection of High Rock Road in East End was closed for several hours on Saturday after high winds knocked down power lines. Police blocked off the area from Saturday morning because the lines were live and unsafe. The road was cleared and reopened by about 7 p.m. Man sentenced for ganja, guns More than $70,000 forfeited as criminal property CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two men received the same sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply ganja, but their sentences for possession of firearms dif- fered by more than six years. Chadwick Cameron Ebanks, 40, and Ralston Ben- jamin Ebanks, 41, were sen- tenced to two years, eight months in prison for the of- fense of conspiring, with others unknown, to supply the illegal drug on or before July 6, 2017. Mr. Chadwick received 18 months, concurrent, for pos- session of two unlicensed air pistols, for a total sentence of two years and eight months. Mr. Ralston received eight years, concurrent, for two un- licensed handguns, for a total sentence of eight years. The sentences were handed down on Thursday via video link with Jus- tice Philip St. John-Ste- vens, who heard the matter when he was on island ear- lier this year. The facts were sum- marized at previous hear- ings by Crown counsel Toyin Salako. She said the ganja was found by police officers at a West Bay residence oc- cupied by Mr. Chadwick, who had been arrested on an un- related matter. Armed with a search warrant, officers also recovered two unlicensed air pistols from under a pillow in his bedroom. In another room, they found a locked briefcase, which they forced open. It contained correspondence in Mr. Ralston’s name, a Ruger semi-automatic revolver, a .38 caliber revolver with one live round in it, four rounds of 9 mm ammunition and cash in the sum of CI$51,025 and US$12,000. When Mr. Chadwick was interviewed, he told offi- cers about other cash in the house. They searched the kitchen and found $2,100 in one jar, $980 in another jar, and $7,224 in a teapot, for a total of $10,304. In a prepared state- ment, Mr. Chadwick said the drugs were brought to the house four months earlier by two men who said they had found it wet on the beach while they were out fishing. Together they salvaged what they could, placed it in jars to be used as cannabis oil or tea. He denied any in- tention of selling it. Offi- cers did not find any evi- dence of cannabis oil or tea at the premises. The total weight of the ganja found was 13.8 pounds. Mr. Ralston was ar- rested on July 18 at his res- idence in George Town. At the time, he was in posses- sion of a bag with five packs of ganja, each wrapped in a transparent bag. The total weight was 4.2 ounces. In a prepared statement later, Mr. Ralston denied any knowledge of the drugs found in Mr. Chadwick’s home and said the ganja he had on him was for personal use. Bail was refused for both men and they subsequently made further admissions. They pleaded guilty to their respective firearm charges in August last year. The ganja conspiracy charge was set for trial in February 2018, but they then pleaded guilty. The maximum sentence for conspiracy is 10 years. Both men pleaded guilty to possession of crim- inal property – the money – which the judge said was indicative of the success of their intent to supply ganja. He ordered the forfeiture of all of the cash and imposed no separate penalty. Justice St. John-Ste- vens said the guns were used to protect the drugs and the money. In mitigation, defense at- torney Jonathon Hughes said Mr. Chadwick did not know that a license was required for an air pistol. In the Firearms Law, the definition of a firearm in- cludes air pistols. The sec- tion that deals with a man- datory minimum sentence of seven years does not men- tion air pistols specifically. It lists “a machine gun, sub- machine gun, rifle, shotgun, pistol, or any lethal barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other missile can be discharged.” Attorney Nicholas Dixey accepted that Mr. Ralston was subject to the manda- tory minimum seven years. The judge found no ex- ceptional circumstance to lower that sentence, but did find aggravating circum- stances to raise it. He said their time in custody would count on the conspiracy sentence. The sentences were handed down on Thursday via video link with Justice Philip St. John-Stevens, who heard the matter when he was on island earlier this year. MAN ADMITS IMPORTING UNLICENSED AIR PISTOL CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two people accused of importing an air pistol in 2017 appeared in Grand Court Friday, when one pleaded guilty and the other had a tentative trial date set. Mark Anthony Campbell Jr., 31, replied “Guilty” when the charge was put to him: That on April 17, 2017, at Owen Roberts International Airport, he imported an un- licensed Powerline semi-au- tomatic BB air pistol. Felicia Shenique Pad- dyfoote, 26, replied “Not guilty” when the same charge was put to her. The defendants first ap- peared in Summary Court for this charge on May 1. Importation of a firearm without a license is a Cat- egory A offense, which means it can be dealt with only in Grand Court. The matter was therefore trans- mitted to the higher court without discussion of de- tails or any pleas. On Friday, after the pleas were entered, Se- nior Crown counsel Nicole Petit asked Justice Carl- isle Greaves to order a so- cial inquiry report for Mr. Campbell and set his sen- tencing for Aug. 23. He was represented by attorney Nicholas Dixey. Ms. Petit asked for a tentative trial date that same week for Ms. Paddy- foote. She was represented by attorney Gregory Burke. The judge continued bail for both defendants with conditions that include sur- render of travel documents and reporting to a police station once per week.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. 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” “Unfortunately, due to very demanding commitments on the Authority, its executive and staff in the continuing redevelopment of the ORIA [Owen Roberts International Airport], the expiration date of the Proposals received was overlooked and the validity period of 180 calendar days for all Proposals received by the Authority was not extended by mutual agreement between the Authority and each Proposer prior to such expiration. I sincerely apologize on behalf of the Authority to you and all Proposers for this oversight.” – Albert Anderson (in a May 9 letter to applicants) Chief Executive Officer Cayman Islands Airports Authority If anyone should know the importance of punctuality, it is the Cayman Islands Airports Authority. After all, they’re the ones who are always telling us to plan ahead and arrive hours before our scheduled flight and certainly should know what critical deadlines are on their “radar screens.” So one must ask how Mr. Anderson and these punctil- ious clock-watchers managed to miss a 180-day deadline to select and announce the winning bids for concessions in the remodeled Owen Roberts International Airport? Twenty-five distinct bidders submitted 42 proposals for the remodeled airport’s 17 retail openings – lucrative restaurants, shops and duty-free stores to cater to the more than one million travelers arriving and departing from the airport every year. The new, expanded concessions are eagerly awaited by the public, not to mention the private businesses which cater to travelers. If all 25 “bidders” for this valuable concession space do not agree to Mr. Anderson’s urgent plea to extend the deadline, the entire RFP (request for proposals) process will have to begin anew. The applicants had until 4 p.m. last Thursday to give their “unconditional consent to the retrospective extension.” In other words, Mr. Anderson already knows whether all 25 applicants have agreed to his request – but he won’t tell. In response to Compass questions, Mr. Anderson responded, “The Authority will make a statement at the appropriate time.” We would suggest that the “appropriate time” has already passed. While Mr. Anderson cites “very demanding commit- ments” as the key reason for the CIAA’s missing its own deadline (Dec. 27, 2017), other questions intrude, the most obvious being why was this “oversight” only shared with the applicants on May 9? Did no one notice the missed deadline for approximately five months? Was the missed deadline not discussed, for example, in early March when the “valuation committee,” which included a highly-priced U.S. consultant, met in Grand Cayman for four days, and reportedly selected the suc- cessful bidders? Did the CIAA’s board of directors, the ministry or its legal team not notice something was terribly amiss? As we write, it appears this “one fine mess” (as an attorney representing an applicant described it) will be resolved in one of two ways: First, if all 25 bidders agreed by 4 p.m. last Thursday to Mr. Anderson’s request for a “retrospective exten- sion,” the process will move forward without major con- sequence, and the CIAA will announce the successful bidders on June 7. Second, if, however, even one applicant withholds his or her consent, the entire RFP process must start over. The practical consequences of this are that it is unlikely that amenities and concessions, such as duty-free shops and restaurants, will be in place when the new airport terminal fully reopens in December. It is predictable that a flurry of lawsuits will follow. Airport vendor delay: What an inexplicable ‘fine mess’ MONDAY MAY 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Bush: Challenge to public registry is appropriate W. MCKEEVA BUSH On behalf of my constitu- ents, I would like to say that we fully endorse the posi- tion taken by the Premier Mr. Alden McLaughlin with regard to the legal chal- lenge to be undertaken in respect of the aggressive overreach suggested by the U.K. Parliament. This is not only an appro- priate means to seek to revise our Constitution but it is also productive for the protection of our future. The Cayman Islands system [of a] beneficial own- ership registry is superior in every way to the so-called system which is currently being implemented in the United Kingdom. Talk of public reg- isters ever becoming a global standard is non- sense. It would never be introduced in the United States and this ill-consid- ered United Kingdom ini- tiative will simply result in those seeking a legitimate right to privacy leaving the Cayman Islands financial services sector and seeking sanctuary in places and ju- risdictions where trans- parency does not exist. What will the U.K. do then? Start a war over Benefi- cial Ownership? References to the Panama Papers are wholly misplaced when refer- ring to the Cayman Is- lands, but ironically, this ill-considered United Kingdom initiative will do no more than create a new Panama elsewhere. W. McKeeva Bush, OBE JP MLA, is Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Zuckerberg’s visit to Brussels ANNE APPLEBAUM Maybe we should not be surprised. But we should still be profoundly disturbed: It has now become clear that our elected representatives, the people whom we send to parliaments and congresses to make laws on our behalf, cannot cope with the pro- found technological changes that are transforming our po- litical debate. The poor per- formance of the U.S. Senate, some of whose members were barely capable of posing questions to Facebook’s co- founder and chief execu- tive officer Mark Zuckerberg during a hearing last month, might have been an anomaly. Now the European Parliament has managed to organize an unsatisfying hearing as well. The two events were not disastrous for the same rea- sons. The Senate hearing was mostly remarkable for the large number of weak ques- tions. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., asked Zuckerberg if he’d ever heard of Palantir, a very large, hard-to-miss tech company. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., appeared unfamiliar with the concept of Facebook Messenger. Other questioners were more astute, but many were grandstanding. It did not matter. Zuckerberg ap- peared polite, said he’d “get back to you” on the crucial de- tails and went home. Grandstanding was a problem at European Parlia- ment too. The parliamentar- ians spent about 60 minutes asking questions. Though some of them were quite spe- cific – will Facebook commit to paying taxes in the coun- tries where it operates? – they also overlapped and rambled on. In the time that remained – about 22 minutes – Zucker- berg appeared polite, said he’d “get back to you” on the cru- cial details and went home. In the aftermath, a number of members of the European Parliament took to the airwaves to denounce the Facebook founder for his non-answers. Yet it was their hearing: They were the ones who decided to address too many issues, who failed to make time for follow-up ques- tions and who let Zuckerberg leave the room without com- mitting to anything, let alone to paying taxes. At least they are ahead of the British Par- liament, which has repeatedly and unsuccessfully asked Zuckerberg to appear. For anyone concerned about the future of Western democracy, the failure of Western lawmakers to make a single CEO of a single tech company answer questions about the consequences of the information revolution should set off a loud alarm. One of the most important sources of contemporary disdain for democracy is the widespread perception that democratic institutions are weak, in- competent and, more impor- tantly, unsuited to the rapidly evolving digital world. This is might be the last chance to undermine that perception. Legislators need to open up this debate to the public, find ways of informing and including voters, bring in more experts and witnesses, separatethe issues and ad- dress them all separately. Not every problem requires an elected body to resolve it, but some of them very well might. If our democratic representa- tives cannot do it, who will? © 2018, The Washington Post McKeeva Bush5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MAY 28, 2018 CTMH Doctors Hospital is now accepting applications for it 2018 Scholarship Program. The scholarship is available for tuition assistance for academic degree or diploma. Applicants must meet the following criteria: • The Form Must be fully completed • Be Caymanian • Be 18 years or older • Be in good health • Be of Good Character (Police Clearance) Certificate dated no earlier than six months prior to application. • Two Character Reference Letter • Demonstrates Financial Need • Been accepted or attending an accredited university • A proven academic record (GPA of 3.0 or higher) • Must be pursuing studies in a Health or Medical related field. Applications to be sent via email to Alba.Carter@doctorshospitalcayman.com or in-person at CTMH Doctors Hospital. No later than June 4, 2018. CTMH Doctors Hospital is now accepting applications for it 2018 Scholarship Program. The scholarship is available for tuition assistance for academic degree or diploma. Applicants must meet the following criteria: • The Form Must be fully completed • Be Caymanian • Be 18 years or older • Be in good health • Be of Good Character (Police Clearance) Certificate dated no earlier than six months prior to application. • Two Character Reference Letter • Demonstrates Financial Need • Been accepted or attending an accredited university • A proven academic record (GPA of 3.0 or higher) • Must be pursuing studies in a Health or Medical related field. Applications to be sent via email to Alba.Carter@doctorshospitalcayman.com or in-person at CTMH Doctors Hospital. No later than June 4, 2018. CTMH Doctors Hospital is now accepting applications for it 2018 Scholarship Program. The scholarship is available for tuition assistance for academic degree or diploma. Applicants must meet the following criteria: • The Form Must be fully completed • Be Caymanian • Be 18 years or older • Be in good health • Be of Good Character (Police Clearance) Certificate dated no earlier than six months prior to application. • Two Character Reference Letter • Demonstrates Financial Need • Been accepted or attending an accredited university • A proven academic record (GPA of 3.0 or higher) • Must be pursuing studies in a Health or Medical related field. Applications to be sent via email to Alba.Carter@doctorshospitalcayman.com or in-person at CTMH Doctors Hospital. No later than June 4, 2018. Ex-police employee gets suspended sentence Single mother used police credit card to buy groceries CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A former civilian em- ployee of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service was given a suspended sentence last week after pleading guilty to one charge of breach of trust in relation to misuse of a police credit card. Sara Connor, 39, received a term of imprisonment of one year, but it was suspended for 18 months. Ms. Connor en- tered her guilty plea in Oc- tober, admitting that she had used the RCIPS credit account provided by Kirk Supermarket to buy goods from the store for her family and had then failed to repay the balance. The offense occurred be- tween August 2013 and March 2016. Transactions by Ms. Connor totaled $7,487, but some money was paid back, resulting in a debt be- tween $3,500 and $4,000. After hearing that the de- fendant is a single mother of three children, Justice Carl- isle Greaves declined to order compensation; he said that, if she could not afford to pay the money back when she was working for the police, she would not be able to pay it back now that she had a smaller salary at another job. He also declined to order community service, saying her time would be better spent raising her children so that they did not become burdens to society. Justice Greaves handed down the sentence after hearing the facts of the case from Crown counsel Toyin Salako and mitigation from defense attorney Margeta Facey-Clarke. The judge re- ferred to Portia’s speech on the quality of mercy in Wil- liam Shakespeare’s play, “The Merchant of Venice.” There are some cases in which justice must be tempered with mercy, he said, and his view was that Ms. Connor’s was such a case. Ms. Salako explained that the defendant had been charged along with her su- pervisor, Siscely Solomon, who fled the jurisdiction two days before her first sched- uled court appearance in September 2016. Ms. Solomon has not returned, the prose- cutor indicated. Ms. Connor worked as an accounts officer in the police finance department, where part of her duties involved payment of invoices on be- half of the police service. In 2011, the RCIPS entered into an agreement with Kirk whereby up to $5,000 could be charged, but had to be paid within 30 days. Ms. Sol- omon signed the agreement on behalf of the police and she collected seven charge cards that could be used at the store. Ms. Salako said the cards were not used until August 2013, when the two women began purchasing groceries and household items on more than 100 occasions over the next two years. Ini- tially, payments were made by the end of each month, so the police administration was not aware that the cards were being used. In April 2015, the women stopped making payments for use of the cards and the arrears started to accrue. Even though the women knew payment was not being made, they continued to use the cards, Ms. Salako pointed out. By July 2015, Kirk was owed $5,422.70 and staff were trying to get payment. Two months later, $1,000 in cash was paid – the Crown believed it was by Ms. Connor – but by March 2016, Kirk was still owed $4,422.70. When the financial comp- troller was notified and Ms. Connor was questioned, she said she was in severe finan- cial difficulties “and she did it to feed her kids.” Ms. Facey-Clarke ex- plained that her client had been given the credit card by Ms. Solomon and did not think she was doing any- thing wrong because she was paying the money back. She was struggling because, after a divorce from the father of her two older children, he had been ordered to pay $700 per month in child support. He then became ill and was un- able to pay. The father of the youngest child became un- employed and was unable to pay child support. Ms. Connor was struggling to the point of asking a government depart- ment for food vouchers. The attorney said Ms. Connor had suffered tremen- dous embarrassment when the charges against her be- came public. “It was heart- wrenching to explain to her children that she did it to put food in their stomachs,” she told the court. After her guilty plea, she got jobs doing housework or cleaning people’s yards: She was an honest woman doing everything she possibly could, Ms. Facey-Clarke said of her client. With the police, Ms. Connor had earned $2,650 per month. She had recently obtained employment that paid $450 per week and was renting out a room in her home for extra income, the attorney detailed. She asked for leniency – “Anything but prison. She has served her sentence already,” Ms. Facey- Clarke told the court. In his sentencing remarks, Justice Greaves accepted Ms. Salako’s submission that the penalty should include im- prisonment and he imposed the term of one year. But he also accepted Ms. Facey- Clarke’s submission that the defendant was of previous good character and had 17 years’ service with the RCIPS. Ms. Connor had been in a state of dire need, particu- larly for the feeding of her children, who at the time were very young. Her ex-husband who agreed to pay $700 a month did not do so. Ms. Connor made several attempts to have the order enforced but was not successful. By the judge’s calculation, the man had failed to pay over $50,000 during a six-year pe- riod. Ms. Connor received no assistance from the in- stitutions of state, including the courts, which had failed to enforce their own order, the judge noted. He said the case for the defense was that these cir- cumstances resulted in Ms. Connor turning to her su- pervisor, who in sympathy gave her one of the police credit cards. In the Merchant of Venice, the character Shy- lock had lent money to a young man who could not repay it. Shylock expected to collect his literal “pound of flesh” even though such pay- ment would result in the young man’s death. Portia, as the attorney, told Shylock to take his pound of flesh – “but not one drop of blood, since that blood was not Shy- lock’s to take.” That story explained the judicial system, the judge commented, because it com- bined the harshness of common law with the princi- ples of justice and mercy. After sentencing, Ms. Salako said charges of ob- taining property by decep- tion and false accounting would be left on file, which means they will not be pro- ceeded with except by leave of the court. Charges against Ms. Solomon are still in the Summary Court. “It was heart-wrenching to explain to her children that she did it to put food in their stomachs.” MARGETA FACEY-CLARKE, defense attorney Police name two deceased snorkelers BRENT FULLER bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com Although a significant number of tourists have died so far this year in Cayman waters, the sheer number of these incidents within five months may not give a full picture of why they occur. The number of con- firmed water related deaths in Cayman this year – at least seven – has already matched the total number for all of 2017. However, Royal Cayman Islands Police marine of- ficers said it is not un- usual to have 10 or more people die in local waters in any given year. “Water-related deaths in the Cayman Islands over the past few years have been in the two- figure range annually, and this year seems to be no different,” said Ma- rine Unit Inspector De- menian Maxwell. The deaths that have occurred so far in 2018 have not all been fully investigated, but his- torically, in most water- related incidents, pre-ex- isting health conditions are a factor, Inspector Maxwell said. “We’ve found from the numerous investigations and autopsy reports that the majority of the in- cidents involve tourists who are elderly or [who] have existing co-morbid- ities,” he said. “There are some isolated incidents where persons have un- derestimated the sea con- ditions and fall victim to strong currents or in- clement weather.” The RCIPS identified the victims of two recent water-related incidents as Peter Stuart Schilke, 57, of Connecticut, U.S. and 83-year-old Walter Franklin Steele of North Carolina, U.S. Both men died after getting into difficulty while snorkeling, Mr. Schilke in East End and Mr. Steele at Stingray City in the North Sound. The seven confirmed water deaths to occur so far in 2018 involve visi- tors from the U.S. Six of the seven visitors expe- rienced difficulties while they were out on snor- keling or swimming trips; the seventh visitor death involved a 70-year-old diver, Beverly Ann Ber- sano of Illinois. An eighth death, re- ported April 2, involved a 76-year-old West Bay man, Dorriel McLean, who had been out fishing when he got into distress. The Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service did not ini- tially record this as a water-related incident. A possible ninth fa- tality involves missing swimmer Linvol Smith on Cayman Brac, who disappeared over the Discovery Day holiday weekend. Searches for Mr. Smith were called off early last week. Police: Health, age contribute to water deaths The number of confirmed water- related deaths in Cayman this year – at least seven – has already matched the total number for all of 2017. SEPTEMBER TRIAL SET FOR MEN IN CUSTODY ON GUN CHARGE CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three Jamaican nationals pleaded not guilty in Grand Court on Friday to possession of an unlicensed firearm and five rounds of ammunition. The defendants, all from Westmoreland, were iden- tified as Charles Ellsworth Rose, 40; Marvin Andre Brown, 34; and Andrew An- thony Folkes, 45. The firearm was described as a Virginian Dragoon re- volver and the alleged of- fense occurred on March 14 this year. The men first appeared in Summary Court on March 19 charged with having in their possession approxi- mately 522 pounds of ganja with intent to supply; being concerned in the importation of that same ganja; illegal landing; and possession of the unlicensed firearms. One of the defendants elected to have the firearm charges tried in Grand Court, so the co-accused were also sent to the higher court. The ganja charge is a matter for Summary Court. The men entered their “not guilty” pleas before Jus- tice Carlisle Greaves, who was told there was no appli- cation for bail. He directed that they decide by Aug. 10 whether they wanted trial by jury or by judge alone. Attorneys Jonathon Hughes, Crister Brady and Prathna Bodden appear for the defendants.6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY MAY 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS It’s that time of year again when simply driving around one of Cayman’s roundabouts or “liking” the event on social media will help raise thou- sands of dollars for three local charities. The seventh annual Is- land Heritage Charity- Drive begins Tuesday, May 29, and continues through Thursday, May 31. Every time a vehicle drives by the Island Heritage Roundabout on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, the insur- ance company will donate $1 on each driver’s behalf. This year’s chosen char- ities are the Special Needs Foundation (May 29), the Family Resource Centre (May 30), and the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (May 31). The company is also hoping people will show their support on social media. Is- land Heritage will also do- nate another $1 for each “Like” or “Share” on its social media posts, or if people tag #ihcharitydrive2018 in their own posts or mention @char- itydriveky on Twitter. “Your social media sup- port could even earn your favorite charity a bonus $5,000,” organizers said in a press release. Last year’s bonus recip- ient, Cayman Animal Rescue Enthusiasts, known as CARE, earned a total of $15,000 during the CharityDrive. Through CharityDrive, Is- land Heritage has given more than $200,000 to date. Past participants have in- cluded Meals on Wheels, Blue Iguana Recovery Programme, the Cayman Islands Humane Society, Cayman Islands Red Cross, the NCVO, the Cayman National Cultural Founda- tion, Cayman Islands Crisis Center, Cayman HospiceCare, Cayman Heart Fund, Kiwanis Club of Grand Cayman, Ca- nine & Feline Friends and Save our Youth Foundation, Breast Cancer Foundation, CARE and the Cayman Is- lands Little League. “With your support, Cayman, we can drive, click or tweet towards helping these charities reach their goals. Please support the Is- land Heritage CharityDrive and show you love Cayman the roundabout way,” Island Heritage said. US teenager’s cancer battle spotlighted in documentary “Until 20,” the inspiring story of a teenage cancer pa- tient working to save others, will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 31, at Ca- mana Bay Cinema. The free screening is being spon- sored by Dart in conjunction with the local cancer charity Hannah’s Heroes. The documentary film tells the story of James Ar- thur Ragan from Texas, a pe- diatric cancer patient and promising golfer, who was diagnosed with a rare cancer at age 13. Ragan took ac- tion, creating the Triumph Over Kid Cancer Founda- tion, which has raised more than $3 million to fund re- search to improve the treat- ment and survivability of pe- diatric cancer. He also allowed a docu- mentary crew to chronicle what turned out to be the last year of his life. “Until 20,” produced by award-winning journal- ists and documentary film- makers Geraldine Moriba and Jamila Paksima, has won the audience award at several film festivals in- cluding the Austin Film Fes- tival, Cinequest (San Jose) and Virginia Film Festival. Gaylene and Nigel Meeson founded Hannah’s Heroes in 2012 when their 4-year-old daughter Hannah was diag- nosed with anaplastic me- dulloblastoma. The charity is connected with St. Bal- drick’s Foundation. Since 2013, Hannah’s Heroes has raised more than $1.6 million for child- hood cancer research and funded five St. Baldrick’s scholars grants named in Hannah’s honor. The group’s annual Big Shave fundraiser, which raised $267,000 last year, is scheduled for Sept. 28. Initially given a 5 percent chance of survival, Hannah recently turned 10 and is cancer free. The screening of “Until 20” is free, but seating is limited. For reservations, visit https://www. eventbrite.com and search “Until 20.” Simply by driving by the Island Heritage Roundabout on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, the insurance company will donate $1 on each driver’s behalf. Cayman childhood cancer survivors feature in a 2017 photo for Hannah’s Heroes. Back row from left, Tayden Grant and Charli Foster; front row, Beau Shields, Annabelle Reading, Hannah Meeson and Mimi Ebanks. Annual ‘CharityDrive’ begins Tuesday Celebrating the oceans The Central Caribbean Marine Institute is holding two events at Camana Bay next month to mark the an- nual World Oceans Day. CCMI is inviting friends of all ages to join a “March for the Ocean” and a “Reefs Go Live” broadcast at the Camana Bay Cinema, on Saturday, June 9. “While World Oceans Day is on June 8 annually, hosting these events on the Saturday will allow for greater participation and public awareness, and con- nects those in the Cayman Islands with people from around the world who will also be taking part in the international March for the Ocean on the same day,” CCMI stated in a press release. CCMI has teamed up with Dart “to celebrate our oceans, highlight the status of coral reefs and share ideas on how to work to- wards zero impact on our environment,” the state- ment continued. March for the Ocean Celebrations will kick off at 1 p.m., with the March for the Ocean, which will start at Royal Palms on Seven Mile Beach. Partici- pants are asked to wear colors of the sea and bring a handmade sign that states what they are marching for and why they think oceans are important. The 15-minute walk from Royal Palms, across The Rise and into Camana Bay, is “in support of common sense changes and solutions to protect our oceans, which we depend upon for so much,” CCMI said. The organization’s presi- dent and director of research and conservation, Carrie Manfrino, said the March for the Ocean, a version of which is being held in many countries worldwide on June 9, is an international aware- ness event which “highlights the urgency that the oceans should be protected from human impact.” “It is also exciting to know that we will not be alone in this effort; others around the world who share our passion for healthy oceans will also be marching on the same day,” she added. Reefs Go Live The March for the Ocean will end at the Camana Bay Cinema, where registered participants will experience a “live dive” with educators and researchers in Little Cayman through CCMI’s new program, Reefs Go Live. During the broadcast, which explores the topic “Can Coral Reefs Be Saved?” the audience will be taken on a virtual underwater ex- perience in Little Cayman. Viewers can explore coral reefs with CCMI’s team and learn how everyone can do their part for zero impact on these special habitats. This broadcast is part of CCMI’s International Year of the Reef Lecture Series. Ms. Manfrino said she wants everyone to leave these events with the idea that their individual ac- tions can help save coral reefs. “At CCMI, our Zero Impact on coral reefs cam- paign promotes how we can reduce our impact here in the Cayman Islands by be- coming better divers, and also indirectly by using re- cyclable bags at the gro- cery stores and returning glass bottles. “Everyone can do some- thing to help. Working to- gether, we can make a dif- ference to our oceans.” Both events are free and open to the public. To register online, visit https:// donate.reefresearch.org/rls. For more information, visit www.reefresearch. org or CCMI’s Facebook page. Researchers film underwater footage for the Central Caribbean Marine Institute ‘Reefs Go Live’ series. Audience members will be taken on a ‘live dive’ during a June 9 broadcast at the Camana Bay Cinema as part of World Ocean Day events. - PHOTO: CCMI Volunteers hold the fort at the Island Heritage roundabout in last year’s CharityDrive. - PHOTO: COURTNEY PLATTThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MAY 28, 2018 the territories effectively “disenfranchises” the elected representatives in the territories. “We have legislated for them without their con- sent only in exceptional circumstances, for ex- ample to decriminalize ho- mosexuality in certain ter- ritories to ensure that they were compliant with in- ternational human rights obligations,” Lord Ahmad said on May 21. “By con- trast, financial services are an area of domestic re- sponsibility for territory governments.” Although Cayman, lo- cated in the western Ca- ribbean, missed the wrath of the 2017 Atlantic Hurri- cane season, Lord Ahmad pointed out many British Territories – including the British Virgin Islands, An- guilla and the Turks and Caicos Islands – did not. Hurricanes Irma and Maria wreaked havoc, not only upon those is- lands’ financial industries, but also hit their 2018 tourism seasons hard – with some reporting a 50 percent drop in their usual visitor numbers. “There remains a real risk that this will desta- bilize the reconstruction efforts of the hurricane- affected territories and all of this shortly before the next hurricane season begins [Friday],” Lord Ahmad said. “Our pref- erence would have been not to legislate in this manner without the terri- tories’ consent.” The Lords effec- tively did not vote on the amended Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill on May 21, but simply debated it and agreed the bill’s wording, allowing the changes to stand. In addition to Cayman, Lord Ahmad is expected to visit the British Carib- bean territories of Anguilla and Montserrat during this week’s trip. According to U.K. Foreign and Com- monwealth Officials, his itinerary does not include the storm-ravaged British Virgin Islands. In addition to finan- cial services and hurricane preparedness, Lord Ahmad is expected to drop by the RCIPS Air Operations Unit and give them a word of thanks for their efforts during last year’s search and rescue mission to the eastern Caribbean, fol- lowing Hurricane Irma. “The U.K. has provided critical aid and support across the region to as- sist in recovery from last year’s widespread devas- tation, and we can already see this help from the U.K. has made a real differ- ence on the ground,” Lord Ahmad said Friday. “How- ever, there’s more that needs to be done.” be much more damaging in the BVI, which has a finan- cial sector primarily based on company formations. Some at Thursday’s pro- test said the U.K.’s decision amounted to colonialism, and even modern-day slavery. The protest’s organizer, bishop John Cline, recounted the territory’s history, men- tioning the notorious slave holder Arthur Hodge, who was hanged in the BVI in 1811 for beating a slave to death. “Today we don’t fight Ar- thur Hodge. We fight an- other Hodge and company: Her name is Dame Margaret Hodge,” said Mr. Cline, refer- ring to the Labour MP who introduced the bill. “Some 200 years later, they’re still trying to put us back on the plantation.” BVI Premier Orlando Smith expressed dismay at the fact that the U.K. is forcing the BVI to implement a public registry even though his government has spent vast resources implementing numerous regulatory reforms over the last several years, in- cluding US$2 million on de- veloping a beneficial owner- ship platform accessible by U.K. law enforcement author- ities – similar to the system implemented in Cayman. Mr. Smith’s deputy premier, Kendrick Pickering, was blis- tering in his rhetoric, saying that the BVI has “declared open war against the U.K.” “We recognize that while we stand here today, we have declared open war against the U.K.,” he said, adding that the territory is in the midst of a “divorce from the U.K.” Protest organizers circu- lated a petition calling on the U.K. to “stay the deci- sion” requiring public benefi- cial ownership registers until the U.K. government could reach a fairer agreement in line with the territory’s 2007 Constitution, according to the The BVI Beacon newspaper. At the conclusion of the march, the petition was re- portedly delivered to BVI Acting Governor David Archer. BVI Governor Gus Jaspert is in the U.K., on a trip that was scheduled before the march. Mr. Jaspert stated on his Twitter account that he will read the petition upon his return and “forward it to London.” June 7, adding that he does not know why the an- nouncement is being de- layed until then. Matthew Bishop, CEO of Island Companies, also said he signed the consent form, and that “we stand ready to begin work as soon as possible, if indeed we are successful.” “It’s obviously regret- table that the RFP process has taken as long as it has but I’m sure the CIAA has had lot to consider,” he said. Having to undergo an- other bidding process would be a burden to his company, said Mr. Hamaty. “It’s a very costly and time-consuming thing to bid,” he said. Having to restart the bidding process would also likely mean that the shops, cafes and restaurants will not be ready when the new airport terminal fully opens in December. The second RFP, if it follows the same format as the first, would take six months to com- plete, meaning the bid- ders would not even learn if they had won until the end of the year. In his letter to bidders, Mr. Anderson indicates it is important to conclude the process “as soon as pos- sible” because of the “ur- gency in completing the fit out” of the airport, and urges bidders to give con- sent for the extension. Child pornography sentencing put off again Case so serious that judge asks for more help CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former UCCI lecturer Pierre Pavlov Rameau had his sentencing adjourned again when he appeared in Grand Court on Thursday for pos- session of child pornography. The 12 counts to which he pleaded guilty last month in- volve hundreds of images, in- cluding still photos and film. Senior Crown counsel Ni- cole Petit told Justice Carl- isle Greaves that there was “a paucity” of local cases that she could cite as guidance for sentencing. She brought two cases to his attention and noted that Cayman typ- ically refers to U.K. sen- tencing precedents. Judge Greaves, who cur- rently serves in Bermuda, said referring to U.K. guide- lines did not prevent attor- neys from looking elsewhere as well. He indicated he was aware of sentences in small Caribbean jurisdictions like the Cayman Islands. He said he considered this case to be so serious that he needed all available material be- fore him. Mr. Rameau “is facing a substantial sen- tence,” he noted. The judge suggested looking at cases in jurisdic- tions such as Bermuda and Barbados – places of a sim- ilar size as Cayman, similar nature, customs and so on. He said he was not referring to Jamaica or Trinidad be- cause those countries were large by comparison. The maximum sentence in Cayman is 15 years, he commented. If he were gen- erous and allowed a 50 per- cent discount, that would still be a sentence of seven and a half years before con- sidering aggravating and mit- igating factors. Ms. Petit said she would be happy to conduct the re- search exercise overnight. However, defense attorney Prathna Bodden referred to her schedule and the need to study any new precedents presented by the Crown. The judge agreed to have Ms. Petit submit any new material by Wednesday, May 30. Ms. Bodden will then have until Monday, June 4, to respond. The new sen- tencing date was set for later that week. The matter came to light after a female student asked Mr. Rameau for assistance with classwork. The court heard earlier that he moved their email conversation to Snapchat and asked her to send him indecent photos of herself. A complaint was filed against Mr. Rameau, which led to a charge of using an Information and Communi- cation Technology network to annoy, abuse and harass a female by requesting her to send him indecent images. Ms. Petit explained that the child pornography found on Mr. Rameau’s electronic devices could be placed in one of three categories. The most serious, category A, was comprised of images showing penetrative sexual activity. The next level of se- riousness was category B, showing non-penetrative sexual activity; followed by category C, which includes erotic poses of an inde- cent or exploitative nature. In this case, Mr. Rameau possessed “a significant number” of category A im- ages, along with images in the other categories as well. Child pornography in- volves serious abuse of chil- dren, Ms. Petit pointed out – in this case, some very young children. Some of the charges Mr. Rameau admitted involved “a pre-pubescent child.” The term refers to a child who has not yet reached puberty. Other charges referred to “children under 18 years.” There was no evidence that Mr. Rameau was dis- tributing the images, but he was providing a ready market for people who do distribute such material, the Crown pointed out. Half of the charges re- ferred to indecent photo- graphs and half referred to indecent films. Crown counsel Emma Hutchinson presented the social inquiry report pre- pared about the defen- dant, who is 49. She men- tioned his participation in 33 chatrooms and 27 WhatsApp groups. He de- nied sexual interest in chil- dren, but there was evidence of him conversing with a girl of 14 while presenting his age as 25. Ms. Bodden has not yet made her submissions. Mr. Rameau, who has been in custody since De- cember, was scheduled for sentencing last week Thursday. Justice Michael Wood adjourned the matter because he had not received the submission he had re- quested from attorneys. Justice Wood completed his temporary appoint- ment the following day and Justice Greaves has taken the matter over. UK Minister to focus on finance, hurricanes during Cayman visit CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Airport silent on vendor bidding decision CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Having to restart the bidding process would also likely mean that the shops, cafes and restaurants will not be ready when the new airport terminal fully opens in December. BVI holds protest against UK’s public registry rule CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Protestors hold signs criticizing the U.K.’s recent decision as racist and as a return to colonialism. – PHOTO: FREEMAN ROGERS, BVI BEACON The 12 counts to which he pleaded guilty last month involve hundreds of images, including still photos and film.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY MAY 28, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Landslide kills 23 in Ethiopia A landslide triggered by heavy rains has killed 23 people in the country’s Oromia region. The landslide happened Saturday evening after hours of heavy rains in the area. Close to 50 people died in a similar landslide in May 2016 after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides. S. Korea: Kim commits to summit with Trump, denuclearization US Gulf Coast braces for impact as Alberto approaches ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Normally packed with va- cationers over the Memorial Day weekend, beaches along the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast were largely empty Sunday as a slowly intensifying storm carrying brisk winds and heavy rain approached. Subtropical Storm Al- berto – the first named storm of the 2018 hurricane season – prompted Florida, Alabama and Mississippi to launch emergency prepara- tions Saturday. Rough con- ditions were expected to roil the seas off the eastern and northern Gulf Coast region through Tuesday. “These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current condi- tions,” the National Hurri- cane Center in Miami said in a statement. Gusty showers were to begin lashing parts of Florida on Sunday, and au- thorities were warning of the possibility of flash flooding. The hurricane center said Sunday that a tropical storm warning was in effect from Bonita Beach, Florida, to the Mississippi-Alabama border. Isolated tornadoes were possible across the region on Sunday and Monday. About 5 to 10 inches of rain are possible along af- fected areas in eastern Loui- siana, Mississippi, Alabama, western Tennessee and the western Florida Panhandle. Isolated areas could see as much as 15 inches. Under overcast skies and occasional drizzle, several Gulfport, Mississippi, resi- dents lined up to fill 10- and 20-pound bags with sand they will use to block any encroaching floodwater ex- pected as a result of Alberto. Tommy Whitlock said sandbagging has become a usual event in his life since he lives next to a creek. “I’m doing this because every time we have a hard rain, it floods at my house,” Whitlock said. “We get water from other neighborhoods, and water can get up to a foot deep in some places.” Eddy Warner, a retired consultant for a construc- tion company, filled bags while waiting for his nephew to come help transport them home to protect his garage. “I’m 65 years old and too old to be doing this,” he said, laughing. Alberto – the first named storm of the 2018 hurri- cane season that officially starts June 1 – is expected to strengthen until it reaches the northern Gulf Coast, likely on Monday night. The NWS said waves as high as 18 feet could pound the popular Gulf beaches in Baldwin County, Alabama, and northwestern Florida on Monday. A high surf warning was in effect through 7 p.m. Tuesday local time. At 11 a.m. EDT Sunday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Alberto was about 130 miles west- southwest of Tampa, Florida, and moving north at 14 mph. The storm had top sustained winds of 50 mph. A subtropical storm like Alberto has a less defined and cooler center than a trop- ical storm, and its strongest winds are found farther from its center. Subtropical storms can develop into tropical storms, which in turn can strengthen into hurricanes. A tropical storm warning expired for Cuba’s western Pinar del Rio province, where heavy rains could trigger flash floods and mud- slides, the National Hurri- cane Center said. The downpours could dampen Memorial Day, the unofficial start of the summer tourist season along Gulf beaches. Along with heavy rains and high winds come rough seas and a threat of rip currents from Florida to Louisiana that can sweep swimmers out to sea. Tracey Gasper and her 6-year-old son, Chase, trav- eled to Biloxi Beach from Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for a day of fun in the sun with a group of friends from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The weather had scared off the usual crowds expected for the holiday weekend. “It was a 50-50 chance of whether to come down and we decided to chance it,” Gasper said. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Sunday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un committed in their surprise meeting to sitting down with President Donald Trump and to a “complete denuclearization of the Ko- rean Peninsula.” The Korean leaders’ second summit in a month saw bear hugs and broad smiles, but their quickly ar- ranged meeting Saturday ap- pears to highlight a sense of urgency on both sides of the world’s most heavily armed border. At the White House, Trump said negotiations over a potential June 12 summit with Kim that he had ear- lier canceled were “going along very well.” Trump told reporters that they are still considering Singapore as the venue for their talks. He said there is a “lot of good will,” and that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula would be “a great thing.” The Koreas’ talks, which Moon said Kim requested, capped a whirlwind 24 hours of diplomatic back-and- forth. They allowed Moon to push for a U.S.-North Ko- rean summit that he sees as the best way to ease ani- mosity that had some fearing a war last year. Kim may see the sit- down with Trump as nec- essary to easing pressure from crushing sanctions and to winning security as- surances in a region sur- rounded by enemies. Moon told reporters Sunday that Kim “again made clear his commitment to a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” and that he told the South Ko- rean leader he’s willing to cooperate to end confronta- tion and work toward peace for the sake of the successful North Korea-U.S. summit. Moon said he told Kim that Trump has a “firm re- solve” to end hostile relations with North Korea and ini- tiate economic cooperation if Kim implements “complete denuclearization.” “What Kim is unclear about is that he has concerns about whether his country can surely trust the United States over its promise to end hostile relations (with North Korea) and provide a security guarantee if they do denucle- arization,” Moon said. “During the South Korea- U.S. summit, President Trump said the U.S. is willing to clearly put an end to hos- tile relations (between the U.S. and North Korea) and help (the North) achieve eco- nomic prosperity if North Korea conducts denucleariza- tion,” he said. Moon said North Korea and the United States will soon start working-level talks to prepare for the Kim-Trump summit. He said he expects the talks to go smoothly be- cause Pyongyang and Wash- ington both know what they want from each other. Kim, in a telling line from a dispatch issued by the North’s state-run news service earlier Sunday, “ex- pressed his fixed will on the historic (North Korea)-U.S. summit talks.” During Satur- day’s inter-Korean summit, the Korean leaders agreed to “positively cooperate with each other as ever to im- prove (North Korea)-U.S. rela- tions and establish (a) mech- anism for permanent and durable peace.” They agreed to have their top officials meet again June 1. Moon said military gen- erals and Red Cross officials from the Koreas will also meet separately to discuss how to ease military ten- sions and resume reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. Saturday’s Korean summit came hours after South Korea expressed re- lief over revived talks for a Trump-Kim meeting. Despite repeated refer- ences to “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” by the North, it remains unclear whether Kim will ever agree to fully abandon his nu- clear arsenal. The North has previ- ously used the term to de- mand the United States pull out its 28,500 troops in South Korea and withdraw its so- called “nuclear umbrella” se- curity commitment to South Korea and Japan. The North hasn’t openly repeated those same demands after Kim’s sudden outreach to Seoul and Washington. Moon has insisted Kim can be persuaded to abandon his nuclear facilities, mate- rials and bombs in a veri- fiable and irreversible way in exchange for credible se- curity and economic guar- antees. Moon said Sunday that the North’s disarma- ment could be still be a dif- ficult process even if Pyong- yang, Washington and Seoul don’t differ over what “com- plete denuclearization” of the peninsula means. Moon, who brokered the summit between Washington and Pyongyang, likely used Saturday’s meeting to con- firm Kim’s willingness to enter nuclear negotiations with Trump and clarify what steps Kim has in mind in the process of denuclearization, said Hong Min, a senior ana- lyst at Seoul’s Korea Institute for National Unification. “While Washington and Pyongyang have expressed their hopes for a summit through published state- ments, Moon has to step up as the mediator be- cause the surest way to set the meeting in stone would be an official confirmation of intent between heads of states,” Hong said. Gusty showers were to begin lashing parts of Florida on Sunday, and authorities were warning of the possibility of flash flooding. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in embrace each other after their meeting at the northern side of the Panmunjom in North Korea, Saturday, May 26. - PHOTO: SOUTH KOREA PRESIDENTIAL BLUE HOUSE/YONHAP VIA AP Gulfport, Mississippi residents shovel sand into bags Saturday in preparation for Subtropical Storm Alberto to make its way through the Gulf of Mexico. – PHOTO: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MAY 28, 2018 ‘Quiet revolution’ leads to abortion rights win in Ireland UK lightning storms disrupt travel at London airport U.S. WARNS SYRIAN GOVERNMENT NOT TO ADVANCE ON SOUTH LONDON (AP) – British me- teorologists said thousands of lightning strikes hit the U.K. during a powerful over- night thunderstorm, and a London-area airport reported flight disruptions Sunday after an aircraft refueling system was damaged. London Stansted Airport said that a lightning strike disabled the fueling system “for a period this morning. Engineers have been on site and have now restored the system, however flights may still be subject to diversion, delay or cancellation.” More than 200 flights were delayed at Stansted. Another 31 departures and 18 arrivals were canceled, according to FlightStats, which provides data on commercial aviation. London-area airports were busier than usual, since Britain is in the middle of a long holiday weekend, and many schoolchildren also have a half-term break this coming week. Budget airline Ryanair, which has a big presence at Stansted, could not say how many of its flights had been affected at the airport, but was offering full re- funds to some. The Ireland-based airline apologized to those affected, but said the disruptions were beyond the company’s control. “A number of flights have regrettably been can- celled at Stansted Airport this morning due to an ear- lier airport fueling system failure, caused by a lightning strike,” a Ryanair spokesman said. “All affected customers are being contacted and ad- vised of their options of a full refund, a free transfer on to the next available flight or a free transfer on to an alterna- tive routing.” Meteorologist Charlie Powell said information sug- gested there were “some- where between 15,000 and 20,000 strikes across the U.K. during the overnight period.” BEIRUT (AP) – The United States warned it would take “firm and appro- priate measures” to pro- tect a cease-fire in southern Syria if President Bashar Assad’s forces move against rebels there. The area in south- western Syria, between the border city of Daraa and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, has emerged as a flash point in a wider standoff between regional archrivals Israel and Iran. The U.S., Russia, and Jordan agreed last year to include Daraa in a “de-es- calation zone” to freeze the lines of conflict. But gov- ernment forces have re- cently dropped leaflets on rebel-held areas warning of an imminent offensive and urging fighters to lay down their arms, Syrian state media said Friday. In a statement re- leased Friday, the U.S. State Department said it was concerned by re- ports that Assad’s forces were preparing for an op- eration in southwestern Syria. It warned the gov- ernment against “any ac- tions that risk broadening the conflict.” Assad has relied on Russia, Iran and the Leb- anese militant group He- zbollah to battle an up- rising against his family’s decades-long rule and roll- back an Islamic State in- surgency that grew out of the country’s seven-year civil war. Iran has sent military commanders to oversee battles and orga- nize militias from across the Middle East to fight alongside Assad’s troops. The U.S. and Israel view Iran’s extensive military presence in Syria as a threat to Israel and have threat- ened action. The Israeli mil- itary is believed to be be- hind dozens of airstrikes in recent years against He- zbollah, Iran, and Syrian military positions. Earlier this month, Is- rael bombed Iranian mili- tary positions in Syria in what it said was retalia- tion for an Iranian rocket attack on the occupied Golan Heights. Israel called it its most serious oper- ation in Syria since the 1973 Mideast war. DUBLIN (AP) – In the end, it was not even close. Irish voters – young and old, male and female, farming types and city-bred folk – en- dorsed expunging an abor- tion ban from their largely Catholic country’s constitu- tion by a two-to-one margin, referendum results compiled Saturday showed. The decisive outcome of the landmark referendum held Friday exceeded expec- tations and was cast as a historic victory for women’s rights. Polls had given the pro-repeal “yes” side a small lead, but suggested the con- test would be close. Since 1983, the now-re- pealed Eighth Amendment had forced women seeking to terminate pregnancies to go abroad for abortions, bear children conceived through rape or incest or take illegal measures at home. As the final tally was an- nounced showing over 66 percent of voters supported lifting the ban, crowds in the ancient courtyard of Dublin Castle began chanting “Savita! Savita!” in honor of Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year-old dentist who died of sepsis during a pro- tracted miscarriage after being denied an abortion at a Galway hospital in 2012. With exit polls showing a win for abortion rights cam- paigners, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar called the apparent victory the “culmination of a quiet revolution.” Later, he hailed the momentous out- come as a victory for Ire- land’s future. “I said in recent days that this was a once in a genera- tion vote. Today I believe we have voted for the next gen- eration,” said Varadkar, who is Ireland’s first openly gay leader as well as its first prime minister from an ethnic minority group. The next battleground is likely to be Ireland’s par- liament, where the govern- ment led by Varadkar hopes to capitalize on the fresh mo- mentum and enact legislation spelling out the conditions under which abortions will be legal for the first time by the end of this year. The plan is to allow abor- tions during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and in special cases after the first trimester, likely ending the trail of Irish women who go elsewhere, mostly to neigh- boring Britain, by the thou- sands each year for abortions they cannot get at home. “Under the Eighth Amend- ment, the only thing we could say to women in this country was ‘Take a flight or take a boat,’” Health Minister Simon Harris told Irish broadcaster RTE. “And now the country is saying, ‘No, take our hands, we want to support you.’” Some called for the new abortion legislation to be named, “Savita’s law.” Her fa- ther, Andanappa Yalagi, said he has “no words” to ex- press his gratitude for Ire- land’s “yes” vote. “We’ve got justice for Savita,” he told the Hindu- stan Times. “What happened to her will not happen to any other family.” It is not yet clear how hard the soundly defeated “no” forces will fight for re- strictive laws in parliament in light of the overwhelming appetite for reform. Opponents of the re- peal movement conceded de- feat Saturday morning after exit polls from the night be- fore suggested they had no hope of victory. John McGuirk, spokesman for the Save the 8th group, told RTE that many Irish citi- zens would not recognize the country in which they were waking up. The group said on its website that the refer- endum was a “tragedy of his- toric proportions,” but Mc- Guirk said the vote must still be respected. “You can still passion- ately believe that the deci- sion of the people is wrong, as I happen to do, and accept it,” he said. The final tally showed that just over 66 percent of voters who cast valid ballots wanted the Eighth Amend- ment abolished. Exit polls indicated that both men and women strongly opposed the abortion ban, and that op- position to it was strong in rural areas, not just cosmo- politan Dublin. The support for lifting the ban highlights the liberal- ization of traditionally Cath- olic Ireland, marking the di- minishing influence of the Church hierarchy and a de- sire to align Irish secular laws with the other coun- tries of Europe. First it was same-sex marriage, approved here in 2015, and now it will be the consignment to history of the Eighth Amendment, which banned nearly all abortions and turned women seeking them into pariahs. “This is a monumental day for women in Ireland,” Orla O’Connor, co-director of the Together for Yes group, said. “This is about women taking their rightful place in Irish society, finally.” The vote is a “rejection of an Ireland that treated women as second-class citi- zens,” she said, adding: “This is about women’s equality and this day brings massive change, monumental change for women in Ireland, and there is no going back.” A woman from the ‘Yes’ campaign reacts as the results of the votes begin to come in Saturday after the Irish referendum on the 8th Amendment of the Irish Constitution in Dublin, Ireland. – PHOTO: AP Lightning strikes during a storm in London on Saturday, May 26. British meteorologists say up to 20,000 lightning strikes hit the U.K. during a powerful overnight thunderstorm, and a London-area airport is reporting flight disruptions after an aircraft refueling system was damaged. - PHOTO: MATT LEAT/RNLI VIA APNext >